ATHENS HILLS WINTER CSA:

WEEK FOUR

Hello Everyone!

Happy New Year Athens Half Share folks! We are glad to welcome you to the New Year with your first share of 2008. All of you will find that the bag this week is packed (as usual) with delicious veggies. The greens are doing great right now, and we are glad to share them with you again this week. It never fails that after all the holiday hubbub, many folks crave the goodness of greens.

Cale and I worked the Athens Farmers’ Market this week, and in a matter of an hour and a half we were sold completely out of greens (we even over compensated for this time of year by bringing more than usual). While we were both amazed, we were not entirely surprised. I always crave foods that are both delicious and nutritious after my many holiday indulgences, and I find comfort in the fact that others feel the same way. Really though, what better way to start the year than with healthy ingredients? I hope you enjoy what we’ve included this week, and I wish you all the best for 2008!

Best Wishes,

Claudia

PS: The recipes this week will help you put to use most of the greens you’ve received, plus some of the other items. Either of these dishes can be prepared and put in the freezer for use later. One of the great things about getting all of these wonderful veggies this winter is that you can prepare them for use in the future—be adventurous and have fun!

FEATURED VEGGIES

8 oz. Salad Mix (a mix of several lettuce varieties picked for their delicious taste and color combinations)

6 oz. Micro Mix (a mix of sunflower, buckwheat, radish, cabbage and kogani (pac choi)).

4 oz. Mushrooms (pickers' choice of our farm-grown shiitake, oyster or trumpet mushrooms.)

1 bunch of Tatsoi (a beautiful Asian green that is a member of the Brassica family. It is technically a mustard green, but is quite mild and crunchy. It is a delicious raw addition to our salad mix, and is also wonderful steamed or sautéed with your favorite seasonings.

1 bunch of Swiss Chard (another of our favorite greens from the Goosefoot family that had tender leaves that can be eaten raw or steamed, sautéed, etc. along with its crunchy white stems; some complimentary flavors include marjoram, parsley, savory, nutmeg, allspice & paprika. Cook these greens only until they are bright green)

4lbs. Potatoes (Wow! What a wonderful and versatile vegetable that is common to so many of the world’s cuisines; this tuber finds its wild origins high in the Andes where Peruvian farmers were cultivating fifty different varieties by the time the Spanish arrived.)

2 heads of Garlic (a perennial from the Lily family; many of you are already familiar with its myriad of uses and attributes so I will say no more about this gem.)

Recipe: Curried Kale & Potato Soup (Serves 4-6)

This is a dish that I created in about 2 hours total on a cold, clammy day. It is a nice way to have a creamy soup even if you are out of milk. I hope you enjoy it! - Becky

Mushroom stems

1 onion

4 potatoes

1 bunch kale

Garlic, salt, pepper & curry

Start with mushroom stems. Simmer for about an hour in 3 quarts of salted water. After 30 minutes, chop an onion, secure in a cloth and immerse in the mushroom water. When the time is up, remove the onion bag and strain the broth into another pan. Open the bag and add the cooked onions to the broth.

Peel and quarter 4 large potatoes. Add to the broth in the new pan. Add either garlic powder or fresh garlic to taste. (We use lots!) Cook for 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are simmering, wash the kale. I used just one bunch, but more would be great, too. Trim the leaves from the stems. Chop the stems into 1” pieces and cut the leaves into strands.

When the potatoes are done, remove 2/3 of them from the broth. Add the kale stems to the broth now and continue the simmering. Place potatoes in a blender with some of the broth. (It took me two loads to blend all.) This step makes a creamy soup without milk. Add pureed potatoes back to the pan with the broth. Add the kale leaves and continue to simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Potato, Onion & Greens (Swiss Chard or Tatsoi) Quiche (Serves 6-8)

For the crust…

2 C. unbleached flour

4 oz. cold butter, chopped

For the filling…

3 potatoes

1 oz. butter

2 Tbs. oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small onion, minced

1 bunch greens, chopped

1 C. grated Cheddar cheese

4 eggs

½ C. cream

½ C. milk

Place the flour in a food processor, add the butter and process for about 15 seconds until the mixture is crumbly. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water and process in short bursts until the mixture just comes together when you squeeze a little between your fingers. Add a little extra water if you think the dough is too dry. Turn out onto a floured surface and quickly bring the mixture together into a ball. Cover the pastry with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a least 30 minutes. Roll the pastry out between two sheets of baking paper until it is large enough to line a deep pie pan. Place on a baking tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes. Melt the butter and oil together in a frying pan and add the garlic and sliced potatoes. Gently turn the potatoes until they are coated, then cover and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook until they are softened, then remove from the heat.

Wash the greens and put in a large saucepan with just the water clinging to the leaves. Cover the pan and cook for 2 minutes, or until it has just wilted. Cool the greens and squeeze out any excess water, then spread the leaves out on a paper towel or a tea towel to allow to dry.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cover the pastry shell with baking paper or foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper or foil and bake for a further 15 minutes.

Spread half the cheese over the bottom of the pastry base and top with half the potatoes, half of the greens and half of the onions. Repeat the layers again. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, cream and milk and pour over the layered mixture. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the filling is firm. Serve warm or cold and enjoy!

(Recipe adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, 2000)

Have a wonderful week and don’t forget you can contact us at:

(740) 448-4021 OR

greenedgegardens@verizon.net

We look forward to hearing from you!

WELCOME 2008!