Hi Everyone,
This week’s tips include a few standard preparation tips. A recipe using items from this week’s
share is below.
We recommend washing all produce just before use, always.
• Braising Greens Mix – Wash, chop into larger chunks and saute briefly in your favorite
oil with a touch of salt and pepper
• Garlic Scapes – See last week’s newsletter for more info on scapes. This week we are
recommending carmelized scapes with braising greens – delicious! Mince and saute
scapes in hot oiled pan for a few minutes. Add the salt and pepper then a tiny bit of
water (like 1/2 cup). Add the greens to the pan, cover the pan, and remove from the heat.
Let them steam covered for 5-10 minutes and enjoy.
• Fresh Flowering Thyme – The primary flavor in herbs de provence, fresh thyme is
sublime. Almost any food will taste better if cooked with it and it is known to be part of a
healthy lifestyle. Don’t eat the stems, discard after cooking and before serving – they can
be sharp (some folks use a sashet when cooking with fresh whole thyme). Also great as a
tea.
• Red Beets with Greens – They can be eaten raw or cooked. To cook just boil the beets for
about 5 minutes and then remove from the pot with tongs (they hold heat) and drop in a
bowl of cold water. The skins can be easily removed after cooling in the water for a few
minutes. Raw, they are great shredded or in a quick refrigerator pickle recipe even.
• Cabbage – Fresh cabbage is amazing and different than storage cabbage, especially nice
in a salad.
• Sugar Snap Peas – We love them as a snack, and are so thankful this is a great season for
them. Also, easy and fast to cook and tasty whether lightly steamed or well stir-fryed.
Country Valley Farm Summer Salad Recipe
Wash the cabbage and shred in a food processor or slice into super thin ribbons. Either cook and
peel the beets or peel them raw, and then wash and grate them. Then wash and chop the sugar
snap peas into 2-3 pieces each. Add a can of beans for extra protein or texture (garbanzos or
kidney beans go great with this). Add dressing of choice (we include a homemade dressing
recipe below) and toss the salad, then let sit covered in the refrigerator for at least an hour –
then serve.
Country Valley Garlic Thyme Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe
Wash the thyme and dry in a salad spinner or with a paper towel.
Mince 1⁄4 cup garlic scapes (green garlic or garlic bulbs work great too)
In a pint container (2 cups) that has a good lid – add the thyme, the garlic, 1⁄4 TSP salt, 1⁄2 TSP
ground black pepper, just under a cup of olive oil, and just under a cup of apple cider vinegar.
Shake vigorously and put in the refrigerator for at least a day, and then remove and discard the
thyme. Shake well before using – this should stay fresh and tasty for a few weeks if kept covered
in the refrigerator.