In our CSA share this week

In the pickup for our SE Portland and Lake Oswego/Luscher Farm shareholders this week:

This week we are especially excited about the Baby Cauliflower. The very small head is wrapped in many delicious leaves. Make sure and use the leaves and stem as well as the head. Or cut the whole thing in half and grill or roast it. We have a whole field of cauliflower so you’ll likely get a much larger head in 2 weeks at the Last Winter Share on April 13th.

The small knobby bright red roots in your share this week are Oca! This south american tuber can be eaten raw or cooked like a potato. When eaten raw, they have a fresh crunchy texture and lemony flavor. If you want to cook them they can be boiled, baked fried, or roasted. They are also good in soups & stews. The bright color will fade a bit, but they have a nice nutty slightly tangy flavor. These were grown by our friends at Mustard Seed Farm.

If you want to geek out on Raab, Rapini, Broccolini and learn the difference between all the different kinds of Cimi di Rapa then definitely check out this YouTube video from the Culinary Breeding Network. In your share you’ll enjoy the elongated stems and flower buds of kale & collards aka Brassica oleracea.

More dry beans in the share this week! Whipple is one of my favorite varieties. The beautiful red beans are plump and painted with tan splashes. It is well adapted to the PNW and has a great rich flavor. Many folks recommend it in chili. The Whipple Family, for which this bean is named, worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. before moving to Douglas County, Oregon, in the 1970s. Eventually Whipple dry bean was introduced to local growers and gardeners via seed swaps. Thank you White Oak Farm!

Not a shareholder? We can help! Join us for our Summer CSA season at one of our two pickup locations (SE Portland or Lake Oswego) and take home fresh, local, sustainably-farmed produce like this every two weeks!