Recipe Links: Wisconsin Week 3, Chicago Week 1

1. Turnip greens, 2. Leeks, 3. Cherry Belle Radishes, 4. Oregano, 5. Garlic Scapes, 6. Snow peas, 7. Lettuce, 8. Spicy Greens, 9. Bright Lights chard [Not pictured: Asparagus (Chicago only), Bok Choi (Chicago only)]

This week snow peas, garlic scapes, and Swiss chard join the spring bounty. For Chicago subscribers joining the delivery schedule this week, the recipes for bok choi and asparagus in previous weeks' posts might also be intriguing.

Turnip Greens

Turnip Green Gomae This twist on a Japanese spinach recipe has me intrigued. It boasts a short ingredient list and a fairly simple series of steps. 

Nancy Jane Pierce's Spicy Kale, from From Asparagus to Zucchini, pg. 95

Kale leaves from 2 bunches (or other strong greens--turnip, mustard, or collards)
1 tbsp olive oil
1-5 garlic cloves minced (Megan's note: I'd lean toward 5, but I like a lot of garlic)
Crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 to 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Bring 2 quarts of salted water to boil. Add kale or other greens, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Drain and immediately rise in cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze water out of greens. Heat olive oil in the same pot. Add garlic and red pepper flakes to taste. Saute 1 minute, then stir in kale and broth. Simmer 4-5 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings. 

Sauteed Turnip Greens, from Dela

Chop them up and sautée in olive oil or bacon fat with some onion and or garlic and a couple shots of balsamic vinegar. You can add other veggies if you like and serve over rice. Tony likes it on a cream cheese sandwich.

Cherry Belle Radishes (Wisconsin only)

Creamy Spring Turnip Soup with Wilted Radish Greens and Bacon Another great-looking recipe using radish tops--in case you needed further proof that those greens are tasty.

Radish Salad with Anchovy Sauce If you like pungent, bold flavors, look no further. This salad sports a number of strong flavors to keep your palate dancing.

Quick Pickled Radishes A quick dunk in pickling liquid will keep those radishes from spoiling for weeks. Just keep them tucked in your fridge to add to salads, pasta dishes, or grains. (Or eat them straight from the jar!)

Or, try this Sauteed Radishes and Sugar Snaps with Dill listed under snow peas.

Oregano

Try adding oregano to your salad dressings. It's great with red wine vinegar and olive oil.

It's also delicious in an egg scramble with feta cheese. Add minced oregano to scrambled eggs and crumbled cheese. Cook as you would scrambled eggs.

Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scape Pesto With their mild garlicky flavor, scapes make a lovely sauce for pasta. Try this pesto or the Cilantro Scape Pesto in Farm-Fresh and Fast.

Lindsey's Stir Fry Garlic scapes are also a delicious addition to stir-fry. Try this recipe from former intern Lindsey.

Snow Peas

Pasta with Prosciutto, Snap Peas, Mint, and Cream This recipe looks delicious, if more than a bit indulgent. I'd probably follow the advice offered in the comments section and halve the cream, at least to start. Bacon would work in place of prosciutto, as well.

Bowties with Sugar Snaps, Lemon and Ricotta Another creamy pasta recipe for this week. Peas and mint seem to be speaking to me this week.

Sauteed Radishes and Snaps with Dill A vegetable dish using both your peas and your radishes from this week's share. (And one recipe that doesn't include mint with those peas!)

Lettuce

Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid's Luang Prabang Fusion Salad Maybe a little elaborate for a salad, but this recipe has me intrigued. Lots of interesting flavors to perk up that lettuce.

I've shared a number of very specific salad recipes over the last couple of weeks, but lest I imply salads need recipes, I thought I'd share a general rule-of-thumb guide for vinaigrettes, too.

Or, gussy up a lettuce salad with some homemade croutons. They're surprisingly easy to make either in the oven or on the stovetop. I always forget about them when I tuck croutons in the oven for a Caesar salad--I just get so caught up in that dressing! So, I've started making them stovetop by frying up cubes of good bread--French or sourdough  work well--in olive oil or butter over medium-high heat. Sometimes I toss in some herbs (thyme is nice, or this week's oregano minced up finely would work, too) or spices (crushed red pepper and garlic are frequent fliers). Fry the bread, tossing every few minutes to make sure all sides are golden brown and crisp. 

Spicy Greens

Frittata with Braised Mustard Greens When in doubt, make a frittata! Frittatas are much easier and cheaper to throw together than it may seem. This one uses mustard greens, but any vegetable odds and ends will do.

Pici Pasta with Dandelion Greens Sub mustard greens in for dandelion greens here for a simple, satisfying pasta dish.

Roasted Carrots with Mustard Greens Gremolata Well that certainly sounds much fancier than it is! Roast some carrots, toss together a garlic-greens topping, and serve with a fancy name.

Bright Lights Chard

Chard Salad with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan Bright lights chard is so pretty, it's almost a shame to cook it. With this salad, you don't have to! Colorful greens, bright lemon juice, and crunchy breadcrumb bits--what more could you want?

Grilled Swiss Chard Stems with Anchovy Vinaigrette Unconvinced about chopping those stems up with the leaves for your recipes? A quick toss onto the grill could transform those stems into a quick side for your next meal.

Sicilian Swiss Chard and Ricotta, from La Cucina, pg. 730

2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lb Swiss chard
10 oz ricotta
 3 large eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with olive oil. Parboil the Swiss chard until tender, about 5 minutes, and drain well. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan and add the chard. Cook until totally wilted. In a bowl, crush the ricotta with the tines of a fork, add the eggs and the chard, and salt and pepper lightly. Put this mixture in the baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.

Early Onions (Wednesday shares only)

Roasted Spring Onions Another simple treatment for spring onions that highlights their mild sweetness.

Poached Eggs over Scafata Scafata is an Umbrian staple that makes great use of spring's offerings. Use as many of the vegetables listed in this recipe as you have on hand, and I'm sure the results will be spectacular. 

Leeks (Thursday and Chicago only)

Garlicky Crimini Mushrooms with Leeks on Pasta, Farm-Fresh and Fast, pg. 239

Buttery Braised Leeks with a Crispy Panko Topping This recipe looks like a great side dish. Or, skip the panko, and chop the braised leeks to serve on toasts.

Asparagus (Chicago only)

Patricia Wells’ Asparagus Braised with Fresh Rosemary and Bay Leaves This is hands-down one of my favorite ways to cook asparagus. It almost doesn’t seem fair that this recipe is so easy. I used dried bay leaves and rosemary that I keep tucked in the freezer. Delicious.

Spring Salad with Asparagus and Soft-boiled Eggs Soft-boiled eggs are a great way to make a simple meal seem a bit more indulgent. 

Asparagus Salad with Sesame Chili Lime Dressing An alternative to the gentle treatments of asparagus, this vegan recipe promises to add a kick to your spring meals.

Thai-Scented Asparagus Soup I love the idea of combining coconut milk, lemongrass and ginger with asparagus for this tempting vegetarian/vegan soup.

Bok Choi (Chicago only)

Grilled Baby Bok Choy with Miso Butter This recipe looks lovely. Miso butter is a great vegetarian way of adding a savory depth and added nutrition to your vegetable recipes. 

Roast Pork or Tofu Stir-Fried with Green and White Vegetables, from From Asparagus to Zucchini, pg. 173