This Week's CSA - June 15

Because I'm a crazy person and the vegetables that I grow on my 500 foot square garden aren't enough, I participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Luckily, my friend Kathryn is also nuts (she has a garden plot too) so she and I share the bag of vegetables every week.  This is week two and the bag was overflowing with mostly greens.  My CSA is Fresh and Local, located in Shepherdstown, WV.  Farmer Allan and I have a good gig going - I do research for him in the off season and he gives me extra tomatoes.

Today's bag included

Garlic Scapes
Chard
Lamb's quarters
2 kinds of lettuce - Simpson and field greens
Fava beans
holy basil - for making tea
Escarole
1 piece zucchini, 1 summer squash
1 doz eggs

Tonight's dinner was a simple saute of things on hand.

Started with some sausage from that heritage hog (still have lots of pork in the freezer) - crumbled in a pan and fried until done.  Put sausage in bowl and save grease.  Added chopped leeks (from my garden), chopped garlic scapes (all of them).  Saute until soft.  Add chopped chard and a little bit of water, cover and cook until chard is wilted, only a few min.  Add sausage, give a few stirs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.  Eat all of it.

Garlic scapes come from hardneck garlic  - since I grow softneck garlic for storage, I don't get scapes in my garden.  They are really delicious and a couple of weeks ago, I used them instead of garlic cloves in arugula pesto

I gave Kathryn the holy basil, so here is a tea recipe for her

Basil Lemon Ice Tea

4-5 slices lemon 1 small bunch fresh basil Muddle basil and lemon in a tall glass, add ice and fill with sweet tea. Basil Mint Infusion 1/2 cup chopped mint 1/2 cup chopped basil Small piece of fresh ginger 3 cups water 4 tablespoons honey Blend basil, mint , ginger to a smooth paste. Add this puree to 3 cups water boil for 8 minutes. Strain the tea and mix honey to it.