June 10th and 13th: Greens

Bring on the SUN!!!

Wow, have the plants (and us) responded to the warmth and sun.  Now we go from cursing too much rain to doing rain dances--or scrambling to get irrigation set up!

It's time to turn on your inner rabbit...it's greens time!

Lots and lots and lots of transplanting happening here.  Should be weeding too, but the transplanting keeps getting in the way : )

The strawberry patch is looking AMAZING!  Like a soft, flowery bed I would love to sleep on. 

Not quite yet, but they are coming!

Zach is working hard getting your PYO flower garden planted.

The pigs first watering hole.  So funny.  I don't think they had have seen so much water in one spot, they were a little afraid of it at first!

 

 

This week's Bounty: lettuce, radish, arugula?, parsnips, scallions, sorrel, carrots, rhubarb and asparagus

 

The Farmer's Table:

(The farmer is blessed with a wonderful husband who loves to cook, otherwise all I would eat is raw veggies and cheese with a hamburger thrown in here and there!) 

*pasta with sautéed tat soi

*leftover pasta as a cold salad with pickled carrots (made by a shareholder--thank you!) asparagus and lettuce

*Smoked/roasted pork loin with roasted rutabagas (yes we are still eating last year's rutas) and a side salad

*Steak and spinach salad with Spring Day Blues blue cheese....oh so good!

*Rhubarb and oat bars from the smitten kitchen web site (I actually made these!)

 

Recipes:

Sorrel--http://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/herb-to-know-sorrel-rumex-scutatus-r-acetosa.aspx#axzz345wSMpnD

October 8th and 11th: Fall Fun

We had a BLAST...

Riding on the wagon...

Feeding apples to the pigs and turkeys...

Playing tomato baseball...

Gathering pumpkins...

Celebrating big pumpkins...

and playing Pin the Tire on the Tractor!

 

ThAnk YoU to all who came and made the day

full of life and laughter!

 

 

 

This week's bounty:

lettuce

cabbage

leeks

potatoes

hakurei

sorrel

celeriac

tomatoes

peppers

 

 

How to Use Celery Root

Celery root needs to be peeled - and be aggressive when you do it. Remove all of the slightly hairy brown exterior to reveal the creamy, solid flesh inside. Celery root is most classically and commonly used shredded and cooked in a simple Celery Root Salad. It is also delicious added to soups and stews. Try this Pork and Celery Root or, one of my favorites, use it in this Moroccan Vegetable Stew in place of the potatoes. Add celery root to mashed potatoes for a great twist.
Like all root vegetables, celery root is quite flexible, taking well to roasting, braising, or simmering. See 10 Ways to Use Root Vegetables for more ideas.

How to Use Sorrel

Sorrel is also a half-way point in terms of how to use it. More than anything else I can think of, it falls straight between herbs and greens. Use it as a leafy herb - like parsley or basil or mint - chopping it up to use in marinades and dressings or stirring it into soups (like this Sorrel Leek Soup) or casseroles for a bit of fresh flavor. Or, use it as a green, ripping the tender leaves into salads and stir-fries.
The tart and bright flavor of sorrel makes it particularly good at adding some life to potatoes, eggs, and whole grains. It is also delicious with smoked or oily fish like salmon or mackerel. Sorrel is classically paired with cream, sour cream, or yogurt - adding a vibrant green color and tartness to these plain items as their fatty creaminess tames the sharp flavor of the sorrel.
Sorrel is also a great addition to other cooked greens. Add a handful or two when you cook spinach, chard, or kale for a lovely sour kick.

 

May 15th and 18th: Agribon

2012 Summer Harvest Shares!

Greetings friends!  Well, here we are a the beginning of another farming season!  As always, I am looking forward to it.  And looking forward to meeting all of you new shareholders this week--welcome!

As some of you know I sit down to write this blog before every pick up.  (Sometimes quite literally.)   Each year I try and give you a picture of what is happening here, what I am seeing, doing...so you can be a little closer to knowing how your food grows.  It is fun for me.  It keeps me in the moment and forces me to take way more photos than I ever would and apparently online I am "funny"--my blogger alter ego I guess.  (Don't expect too much, I am really not that funny.)

