In the Box Week of August 8th

Hello, Here's the list and Andy and Steve came up with on Friday. There's still some questions, they have to review the fields on Monday. Heat can change things quite a bit during the long months of summer. Stay tuned. Since they gave me the information, I thought I'd share with you: please do email me at Julia at mariquita dot com if you have any recipe ideas, preparation ideas, or 'what you'll do with the box' ideas. Thank you!

Scallions

Red Leaf and or Romaine Lettuce

Celery/Cabbage

High Ground Mystery (strawberries or broccoli or?)

Thyme

French Potatoes

Mystery from Mariquita (including tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash)

Cubanelle (sweet) /Poblano Chiles (mildly spicy)

notes on Andy's Mystery:

Andy's Mystery: our tomatoes are starting at last. They are about 2 weeks late: as are all the other tomatoes in our area. We are as hungry for them as you are! We are having the upick day on Sat. August 25th, and we will offer a padron pepper upick that day too.

Two Small Farms Newsletter #400

In your box this week: Spring Onions, Strawberries, Thyme, Yellow Carrots, Salad Mix, Summer Squash OR Cabbage, Cauliflower OR Potatoes** (Wed); Avocados: Thursday and Friday. (A few weeks ago Wed received avocados.)

** A few of you might receive potatoes: use them within 3-5 days! Store in fridge! These have not been cured like store bought potatoes: they are truly fresh-dug. They will taste great (try a salad dressed with a simple oil and vinegar). They will not keep if left outside. Eat them up! More fresh dug potatoes coming for everyone in a few weeks.

Loaves and Fishes

Anyone who believes that world hunger is a production problem can get a different perspective by growing a zucchini plant. Yes, there are droughts, hard frosts, floods, meteors, plagues etc., but nature is usually fecund to the point of being profligate. Framing hunger as a production problem is a convenient way for policy makers takes the public’s focus off of how often famine and hunger come from inequities in the distribution of food.

At Two Small Farms food distribution is our business, so we’ve learned what kinds of problems stand in the way of spreading the wealth of the fields around. For our success we depend on the trust and support of our underwriters, so when members can’t pick up their share boxes we’re happy to pass on their boxes to charitable organizations in the community that can use the produce.

For quite a while we’ve donated share boxes to the Santa Cruz AIDS project when subscribers have alerted us that they won’t be able to pick their veggies up. But the Santa Cruz AIDS project isn’t close to our farm and their volunteer isn’t able to trek down to our farm any longer. SCAP is a vibrant non profit doing great work in Santa Cruz county with HIV positive folks. We wish them the best and hope to find other ways to partner with them. Starting this week we are working with Loaves and Fishes in Watsonville.

Loaves and Fishes is a soup kitchen in Watsonville (just one block from the post office!) that serves 40-100 people a home cooked meal every Monday through Friday, rain or shine. They also offer a food pantry. They are a 5013c and we have letters for anyone who is donating their share box and would like that for their taxes. (Ask Zelda if you need one of these.) Two Small Farms matches all donations, and we also donate leftovers from our packing.

Last Thursday I took some of Mariquita’s extra vegetables to Loaves And Fishes and snapped a couple of photos. I met the Executive director, Brooke, the head Chef, Maria, and three of their daily volunteers. What I loved was when I drove up with 10 totes of freshly harvested vegetables the people inside the kitchen were all excited, and so were the people outside waiting for a meal. Loaves And Fishes is doing good work and we’re happy to help as we can.

From their website:
"In 2006, we served almost 15,000 meals through our hot lunch program, including special holiday meals for over 200 people at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our pantry distributed over 190,000 pounds of food in nearly 4,000 client visits throughout the year. We received over 28% of all emergency food assistance referrals from Second Harvest's Community Food Hotline, making us the largest emergency food assistance responder in the county. We provided emergency food assistance to over 14% more households than in 2005."

For more information: here's a link to their website

-this piece was written by Julia and Andy

Fastest Way to use this week's box from Julia:
Eat the salad within three days so it's super fresh. Dress with toasted nuts, grated carrots, crumbled cheese....

Use the onions chopped raw in tuna salad or pasta salad or green salad. Cut in half lengthwise and grill.

