Veggie Feast July 11, 2018

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Notes from the Farm

We woke up to frost on July 4th.  Ice on our windshields, a white lawn.  The predicted temperature was low forties, so this was a surprise.  Luckily only a few beans were zapped on their top leaves, everything else was unscathed.

 

This Week’s Veggie Feast

A whole new selection of vegetables! Plus garlic.

Veggie Feast July 11

 

 

 

New This Week

Green Cabbage

This is straight from our website and written by our friend Katie, chef extraordinaire: Native to Europe, wild cabbage can still be found in its headless form that was known to be a source of food for ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. In Greece, the origin of cabbage was attributed to Zeus working himself into a sweat trying to explain two conflicting prophecies. Through years of cultivation, cabbage was developed into the large heads we are familiar with today. Of course cabbage can be turned into sauerkraut and makes for some great coleslaw, but this versatile vegetable also takes well to cooking, whether it is sautéed, braised, boiled, or grilled. Cooking cabbage gives off a pungent smell that is a result of a high concentration of sulphur compounds in the vegetable. The combination of thin slicing and brief cooking times can alleviate the strong flavor. Green cabbage pairs well with butter, olive oil, sour cream, cheddar cheese, parmesan, mustard, horseradish, caraway, dill, marjoram, potatoes, apples, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Cabbage can last for a long time stored in a plastic bag in your vegetable crisper but its nutritive value decreases with time. Remove any wilted leaves before using.

Fennel

Fennel has a mild anise flavor and the bulb is a great addition to salads.  I dry the delicate leaves and use them in tea blends and as a culinary herb during the winter.  For more information on fennel click here.

Red Ace Beets

Once again, do not throw out those leaves.  Beet greens are actually more nutritious than the root.  The greens are especially tender and delicious right now, and could be used raw in salads.

Broccoli

Tasty.

Snow peas

Although snow peas can be eaten raw they are typically used in saute and stir fries.  They are flatter and have barely formed peas inside their pods compared to the snap pea.

 

Snap peas

I think of snap peas as encapsulated juicy sugar bursts.  They are one of the sweetest tasting vegetables out there and if more parents served snap peas instead of canned peas (blah!) then children may have a more positive attitude toward vegetables.  Bill Harley made a great song about this “There’s a Pea on my Plate.” 

Recipe

Beet orange and fennel salad

ingredients

  • 1 – 1 ½ pounds cooked beets- steamed or roasted, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 2 oranges ( feel free to sub 1 blood orange), peeled, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 medium fennel bulb, cored and shaved thinly
  • ⅛-¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ⅛ cup fresh dill or mint- chopped
  • ⅛ cup fresh italian parsley – chopped

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons honey ( or vegan alternative- agave, maple)
  • ¼ tablespoon salt and pepper, more to taste

Instructions

Place the cooked cut beets, oranges and fennel in a medium bowl. Add fresh herbs.

Add dressing ingredients, and toss.  ( It helps to warm the honey first if using- I just place the jar of honey in a bowl of hot water to loosen it.)  Alternatively, you could whisk the dressing ingredients separately in a small bowl, then toss with the salad.

Taste for salt and acid. Add more salt and vinegar to taste.

Source:  Feasting at Home