So anyway, this year I thought I would focus on the tools that I use here.  From beer to the John Deere, I thought I would introduce them to you one by one.  This week's tool is Agribon, also known as "remay".  It is a spun fabric of varying weights, lengths and widths that is placed over the plants for heat gain, frost protection, sun protection and/or insect protection.  It is an essential part of my farm here right now, almost everything I have planted out in the field is covered with it since it has been so cool and wet. 

I use pvc conduit to make hoops which hold the fabric up and off the plants so they don't get abraded if it is windy or frosty.  Under this little tent, grow the plants all cozy and protected.  The cats love to get under here and run up and down the "tunnels" of remay or wrestle each other right on top of it.  And Simon?  Well he likes to pretend he is a hurdler...except he never seems to be able to quite clear the full span.  Needless to say, I have lots of duct tape on it covering lots of holes trying to make this stuff last at least one season, but preferably three.

Sometimes, remay does not like to cooperate.  I use these little red pins to hold the edge of the fabric down.  It's a light and easy tool except when the wind blows, it tends to rip the fabric or pull the pins out of the ground.  This photo is taken at the end of the day Sunday...nearly all the remay has been blow off.  Lovely.  Working with remay on a windy day is fun, if you are into flying a kite.

Open Farm Day

Saturday May 19th

10am and 2pm tours

This Week's Harvest: spinach and lettuce mix from the hoophouse, scallions, chives and sorrel from the fields and carrots overwintered from last year.  Rhubarb and asparagus are right around the corner, but I don't think I'll have enough for everyone this week.

Recipes and Veggie Notes:

Please note past recipes are listed by alphabetical order on the blog home page!

Scallions (aka green onions, spring onions, salad onions...) are a bit milder than an onion but a little stronger than chives.  You chop the entire plant (minus roots) and use it raw on top of salads or soups or cooked in stir-frys or whatever you wish.

Sorrel:  Sorrel is a lemony perennial herb that mixes well with spinach.  There are lots of recipes on line for soups and salads using the two together.

Spinach and Sorrel Chopped Salad with Pecans and Goat Cheese

(or use Sarah's nice soft cow cheese for sale at pick up!)

Spinach and Sorrel Chopped Salad with
Pecans and Goat Cheese
(2 servings, original recipe by Kalyn)

2 large handfuls baby spinach, washed and dried
1 large handful young sorrel leaves, washed and dried
1/4 cup toasted pecans
2 slices goat cheese (Chevre or Montrachet type), crumbled

Dressing:
1 T white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. Dijon vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey
2 T olive oil
pinch salt

Coarsely chop spinach and sorrel and combine in large mixing bowl. Put vinegar in small bowl and whisk in mustard and honey. Add olive oil, whisking constantly, until dressing is well combined. Toast pecans in dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes over high heat, until barely starting to brown. Toss spinach and sorrel with dressing. Arrange on salad plates and sprinkle pecans and goat cheese over.

This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.

The First Pick-Up

Weather

A few weeks ago I was asked "what is the most challenging thing about farming?" Without hesitation, I responded "the weather". If it's not too wet, it is too dry, if it's not too hot, it is too cold, if there's not a nice breeze to waft the black flies away, it is gusting 50mph, and so on. I hate to say it, but I wish we could have a little rain. A normal amount, like a nice soft inch per week. We are planning on a little irrigation for the driest fields in the driest months, but we aren't quite there yet. The other bonus to having irrigation would be to save the tender strawberry flowers when a frost threatens. Unfortunately, we got down to 22 degrees here last week and 90 percent of the strawberry flowers froze. That means no berries : ( Well, hardly any. We are hoping for a few handfuls...

Ahhh, okay, on to brighter things! Even if we did have an early spring coupled with a late frost, I will take this spring over last year's any day! Milo is enjoying this fine spring. He rests while I work, he thinks it is a purrrrfect arrangement. Thank you for supporting our farm--we hope the season surpasses your expectations.

Mid Coast Growers

Rt 125, Bowdoin

Many of you know that I do not have a green house yet. So I have been renting space at a greenhouse just 7 miles away in Bowdoin. It has been a great deal for me. I usually go in twice a week and seed and/or transplant things, then while I am back here cultivating the soil, Dale is at the green house watering my plants whenever he waters his. This spring it was a wee bit tight for space, but I think we were both happy with spring bursting at the seams.

