In the bag…
- Herbs
- Garlic
- Lettuce
- Arugula
- Beets
- Celery
- New Potatoes or Berries
Shoulder up yer gun, whistle up yer dog… We’re off to the wood to catch a groundhog Oh, groundhog!…
Traditional Tune
I started harvesting the early garlic and potatoes. We usually wait until the greens die down on these plants to harvest, but in these high temperatures the end is almost at hand. The garlic is nicely sized, there are two large bulb varieties ‘Italian white’ which actually has a purple blush to it and ‘German white’ which is actually white. There is a small but potent variety named ‘Pskem.’ This is a garlic bulb found in the Pskem River Valley, Uzbekistan by John Swenson. (Break out the mutton!)
A good number of berries are coming in… the larger are dewberries (a sour blackberry) and the smaller are black raspberries.
The celery is all darker green, ‘Zwolsche krul.’
Sweet and Sour Celery
From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by the Madison Area CSA Coalition
- 1 bunch celery, leaves removed, stalks cut on the diagonal into 1-inch slices
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tbs. finely chopped sweet red pepper
Pour enough water into a large skillet to fill about 1/4-inch deep. Add celery, sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and bring to boil. Cook until celery is tender and liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the vinegar. Transfer to a serving dish and scatter sweet pepper over the top. Serve immediately. Four servings.
Beet & Arugula Salad
- 1/2 lb. beets without leaves (about 3 medium)
- 1 sm bunch arugula
- 1 tbsp. white-wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Peel beets and cut into 1/2-inch wedges. In a steamer set over boiling water steam beets until tender, about 10 minutes, and transfer to a bowl. Discard course stems from arugula. Wash arugula well and dry. In a bowl whisk together vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and whisk in oil until emulsified. Pour half of vinaigrette over beets and toss well. To vinaigrette remaining in bowl add arugula and toss well. Arrange arugula and beets on plates. Serves 2 or 3.
Roasted Beets
Scrub beets under cold water, rub them with vegetable oil and sprinkle them with a little kosher salt. Roast them on a baking sheet at 350 F. Small to medium beets take 30-60 minutes. You may want to cut large beets in half to shorten the baking time. When the beets can be pierced easily with a fork, they’re done. Once the beets are cool, the skins slip off easily.
Gourmet, March 1997
Herbed Oven-Browned Potatoes
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
- 3/4 pound boiling potatoes (2 to 3 medium)
- 1 tablespoon mixed chopped fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and/or oregano or 1 teaspoon
- mixed dried herbs, crumbled
- 1 garlic clove, chopped fine
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 0 F.
Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices and in a saucepan of boiling salted water cook 5 minutes, or until just cooked through. Drain potatoes well in a sieve and transfer to a 6-cup gratin dish (1 1/2-quart) or other shallow baking dish, 11 by 8 by 1 1/2 inches. Toss potatoes immediately with remaining ingredients and pepper and salt to taste and bake in upper third of oven 20 minutes, or until potatoes are pale golden.
Gourmet, January 1997