May 18, 2012

May 18, 2012

Poet-Farmer 

Wendell Berry 

is in Meadville and will be speaking tonight at the Vukovich Auditorium at Allegheny College (7pm).

See:  http://foundationforsustainableforests.org/new

IN YOUR BOXES THIS WEEK:

Rhubarb

Romaine Lettuce

Green Onions

Radishes

(lots of) Spinach

(possibly some) Eggs

Arugula

A note about the arugula: David hesitates to send it, since it's not pretty.  But I encouraged him to anyway, since the stuff's unreasonably healthy and delicious.  If it's too ugly for your salad bowl, you might consider tossing it in a hot pan with a little garlic and olive oil (with a generous grating of good cheese and some spaghetti you have a great meal).  Or there's this:

Arugula Pesto

One bunch arugula                                  

1 –2 cloves minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper                  

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts, toasted
Juice of half a lemon                        

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Olive oil

Prepare an ice water bath in a large bowl, and bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Put the arugula in a large sieve and plunge it into the boiling water. Immediately immerse all the arugula and stir so that it blanches evenly. Blanch for about 15 seconds. Remove, shake off the excess water, then plunge the arugula into the ice water bath and stir again so it cools as fast as possible. Drain well.

Squeeze the water out of the arugula with your hands until very dry. Roughly chop the arugula. Add the chopped arugula to a food processor along with the garlic, salt and pepper to taste, the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the pine nuts, and the lemon juice. Blend for at least 30 seconds. In this way the green of the arugula will thoroughly color the oil. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. The pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.  Toss with pasta or smear on toasted bread for very good crostini.