Week #7, June 29 2017

Steve sunk a tractor in the ground on Monday.  Before plowing a wet bottom field, he attempted to set the plow to a shallower depth but accidentally set it deeper.  He plowed a furrow that was too deep and got stuck. Steve came moping back to the house, worried that we would need help extracting the embedded tractor and plow. That’s expensive (if we hire a rig) or embarrassing (if we ask a neighbor for help). It’s difficult and risky when the tractor and implement are still hitched together. He didn’t sleep well at all that night. By morning, Steve and Roger had a plan that worked, using other tractors and a front-end loader.  All was well but it was an unsettling moment for Steve.  Beth

Veggie List and Veggie Notes
(June 29/30, 2017; week #7, purple EOW, moon Sampler)

‘Caraflex’ cabbage

Beth’s Box Logic: We planned this delivery with your July 4th celebrations in mind.  You’ve got ingredients for …
– cole slaw (cabbage, scallions),
– cold salads (Romaine, peas, parsley),
– grilling (zucchini),
– pasta salad, our go-to meal for picnics (grilled zucchini, peas, Swiss chard, scallions, parsley) and
– cocktails (tomato juice)
You will find something festive to prepare.  Have a great 4th of July!

Box Contents
Tipi tomato juice, 1 quart
‘Caraflex’ cabbage
Sugar snap peas, ~1.2 lb
Swiss chard, 1 big bunch
Zucchini & yellow summer squash, ~3 lb
Romaine lettuce
Scallions, 1 bunch
Curly parsley, 1 bunch

Next week’s box will probably contain sugar snap peas, beets with greens, zucchini, broccoli, sweet Walla Walla onion, basil and more.

‘Caraflex’ cabbage – This is a nice salad-type that we grow in summer.  Don’t you love the pointy shape?  It has thinner, more tender leaves than the usual green cabbage.  Great in salads and slaws but can also be cooked.  Here’s the description from the seed catalogue: “Inner leaves are tender, crunchy, and have an excellent, sweet and mild cabbage flavor.  Perfect for summer salads, slaws, or cooked dishes.”
Swiss chard (pretty bundle of green leaves) – Our crew did a nice job mixing colors for pretty bunches.  Swiss chard is a close relative of spinach, but requires a bit more cooking.  Use as a substitute in any recipe that calls for spinach, just cook the chard a little longer. Both stems and leaves are delicious. The stems requite longer cooking, so cut them free from the leaves when preparing.  That allows you to cook the stems longer.
Parsley – This is the most versatile, widely-used herb that we grow.  This week, I plan to make a tabouleh-style salad with snap peas, grilled zucchini, scallions and lots of parsley.
Tipi tomato juice – We had this juice bottled from our tomatoes last summer.  It’s a great way to capture ripe tomatoes at peak season, at a moment when we are swimming in tomatoes.  Drink it or try making an easy soup.  Simmer diced zucchini and Swiss chard in the juice.  Add minced scallions and parsley near the end of cooking.  Voila!  Soup!
Storage: Store the juice out of sunlight at room temperature when unopened.  Refrigerate after opening.  The juice is already seasoned so do not add salt if you cook with it.
Ingredients: organic tomatoes from Tipi Produce, salt, organic garlic, organic onion, organic black pepper.  I’ve posted the nutritional information here.

LOCAL THYME RECIPES

Comforting Classics

Greek Swiss Chard and Zucchini Soup
Pan Fried Tofu on Cabbage and Snap Pea Salad
Zucchini Scallion Fritters
Classic Coleslaw

Outside the Box Recipes

Zucchini and Swiss Chard Tart
Vietnamese Snap Pea Stir Fry
Orzo Salad with Grilled Summer Squash
Swedish Cabbage Soup

Quick and Easy Meal

Turkey, Bacon and Parsley Pesto Mayo Sandwich with Romaine

RECIPES FROM LAUREN

GRILLED CABBAGE, SNAP PEA & SCALLION SALAD
There’s little I enjoy more than bringing home a huge tote of vegetables and tossing them on the grill for a simple but amazing dinner. This week’s creation involves grilling a lot of things not commonly thought of as grillable but you’ll have to trust me that grilled cabbage and snap peas are a real thing of beauty. If you don’t have a grill or equipment good enough to keep veggies from falling through the grates you could broil your vegetables on a sheet pan for 15-20 minutes until very well charred in places. That was my go to “grilling” technique before we purchased an awesome grill last summer. And still my technique when summer storms keep me inside.  Lauren.

Takes 30 minutes
Serves 4-6 as a side to some hearty cut of meat also done on the grill or 2 as a main dish

1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 cabbage, cut it half lengthwise and cut in half
1 pound snap peas (or as many as you can spare), ends trimmed
1 bunch scallions, ends trimmed
Kosher salt and pepper
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil on a baking sheet. Add cabbage, snap peas and scallions. Drizzle with additional tablespoon of olive oil and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Toss gently with your hands to coat veggies evenly with oil.
2. Get your grill ready. The hotter the better. Grill veggies directly over heat (one of these fancy grill pans or baskets that keeps the veggies from falling through might be helpful) flipping so both sides get blackened in spots. This takes about 5-6 minutes for the scallions and peas and closer to 10 minutes for the cabbage. A little char is a great thing, especially for the cabbage. If you are broiling, just keep them on the baking sheet and put them RIGHT under the broiler for 20 minutes, flipping the veggies after 10 minutes.
3. Remove veggies, allow to cool briefly. Add peas to a medium bowl. Slice cabbage and scallions thinly (as best you can) and add to the same bowl.
4. Whisk rice wine vinegar, remaining olive oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, tamari, fish sauce and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Pour dressing over veggies. Add sesame seeds and stir to combine. Serve warm or cold.

.
ZUCCHINI & SWISS CHARD TART
Recipe adapted from New York Times
I make pie crust in my food processor following Smitten Kitchen’s basic guidelines for “all butter, really flaky pie dough” every single time I need a pie crust regardless of what the recipe calls for and I am NEVER disappointed. It’s simple, quick and incredibly flaky. Do note that this makes a double batch (aka two pie crusts) so either make half the Smitten Kitchen portion (which is a little more difficult in your food processor) or two tarts!  Lauren.

Makes 1 tart
Serves 4-6
Takes 1 hour, 45 minutes (much of it inactive), a little longer if you make the dough from scratch

1 store-bought pie crust or follow instructions for my favorite pie crust (see note above)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 scallions, white and pale green parts, diced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and diced, leaves roughly chopped
2 pounds zucchini and/or summer squash, diced
1/4 cup minced curly parsley
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup Gruyere (or Swiss if you can’t find that) cheese

1. If making pie crust from scratch, do this first so it has time to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. In a large saute pan, add olive oil, scallions and chard stems. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium heat for five minutes until fragrant. Add zucchini and chard leaves, stir often for 10 minutes. Zucchini should be tender but still bright green and greens should be wilted. Add parsley, cook about 1 minute longer just to combine flavors. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in remaining salt and pepper. Add zucchini chard mixture and cheese. Mix everything together and then add remaining pepper.
5. If making your own pie crust, roll it out into a circle and line a 9 or 9.5-inch pie pan. †If not, just grab your store-bought crust. Fill pie crust with zucchini chard mixture. Bake for 50 minutes or until center is set and top is golden brown. Allow to set for 15 minutes before serving. It’s fine to serve this warm or at room temperature.