Week 6

Vegetable List

Booya Broccoli
Napa Cabbage
Mokum Carrots
Swiss Chard
Orion Fennel
Collard Greens
Cucumb'o'rama
Mediterranean Eggplant
Curly Kale
Lincoln Leeks
Muir Head Lettuce
Gold Frill Mustard Greens
Ailsa Craig Onions
Bell Peppers
White Ice Scallions
Sungolds
Some Kind of Zucchini and/or Summer Sqush
PYO Herbs
A Few PYO Flowers

Notes from the Farm

This week, the last week of July, almost always feels like the perfect week of the summer... it's that moment, the anxious excitement of summer has settled, but the joy induced exhaustion hasn't taken hold yet... It's just pure summer.
And the farm has weaponized that pure summer against us! So many fun things are happening right now... the broccoli is going hard, the sungolds have tipped over into serious production, we have more and more eggplant, fennel, cucumbers and onions... it just feels good.
The hard part is taking advantage of all the food... like trusting us when we tell you to use more fennel. Fennel is a wildly controversial vegetable and subject to some of the most unwarranted vegetable prejudiced. Yes, fennel can, and does, taste like licorice when it's raw... but cooked, slowly, caramelized or roasted, it becomes something else... it's sweet, floral, onion-like and easily incorporated into any dish you love.
For decades I've included a recipe for onion fennel pizza with fontina... for the sake of those of you who have endured seeing that recipe every late July, I'm omitting it... but for the fennel curious, or more importantly, the self proclaimed fennel hater, it's worth a search on your computer phone. Fennel, Onion, Fontina Pizza. Trust me, it's worth it... and do it before summer wears you out.

Recipes

Fried Eggs with Collards and Mushrooms

For the Sage-Chile Butter (optional)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon small sage leaves
¼ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
For the Eggs and Greens
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
Coarse salt
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 cups collard greens (cut into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
Garnish: finely grated Parmesan cheese

Make the sage-chile butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sage and red-pepper flakes. Simmer until sage is crisp, about 3 minutes.
Make the eggs and greens: Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. Swirl in oil. Cook mushrooms with 1/2 teaspoon salt until golden and tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, then greens and water. Cook, stirring, until greens wilt. Add unsalted butter, and stir until melted.
Push greens to make 4 wells. Crack 1 egg into each. Season with salt. Cook for 4 minutes. Let stand until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes. Drizzle with sage-chile butter. Garnish with cheese.


Labneh Dip with Caramelized Onions and Fennel

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia, chopped (3 ½ cups)
½ bulb fennel, cored and chopped (1 ¼ cups)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
Kosher salt
⅓ cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
16 ounces labneh or plain Greek yogurt
1 small clove garlic, minced (½ teaspoon)
Crackers and crudités, for serving

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium. Add onions, fennel, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until brown, about 45 minutes. (If necessary, add a splash of water to keep onions from sticking.) Add sherry and Worcestershire; cook until evaporated, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
Stir together labneh, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread into a bowl or plate; top with onion mixture. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, sprinkle with more thyme, and serve with crackers and crudités.


Pappardelle with Quick Fennel Ragu

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped fennel, plus chopped fronds for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic (from 2 cloves)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground beef (85% lean), preferably grass-fed
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, pureed
1 pound pappardelle
Grated Parmesan and red-pepper flakes, for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Add onion, fennel, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute more. Add 2 cups water and beef, breaking up meat with the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Uncover, add tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium high; cook until sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup water. Return pasta to pot; add sauce, 1/4 cup pasta water, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Toss to evenly coat pasta, adding more pasta water as needed. Serve, topped with fennel fronds, cheese, and pepper flakes.