Spring’s first CSA pickup was Saturday, and I was happy enough to dance with a turnip.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for our extensive stash of preserves and would rather be trapped in a room with a zombie than complain about a lack of fresh food on the dinner table. All the same, I was ecstatic to see that Jenny Jack Sun Farm tent at the farmer’s market.
So what arrived in our first bag of goodies?
Green onions
Lettuce
Spinach
Japanese lettuce
Arugula
Strawberries
Napa cabbage
Microgreens
1 doz. eggs
The question I hear most often about eating seasonally is what in the world to do with the abundance of early-season greens. Do we eat plate after plate of boring, boiled leaves until summer veg is harvested? Far from it. Here’s this week’s menu:
- Spinaci alla Fiorentina (To make it a meal, pull the pan out of the oven after ten minutes, toss in some al dente pasta, and bake for five more minutes)
- Fried spring rolls with Napa cabbage
- Strawberry breakfast smoothies with arugula or Japanese lettuce
- Frittata with arugula and a pot of tomato soup from our reserves
- Salads with pecans, green onions, microgreens, chili-lime balsamic vinegar, topped with a mix of sardines, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
Hubby and I make a game of finding creative uses for simple, fresh ingredients, and each week presents a new Iron Chef-like challenge. So bring on those radishes and kohlrabi — we’re ready.
