In Your Share (May 21, 2018 edition)

We are excited to have fava beans in the share so early this season! I had become frustrated with fall planted fava beans in recent years. They can be magnificent – like our current crop – but they can also fail miserably. The timing is challenging and size matters. If the plants are too large in the fall, they will be more susceptible to freezing. If the plants are too small, then they won’t have very many beans in the spring. Three years ago we planted a whole field and had a fabulous stand of fava bean plants – just the right size going into the winter, but despite all the TLC we gave them, the crop froze out completely. Planting the field is alot of work so I vowed not to do that again. But then I accidentally discovered a much easier way to plant in the fall – just till in the spring crop after they set seed! This means we need to weed our spring fava beans a few times after harvest and get the timing right on the tilling – late August or early Sept. But that is a heck of a lot easier then planting by hand!! And I’d need to till the field anyway – so the fact that we get more beans out of the deal is a bonus. And if they die over the winter, I’m sad, but my investment was minimal so we just plant again in the spring. Enjoy these fortuitous fava beans!

We still have a few spots available in the CSA so feel free to let your friends know they can still get in on the bounty with a prorated Summer CSA share share starting next week.

You’ll find recipes everything in your share, at Cook With What You Have. If you’re a CSA member, you will find your password in your most recent email. Enjoy 24/7 access to recipe inspiration!

This week your share may include…

  • Cauliflower: Beautiful, big heads! I’m excited about Cauliflower Steaks with Green Garlic Aioli. Or try this Cauliflower Pasta from one of our favorite local hangouts in Sellwood – Gino’s Restaurant.
  • Popcorn: Whole cobs are fun to pop in the microwave – just put them in a paper bag, loosely fold the top down, and cook them on high for 2-3min. Warning – 3 min max!! More time in the microwave can set the cob on fire. You can also take the kernels off the cob and use your favorite popping technique.
  • Dried Cayenne Peppers: We grow a variety of hot peppers in the summer time, but this is the best one by far for drying. It has a thin skin and the meat of the pepper is flavorful and spicy. You can add a whole one to a pot of soup or stew – or grind it up and make your own DIY Hot Pepper Flakes.
  • Fava Beans: Beautiful, early, flavorful and fun! This time of year you don’t have to double peel if you don’t want to. In fact, my favorite way to cook these is whole and in the pod. Try this Fresh Grilled Fava Beans recipe.
  • Garlic Whistles aka Scapes: Roasted garlic scapes are SOOOO good! I coat them with olive oil, add salt & pepper and spread a pile of them on a cookie sheet. Set them under the broiler until they start to wilt and caramelize. The BBQ works well too – just be careful they don’t slip through the grill. Makes for fun finger food!
  • Green Garlic: Lovely plump garlic stalks for you in the share today. Green garlic is planted alongside our storage garlic in the fall. It grows a vigorous root system through the winter, and pushes up its little green stalks in the spring. We harvest green garlic now – when the greens are tender and before it has much of a bulb.  Similar to leeks – the white part is most tender, but the green tops have good garlic flavor too. Enjoy these little beauties while they last!
  • Walla Walla Sweet Spring Onions: These are tender and tasty! We call them spring onions to differentiate them from storage onions. This time of year the spring onions have beautiful greens on them which can be used like just like a green onion.
  • Yellow Potato: These yellow Nicola potatoes are great roasted, steamed or boiled.
  • Radish Microgreens: These zesty little treats make a nice topping for soups, salad or sandwiches.

 

Coming soon… Hakurei Turnip and Round Red Radish!