ID That Veggie
As CSA members receive vegetables in their bags, pictures will be posted here to help identify what they've got.
Chinese Broccoli"Although Chinese Broccoli is more closely related to the European cabbage than Chinese cabbage, it is still regarded as an Asian vegetable. Chinese broccoli (Brassica oleracea cv. group Chinese Kale) is also referred to as gai lum, kailaan, white-flowering broccoli, Chinese kale or gai lan. Normally grown as an annual, this rather stout plant with grey-green waxy leaves grows to 45 cm when mature." More about Chinese broccoli (and source of the above quote). |
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Collards (Collard Greens)Next to kale, collards are one of the healthiest greens you can eat. They are an excellent source of folate, vitamin C and beta-carotene while also being high in calcium (source). |
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EscaroleA broad-leaved, slightly bitter green from the chicory family that looks like lettuce, but with thicker leaves. Can be eaten raw in salads for an interesting contrast in taste and texture, but it is rather strong. It's excellent in soups, or braised with garlic and olive oil (surprise). |
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Fava BeansFava beans are a high-protein, meaty-tasting bean that's also high in folate. It has a long history in the middle east and have been gaining in popularity in the United States. Interestingly, fava beans have been shown in small studies to help control symptoms of Parkinson's Disease in some patients. |
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FennelThis feathery food is completely normal in Italy, but many of us are unfamiliar with it here. Pale green, with stems like celery and a flat bulb for a base, it takes a bit like licorice and anise, but not so strong. Fennel stalks don’t store well; they dry out quickly and lose their flavor, so cut the stalks from their base and wrap them separately in plastic, and put them in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Use fennel stems like celery, to flavor soups and stews; use the feathery leaves like dill. The bulb is the main attraction. "... one of the easiest vegetables: it slices beautifully into crescent shapes. It is lovely sautéed, baked, braised, or steamed, and delicious sliced thinly into salads or dipped in hummus…it goes with light flavours, like peas, as well as stronger ones... like the onion, it turns sweet when cooked. Fennel suits potatoes, pasta, and white fish like sea bass." -- Nina Planck, The Farmers' Market Cookbook |
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Garlic CurlsGarlic curls (or "scapes") are the tender flower stalks that grow out of the middle of hardneck garlic, before the garlic below is full grown. We break them off so that the plant can devote its growing energy into the storage bulb and not into making flowers and seeds. The garlic curl season is about three weeks long, so if you like the pesto, you could freeze some in ice cube trays, and store the cubes in a freezer bag to enjoy later in the season. |
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Golden Kentucky Wonder BeansAccording to this site, Kentucky Wonder Beans are extraordinarily long, yet tender and delicious. It's one of the most common pole beans with rust-resistant vines that can grow up to seven feet tall. |
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Italian ParsleySearch recipes for parsley |
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KohlrabiFrom the cabbage family. The bulb tastes lke broccoli stems. |
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Korean Mint |
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Mei Qing ChoiThat cute little Chinese cabbage with white ribs and light green leaves. It takes just a few minutes to cook, and it is sweet and delicious all by itself (cooked with a little garlic and onions and oil). |
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Mustard Greens (Mixed)Another very healthy green (surprise!), mustard greens pack a whallop with lots of vitamins A, C, and E as well as folate. These are the greens that produce the seeds used to make dijon mustard. Expect a strong, peppery flavor. Young greens can be added to salads or sautée them like you would any other dark leafy green. |
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Salsa Starter KitThere's nothing quite like fresh salsa, and here's the lineup of goodies needed to get started: peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos. Looking for a recipe? Try the PVF Salsa. |
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SorrelThat's the little bunch of round, soft, green leaves that taste like lemon, sort of. Sorrel is a relative of rhubarb, and it has a sharp, sour taste. The French love it, and in England they used it in soups, sauces, and custards for centuries. It is generally used as a flavoring puree—you just simmer the cleaned leaves in a tiny amount of water, or stir them into a pan of butter. It makes a tart sauce which is delicious with root vegetables or fish or chicken. To prepare: clean sorrel by floating it in water, then drain it. If you're going to cook it, you'll need to strip the leaves from the stems. It’s not hard. You can add it to salad, raw, or include it in soups and casseroles. |
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Sunburst and Pattypan Squash |
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Swiss ChardSwiss chard is in the spinach family, but it grows all summer (spinach can't take the heat). That's the bunch of large, dark green leaves with a long stem. The crunchy stem is delicious, so don't throw any part of the chard away. The red and yellow stems are rainbow chard, and the one with the broad white stem is called Argentata. They don't taste very different from each other. The simplest way to prepare Swiss chard is to chop it into 1" pieces and sauté in a hot frying pan with onions and garlic in olive oil. You'll have many opportunities to expand your horizons with chard this year—the plants are thriving. Swiss Chard is high in vitamins A & C. Search recipes for swiss chard or greens |
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Thai BasilAccording to CuisineNet, Thai basil (aka "hairy basil"... yeah, let's keep calling it Thai basil) is a lighter green than European basil. It has a lemony aroma and slightly spicy flavor and is used in salads in Thailand. |
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TomatillosLooks like a green cherry tomato in a paper husk. Also called a Mexican green tomato, Mexican husk tomato, Tomate Verde. You peel the parchment cover off and wash the little tomato well. Tomatillos are most often cooked in salsa. They have a lemony flavor. If you eat them raw, they are more sharply acidic. They can be stored in the refrigerator for a very long time. You can try them chopped in salad, in gazpacho, or you can cook them into a sauce for tacos and enchiladas. Poach the peeled and washed tomatillos very briefly, then combine with chili peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro and salt. Search recipes for tomatillos |
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TurnipsTurnip greens are edible. They have a strong flavor and are often sautéed with onions and garlic and cooked with bacon (or the fake vegetarian bacon). Or you can just cook them with olive oil and garlic: the universal combination. The turnips are quite mild and can be grated into salad, or steamed and eaten with butter and salt. |
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