Fennel, Favas & The Grit City Gala

Along with round two on Favas, we're harvesting Fennel this week.  Sweet, aromatic and delicious, Fennel is something we look forward to several times a year.  Not sure whether or not you're looking forward to it? In addition to incorporating Fennel into seasonal salads at this point in the year, I highly recommend grilling or caramelizing it with one of your Walla Walla Sweets.  The flavors meet in the middle and make for a great addition to burgers, sandwiches or even pizzas and risotto.  So, I hope you'll look forward to seeing it on the CSA and Farmers Market tables this week.

On the topic of Farmers Markets, I'd like to extend an invitation your way to join me at my table for the 2018 Grit City Gala:  An Urban Street Feast Supporting Tacoma Farmers Market on the evening of Thursday, August 16th.  The event will take place right on Broadway between 9th and 11th downtown (yep, right where that awesome vibrant market takes place each week), and it will feature farm-fresh local food prepared by Tacoma's finest chefs, bountiful beverages, music, good times and good folks like you! 

Best,
Katie

IN THE SUMMER SHARES THIS WEEK:

• Fennel
• Fava Beans
• Lettuce
• Walla Walla Sweet Onions
• Bunched Greens (LG SHARES)
• Rainier Cherries
• Raspberries or Blueberries
  EXTRAS TO PICK THIS WEEK (FREE TO ALL SHARE MEMBERS): Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Mint, Lovage, Italian Parsley, Zinnias, Batchelor Buttons, Strawflowers & Asters

HARVEST HIGHLIGHTS &
WHAT'S IN STOCK AT THE FARMSTAND
CSA Members receive a 10% discount on most items at our farmstand

HARE-RAISED PRODUCE:  

• Salad Mix 
• Fava Beans
• Shallots
• Chard
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Frisee
• Herbs
• Eggs 

FROM BEYOND THE FARM:

• WA Organic Rainier Cherries, Apricots, Pink Lady, Cameo & Fuji Apples
• NW Organic Carrots, Kohlrabi, Beets, New Potatoes, Cucumbers, Zucchini & Onions.
• Organic Fruit: Gold Nugget Mandarins, Valencia Oranges, Red Grapefruit,  Seedless Grapes, Mangos, Bananas, Limes, & Lemons.
• Olykraut -Spring Nettle Kraut is here!
• Essential Baking Co. Artisan Breads delivered Tuesday
• Fair Trade Organic Coffee from Valhalla Coffee Co. (Tacoma) and Grounds for Change (Bainbridge Is)
• Dates, Ginger, Nuts, Sweet Potatoes and Dried Fruit
• Jody's Honey!  

 

SEASONAL RECIPES & TIPS

FAVA BEANS:  HOW TO COOK, SOAK, PEEL & FREEZE - TORI AVEY
HOW TO WASH LETTUCE-BON APPETIT
45 SWEET & SAVORY CHERRY RECIPES- EPICURIOUS
WHAT ARE SCAPES AND HOW DO I COOK THEM? - EATING RICHLY

SPRING FAVA BEAN & FENNEL SALAD
Simply Recipes

• 2-3 lbs fresh fava beans, yielding about 1 1/2 to 2 cups shelled beans
• Salt
• 1 small bulb fennel, thinly sliced 
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced
• 10 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced (chiffonade by stacking leaves and rolling them into a cigar shape, cut thin slices from the end)
• 2 scallions (green onions), sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE


SWEET ONION RISOTTO WITH SAUTEED KALE
Cooking Light, Cook Once — Eat Three Times! 

• 3 cups water
• 2 1/4 cups uncooked short-grain brown rice
• 3 cups unsalted chicken stock (such as Swanson)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 3 cups chopped sweet onion
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 5/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 2 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 1/2 cups chopped Lacinato kale
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

 

POTATO SALAD WITH FAVA BEANS & FENNEL
The Kitchn

• 1 pound waxy boiling potatoes (such as red, new, or fingerling), scrubbed
  1 pound fava bean pods, shelled (about 1 cup)
  1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
  2 tablespoons chopped chives
  3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  1 teaspoon lemon zest
  Salt
  Freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

CARAMELIZED PANCETTA & FENNEL SALAD
Giada de Laurentiis

• 1 bulb fennel, halved and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 5 slices pancetta
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces (about 6 to 7 cups) mixed salad greens
• Red Wine Vinaigrette, recipe follows

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

 

CHERRY SALAD WITH QUINOA & FENNEL
Naturally Ella

• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1 cup pitted and quartered cherries, preferably a good red variety
• 1/4 cup thinly shaved fennel
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 ounce crumbled feta
• 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Salt and pepper, to Taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE
 

