In the Kitchen

Back in our first year on the farm, my dad and stepmom, Mary, came to visit during Snap Pea season, and helped us pick the peas (we were quite a bit smaller back then, and didn't have any help). Mary couldn't believe that we would strip the strings out of the peas and sample as we went along. "You're eating the profits!" she exclaimed - but that was exactly the point. We could sell those peas for a decent price at market, and that would, as the economists say, increase our ability to purchase goods and services that gave us pleasure. Or we could pop some peas in our mouths and cut out the middleman, which we did.

String your snap peas by grasping the peduncle (that’s the part that holds the pod to the plant) and pulling it towards the other end of the peas. You eat the pod and everything with these, just like a green bean. We’re giving you a lot this week because we’ve got a lot, and it’s hard to have too many snap peas. I think the best way to prepare them is a light sauté but they’re also nice as follows:

Snap Peas and Scallions

1 lb snap peas, de-stringed
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 medium scallions, thinly sliced

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the peas and stir until crisp-tender. Stir in soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and scallions, remove from heat, and serve.

The way we look at it, if you’re going to grow scallions, you may as well have a little fun, so we opt for a purple variety rather than the traditional white ones, although you can use them exactly the same way.

With its broad, thick leaves, Escarole looks a lot like lettuce, but it has a distinct texture and flavor. The green and white leaves taste quite different, the green ones chewy and bitter (in a delicious, European sort of way), while the pale heart is more succulent and sweeter. I eat a lot of escarole as a straight salad, with dressings from vinaigrette to ranch.

With a licorice sent and a fleshy white bulb, Fennel features prominently in Mediterranean cooking. My favorite treatments are the simplest: slice off the fronds, coat with olive oil, and grill; or shave thinly and serve with prosciutto ham. Sliced thinly, the stems also make a nice addition to salads and sandwiches. Or chop it up and add it to everything. Isabel claims it as her second favorite vegetable, after radicchio and before Sungold cherry tomatoes.

Warm Escarole and Fennel Salad

1 head escarole, separated into leaves
1 bulb fennel bulb, sliced thinly
1 Tbsp olive oil for sautéing
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp good olive oil
salt
4 scallions, sliced thinly
pepper

Thoroughly wash and dry a head of escarole. Make a vinaigrette of 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 3 tbsp olive oil with salt to taste. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil over a medium flame, and sauté the fennel in a large skillet until tender. Add the escarole and vinaigrette and toss quickly over the heat until it just begins to wilt. Season with ground pepper.

We pulled this week’s Simple Salad Mix out of the field on Tuesday morning before the heat got too crazy. With just lettuce and dandelion greens, it’s a nice return to the simple basics. The red-ribbed dandelions have a mild flavor, and seem to be favorite among kids in many families we know.