We will start prepping the winter field this week: first watering it overnight and then spading it. Even as we are just settling into summer, we are also thinking ahead. We are also seeding our big plantings of carrots and beets to harvest for winter storage this week.
We hired a crew from the Graton Day Labor Center to help knock out the hand weeding. We were grateful for the extra hands and for speed at which we flew through the beds. The onions, winter squash, and strawberries are all clean now.
Seth finished harvesting the spring planted wheat, after bringing in the fall planted wheat last week. Now the work to clean it begins!
This week's pick list:
- Summer squash
- Snap peas
- Cucumber
- Eggplant
- Spinach
- Beets
- Chard
- Scallions
- Fennel
- Leeks
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Kale
- Collards
- Lettuce
- Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill
- Strawberries
- Revolution Bread is available.
Lentils with Spinach and Basil, from food52.com
- 1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup cooked lentils (small green Puy, or any other that will hold its shape)
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, sliced
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pine nuts or walnuts and cook until lightly toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Lay them out on a wooden cutting board to cool, then chop them roughly to the size of the lentils.
If your knife is sharp enough to slice the spinach and basil leaves without bruising them, gently cut them into bite-size pieces. Otherwise, tear them by hand.
Place the lentils in a bowl and mix in the spinach, basil, parsley, and garlic (note: If you'd like the spinach and basil to hold their green form better, add them toward the end instead). Squeeze the lemon into the lentils, mix, and then fold in the yogurt. Mix again, then slowly pour in the oil, stirring, as you do, to combine. At this point, taste the mixture, and season with salt and 2 good grindings of pepper. Finally, fold the roasted nuts into the dish, and finish with a drizzle of oil.
Top the lentils with a squeeze of lemon juice, some Parmesan, and a final grind of fresh pepper.