Thyme

• Thyme is a perennial herb with over 100 different varieties.

• Thyme releases its flavors slowly so it is best for slow and long cooking applications, like stocks, stews and soups.

• Thyme can also be dried and stored for later use when fresh thyme is not available.

• Thyme pairs well with seafood, red meat, poultry and most vegetables, like potatoes, tomatoes, squash, carrots, and onions, but can also be used as a stand alone herb.

• Medicinally, thyme is said to be able to treat coughs and respiratory infections due its ability to help relax muscles in the trachea linked to coughing and inflammation. The essential oils have been used to treat back spasms and a tea infusion has been used to help ease headaches.

• Store in a cool, dry place.

RECIPES

Buttered Brie and Heirloom Tomato Toast with Honey, Thyme and Walnuts

• 4 slices whole grain sourdough bread, use gluten free if needed

• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

• 8 ounces brie cut into 8-12 wedges

• 6 fresh sprigs thyme

• 1/3 cup toasted walnuts

• Honey/honeycomb for drizzling

• 3-4 heirloom or regular tomatoes sliced

• Olive oil for drizzling

• Salt + pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the bread on a baking sheet and rub each slice with a little butter (or you can use olive oil). Place in the oven and toast for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and evenly divide the brie among the toast. Add the thyme. Place back in the oven and cook another 5 minutes or until the brie is melted. During the last minute, turn the oven to broil and broil 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle the toast with walnuts and drizzle with honey and or spread with honeycomb. Add the sliced tomatoes and very lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. (https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/buttered-brie-and-heirloom-tomato-toast-with-honey-thyme-walnuts/)

Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

Peach Thyme Tarts 

Gingered Peach Bourbon Thyme Smash

Heirloom Tomato and Zucchini Galette with Honey + Thyme

Blackberry Thyme Margarita

Butternut Squash and Thyme Soup

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Escarole

• Don’t be fooled by escarole’s lettuce appearance, it’s more bitter than you think! Part of the Chicory family, including endive, radicchio and other bitter greens, it has a more bitter flavor than it’s sweeter look alike, lettuce.

• The sharp flavor comes from the outside leaves, which are darker and tougher, whereas the inside leaves are lighter in color and more tender.

• You can eat escarole raw, but it is better cooked, sauteed with olive oil or tossed in a soup.

• In soups escarole cooks down quickly while maintaining its bite without the flavor being too intense or being lost in the dish.

• Store like all greens, in a plastic bag or container in the refrigerator.

RECIPES

Sauteed Escarole Recipe

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, sliced

• Small pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 head escarole, well rinsed (and still a little wet), leaves removed from core, torn or chopped into 3 to 4 pieces

• Generous pinch of sea salt or kosher salt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes (if using). Once the garlic starts to cook and is fragrant, add the escarole leaves to the pan. The leaves should still be a little wet from rinsing. They’ll sizzle as they hit the pan, but if you add them all at once, the oil shouldn’t splatter. Use tongs to turn the escarole over in the pan as it cooks. Sprinkle with a little salt. When the escarole starts to wilt, and is barely cooked through, remove from heat. Remove from the pan immediately to serve. (https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/sauteed_escarole/)

Low-Commitment Wedding Soup

Fennel, Escarole, and Radish Salad 

Farro and Escarole Soup

Spaghettini with Spicy Escarole and Pecorino Romano 

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Mizuna

• Mizuna has dark smooth green leaves with a glossy surface, deeply serrated edges, and a fringed, feathery appearance. The thin, narrow, and white stems are firm and offer a crunchy texture.

• Younger plants have mild taste whereas older mature plants can be peppery, piquant, and have a mildly bitter-sweet taste.

• High in vitamins A, C, and K, folate, and iron. It is also a source of B-complex vitamins and the essential minerals calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, and selenium.

• Best suited for both raw in salads and cooked by steaming, stir-frying, or boiling and adding to soups or sautés. 

• Pairs well with Parmesan, goat cheese, arugula, spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, green onions, parsley, miso soup, chicken noodle soup, noodles, vinaigrette, faro, barley, pork chops, poultry, tofu, pear, pecans, and sauces such as lemon, ponzu, and soy sauce.

• Best stored in containers or in bags in the refrigerator.

