May 13th Whole Farm CSA
Full Share: Bok Choy, Radish, Broccolini, Sunshoots or Peashoots, and Sorrel
Half Share: Bok Choy, Radish, Broccolini, Sunshoots or Peashoots, and Sorrel
With the warmer weather this week we’ve been able to get a few varieties of flowers and sweet peas planted out in the field and the peonies are getting ready to pop! We’ve been working hard on maintaining everything that has been planted in the ground, took row covers off hardy greens like kale and chard in order to weed them, and seeded our regular successions of lettuce heads and bok choy. We also had a handful of school tours where students got to plant their very own strawberry plant, and started seeding hot weather flowers in the greenhouse.
Wondering what to do with sorrel? When raw, these leaves pack a citrusy punch and are a great way to brighten up salads. Strip off the stems and thinly slice the leaves, then toss them right in to a mix of greens! Simmered with a small amount of water, sorrel takes on a totally different form and turns into a silky, sauce-like consistency. Add a little cream or butter to elevate the sauce even further and it’s a great pairing for cooked fish or meat. In medieval Europe, sorrel was prized for its sharp flavor as was often used before lemons became widely available! One taste and sorrel might become your new spring favorite.
Chicken With Sorrel
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
12½- to 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1large or 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
6cups loosely packed sorrel, about ½ pound, trimmed and washed
PREPARATION
Put butter in large skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter begins to melt, swirl it around pan. When its foam subsides and it begins to brown, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook, rotating pieces after 3 or 4 minutes so they brown evenly. As they brown on the skin side, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and turn them over; sprinkle skin side with salt and pepper as well. If necessary, lower heat to medium to prevent burning. Remove chicken to a plate when chicken is completely browned all over, in 10 to 15 minutes.
Immediately add onions to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften but still hold their shape, about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup water and cook for a minute, stirring occasionally, until it reduces slightly. Return chicken to pan, turn heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Uncover, add sorrel, stir, and cover again.
Cook about 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sorrel is dissolved into onions and liquid. Serve hot, with rice or crusty bread.
You’ll also find bok choy and broccolini in your share this week, the perfect spring cooking duo! Broccolini brings sweet and tender stems while bok choy adds crisp and juicy leaves, coming together to make a wonderful side dish. Give the broccolini a 2-3 minute head start in a pan before adding the bok choy, then toss everything with garlic, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
