Cabbages (Savoy and Red); Berries (Red, White and Blue); Anise Hyssop Too

Dada Mail » F&F Notes for Henry's Farm Market Friends » Archives » Cabbages (Savoy and Red); Berries (Red, White and Blue); Anise Hyssop Too

Date: July 2nd 2010

Sweet relief finally came this week. The thunderstorms huffed and puffed and crashed and banged and blew away all that heat and humidity. In its place we got perfect blue skies and perfect temperatures, and, miracle of miracles, a whole week with no rain!

The clear sky and dry soil enabled Henry and his helpers to catch up with the long-delayed planting and cultivating. Henry says he has never planted winter squash and pumpkins so late, so join us in hoping for a hot summer, a long warm fall, and a late frost.

Unfortunately, the rankness that I brought to your attention last week has gotten ranker. Although Henry and Co. harvested all of the onions, shallots, and garlic from the formerly mucky soil this week, the warmth and wetness they were living in for many weeks prior to harvest may have done irreparable damage, with rankness penetrating the inner layers of some of the alliums. This means that all the work that brought the alliums from seed to bulbs that are now laying in a single layer on the hayrack to dry—all the work from ordering the seed, to preparing the hoophouse earth, to planting all the different kinds of alliums from seed, to digging them up from the hoophouse and transplanting them one wispy plant at a time to the field, to watering and weeding them to finally harvesting them – all this, perhaps, for nothing.

“That’s the way it goes sometimes,” says Henry, and he turns to the next task.

FIRSTS and LASTS this week:

· Last of the Kohlrabi (and probably some other things Henry can’t remember)

· First of the Japanese Eggplants, and the regular salad cucumbers. And look for a lot more beans (Red swan, Yellow wax, Italian flat, French Filet, and more) and a lot more tomatoes and Japanese cucumbers and squash . . . summer is here!

FOOD NOTES: CABBAGE -- Savoy and Red

Henry has been known to do a passable imitation of W.C. Fields shaking his head at someone not quite hitting on all cylinders and muttering, “I’ve seen better heads on cabbages.”

We won’t make any specific comparisons, but the big beautiful heads you’ll see on Henry’s cabbages this week are something to behold, particularly the softly crinkled, almost bubbly, Savoy and the Red Cabbage with its dusky purple leaves with a delicate reddish bloom. (I will try and get a few photos up for you at http://foodandfarm.blogspot.com/ )

Cabbage was praised by Cato the Elder, who declared, "It is the cabbage that surpasses all other vegetables." And it is indeed an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of riboflavin. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Some call the Savoy Cabbage the queen of cabbages. In Italy it is known as Cavolo Verza and used in many soups and bean dishes. It is tender and sweet enough to be eaten raw in salads (see recipes below, or make a simple oil/vinegar/salt dressing), but is also excellent sauteed or used for stuffed cabbage dishes.
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 even a “hot” cole slaw. All are quick and simple and great for Fourth of July picnics.

Savoy Cabbage salad recipe, with capers and parsley

(adapted from “Italian Two Easy” Rose Gray, Ruth Rogers)

1 head of savoy cabage

1 head of radicchio

6 tablespoons of salt packed capers

1 handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon of wine vinegar

3 tablespoons of really darn good olive oil.

Cut the cabbage in half through the core. Remove the core from each side. Slice finely across the cabbage halves. Do the same for the radicchio. In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and olive oil.

Rinse the capers under cold running water, then soak them in a couple of changes of cold water for 10 minutes, to remove some of the salt.

In a large bowl mix together the cabbage, radicchio, capers and parsley. Pour a little of the dressing over the salad. Toss. Add more dressing as needed, but don’t overdo it.

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.

Teresa’s Fruit and Herb News

Red, White, and Blue…..the Summer Fruits Go Marching On!

Red Raspberries, Red Currants, Red Montmorency Cherries, White Currants, and Blue Blueberries.

And the Blue, Blue Japanese Beetles BLUES…

Growing fruit organically takes not only hard work and perseverance, but also creativity and “trial and error.” Our experiment covering the blueberries to protect them from the ravages of the Japanese beetles may be paying off. First we covered the long rows of berry bushes with bird netting, and then draped that with giant cloth row covers. An observer might think that Christo had come by to do one of his art installations, but the draping and covering is our latest attempt to keep the darn beetles off the berries, and it mostly is. But the wind rips the row covers, and the heat builds up under them . . . so we’re not entirely sure if they are doing more harm than good.

Even though the raspberry and currant leaves are so beetle-eaten that they resemble fine green lace, the plants valiantly keep producing berries. We have to throw many of the berries away, making the ones that get to the market all the more precious. Some of the cherry leaves are so lacey that the leaves actually turn brown, curl up and fall off. And some cherries have been entirely eaten so that only the naked pits dangle forlornly from the tree.

Yet, somehow, we manage to get fruit out of the field and up to you . . . so come and get it. This is the week ro enjoy delicious (and patriotic) red, white, and blue berries.

