- Kale
- Baby Salad Mix 8×8
- Baby Arugula 8×8
- Baby Green Sorrel
- Flat Parsley
- Dill
- Cilantro
- Mint
- Lemongrass
- Butternut Squash
- Chickweed Pesto
2016 CSA Winter March 5th
For this CSA Winter March 5th, we take a different view of the benefits of kale this week: not only is it good for our bodies but also for helping to suppress soil borne diseases and infestations by pests like nematodes, which can devastate crops we grow such as potatoes and tomatoes. Rapeseed kale like ‘Dwarf Essex’ contain sulfur containing chemicals (glucosinolates) that break down in decomposing into compounds that are toxic to nematodes. These natural compounds are released from the roots of living plants or by plants incorporated into the soil as green manure. (See Alabama Cooperative Extension, Hagan, Gazaway, and Sikora for a more in-depth view into plants explored for this property.) Thusly, growing this kale in rotation helps us with pest control naturally and produces healthier soils.
We love the combination of lemongrass, cilantro and mint. These lend themselves nicely to Thai noodle soup or a curry. We enjoy curry with a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, onion, peas, eggplant…we keep a can of coconut milk in the cabinet for just the occasion. With a bit of sauté that includes your lemongrass, you can have an exotic and spiced experience to help keep away these chillier nights. I use the back end of a knife and the knife handle to bruise the base and leaves of the lemongrass and plop them in the pot, pulling them out upon serving, as they have a tough consistency and are not pleasant to eat. The perfume lingers as the leaves have served their purpose of infusing the flavor. We like to use a curry stew as a base recipe in a crock pot, too, or as a way to repurpose leftover veggies. Lemongrass can be added to your dishes for a nice pick-me-up, just be sure to remove the sharp leaves before eating. Again, the lemongrass pairs nicely with the cilantro and mint in Asian noodle soups: just scissor cut the fresh cilantro and mint on top as a garnish.
To your health & pleasure, always, love, leslie.