Week 6: And the Wacky Tans Continue

"When you have a party at home, no matter how much room you have,the guests will automatically manage to work their way into the kitchen...Warmth and food and life."

                                                                                                       -Mary Higgins Clark

It's the kids last few days of classes this week, so we've been tying things up with them, curious about their summer plans, and continuing to put things in the ground as the land dries up (i.e. more tomatoes!woo!).

Feeling fortunate to have so far evaded the uniform of itchy eyes and runny noses that so many people seem to be wearing as the season of lawn-mowing comes into full swing. Stu, on the other hand, has been sneezing non-stop for a while now. For his sake, and anyone else battling allergies this season, hopefully they will reside soon.

This week in your share you can expect to get creative with:

• Radishes
• Beets
• Fennel
• Salad Greens
• Parsley
• Spinach
• Chinese Cabbage

Happy Eating!

Speaking of Solanaceaes: Pictured are our healthily progressing potatoes loving the sunny weather

I ate this dish many a nights on the farm last year when our refrigerator was overfloweth with Spinach
Espinacas con Garbanzos [Spinach and Chickpeas]
1/2 pound (230 grams) dried chickpeas, cooked until soft and tender* or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
6 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound (450 grams) spinach, washed
A hefty 1-inch slice from a country loaf or about 2 slices from sandwich loaf bread (2.5 ounces or 75 grams), crusts removed and cut inset small cubes
1/2 cup (4 ounces) tomato sauce (I used canned stuff I keep around)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika**
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomato sauce. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are hot. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top, or on fried bread toasts (as the Spanish do)

I don't generally use the bread, although doing so would make this much heartier, and throw in whatever spinach I have around and it always turns out great!

from smittenkitchen.com