Market Notes for Sept. 13
Join Us Oct. 11 for Henry’s Farm Tour, Festivities, and FOOD!
This year’s FARM TOUR DETAILS are up on the website, and you can purchase your meal tickets now (optional, but highly recommended!) They are only $25 (adults) and $12.50 (kids under 12). The buffet-style meal is cooked on site by Chef Christopher Sullivan of Twilight Kitchen in Rogers Park, with many vegetarian and vegan dishes featuring Henry’s vegetables, plus some grilled chicken or salmon for the omnivores.
Fall Roots and Greens!
Henry says you’ll see his full complement of fall radishes this week, including the first of the Beauty Hearts, which he was washing in the dark tonight when he took the photo above — as well as the two below — to show you a few of the new things coming to market this week.
Be sure to get some of the first planting of the Fall Beets, with Fabulous Greens!
Japanese Hidabeni Turnips — super mild and crunchy, great raw in salads or cooked. Also look for the Japanese White Turnips (Kabura) as well as the Purple Top Violet Queen Turnips.
Full Complement of Radishes
And all of them have lush greens — from the smaller French Breakfast and Globe Radishes to the larger Beauty Heart, Double-Red, and Daikon of all sorts, including Korean Purple, Green Luobo, Red Fire, and Japanese White. Scroll down for some of our favorite Radish Recipes, for both the roots and the tops!
Red Fire and Japanese White Daikon, all with fabulous greens!
FALL GREENS for Great Salads, Stir-Fries, and More!
First Week for:
- ROCKET, aka Wild Arugula, pictured above
- YU CHOI
- BROCCOLI RAAB, but only a small amount
Plus . . .
- CHARD (all colors)
- KALE (all varieties)
- CHOIS (all sorts)
- MUSTARD, Slick and Curly
- MIZUNA
Joe’s method for keeping your BASIL Looking and Tasting Great!
Joe, our friend and long-time helper at Henry’s stand, says:
”I spend way too much time telling people how to keep Henry's basil going strong.” So here’s his not-so-secret method:
If the basil has started to wilt, put it into the sink and soak it all in water for a couple of hours.
Shake off the water and leave out to dry a bit (an hour, maybe).
Pick through it all, picking off good stems with good leaves, and discarding anything gray, black, or bruised.
Put the good stuff into a clear plastic bag.
Blow into the bag to inflate it like a balloon.
Seal the bag shut, so it stays inflated, like a little terrarium.
Keep it out on the countertop, not in the fridge.
Turn it over every day so the moisture inside stays even.
If anything starts turning gray or going bad, pick it out.
Should last about a week!
Potatoes + First Sweet Potatoes!
You can get ALL your favorite POTATOES this week, plus, if you come early, the first taste of SWEET POTATOES, including the Purple Okinawan ones pictured here. Henry test-dug some of the sweet potatoes to see how they’re doing. They are still on the small side, which is not surprising since we have had very little rain for months now. But less water means more flavor, so come early to get the first of the season!
Food Notes: Radishes and Radish Greens
Yes, you can cook radishes! Just slice small ones in half and saute in butter until lightly browned, meltingly tender, and sweet!
Radish Salad
My new favorite radish salad is super quick and easy, and is basically a chopped radish salad with a light vinaigrette.
Just rinse and trim the roots (any variety, or a mix) then toss them in the food processor and pulse it a few times to chop them roughly. Put the chopped radishes in a bowl and toss with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (a little dijon mustard and sugar too, if you want).
It’s good right after you make it, but the longer it’s in the fridge the better it gets, and is perfect on toast!
Two Recipes for Radish Greens
Try my favorite velvety radish greens soup below, or Henry’s wife Hiroko's recipe below for savory raw greens. In her recipe, the leaves are not cooked, but because they are first mixed with salt, then drained and squeezed, they have a nice texture, in between raw and cooked.
HIROKO'S RADISH GREENS
1 bunch radish greens (may also use the turnip greens)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Soy sauce (more if you like)
1 tsp Sugar (more if you like)
2 tsp Sesame oil (more if you like)
Hot Pepper Flakes or powder, to taste
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1. Finely chop the leaves and stems (about 3mm slices).
2. Sprinkle salt over the greens and toss lightly and let sit 10-15 minutes. When the leaves have softened, massage them and then squeeze out excess water. Rinse to remove most of the salt, and squeeze again.
3. Mix the greens with all the other ingredients, Toss to coat evenly. Eat with rice, with dressing on a salad, or as a side dish.
RADISH GREENS SOUP
2 Tb olive oil
Greens from 2 bunches of radishes, coarsely chopped (or substitute turnip greens)
2 large scallions (negi), thinly sliced
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Radishes and chives for garnish
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the greens, sliced onions and potatoes. Toss until leaves wilt.
2. Add 2½ cups broth. Simmer, covered, over low heat until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
3. Put soup in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Return to pan and stir in remaining broth until the soup reaches the desired consistency. Add cream if desired.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Heat soup and ladle into bowls. Garnish with thin slices of radish or chives.
