Week 5 from Valley Flora!

In This Week's CSA Share:

  • Fennel
  • Sugar Snap Peas
  • Collard Greens
  • Butterhead Lettuce
  • Strawberries
  • Dill
  • Bunch Carrots

On Rotation:

  • Broccolini
  • Cucumbers

New this Week: Fennel, Dill and Collard Greens! 

  • People hear "collard greens" and they usually think southern cooking - a pot full of ham hocks boiling away for hours on end. That's certainly one way to do them up, but it's not the only way. Collards don't need to be cooked to death: they can be used interchangeably in recipes that call for kale or chard, or they can be eaten raw. This recipe from Portland chef Joshua McFadden is actually one of my all-time favorite collard dishes, no cooking whatsoever: Shaved Collard Greens with Cashew and Pickled Pepper. I also have CSA members who use them as the outer wrap for salad rolls (you can stuff the rolls with whatever seasonal veg you have on hand).
  • Fennel can be polarizing. It's one of my personal favorites, but for some people it takes time to come around to it's mild anise flavor. I encourage you to give it a chance because you'll quickly discover that it's an incredibly versatile vegetable. You can thin-slice it and go in the bright, citrusy direction of a raw salad, or you can slow-braise or sautee it into a soft, caramelized comfort food that's rich and unctuous. The fronds are also entirely edible, great as a fresh herb for garnish. Here are a few starting points if you need direction:
    • If you like it decadent and delicious, Parmesan Fennel Gratin is probably the best gateway recipe to turn someone into a fennel lover.
    • If you haven't gotten around to your fava beans from last week yet, this is a 5-star recipe poached from New York Times Cooking for Burrata with Fava Beans, Fennel and Celery (you can often find Burrata at McKay's Market in Bandon and probably at larger grocery stores in Coos Bay).
    • And finally, this recipe was shared by my cousin at Thanksgiving last year and has been a hit in our household ever since. I prefer using shaved Pecorino Romano rather than provolone for a little extra salty contrast in the salad.

Have fun playing with your new veggies, and happy 4th of July to everyone! 

 

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