Freezing Fruit for Winter

Summer fruits are easy and fast to prepare for freezing, so if you want to eat locally through all or part of the winter, simply freeze a box or two of fruit each week.

Raspberries--Just lay the fruit out on a cookie sheet and pop it into the freezer. When the berries are frozen, pour them into a ziplock freezer bag. Now they are ready to dole out a handful at a time for cereal, yogurt, or smoothies.

Cherries--Pitting cherries is not hard, but it does take a little bit of time. I just take a knife and make a slit down one side all the way to the seed. Then I dig the seed out with my thumb. After a few cherries, you will get fast at it. You can just put the pitted cherries straight into a freezer bag or, if you know what recipe you will be using them in, you can go ahead and mix in the ingredients and then freeze them so they are ready to go when you thaw them out.

Currants--Using a fork held upside down, strip the berries off of their stem. Rinse them to remove any little bits of stem and dirt. Then dry on a dish towel and pour them into a freezer bag and freeze.

Blueberries--These are the easiest of all. Just give them a rinse, dry on a towel, and pop them into a freezer bag and freeze.

Deborah Madison has written many wonderful books, including her brand new one, Seasonal Fruit Desserts. But the recipe below, which is a wonderful one to take advantag of the summer berry abundance, is from her previous book, Local Flavors. She says, “You can serve this compote with cream, ice cream, or over biscuits, making a warm fruit shortcake.”

Deborah Madison’s Warm Berry Compote from Local Flavors

3 pints mixed berries: raspberries, strawberries, red currants (and white ones too),

blueberries, gooseberries, etc.

1/2 cup sugar or maple syrup

Raspberries and other cane-grown berries needn’t be rinsed. Strawberries, which grow close to the ground, should be, and blueberries and currants can be. Halve larger strawberries and pluck red currants from their stems.
Put the fruit in a wide noncorrosive skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with sugar. Cook until the berries are warm, softened, and starting to lose their juice, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and pour them into a bowl. As they sit, their juices will come out and the flavors will open.

Cherry Cobbler with Rich Shortcake Topping

The almond extract makes this recipe divine! Serve warm with ice cream

1 3/4 pounds fresh tart cherries, stemmed and pitted

2/3-3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, chilled

7 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon sugar

In food processor, mix flour, and baking powder. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening; continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 4 more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into a medium bowl.

Pour 6 tablespoons milk into flour mixture. Toss with fork until mixture forms large clumps, adding remaining 1 tablespoon milk if dough does not clump. Turn mixture onto a work surface; lightly knead until mixture just comes together. Place dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and press into either a square or a disk, depending on pan shape. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

Combine pitted cherries with the next 3 ingredients. Put fruit mixture into an 8 inch square or 9 inch round baking pan.

Roll dough into a 10-inch square or circle. Lay dough over prepared fruit; tuck excess in between pan side and fruit. Brush dough with remaining tablespoon of milk; sprinkle with sugar. Cut 4 air vents in top of dough. Bake on a cookie sheet until golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Delicious with ice cream!

Herb of the Week: ANISE HYSSOP

A few weeks ago, you might remember, my niece, Celeste, who was at the market with her Mom (my sister, Jill). It was cold that week, and it rained, and as a result, we had a lot of leftover herbs to pack up and bring home. Celeste asked for a bunch of anise hyssop, which I gave her. She proceeded to hold it like a bouquet and bite pieces right off the top of it, like a little kid goat eating grass. She was grazing on anise hyssop! It was almost totally gone by the time we were ready to drive home. You might try it that way, or you might steep it to make a nice tea, served either hot or cold. This tea is licorice-y and sweet. (It also soothes coughs and sore throats.)

Anise Hyssop Tea

1 cup anise hyssop leaves and flowers

lemon or orange rind

1 quart water

Bring water to a boil, add leaves and steep for 10 minutes. Strain. Add lemon or orange rind. Sweeten if desired. Serve hot or iced.

Lemony anise hyssop tea bread

2 c Flour
1 tb Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Butter; at room temperature
1/2 c Sugar
1 Lemon; grated rind only
1/3 c Anise hyssop flowers and/or leaves -(or more) finely chopped
2 Eggs; beaten
1/2 c Lemon juice
1/2 c Chopped walnuts

Grease and flour the bread or loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 F. Sift together flour baking powder and salt. In another bowl cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Then add lemon rind chopped flowers/leaves and eggs and beat mixture just until thoroughly combined. Stir in lemon juice. Gradually mix in dry ingredients and nuts mixing until blended. Spoon into prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on rack.

Thanks, and Happy FOURTH from Henry's Farm

<< Previous: Big Juicy Shallots, Currants, Blueberries

| Archive Index |

Next: Hot Berries, Cool Daikon, Peeled Shallots >>

(archive rss , atom )

Food and Farm Notes: A weekly peek at what's happening on Henry's Farm and what's coming to market, and what to do with it (with a side helping of poetry, science, philosophy, and what have you) For more information: http://www.terrabrockman.com/Henrys_Farm/welcometohenry%27s.html