Week 11, September 19
Both boxes have: Golden beets with greens, corn, red potatoes, red cabbage, apples, spinach, basil, Italian parsley
The Standard box also has: Artichokes, collards, Pearl Romanesco
Grilled golden beets with brown butter vinaigrette
About Pearl Romanesco
Nash’s Pearl Romanesco may be the only vegetable of its kind in the U.S. It was developed from seed given to Nash by an Italian farmer in 2007 when Nash saw the vegetable on display at the Salone del Gusto in Turin. The Salone is one of Europe’s biggest artisan food events, where 300 producers from over 50 countries meet with international buyers and foodies. The farmer was not at the event, but Nash was determined to find him, and he and Patty followed a lead in a brochure to a small town south of Turin where they finally tracked him down.
Romanesco originated in Italy and is a light green brassica, with fractal-like swirls that form cone-shaped florets. It is related to the cauliflower, whose florets are more rounded, and has a delicate, nutty flavor. The farmer in Turin, through classical breeding methods, had developed either a pure white Romanesco, or a coned-floret cauliflower. Not speaking Italian, Nash doesn’t know what the farmer started with.
The farmer gave Nash a small bag of seed that was not completely “clean.” It still required several years of further selection to get the cone florets. Nash and his young farm team started the selection process, and have come pretty close to the shape and color they want.
Enjoy it like you would cauliflower—raw, steamed, roasted, or in salads , soups, casseroles, stews, and marinated for antipasto.
About Collards
Collard leaves contain lots of dietary fiber that help control LDL cholesterol levels and protect against colon cancer. They are rich in phytonutrients with potent anti-cancer properties and are a rich source of vitamins C, A, K, the vital B-complex group, and minerals like iron, calcium, copper, manganese, selenium and zinc.
The leaves are more dense than many other greens, so they can be added to soups and stews and not disintegrate. If you sauté them, cook them a little longer to make them tender, but please don’t overcook! As any Southerner will tell you, they are great cooked with pork, especially ham or bacon.