Farm NewsLetter 06/11/07

June 11th, 2007

The first thing I’d do with my share this week is eat the peas, probably on the way home, but watch out- not sharing those tasty treats could get you in big trouble! My first dinner with the share would probably be something easy like pasta or an omelet with sautéed onions, kale and herbs. Make a small salad with the arugula and you’re all set.
If you still have choi from last week, try the Soba & Choi recipe (June 4th Newsletter) and add Napa Cabbage and lots of sautéed scapes to it as well. This is a really good cold noodle salad and can be made ahead of time for an easy dinner on a hot summer day. It is also great on a picnic or for a brown bag lunch at work or school. If you have any onion or garlic scapes left, cut them in 4-6” lengths, coat with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and roast them in the oven at 300 for about an hour. It you have less time, turn the heat up. Either way, keep your eye on them- the flavor improves when they start to brown and carmelize, but don’t let them burn. Eat them straight out of the oven, or put in the fridge for snacks later.
You can also add roasted scapes (and any extra sautéed kale or mustard greens for that matter) to the Green Risotto with Fava Beans (see below). The favas take a bit of time to prepare, but they’re worth it. Put some water on to boil, pour yourself a glass of wine, and pop them out of the pods. Other recommended shelling techniques: very fun for kids or do it while watching TV. If you don’t want to go to all the trouble of making risotto, just shell and cook the favas as per the instructions, then enjoy a bowl full of warm beans with a dash of good olive oil and sea salt.

Note: there is a very rare disease called favism, which is a serious reaction to eating raw fava beans or breathing their pollen. The risk of eating cooked fava beans is small. More info at www.g6pd.org
Weather: Cool & Maybe Rainy
Your share this week may include:

Arugula Nice little bunches of tender, slightly spicy greens make a great salad.
Fava Beans It takes a bit of work to prep these, but we think they’re worth it! Instructions for how to do the double shelling are included are in the recipe below, and once the second shell is off they can be used like any fresh shell bean.
Napa Cabbage ‘China Express’ Chop the thick white stems and sauté them for just a minute before adding the tender green leaves and small buds.
Kale These are such terrific and versatile greens. This time of year the leaves are surprisingly tender. Our friends the flea beetles have been nibbing around the edges, but they don’t eat much and since we don’t spray, we sometimes have to share.
Mustard Greens One of my favorite braising greens, they loose their spice, but keep a distinctive flavor through the cooking.
Spring Onions These white onions are just starting to bulb. They will eventually be full size dry onions, but we see no reason not to start eating them now. Use the small bulb as you would regular onions, and the green tops as you would scallions.
Shallot & Onion Scapes These are the stem and flower bud of our shallots and onions. The thick fleshy stalk is the tastiest part, and sometimes the smaller buds are eaten too. I coat them lightly with olive oil and roast them until slightly caramelized. They make a very fun finger food! You can also chop & sauté them to add a mild onion flavor to any dish.
Sugar Snap Peas!

Coming Soon… Broccoli & Baby Carrots!!

Green Risotto with Fava Beans

2lbs pound fresh, unshelled fava beans
4 cups chicken or veggie broth
3 table butter, divided
1 small onion or green garlic
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Meanwhile, shell the fava beans and discard the pods. Boil the favas for 1-2 minutes, strain and then immediately plunge them into ice water. Let them cool for 2 minutes then pierce the favas and squeeze them from their skins. Separate 1/2 of the favas and puree in a food processor.
2. In a separate large saucepan bring the broth to a simmer. Keep it hot on the stovetop. Meanwhile in another large saucepan over medium heart, melt 1.5 table of the butter and simmer the onions (do not brown). Add the rice and cook while stirring for 2 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat and stir constantly. When the wine is absorbed add a little of the hot stock. Once the stock is absorbed add a little more and repeat the process until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice.
3. To the cooked rice add the pureed favas, the remaining 1.5 table of butter, the rest of the favas and cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter and cheese melt and the puree is incorporated evenly. Season with salt.