Care for Your Leafy Greens
Care for Your Leafy Greens
As the season progresses, I will offer you tips on how to store your vegetables to get the most shelf life, as well as tips on freezing them so you can extend the cost of your CSA from 6 months to a year simply by freezing some of your vegetables and using them in the winter.
You get a lot of leafy greens in these first weeks of the shares. Keep in mind that sometimes the greens may wilt from being in the bag several hours before you pick them up, so a quick dip in cold water will liven them back to their original crispy state. Crisp it up by soaking cut lettuce in ice water for a few minutes. Then, spin dry and make that salad you were craving! Leafy greens can be treated with the same method and stay fresh until you are ready to enjoy them.
Freezing leafy greens:
You can freeze greens and enjoy them all winter in soups, or just pull them out and prepare them as usual.
To freeze your excess greens, cut off the larger stems, rinse them several times under cold running water. Chop the leaves and stems to the desired size (small leaves can be frozen whole).
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the greens in the pot and cover with the lid. Don’t overcrowd the greens.
Collard Greens: Blanch for 3 minutes.
Kale: Blanch for 2 minutes.
Swiss Chard: Blanch for 2 minutes.
Most greens will need to be blanched for 2 minutes except for collard greens, which are more fibrous. Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the greens in the boiling water and cover the pot with a lid.
Fill a large bowl with ice water while the greens are blanching.
Immediately after blanching, drain the greens from the boiling water and plunge them into the ice water. Let them cool for the same amount of time as blanching. Drain them well and then squeeze as much water out of them as you can. Place in freezer bags and press out the air. Greens frozen will keep up to 12 months! No worries when you start to prepare dinner and need that vitamin rich green for a side in the winter! Just open the freezer.
Your CSA Box This week includes:
Green Kale, Lettuce, Beets, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Napa Cabbage, Lacinato Kale, Parsley, Cauliflower, Cucumbers
RECIPIES
Kale Salad with Cilnatro Lemon Dressing
Teri McAlister (CSA member) sent me this recipe last year.
This was on Channel 5 . I think it's one of the best kale recipes I've found. And it holds well in the refrigerator for a day or two. Very unusual for a salad. Enjoy!!!
16 oz chopped kale
2 T fresh lemon juice
4 oz cooked bacon
2 oz toasted pine nuts
8 oz shredded carrots
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
6 oz diced pecorino cheese (or other aged cheese)
Cilantro lemon dressing (recipe follows)
Toss chopped kale with fresh lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside for 5-10 minutes. Add all ingredients and toss well. Mix in cilantro lemon dressing to taste and mix well; serves four.
CILANTRO LEMON DRESSING
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1 T dry mustard
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 c olive oil
1 c fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until fully incorporated. Keep refrigerated for up to one week.