Five things to do with the vegetables found in your share or at the farmer's markets this week

Arugula and orzo pasta salad

This recipe comes from one of our CSA members. In his words (I hope you don’t mind me sharing this Robert)
“It’s a romantic dish to be sure, containing four alleged aphrodisiacs: arugula, cherries, basil, and pine nuts. Basil has long been considered sacred to lovers (see Keats’ poem Isabella, or the Pot of Basil). “
If only all recipes could manifest so much amore!

While it’s not warm enough for us to have basil ready for market quite yet, this will be a good recipe to revisit very soon.

• 1 lb orzo, dry
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¾ cup dried cherries
• 2 cups Arugula (or more, to taste)
• 8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 12 leaves basil, sliced thin
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
Cook the pasta and allow cooling. Toss pine nuts in a non-stick pan on medium heat to toast, and then allow cooling. Combine ingredients and toss

Mustard greens pesto

• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled, quartered
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 cups (loosely packed) coarsely chopped mustard greens

Blend 1/2 cup oil, pecans, and garlic in processor until finely chopped. Add vinegar, then Parmesan; process to blend. Add mustard greens alternately with remaining 1/3 cup oil in 2 additions each; puree until almost smooth. Season pesto with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before using.

Green garlic seems to all of the rage right now! Recently it's been written up in the New York Times Recipes for Health. For us it wasn't so much as being on the cutting edge of the latest hip food, it was more like a happy accident! We had one patch of garlic last year that didn't fare well. We pulled a few garlic from the ground, but the bulbs were really too small and the patch was full of weeds that were often being mistaken for stalks of corn. So instead of pulling them we left the garlic alone, allowing the patch to succumb to the assault of the weeds. The wonderful green garlic we've had for the last few weeks is the result.

Green Garlic Mayonnaise

whip together
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon or a little less Dijon mustard
• 4 stalks green garlic, cleaned as you would leeks and chopped roughly
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice or rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons more rice or white wine vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups corn or other vegetable oil
add a little salt and ta-da, everyone will want to know what your secret ingredient is in your devilled eggs!

Radish and Mango Salsa
• 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 small bunches radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients except the cilantro, salt and pepper in a glass or plastic bowl. Stir gently to combine. Just before serving, add cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Southern style collard greens

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound collard greens, chopped
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 shredded carrot

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Sauté the onions until slightly softened, about 2 minutes, then add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cook another minute. Add collard greens and cook another minute. Add the vegetable stock, cover and carrots and bring to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender, about 40 minutes. Add tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper