What’s in this week’s boxes?

Veggies:

English Shell Peas

Snow Peas

Head lettuce

Zucchini

Tomatoes

Rhubarb

Fruit:

Strawberries

 

Storage, Handling, and Cook tips…

Tomatoes

The sun-loving tomato’s arrival could mean only one thing—Summer is definitely here! This delectable, heart healthy summer fruit, beyond being a palate pleaser is fantastic in so many ways. Tomatoes can be eaten raw, stewed, sun dried, in soup, as a snack, with balsamic vinegar and fresh mozzarella, chopped into salsa, on sandwiches and burgers. The possibilities are endless.

FYI-Tomato paste will remove chlorine from hair, especially if you have blond hair and the recent heat wave has turned you into a pool diving mermaid and your locks are now greenish.

Did you know that tomatoes are thought to originate in Peru where their Aztec name “xitomatl’ means “plump thing with a navel”.

 

Storage

Tomatoes bruise easily, so handle them with care. Wash and dry your tomatoes before storing. Unless you’re planning to store your tomatoes for over a week, a windowsill, counter-top or bowl, stem side down, works fine. If you know you won’t use them in the next few days, then lower temperatures (a cool entryway, the refrigerator) will help to preserve the fruit. Contrary to our common practice in the US, storing in a refrigerator is not otherwise recommended, as the cooler temperatures can reduce flavor and cause mushiness and mealyness. Your fresh-picked tomatoes will last longer on the kitchen counter than store-bought ones anyways, which are probably a few days old when you get them.

 

Peas

This nitrogen fixing, soil-loving veggie provides benefits to all aspects of its’ life.  Chock full of antioxidants and phytonutrients, this colorful, versatile, interactive vegetable is a sure family favorite. Mashed for the baby, shelled fresh for snack at the beach, or steamed to go alongside a tasty grilled steak, we know, these sweet little gems probably won’t last a day at your house.

 

Storage

Peas don’t have much of a shelf life, so we don’t recommend storing them —in their pods or shelled—for very long. Store pods in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator and use them within a couple of days. Once they’re shelled, the best way to store peas is to freeze them. First blanch them for a minute or two in boiling salted water and then shock them in an ice-water bath until cool, to help maintain their bright color. Drain and freeze them in zip-top bags. They will keep for five to six months.

 

Handling

(Or should we say shelling for the English peas)?

It may seem a bit tedious but its easy and worth every second. Remove the stem of the pod, peel the stringy fiber from the seam, pry the pod open and run your thumb along the interior to detach the peas. Pour into a bowl, and continue on to the next pod.

 

Cook tips

We dare you to shell your entire box of peas without eating one pea, its nearly impossible. If you’re lucky enough to have 10% leftover try some of this:

Throw the freshly shelled peas on a salad, in a blender, or steam with other vegetables.

Snow peas are great in stir fry or raw as a crisp, cool snack.

 

Zucchini

Early, young zucchini might be the sweetest, most flavorful zucchini of the season. Chock full of potassium, some B vitamins, and some Vitamin C, this Italian variety of squash is sure to bring a healthy glow to your table. Don’t have time to master up your favorite ratatouille? Heat getting you down and want something cool and crisp? Cut up raw zucchini and top off your salad, or eat it as a snack at the beach!

 

Handling

Handle zucchini with care as they are easily damaged.

 

Storage

Store zucchini in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer four to five days and do not wash until just before you are ready to use it. At the first sign of wilting, use immediately. Softness is a sign of deterioration.

 

Cook tips

Zucchini is wonderful steamed, sautéed, grilled or stuffed and baked. You can also cut uncooked zucchini into strips and serve it as an appetizer, or dice and grate it into a salad. Overcooked zucchini will end up as mush. To salvage it, make soup!

 

Strawberries

Use your strawberries as soon as possible, because they stop ripening as soon as they’re picked.  Don’t wash your strawberries until you’re ready to use them, as moisture causes them to spoil more quickly. Leave the caps on, and store your strawberries in an uncovered container in the fridge.  Take them out of the fridge about an hour before you’re ready to use them, as they are best at room temp. Gently rinse your berries and then pat them dry with a towel, and finally, remove the caps with a paring knife, or just a slight twist of the wrist, and they will be ready to eat, or for use in a strawberry recipe.

 

Salad Greens (Lettuce/Mesclun)

 

Storage- Store unwashed lettuce or mesclun in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. To store lettuce or greens that you have already washed and dried, roll the leaves loosely in a kitchen towel, put the towel in a plastic bag, and place the package in the vegetable crisper bin.  Wet greens will spoil quickly, so make sure they are truly dry before refrigerating them.  If you have a salad spinner, wash and spin the greens before refrigerating them.  Eat mesclun mix within three or four days, and use lettuce within a week.

 

Handling- Salad greens bruise easily, so be sure to handle them gently.  For lettuce, slice the head at its base with a sharp knife and let the leaves fall open.  Discard any damaged or leathery outer leaves and tear large leaves into bite sized pieces.  Both lettuce and mesclun mix can be washed by swishing them around in a basin of cold water.  If a lot of dirt collects in the water, wash them a second time.  Dry the greens in a salad spinner, or if you don’t have one, place them loosely in a mesh bag or thin towel, then go outside and swing them around your head.

 

Rhubarb

Storage- First, cut off and throw away the leaves.  Never eat rhubarb leaves, they are toxic. Place stalks in a plastic bag to retain moisture and place in the fridge’s crisper drawer, where it will keep for usually about a week. Rhubarb can also be frozen… to do this cut stalks in to 1 inch chunks and place in an airtight plastic bag.  Rhubarb will keep for up to a year in the freezer.

Recipes of the Week:

Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• fresh, sweet tomatoes
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• fresh basil
• sea or kosher salt
• fresh cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Slice or dice tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Slice or tear fresh basil leaves on top. Enjoy!

Roasted Garlic, Tomato and Zucchini

The leftovers from this yummy side dish can be pureed into a tasty salsa for dipping.

Ingredients

1-2 zucchini cut in half lengthwise, then cut into ½-inch, half-moon shapes
2 cups quartered ripe tomatoes
½ sweet onion, minced (or red onion to add color)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly oil a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Combine the zucchini, tomatoes, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in the prepared baking dish.
3. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
4. In a separate small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and fresh basil. Set aside.
5. Roast vegetables until tender or slightly golden, about 18 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients
4 cups diced rhubarb
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, and halved, if large
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Pinch salt
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, orange zest, cornstarch and orange liqueur, and toss to thoroughly combine. Grease a 9 by 13-inch casserole or baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and transfer the fruit mixture to the prepared casserole.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 9 tablespoons of butter, flour, remaining 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar and salt and cut together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and bake until the topping is golden brown and crispy and fruit is bubbly in places, about 45 minutes.

Cool briefly and serve warm, with a dollop of whipped cream, ice cream, or creme fraiche, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

 

Thats it for this week folks! Please remember to think of the environment before printing this email!

Feel free to contact us anytime and we’ll see you soon!

The FarmShare Team