Week 4 2018

Since next week is the July 4th holiday, please remember that there will be no CSA distribution July 3rd-7th. Hopefully this week's yield will be enough to supply your barbecues and potlucks until we return July 10th!This week's bounty:Beets(Fields of Plenty)Chard(Fields of Plenty)Kale(Occupy Yourself and Buffalo Street)Baby Kale or Baby Lettuce(Fisheye Farm)Head Lettuce(Iroquois Avenue and Fisheye Farm)Green Beans or Zucchini(Food Field)Radishes, Kohlrabi or Cabbage(Occupy Yourself, Iroquois Avenue, and Fisheye Farm)Tarragon; Tuesday only(Singing Tree Garden)Basil; Friday/Saturday only(Food Field)Beet Nicoise SaladOne thing that I love about this time of year is enjoying leisurely meals outside, and no picnic or patio fare is more refreshing than Nicoise Salad. I like the combination of blanched green beans and vegetables with richer, high protein ingredients. It is still a little early for our tomatoes, so this recipe calls for beets to substitute. Perhaps it can be reprised in a few weeks with grilled or roasted cherry tomatoes!We were sad not to offer Egg Shares this year, but luckily our customers should be able to get farm fresh eggs from our pick-up locations at Oakland Avenue Farmer's Market, Food Field, The Farmer's Hand, and Pure Pastures.This recipe takes 45 minutes to prepare and makes 3-4 servings. If you wait to add the salad greens, Nicoise Salad will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator making it perfect for bagged lunches.Ingredients:1 head lettuce1/2 bag baby kale or other greens to taste1 bag green beans1 bunch baby beets2 cloves garlic or 3 garlic scapes1 tsp minced oregano or taragon3-4 hard-boiled chicken or duck eggs1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar2 tbsp dijon mustard3/4 cup olive oilsalt and black pepper to tastefresh basil for garnishRinse beets, remove tops and roots. Remove stems from the end of your green beans. Place beets in a small pot of salted water on the stove, making sure there is enough water to add the green beans later. The beets will take at least 20 minutes to cook, once the water has come to a boil. In a separate pot, boil your eggs(7-8 minutes for medium, 9-10 minutes for hard boiled.)Meanwhile, make your dressing by mincing your garlic or garlic scapes then combining with vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Once these ingredients are mixed, begin slowly whisking in olive oil. Adding a few drops of oil at a time, whisk vigorously until all oil has been used. You should see the dressing thicken and become a lighter, creamier color. A stand mixer or food processor can make this process easier.Once your eggs are ready, put the pot under the faucet and run cool water for several minutes. Check your beets with a fork to see if they are tender. Once the beets can be easily pierced, toss in the green beans. The beans will need only about 5 minutes until they are bright green and tender. Now strain the water and place the vegetables in cold water until they are totally cooled. Once cooled, the beets can be sliced or cubed.The salad can be combined in any fashion, but I prefer tossing the beets, beans, and eggs in the dressing and serving on top of greens. Fresh basil makes an excellent garnish. Try adding feta or goat cheese and canned fish for a richer meal.