To make sure your veggies stay nice and fresh, please remeber to put out your cooler and freezer pack in the morning, otherwise you may be getting a reminder call from me after I drop off your veggies.

-----------

So, a couple of notes about the veggies this week. This warm and dry weather has been lovely for fast growth of the crops, but it has thrown off our greens production. Normally I wouldn't expect our arugula and brassica greens to be bolting already, but with all of the warm weather over 80 degrees, those greens have begun to bolt, which basically means we will not get a second harvest off of them, throwing off our greens harvesting regime. Last week's early delivery was planned to be ready for this week, so our first share will have a little bit less in the way of variety than what we planned. Also, in the last week we've had a leaf miner epidemic in our spinach crop-both the Bloomsdale and Red Spinach Varieties. We did our best to salvage what we could from the leaf miners, but the quality of the spinach is not what we would normally like to give to you all. If there are some leaves with leafminer damage, you can tear the damaged part out and eat the rest. This spinach crop would probably be best sauteed or otherwise cooked, I will include a tasty cooked spinach in this email as well. 

1 Bunch Broccoli Raab

1 Bag Bloomsdale and Red Spinach Mix

1 Bag Radish Microgreens

1 Bunch Red Russain Kale OR Red Mustard

1 Bunch Sorrel

So, this will be the first week for the Grain Share, and the Heirloom Bean Share! As a reminder, the fruit share will not start until the first fruit of the season ripens (which should be cherries in early-mid July). We are still accepting new add-on share members, so think about joining! For all Add Ons, Half Shares are $65 and Full Shares are $120, you can read up on more details about them on our website on the CSA description page, send me an email if you would like to add on any of these share options. I will include recipes using both the grain and beans, as well as our veggies so you can make a meal combining much of what you will get in your deliveries.

Cracked Rye is a versatile, hearty grain, packed with character, flavor, and high nutritional value. It can be used as a breakfast porridge, cooked similarly to oatmeal, or you can make it into a savory Risotto served with some lovely sauteed BUG Farms spinach. Below is a recipe I adapted from grownyc.org website. Click on this link to see the origional recipe.

* 2 C cracked rye berries 
* 2 C shitake mushrooms, sliced
* 1 onion, small dice
* 1-1/2 qt veggie stock 
* 2 Tbs butter
* smoked Pecorino/aged hard cheese of your choice
* sunflower oil

*2 Handfuls BUG Farms Spinach, chopped coarsley

In skillet over medium heat or in oven (350) heat cracked rye berries till they smell toasty and are nicely browned
(This can be done ahead of time).
Heat large stock pot; add olive oil and brown 1 cup of sliced shitakes.
Add remaining mushrooms and diced onions and sauté till onions become soft and translucent.
Add toasted rye chops, 1 - 2 Tbs olive oil, and reserved bacon chunks.
Add veggie stock, salt and pepper to taste, bring to gentle simmer, cover and cook 10 - 12
minutes.
Add butter and chopped Spinach, stir in and cook until greens are soft. Serve with smoked Pecorino or another aged hard cheese of your liking.

Originally cultivated in Argentina and beloved in Italy, Cannellini beans are also known as white kidney beans. With a mild, nutty flavor and creamy texture, these ivory legumes are versatile - enjoy in soups, salads and pasta dishes. These beans pair especially well with the first of our spring Broccoli Raab! You can find the following recipe with pictures by clicking here.

1 bunch broccoli raab, washed 
1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling 
1 small onion, finely chopped 
1-1/2 to 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary 
2 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 whole clove to rub on the toast (see Tips on mincing garlic  ) 
Dried red chile flakes to taste 
15-oz cooked cannellini beans, click here for a good basic bean cooking method
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
2 to 4 thick slices sturdy country-style bread, preferably sourdough 
Lemon wedges or red-wine vinegar 

Peel the larger stems(thicker than a pencil) of the broccoli raab and slice them thinly. Chop the leaves coarsely. Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet. Add the onion and rosemary and cook over medium-high heat until the onion softens and begins to color, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and a pinch or two of chile flakes and cook 1 minute longer. Add the chopped raab leaves and stems along with 1 cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raab is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the beans (and more water as needed) until the greens are cooked, about another 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, toast the bread on the grill or under the broiler. Rub one side of the toast all over with the reserved garlic clove. Set a slice or two of bread on each plate. Spoon the beans and greens over the toast. Drizzle olive oil liberally over the beans and greens. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of red-wine vinegar.

Variations:

• Cover the toast with a layer of shaved Parmesan, Asiago, or Monterey Dry Jack cheese before adding the greens and beans. Or shave thin flakes of cheese over the sandwich.
• Cover the toast with a layer of thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and broil it until the cheese bubbles and melts. Top with the beans and greens.
• Try milder greens, such as chard or spinach. Collards are also good, but they'll take longer to cook.
Try French green lentils in place of the beans and garnish with a sieved or crumbled hard-cooked egg.(There will be french green lentils in a future bean share week!)

Heirloom beans “filled the cupboards” of our ancestors because dry beans keep for long periods without spoiling and are easy to prepare. Once hydrated by soaking them overnight in water, beans cook quickly in a pot on top of the stove (most beans are tender within 30 to 45 minutes). Simple seasonings, like a drizzle of fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt and fresh-ground pepper, enhance the flavor of beans. Pungent spices and aromatic herbs add savory depth to beans’ rich, meaty yet tender, flesh. A pot of heirloom beans is inexpensive to prepare and can be enjoyed for many meals over several days.

*I will be distributing the Spring Issue of the quarterly awesome food magazine, Edible Wasatch, wth your veggies tomorrow, so don't be alarmed when you see one with your food : ) 

*Many of you still have outstanding balances. If you haven't already talked with me about a payment plan, here is a gentle reminder to send in checks to pay up for the season. You can make your check out to Backyard Urban Garden Farms and send it to:

Sorrel: Sorrel is a tangy, lemony green that is especially nice in the spring! Make sure you put the sorrel bunch in a plastic bag, with a piece of paper towel in it to keep it fresh in your fridge. This is an occasional offering from us, so here is a tasty breakfast recipe from the New York Times.

Eggs Poached in Buttery Sorrel Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large bunch sorrel (about 4 ounces), stems trimmed

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste

Ground black pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream

4 large eggs

Chili flakes, like Aleppo, Turkish or crushed red pepper

Flaky salt, like Maldon, for serving

Buttered toast, for serving.

1. Thinly slice scallions, separating darker green parts for garnish.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add light green and white parts of scallion and sauté until wilted, 2 minutes. Add sorrel leaves, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until sorrel wilts and starts to break down, turning olive-green in color, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream and let simmer for 1 minute to thicken a bit.

3. Carefully crack eggs into skillet; they should fit in one layer. Lower heat to medium-low and sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper. Cover pan and let cook for 2 minutes, then turn off heat and let eggs rest, covered, until done to taste, about another 30 seconds for very runny yolks (the whites should cook through).

4. Carefully scoop eggs and sorrel sauce into two bowls. Season with chili and flaky salt; garnish with scallion greens. Serve with toast.

Yield: 2 servings.

Red Mustard Greens: These large leafies are lovely lightly sauteed. Make sure you put them in a plastic bag with a piece of paper towel to keep them fresh. Here is another recipe from the NY Times that is simple to prepare:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 pounds mustard greens, well rinsed and tough stems removed, very coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Yay! Whew, well thanks for hanging in there, I wanted to get as much good info across as I could. If any of you have any questions, feel free to send me an email or call at 801-718-7478. Hope you love your veggies and grains and beans this week!