August 9, 2010

Ripe on the Farm this Week: Lettuce, Basil, Green Beans, Green Peppers Summer Squash, Cucumbers, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Elderberries, Greens

Notes from the Field:

We’ve been enjoying breezy, cooler days and a steady amount of irrigating rainfall up here on the hill, so hopefully the weather holds in our favor for the upcoming week. I hope you enjoy the new additions to the share and don’t shy away from kohlrabi! The tomatoes are beginning to come on now; it may be another week before there are enough ready to feature in shares. I find tomatoes to be one of the hardest crops to wait for. For now, they hang on the vine, green and HUGE!

Thai Green Beens

Try this sauce with other steamed or stir-fried seasonal vegetables, such as broccoli, snow peas, or carrots.5 cups green beans
Steam 8-10 minutes until bright green and lightly crunchy.

½ onion, chopped
2 tablespoons ginger root, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
In frypan or wok sauté in 2 teaspoons sesame oil over medium heat until onion is tender, 5 minutes.

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Thai sweet chili sauce
Add to taste.

1 cup extra firm tofu, crumbled, optional
Add and cook 5 minutes. Add steamed beans and stir to coat with sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Serve over rice. Garnish with lightly toasted cashews, sesame seeds, or slivered almonds.



Elderberry Syrup – helps prevent cold or flu

1 cup of elderberries
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 cinammon stick
5 cloves
2 cups water
1 cup honey

Add elderberries, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and water to a pan on stove – cover, and bring to boil. Turn down heat after it boils, leave it covered, simmer 20-30 minutes until liquid is reduced in half. Strain liquid into a bowl, extracting as much juice from berries as possible. Add your honey to the berries. Syrup can be stored in a jar in fridge for up to a couple of weeks.
Use – a tablespoon a day for preventive use, or if already sick can take up to a tablespoon an hour.
Recipe from mountainroseherbs.com and youtube.com


Kohlrabi with Peas and Potato
½ cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
In a large soup pot, sauté in 1 tablespoon oil about 3-4 minutes.
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
Add and stir-fry for about 30 seconds.
1 cup kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and chopped
1 cup potatoes, peeled and chopped
Add and stir briefly
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
½ cup water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
Add; bring to a boil then simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.
Kohlrabi leaves, finely chopped
Add and simmer 8-10 minutes
½ cup peas (could use green beans instead)
Stir in and cook until peas are done. Serve over rice.
Source: Simply in Season

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is a relative of broccoli, cabbage, and turnips. It has the taste of a radish when raw, and broccoli when cooked. Bulbs should be the size of a peach or smaller for best texture and flavor. Simple in Season’s serving suggestions: “Raw kohlrabi slices or sticks make a tasty snack. Add slices to salads or grate and marinate in salad dressing. Season cooked kohlrabi with butter, cream sauce, cheese sauce, or fresh herbs. Try them in a sauté.” Its bulb contains many nutrients: vitamins B6 and C, potassium, and fiber.
Elderberries
Here is an enthusiastic description from elderberries.com:
Elderberries are small, dark berries that grow in clusters on elder trees (also called elderberry bushes). Elderberry bushes are a hardy plant growing native in many climates, often in the moist soil along roadsides and streams. They’re fast-growing and typically grow quite large and full, with compound leaves and tightly clustered bunches of tiny white flowers in late spring, followed by clusters of berries in late summer. The berries are a favorite of wildlife (especially birds) and are said to have many health benefits for humans too. Elderberries contain potassium and large amounts of vitamin C, and have been proven in quite a few recent studies to shorten the duration of cold and flu symptoms, as well as strengthen the immune system. Elderberries are also a good source of anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants which are responsible for giving many red and purple fruits their color.