GRILLED SALMON WITH CHERRY WALLA WALLA ONION RELISH
Tom Douglas

• One medium Walla Walla onion
• Olive oil as needed for brushing
• 1/2 pound sweet cherries, pitted and halved (1¼ cups once halved)
• One tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Six salmon fillets, about 6 or 7 ounces each
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

Green Garlic, WA Asparagus & SO MUCH PLANTING

What a day — and there's still so much left of it to go.  Kim is cutting the final round of leaves and shoots from last year's now overwintered Kale, Cabbages and Collards for Braising and Raab.  The sunny days threaten to open sprouting vegetables up into full-on yellow-flowering bolt mode, turning the plants from tender spring delicacies into tough little aphid magnets.    Just south of there, as though the middle farm road were some bizarro line of asymmetry, the rest of the crew is diligently planting thousands upon thousands of new kale seedlings.  Mark is getting our pump restored to working order in anticipation of needing to irrigate as the temps approach 80 this week.   Thankfully, our unexpected walk-in cooler repair went smoothly--even when it doesn't rain, it pours.

With all of this heat, you'll want to fire up your grill for two very good reasons this week--Washington Asparagus season has arrived, and our first rotation of Green Garlic is ready to go with it!  We are especially fond of Green Garlic because it helps us achieve maximum flavor with minimal effort (especially during planting season when our effort is being expended left and right at all hours).  It looks a lot like a Green Onion; however, its aroma and flavor are 100% garlicky goodness.  Unlike its bulbous and cured counterparts, this young tender delicacy is loaded with fresh oils that are ready to impart incredible flavor into your marinades, dressings, soups, salads and more.  So many delicious dishes start with a bit of olive oil, chopped Green Garlic and whatever vegetables and proteins I've been neglecting in the fridge.  Sprouting Broccoli? Into the garlic.  Random greens?  Into the garlic.  Grated carrots?  Into the garlic.  Nuts, Prawns, Tofu?  Into the garlic.  Potatoes?  Asparagus? Pizza? Grains? Pasta? Dress them up in green garlicky oil.  There is so much spring flavor rolling in this week, and it is only enhanced by the spring herbs that are cropping up nicely in the CSA u-pick areas.  

Are you signed up for Summer Share yet?  Beginning Tuesday, May 29, our Summer Share program will run for 18 weeks of harvest, ending Saturday, September 29th, 2018.   (Yes, Fall Share will begin in October this year).  Small and Large pickup sizes are available, as well as add-on shares of Salad, Eggs, Artisan Bread & Olykraut.  You may register for your share at anytime on our website.  You no longer need a special login to sign up--you just have to know whether you plan to order and pay online or whether you'd prefer to sign up and pay by check or other methods at the farmstand.  Your payment will be due by the first week of the season; however, payments received prior to the start of the CSA season are greatly appreciated since we are already investing resources of time, labor, supplies and the funds to that go along with them.

I hope you all enjoy the GORGEOUS days ahead.

Best Wishes,
Katie
 

IN THE CSA SHARES THIS WEEK:

• Green Garlic
• Asparagus
• Purple Sprouting Broccoli
• Carrots
• Baby Potatoes, Reds & Yukons
• Cameo Apples

EXTRAS TO PICK THIS WEEK (FREE TO ALL SHARE MEMBERS):
UPICK Rosemary (some in flower), Chives (starting to flower too!), Oregano, Thyme, Sorrel, Mint, Lovage and Nettles.

HARVEST HIGHLIGHTS &
WHAT'S IN STOCK AT THE FARMSTAND
CSA Members receive a 10% discount on most items at our farmstand

HARE-RAISED:  

• Salad Mix (limited)
• Green Garlic
• Celeriac 
• Braising Greens
• Kale Raab
• Rainbow Chard
• Herbs
• Eggs 

FROM BEYOND THE FARM:

• WA Organic Pinata, Cameo, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, & Melrose Apples. Bosc & D'Anjou Pears
• NW Organic Roots, Potatoes & Onions 
• Organic Fruit: Blood Oranges, Heirloom Navel Oranges, Red Grapefruit, Meyer Lemons, Bananas, Limes, & Lemons.
• Olykraut, Essential Baking Co. Artisan Breads, Grounds for Change Coffee
• Dates, Ginger, Nuts, Sweet Potatoes and Dried Fruit
• Jody's Honey!  

