• Arugula 
• Spinach
• Chard
• Radish
• Bok Choi
• Lettuce

We learned some lessons this week. We extended the window for collection of vegetables and the vegetables did not hold up as well. We are at that tender part of the season as we shift from overwintered veggies with new very tender leaves to spring planted ones that have been grown under protection of remay (agricultural fabric) to keep the birds from eating them. These vegetables are all fragile and do not hold up well to heat. We have decided to  once shorten the pick up window from 3 to 6 PM. If you come later than 6 PM your vegetables will likely still be available for you to pick up. Wilted vegetables can all be rehydrated by soaking in cold water for 15-30 minutes.

 This week we face similar challenges with a huge shift in weather from the 40s at night to 82° during the day. Keep in mind that this change is even more dramatic in a plastic covered hoop house. Juvencio managed to get much of the cover crop mowed and will begin tilling it into the soil. We aim to get the broccoli in the ground as well as the beginning of the onions this week. Transplanting onions is a long project. We begin seeding onions in late January. We seed over 10 varieties of onions and shallots plus leaks and each individual onion (which looks like a blade of grass) needs to be transplanted into the row. If farming were my only occupation this would be done in about a week of 4 hours/day work, but it will take me 2-3 weeks to carve out enough time to get them in the ground.

 I was able to get the greenhouse tomatoes planted. There are three 100 foot beds  of standard size tomatoes and one row of special greenhouse cherry tomatoes. The regular season tomatoes will go out in a few weeks but we want to ensure that it is warm enough so they don’t get frostbitten.

The farmers are now fully vaccinated against Covid 19 and we are thankful for this peace of mind.  Covid 19 is back on the rise in Oregon so please maintain social distancing end mask wearing as required.  Both our medical director and the executive director of the Virginia Garcia Foundation were featured on Think Out Loud this week emphasizing the importance of making sure that access is there for our Latino community. Access for Latinos has been especially challenging in Oregon despite having our well trusted and well known community partners working with us to get people vaccinated. I am hopeful that we will open to the entire community for vaccination with an emphasis on our Latinx brothers and sisters. It is important that we stay vigilant and keep the pressure on our political leaders. This week congress takes up the filibuster which is a relic of the days of slavery and must be abolished.Stay engaged locally as well as school board elections are just around the corner.

Lyn’s Salad Dressing

 1 cup olive oil

¼ – 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar (this is the key ingredient, available at Trader Joes)

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic pressed

Add all ingredients to a Mason jar and cover with lid.  Shake until creamy and well blended.

Yotam Ottolenghi’s Arugula Salad

• 4 medium red onions (1-1/3 lb.)
• 1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup arugula
• 1/2 cup small flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 oz. soft goat cheese, broken into 3/4″ chunks
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

Yield: Serves 4

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Peel the onions and remove the tops and tails. Cut each crosswise into 3 slices, about 3/4″ thick, and place on a baking sheet. Brush the slices with the olive oil, sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and some black pepper, and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes, until the onions are cooked and golden brown on top. If they haven’t taken on much colour, place under a hot broiler for a few minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. While the onions are cooking, put all of the salsa ingredients in a small bowl, add 1/4 tsp salt, stir and set aside.
4. To serve, put the arugula and parsley in a large bowl. Add the warm onions, the cheese, and half the salsa and toss carefully so the onions don’t fall apart. Divide among shallow plates, spoon the remaining salsa over the top, and serve.

Reprinted with permission from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty More (2014 Appetite by Random House).

Radish Top Soup

Don’t through out your radish greens.  Believe it or not, those fuzzy leaves can be transformed into a smooth green soup, with a hint of watercress flavor.

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onions or white part of leek

8 cups loosely packed radish leaves

2 cups diced potatoes

6 cups liquid (water, chicken stock or combo)

salt

½ cup heavy cream (optional)

freshly ground pepper

Melt 4 T butter in a large saucepan, add onions or leeks and cook until golden, approximately 5 minutes.  Stir in radish tops cover pan and cook over low heat until wilted, 8-10 minutes.  Meanwhile cook potatoes until soft in liquid along with 1 teaspoon of salt.  Combine with the radish tops and cook covered, for 5 minutes to mingle flavors.  Puree finely in a food processor of food mill.  Ad the cream if desired and enrich with 2 T of butter.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve hot. (serves 4-6)

SPINACH RISOTTO
INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounces cold taleggio cheese (fontina a fine substitute)
• 10 ounces/8 packed cups spinach, any thick stems removed
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 3 cups finely diced celery
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1 ½ cup Arborio rice
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, more as needed
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 3 ½ cups good vegetable or chicken stock

