2013 Summer CSA Week One

I don't get out much. It's true.
Especially at this time of year.
I had a great opportunity to go away last weekend though and I pounced.

Beautiful isn't it?

The reality was that if I had stayed home I wouldn't have been able to do much anyways. Maybe I could have watched plants slowly being smothered in the muck and water, but beyond that it was a waiting game. You know. Waiting for the rains to cease, the sun to shine and everything to be just all right.

When I came home, there had been more rain. And then of course there was tons of rain yesterday and again last night.
Too much rain. Way too much for my clay soil.

So I did what I usually do when Mother Nature decides not to cooperate with my plans for growing.
I look at new homes on the computer. Yes, by golly, I'm moving. Anywhere. Anywhere at all as long as it is drier and not so darn labour intensive as my small farm. The grass is always greener you know.... although the rain has ensured mine is pretty green too.

Today was week one of my summer CSA.

Zlata radishes

Rat tailed radishes

My favourite-Bronze Arrowhead lettuce

greenhouse zucchini is coming

Stupice tomatoes coming to!

In the baskets is a lot of green. Heirloom lettuces, green onions, sorrel, garlic scapes, a bunch of mustard greens/chard, some thyme, rosemary and a sprig of Korean licorice mint and a taste of rat tailed radishes.

If you need ideas about what to do with some of these veggies, check  HERE for a recipe for "Garlic Scape Pesto" and HERE for a good recipe for a simple vinaigrette.  Time to round up these old familiar recipes, it is that time of year.

Sorrel tends to stump a lot of people. It is a nice taste addition to salads, but I remember my mom always making sorrel soup with it, a French classic.

This recipe is from Julia Child's "Mastering The Art of French Cooking"

Sorrel Soup, French Style

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 4-6 cups (packed) of chopped sorrel
• Salt
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 quart vegetable stock
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup cream

__________

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the green onions and turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook for 10 minutes.
2. While the onions are cooking, pour the stock into another pot and bring to a simmer.
3. Turn the heat up, add the sorrel leaves and a healthy pinch of salt and stir well. When the sorrel is mostly wilted, turn the heat back to medium-low, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Mix in the flour and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
4. Whisk in the hot stock, stirring constantly. Bring this to a simmer.
5. To finish the soup, whisk together the egg yolks and cream. Temper the mixture by ladling a little soup into it with one hand, while you whisk the egg-cream mix with the other. Repeat this three times. (You are doing this to prevent the eggs from scrambling) Now start whisking the soup. Pour the hot egg-cream-soup mixture into the pot with the soup, whisking all the way. Let this cook — below a simmer — for 5 minutes. Do not let it boil or the soup will break. Serve at once.