At our little farm this week, our minds are on fall as we plant plot after plot of the prickly winter squash plants we started in cold frames late May. But this week’s harvest is all about the last tastes of spring. Sweet shell peas and crisp scallions. Baby beets and skinny carrots. Here’s what we packed for the CSA boxes delivered today.

Crazy curly garlic scapes, the taste treat of the week!

In The Box – Box 2, June 28

Chocolate Mint – More than ever! You’ll understand why I’m excited about this if you read yesterday’s post.

Snap Peas – Really just the best treat of spring, we think. This is the last harvest, unfortunately, but we’re going to try them again for the fall.

Shell Peas – These are in a bigger bag. Traditional garden peas are delicious lightly boiled or steamed, though you’ll be tempted to eat most of them right out of the shell. They do taste great, but the great fun of garden peas is popping the crisp shells and bouncing the tiny peas into a big old bowl on your lap. I recommend doing this on your front porch!

Dill – Just starting to flower in my garden now, this is an herb that just keeps getting better as the season goes on. Try snipping a little into your salad, over your peas, or fluffed with basmati rice.

Pea Tendrils – A gorgeous and fabulous taste treat I learned about at a wonderful organic farm I work at, Garden To Be, in Mount Horeb. These very tender tips of the pea plant have more pea taste than the peas! They are delightful in salads, or sauteed lightly in wok oil and served over rice with Asian seasonings.

Nasturtium Leaves – These make a peppery surprise garnish for a salad, or floating in a simple miso soup broth with scallions.

Scallions – I love the amazing crunch and punch of green onions. Did I already suggest you try scallion sandwiches? Bread and butter layered with scallions and salt and pepper. Simple and sublime. My dad has one every morning.

Garlic Scapes – Crazy and delicious, these are the curly seed-heads from hardneck garlic plants. They taste like garlic only without the hot bite. Here’s a lovely recipe from MaryJane Butters of MaryJane’s Farm magazine:

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 3 Tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice, 1/4 lb. scapes, 1/2-cup olive oil, salt to taste. Puree scapes and olive oil in a food processor until smooth. Stir in Parmesan and lime or lemon juice and season to taste. Serve on bread, crackers or pasta.

Salad Mix – This should be the last lettuce until fall, as these tender greens hate the heat as much as I do. But I’ve put a floating row cover over the remaining baby lettuce, and it just might hold for another month under there.

Spinach – This is my miracle spinach. Really, spinach should be finished by now in this heat. But this variety, Bloomsdale Longstanding, is supposed to hold well, and has. It started to bolt a few weeks ago, and I cut it back to the ground. It came back on great big tall stalks full of tender green baby spinach. Doesn’t even look like the spinach I’m used to, but it sure tastes great.

Salad Turnips w/ Greens – I LOVE salad turnips. These are a younger, sweeter, milder version of the purple globes you received in the last box. All turnips are excellent braised in butter or stock, but these can also be enjoyed just cut up and munched on raw.

Head Lettuce – Crunchy romaine and tender green and Red Flame butterhead. Use the cut salad greens first, then slice into these.

Escarole – This is a somewhat bitter green, something between romaine lettuce and collard greens. It’s a very European taste and can be used just like traditional lettuce, or served wilted or braised or blanched. Many people use it in soup. I’ve included a few recipes.

ESCAROLE SOUP

1/4 lb White beans
5 c vegetable or chicken broth
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 onion, diced
2 c chopped escarole
Salt and pepper—to taste
croutons, optional

SOAK THE BEANS OVERNIGHT IN WATER. Drain. Place beans in a pot, add broth, cover and cook over medium heat until beans are soft, about 30 minutes. (or use canned white beans if there isn’t time to soak and cook…) Meanwhile, place another pot on the stove, add oil, place over medium heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes, or until onions soften. Add the escarole and continue to cook until wilted, another 10 minutes. Add the beans and broth to the pot with the escarole. Add salt and pepper as desired, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot, with the addition of croutons if desired. serves 8

WILTED ESCAROLE

3 T olive oil
2 medium escarole – rinsed, dried and chopped
1/2 cup lemon juice
chopped zest from one lemon
2 tablespoons capers, roughly/barely chopped
10 dark, pitted olives, kalamata are good here
ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add escarole; cook and stir until greens begin to wilt. Stir in lemon juice & zest. Add capers, S & P, and olives; cook and stir for another 15-30 seconds

Carrots – Both these and the beets are properly called a “thinning harvest.” These smallish root vegetables come out now to make room for the plants next to them to grow bigger. Look for monster carrots and beets in the next box.

Baby Beets – Use these like Swiss Chard, a green which is closely related to a beet. Wash and chop the entire plant into 1/2 inch pieces, including the roots. Saute all in olive oil with garlic, and serve over rice or as a side dish. Excellent seasonings include salt, pepper, dill or caraway.

Special Treat! Goat Chevre from Linden Valley Farm – My friend and neighbor Hilary makes this fabulous spreadable cheese from the milk of her small goat herd. People ask me all the time if I make goat cheese, since I do milk goats. But I’m absolutely terrible at it! The process requires careful watching and attention in the kitchen, something for which I have a deficit. I’m a strictly intuitive cook, and that doesn’t work so well when you are learning to make cheese. So. Here’s a gift for you from my excellent cheese-making friend. You’ll probably eat it up instantly, but if you can hold yourself back, mix in some cracked pepper or some of the potted chives you received in Box 1. Fabulous on crackers or baguette slices.