Collard Greens are considered to date back to prehistoric times. The ancient Greeks and Romans grew kale and collards. Collard greens came to North America with the arrival of African Americans, and became an important satisfying meal for members of the slave community in times of poverty of nutrition. It is said that scraps of meat from slave owners tables were left over for meals for the slave component of the family, and it is still traditional to cook low value cuts of pork with greens for a flavorful dish. (more…)

Collards!!

Collard Greens are considered to date back to prehistoric times.  The ancient Greeks and Romans grew kale and collards.  Collard greens came to North America with the arrival of African Americans, and became an important satisfying meal for members of the slave community in times of poverty of nutrition.  It is said that scraps of meat from slave owners tables were left over for meals for the slave component of the family, and it is still traditional to cook low value cuts of pork with greens for a flavorful dish.

Collard Greens can be enjoyed without meat as a flavor base, instead sautéed lightly in olive oil with garlic.  They will maintain their bright green color and high degree of nutrient value when cooked this way.  A dash of good quality balsamic vinegar when served will provide the acid needed to help the flavor pop. 

If you are taking a break from the CSA right now, our next season starts March 8^th, and we are signing up now on line at http://ourlocalfoods.com/products-page.  Please join us in 2010 as we continue to grow and provide fresh, certified organic produce from the farm to your kitchen table.

Planning your meals around what’s in season can be a tasty experience and satisfying way to enjoy food.  It may be daunting to imagine only utilizing fresh food that’s growing nearby, but here are some tips that may help:

• Purchase seasonal foods in enough quantity to last for several meals.
• Wash and cook what you purchase right away.
• Use the freshly cooked ingredient in several meals by creatively adding it to different dishes.
• Divide and store in the refrigerator to be used throughout the week.

Let’s take an example from OurLocalFoods at Thornhill Farm.  We’ll plan a few meals around a yummy seasonal item from the CSA box!!

Our spring garden is in full bounty of seasonal greens.  We have an abundance of Curly Mustard, Russian Red Kale and Turnip Greens.  Yummm!

Let’s cook two pounds of curly mustard.  Wash the beautiful lacy chartruese leaves and leave in the collander to drain.   Finely dice some garlic or shallots.  Heat a tablespoon of fresh green olive oil in a large wok or saute pan.   Have a half cut fresh lemon for the finish.

Coursely chop the mustard leaves.  Add shallots and curly mustard leaves together to the wok at medium heat.  Simply stir the greens as they wilt and gently saute to tenderness in about 10 minutes.  Finally, drizzle with about a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, then salt & pepper.

Bowtie Pasta with Curly Mustard – Add the cooked chopped mustard greens to some al dente bowtie pasta!  Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toasted pine nuts.   Finally, top with a dusting of good quality parmesan cheese.

Serve bowtie pasta with curly mustard alongside grilled pork tenderloin and garnish with a bouquet of beautiful red radishes, fresh from the farm!

Later in the week, think about a lovely Rice Pilaf, with curly mustard, garbanzo beans and sundried tomatoes.  Served with some flat bread and hummus, or a 6 oz portion of grilled free range chicken breast, you’ll be satisfied with a light mediterranean meal.

Finish the weeks seasonal serving of bright green sauteed curly mustard by making a Pizza a la Springtime! For a healthy and fast weeknight meal, top a thin pizza crust with dollops of sauteed curly mustard, some local goat cheese and diced sundried tomatoes.  Drizzle with olive oil before baking, then dust with salt and pepper as it comes out of the oven.  A spring arugula and radish salad will complete a healthy week of eating locally!

Enjoy-

Maria

Last week we put the potatoes starts in the ground.  In total we put out about 3000 plant starts.  It is about 100 days to harvest, although delayed harvesting is OK too.   So, look for potatoes in late May.  We are also fast & furious on the rest of planting for spring and summer.  If you’re in the area, drop by and see what we’re doing.

- Maria