SEASONAL RECIPES & TIPS

• GREEN GARLIC: THE ADOLESCENT ALLIUM - Food 52
• SORREL, EXPLAINED - Epicurious

CHARRED ASPARAGUS WITH GREEN GARLIC CHIMICHURRI
David Tanis
3 tablespoons finely chopped green garlic
½ cup finely chopped parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
 Salt and pepper
1 pound pencil-thin asparagus, tough ends snapped off
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 ounces crumbled feta
 Handful of olives
 Crushed red pepper, to taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE


ALICE WATERS' SPAGHETTI WITH GREEN GARLIC
featured in Fine Cooking

Kosher salt
2 T bs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. green garlic, green parts cut into 3-inch julienne strands, white parts thinly sliced
6 oz. thin spaghetti
2 T bs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES & ASPARAGUS
A Taste of Home

1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

Soggy Rains, Stinging Nettles & other signs of April

THINK DRY THOUGHTS
 

The weather has been pretty gross over the past several days, so I'm going to unabashedly rewind to a drier point in recent memory, in hopes that thinking drier thoughts might will them into reality so that we can transplant our long-standing greens (like kale and collards) in the field under more ideal conditions later on this week.  Mark was really excited when he snapped this photo because this was the first time in about as long as ever that he was able to cultivate in early April. It was right before it started raining buckets (and in today's case, dumping hail), but I have to give it to him--the guy managed to make the most of the days we had to get rows of spinach, salad greens, carrots and beets directly seeded out there in the nick of time.  This morning, he was pretty excited to share that he could see those rows of Spinach germinating from River Road.  If we're able to get into the fields later on this week, they'll be a more to see and, well, EAT.  It sure beats sitting around with tables full of transplants and the best of intentions, so let's hope this rain lets up.

Until then, if you're feeling adventurous, Jade and I spied a lovely patch of Spring Nettles cropping up that farmshare members are invited to pick from this week.  I find them very spinach-like in flavor, and they're unbelievably nutritious.  Be sure to have a pair of gloves on hand for when you pick and wash them though--they'll sting if they haven't been exposed to heat.  

Best Wishes,
Katie
 

IN THE CSA SHARES THIS WEEK:

• Cauliflower
• Purple Sprouting Broccoli
• Yukons and/or Russets
• Carrots
• Onions and/or Leeks
• Pink Lady Apples
• Frozen Blueberries

EXTRAS TO PICK THIS WEEK (FREE TO ALL SHARE MEMBERS):
UPICK Rosemary (some in flower), Thyme, Sorrel and Nettles.

HARVEST HIGHLIGHTS &
WHAT'S IN STOCK AT THE FARMSTAND
CSA Members receive a 10% discount on most items at our farmstand

HARE-RAISED:  

• Salad Mix (limited)
• Celeriac 
• Braising Greens
• Kale Raab
• Rainbow Chard
• Eggs 
• Winter Squash

FROM BEYOND THE FARM:

• WA Organic Pinata, Cameo, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, & Melrose Apples. Bosc & D'Anjou Pears
• NW Organic Roots, Potatoes & Onions 
• Organic Fruit: Blood Oranges, Cara Cara Navel Oranges, Red Grapefruit, Meyer Lemons, Bananas, Limes, & Lemons.
• Olykraut, Essential Baking Co. Artisan Breads, Grounds for Change Coffee
• Dates, Ginger, Nuts, Sweet Potatoes and Dried Fruit
• Jody's Honey!  

SEASONAL RECIPES & TIPS

CAULIFLOWER & BROCCOLI SALAD
WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE
Pierre Franey

• 1 head cauliflower, about 1 pound
• 1 brunch broccoli, about 1 pound
•  Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup olive or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley or coriander
•  Freshly ground pepper to taste

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

CAULIFLOWER STEAKS AND PUREE
WITH WALNUT CAPER SALSA
Yotam Ottolenghi

FOR THE SALSA

• ⅓ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
• 1 Fresno chile, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon dried currants
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Kosher salt

CAULIFLOWER & ASSEMBLY

• 1 small head of cauliflower
• Kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 sprigs oregano
• 2 3-inch strips lemon zest
• Lemon wedges (for serving)

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BLUEBERRY LEMON MORNING CAKE
Kent Rollins, A Taste of Cowboy (Thank you Carolee for the recipe!)

• 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/2 cup if using frozen berries 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup lemon yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Powdered sugar for sprinkling 

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

POTATO-AND-BROCCOLI SOUP
Food & Wine

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 pounds broccoli, thick stems peeled and diced (about 2 cups), tops cut into small florets (about 1 quart)
• 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes (about 5), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
• 3 cups water
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

CONTINUE TO RECIPE