June 26, 2016
New veggies info
By Linda Dansbury

The past couple of weeks have shown us some new veggies that you may not be very familiar with so here is a bit of info for scallions, dandelion greens and radicchio.

Scallions - everyone knows this delicious member of the allium family, which also includes onions and leeks. Store them in a plastic bag in the fridge, where they will keep for about a week. As I described a few weeks ago with the garlic scapes, scallions should not be cooked for long periods of time, because their delicate onion flavor will be lost. You may only know them to be used as a garnish or stir fried, but they are also delicious grilled - brush with olive oil prior to grilling and watch closely, turning every couple of minutes so they just get lightly charred. When making a saute like the one in this week's Member Ideas section, I would also add a scallion or 2 near the end of cooking to add the onion taste component to the dish.

Italian dandelion greens - this may be one of the most misunderstood greens we have at the farm. Dandelion is definitely bitter, but can be tamed and enjoyed by using it in some of the following ways: try the Garlic Braised Dandelion Greens with White Bean Puree that is on this site - beans have a great way of taming the bitterness of things like dandelion and broccoli raab. This recipe can be used with pretty much any cooking green we receive so even if you don't pick up the dandelion, you should try this dish - it is delicious. Another good recipe is the Dandelion Salad with Warm Hazelnut Vinaigrette. The nuts and oil also calm down the bitterness of these greens. Of course, dandelion greens can also be made into Dandelion and Pumpkin Seed Pesto - I found an interesting sounding one I will try - it uses green pumpkin seeds instead of nuts - the author says the toasty taste balances out the bitter greens and uses the pesto over pasta, as a sandwich spread or dip.

Radicchio - you probably see this in the grocery stores, and on some restaurant plates, but maybe you have never prepared it yourself? Again, it does have some bitterness. The simplest way to use it for me is to use a leaf or 2 in a mixed green salad - I then cut them into slivers and it adds a nice bite when combined with other more mild greens. I also love to grill it - cut the heads in half or quarters, depending on size, brush with olive oil and as I described with scallions, watch closely - you just want a light char. Remove from the grill, plate and drizzle with a bit more olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste - if you want, grate some parmesan cheese over and add a few toasted nuts of your choice. Or slice the grilled radicchio up and mix in with cooked pasta, adding the same things described as when served alone.