Cucumbers

About: Cucumbers are a part of the gourd family. There are two main varieties of the cucumber: slicing and pickling. Slicing cucumbers have tough skin that contains chemicals used by the plants to protect themselves from pests, which give cucumber skin its bitter taste. Pickling cucumbers' skin is thinner, which allows brine to enter the cucumber more easily. 

Nutritional Information:  Cucumbers are considered a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, Magnesium, and Manganese. Read More...

Storage: Do not wash until ready to use. Place in a plastic bag and put in the refrigerator for up to one week. When ready, wash and scrub gently before slicing.

Tips: Pickling is a great cucumber storage method. Before eating cucumbers, you do not have to remove skin and seeds.

QuickFix: Slice and sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. 

Recipes: Japanese Cucumber Salad, Quick Pickles, Cucumbers with Black-Eyed Peas

 

Dandelion Greens

About: Dandelion greens are edible wild greens (also known less lovingly as weeds). Like most wild greens, they are at their peak through mid-spring. They have a bitter taste similar to chicory and endive and are highly nutritious! The saying goes: "the bitter the better" for you... we just invented that saying...

Nutrition Information: I cup of Dandelion Greens has 25 calories and 112% of DV of Vitamin A, 32% Vitamin C, 10% calcium and 9% iron. They are low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol. They are a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese. Read More

Storage: Refrigerate greens in the coldest part of the refrigerator and keep them moist but not wet. A damp cotton or mesh bag or paper towels are great for storage- plastic bags are better than nothing, though the greens will go bad more quickly. Without a bag the greens dry up.

Tips: You can eat dandelion greens raw or cooked. They are very bitter so mixing small amounts in with other cooked greens or in a salad is a nice way to go. Most recipes for cooked dandelion greens are pretty fast and easy. Remove the tough stems and cook with olive oil and garlic for a few minutes. 

QuickFix: Mix dandelion greens in with pasta or rice...or check out this great video showing Mark Bittman making Mashed Potatoes with Dandelion Greens. All you need is 2 potatoes, a bunch of dandelion greens and olive oil.

Recipes: Warm Dandelion Greens

Dried Herbs 

About: During the winter months we offer dried herbs. These are organically grown, harvested and processed by hand by the Field Apothecary & Herb Farm based in Germantown, NY. 

Dried Herbs offered includes: Dried Sage, Cayenne Pepper, Lemon Basil, Cinnamon Basil, Red Leaf Basil

Tips:

1. Store herbs in a cool, dry place.

2. Before adding the herbs to the food, crush the leaves between your fingers. This increases the herb's flavor.

Toss potatoes with olive oil and place on a foil-lined jellyroll pan. Roast at 450°F stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes or until tender and golden.
Whisk together lemon juice and next 5 ingredients; whisk in 2/3 cup olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Gently toss potato and onion with vinaigrette.
Sprinkle with bacon if desired. Serve immediately.

Quick and Easy Lemon Basil Chicken
4 boneless chicken breast halves, without skin
Marinade
1 tablespoon dried lemon basil leaves
juice of 2 lemons, or about 1/3 cup
1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped

Preparation:
Put chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap; gently pound to even thickness for even and quick cooking. Combine marinade ingredients in a plastic food storage bag; add chicken and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Heat an oiled grill pan, grill rack, or broiler pan. Arrange chicken on hot pan or rack and grill or broil for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning often. Serve with fresh basil leaves or parsley, if desired.
Serves 4.

Lemon Basil Carrots
1-1/2 cups sliced carrots
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, optional
1/2 teaspoon dried lemon basil
Dash pepper

Directions
Place 1 in. of water in a large saucepan; add carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 7-9 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain. In the same pan, melt butter; stir in lemon juice, garlic salt if desired, basil and pepper. Return carrots to the pan and heat through Yield: 2 servings.

Cinnamon Basil, Chicken and Nut Spread
1/4 c. sweet butter, softened
1 t. honey
1/3 c. very finely chopped cooked chicken
3 t. washed, dried and finely chopped cinnamon basil leaves
3 T. almonds, very finely chopped
Salt to taste

Blend softened butter and honey until smooth. Stir in chicken, cinnamon basil and almonds. Salt to taste.
Serve on very thin bread with crusts removed. (Think high tea….)

Baked Apples with Cinnamon Basil
1 cup water
1/2-1 cup honey, to taste
2 tsp of dried cinnamon basil
4 large baking apples

Preheat oven to 180C. Combine water, honey and basil. Bring to the boil and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, core the apples and place in a baking dish. Remove syrup from heat, strain out the basil and fill the cavities of the apples with some of it. Reserve remaining syrup. Bake apples for 30-45 minutes or until desired tenderness is reached, basting occasionally with the reserved syrup. Serve warm with a sprig of cinnamon basil as garnish.

Baked Vegetables with Cinnamon Basil Butter
6 cups mixed sliced vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, capsicum, beans, zucchini, broccoli etc)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dried cinnamon basil
2 tablespoons parsley
pinch nutmeg

Put butter and seasonings through a processor until fluffy. Cut 6 pieces foil about 30cm square. Place vegetables evenly on each piece and top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons basil butter. Carefully bring up edges of foil and fold into packets securely, but leaving a little air space inside. Bake at 230 for 20 minutes until tender.

 

Eggplant

About: The eggplant is closely related to the tomato and potato. Also called aubergine, eggplants vary in size, shape and color, from large, long, purple-skinned types to small, white, rounded types. Varieties include Dusky and Black Beauty (large and fat), Rosa Bianca (rosy), Swallow and Pintung Long (long), as well as Classic, Orient Express, Orient Charm, Black Italian, Japanese, Lavender, White, Nadia, Calliope, Fairy Tale, Beatrice, Snowy, Diamond and Cloud 9. Eggplants can be broiled, boiled, baked, roasted, steamed, grilled, sautéed, or fried, and are made into soups, pureed, stewed, stuffed, breaded, and pickled. While the skins are edible, they tend to be tough and bitter. 

Nutritional Information: Eggplants are a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. Read More

Storage: Eggplants, like tomatoes and potatoes, don't like the cold. Store in a dry place at room temperature and use within two days of purchase or keep in the front part of the refrigerator in a plastic bag to retain moisture for several days. Store away from ethylene-producing produce, such as apples, to prevent over ripening.

Tips: To preserve, freezing is the best method. Wash, peel if desired, and slice about 1/3-inch thick, then blanch. Cool, drain and package in zip closure freezer bags. Store up to 6 months.

QuickFix: Grill eggplant with the skin on, then add soy sauce and lemon!

Recipes: Baba Ganouj, Eggplant Cheddar Bake, Ratatouille