In Your Share: Basil, Carrots, Cabbage and more . . .

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Date: June 28th 2010

Food & Farm Notes for Henry’s CSA

In Your Share This Week:

Lettuce

Carrots

Cabbage

Onion

Garlic

Basil

One or more of: Kohlrabi, Japanese Turnips, Broccoli

Special Note for Eureka Members: Next week, July 6, please pick up between 5 and 5:30. This is when our farmhand Matt Ericson will be at the Hughes home to assist with distribution of the CSA shares since Laura cannot be there.

Farm Notes: Last Friday, as we were pulling the shallots, carrots, garlic, and radishes from the mucky ground, the whole experience of the very hot, very wet week distilled itself into the word “rank” -- Shakespeare’s use of the word, when poor, depressed Hamlet sees the world as “an unweeded garden,/ That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature/ Possess it merely.”

Specifically, “rank” came to mind when I saw the result of all the moisture and heat on some of the long carrots we were pulling. The water table is so high right now that when the carrots reach it – 7 or 8 or 9 inches down -- their tips get water-logged and just melt away in rot. But don’t worry, those particular carrots will not appear in your shares this week (or any week). Instead, they are collected as “for-us-es” and get transformed (sans rotten tips) into things like carrot cakes, thus heeding our grandmother’s constant reminder: “waste not; want not.”

We’re relieved to have a break from the almost daily rain and the hot, hot days of the past few weeks. If the clear weather holds, it will make the big garlic harvest on tap for this week much easier -- and will save the carrots and other root veggies from a rank and untimely end. And give you a lovely Fourth of July holiday as well. Enjoy!

Food Notes: Basil and Cabbage

The heat has given us some gorgeous aromatic basil, and the rain has given us some big, beautiful cabbages this week.

Even if you think you don’t like cabbage, give Henry’s sweet beauties a try. As with any fresh veggie, the simplest preparations are the best, so make your favorite sautéed cabbage, or cole slaw, or try one of the recipes below, including a great “hot” cole slaw. All are quick and simple and great for Fourth of July picnics.

Super Simple Sweet and Sour Cabbage Salad

· 3 cups Shredded Cabbage

· 2 tablespoons Oil

· Salt and pepper to taste

· 1 1/2 tablespoon Vinegar

· 1 1/2 tablespoon Sugar

Heat oil in pan; add salt. Then add cabbage and cook for 2 minutes. Mix together vinegar and sugar. Add to pan; cook, tossing well for 2 or 3 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

Asian Coleslaw

Dressing:

· 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce

· 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

· 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

· juice from one small lemon

· 2 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger root

· 2 cloves of garlic minced

· 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

· 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

· 1 tablespoon of honey

· 1 tablespoon fish sauce

· 1 tablespoon of wasabi paste or chili

Veggies:

· 1 medium cabbage (4-6 cups shredded)

· 1 cup shredded carrot

· 1 medium onion

· 3/4 cups of roasted salted cashews

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a big bowl.

2. Add the shredded carrots to the bowl on top of the dressing without mixing.

3. Cut the onion into medium dice and add to the bowl.

4. Cut the cabbage in half or quarters and then slice into thin ribbons. Add to the bowl of the other veggies without mixing.

5. Add the cashews on top. Toss just before serving.

Sweet and Simple Cabbage Salad

· 6 cups shredded cabbage

· 1 cup shredded carrot

· 1/2 cup chopped onion

· 1/2 cup sugar

· 1/2 cup white wine vinegar

· 2 tablespoons olive oil

· 1 teaspoon dry mustard

· 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds (optional)

· 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Combine sugar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture, tossing gently to combine. Cover; chill 1 hour.

Hot Cole Slaw

The "cole" in cole slaw has nothing to do with "cold;" it’s just the Dutch word for cabbage, which is actually kool (sla being the Dutch word for salad). When coleslaw became widely popular in this country during the 1860s, most recipes for it were called "cold slaw," and "cold slaw" it continued to be right through the rest of the 19th century.

So here’s a luscious, aromatic "hot slaw.” You can cook it as soft as you want, and you can add cayenne to taste.

And good news for Fourth of July picnickers: Coleslaw has to be kept cold, but this actually tastes better warm.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds, optional

1 small onion, sliced

1 cube peeled fresh ginger about ½ inch on a side, minced

¼ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon ground coriander

½ head cabbage, shredded

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste

½ cup mayonnaise

Put the oil in a large pan and over high heat add the black mustard seeds. Fry until the seeds begin to pop. If not using black mustard, heat until there is a light haze over the pan.

Add the onion and ginger and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the turmeric and coriander, stir a few times and add the cabbage and salt. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low.

Cook about 15 minutes, removing the lid and stirring the contents of the pan from time to time. When the cabbage is wilted to your taste, remove from the heat and stir in the cayenne and mayonnaise.

The basil is big and bushy and intensely fragrant right now, and that means it’s time to make pesto. Then you can put it on pasta, or sandwiches, or crackers, or combine with sour cream as a vegetable dip.

Basil Pesto

3 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts

2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated (2/3 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups loosely packed fresh basil

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated. Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

And for a perfectly refreshing end to a summer meal, try this.

Basil Lime Sorbet

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 cup (approximately 6 limes) fresh lime juice

18 to 20 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Sprig of fresh basil for each serving as a garnish

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Stir until mixture comes to a boil; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

In a food processor or blender, puree lime juice, sugar syrup, and chopped basil leaves.

Ice Cream Maker - Transfer mixture to ice cream maker, process according to manufacturer's instructions.

Freezer Method - Pour into container, cover, and place mixture in the freezer. When it is semi-solid, mash it up with a fork and refreeze again. When frozen, place in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Cover and refreeze until serving time.

When ready to serve, use a melon baller and place 3 scoops in a stemmed glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil and serve.Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Happy Fourth from all of us at Henry's Farm!

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