A Week of Goodbyes

Aug 30, 2021 | Box Contents

It’s feeling way too quiet on the farm as all our students head back to school. It was quite a sad thing to say goodbye to those we had enjoyed working with so much. What a great crew! There is quite a lot of work for those of us that remain, but thankfully planting is done, so that’s one task off the list!

Farm Share Crew 2021

Tomatoes are going strong this week in all sorts of varieties. Please note the Cherokee purple heirloom tomatoes are ripe even with some green on them. You can tell because they get a little softer. This variety is my absolute favourite for flavour! Caraflex cabbage is new this week. It’s just like the green cabbage you know and love, but comes to an adorable little point that reminds me of the hats on garden gnomes. This is a nice, sweet cabbage that lends itself well to coleslaws, frying or wrapping in cabbage rolls. Your kohlrabi (whole shares) is also great in coleslaw.

Another new item this week is tomatillos. These are in the tomato family and are perfect in green salsa, enchilada sauce, or even simply added to any Mexican dish. We also gave you a bunch of cilantro so you can make this Salsa Verde. It’s super refreshing, tangy and delicious. Just pair it with organic tortilla chips (we love Que Pasa) and you are set! If you really get to like it you can get ambitious and jar it. It makes an amazing little gift. I still remember one of my workers one season gifting me with some. :).

Homemade Salsa Verde

  • Author: Cookie and Kate (quantities adapted)
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 20 minutes

This roasted salsa verde recipe is so easy to make. Just roast the tomatillos and pepper(s) and blend with a few basic ingredients for the best salsa verde you’ve ever tasted! Recipe yields about 1 ½ cups salsa.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1  pounds tomatillos (about 8 medium), husked and rinsed
  • 1medium jalapeño, stemmed (omit for mild salsa, use 1/2 jalapeño for medium salsa, note that spiciness will depend on heat of actual peppers used)
  • 1/3 cup chopped white onion
  • 1/8 to 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (more if you love cilantro)
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons to 3 tbsp. lime juice (1 to 2 medium limes, juiced), to taste
  • ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
  • Optional variation: 1 to 2 diced avocados, for creamy avocado salsa verde

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches below the heat source. Place the tomatillos and jalapeño(s) on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until they’re blackened in spots, about 5 minutes.
  2. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully flip over the tomatillos and pepper(s) with tongs and broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tomatillos are splotchy-black and blistered.
  3. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Once the tomatillos are out of the oven, carefully transfer the hot tomatillos, pepper(s) and all of their juices into the food processor or blender.
  4. Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomatillo remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt, if desired.
  5. The salsa will be thinner at first, but will thicken up after a few hours in the refrigerator, due to the naturally occurring pectin in the tomatillos. If you’d like to make creamy avocado salsa verde, let the salsa cool down before blending in 1 to 2 diced avocados (the more avocado, the creamier it gets).

In your Shares this week:

Simply Six Shares:

  • cherry tomatoes
  • romaine lettuce
  • green or yellow beans
  • bunch carrots
  • pint ground cherries (see last week’s blog for recipes)
  • caraflex cabbage (green cone shaped cabbage)

Half Shares:

  • cherry tomatoes
  • romaine lettuce
  • green or yellow beans
  • bunch carrots
  • pint ground cherries (see last week’s blog for recipes)
  • caraflex cabbage (green cone shaped cabbage)
  • 1lb zucchini
  • field tomatoes (beefsteak, campari & Heirloom tomatoes)
  • golden beets
  • bunched spinach or green swiss chard

Whole Shares:

  • cherry tomatoes
  • romaine lettuce
  • green or yellow beans
  • bunch carrots
  • pint ground cherries (see last week’s blog for recipes)
  • caraflex cabbage (green cone shaped cabbage)
  • 1lb zucchini
  • field tomatoes (beefsteak, campari & Heirloom tomatoes)
  • golden beets
  • bunched spinach or green swiss chard
  • sweet corn (3 cobs)
  • bunch kohlrabi or eggplant
  • 1lb tomatillos
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • grape tomatoes
  • strawberries or mini watermelon

Fruit Shares

  • 7 BC sunrise apples
  • 4 BC peaches
  • 5 lemons
  • 2lbs clementines
  • 3 avocadoes

Enjoy the summer bounty!