What looks like a leaf, but tastes like a cucumber? Salad Burnet!
THIS WEEK’S SUBSCRIBER MENU:
• “Lacinato” Leafy Kale
• Cabbage “Broccoli”
• Swiss Chard
• Green Garlic
• Salad Mustards
• Salad Burnet
• Radishes
• Pea Shoots
Click on the links above for information and recipes about these crops.
COMING SOON:
Purple Radishes
This week, the first of our greenhouse crops are ready. The French Breakfast Radishes are peeking out of the ground, begging to be plucked and eaten. Mild, sweet, and pretty! Part of the salad crop we planted is ready before the lettuce, and it tastes delicious—nutty, mild, and with slightly pungent bites. Should be delicious as a salad with the pea shoots and a peanutty/Thai dressing.
These pretty radishes aren't just quick (21 days from planting). They're also sweet and mild.
The real mystery crop this week, though, is Salad Burnet. I’ve planted it for three years now, trying to figure it out. Finally, it has performed in a way to harvest. What fascinated me about this plant, reading about it in old vegetable books and seed catalogs, is that it doesn’t look like much, but it tastes…..like CUCUMBERS! What a welcome treat in early spring! I like it best fresh, in a sandwich or salad. Maybe on top of soup, but not cooked in it.
So make an amazing salad this week, from the mustards, pea shoots, and salad burnet, dressed with pretty radishes on top, and ENJOY SPRING! Tomorrow, sauté half of your green garlic with your cabbage sprouts in a little olive oil. Maybe toss it with pasta and Pecorino. That just leaves kale, chard and the rest of your garlic for—soup?
Whistling Train Farm 
I’d write a recipe this week, but I’m too busy doing happy dances about the French Breakfast raddishes to actually cook. 🙂 I’ve never been a raddish fan, but these guys are cool, crisp, and refreshing. When I decided to try some from the U-District farmers market years ago, I fell in love. My favorite way to eat them is sliced on a baguette with cold butter and maybe a sprinkle of salt. I had them that way for breakfast yesterday with some salad burnet, and over easy eggs on the side. The raddishes made my day.
Danielle, I’m glad you’re enjoying them. Honestly we only do radishes at the very earliest start of the season because so many insect pests enjoy them. We end up with holes in the leaves from Flea Beetles, and ugly black tunnels in the roots from Cabbage Rootworm. These are from the greenhouse, and, if I do say so myself, they are the prettiest radishes we’ve had in a decade.