Save the thyme in a bag in the fridge for genuine cooking projects: it will keep in there for at least 2 weeks, maybe 4 or 5!

Eat the strawberries.

Eat the yellow carrots as sticks or cook with them. They are perfect grated into a soup so there aren't mushy carrot chunks floating around.

Try the new cabbage recipe below from Robert Gupta: it's below. Andy's favorite cabbage is quick too.

Grate carrots and add to any stew or salad.

July 4th

Week of July 4th: Please note, this year July 4th falls on a Wednesday! We will deliver to the Wednesday pick up sites on July 4th. If you are to be out of town, we encourage you to find a friend to pick up the veggies for you. If no one can pick up the veggies for you, call or email us at least a day in advance and we can donate your veggies to the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry.

Recipes from Ronda W., Robert G., Ileana, Lena, and Julia

Cabbage and Potato Curry

recipe by Robert Gupta

Base
1/4 tsp mustard seed

pinch of fenugreek

two dried red chillis, cracked

1 tsp of cumin seed

1-2 tbsp of oil (olive, canola, or other)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 head of cabbage chopped in 2 inch strips, 1/2 inch wide

1 # new potatoes chopped roughly 1 inch pieces (peeled or unpeeled)

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of curry powder

1/2 tsp of ginger

First prepare the base, by adding oil, mustard seed, fenugreek, chillis, cumin seed to a large pot. Heat over medium heat and wait for seeds to crack.Add minced garlic and fry until aroma emerges. Add potatoes and onion and stir for about 1 minute until onions began to become brown and translucent. Add cabbage, and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until potatoes are soft. Remove lid, and let some of the water evaporate. Add ginger and curry powder, stir, and remove from heat. Let stand for a couple of minutes.

More Cabbage Recipes:

Cabbage, Carrots, and Onions with Sesame

(Still Life with Menu by Mollie Katzen)
6T sesame seeds
3/4t salt
3T toasted sesame oil
1 bunch green onions
1 large carrot thinly sliced
1 head of green cabbage coarsely chopped

Combine the sesame seeds and salt in a blender. Grind until they achieve the consistency
of coarse meal. This is called gomasio or sesame salt. Set aside. Heat a medium-sized
wok or large deep skillet. Add the sesame oil and the onions. Stir-fry over med-high heat
for a couple of minutes. Add about a tablespoon of the gomasio. Keep stir-frying until
the onions are soft and translucent (5-8 minutes). Add carrots and the cabbage, and
sprinkle in about half the remaining gomasio. Keep stir- frying until everything is tender
(another 10-15 minutes). Sprinkle in the remaining gomasio, and serve. Serves 4

Andy’s Favorite Cabbage

1 head sliced green cabbage
1 large sliced onion
3 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup white wine
Sauté the onion and cabbage in oil over medium high heat until softened, about 10
minutes. Add wine, salt and pepper. This is a magnificent dish.

Thyme Recipes:
All three of these from: Osage Gardens

GLAZED CARROTS WITH PISTACHIOS AND THYME
Serves 4
1 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into ½" slices on the bias
Salt and pepper
¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup pistachios, shelled and unsalted and toasted in the oven (10 min. at 350º F)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, picked from stems
Cook carrots uncovered in 2" of boiling water about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Melt butter in skillet. over medium heat, stir in brown sugar and cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Add cooked carrots. Cook slowly until well glazed. Toss with roasted pistachios. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

THYME-BRAISED ZUCCHINI IN CRÈME FRAICHE
Braising zucchini brings out their subtle, delicate flavor.Serves 4
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 medium zucchini, about 1-1/4 lbs., trimmed and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Zest of one lemon and juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh thyme
¾ cup crème fraîche
Melt butter over low heat in skillet. Add zucchini, salt, pepper, lemon juice and thyme. Cover skillet and braise over low heat for 6-8 minutes, or until just tender. Uncover skillet. Gently fold in crème fraîche and just heat through. Correct seasoning and serve at once.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND THYME
There is nothing more satisfying than a simple roasted chicken. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes.
1 natural or organic chicken
1 lemon
Fresh thyme
3 tablespoons softened butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425º F. Dry chicken inside and out. Rub under the breast skin and all over with softened butter, which has been mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme. Place several sprigs of thyme and the remainder of the lemon inside the cavity of the chicken. Roast on a rack 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350º F and continue to roast until chicken registers 160º F on an instant read thermometer. Let rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