PREPARATION

1. Cut the rind off the taleggio and discard. Dice the cheese into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside at room temperature as you prepare the rice.
2. Line a colander with a clean dish towel and place spinach inside. Heat about 8 cups of water until boiling, then pour over spinach; the spinach will wilt. Let spinach sit until cool enough to handle, then use the dish towel to squeeze out the water. Transfer spinach to a food processor and blend with 1 tablespoon butter until smooth. (You’ll end up with about 1 cup of purée.) Reserve.
3. Melt remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery and garlic; cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until toasted and golden, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in wine and cook until it’s absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring often but not necessarily continuously, until the stock is finished and the rice is cooked through but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Stir in spinach purée, then taste and add more salt, if needed. Add taleggio and stir to melt. Serve immediately.

Leftovers make great arancini:  Roll risotto into 2” balls.  Have handy a small bowl of flour and a small bowl of bread crumbs,  and 1 bowl with a well-beaten egg.  Dip each ball in the flour to coat,  then the egg,  then coat with the bread crumbs.  Place on a greased baking sheet,  spray or brush lightly with olive oil and bake at 425 for about 25 minutes til crisp and golden.  Serve with marinara sauce.Sheet Pan Pizza With Asparagus & Arugula4 servings4 Tbs EVOO1 lb fresh or thawed frozen pizza dough5 oz fresh mozzarella sliced into 1/4” thick rounds1/2 lb asparagus,  trimmed and cut into 2” pieces1-2 jalapeno peppers,  thinly sliced1/2 c halved pitted green olives1 c loosely packed chopped Italian parsley1 c loosely packed chopped arugula2 tsp lemon juiceSalt/Pepper
Heat oven to 500 degrees.  Pour 3 Tbs oil onto a 9×13” rimmed baking sheet and spread around.  Carefully stretch the dough evenly to cover the baking sheet.  Tear the mozzarella into pieces and scatter evenly over the dough.  Toss the asparagus with the peppers, a tsp of oil and salt to taste,  then scatter over the pizza.  Bake on bottom rack of the oven for 15 minutes,  then remove from oven,  top with oilives,  and bake 5 minutes more until cheese is startin to brown and crisp.  Remove from oven and immediately remove pizza from pan onto a rack.  Season with salt and pepper and let cool 5 minutes before serving.In a medium bowl,  toss the arugula and parsley with the lemon juice and 2 tsp EVOO.  Season with salt and pepper,  then scatter over pizza and serve.  (Or slice pizza and then top with a heaping spoonful of greens.

Tofu Chili Crisp Dumplings with Spinach or Bok Choy8 oz firm tofu,  cut into 1/4” slices3 c finely chopped baby bok choy, spinach or watercress1 cup thinly sliced green onions1 tsp kosher salt2 celery stalks,  finely chopped (1/2 c)1 TBs each soy sauce,  chile crisp sauce,  plus more of each to serve35 gyoza wrappers (available in Fred Meyer’s,  QFC,  New Seasons)Grapeseed or neutral oil for frying.Arrange tofu slices in a single layer over a clean dish towel,  roll up tightly and wring out over the sink to drain as much liquid as possible.Toss the greens and green onions with salt in a colander.  Let stand for 10 minutes and then squeeze to drain off as much liquid as possible.  In a large bowl,  combine the tofu and the greens,  crumbling the tofu as you mix.  Add the celery,  soy sauce and chile crisp and mix well.  Taste and add additional chile crisp or soy sauce to taste.Place 1 compacted teaspoon of filling in the center of a dumpling wrapper.  Dampen the edges of the wrapper with water,  then press the sides together over the filling in a crescent moon shape.  set the dumpling upright on a baking sheet and repeat with the others.  Cook immediately or freeze in a single layer on the baking sheet then transfer to zip loc bags and keep frozen until ready to cook.To cook,  coat a wellseasoned cast-iron pan with a thin even layer of oil.  Arrange the dumplings in the pan,  pleated sides up,  spacing 1/2” apart and filling the pan (about 15 for a 10” cast iron frying pan). Carefully add enough cold water to come 1/3” up the sides (about 1/2 c) Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes,  or until it has stopped popping and crackling.  Uncover and confirm bottoms have browned and dough is slightly translucent.  Turn of heat,  and let stand a few minutes as the dumplings release from the skillet.  Servwe with additional soy sauce,  sesame oil and chile crisp to taste