This week we have oysters and clams from Rappahannock River Oyster in the shell, and pints and quarts of shucked oysters. We are loving the garlic scapes and how they go so beautifully with the shellfish.
For those of you interested in cooking at home with your kids, or learning a few super easy delicious vegan dishes for yourself, the Sarno Bros. Wicked Healthy Food have made their Wicked Healthy Kids online cooking classes free. I love these guys. They are revolutionizing plant based meals.
Here is the preview menu of what we think will be in the share/Market.. The menu may change between now and when you actually receive it especially due to this weekend’s freezing temps. We are particularly watching its effects on the strawberries and other delicate items. We will try to let members know any major changes by email, and also post on our Facebook page, Facebook group, and on Instagram. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns!
PRODUCE * indicates small share. Produce is from Flores Family Farm (George, Omar and family) Hague, Va.
- Romaine Lettuce* -7 cool ways to use it.
- Red Radishes* – garlic roasted radishes — use your garlic scapes; radish sandwich with butter and salt. arugula and put it on the Billy Bread. so very amazing.
- Bok Choy –Otherwise known as Chinese white cabbage is a staple ingredient in Asian dishes. The tender dark green leaves and crisp off-white-colored stalks provide a nice fresh crunch. The greens have a spinach-like taste with a very mild bitterness. I like to add them to my veggie kimchi, or I like to roast them. Roasted Bok Choy or try bok choy in vinegar oyster sauce; or vegan pho with bok choy and mushrooms and garlic why not!
- Asparagus* -roasted asparagus with walnuts and goat cheese
- Pea Shoots* – stir fried pea shoots with garlic (use the scapes), pasta with pea shoots – perfect with the Bombolini pasta from last time; arugula salad with pea shoots ad parmesan
- Garlic Scapes* – Garlic scapes are the tender stem and flower bud of a hardneck garlic plant and will probably have a curly coil to them. Use them just as you would garlic — so they are perfect for stirfries, pesto, and marinades. Here is a guide to them.
- Mushrooms* AM Fog, Afton, VA – Maitake is perfect for grilling vegans and meatless Mondays. Here are BBQ Muaheoom Skirt steaks from Wicked Healthy
- Garlic Scapes* – Garlic scapes are the tender stem and flower bud of a hardneck garlic plant and will probably have a curly coil to them. Use them just as you would garlic — so they are perfect for stirfries, pesto, and marinades. Here is a guide to them.
- Kale – try goatcheese lemon pasta with kale! ; kale goatcheese tart; kale caesar salad
- Spinach
- Apple Butter – Southernmost Maple – They are cooking this just for us, hopefully it will be ready! If not, there will be another pantry item. We have had a lot of pantry items this season because of the unusually cold, late spring.
- Bok Choy -Otherwise known as Chinese white cabbage is a staple ingredient in Asian dishes. The tender dark green leaves and crisp off-white-colored stalks provide a nice fresh crunch. The greens have a spinach-like taste with a very mild bitterness. I like to add them to my veggie kimchi, or I like to roast them. Roasted Bok Choy or try bok choy in vinegar oyster sauce; or vegan pho with bok choy and mushrooms and garlic why not!
- Strawberries Agriberry – Hanover VA – We are hoping to have these in the share – but weather may play a factor. make small batch strawberry balsamic jam.Here’s a cheffed up strawberry pretzel pie recipe from Garden and Gun that is YUM-O. I use gluten free pretzels.
FRUIT SHARE – Strawberries – please know there is a real chance that we may not have strawberries because of the freeze. It is possible that you will have subs, or partial subs with some of the delicious fruit value added products. Thank you for your patience with Mother Nature.
PANTRY – TBD we are waiting to see what happens with the strawberries to see what you will get.
OYSTERS + CLAMS
Rappahanock oysters and clams – Topping, VA Check our facebook group for the video I made on how to open them, but please wear gloves. Here are some recipe suggestions Grill them, Oven roast, steam, or try one of these . Clams – Here’s how to roast, grill, steam and chowder them. Your oysters will be in a lightly tied plastic bag — when you get home, open the bag a little more so they can breathe, and put them in a cool part of your fridge. Please use your clams quickly as they are fragile. It is also good to use your oysters as soon as possible for best fresh flavor, as they are hardier, they will be ok in your fridge for a few days if you don’t get to them. When you are ready to prepare your shellfish – look them over carefully and discard any that may be open.
ALT MEATS for those of you who opted out of the oysters/clams. If you have not done this, let me know ASAP, otherwise you will get oysters.
- Polyface Breakfast links – here are some cool ways to use them for breakfast (or breakfast for dinner) including french toast egg cups, and breakfast mac and cheese
- Lamb shanks – these are best cooked low and slow. try red wine braised lamb shanks with garlic and maple glazed veggies (use up any root veggies left over).
- whole trout – Virginia Trout Company Monterey, VA – – so delicious and cook quickly. I usually just panfry with butter (or olive oil) and season with salt and pepper, or you can roll in cornmeal. easy! These are cleaned and ready to go – you can cut off the head if it bothers you and use it for fish stock.
BREAD
- Billy Bread – Rustic Sourdough — This is the famous Billy Bread! Don’t distress if it starts to get hard before you can eat it all, although it is easy to eat it all at once – it is so delicious. Here are some ways to revive and use leftover sourdough bread.
DAIRY
- Cheese -chevre – Goats R Us, Blackstone, VA – Robin and John have been with us as farmers for many years and we love their delicious creamy cheese. It freezes well if you aren’t going to eat it right away. Here are some ways to get you started with your goat cheese.
TOFU for those with tofu add ons —Twin Oaks, Louisa, VA. As so many of you are getting the incredible Twin Oaks tofu (available here – best tofu ever! ) Here is an easy roast tofu with veggies. And there are a lot of recipes on the Twin Oaks site.