[Week 2] How to Store Scallions + Stir-Fried Lettuce, Broccoli Pesto & More

Farm Share Friends!

I don’t think a bundle of scallions will ever enter my fridge again.

Upon bringing my vegetables home last week, I transferred the basil, parsley, and — urged by several of you — the scallions to jars filled with a little bit of water. While I knew my parsley and basil would be fine, this was new territory for my scallions.

Nearly a week later, the scallions are as perky as ever, and I couldn’t be more pleased. What I love about the countertop storage method is the accessibility — the herbs (and now scallions) are right there reminding me to use them: to snip them into salads or stir them into an herby dressing or scramble them into my morning eggs.

I can’t wait to add this week’s basil, parsley, and scallions to the countertop party. Thank you for sending along so many wonderful storage tips last week, and if you have more ideas, please share.

Last week, I didn’t get around to making the Swiss chard hummus, but I did make a favorite old recipe: Swiss Chard Salad with Lemon, Parmesan, and Bread Crumbs. If you love a raw kale salad, you will love this recipe, which is such a good one to make with the first tender chard of the season.

Last week, too, I used the bok choy and tastsoi in a stir-fried lettuce recipe from Hetty McKinnon’s Tenderheart, which is proving to be filled with treasures. The recipe is below.

Please share anything you’re loving to make with these early season vegetables.

PS: If you’re feeling overloaded with herbs and are looking for a change from pesto, try making schug. It’s so good.

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Week 2 Vegetables

In addition to nearly everything we received last week, this week we’re also receiving broccoli and zucchini 🎉🎉

• ​scallions → Scallion Recipes​

• kale → Kale Recipes

• chard → Chard Recipes​​

• basil → Herb Recipes​​

• head lettuce → Salads

• bok choy → Bok Choy Recipes + See Recipe Below

• parsley → Herb Recipes

• broccoli → Broccoli Recipes

• zucchini or summer squash → Summer Squash Recipes

Find recipes for all the vegetables here → Farm Share Vegetables

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Rough Meal Plan

The recipes scribbled onto this rough meal plan can be found below. Last week, I used my head lettuce first, and I’ll likely do the same this week. Everything else — the kale, chard, bok choy, tatsoi — held up very well in the fridge for a few days.

8 Recipes

This week my friend Erinn again sent along some great recipe suggestions, a few of which I’ve shared below and others I’ll share in the weeks ahead. I’m very excited about this broccoli pesto pasta …

Photo via Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen

… and also these broccoli fritters:

Photo via Recipe Tin Eats

For the first tender summer squash of the season along with all of those herbs, this salad is perfect:

For the head lettuce, I’ll make a simple salad with this apple cider vinaigrette, something like the one pictured below, with slivered snap or snow peas swapped in for the apples.

For the kale, I’ll likely wilt it into these chickpeas:

Basil: This past week I made Chicken Souvlaki, one of my kids’ favorites, and I’ll likely make it again:

As noted, this past week, I made this Swiss chard salad, which I can’t recommend enough:

Stir-Fried Lettuce (or Bok Choy)

Serves 4

As noted above, this recipe comes from Hetty McKinnon’s Tenderheart. The orginal recipe calls for romaine or iceberg lettuce, but I found it worked really well with the bok choy and tatsoi last week, and I think it would work for all sorts of greens we might receive in the weeks ahead. I quickly sautéed the thicker bok choy and tatsoi stalks before proceeding with the recipe, which I’ve noted in the instructions below.

• 1 head iceberg, romaine lettuce, bok choy or tatsoi (1 to 1.5 lbs)

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

• 2 teaspoons vegetarian stir-fry sauce, dark soy sauce, or oyster sauce

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• sea salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil or olive oil

• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• toasted sesame seeds, for serving

1. If using lettuce: Run a sharp paring knife around the core of the lettuce, then gently pull it out and discard or compost. If the outer layers of the lettuce are loose and discolored, remove and discard. Tear the lettuce into large chunks. Wash the leaves and allow them to dry in a colander. If using bok choy: Roughly chop the leaves; chop the firmer stems into 1-inch pieces.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce or tamari, stir-fry sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. If using lettuce: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the ginger and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the lettuce and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the leaves are wilted. Pour the sauce over the lettuce and stir-fry for 1 minute longer. Take care not to overcook the lettuce, as you want it to retain some crunch. If using bok choy: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the bok choy stems, and cook for 1-2 minutes to soften. Add the ginger and garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the bok choy leaves and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until the leaves are wilted. Pour the sauce over the lettuce and stir-fry for 1 minute longer.

4. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Scatter the sesame seeds over the top and serve.

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Fellow Farm Sharers: Please share in the comments links to recipes you are loving for your early season farm share vegetables! Tips, questions, and suggestions are always welcome, too. Enjoy your vegetables! 🥦🥬🥒🌶🌽🥕 See you next week :)