From the Garden this Week…

From the Garden this Week…

Spaghetti Squash, Garlic, Collard Greens or Green Cabbage, Curly Kale, Bell Peppers, Baby Carrots, Green Onions, Spicy Greens Mix, Baby Lettuce Mix, Meyer Lemons and Pomegranates

Coming Soon… Red Butter Lettuce, Swiss Chard

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

Finally, the garden is getting a much-needed rain. And it is time to cook some soup. The harvest from the garden always lends itself to soup making as a way to use up a little of this and a little of that. Minestrone is a hearty vegetable soup that would typically use whatever vegetables you had on hand so don’t let the recipe limit you. I like the addition of cabbage or winter greens like kale or collards. The greens give it a robust flavor that to me is essential. The herbs and tomato make it sing with Italian flavors. Using parmesan cheese as a garnish gives it umami flavors that complete the taste sensation in your mouth. The Gremolata recipe on the back is meant to go with this dish.

Minestrone Soup

4-5 carrots, diced

1 onion, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon salt

32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth

1-16 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1-16 ounce can white beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups chopped cabbage, kale or collard greens

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni (or other small cut pasta)

grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, sauté the carrots and onion in oil or butter until tender. Add garlic and salt; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, beans, cabbage, basil, parsley, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the uncooked pasta and cook until the pasta is done about 12 minutes, serve right away. (If you want to make this ahead, cook the pasta separately, and add it at the time you reheat the soup.) Ladle into bowls and garnish with the cheese.

Dirt in the Vegetables…

We all know that our vegetables grow in the dirt, but no one really wants to eat the dirt.

The rains make the dirt in the garden splash back up onto the plants, so even though we rinse the vegetables, things might be a little extra dirty today. I recommend, washing this week’s produce with a little more care than usual.

Wintertime Cooking...

Cooking in the winter will often lead to heavy dishes that are simmered on the stovetop. These traditional dishes warm are souls but it is always nice to add a touch of freshness with this Gremolata. This garnish is the perfect touch to take a warm bowl of soup to the next level.

Gremolata

1 bunch parsley

2 cloves garlic

2 lemons

Pick the parsley leaves from the large stems. Make sure they are as dry as possible and chop finely. Using a fine grater, like a Microplane, grate the garlic completely and then follow with the two lemons removing the yellow zest (be careful not to grate the white pith of the lemon). On your cutting board, combine the parsley, garlic and lemon zest by chopping all together. Use the gremolata as a topping for soup, beans, rice, roasted vegetables or meat.

Metaphors of the Soil and Soul…by Julie Moreno

The amazing multiplying green onions.

This year we planted a row of green onions in the late spring about May. And I can say without of doubt that there might be some magic in the soil. I didn’t really know how many bunches of green onions we could get out of a 50-foot row, but I am sure it isn’t supposed to be as many as we have harvested. It seemed for weeks in August that we could not make a dent in the row and then we took a break from harvesting and they still continued to grow. I understand now that the onions divide as they grow, literally multiplying. I hope that everyone has enjoyed them as much as myself as we are nearing the end of the harvest. I use them as a substitute for regular onions in most any recipe. They are also great grilled, and I included this dressing recipe below. If you don’t want to barbecue outside, they will cook fine under the broiler or seared on an indoor grill or cast-iron pan. The caramelization of the sugar in the onions is quite transformative and lends a unique flavor. The dressing is perfect of course in any salad, but also as a dip for carrots or drizzle over roasted veggies.

Grilled Green Onion Dressing

1 bunch green onions

1-2 garlic cloves

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup sour cream

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Grill the green onion on the barbecue, under the broiler or in a dry cast iron pan until lightly charred. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then coarsely chop across the grain. In a blender or food processor, put all the ingredients together and blend or pulse until dressing is emulsified.