This week I am writing to you from off farm, getting updates from the crew and from what I hear, all is going wonderfully so a huge thank you to our solid crew! Here are a few updates on whats fresh and new this week.
This week we will be offering our very first hot peppers and tomatillos we've also got fresh dill to offer - perfect for summery salad dressings, pickling or tossed in fresh with some of those crunchy cucumbers or as an accent to your first dish of fresh or cooked pole beans of the season. This week we also get our first harvest off of our newest planting of curly kale that is dark and tender and fresh! This week we will also be offering our first seasonal mixed bouquets of the summer!
I am particularly excited about the first hot peppers of the summer! They are a beautiful, slick, green Serrano pepper called 'hot rod'. We know heat is not everyone's cup of tea, but for those who are into heat these guys are quite a fun one to try out! I have grown these the past few seasons and use them interchangeably for Jalapeños (note - they are slightly hotter than a Jalapeño) and tossed them into salsas, spicy margaritas, pickled veggies and one of my personal favorites - spicy pepper jam - a perfect accent to any cheese board! I would encourage you to give them a shot, they will last a long time in your fridge and you don't need much to add some heat!
And when I see hot peppers come I know it must be salsa season! One of my fondest memories of salsa making was at A Rocha as an intern with some of our tomatillos and Serrano peppers. I made my first salsa verde ever over in the intern house and then Ute, our hospitality lead, taught me how to can and preserve that salsa! That experience was among one of my firsts introductions to canning and preserving and since then I have been hooked. So whether you eat it fresh or put it up for the winter, perhaps you can try your hand at some salsa this week and take advantage of the tomatillos, tomatoes and Serrano peppers!
Here is a simple recipe for simple roasted salsa verde adapted from New York Times (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014085-quick-roasted-tomatillo-salsa):
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 to 4 Serrano chilies (remove seeds for a milder salsa - I recommend wearing gloves to remove the seeds)
- 1/2 chopped red onion, soaked for five minutes in cold water to take out the sharpness, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- Salt to taste
- optional water, as needed to thin
1. Line a pan with foil and then roast the tomatillos and Serrano chillies under the broiler for 2-5 minutes until browned, toss and roast another 2-5 mins
2. Remove from oven and cool before blending with cilantro, onion, salt and about 1/4 cup of water (more or less depending on desired thinness).
