Updated May 5, 2008

This week’s fresh box contains four locally grown items:

• Boston lettuce and watercress from Slegers in Strathroy
• Button mushrooms from Windmill Farms in Ashburn
• Sunchokes from Greenfields Farm in Campbellville
• Potted basil from Dolway Organic Gardens in London

Don’t forget: we will be CLOSED on Victoria Day – Monday, May 19th. 

Due to overwhelming demand,
REPLACEMENT DELIVERIES will take place on Wednesday morning, May 21st between 8am and 1pm. 

Please let us know if you want to CANCEL this replacement delivery.

The gnarled roots in your fresh box this week are sunchokes, also known as Jerusalem artichokes.  These rich, tasty little vegetables are actually relatives of sunflowers.  Sunchokes are similar in flavour to an artichoke, but their texture is pure potato.  You can steam, boil, mash, roast or bake them.  They are also very nice grated raw into a salad or sautéed quickly in a stir-fry.

Try this recipe for Sunchoke Pancakes:

½ pound sunchokes, washed well
¼ cup minced onion
1 large egg
¼ tsp. salt
1 pinch nutmeg
white pepper to taste
3 tbsp. flour
4 tbsp. oil

• Grate sunchokes on shredding blade of food processor or vegetable mill. 
• Blend eggs, salt, nutmeg, onion and pepper in mixing bowl.  Add sunchokes and flour and mix well with hands. 
• Heat 1 - 2 tbsp. oil (or butter) in a large skillet.  Place 4 - 6 heaping tbsp. of the mixture in the skillet for each pancake, spacing evenly.  Flatten hard with spatula.  Fry over moderate heat until nicely browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side.  Serve immediately. 

Although basil will grow best outdoors, it can easily be grown indoors in a small pot and, like most herbs, will do best on a south-facing windowsill. It should be kept away from any drafts, and must have plenty of sunlight.

Basil plants whose leaves have wilted from lack of water will normally recover if they are watered thoroughly and immediately placed in a sunny location.   Simply pinch mature leaves as you need them.  Leaf production slows or stops on any stem which flowers, so be sure to pinch off any flower stems to keep your basil plant healthy and happy.

Chard with Lemon, Oil, and Pine Nuts

2 tbsp. pine nuts
1 bunch chard, washed, trimmed, leaves and stems separated
¾ cup water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil

• Bake pine nuts in pan in pre-heated 325-degree oven until lightly golden – about 10 minutes.  Set aside.
• Cut chard stems on slant in 1-inch slices.  Cut leaves in slices about 1 inch wide.
• Combine stems, water, and ½ tbsp. lemon juice in a deep, wide skillet.  Boil gently, covered, until very tender, 10-15 minutes (check often: timing can vary from 5 to 25 minutes).  Lift out with slotted spoon; toss with ½ tbsp. oil, or to taste.  Arrange in center of platter.
• Add leaves to liquid in pan; simmer, uncovered until tender – about 10 minutes, stirring often.  (Add water if necessary during cooking).  Drain. 
• Toss with ½ tbsp. each lemon juice and oil, or to taste.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Serve warm or cool.

The Pinova apple (also called Sonata and Corail) in your fresh box this week is a relatively new apple variety with old-fashioned apple flavor.  The Pinova is exceptionally crisp and juicy, with a firm, dense flesh. It has a mild, well-balanced sweet-tart flavor, which actually improves in storage. If you like a crisp, sweet, and juicy apple (and who doesn't?) you’ll like the Pinova apple.

The Ontario Egg Producers, under the Farm Products Marketing Act, recently announced a price increase for eggs.  As a result, FDO’s egg price will be increasing to $5.48 per dozen as of Monday, May 5th, 2008.

Mushrooms & Watercress in Mustard Dressing

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. crumbled dried tarragon
salt and pepper
1 tbsp. chopped chives or green onion tops (optional)
1 box mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch watercress

• For the dressing, mix together the oil, vinegars, mustard, tarragon, salt and pepper, and chives (optional).
• Add the mushrooms to the dressing, mixing lightly.  Add several sprigs of watercress, and chill briefly.
• Arrange the remaining watercress on a platter and mound the mushroom salad on top.

Thank you for buying Certified Organic!

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