Cilantro

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: For short-term storage (1-2 days) snip the ends of the stalks and place them in cup of clean water. Refresh the water as needed. You can also store cilantro in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for three or four days. 

To Dry: Bundle the stalks with a rubber band and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark place. Store dried herbs in an airtight container in a dark place.

To Freeze: Wash, drain, and chop the cilantro. (Tip: Ice trays make good herb freezing containers. They provide ready-made single meal servings.)

Availability

June - October

Recipes

Zhoug Chili Paste

1 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch parsley
2 hot green chilies, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp water 

Blend all ingredients in food processor until it forms a course paste. Should be HOT! Use on eggs, sandwiches, anything. It's shockingly good.

 

Cilantro Pesto
Adapted from Real Thai by Nancie McDermott
Use as a sauce for shrimp, fish, or chicken, or toss it as you would basil pesto with pasta or new potatoes.

1 tsp whole or freshly ground peppercorns
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, stems and roots
2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic

If using whole peppercorns, crush to a fine powder using a mortal and pestle or a spice grinder. Combine the pepper, cilantro and garlic and work into a fairly smooth paste in the mortar or in a small blender or food processor. If you use a blender or food processor, you may need to add a little oil or water to ease the grinding. 

Chinese Broccoli

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Wash and store in a perforated plastic in your fridge's crisper for up to a week. Please eat the stalks, leaves, and florets - it's all delicious.

Availability

May - July, September - October

Recipes

Pad Siew
Adapted from Pok Pok by Andy Ricker
Serves one as a one-plate meal. To make more double or quadruple the ingredients, but cook each batch separately.

1½ tsp plus 1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp plus 1 tbsp clove garlic, minced or crushed in a mortar
4 oz boneless pork loin, chicken breast, or tofu, thinly sliced into bite sized pieces
½ tsp Thai fish sauce
¼ tsp plus 1 tsp sugar
6 oz fresh wide, flat, rice noodles (look in the refrigerated section of Chinese and Southeast Asian markets. You may find uncut sheets, which you’ll have to unfold and slice yourself)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Thai black soy sauce
Small pinch ground pepper
1 large egg
2 oz Chinese broccoli, coarsely chopped

Heat a wok over very high heat and add the 1½ tsp oil. When it begins to smoke lightly, add the 1 tsp garlic, remove the wok from the heat, and let it sizzle, stirring, about 15 seconds. Put wok back on heat, add the pork, chicken, or tofu and stir well. Add the fish sauce and ¼ tsp sugar. Stir and flip ingredients until cooked through, just about one minute. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Prepare the noodles by microwaving them briefly or dunking in boiling water for just a few seconds until they are a pliable enough to separate without crumbling. Slice into 1 inch strips, if you have uncut sheets. Drain well before proceeding.

Combine the soy sauces, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl and stir well. Wipe out the wok and heat it over very high heat, adding 1 tbsp oil. When it begins to smoke lightly, crack in the egg. It should spit and sizzle violently and the whites should bubble and puff. Cook without disturbing until the egg turns light golden brown at the edges, about 30 seconds. Flip the egg and push it to one side of the wok. Add the noodles and cook for 15 seconds, prodding and stirring lightly so they don’t clump. Add the garlic and cook for 15 seconds, stirring to break up the egg and noodle slightly. Add the Chinese broccoli and stir-fry until the leaves just begin to wilt, about 15 seconds. Add the reserved pork, chicken, or tofu. Add the soy sauce mixture, adding a splash of water if necessary to make sure nothing is left behind in the bowl. Stir-fry, letting the egg break up, until noodles have absorbed the liquids, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately. 

Rainbow Chard

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: For short-term storage (1-2 days) snip the ends of the stalks and place them in cup of clean water. Refresh the water as needed. For longer-term storage, put the chard in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to a week.