RECIPES

Simple Mizuna Salad 

• 1 large bunch of mizuna

• 2-3 radishes, very thinly sliced

• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice + additional to taste

• flakey sea salt

• 2 Tablespoons sunflower seeds, lightly toasted on the stovetop for  a few minutes

• a few thin slices of fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

• a few pinches of micro greens (optional)

In a large bowl toss the mizuna with the radishes and drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Toss well. Sprinkle the salad with a few healthy pinches of flakey sea salt, the toasted sunflower seeds, shaved parmesan (if using) and micro greens (if using). Serve immediately. (https://dishingupthedirt.com/recipes/simple-mizuna-salad/)

Mizuna and Minced Chicken Stir Fry

Mizuna, Cheese, and Sausage Sandwich Toast

Vegan Nabe (Hot Pot with Miso)

Green Garlic Risotto

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Minutina

• Minutina made its debut here at KCSA in 2020 and has been a hit ever since!

• Minutina has light green leaves that are slender and spiked with forking antler-like horns.

• The leaves have a crisp yet succulent texture with a flavor likened to a cross of spinach and parsley.

• Great to add to salads for a crunch, stir fries for a great flavor, or even with your eggs in the morning.

• Pairs well with feta cheese, parmesan, garlic, lemon, balsamic vinegar, pears, apples, browned butter, sesame oil, seafood and poultry.

• Did you know Minutina has been grown in the United States since at least Colonial times? It was used then as a medicinal plant, thought to relieve fevers and protect against a host of other maladies and was also once popular in fancy jellies.

• Best stored in containers or bags in the refrigerator.

RECIPES

Eggs and Greens 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 cups stemmed and chopped rainbow chard

• 1 cup fresh minutina 

• ½ cup arugula

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 4 eggs, beaten

• ½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese 

• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chard, minutina, and arugula until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Mix eggs and cheese together in a bowl; pour into the chard mixture. Cover and cook until set, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/260473/eggs-and-greens-breakfast-dish/)

Crispy Chicken Cutlet with Minutina Zhug and Ranch

Misticanza

Old-fashioned Minutina Jelly

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Claytonia

• Claytonia, also known as Miner’s Lettuce, has bright green disk-like leaves that are crunchy, mild, and sweet, with a subtle earthiness flavor.

• A great source of vitamin C and vitamin A and also contains iron, beta-carotene, and protein.

• The flowers, leaves, and stems are all edible and can be eaten raw or cooked by steaming, boiling, stir-frying or sautéing.

• Can also be cooked and served with meat dishes, paired with other spring vegetables, mixed into soups, or added to pesto. 

• Did you know that Miner’s lettuce, aka claytonia, got its name from the workers who traveled to California during the Gold Rush? Needing a source of vitamin C, gold miners discovered from the Native Americans that Miner’s lettuce could be consumed both raw or cooked to prevent scurvy and other vitamin C related issues.

• Best stored in containers or bags in the refrigerator.

RECIPES

Claytonia Smoothie

• 1 cup claytonia 

• 1/2 ripe pear

• 1/2 ripe banana

• 1/2 cup blueberries or strawberries 

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Seven stars OG Plain or Maple recommended) 

• 1/4 cup milk

Put all ingredients into a blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes. Pour into glass and enjoy immediately. (http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2012/05/miners-lettuce-smoothie.html)

Wild Green Salad with Claytonia

Claytonia Pesto/Dip

Claytonia with Sundried Tomatoes and Apricots

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Garlic Chives

• Garlic Chives, also known as Chinese chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, and Chinese leeks, have green, flat, wide leaves and white star-shaped flowers at the top that are edible and bloom in the spring.

• Unlike garlic, the bulb of garlic chives is actually inedible. 

• Very similar to your standard chive, but with a rich flavor that is often described as a mix of garlic and onion but less pungent than a clove of garlic.

• Even Vincent Van Gogh was inspired by the beauty and flavor of Garlic chives, painting a simple still life of a pot of chives in 1887.

• Garlic chives are rich in vitamin C, and contain carotene, vitamin B1 and B2, calcium, and iron.

• Garlic chives can be used in both raw and cooked applications or used to finish dishes.

• Pairs well with fresh herbs, soft cheeses, mushrooms, noodles, meats, and chilies.

• Best stored in a container or bag in the refrigerator.