from Wikipedia:
A brief history of thyme
Ancient Egyptians used thyme in embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing that thyme was a source of courage. It was thought that the spread of thyme throughout Europe was thanks to the Romans, as they used it to purify their rooms. In the European Middle Ages, the herb was placed beneath pillows to aid sleep and ward off nightmares. (Huxley 1992). In this period, women would also often give knights and warriors gifts that included thyme leaves as it was believed to bring courage to the bearer. Thyme was also used as incense and placed on coffins during funerals as it was supposed to assure passage into the next life.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Add thyme to your favorite pasta sauce recipe.
Fresh thyme adds a wonderful fragrance to omelets and scrambled eggs.
Hearty beans such as kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans taste exceptionally good when seasoned with thyme.
When poaching fish, place some sprigs of thyme on top of the fish and in the poaching liquid.
Season soups and stocks by adding fresh thyme.

Two Recipes submitted by Rhonda:

BLANQUETTE DE VEAU
Rhonda’s Notes: Veal Stew (I don't actually use veal for this - Trader Joe's has Niman Ranch stew beef that works perfectly, and it's already cut up - I'll use the carrots and thyme for this):

2 1/2 pounds boneless beef or veal stew meat (cut into approximately 2-inch pieces)
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
2 14 1/2-ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, crumbled
3 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 10-ounce package frozen petite peas, thawed, drained, (or cauliflower!)
Steamed rice

Season veal with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add veal to Dutch oven in batches and cook until brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer veal to plate. Add onion and remaining 2 tablespoon butter to Dutch oven and sauté until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Return veal and any juices on plate to Dutch oven. Sprinkle flour over veal and stir 2 minutes. Pour in wine and bring to boil. Add chicken broth and thyme.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 25 minutes.
Mix in carrots and continue simmering until carrots and veal are tender, about 25 minutes. Add cream and boil until liquids are reduced to sauce consistency, about 15 minutes. Stir in peas and bring to boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with rice.
Serves 6.
Adapted from Bon Appétit

ORZO PILAF WITH GREEN ONIONS AND PARMESAN CHEESE
This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
The rice-shaped pasta orzo is sometimes labeled riso or rosamarina.
3 1/4 cups (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
5 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring 3 1/4 cups broth to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix in orzo and simmer uncovered until just tender but still firm to bite and some broth still remains, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Add green onions and cheese and stir to blend. Season pilaf to taste with salt and pepper. Rewarm over low heat, if necessary, and mix in more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if pilaf is dry. Transfer pilaf to large bowl and serve.
Serves 6.
Bon Appétit
April 1999

History of Cauliflower from Alan Davidson in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food
It’s a variety of cabbage in which the flowers have begun to form but have stopped growing at the bud stage. It is generally believed that it was the Arabs who introduced the cauliflower to Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.

Tibetan Cauliflower Curry

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 lg onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lg. head cauliflower, chopped

1 lg. carrots, cubed

3 potatoes, cubed

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 chili peppers, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 cups, peas

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp honey

1 cup coconut milk

Saute onions with garlic in oil until transparent. Add spices and cookgently for a few minutes. Add celery, carrots, tomatoes, and chilis, thencook for a couple minutes stirring often. Add 1 * cups of water andcontinue to cook until vegetables begin to get tender. Add potatoes andenough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Maintain a low boiluntil potatoes are tender, but not overcooked. Add cauliflower. Whenthoroughly heated, add coconut milk, honey, and chopped cilantro. Add salt to taste.

"Strawberry Flakes"
an original recipe created by Lena Wiley and Ileana Conviser
2 cups frozen strawberries
1/5 cup sugar
7 Tbsp chocolate sauce
1. Cut strawberries when still frozen into little flakes about the size of 4 mm.
2. Sprinkle on sugar in different places. Mix well.
3. Pour chocolate sauce on.
4. Let strawberries defrost.
5. Eat.

