Garlic Chives: These chives look like blades of grass and have a delicate garlic flavor. Use them as regular chives or as a replacement for scallions. They should be kept in a plastic bag in the fridge and washed right before use. You can also freeze them! Mix finely-chopped chives with just enough olive oil to bind them together and freeze the mixture in ice cube trays. Navel Oranges: These juicy treats are from our friend Nacho at Twin Girls Farm near Fresno and are QAI (Quality Assurance International) certified organic. We’ve been friends with this family farm for a long time and see them every week at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. They sell some of their goods to Purity, which will explain if it has a market sticker on it. The oranges keep well in the fridge. Peel and enjoy!
Mixed Lettuce: Enjoy these fresh greens for salads and sandwiches! It is a mix of tender curly, red leaf and Romaine lettuces. Store in plastic bag in fridge and wash well before consuming.
Mixed Mustard Greens: The beautiful ruffled leaves of the mustard plant have a spicy flavor and are highly nutritious. Try combining them with the mixed lettuce and add a sweet vinaigrette of olive oil, orange juice, orange zest, Champagne vinegar, and shallots. Store in crisper in fridge and wash before eating.
Spinach: This tasty and nutritious green will be dirty from this week’s rain and mud. To clean, first rinse quickly, then fill up a bowl with water. Put spinach in the water, swish, and let soak for 5 to 10 minutes. Lift leaves out of water, rinse and blot or spin dry. Store in plastic bag in fridge, but don’t wash it until you’re ready to cook!
Chard: These big, beautiful leaves are mighty tasty! Remove the leaves from the stems, but make sure to eat the stems too. The stems will need to be cooked a little longer than the leaves. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge and wash well before using.
Carrots: These might just be the sweetest carrots you’ll ever eat! Remove the green tops from roots before storing in your fridge to maintain freshness. Try juicing or blending the greens for extra flavor and vitamins in smoothies and fresh juice. Be sure to wash the carrots well before eating. You might want to scrub them clean to avoid peeling them.
Red Spring Onions: Enjoy these young onions raw in salads or add them to omelets, soups, curries, and stir-fries for a milder onion flavor. You can tell them apart from the green garlic because they have hollow, round leaves. Be sure to use the green parts, too! Wash them well and remove bottom quarter-inch before consuming.
Green Garlic: This young garlic has a milder and less bitter bite than garlic cloves and sweetens when cooked. It can also be eaten raw! Green garlic has flat leaves with V-shaped cross sections. Store in fridge and use within a week. Delicious!
Fennel: With a texture like celery and a delicate taste of anise, it can be eaten raw, sautéed, grilled, braised or roasted. Store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Turnips: This ancient veggie is one of the earliest to be cultivated and was a staple before the potato. It is rich in fiber, calcium, and vitamins A and C. These beauties can be eaten raw or steamed and have a deliciously buttery crunch. Remove the greens and store in separate plastic bags in fridge. Be sure to wash them before eating.