After two very hot weeks, it finally rained and we are thankful. The farm has no irrigation and it can be stressful on the fields and the farmer. Although, farmer Matt is very happy with how the crops are looking this season, especially our self blanching Frisee. This delightful relative of the endive is commonly called curly endive and has a peppery/nutty flavor. It is most frequently used as a salad green and is seen in mesclun mixes, but this subtly bitter green is great to experiment with. The bitterness is best, or most popularly, balanced with an emollient, a la eggs and bacon. The recipe this week is a very traditional French frisee salad and it’s amazing.
In your box this week:
Full Shares:
Potatoes
Frisee
Arrowhead Cabbage
Green Kohlrabi
Salad Turnips
Green Filet Beans
Scallions
Tuscano Kale
Baby Arugula
Half Shares:
Potatoes
Mesclun
Green Kohlrabi
Salad Turnips
Scallions
Zephyr Summer Squash
Baby Arugula
Frisée Salad with Lardons and Poached Eggs
1/2 pound frisée (French curly endive)
6 ounces slab bacon or thick-cut bacon slices
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
Tear frisée into bite-size pieces and put in a large bowl. If using slab bacon, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks (lardons).
In a heavy skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden and remove skillet from heat.
Have ready another skillet with 1 inch warm water. Half-fill a 4-quart saucepan with water and stir in white vinegar. Bring liquid to a bare simmer. Break each egg into a teacup. Slide 1 egg into simmering liquid and immediately push white around yolk with a slotted spoon, moving egg gently. (Egg will become oval, with yolk completely covered by white.) Add remaining 3 eggs in same manner. Simmer eggs about 1 1/2 minutes for runny yolks to about 3 minutes for firm yolks. Immediately transfer eggs to skillet of warm water.
Reheat bacon in its skillet over moderate heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add red-wine vinegar and boil 5 seconds. Immediately pour hot dressing over frisée and toss with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide salad among 4 plates and top with drained poached eggs. Season eggs with salt and pepper and serve salad immediately.
Hooray for good food!
Matt and Heather and the Sparrow Arc Crew
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