6/16/2015

Summer CSA: Week 4

Starting with the strawberries (!) and going basically clockwise we have kale, heads of lettuce, heirloom beets, snow peas, broccoli raab (rapini), braising mix (with lots of mustard greens), salad mix, garlic scapes, and burdock flower stem. A reminder that you can use garlic scapes as you would garlic or try using it like asparagus. 


Burdock flower stem will be new to most. First thing to know is that burdock is jam packed with nutrition which is why it can be found in wordly cuisines and as an escaped invasive plant across our continent. If you google burdock you will find mostly root recipes but the whole plant is edible. We find the tender parts of the flower stem and roots the most palatable. First, be sure to peel the stem either by hand or with a peeler or knife. The most tender parts of the stem will be the best (we suggest either discarding or definitely follow the boil method for the woodier parts).  You could cut peeled tender stems into pieces and eat it raw (as a salad topping for instance). We suggest blanching or boiling in salt water and then using in salads, soups, stir frys, or as you would artichoke (which many people find the taste resembles, and for good reason, burdock in in the same family (and tribe) as artichoke but different genus).  In short, be sure to peel, boil in salt water is a recommended step, has the texture of celery and somewhat artichoke taste. We made artichoke dip with rapini and burdock stem as the main ingredients for a recent party!

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