Recipe Links:

Avocados
Salad Dressings
Carrots

http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/cauliflower.html
BLOG ADVANTAGES: I can change mistakes after I post them. I don’t have to subscribe/unsubscribe folks. Old newsletters easily accessed. Links! (I send this newsletter out as plain text so more folks with differently-abled computer systems can easily read it.) You can sign up for email updates to the Two Small Farms Blog on the main blog page:
http://twosmallfarms.blogspot.com/
____________________________________
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information
Two Small Farms
Mariquita Farm/High Ground Organics
Organically Grown Vegetables
831-786-0625
P.O. Box 2065
Watsonville, CA 95077
csa@twosmallfarms.com
http://www.twosmallfarms.com
http://www.mariquita.com
http://www.highgroundorganics.com

Two Small Farms Newsletter #391

Issue Number 391, April 9th, 2007
________________________

Table of Contents:

1) In your box this week
2) Vitamins, Calcium, and Irony from Andy
3) Upcoming Events
4) Some answers to Frequently Asked Questions
5) Photos
6) Recipes
7) Which Farm?
8) Unsubscribe
9) Two Small Farms Contact Information
___________________

1) In your box this week: Cardoon, Erbette Chard, cilantro or thyme, salad mix, mystery item, braising mix. Wednesday: baby carrots, Thursday and Friday: a mystery item.

This week's vegetable list: I try to have it updated by Monday night, sometimes by Mon. am:

To store and use first: the carrots, cardoon, and thyme will all keep at least a week in your fridge. The chard, cilantro, and maybe the shrooms will keep nearly a week but try to use them in fewer than 5 days. Eat in the first 1-3 days: braising mix, salad mix (likely will keep longer, but best first 3 days), berries....Everything should be stored in the fridge this week.

2) Vitamins, Calcium, and Irony from Andy

Swiss chard is a joke that most of us don't get. I don't mean to cast aspersions on the peaceful Swiss, nor do I wish to discourage consumers from eating green that are high in vitamins, calcium, and iron, but it's true; most people don't get the joke about chard. The Swiss speak French, German, or Italian. At some point in the past Swiss cooks had to hear their French compatriots to the south along the Mediterranean lowlands rave about the fabulous, succulent flavor of chardon. Chardon is the French for "big thistle", and the word descends from the Latin carduus.

Most thistles are spiny weeds, but two have been developed to serve humankind. The most common type of edible thistle that we encounter today is the artichoke. An older form of domesticated thistle called chardon, cardon, cardoni, or cardoon is still around and is still a staple of Mediterranean cookery. Cardoon is simply English for chardon, just as artichaut is French for artichoke. Whereas artichokes are appreciated for their tender flower buds with the cardoon, or chardon, it is the meaty midrib of the plant's huge leaf that is eaten.

The cardoon was taken by the Spaniards to their new world colonies in the 1500s as a food crop. Once in the Americas some of these plants escaped cultivation to become feral. Charles Darwin visited a little town called Guardia del Monte in Argentina on September 19th, 1836. He wrote about the cardoon weeds in his Diary Of The Voyage Of The Beagle, "Several hundred square miles are covered by one mass of these prickly plants, and are impenetrable by man or beast."
Back to Switzerland. As their alpine nation is too cold to grow the frost-tender chardon Swiss farmers improved a local leafy beet until it's leaves sported a broad fleshy midrib in its leaf which could be prepared after the fashion of the luscious thistle. The Swiss succeeded at their task and smothered these beet stems in rich French sauces. "Chardon Suisse," sniffed the French chefs, "Swiss thistle."

Sometimes American diners ape the French without understanding all that's really going on. And so it is that we should adopt what has become a popular vegetable world-wide and call it "Swiss chard". By eating these greens we digest plenty of vitamins, calcium, and iron without, perhaps, tasting any irony. Half the time we only eat the leafy greens and throw the stem away, not understanding that it's was originally the whole point of the vegetable.

This week we are harvesting Erbette for you. This plant is the original form of beet green that was later "improved" into Swiss chard. If you want to call this green a "chard" call it Italian chard. Note that Erbette lacks the broad mid rib of Swiss chard, but it does have lots of delicious, spinachy greens. We're also putting in the real chardon, Cynara cardunculus, or edible thistle. Cardoon only looks like a celery because we've cut away most of the plant's foliage, which isn't edible.

