Week 1 of the 2014 CSA season has arrived! The early weeks of the CSA will have an abundance of leafy green vegetables, like salad greens, lettuces, spinach, and greens for cooking. The CSA shares normally do not include farm fresh eggs, but we wanted to add eggs to the shares this first week to start the season well! Here is the bounty CSA members receive:
Free Range Chicken Eggs, Full share- 1 dozen, Partial share- 1/2 dozen
Spinach (overwintered), best for cooking
Radishes, multi-colored
Stir-fry greens mix– Full Share Only
Green onions
Spinach (small), for salads
Arugula
We would recommend that you use your arugula and stir-fry greens mix (for full shares) first, because they have a shorter storage life. If you have never cooked fresh spinach, the larger spinach would be a great time to start. Cooked spinach is excellent and is a great way to consume a larger quantity of the healthful vegetable.
Here are some storage and using/ cooking instructions for each item. All of the items in the CSA week 1 box should be stored in the refrigerator.
Eggs: Store in refrigerator. Fried, Hard-boiled, cooked into an omelet or a quiche are some of the best ways to enjoy farm fresh eggs. Or combine with your spinach for spinach quiche, or spinach stuffed omelets.
Spinach (overwintered): Store, unwashed in loosely closed produce bag in refrigerator. This (larger) spinach is best cooked. Try this Butter Braised Spinach.
Radishes: Store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Crisp radishes in ice water. Sliced radishes add great flavor to salads.
Stir-fry greens mix: Store in plastic bag in refrigerator, use within a couple days. Basic cooking instructions: wash and spin dry, slice or chop greens, heat oil (olive or vegetable) over medium-high heat. Gradually add chopped greens, stirring to just wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Variations: add chopped garlic when you add the greens. Top the cooked greens with a fried egg(s). Here’s a detailed sir-fried greens recipe.
Green Onions: Store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Sliced green onions are great in salads or baked in quiche.
Spinach (small): Store in plastic bag in refrigerator. Use fresh in salads or make a spinach wilted salad. Salad idea: top with sliced radishes and green onions, crumbled bacon, chopped hard boiled egg and blue cheese dressing.
Arugula: Salad green with a bite. Use fresh in salads.
Looking ahead to next week: spinach, arugula, radishes, green onions, baby bok choy, head lettuce?
Eggs will be for sale on CSA pick-up days: $4/ dozen.
Not a member but jealous for all this great all-natural produce? We’ve still got some shares available. Join the CSA today and get in on the goodness!