Circle M Farm

Well, last night’s nightmare of flooding and destruction has all but disappeared with this morning’s lovely sunshine and gentle wind to lift the moisture off the gardens. And boy, are they full! We’ve got a box packed with greens coming out to you today, with a few surprises tucked in.

Spinach – These leaves have grown large in the past few days, and at this size you can either eat them fresh or saute them in olive oil. I love the nutty flavor of the first spinach of the season. The cold days they’ve grown in really make the flavor rich and complex.

Salad Greens – This is a a mix of various red and green lettuces, with just a few darker leaves of “Mache” a popular European cool-season green. Maggie, my elder daughter, thinks they taste flowery, but I find them more earthy. A nice contrast to the fragility of the lettuce. These lettuces have been quite beat up by recent storms, so they need to be eaten first! They won’t keep for weeks in your fridge the way our salad mix normally does.

Chives – Chives are at their most gorgeous right now! Pop off the flowers and pull the tiny little blossoms off the ball to throw in salads, omelettes, and mashed potatoes. Not only are they pretty, but they taste almost like garlic. Yum! Then use the more tender leaves to snip and season everything from potato salad to fish dishes.

Violas – These are just for fun! Edible flowers are wonderful candied or just thrown raw on top of a cake or in a salad.

Braising Greens/Broccoli Raab – These tall stalky greens with delicate yellow flowers are the most popular vegetable in China. Though unrelated to broccoli, they are cooked much the same, only you cut up and braise the entire plant – stalks, leaves, and flowers together. Season like stir fry, or use in a mixed veggie casserole. Check out this great website on the cool vegetable: What’s Cooking America?.

Chocolate Mint – Make Mojitos! Or just throw in lemonade for a yummy treat.

Pea Shoots and Baby Peas – The peas are slow this year and may not even make it to podding after the pummelling they’ve gotten the last few days. Never mind! The shoots taste just as good. Saute these and garnish a pasta dish, or just eat raw for a snack.

Nettles – Are we crazy putting stinging nettle in the box? No! Several CSA members and neighbors have come over the past few days to harvest nettle, and we eat it, too. So we thought you might give it a try. It takes some courage, because raw the leaves will sting you and leave a rash. But dump them directly out of the bag and saute in olive oil. They are tastier even than spinach and much healthier. Also – we drink a nettle tea this time of year that is a good tonic and very full of minerals. Pour boiling water over the leaves, steep until lukewarm, then strain and enjoy this green super drink!

Brats! – We’ve included our very own brats, made for us by Ruf’s Sausage House in New Glarus. We hope to get you hooked, so you’ll order more this summer.

Eggs – Our own free-range organic-fed eggs. Again, we hope you’ll be hooked and order them for your next delivery.

What with the flood clean up, I was too busy today to get the recipes printed. Check the website tomorrow! I’ll work on that tonight. Thanks and Bon Appetit!