A few warnings are in order; after working with cardoon wash your hands because the stems will leave a bitter, tarry flavor on your hands that will taint any other foods you touch. Also, if this is your first experience with cardoon, follow Julia's instructions. If you enjoy cardoon you may want to plant one in your yard. The plants are easy to grow, lovely to look at, and you can control them by eating them.

julia's notes: there are a few recipes below in the recipe section. Here's a link to a photo essay on making a cardoon gratin

3. Upcoming Events

Fava Bean Upick in Hollister at Mariquita Farm Saturday April 28th 9am - 12 noon (this event is scheduled for the morning because the afternoons at our field get hot, windy and dusty.) Come pick fava beans and visit the farm with Andy. more information

HOMESCHOOL DAY
Homeschool Field Day Wednesday, April 25th 9am to 1pm. RSVP required. Free for current CSA members. More information

Redmond House Farm Stand Opens: April 25th for the season: High Ground Organics run a farm stand just off highway 1 at 129 at the Redmond House. They will be opening on Wed April 25th. Days/Hours = Wed-Sun 10am to 6pm.

GRASSLAND RESTORATION EVENT
Come join us for seed collection and grassland tending on SATURDAY May 5th, from 10-1pm. Families with children are welcome. Contact Laura Kummerer (831)761-8694 for details.

4) Some Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I forget to pick up my box?
We are not responsible for forgotten boxes. The site host may remove the box by the next day. You can go by the site first thing the following morning if you have forgotten. The box may be there but we can't guarantee it.

What happens if I'm out of town on distribution day?
We suggest you have a friend, relative, or neighbor pick up your share. If no one can pick up your share for you we will donate it to The Santa Cruz AIDS Project. Please give us 24 hours notice if you want us to donate your share. We cannot refund money for boxes that will not be received. The scale of our planting is determined by the number of CSA signups and we have no ready market for our produce if the subscribers don't use it. The efficiency of our CSA service eliminates waste and allows us to charge lower prices than you would find for comparable items in most organic food outlets.

Can members visit the farm?
Yes! This year we have a Restoration event (noted above), a kids' day event in the summer, a fall pumpkin patch and several 'u-pick' days where folks can visit the farm and pick extra for their canning/freezing needs. We love showing off our farms, but they are also our homes, and we must balance farm visits with a very busy work schedule. Events page

5) Photos:

Chez Panisse

Peel stalks of cardoons to get the bitter outer skin off. Boil in salted water until tender, that could be from 5-20 minutes. (I would cut the stalks in half so they'd fit my pans. -jw)
Slice cooked stalks on the diagonal (like you would celery) then dress with a vinaigrette. For this dish the vinaigrette has a bit of anchovy, garlic, lemon and a small splash of red wine vinegar, and olive oil too of course. (Julia's hint: one basic formula for vinaigrette I've read includes 3 parts oil to 1 part acid: lemon juice or vinegar)
They serve the cardoons this way room temperature with some hardboiled egg: either chopped or in wedges. Russ said this dish benefits from a bit of fat served with it and he likes the hard cooked egg for that contrast.

Cardoon thoughts and a recipe from Chef Andrew:

Cardoon is a vegetable like artichoke in that it oxidises and discolors. Chefs will usually toss it into acidulated water (water with lemon juice) to keep it from discoloring.
When thinking of cardoon, keep the flavor of artichokes in your mind when planning the dish.

Andrew's simplest Cardoon-Pasta preparation:
Slice and blanch cardoon. Saute onions and garlic and toss with pasta. Grate some parmesan cheese. This could benefit from some green olives as well.
Here's an idea I picked up from a book of Mid-east cookery. This is based on a lamb dish with cardoon. Cut cardoon into 2" long pieces and blanch in salted water. Saute onions and garlic with turmeric, paprika, parsley, and coriander. Add in cardoon and a handful of cracked green olives or oil cured black olives. Give a toss, and add a couple chopped tomatoes and some water( a couple cups). If you have some mid-east style preserved lemons, cut one up into largish pieces(1" or so) and toss that in as well. Cook for a 1/2 hour to soften vegetables and integrate flavors. This could take peppers(hot or sweet) or eggplant as well. Simmer cardoons cut into batons (3"x1/4") until tender and layer into a gratin dish that has been rubbed with a garlic clove and lightly oiled. Layer with parmesan or gruyere, then pour in cream over all. Bake until golden and bubbly.

