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This week we hope to give you: arugula, and Hakurei turnips again.
N farm. We are harvesting all the things we our summer crops. The time from May 15 to
June 10 is a critical time at the farm. If we don’t get the summer crops planted then, we’ve
E lettuce, sorrel, spring shallots, garlic scapes
This is one of the busiest times of year at the planted in the spring and bringing them to the farmers’ market, to restaurants, and of course to the CSA. But, we are also busy planting missed our window of opportunity. So, we’ve
W S L E R them, to wick away any residual moisture.
Don’t store any type of greens wet unless you’re going to eat them within a couple of days; otherwise they can rot. Taste each of them before using—lettuces can be sweet or nutty, sorrel is tart and lemony, arugula spicy and peppery.
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(referring to onions, garlic and leeks which are pungent edible members of the Lily family). To keep your greens fresh all week, give them a rinse in a big bath of cool water (even though they’ll look clean). Be sure to spin them as dry as possible before placing them in a plastic bag. You can put a dry paper towel in with been on the tractor non-stop planting tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, winter squash, and pumpkins. Our fields get transformed from bare ground to a vegetable farm in a matter of just a few weeks!
I hope everybody is enjoying their veggies so far. CSA member, Hannah, sent me a recipe for turnips, which I included at the end of the newsletter. Thanks Hannah!
One vegetable you may not be familiar with are the garlic scapes. In late spring, a curled seed stalk, the scape, emerges in the garlic patch from the top of the plants. Garlic growers cut it off, encouraging the plant to produce bigger bulbs. It’s most tender just as it curls; if the stalk straightens, it can be tough. Garlic scapes are only available for a few weeks.
They have a strong garlic flavor, but without the bite of the cloves.
HAVE A GREAT WEEK! -Amy
The Cook’s Column – “Greens and Lilies”
As you can see from Amy’s list, we have a variety of early season greens and early alliums
R ED W AGON O RGANIC F ARM P.O.
B OX 19827 B OULDER , C OLORADO 80308
WEBSITE : www.redwagonorganicfarm.com EMAIL : info@redwagonorganicfarm.com

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L E T T E R
Besides simply chopping them up and sautéing them in a little olive along with other vegetables,
I’ll give you a couple of ideas for keeping them for future use. One is a quick pickle, and the other is a freezable pesto.
I think of garlic scapes like turnip or beet greens--a food that for years was discarded but is now prized for its nutrition and color.
Add scapes to dishes during the last few minutes of cooking, just like many herbs. When you smell the aroma, it's done -- you can pull it off.
Finally, I thought this would be a good time to review how to make vinaigrette, since I think salads are the best way to enjoy the tender greens we get this time of the year. So grab your whisk and bowl, and you won’t need to buy bottled dressings as long as you have some oil and vinegar or citrus fruit handy.
How to make a perfect vinaigrette…
* Vinaigrette is usually three parts oil to one part vinegar, seasoned with salt and pepper, and perhaps some fresh herbs and mustard.
Choose good quality oils and a wine-, fruit- or rice-based vinegar. Don't use plain white vinegar for vinaigrette; its flavor is too harsh. If you're using a mild or sweeter vinegar, such as balsamic, raspberry or rice, the vinegar proportion can be a little higher.
* If using mustard (a pinch of dry or a small amount of prepared from a jar), whisk it into the vinegar along with the salt and pepper before adding the oil. This allows the salt to dissolve in the vinegar and the mustard acts as an emulsifier to keep everything in suspension
(some food science for you!)
*Try adding some finely minced spring shallots here, if you enjoy a mild onion flavor.
* Then SLOWLY drizzle the oil into the vinegar mixture as you whisk.
* Before tossing the salad, check the vinaigrette’s flavor by dipping a lettuce leaf into it to taste. If the vinaigrette isn't flavorful enough, add more seasonings; if it's too acidic, add more oil.
* Greens should be as dry as possible before being tossed with the vinaigrette. Any droplets of water on the leaves will prevent the vinaigrette from clinging to them, causing the
R ED W AGON O RGANIC F ARM P.O.
B OX 19827 B OULDER , C OLORADO 80308
WEBSITE : www.redwagonorganicfarm.com EMAIL : info@redwagonorganicfarm.com

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L E T T E R vinaigrette to pool at the bottom of the bowl. Rinse the scapes and cut if desired, pack them
By the way, prepare your vinaigrette in the same bowl as you’ll toss the salad and dirty one less dish!
Master the basic vinaigrette and the fun begins. Experiment with different vinegars and loosely into a canning or other jar with a lid.
Make a mixture of half vinegar (any type you like) and water with some sugar and salt. Heat just to a boil and pour over the scapes, enough to cover them completely. Close the jar and refrigerate for a couple of weeks if you can wait. Use in salads, with fish or even in sandwiches. oils such as nut oils to create tasteful flavor combinations. Certain herbs complement greens and vegetables particularly well.
Parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil make the classic vinaigrette with “fine herbes”. Obtain stronger flavors from basil, mint or cilantro,
Like any pesto, the “scape pesto” is freezable.
Save some when we have summer vegetables and make a nice soup or ratatouille and finish it with the scape pesto. which also give a regional or ethnic slant.
Cheeses, toasted nuts, fresh and dried fruits provide flavor accents to salads.
Once you learn to make vinaigrettes with the perfect balance of ingredients, you won’t go back to store-bought dressings. You’ll have an endless variety of fresher flavors, save money and have less waste (if you end up throwing old dressings away). If possible, don't make the vinaigrette too far in advance, because once the oil is exposed to the air it loses some of its
GARLIC SCAPE PESTO
 10 fresh garlic scapes, roughly chopped
 1 cup Parmesan or other hard cheese,
 grated
1/4 cup toasted nuts, your choice
 1/2-1 cup mild olive oil
 2-4 tablespoons good white wine, optional
 Salt and pepper to taste fragrance. Finally, buy the finest ingredients you can afford. Enjoy cooling salads this summer with your own homemade vinaigrettes!
Ideas for garlic scapes…
Add scapes, cheese and nuts to a food processor and begin to process. Add the oil and wine gradually until you have the consistency you prefer, from very thick to rather thin. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
R ED W AGON O RGANIC F ARM P.O.
B OX 19827 B OULDER , C OLORADO 80308
WEBSITE : www.redwagonorganicfarm.com EMAIL : info@redwagonorganicfarm.com

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Here’s a turnip recipe from CSA member
Hannah:
Pan-roasted Turnips
4 Tb butter
2 lbs turnips, scrubbed and quartered (I diced them) salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tb poppy seeds
1 Tb paprika
1/4 c red wine vinegar
Heat butter over medium-high heat until it melts and begins to brown. Add turnips, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat well. Add the poppy seeds and saute until turnips are light golden grown (8-9 minutes).
Add paprika, tossing to coat. Add vinegar, bring to boil, and ocok until it has evaporated.
Serve hot.
We served this with the braising mix (wilted with olive oil and balsamic vinegar) and baked salmon with lemon and black pepper.
R ED W AGON O RGANIC F ARM P.O.
B OX 19827 B OULDER , C OLORADO 80308
WEBSITE : www.redwagonorganicfarm.com EMAIL : info@redwagonorganicfarm.com