Produce & Recipes: February 4, 2025
Produce in your share this week
Reed's Organic Farm (Egg Harbor Township, NJ)
Radishes
Turnips
Cilantro
Parsley
Winter raab greens
Ploch Farms (Buena, NJ)
Jersey sweet potatoes
Schober's Orchards & Farm Market (Monroeville, NJ)
Fuji apples
Jim’s Jam (New Gretna, NJ)
Your choice of one jam; first come, first serve, as quantity of each is limited: Blueberry (0/5 spice), Blueberry Habanero (1/5 spice), Habanero (1/5 spice), Cowboy Candy (candied jalapeños, 2/5 spice), or Ghost Pepper (2/5 spice)
Absegami High School Culinary Program, taught by Chef Christina Martin (Galloway, NJ)
Sourdough bread
Vegan herbed spread
Storage Tips
Here are our tips for this week's items to help you streamline meal planning & reduce household food waste.
General storage tips:
Don't wash fresh produce until you are about to eat or cook it.
Avoid storing your produce near foods that emit ethylene (a gas that encourages ripening) like bananas, apples, or tomatoes.
Refer to the Produce Storage Guide for temperature and storage guidance.
Storing your share:
Store winter raab greens in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and use within 3 days, before the leaves and stalks wilt.
For radishes, separate the greens and roots. Eat the greens within 3 days. Keep the unwashed radish roots in a bag in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
For turnips, separate the greens and roots. Eat the greens within 3 to 5 days. Keep the unwashed turnip roots in a bag in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Keep bread in an airtight bag. Eat fresh within 1 week or freeze and eat within a few months. Use herbed spread within 1 week.
Keep cilantro in an airtight bag or container with a paper towel. It will last around 1 to 2 weeks. You can also dry your herbs for long-term preservation!
Store parsley bouquet-style in a glass of water on the counter. It should last for 2 weeks.
Keep apples in the fridge in a ventilated bag and they will last 1 to 2 months.
Keep sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot and they will last up to 6 months.
Refrigerate jam after opening. Eat within 1 year.
Eat first: Winter raab greens, radish greens, turnip greens, bread
Eat later: Cilantro, parsley, apples, sweet potatoes, jam
Preparation Tips
Produce items in bold are in your share this week.
What are winter raab greens? Harvested in late winter, raab greens are “the flowering stems of the large family of Brassicaceae, whose members include kale, turnips, Brussels sprouts and mustards” (Portland Farmers Market). Broccoli rabe likely being the most familiar variety to us, veggies in the raab/rabe family have “long, slender stalks; tender, frilled leaves; and distinctive flower buds” (Williams Sonoma).
Depending on the type of brassica and maturity, raab can taste sharp, spicy, bitter, earthy, and nutty! Raab is is a nutritious source of vitamins A, C, & K; magnesium; calcium; copper; manganese; vitamin B6; potassium; and fiber. Raab may also be called rappi, rappone, choi sum, friarelli, taitcat, and Italian turnip. (Portland Farmers Market)
To prepare: “Trim away the ends of the stems and any wilted leaves. If any of the stems are particularly thick or tough, they can be peeled with a vegetable peeler. To reduce broccoli rabe’s bitterness, it can be steamed, braised in a small amount of water, or blanched before serving or cooking further” (Williams Sonoma). You can also freeze the greens for up to 6 months.
To cook, check out these recipe ideas from Portland Farmers Market and Williams Sonoma:
Raab holds up deliciously when it’s lightly steamed or blanched, sauteed, roasted, grilled, or pickled.
Try it raw in a salad or feature it on a fresh vegetable platter.
Cook and chill for a salads, try it as a pizza topping, or use it as a bruschetta garnish.
Classic Italian partners include garlic, red pepper flakes, anchovies, tangy black olives, sausage, sharp cheeses, and fruity olive oil. You can never go wrong with finishing the dish with citrus zest/juice. Broccoli rabe in particular is popular in Italian cuisine, sautéed in olive oil and garlic or as the basis of a pasta sauce.
For an Asian flavor profile, stir fry with garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger; with soy sauce and sesame oil or oyster sauce.
Feeling inspired? Check out the recipes below!
Recipes
Quick Pickled Radishes - Radishes
Quick-Braised Collard Greens - Raab greens
Garlic Parsley Rof - Read more about rof here
Guacamole - Cilantro
Baked Apples with Dates - Fuji apple
Feedback
You can leave any & all feedback about your experience in the C.R.O.P.S. Farm Share Program by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/KJJ5NpgZ8mghkoXo8
