Well, the not-so-good news is that the share this week is light again, as we’re still feeling the effects of the very wet spring. The good news is that there’s lots of spinach & lettuce! According to the Madison Area CSA Coalition’s cookbook From Asparagus to Zucchini, spinach us the most widely used dark leafy green in this country, popular for cooking and raw salads.  It originated as a wild vegetable in the Middle East with the first record of is cultivation dating back to Persia 2000 years ago! Interestingly, spinach was unknown to the ancient Greeks and Romans, but today it is a staple in many traditional Greek dishes.

In Your Share This Week:

Lettuce Heads, assorted

Scallions, Evergreen Hardy White

Kale, White Russian & Winter Red

Spinach, Space, a hybrid

Mint

There are so many ways to use Spinach. Toss fresh leaves into green salads; stuff sandwiches, tacos and burritos, add at the last minute to soups, stir fries and sautés; toss tender leaves or cooked pureed spinach into pasta; add to crepes, quiche, lasagna and other baked dishes; puree for soup; make a spinach pesto, substituting raw spinach leaves for some or all of the basil. I found a great looking recipe for a spinach, scallion and mushroom tart at www.wholeliving.com.

As for the Scallions, you can eat the entire vegetable – even the roots! They are also referred to as ‘bunching onions’ or ‘green onions’ and they are usually less pungent than onions. Use them chopped as a garnish; use them in almost any recipe that calls for raw or cooked onions; they are excellent in soups and stews, especially when added at the end.

Second in the Make-Your-Own-Salad-Dressing Series:

Farmer Shari’s version of Annie’s Goddess

1 cup salad oil (we use safflower)                   1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup tamari/soy sauce/shoyu                         1/3 cup tahini (we use roasted)

2-4 cloves garlic                                                  1 capful toasted sesame oil

water to mix                                                             finely chopped chives and parsley

Mix all in a jar and shake vigorously.

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing – Perfect for this time of year!

The Salad:

1 bunch spinach                                                 1 bunch leaf lettuce

1 qt strawberries, quartered                            1/3 to 1/2 hd red cabbage, sliced thinly

1/3 to 1/2 medium red onion                          1 fresh pear, cut up (optional)

The Dressing:

1/2 – 3/4 c sugar                                                  2 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp salt                                                                     2/3 cup vinegar

3 Tbsp finely grated onion                                     2 cups salad oil

3-4 Tbsp poppy seeds

Blend first 5 ingredients. Slowly drizzle oil into blender. Stir in seeds, pour over salad and toss.