Hanging baskets from Dale will be here for sale at the farm $25 each--they are gorgeous!

He has three HUGE greenhouses...here is my little square of plants : ) They have beautiful neighbors!

Well this week's loot will be light, but hopefully very tasty. We will take a few weeks' break and then resume the second week of June. I will be in touch to let you know dates...until then enjoy and Happy Spring!!!

Asparagus--the first year I could pick! (they are only 3 year old plants)

Winter Carrots and Parsnips--These sweet guys were in the ground all winter

Rutabagas--The wonder of all root storage crops!

Rhubarb--The spring "fruit"

Sorrel--A lemony spring green, great with fish or in soups, or with eggs!

Chives--Use a bunch, just like onions, raw or cooked

Hamburg Parsley--This is a root that tastes just like parsley! You can shred it and eat it raw, or chop it up and cook it wherever you want that fresh parsley flavor

Sorry no greens. I decided to let them get a bit bigger, so you can enjoy them in June : )

Recipes:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/04/simple-potato-gratin/ The Smitten Kitchen...it has been my new favorite blog for recipes. This one is for potato gratin, but check out the bottom for "more gratin ideas" she uses, sorrel, parsnips...I bet you could even use rutabagas!

Rhubarb--There are loads of sweet breads and cobblers you could make with rhubarb, but my favorite thing to do is to eat vanilla ice cream with rhubarb sauce...

chop the rhubarb

place it in a saucepan

add just a, 1/8" of water to pan

on low/med heat the rhubarb til it falls apart and makes the consistency you want for your sauce...you can even add a touch of maple syrup

Sorrel Omelet

4 eggs

1 tablespoon cream

1 cup sorrel, cleaned and shredded

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 tsp salt

In a heavy pan, heat half the butter and add sorrel and salt. Cook for about ten minutes, while stirring. Combine the eggs and cream in a bowl, beating gently. Add the sorrel mixture and combine. Add the remaining butter to a skillet and heat until butter is slightly browned. Add the egg mixture and stir briskly with the back of a fork or spoon until the eggs are evenly spread on the bottom of the skillet. Keep moving the unset eggs around with the utensil smoothly until there is no liquid left. Do not overcook. Shake the pan gently over the heat a few times. Fold the omelet over in half and serve.

Sorrel Soup:

1/2 pound sorrel

2 tablespoons butter

6 cups water

1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1 egg yolk

Clean and shred sorrel, then chop. In a large heavy pan, heat butter. Add sorrel and cook, stirring, for ten minutes until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add the water, potatoes and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Strain and mash or puree the vegetables. Stir the cooking liquid into vegetables and return to pan. Bring to boil. Stir in milk and yolk. Cook until hot, but do not boil.

Lentil Soup with Parsley Root and Carrots

1 lb Dried lentils, -washed and drained

1/4 c Lard, bacon drippings, -or oil

2 md Onions or leeks, chopped

1 parsley root or parsnip, chopped

2 md Carrots, sliced

1 c Sliced fennel or celery

8 c Water

1 t Salt to or to taste

Several whole black pepper-corns

2 Whole cloves

2 Bay leaves

1 lg Potato, peeled and grated

2 lg Links (or 4 small) smoked -sausage, skin pricked-with fork

2 tb Good vinegar
In a large pot, heat fat and add carrots, root vegetable and onions. Saute until onions are golden. Add lentils, water, celery, and seasonings. Grate the potato into the mixture and add sausage. Simmer covered 1 hour until lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves. Add vinegar just before serving and adjust salt. Serve with a crusty bread and salad. Serves 4-6

Week 18--The Thank You Note

Taking a walk around the fields today...I can't believe it is October. The season has flown by and although I am happy with most crops, I was hoping for a little Indian Summer to beef up a few last minute plantings. Yellow and red leaves shower me as I drive under the maple trees on the edge of the field and watching the cows graze in front of a backdrop of color has been delightful these past few days. My back is sore from lugging most of the winter squash into our basement to protect them from cold nights, and long rows of carrots, beets, rutabagas and cabbage await their chance to be bundled in my arms. It is very satisfying to feel abundant, rich in food. A joy to rid of that "pit of the stomach ache" that drenched me in the early summer. I hope that you, too, have felt abundant in food most of this season and for seasons to come.

