CSA Week 3: Miraculous Komatsuna
Farm Share Newsletter - June 17, 2023
Housekeeping
We've heard from enough people interested in a CSA Discord to make it happen. Look out for more information about that this week.
Also a reminder for Ballard members: Pick ups will resume again this week at our tent at the Sunday farmers market, not at the cafe.
Week 3 Share
Spring Salad Mix
Parsley
A Choy
Daikon
Baby Bok Choy
Scallions
Komatsuna
Our Hardiest Green
I had no idea what komatsuna was our first season, but it looked cool and could grow in the cold, so we planted a whole bunch. Now it is one of my favorite crops.
In addition to its remarkable cold tolerance, komatsuna withstands a little bit of heat, grows quickly, and regrows prolifically. It's also incredibly versatile in the kitchen. Slightly bitter with a touch of sweetness, you can use it in pretty much any recipe that calls for greens. We stir-fry it, add it to soup, and eat it raw. Our favorite recipe, a blanched preparation, we learned from Nancy Hachisu's Japanese Farm Food. Read an adaptation of that recipe below.
We re-upped your a choy to help us make our way through our enormous supply. If you stir-fried it last week, why not try the a choy salad we shared in the previous newsletter (or the a choy salad that member Vanessa made in the photo below)? And vice versa.
Member Photo Of the Week: Vanessa's A Choy Salad With Strawberries and Goat Cheese
And here's a reminder that if you send us what you make, we'll feature it in this newsletter!
Blanched Komatsuna With Dashi
I forgot to bring home a bunch of komatsuna, so I pulled a small amount out of a bag of stir-fry mix and made this tasting menu-sized portion. The komatsuna in your boxes this week should make quite a bit more.
We love this dish. It's simple, light, and refreshing. Elizabeth once described it as having a "mist" of flavor.
Ingredients
1/3 cup dashi (make your own or use the bottled stuff like we do)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 bunch komatsuna
Bonito flakes, to taste (shave your own or use the bagged stuff like we do)
Steps
Start a pot of boiling water. Prepare a bowl of ice water.
When your water is boiling, drop your komatsuna into the pot. Boil for one to two minutes. Remove and plunge into cold water.
Once komatsuna has cooled, wring out the water. Do this by dangling it by the stems with one hand and sort of pulling down on the greens with your other hand.
Chop greens into one to two inch pieces, with the stems separate from the leaves. Arrange nicely on a plate. Drizzle dashi over your greens. Garnish with bonito flakes.
'Til next week,
Steven