Bean and Swiss Chard Soup (Pasta e fagioli)
1/2 pound (225 g) Swiss chard or kale, trimmed
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional to taste
2 flat anchovy fillets (I use a little anchovy paste - it won't taste fishy, but it will taste richer!)
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or dried
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 cup (225 g) cooked small white beans or drained and rinsed canned beans
4 cups (1 liter) chicken stock [or Garlic Broth for a meatless soup] freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup (60 g) small shell macaroni
freshly grated Parmasan cheese, for serving

In a medium saucepan, cook the chard with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water and the salt over medium heat until tender. Drain the chard, reserving any liquid that remains. Coarsely chop the chard. Very finely chop anchovies together with the rosemary.
In a medium saucepan, stir together the oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is pale gold, about 10 minutes. Stir in the anchovies and rosemary. Cook, stirring for 1 minute. Discard the garlic. Stir in the chard and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to thoroughly coat it with the oil. Stir in the beans. Cook for 3 minutes.
Stir in the reserved cooking liquid and the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir in the macaroni. Boil for 6 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
Pass Parmesan cheese at the table.
Makes about 5 cups (1.25 liters); 4 first-course servings.
>From Soup: A Way of Life, Barbara Kafka

Chard Rib Gratin: Victory Garden Cookbook
Make Bechamel Sauce. (2 1/2 Tablespoons butter 3 Tablespoons flour 2 cups heated milk 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper Melt butter, add flour, and whisk to remove lumps. Cook butter and flour slowly together for 2-3 minutes until flour is golden, but not browned. Remove pan from heat, add milk, and beat sauce vigorously to disolve the flour and smooth the sauce. Bring to a boil, add salt, reduce heat to simmer, and cook slowly for at least 5 minutes to remove any floury
taste. (simmering longer will improve the flavor) Thin with milk if too thick. Season with salt and pepper. (makes about 1 1/2 cups)
Place 3-4 cups drained blanched ribs, cut into 1-2 inch pieces, into a buttered casserole, add sauce, and top with a mixture of buttered bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese. Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top has a light brown crust and the sides are bubbly.

Sauteed chard--yum! After sauteeing with garlic, etc, I like to toss in some goat cheese and pine nuts. . .zowie!

Honey Mustard Cilantro Dressing
1 bunch cilantro stems
1/4 C water
1/4 lime juice(or lime/lemon or lemon)
1/4 C honey
1/4 dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1 small clove of garlic peeled(optional)

Puree in blender til smooth, then through opening in top add olive oil slowly until the hole at the center of the dressing disappears. This is usually the proper amount of oil for a properly emulsified vinaigrette. Options: use some cayenne powder to heat it up. Use 3:1 basil to flat leaf parsley instead of cilantro and use red wine vinegar instead of citrus juice.

Cilantro Pesto:
1 clove garlic
2 T chopped walnuts or almonds
1/2 c washed, roughly chopped cilantro
1/4 c olive oil
2 T grated Parmasan or crumbled feta cheese
Mince garlic to a paste in food processor or garlic press or bowl. Grind together walnuts and chopped cilantro. Add garlic paste, the oil, and the parmesan cheese and blend the mixture until combined.
Boil the pasta with which you'll serve the pesto (recommended: ravioli, but you could use anything). Reserve 1/4 c cooking liquid when you drain the pasta.
Add the reserved liquid to the cilantro mixture (makes it smooth, and warms it for eating) and blend until smooth.
Toss the pasta with the pesto and serve.
Little bit fussy due to all the chopping, but easy, and tasty. Just need to be aware that you'll have strong garlic breath for at least 8 hours afterwards, maybe a day!!!

http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/index.html
http://www.mariquita.com/
http://www.highgroundorganics.com/