Hello! Happy Cinco de Mayo! I have no personal affiliation with this celebration but I sure do look forward to enjoying a margarita tonight 🙂 Hope to see you at the market tomorrow.

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May 6th Produce

Here are some of the items you can expect this week:

• Purple Kohlrabi: I am sooo excited for kohlrabi! You may not be familiar with this funky looking vegetable but now is the time to get acquainted. Kohlrabi is part of the Brassica family, along with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale and collards, so you know it is good for you. It takes a little effort to peel but you are rewarded with crunchy goodness that has a mild broccoli flavor. For those that love little health statistics – kohlrabi has more Vitamin C than oranges or red cabbage. I love to eat it raw but it can be steamed, roasted, pickled, or turned into a number of salads, fritters or soups. Here is a good place to start for inspiration.
• Pak Choi: I broiled my pak choi last week and really liked the results! It takes a little prep but heres what you do – slice the entire head in half and carefully clean out each section under cold running water. Lay on clean kitchen towels and pat dry. Toss with a little vegetable oil and broil for a few minutes on each side. Remove from oven and trim leaves away (which should now be quite brown), slicing thinly once cool enough to handle. Place the lower section back under the broiler until browned, a few minutes longer. Allow to cool slightly and then slice thinly. Toss with rice and protein of choice for a great meal.
• Romaine & Red Leaf Lettuce: if you need a go-to dressing for all your greens, look no further! Check out the recipe below and toss it with your lettuce, chard and Asian greens.
• Rainbow Swiss Chard: don’t forget, you can dehydrate your greens if desired. Check out our recipe here.
• Tender Collards: can you really ever have enough pesto in your life? I don’t think so. Add this recipe to your collection.
• Summerfest Asian Greens: I still haven’t done anything fun with these greens yet – tell us how you use them!

Upcoming Produce

Below are some items that you can expect to see in the coming weeks:

• Beets: I always tend to roast beets but here is a tasty boiled salad idea from our friends at Riverview Farm.
• Salad Turnips: if you haven’t had salad turnips before, you are in for a treat. They are sweet and tender and will totally change your opinion of turnips! I just slice them to eat raw in a salad. We would love to hear how you use them!
• Baby Red Romaine: do you guys follow the Main Street Farmers Market blog? They post great recipes. This is more of an idea than a recipe, but I think adding these greens to the Ploughman’s Lunch would be great.
• White Kohlrabi: the white version tastes just like the purple version (to me, at least). For a quick feast, just peel, slice into finger length pieces, and dip into hummus.
• Chinese Napa Cabbage: this is the main ingredient used in the most common type of Korean kimchi. I think a southern take on kimchi is in order!

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Recipe :: Balsamic-Mustard Vinaigrette

I love this dressing because it is flavorful enough to stand up to the assertive greens we receive each week. The recipe below makes 1/4 cup but I would double or triple it to make sure there is plenty on hand.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced shallot (I think green garlic would work great here too)
• 1/2 teaspoon mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Pinch pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Whisk vinegar, mustard, shallot, mayo, thyme, salt and pepper together in a small bowl until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until emulsified. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.

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Events

May 16th: Wildwood Harvest is having an open house from 10am-2pm. I plan on bringing a picnic to enjoy on the farm – hope to see you there!

May 22nd: Crabtree Farms is hosting a “Buying Local on a Budget” class from 6-7:30pm.

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Other News

Have you read Alice O’Dea’s latest article? Check out her latest article on bean salads!