The First Week of the Summer Share!

Reminder: This week marks the start of the Summer Share. We will be distributing fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, eggs and trout. Next week we will be distributing vegetables and fruit.


 

This Week's Vegetable Share:

• Cucumbers
• Red Head Lettuce
• Zucchini and/or Yellow Summer Squash
• Fennel Bulbs
• Green Onions
• Garlic Scapes
• Green Kale
• Cilantro or Basil

This Week's Fruit Share:

• Strawberries
• Sweet Cherries
• Red Raspberries

This Week's Dairy Share:

• Aged Raw Milk Cheddar Cheese from Castle Rock Organic Farms in Osseo, WI
• Parmesan Cheese and Garlic-Basil Butter from Nordic Creamery in Westby, WI
• Plain Lowfat Yogurt from Sugar River Dairy in Albany, WI

This Week's Meat Share:

• Ground Beef and Steak from Riemer Family Farm in Brodhead, WI 
• Bratwurst and Italian Sausage from Byers Family Farm in Brodhead, WI
• Whole Organic Chicken from Lange Farm Meats in Platteville, WI



Delivery Schedule for the Week of July 4th

 

Tuesday the 2nd:

Allstate 2:30-5:30

Glenview 3:00-6:30

Evanston 3:30-6:30

Lake Forest 4:00-7:00

Grayslake Farm 4:00-7:00 (including members who normally pick up on Thursday)

 

Wednesday the 3rd:

Buffalo Grove 3:00-6:30

Barrington 4:00-7:00

Glen Ellyn 3:00-6:30

Clarendon Hills 3:30-6:30

Oak Park 4:00-7:00

 

In the Farm Kitchen

Kale is closely related to broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. The key to cooking kale is to let it simmer long enough so that it becomes tender. Before cooking with kale, take a sharp knife and slice out the tough center rib. Then tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and steam or simmer in water or broth until just tender. Add cooked kale to omelets, quiches, scrambled eggs, lasagnas, and casseroles. You can also add chopped raw kale to soups and pasta sauces mid-way through the cooking time. One of my favorite ways to prepare kale is actually one of the easiest. I saute lots of chopped garlic or garlic scapes in olive oil until golden. Then I add chopped kale leaves (stems and ribs removed) and a couple of big splashes of white wine. Simmer until tender and season with salt and pepper.

The curly garlic scape is the flower stalk of the garlic plant. We snap the scapes off at this stage in the plant's development so that the plant will devote all of its energy to making a nice, big bulb rather than a flower stalk. The delicious side benefit is that we get to eat the scapes! Chopped scapes can be used in place of chopped garlic cloves in most dishes. Another way to use garlic scapes is to cut them into 3-inch lengths and saute them lightly in olive oil. In terms of taste and texture, sauteed scapes are a lot like garlicky green beans.
 

 

Try substituting fennel for celery in most any recipe, including chicken salad, tuna salad and potato salad. Use the feathery leaves as a seasoning. You can also try using it in place of dill. Fennel is excellent on baked or broiled fish with butter and lemon. Add to vegetable and chicken soups. The spicy anise flavor of raw fennel becomes sweet and mellow when sauteed or braised. It's almost like a completely different vegetable. One of my favorite ways to use fennel is to slowly sauté sliced fennel with onion and some Italian sausage. Then I add it to hot pasta, mix in wilted beet greens or chard, drizzle some olive oil on top and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Life doesn't get any better than that!

This Week's Featured Recipes

Roasted Fennel with Parmesan

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 fennel bulbs, cut horizontally into 1/3-inch thick slices, fronds reserved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly oil the bottom of a small glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.


Kale and Green Onion Quiche

1 prepared 9-inch pie crust
3 eggs
3/4 cup each: half-and-half, whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon each: vegetable oil, butter
5 green onions, minced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chopped kale leaves
1/3 cup grated aged cheddar cheese

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Tear off a piece of foil large enough to fit inside the pie crust; press into the crust. Fill pan with dried beans; bake 12 minutes. Remove crust from oven, discarding foil and beans; set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, milk, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook the onions and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the kale; cook, stirring, just until wilted, about 5 minutes. Spoon the vegetables into the crust; sprinkle with cheese. Pour the egg mixture over. Bake until set, about 35 minutes.


Coming Up Next Week (our best guess)... napa cabbage, basil, dill, lettuce, turnips, cucumbers, beets, spinach, cherries, blueberries and more!