Thank you to all who filled out a survey! Your comments throughout the entire season have been helpful. All in all folks seemed very pleased (thank, God!). A few reoccurring themes were:

1. A handful of folks wanted the note printed out. No problem! I will print out a few notes each week and if this appeals to you, help yourself. Sorry though, there will be no photos.

2. More fruit. Ahh that would be nice. However, growing fruit is an art of farming technique and time all in itself. I grow the PYO strawberries and raspberries in hopes that you feel you have your "own" patch. And I will always pick at least one quart of strawberries per full share. Raspberries just take too long for me to pick enough for all. I will try to be more diligent on buying in blueberries when they are in season. And I could buy in some apples if you would like, although they won't be organic. Let me know. We are thinking about a PYO blueberry patch, but that will be down the road. Apples will be a part of the Thanksgiving share...We have planted a few peaches, plums and pears, but the trees are young and by no means did we plant an orchard. I encourage you to visit a local orchard like Rocky Ridge (Bowdoin) or Willow Pond Farm (Sabattus) in the fall.

3. Lack of quantity and diversity early in the season. Part of joining a CSA is that you take the good with the bad, the glut of melons with the lack of spinach. However, I am taking steps to improve the spring season like planting more, just in case, and erecting a hoop house (an unheated greenhouse) for early greens. AND next year the asparagus should be ready to pick!!

So thank you for your patience, encouragement, comments, compliments and love of food! I hope you will consider joining again next year. (It's not too early to sign up now.) And please pass the farm name along!!!! I had 32 members this year and next year I would love to have 50.

Goodbye to the 8 not-so-little pigs. I admit, I am a little sad and am not ready for them to go--they are so entertaining! But alas, I am a meat eater and what better meat to eat?!

This Week's Loot: Tomatilloes (great for making green salsa!), Lettuce, Tat Soi, Chinese Cabbage, Potatoes, Carrots, Beets, Delecata Winter Squash, Leeks, Peppers, Broccoli, Sorrel, Parsley

Next Week's Loot: Lettuce, Chard, Broccoli, Pac Choi, Kohl Rabi, Butternut Squash...

Sorrel--I think if you try this herb, you will love it!!! I added a 1/4 cup chopped in my potato leek soup this weekend--it adds a nice lemony falvor. A small amount chopped into a salad is superb too!

Tomatilloes--These little fruits are related to tomatoes and are excelent roasted and used in salsa or sauce. They are not very good eaten raw by themselves, but you can make a raw salsa with them.

Tomatillo Salsa Verde Recipe
To cook the tomatillos, you can either roast them in the oven, or boil them. Roasting will deliver more flavor; boiling may be faster and use less energy. Either way works, though boiling is a more common way to cook the tomatillos.
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 Jalapeño peppers OR 2 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt to taste
Method
1 Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well.
2a Roasting method Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5-7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.
2b Boiling method Place tomatillos in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove tomatillos with a slotted spoon.
2 Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, sugar in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt. Cool in refrigerator.
Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.
Makes 3 cups.

Delicata Squash is an heirloom squash. Since it’s an heirloom veggie, it’s grown for flavor and not for mass-shipping; the thin skin of this squash made it harder to transport thousands of miles from where it was grown. The thin skin is a great asset, in my opinion. It makes it easy to prepare (you don’t need an axe and and a tree-stump to cut up this squash), and you can even leave the skin on and–get this–eat it after baking! But besides the skin, the flesh is golden, sweet, and smoothly-textured. It’s perfect for just baking, chopping into stir-fry or blending into a lovely silky bisque.

Delicata Squash Bisque Serves 4 large bowls, 6-8 Cups3 Pounds Delicata Squash, (2 pounds after prepping)

Oil for roasting

4 Cups Rich Vegetable Broth

1 tsp Thyme

Lots of Black Pepper

1 1/2 tsp Salt, more or less to taste
Cashew Cream

1 Cup Raw, Unsalted Cashews

1 Cup Rich Vegetable Broth, divided
Preheat oven to 400º F.
Peel squash and chop off the ends. Halve the squash and scrape out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet cut-side down and brush lightly with oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes until tender and beginning to brown. Flip squash before the baking is finished if needed to prevent burning.

