Tuesday, Feb 22 Harvest Bag
all for $20
includes the following items:
baby bok choy
salad mix
smaller size artichokes ( see recipe idea below )
spinach ( makes a great spinach salad )
vine ripened tomatoes ( grown by Jacinto Bautista in Arroyo Grande)
red and yellow fingerling potatoes
English "shelling" peas
orange Mokum carrots
Satsuma Mandarin oranges from Encino Grande Ranch in Cuyucos, certified organic
Yes, you may encounter a few aphids in the Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and kale...just use a strong stream of water from your kitchen faucet and you should be able to rinse off most of the critters. One of many "advantages" of not spraying pesticides on the vegetables!
VENDORS THIS TUESDAY
Little Red Hen bread
Oceano Craft scones and cookie
An easy recipe for the baby bok choy:
Cut the heads lengthwise in half or quarters(depending on original head size)and thoroughly rinse with water to remove sand.
Place in skillet with a small amount of water, heat water to a boil, cover with a lid and "steam' for a few minutes until slightly softened.
Drain off most of remaining water, add finely chopped garlic and onion, salt and pepper ( optional--soy sauce, chili flakes, or ginger ) and a little olive oil.
Saute, turning the bok choy until a little crispy on each side.
English "shelling" peas. You need to remove the peas from the outside pod and then enjoy the peas raw in a salad or lightly steam or saute. Let the kids "shell" out the peas...they'll have a good time and probably eat most of them before they finish...not a bad snack!
My favorite way to prepare the fingerling potatoes:
Thinly slice the potatoes lengthwise, arrange single layer on a cookie sheet ( not touching each other), brush on a little olive oil on both sides, salt and pepper to your taste, roast in oven at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes until crispy on the outsides.
-
Cooking your artichokes....don't use your microwave when steaming your artichokes. I highly recommend the "old fashioned" way and use a steamer on the stove top with lots of water. I feel it makes for a good, moist artichoke, cook until tender. Make sure a knife goes into the heart very easily and the outer leaves should pull off very easily. If you under cook them, they will be tough and inedible...but with the right amount of cooking, the artichokes should be delicious. The artichokes this week are from our young plants...the insides are very tender and sweet..almost all "heart".
Preparing the smaller size artichokes:
(1) with a sharp knife, cut off the top third of the artichoke and peel the outer skin off the stem ( like peeling a banana ) (2) pull off and discard the outer dark green colored leaves that may be a little tougher until you reach the "cream" color leaves.
(3) cut the artichoke in half lengthwise
(4) steam until tender (about 20 minutes)
(5) remove from steamer, let cool slightly and coat with olive oil and seasonings on all sides
(6) grill the artichokes, under a broiler or bar-b-que, turning a few times until browned and crispy on the outsides. Eat the whole artichoke as you would an artichoke heart.
