Root-to-Seed
We are in the midst of an agricultural crucible: the transition from spring to summer. Yes, even farming can have it’s fair share of dramatic flair.
There is a certain measure of faith we must have in the many moving parts of farming to go well, or at the very least be consistent. Not only do we rely on the iron persistence of storage crops from last year to aid in this transition, but the dogged determination of the first field crops through cold, heat, drought, downpour, and now smoke. At the same time, constant nurturing of hightunnel crops is required, while seeding for succession and prepping the fields for transplanting.
In other words, ideally it all goes perfectly.
But this is farming! To farm is to adapt, to problem-solve, make-do, and do-well with what is provided. And what provisions!
For our first CSA pick-up of the year, the tables were abound with loose-leaf lettuce, a smattering of herbs, spinach, green onions, micropeas, and edible flowers. We rounded it out with some storage crops from last season, and a few friends from the fields; Rover Red radishes and bok choy. Since uncertainty calls for creativity, we thought it pertinent to wax poetic on the merits of what we’re calling Root-to-Seed eating. Now, what the crop do we mean by that?
Radish greens
Most of us have heard of the popular concept of Nose-to-Tail cooking; that trendy revival of what was once simply the way that folks processed their livestock for maximum return and minimum waste. Now, while that revival and acknowledgement of reducing food waste is very much a necessity in this country (In the UNEP 2021 Food Waste Index Report, 61% of food waste originates from the household/consumer level, which amounts to over 19 million tonnes of food per year), it inspires attention to be paid to the other consumables in our lives as well; namely, vegetables. Not all of us raise livestock, can afford to purchase meat, have access to tripe, gizzards, or Rocky Mountain Oysters. And some of us simply choose not to eat meat. Plants, however, are a blissfully unavoidable and bountiful source of energy and nutrition in our lives (not to mention joy). It’s high time we honor these fibrous friends for their generous time and effort by eating them Root-to-Seed.
If you do partake in the consumption of meat, ask about available cuts from Cobblestone Valley Farm at your next CSA pickup!
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Take care to note that regenerative farming is no new concept - Indigenous peoples on all continents have been stewarding their lands in this way since time immemorial - but rather a philosophy and act of respect of the cyclical intricacies of land management and cultivation by upholding and facilitating those natural biological processes.
Wilding by Isabella Tree
The Third Plate by Dan Barber
For the Love of Soil: Strategies to Regenerate Our Food Production Systems by Nicole Master
Defending Beef: The Case for Sustainable Meat Production by Nicolette Hahn Niman
The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson
What is Regenerative Agriculture? by Anna Borgman (link to article)
Where were we?
The variability in crop source and stage this time of year encourages a sagacious eye, a thrifty hand, and a curious stomach. There is much to be discovered and enjoyed when eating plants. So, how to be canny with what we have before production kicks into high gear? Take cilantro for example. A coveted herb in many countries, there is more to this aromatic greenery than just a garnish for tacos or pho. Indeed, the entire plant is edible. Check it out!
Opens up a whole new world, no? It’s like some type of frugal hedonism: no waste and all kinds of delicious dishes to try!
Let’s take a look at new crops available this week, and how we can apply Root-to-Seed…
Purple Mu Radish
Mu is the common word for radish in Korean, most often referring to the white variety.
Not the same as Japanese daikon radish! Mu radishes are shorter and rounder, and have a slightly more peppery bite than their look-a-likes, but are not as spicy as our Rover Red variety.
While we’re only providing the root for now, these used apply to all radishes!
Radish greens are lovely dried and used like an herb, sauteéd with chiles, made into compound butter, or added to your favorite soup or stew.
Thinly slice the root and pickle for homemade bánh mì, or ferment and make your own radish kimchi!
Green Coriander
These are young cilantro seeds, as described in the infographic above.
Grind the seeds to a paste in a mortar and pestle, or use the side of your knife to crush them. Add a little salt to draw out water and help with the mushing, a touch of acid, and a bit of olive oil. Add to salsa, chutney, or marinade!
Ferment them for preservation and an extra zing.
Make this green coriander aioli for dippin’:
1 cup. mayo (why not homemade with yolks from our hens?)
2 tbsp. green coriander seed, ground
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. lime zest
1 tbsp. grated garlic (or garlic scape)
salt and pepper to taste
Garlic Scapes
Fleeting, but simply delightful. Garlic scapes are the morphological structures that grow directly up from the garlic bulb, and if left to their own natural progression, will develop a flower at the tippy top. If you harvest the scape when the bloom is still a bud, you are left with a whirly, swirly, snappy, garlicky treat.
Scapes are much milder than garlic cloves, and their shape also lends itself to more creative applications:
Pickle them with dill and red chiles like you would a spicy asparagus spear.
S&P, olive oil, and a grill will do wonders. Simple is sometimes best.
Make pesto! Perhaps with your radish greens?
Dredge and fry like tempura! (And then dip them in your green coriander aioli….)
Use anywhere you would with cloves.
