... and we are on to Week #4 of our twelve week CSA share and all our smart shareholders are munching on yummy veggies that they didn't have to lift a finger to grow!
The new items this week include sweet garden peas and broccoli! Are you someone who thinks they don't like broccoli??? Promise me you will try some fresh out of the garden... and you will change your mind! Garden fresh broccoli tastes so mild and delicious its almost like a different food from that which you often get from the grocery store!
This week's box comes with the usual bundle of herbs and I thought I would spend some time talking about how to use these gems each week! There are so many options!
Eat fresh! Remove the leaves from the stems, chop or mince as desired and add them to salads, soups, sauces, or smoothies ... or any other recipe!Dry! Hang the herbs in bundles in a cool, dry room until the leaves are dry and brittle. Strip the leaves from the stem in a bag or bowl, crush somewhat to create smaller flakes and you are ready to use! Note: it's important to be sure that the herbs are completely dry before you store in jars or bags or they may develop mold. If you have a dehydrator and want to speed the drying process, lay the herbs in the tray in one layer and dehydrate at 90-95F.
Freeze! Prepare the herbs as if eating fresh and then place in small freezable containers and cover in oil. My favorite tip is to place chopped herbs in ice cube trays and freeze. Then I put the small serving size cubes in a labelled ziploc bag ready to grab for any recipe I need!
So... What's in the Box this week?- Swiss Chard
- Lettuce
- Baby carrots
- Kale
- Zucchini or Cucumbers
- New Potatoes
- Broccoli New!
- Onions New!
- Beets New!
- Peas New!
- Bouquet of various herbs including:
- Chives
- Parsley (flat and curled)
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Oregano
Note: We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer. (unless of course, you are drying them for storage later.)
Reminder: Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again.
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Another really great way to dry herbs is to put them into a brown paper bag, close up the bag, put it in the back of the fridge, and forget about it for a week or so. They become almost like freeze dried. Works great!
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