It’s week 3! I hope you’re enjoying everything so far this season. We are fully into the transition of spring to summer, and its noticeable with the shares. There are still greens, but then there’s summer squash, peas, and fennel which are ushering in those summer flavors. Before you know it, we’ll be at the peak of the season.
Quick reminder to bring-with/leave-out the totes with the containers from your previous share. If you have any in use, no problem; we can get them next time.
And as always, feel free to reach out with any questions or feedback. You can always email us csaclub@gardmo.com , or for in the moment cooking questions text (630)391-1245.
-Ben
A friend of mine used to refer to fennel as “celery that tastes like something.” And that taste is similar to licorice or anise (anethole is the chemical to thank for this). The entirety of the plant can be used: bulb, stalks, and fronds. The stalks are most similar to celery and can be fibrous. Chopping and cooking can help mitigate that. The fronds can be used as you would any other herb. The bulb is what most fennel recipes will call for and can be used in a variety of ways. I like to slice it thinly and toss with oil and vinegar for a salad. I also like to sauté or braise it, as it caramelizes really nicely.
There is a bit of variety in sizes, but I want to point out the small ones since you’ll only see those early in the season. Simply tossed in some oil and grilled whole, they’re a better vegetarian option than any faux-meat sausages. If you’re grilling or roasting, don’t be afraid to throw some extra squashes on for leftovers; cold grilled squash is great on sandwiches or in salads.
Early season beets are nice since they’re quite a bit smaller. Roasted whole is a fun way to go, but my preferred way to cook beets is by braising with a decent amount of acid to help brighten up the beets.
These are scallions. They’re a nice size for slicing thinly and using as a garnish, or in a marinade.
Use as you would scallions or green onions.
The small size of these potatoes makes them a breeze to use. They can be used whole or with just a couple cuts for just any dish. A potato salad would be a perfect dish to share for any 4th of July festivities!
One of favorite things about cilantro is how easy it is to use. Besides particularly large stems, you can just chop the sprigs whole and skip worrying about only using the leaves.
Joi Choi is a brassica very similar to bok choi. The stems are tender and juicy, and the leaves are broad and flat. The flavor is zesty with a woody herbalness that I love. These are perfect sautéed or in a stir-fry. I like to separate the stem and leaves so I can cook the stems perfectly without overcooking the leaves.
These are very different than sweet cherries, with a puckering level of sourness. They would work great in a cobbler or another sweet dish. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, tart cherries are typical in the Persian rice dish Abaloo Polo (the fennel would pair nice here).
Shelled like this, peas are super easy to add to just about any dish. These ones are firm and sweet and do well quickly sautéed. Peas also freeze really well. Best practice is to blanch first before freezing, but in a pinch you can just toss them in the freezer raw.
