The weather this weekend was lovely; warm with a slight breeze. It was a treat to be outside in the evening, enjoying the long days. There has a thin layer of fog in the valley and heavy dew on the plants each morning, a welcome sight. We are taking a break in planting this week to tidy up the fields and hopefully set back some of the weeds. The young chicks in the barn are ready to go out to pasture so we are building a second house for them.
This week's pick list:
- Lettuce
- Kale
- Collards
- Chard
- Kohlrabi
- Turnips
- Fennel
- Pac Choy
- Spinach
- Chicories
- Arugula
- Radish
- Strawberries
Baked Fennel with Parmesan and Thyme, adapted from marthastewart.com
- 3 fennel bulbs
- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
- 4 sprigs thyme
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the fennel crosswise into half-inch-thick slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Boil the fennel for 1 minute, then put it in a bowl of cold water, drain and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Butter an oven-proof baking dish. Layer in the fennel to a depth of 1 1/2 inches (pushing down, if necessary). brush with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Top with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and 4 sprigs thyme. Bake until cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.