RECIPES

Chive Pancakes (Buchujeon)

• 7 ounces garlic chives/buchu

• 1.5 cups flour or GF flour

• 1 cup water

• 1 egg

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil

Clean chives and cut into 2 inch long pieces. Make batter by mixing flour, water, egg, salt and sugar. Whisk well until batter is smooth. In a mixing bowl, add chives and then pour batter but do it in gradual amounts to make sure you don’t have too much batter. Heat frying pan on medium high heat. Add 2 tsp of vegetable oil for a 10 inch pan. When oil moves around freely like water, when swirled, pour chive pancake mixture and spread it out with spatula on pan. A mistake you can make here is to make the pancake too thick. Cook for about 2 min or until about 70% of surface looks cooked. Turn it over and add another 1~2 tsp vegetable oil around the edges of the pan. Cook for another 2 min or so until nicely browned. Transfer pancake onto a cutting board and cut into squares or diamonds. You can also just serve it whole and allow people to just cut it at the table. (https://food52.com/recipes/68113-chive-pancakes-buchujeon)

Spiced Tofu Stir-Fry with Garlic Chives 

Bucatini with Lemon Garlic Chive Pesto Sauce 

Niratama (Chinese Chives & Eggs)

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Chives

• Chives grow in clusters with pointy blade-like leaves that are hollow and have globular spikey, pinkish-purple flowers that bloom in early summer.

• Both leaves and flowers share a mild onion flavor and are edible! 

• Common Chives are part of the classic French herb blend called fines herbes (pronounced fien erbs), along with flat leaf parsley, French tarragon and chervil.

• Leaves can be used to flavor salads, dips, soups, stews, vinegar’s, cheese dishes, sour cream and butter but are best added at the end of the cooking process because they lose flavor when heated.

• Chives are a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, sulfur and contain high amounts of potassium, vitamins A and C.

• Great for freezing and drying.

• Best store in containers or bags in refrigerator

RECIPES 

Cheddar Cheese and Chive Popovers

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus extra for greasing the pan

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup milk

• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese freshly grated

• 1/4 cup chives finely diced

Preheat the oven to 450°F, and thoroughly grease your popover pan. Melt the tablespoon of butter in your bowl and set it aside to cool slightly. Break the eggs into the same bowl (with the butter) and whisk gently. Then whisk in the flour, salt, and milk until just barely blended; a few lumps are fine.

Add in the cheddar cheese and chives and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cheese and chives into the batter. Don't over mix.

Fill the cups 2/3 full (3/4 full for large popovers), and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes. (Do not open the oven! Opening the oven door in the first 20 minutes can cause them to collapse.)

When they are brown and crusty, remove them from the oven, and make a small slit in their sides with a sharp knife. Serve immediately. (https://hipfoodiemom.com/2015/03/03/cheddar-cheese-and-chive-popovers/)

Make-Ahead Layered Salad (For a Crowd) 

Greek Yogurt Onion Dip 

Tomato Toast with Chives and Sesame Seeds

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Chive Pesto

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce

Sorrel

• Sorrel has dark large elongated arrow-shaped green leaves that have a distinct sour note and sharp lemony tang due to their oxalic acid content.

• According to food historian John Mariani, the word “sorrel” probably comes from the Old French word surele, meaning “sour.”

• Lemony sorrel is super high in Vitamin C; just 1/2 cup of the leafy green provides you with about half of your daily Vitamin C needs. It is also high in Vitamin A and potassium and is a good source of iron.

• Sorrel may be used raw as a salad green, a fresh herb, or sautéed similarly to spinach. The young leaves are tender and mild, best for fresh eating, while larger leaves become sharp and bitter, best for cooked applications.

• Complimentary flavors include, hard aged cheeses, cream, eggs, fish, caviar, oysters, lentils, potatoes, spinach, onion, shallot, mustard, parsley, tarragon, mint, chervil and nutmeg.

• Best stored in containers or bags in the refrigerator.

RECIPES

Sorrel And Hazelnut Pesto

•  1/2 c Hazelnuts

• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

• 1 clove Garlic

• 2 c Sorrel Leaves

• 1/2 c Olive Oil

• 1 tsp Lemon Zest

• 1 c Parmesan, Grated

In a food processor (or with mortar and pestle if you feel like it and have the extra time) process the hazelnuts and salt until the nuts are very finely ground.  Add the garlic and process again until it is uniform with the nuts. Add the sorrel, about 1/2 cup at a time, when it gets too thick to process, start adding the oil slowly, alternating with the remaining sorrel until all incorporated. Stir in the lemon zest and grated parmesan and season to taste with salt. Serve with hot pasta like fettuccine or pappardelle or as a condiment with some grilled or poached fish or chicken. Another delicious option (or use your leftovers) is as a spread on bruschetta and topped with sliced cherry tomatoes. (https://sabrinacurrie.com/recipe/sorrel-pesto-recipe-west-coast-food/)

Potato and Sorrel Gratin

Sorrel Soup, French Style

Sorrel Salad

Sorrel Smoothie Dream

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For more information see:

The Encyclopedia of Food

Specialty Produce