White House Gardens Week #3

Dear Shareholders:

This week is a bumper crop. Doesn't matter how much I plan, the vegetables are ready when they are ready and there's nothing I can do about it. In your share this week you will find Swiss chard, beets (red, gold, or chioggia), cabbage (green and/or red), broccoli, cauliflower, and shelling peas.

The amount of broccoli and cauliflower is disappointing. They are hard to grow in the summer, but I plant much more to be harvested in the fall when the weather is cooler and they taste much better. (The cooler temperatures really make them sweeter). I don't really like to grow them this time of year, but I thought I would try it again. I am convinced that cauliflower should be left for the fall, and that's that! The heads are tiny for the most part and some may be past their prime because of the hot temperatures. The cooler fall temperatures have an effect on lots of vegetables by increasing their sugar content, such as spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli raab, mustard greens, turnips, etc. They taste different than the ones grown in the summer. Just thought I'd mention that so you could compare the taste with what you are experiencing now and what you receive in the fall. My favorite time of year to grow is late August through October. The weed pressure is less, there is more rain and less heat, and the vegetables taste spectacular.

If you got a small head of green cabbage, then you also got a small red cabbage. There will be more red cabbage for everyone next week.

This week is probably the last for the peas. I hope you enjoyed them, I know I did. I especially like eating them right out of the pod while standing in the garden.

I will attach some recipes from home tonight, as soon as I figure out how to attach them to a post from my word documents. Any suggestions internet/blog fairy?

Debbie

EDITED To ADD Recipes:

Cole Slaw

10 cup cabbage tossed with salt
½ t. salt – let cabbage drain tossed with salt for a couple of hours

Dressing
1 cup cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vinegar – white or apple cider


Creamed Swiss Chard With Prosciutto

This recipe is one of my sister’s favorites. You can use prosciutto, pancetta, or bacon. They all work great.

2 T. olive oil
¼ cup diced prosciutto
¼ cup minced yellow onion
1 T. minced garlic
8 cups chopped Swiss chard leaves (you can use the stems also, separate them from the leaves and cook the stems first, then add the leaves)
1/3 heavy cream
Salt and pepper as needed
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ t. grated nutmeg

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add the onion and garlic. Saute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is aromatic, about 1 minute more.
Add the Swiss chard, sautéing just until the leaves wilt, about five minutes. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook the Swiss chard until it is tender, about 5 minutes.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan and nutmeg. Serve immediately ina heated bowl or on heated plates.