Kia’s Tahini Beet Salad

The crew got to try this vividly colorful salad for lunch recently — and boy, was it tasty!

As the availability of last fall’s beet crops extends far into the spring, I’ve been experimenting with new ideas for preparing these delicious crimson roots. This salad’s rich flavor disguises its simplicity, and no one could guess the secret ingredient… tahini!

For the Salad
3 cups minced parsley
4 cups shredded beets, cooked or raw (6-8 medium beets)
4 or 5 chive blossoms (optional)

For the Dressing*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Thoroughly scrub the beets, then grate them raw. Or steam/boil/roast them until tender, and then grate. Toss beets with parsley and set aside. Although both are delicious, I love the cooked beet version of this dish better, and my two-year-old son did too!

Combine the olive oil, tahini, lime juice, apple cider vinegar and salt & pepper in a pint mason jar. Screw lid on tightly and shake thoroughly. Dressing will be thick. Thin as desired with another splash of vinegar, or water.

Toss veggies with dressing. Break apart chive blossoms into tiny flowers and sprinkle throughout salad. Serve warm or chilled.

This salad debuted at an April 2015 Farm Lunch. It was accompanied by Mary Wong’s ham and cheese scalloped potatoes. Needless to say the crew returned to work that afternoon with full, happy bellies!

*This dressing would be wonderful tossed with any kind of “chop-chop salad.” That’s my term for chopping up (or grating) raw veggies into a slaw-like salad, like broccoli stems, cabbage, carrots, celeriac, ruatabagas, green onions, etc.

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Posted on April 27, 2015

Green Garlic Hummus

Green spring garlic is milder than garlic in bulb-and-clove form, but it can still garlic up your favorite dishes.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch green garlic (6 to 8 stalks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or Nash’s field peas*
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Trim the green garlic stalks and chop them. Let sit for 5-10 minutes while you drain and rinse the chickpeas and gather the rest of the ingredients. Put chopped green garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they’re more finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and salt and whirl until a rough puree forms. Add the chickpeas or field peas and pulse until everything is combined. Whirl in the oil until a puree forms again. Stir in pepper and/or lemon zest to taste. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as you like. Serve with crackers, bread, or crudités.

Although this recipe uses green garlic, which is milder than cured garlic bulbs, it still packs a big punch! The flavors will intensify over time, so if you want a milder hummus prepare just before serving.

*Try using a cup of Nash’s dried field peas instead of canned garbanzos. Soak them overnight, and then cook until tender, about an hour. Cool, drain, and add to the recipe.

Recipe adapted by Virginia Newman from About.com.

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Posted on April 21, 2015

Kia’s Jalapeño Salsa

The roasted pepper flavor of this salsa is wonderful over breakfast potatoes and eggs, spread with mayo on sandwiches, mixed into tuna or egg salad, atop meat or vegetarian entrees, stirred into soups, or anything you want to kick up a notch with some heat!

6-8 jalapeno peppers, stems popped off
4-5 cloves of garlic, quartered
Salt
Water

In a dry cast iron skillet, pan roast whole peppers on medium-low heat, turning occasionally, until they are softened and mostly blistering or blackened, about 25 min.

Combine peppers, garlic, 3-4 large pinches of salt and a few long splashes of water in blender or Vitamix. Blend thoroughly until everything is smooth, adding a more water if needed.*

Store salsa in fridge for up to 10 days, or pour into ice cube trays and then pop them into a plastic bag when they are frozen. Use liberally over everything you eat!

*Note: Do not touch your eyes while preparing or let children handle salsa, it is VERY spicy. After blending the peppers, take the blender outside or to your stove’s fan, and open the lid in a well ventilated area.

We thank the farm’s own Kia Armstrong for this recipe.

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Posted on March 20, 2015

Caramelized Leek Pasta with Fresh Raab

Red cabbage raab and green cabbage raab are excellent options for this wonderfully seasonal recipe!

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large leek, or two small leeks, greens and all thinly sliced (about 1 pound)
1 bunch raab, any variety
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound pasta (linguine or other long, thin shape)

Saute leek over medium heat in olive oil, stirring occasionally until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Make sure heat is low enough so leeks don’t burn or cook to quickly.

Meanwhile, bring several quarts of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Roughly chop the whole bunch of raab — stems, leaves and all. Pop them into the boiling water for 2 minutes, and then drain them and set aside.

Add the garlic to the pan with the leeks and cook for just one minute. Then add the raab and salt and pepper and cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the raab is tender, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as desired.

While preparing the leek sauce, cook and drain the pasta, making sure that some liquid still sticks to the noodles. Toss the hot pasta with the raab-leek sauce. Mix well and transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Drizzle each bowl with olive oil to taste and serve immediately.

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Posted on March 16, 2015

Garlicky Leeks in Olive Oil

Celebrate the flavors of leeks and garlic.

2 leeks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons salt

Trim the dark green ends of the leeks, leaving only the light green and white ends. Rinse leeks well (cut in half lengthwise and rinse in between layers). Slice the leeks into 2-inch chunks.

In a small frying pan, heat olive oil to hot but not smoking. Turn down the heat and add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cilantro and cook another 30 seconds. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

In a medium saucepan, bring 8 cups water to boil. Salt the water with 2 tablespoons salt. Add leeks to the boiling water and reduce heat to simmer. Poach until leeks are just tender to bite, about 4 minutes; do not overcook.

Drain the leeks and add them to the olive oil mixture, stirring gently to coat the leeks completely. Serve immediately, garnished with more cilantro.