To Freeze: Wash and then blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

Availability

June - November

Recipes

Moroccan Spiced Swiss Chard and Chickpeas
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

1 large bunch chard
3 cups cooked (or canned) chickpeas
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
Salt
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced into ½ inch squares
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 small dried red chili
4 tomatoes, diced

Steam the chard until wilted, then chop coarsely and set aside. Pound the garlic in a mortar with ½ tsp salt until smooth or mince it with a knife. Add the dried spices, 1 tsp oil, 2 tbsp cilantro, and the parsley. Pound until a rough paste is formed. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, pepper, thyme, and dried chili. Cook for 7 minutes, then stir in the garlic paste, chickpeas, and ½ cup water. When the onion is soft, add the tomatoes, greens, ½ tsp salt, and another ½ cup water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining cilantro and serve.  

Carrots

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Remove the tops and then store the carrots unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge for up to a month.

Availability

June - November

Recipes

Vegan Cream of Carrot Soup

2 lbs carrots, pealed and chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
Salt to taste
3-4 tbsp margarine or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup soy milk
1 tsp grated (or powdered) ginger
Dash of sherry

Bring stock, carrots, and salt to a boil. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Let cool. Heat margarine or oil in a medium pan and sauté onion and garlic until softened. Add to the carrots and stock and puree. Return to the burner, add soymilk, and heat slowly. Add the ginger and sherry and season as needed.

 

The Best Carrot Cake Ever
Credit to Robin Gucker

2½ cups grated carrots
1½ safflower, grapeseed, or canola oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Whisk together oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Fold in grated carrots. Pour into a greased and floured pan and bake 45-50 minutes. 

Broccoli Raab

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Wash and dry the broccoli raab (you can eat the stalks, the leaves, and the florets). Store in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge's crisper for up to a week. 

To Freeze: Wash and then blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

Availability

May - June, September - October

Recipes

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Raab
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker

A classic Italian recipe for Broccoli Raab. 

¼ cup olive oil, preferably extra virgin
4 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pound), casings removed
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 large bunch (1 to 1.5 lbs) broccoli raab, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
1 lb orecchiette, mini shell pasta, or other short dried pasta
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup grated pecorino or domestic kasseri cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the broccoli raab and cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in 6 quarts of salted water until tender but firm. Drain the pasta, leaving some water clinging to the noodles, and add it to the skillet over low heat. Toss to coat and combine, then remove to a large serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve immediately, passing additional grated cheese.

Bok Choi

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: Store bok choi in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge's crisper for up to a week.

Availability

June - July, September - November

Varieties of Note

Purple
Green
White stemmed

The purple and green varieties are more delicate then the larger white stemmed varieties, and are often grown for baby bok choi. All three varieties, but especially the purple and green should only be cooked lightly, and are best added to soups or stir-fries at the very last moment.

 

 

Beets

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh (Beet Greens): Remove the greens. Wash and dry and store in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge's crisper. 

For Freezing (Beet Greens): Wash then blanch the greens for 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool immediately.

For Eating Fresh (Beets): Store beets unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in your fridge.

Availability

June - November

Varieties

Red
Candy Striped
Yellow

Basil

Care & Storage

For Eating Fresh: If you have stems of basil, trim the bottoms and put in water on your counter for up to four days. If you have basil tips, use immediately. DO NOT put basil in the fridge - it will get brown and weird.

To Dry: Bundle the basil stems with a rubber band and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark place. Store dried herbs in an airtight container in a dark place.

To Freeze: Wash, drain, and chop the basil. (Tip: Ice trays make good herb freezing containers. They provide ready-made single meal servings.)

Availability

August - October

Varieties of Note

Italian
Italian Purple
Thai
Thai Basil has a sweeter flavor than the Italian varieties, with notes of lemon, cinnamon and clove. It is often used in combination with hot peppers in traditional dishes such as curries and drunken noodles, and the flavor is better able to withstand cooking then the delicate Italian varieties.

Recipes

Peaches and Basil
An amazing combination of flavors, for a mid-summer treat

3-4 Ripe peaches
About ¼ roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
Maple syrup or honey (optional)

Slice the peaches into wedges and arrange on a platter. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and drizzle maple syrup or honey over the top to taste. 

 
 

257 Tater Hill Rd, East Haddam, CT
Reach us at: fourrootfarm@gmail.com  

General & veg questions: Aaron @ (860) 550-1122
Flower questions: Elise @ (203) 767-7333