A lot of new Veggies

I hope everyone is enjoying the delicious strawberries from the farm. They taste extra sweet to me because other local farms strawberry crops have succumbed to the extreme wet weather. The saturated soils of last fall when strawberries are planted prevented the plants from coming to a nice size; couple that with this past week's torrential rains leaving more standing water, and their berries have rotted. So, appreciate the water management actions that Anchor Run has invested in and enjoy the harvest!

This is the time of year when every week's harvest varies as more and more things mature. Some of the greens, such as broccoli raab, Italian dandelion greens, escarole and radicchio are deemed too bitter for some people. I tend to use bits of them in my mixed salads, so that the bitter hint is actually a plus. Here are some strategies to try to tame the bitterness.

Cut or slice the greens in small pieces or strips, soak in cold water in which a few ice cubes have been added for 30 minutes. This helps tame the bitterness. Likewise, blanching and/or cooking significantly cuts down the bitterness. Broccoli raab is the prime example. It’s so good when quickly sautéed with garlic and red pepper flakes, but an overload of acrid flavor can destroy the dish’s balance. To guarantee the right taste, first blanch the raab in a pot of boiling salty water until it turns bright green. Then drain the stalks and finish the newly non-bitter vegetables however you’d like.

Bitter vegetables respond well to hints of sweetness. Add a little extra sugar or honey to vinaigrettes intended for bitter veggies. Also, the combination of strong vinegar and a big pinch of salt can tame even the bitterest of bites with its own assertiveness. Look for vinegars with a lot of character: this is the right place to pour on your aged balsamic or imported sherry vinegar.

If you’re sensitive to bitter flavors and not averse to adding fat, add cheese, cream, and butter to bitter vegetables; this shields your taste buds against their boldness. Creamy gratins are good formats to look to, and strong rich cheeses, like fontina and gorgonzola, make an ideal finish for anything with bitter greens.

There are a lot of recipes on this site for the bitter greens we receive that employ these methods, so try some of them! And remember, bitter greens are extra good for your body and your digestion!