Recipe adapted from Food52.com.

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Posted on March 13, 2015

Roasted Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Everyone loves purple sprouting broccoli!

Easy to make and crispy-delicious, this recipe is a winner for a quick side-dish or snack. But watch out, you might want to eat the whole pan in one sitting!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

2 bunches purple sprouting broccoli
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss whole broccoli liberally with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a baking dish, pop in oven, and let sizzle for about 20 minutes. Give then a quick turn and roast for another 4-10 minutes until crispy and tender. These are best served hot out of the oven, so dig in!

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Posted on March 11, 2015

About Nash’s Root Medley

Explore the rainbow of Nash’s root medley: carrots, beets, parsnips, rutabagas, sunchokes and potatoes might find their way into your bag!

Root vegetables each offer their unique nutrition profiles, but all of them are packed with nutritional benefits because of the extended time they spend in the rich, prime, alluvial soils of the Dungeness Valley. The more nutrient-rich the soil they are grown in, the more nutrient-packed these powerhouses will be.

The root medley is a great way to have an easy, colorful, and nourishing vegetable option for your winter dinner. Wrap roots loosely in a plastic bag and they will last for a few weeks in your fridge. However, potatoes are best stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.

According to food energetics, root vegetables provide a grounding and relaxed energy. Another huge plus: no need to peel these root vegetables, because most of the nutrients are held near the skin. Just use a brush to scrub them clean.

Here’s our favorite way to enjoy all those wonderful flavors:

Roasted Root Veggies

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice beets, potatoes, rutabagas, and sunchokes to half-inch cubes and slice the carrots and parsnips to half-inch rounds.

Place all vegetables into a casserole dish and drizzle with olive oil or melted butter. (You may need a second dish. You want your vegetables to be all in one layer to cook evenly.) Sprinkle with any herbs or spices of your choosing and mix to ensure oil or butter covers all roots. Cover your dish with with a lid or tin foil if you desire vegetables that will be more moist and tender. Leave your dish uncovered if you like crisp veggies.

Roast until fork tender, about 40-50 minutes.

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Posted on March 3, 2015

About Nash’s Triticale Berries

Use triticale in place of rice or in salads for healthy, satisfying nutrition!

Triticale is a hybrid cross between wheat and rye grains. Rye has always been a hearty crop, able to withstand rough conditions such as poor soil, flooding, and drought. The grain also grows rapidly. The triticale hybrid was developed just over a century ago to capitalize on the unique nutritional benefits and hearty growing characteristics of rye blended with the desirable characteristics of wheat for bread making. It is better at reducing soil erosion and can capture excess soil nitrogen more readily than just wheat or rye.

Rye is a rich and versatile source of dietary fiber, especially a type of fiber called arabinoxylan, which is also known for its high antioxidant activity. Research indicates that consuming whole grain rye has many benefits including: improved bowel health, better blood sugar control and reduced risk of type-2 diabetes, as well as overall weight management and an improved satiety (feeling full longer after eating). So, this handy little hybrid grain is good for you and the planet, and still offers you the characteristics of wheat and wheat products that you’ve grown to love.

Get more information about triticale from The Whole Grain Council.

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Posted on March 3, 2015

About Nash’s Dried Diana Fava Beans

Diana fava beans are a huge nutrition boost!

Fava beans are very high in protein and energy, like other beans and lentils. These beans also have lots of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and plant-sterols.

They are a very rich source of dietary fiber for normal elimination. Dietary fiber helps to protect the mucous membrane of the colon by decreasing its exposure time to toxic substances as well as by binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.

In addition, fava beans are an excellent source of minerals like iron, copper, manganese, calcium, and magnesium. Favas are one of the highest plant sources of potassium. Potassium is an important electrolyte of cell and body fluids. It helps counter the effects of sodium on heart and blood pressure.

Thoroughly rinse and inspect Diana fava beans, picking out small dirt clods or damaged beans that made it through our seed cleaner. Soak 1 part beans in 2 parts water for 6+ hours; they will double in size. Strain, rinse and combine 1 part soaked beans in 2 parts fresh water. Bring to a boil and season as desired with chili powder, cumin, coriander, bay leaf, garlic, peppers, onions, etc. Add salt and/or tomatoes halfway through and lower to a simmer. Dianas are tender in about 65 minutes. (Allow for additional cooking time if beans have not been pre-soaked.) Favas become very tender when simmered on low in a crockpot overnight. Dried fava beans will double in size when cooked.

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Posted on March 3, 2015

Rocket Sauce

Produce Manager Eliza Winne loves arugula (a.k.a. rocket). Check out her rocket sauce recipe!

Salad Rocket, also known as arugula, is a spicy leafy green, great in salads, stir-fries and sauces. Packed with beneficial phytochemicals, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, two cups of arugula contains over 50% of your daily Vitamin K! This recipe for rocket sauce is easy to make and delicious dressing for a healthy potato salad. For a nutty twist, try adding cooked sunchokes to the potatoes.

Rocket Sauce

2 large bunches fresh arugula
1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon salt

Place arugula in food processor or blender. Pour in the olive oil and start the food processor. Once arugula and olive oil are thoroughly pureed, add garlic and salt. Continue blending until all ingredients are finely chopped and thoroughly mixed together.

Use fresh on salads, potatoes, pasta, sandwiches and burgers, or freeze some rocket sauce in an ice cube tray and thaw at as needed.

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Posted on February 18, 2015