What does it mean to eat seasonally? If you think about it, you’re simply eating foods that are in season. Seasonal food is considered produce that is purchased and consumed shortly after it is harvested. Season fruits and veggies are going to be fresher, tastier and more nutrient rich than produce that is out of season. We’ve all been there picking out tomatoes at the grocery store in the middle of winter and you may have noticed they just don’t taste the same as they do in July.
If you have been a member with our CSA before, you will remember how the first few weeks have a lot of leafy greens. Saturated in an alphabet of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, leafy greens also lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes by 14% according to a recent study. Some of you may have trouble getting through them all so here are some tips to help. Firstly when you get your greens, process them by soaking in cold water in your sink. We wash all your produce, however having a sandy farm you should give it another dunk. Spin dry and store in vegetable bags in your crisper. Once a week make up a jar of vinaigrette and you will be able to have a salad made in a few minutes. If you are getting sick of salads, blend them into a smoothie, gently wilt them and add to beans, lentils, grains or roasted veggies. Make a bed for your eggs, fill out a sandwich or use as a bun for burgers, sausage or wraps. Here at Rumar we make a hot supper salad with grilled beef, feta cheese and sautéed mushrooms and onions on a bed of dressed lettuce. Serve with a baguette and you have a light summer meal.
Here is what you can expect this week:
Rumar Farm Lettuce Mix Freshly harvested a mix of red and green lettuces.
Garlic Scapes These are tender shoots that grow out of the ground from garlic and are an early summer treat. They have a garlicy punch, to tame their bite is to blanch them. They become milder and sweeter when cooked. They make a great pesto which you can add to yogurt for a nice vegetable dip. Whisk finely chopped garlic scape into your homemade salad dressing or put them in a frittata or scrambled eggs. Grilling them on the BBQ is our favourate way to use them. Coat in olive oil and place them directly on the got grill (or use a grill basket) for about 10 minutes turning. Season with salt and pepper, its a great steak topping or side.
Spring Onions Sweet and more mellow than regular onions, you can use the greens and bulbs. They add a wonderful fresh flavour to salads and sandwiches when sliced and eaten raw. They have a delicious sweet, savory and mild flavour when cooked. Store in a vegetable bag in the fridge and use within five days.
Tatsoi A member of the brassica family. It has rounded leaves shaped like a spoon which have a buttery texture and a slightly sweet flavour. Tatsoi is a very versatile green equally suited to be served raw or lightly cooked. To make it easy, just use tatsoi anywhere you’d use spinach.
White Hakurei Turnip Super sweet, delicate almost fruity flavour and crunchy texture make them a new poprular variety developed in Japan. Can be pared with almost anything, most commonly grilled, stir-fried, added to soups, roasted, braised or they can also be eaten raw. Grate it into salads or slice it like an apple to eat with dips. No need to peel, simply wash and prepare.
Potted Parsley Plant Parsley is a popular herb used for garnish, sauces, salad dressings, soups and stuffing. Finely minced makes a wonderful seasoning served over potatoes, salads, steamed veggies, egg dishes and much more. Plant it in your garden or keep it in your kitchen in a sunny window. Keep the soil lightly moist and empty the saucer under the pot after each watering so the roots don’t sit in water. Feed the plant every two weeks. Harvest the outside stems first by cutting close to the ground.
Wild Flower Honey Sample of our unpasteurized honey from organic wild flowers, clover and fruit blossoms. Our bees are looked after by Anthony at Happy Bees Apiary. You can find 500g jars in our online store.
Enjoy