Meanwhile, add the cashews to your blender and 1/2 cup of veggie broth. Begin pulsing to incorporate, eventually turning the blender all the way on while slowly adding the other 1/2 cup of broth. Once all the broth is added (1 cup total), let the blender run for 1-2 minutes until very, very smooth. Set cream aside. If your blender can’t get the cream completely smooth, strain before adding it to the soup.
Remove squash from the oven. Using a spatula, transfer it into a large soup pot. Break up the squash into chunks with a spoon or your spatula and add 4 cups of veggie broth, thyme, and black pepper. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes, covered.
Working in batches if needed, blend the soup until very smooth, being careful not to overfill your blender.

Return the blended soup to the pot and add all but 1/4 cup of the cashew cream. Season with salt and more pepper. How much salt you add with depend on how salty your broth is to begin with. I thought 1 1/2 tsp salt was perfect for my batch, but yours might differ.
Remove soup to bowls (or mugs!) and garnish with extra cashew cream drizzled on the top and some fresh black pepper.

Week 15--The New Additions

STAIRS!!!! When we built the barn a few years ago, we put in a nice loft, thinking it would be great space for storage and drying foods like onions and garlic. What we didn't plan was how we were going to actually get up there. I've scaled the north wall of the barn often...but no more!!! Although these stairs are super sturdy, they are utilitarian and are for farmer use only. Please be mindful of the kiddoes!

HONEY!!! This spring a neighbor put 4 bee hives on our property. They are filled with Caucasians, a black and white honey bee. I have seen them often this season, happily pollinating the raspberries and the buckwheat. This past week, the beekeeper pulled his first honey from the hives. It is delicious and beautifully clear! And eating local honey can do wonders for your allergies.

A SWIMMING POOL!!! for Dora that is. I finally broke down when I was at the hardware store the other day. She was a bit afraid of it at first. Going totally under water was a little alarming, but being a duck, she caught on quickly and now goes in for a dunk whenever she pleases.

DUDLEY!!! We felt Dora needed a feathered friend to keep her company during the day and to keep her warm this winter. As you can see he is a bit camera shy (He is the one on the right) and a bit people shy and a LOT dog shy. He seems to be warming up to his new home...very slowly. But Dora likes him, when he is around : )

A MEMORIAL BENCH. Just a year ago, our friend and neighbor, Martha Blowen died of breast cancer. This property had been in her family for several decades and she was a strong advocate and supporter of our endeavours here on the land. She would be very pleased to see the changes we have made and the bounty that her family's land is producing.

I have joined American Cancer Societies "Making Strides Against Cancer". It is a 4 mile walk that takes place on Sunday October 18th, starting at Monument Square in Portland. You may have noticed the can on the sign up table, please feel free to donate or visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline for more information.

This week's Loot: Pac Choi, Lettuce, cucs, zucs, leeks, potatoes, edemames, carrots, melons, garlic, Spaghetti squash

Next week's Loot: Pac Choi, Lettuce, cucs, onions, melons, beets...

Spaghetti Squash

This unique winter squash has a fun, stringy, crunchy texture. After you bake it and scoop out it's insides, it is great treated just like pasta.

To boil: Heat up a large kettle of water, big enough to hold the whole squash. When the water boils drop the whole squash in and boil for about 30 minutes, or until a fork pierces the flesh easily.

To bake: Fork holes in the side. Preheat oven to 350 and bake for about 1 hour.

Open up the squash and scoop out the seeds. Then fork or "comb" out the "spaghetti"

Mix with salt, olive oil, tomatoes, edemames, capers, garilc, capers...

Leeks

These are a little sweeter than onions, but can be used just the same. Use the stem, from the roots up to the where the leaves branch off. (recipes always say just to use the white parts, but it is such a waste!)

To wash: Cut leek length wise first.

