A note on newsletter recipes …
I try to include recipes regularly in our CSA newsletters to help inspire you to try new flavor combinations and unfamiliar vegetables. The suggestions and recipes I include all represent how Casey and I eat at the farm: simple, easy, delicious meals, featuring lots of vegetables. Some of the recipes I include are ‘invented’ by us; others are adapted from some of our favorite cookbooks.
In all cases, I tend to leave out exact quantities for ingredients unless absolutely necessary — this omission is purposeful, to help you be creative and use the vegetables you have at hand. I find that often recipe quantities discourage a cook from using all of something in one meal, which can lead to unused portions of vegetables in the fridge.
We encourage you to prepare all of each vegetable when you use it — if you are like us, you will be much more likely to eat leftover prepared food than remember you have half a bunch of turnips at the bottom of your fridge. Be creative, and enjoy!
Baby bok choy with soy ginger sauce
adapted from The Joy of Cooking
These tender small heads cook in minutes. Allow 1 or 2 heads per person. Rinse and then cut in half 4 or so baby bok choy (or all of your bag!). Steam cut side down over boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a pair of tongs to a platter. Mix thoroughly in a small bowl: ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon slivered peeled fresh ginger. Spoon the sauce over the bok choy.
Sautéed radishes with arugula
adapted from Farmer John’s Cookbook
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add quartered radishes; cook, stirring constantly, until tender but still crisp, about 5 minutes depending on size. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Return skillet to stove.
Put the arugula (and/or other greens, including mustards) in the skillet with the wash water still clinging to leaves. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until wilting, 2 to 3 minutes (longer for mustards).
Turn off heat. Add radishes to skillet (with — optionally — a tablespoon or so of lemon juice or vinegar). Stir until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
