One more week of salad and then we’ll be off and running.  I keep pulling baby carrots every half an hour to see if they’ve grown enough to put in the CSA, and as long as I don’t pull them all out I’d say they’re 1-2 weeks away.  Beets, peas and zucchini are even closer.  For those of you that had a share last year and wanted more onions or leeks, you’ll be happy this year.  I get these little bouts of melancholy whenever I’m working in a section with cutworm damage or poor germination, but then I just walk back to the onion and leek section to bathe in our hard-wrought success until the feeling is gone.  Any way, this week you’ll get some:

-spinach (we may swap with arugula or offer a choice depending on availability)

-head lettuce

-kale

-curly parsley

-radishes

-turnips

(We’ll give the kale and turnips a break after this week)

And as per tradition, here’s Connor’s Kitchen Corner.

Storage Tip

• Head Lettuce will keep longer refrigerated and stored in an airtight container or bag.

Quick radish pickles are a great topping for your burger or taco or a nice addition to your potato salad.

Alternately radishes can be thinly sliced and soaked for 10 mins in cold salt water. They are delicious for snacking.

Quick Radish Pickles

By eatingrichly.com

Ingredients

• 8-10 medium to large radishes

• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or sucanat

Instructions

1. Wash the radishes, then remove their greens and root.

2. Slice the radishes thinly, and pack them in a jar.

3. Whisk together the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar, and pour into the jar.

4. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes before serving

Spinach Lettuce Turnip and Strawberry Salad with Parsley Dressing

By Natural Collective CSA

Parsley Dressing

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp lemon juice

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1 bunch Parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a jar.

2. Seal jar and shake vigorously. Set aside

Spinach Lettuce Turnip and Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups Spinach, washed

• 1 Head Lettuce, washed

• 1 bunch Turnips, cut off greens and thinly slice root

• 1 cup Strawberries, washed and slice (sorry we don’t supply them, but you can find them locally and in season now)

• 1/4 cup Almonds, sliced and toasted (optional)

• 2 Tbsp Poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions

1. Toss all ingredients in and bowl and serve with dressing.

Crispy Roasted Kale

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Kale

• 2 TBSP olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2. Lay each kale leaf on a board and, with a small sharp knife, cut out the hard stem. Tear large leaves in half. Place the kale in a large bowl of water and wash it well. Drain the kale and dry it in a salad spinner. Dry the bowl, and put the kale back in the bowl.

3.Toss the kale with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide the kale among 1-2 sheet pans.  If you put too much kale on one pan, it will steam rather than roast and will never become crisp. Roast for 15 minutes, until crisp.