p i c k l i s t
strawberries - garlic scapes - cilantro - lettuce - fennel - broccolini -
cucumber - summer squash - zucchini - plants!
This was a very hard rain. Too hard of a rain. We are at that point in berry season where so many strawberry varieties are ripening up and ready for the picking. Strawberries want sunny days, therefore we want sunny days. The rain was expected to come on Sunday, but somehow it held off until Monday around noon, at that point we knew we were working under borrowed time. Enter Monday morning, A chance to pick off as much fruit as possible before the inevitable. Right as our bellies called us to lunch, the heavens opened up, and the rain came crashing down. Within the first hour, there were little rivers everywhere pooling up around the farm draining into flood zones.
This does not make for the end of strawberry season- there is still a lot of good fruit out there, and late season berries to come, BUT it will make for slower picking for the field crew and there is a very good chance you will find a few extra ripe and soft berries in your quart this week, nothing a little cream and biscuit can't fix (hello strawberry shortcakes!). These berries are meant to be eaten the same day as they are picked. Our hearts are a little heavy after this rain, but hopefully some good jam and smoothies will come out of it, and fingers crossed that by next week the fields will dry out and the next flush of berries will be primo.
In other news, the field cucurbits have arrived! Summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers galore.
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
This is a perfect week to grill or to salad
Crops to grill: Garlic scapes! Fennel! Summer squash! Zucchini! broccolini!
Crops to salad: Lettuce! Fennel! Cucumber! Cilantro!
Also I bet if you grab a cuisinart, some garlic scapes, cilantro, olive oil, salt, and pepper you could make some real dippy-spread magic happen for all that grilled veg.
Depending on how much you like (or should I say love?) garlic flavor, you can swap the green stalks for half or all of the basil in your go-to pesto recipe. Blitz in a food processor with Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Fold chopped and sautéed garlic scapes into frittatas, omelets, or our best-ever scrambled eggs.
Swap thinly sliced garlic scapes for the scallions in your next batch of crispy fried rice.
Cut garlic scapes into coins and add them to a hot pan to make all sorts of stir-fries.
Mix finely diced garlic scapes into a vinaigrette or green goddess dressing to instantly upgrade your next salad.
Blister whole garlic scapes on the grill for a lightly charred snack or side dish to serve at your next barbecue.
Stir finely chopped garlic scapes, olive oil, and salt into Greek yogurt to make a dip for crackers or crudités. Or, thin the mixture with a spoonful of water and drizzle it over grilled meat or roasted veggies.
Pickled garlic scapes are a revelation. Cut the green shoots into 6-inch pieces and process them the same as pickled ramps.
Sauté sliced scapes to use as a homemade pizza topping. Save any leftover oil from the pan in the fridge for your next salad dressing.
Use the scapes whole in a hearty, warm-weather-friendly braise.
Add a few diced garlic scapes with the chopped onion the next time you make risotto. Feeling fancy? Save one finely sliced green stalk to garnish each bowl.
Mix chopped scapes with room-temperature butter and roll it into a log to make a versatile compound butter. Use it on grilled or pan-fried fish, roasted veggies, and garlicky grilled cheese. Or stash it in the freezer and pull it out a few months down the road to make a truly special Thanksgiving turkey.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
2 hard-boiled egg yolks, mashed with a fork or pushed through a small-mesh sieve
1¾ cup chilled heavy cream, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
3 pints fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and halved or quartered, depending on size
Preheat oven to 400˚F.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Mix in ¼ cup sugar and the salt.
Add the chilled butter cubes and, using your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it has the consistency of coarse crumbs. Add the mashed hard-boiled egg yolks.
Add ¾ cup cream, little by little. Gently mix until the dough just comes together.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and gently knead into a smooth ball (about two or three turns). Gently pat down the dough to make a flat 1-inch-thick slab. Using a lightly floured 2½-inch-round biscuit cutter or an overturned glass, cut straight down to create 6 shortcakes. Place the shortcakes on a plate lined with waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or overnight.
Just before baking, brush the tops of each shortcake with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Transfer the chilled shortcakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the center rack of the oven until golden and firm to the touch, 15–20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
While the shortcakes cool, prepare the fruit filling and whipped cream. Place the strawberries in a large bowl. Gently toss with 2 tablespoons sugar and let sit until macerated, up to 10 minutes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the remaining chilled heavy cream on low and gradually increase speed until it begins to thicken. Reduce speed, add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and begin to slowly increase the speed until the whipped cream is thickened, about 4 minutes total.
Alternately, vigorously shake cream and sugar in a large Mason jar until desired consistency is reached, 10–15 minutes, depending on upper-body strength and determination.
Using a fork or serrated knife, cut the shortcakes in half. Place the bottom halves on plates and generously spoon the macerated strawberries and juices over them. Top with a heaping dollop of whipped cream. Top with the other half of each shortcake, or serve open-faced with the top halves on the side. Serve immediately, if not sooner.
BROCCOLINI:
Yes yes, the broccolini has flowered but it is still good! Just quickly stirfry with sesame oil and a pinch of salt. We had to pick off these shoots to keep the plant production going, and figured it would be better to share with you then toss in the compost pile. They are delish, enjoy!