To eat: Potato Leek Soup is a classic

3 tablespoons butter

3 leeks, thinly sliced

1 medium or large onion, chopped

6 – 8 potatoes, thinly sliced

3 1/2 cups chicken broth (or enough to barely cover potatoes)

1 cup heavy cream

salt to taste

fresh ground black pepper to taste
1) Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat then add onions and leeks. Cook, stirring, until onions are limp and just slightly brown.
2) Add sliced potatoes to saucepan then pour in enough chicken broth to just barely cover the potatoes. Continue cooking over medium heat until potatoes are tender. Using a potato masher, mash and stir potatoes until desired consistency is reached. As you mash the potatoes and the soup thickens, turn down heat and stir frequently with a large spoon to prevent scorching on the bottom.
3) Add one cup of heavy cream (or more if you desire) and salt and black pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes more over low heat, stirring frequently, then remove from heat and serve.

Notes: *Make sure to clean leeks thoroughly and slice only the white and light green part of the leeks. **You don’t need to peel the potatoes as the peels add to the rustic texture of the soup. But make sure to scrub them thoroughly and remove any obvious blemishes before slicing. Although we always make it with chicken broth, this can easily become a vegetarian soup by simply using vegetable broth instead.

Start the soup by sauteeing the leeks and onions in butter until they are limp and just starting to brown.

Next, add all of the potatoes

After adding potatoes, pour in enough chicken broth to just barely cover them. The amount you use depends on the size and amount of potatoes you sliced. Two 14 oz. cans of broth is average but use more if you need it.

If I push down on the potatoes with the masher, they will be completely submerged. This amount of liquid results in a very thick soup. The soup can always be thinned at the end with some extra broth if desired.

It doesn’t take long for the potatoes to cook and you can probably start mashing within 10 minutes or so. The amount of mashing you do is entirely up to you. If you like chunkier soups, leave the potatoes a bit chunky. If you want a smooth soup, mash for a longer time. If you prefer a completely smooth soup, peel the potatoes before slicing and puree soup with a hand blender. I’ve never done this but I’m sure it would work.

When the soup has reached your desired consistency, add some heavy cream. The original recipe says 1 – 2 cup of cream but I never use more than one cup. I think you lose a lot of flavor by adding more cream. But, again, it’s up to you. Make sure to season well with salt and pepper after stirring in the cream.

Pac Choi:

The names Bok Choi, Pak Choi, Bac Choi are used interchangeably with Pac Choi, an Asian cooking green that is standby in many Asian recipes. It's a beautiful vegetable with a sumptuous shape from stalk to leaves, a juicy, mild and almost sweet flavor. The whole vegetable can be used from stalk to leaf. Lightly steam it and toss with rice vinegar, sesame oil and garlic or stir fry with marinated chicken and beef and serve over steamed, sticky rice.

Pac Choi Stir Fry

2 T vegetable oil2 cloves of garlic,

chopped onions or leeks,

1 head of Pac Choi, stalks and leaves chopped into bite sized pieces

1 large carrot, peeled and julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned1 (2 inch) piece of peeled,

fresh ginger, chopped

1 T soy sauce

1 T brown sugar

1/2 T rice vinegar

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sesame oil

1 T toasted sesame seeds

In a large sauce pan, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot. Toss in onion and garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon or tongs, for 2 minutes. Do not let them burn. Add the vegetables, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir for another minute until the vegetables are hot and slightly wilted. Sprinkle on the sesame oil and sesame seeds and serve over hot, steamed rice.(Serves 2 to 3)Variations: Try adding protein like beef, fish or tofu before adding the vegetables. Even a couple of beaten eggs will do nicely in a dish like this. Cashews or peanuts are tasty when tossed in after cooking and you can always vary the sauce with something store bought like a jarred plum sauce or Thai-style peanut sauce.

Sorrel: These lemony leaves are a great addition to soups or salads.

Sorrel Soup

3 Tbs oil

1 leek

4 cups sorrel leaves

10 cups chicken or veg broth

1.5 # taters, chopped

2 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 cup half and ha;f

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot over med heat. Add the leek and sautee 10 min. Stir in sorrel leaves, until wolted.

2. Add broth taters, lemon juice, spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer till taters are soft, about 40 min. Puree. Cover and chill

3.Stir in half and half