Sugar Snap Pea Pate

Nothing brings the fresh feeling of summer quite like a fresh and crisp Sugar Snap Pea, and an early summer yield doesn't leave much to feed a full family, so luckily by combining these bursting pea pods to some of the other veggies in this week's bag we can make an early-summer pate!

Pate makes a great fridge snack, as you can combine it with nearly anything else in your fridge or pantry like crackers or celery sticks.  Best of all the bright bright green of the peas makes an excellent contrast, making it an excellent smile-inducing finger food for an outdoor garden party.



What you'll use from your bag:
All the sugar snaps (appx 1 cup)
2 small, or 1 medium turnip
1 Shunkyo radish (oblong), and 2 pink beauty radishes to serve
2 stalks of fresh oregano
1/2 small bulb of spring garlic, reserve green to serve
1 leaf Winter Density Lettuce, to serve

What else you'll need:
1 tsp dried tarragon, or 2 pieces fresh, and a pinch to garnish
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable broth
pinch of sea salt

Optional:
Almonds, Walnuts, Red Bell Pepper, Smoked Paprika


First, you'll wash and pre-chop,
Chopping the radish, garlic, and turnip into smaller pieces helps the mixture blend up better.  If you prefer, now is when you may remove the roots or stalks to any vegetables.

Next, you'll add the pate ingredients to your food processor or blender:
All the snap peas, the turnips, the oblong radish, the oregano, the spring garlic, the tarragon, the ginger, the vinegar, the broth, and the salt, into the processor or blender on high for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides and mix to ensure thorough blending, and blend for 30 seconds more.  Taste.  If too bitter, try adding a splash more vinegar, or a pinch of your sweetener of choice.  If too light, add a pinch of paprika now and more to garnish.




Now, Serve it your way!
Best if chilled 15-20 minutes before serving.  Here are some ideas:

On a round slice of a Pink Lady Radish from your bag, add a dollop of pea pate, and dress with slivers of the green spring garlic, 1 sliced almond, and dust with smoked paprika.  The finish is complex and the texture keeps you till the last bite.






Or, my personal favorite: Take 1/4 of a Red Bell Pepper and fill with the pate.  This is also dressed with spring garlic and pink lady radishes, and also a flower from this week's Chinese Broccoli :)  The pepper makes a nice boat for the pate, and also tones down the strength of the garlic and turnip.

Sesame Soba with Bok Choi and Chinese Broccoli

Soba is an earthy, traditionally gluten-free noodle, that is packed with anti-oxidant power from things like Manganese, and relatively low in carb while being high in fiber and protein, unlike our typical white refined pastas!

Bok Choi is the star of this show, providing bursts of fresh moisture, soft leaves, and a crunch, amidst the rich and creamy tahini sauce, while the meaty mushrooms satisfy our craving for a hearty bite.  Last but not least, the Chinese Broccoli (which likes to hide in the soba!) compliments these textures, adding a complex and nutrient dense element beneath the surface of the noodles.

Serves 4- Feel free to use all of the Choi from this shipment, or you can reserve some to steam or sauté on it's own with soy sauce, garlic and ginger.

What you'll use from your bag: 
Choi- 1/4 - 1/2 pound, halved with the base cut off
Chinese Broccoli - 1 plant, chopped into 2 inch long pieces
Spring Garlic - 2 stalks, chopped

What else you'll need:
Soba Noodles - 8-9 ounces (I used King Soba's Sweet Potato and Buckwheat)

Shitake Mushrooms - Sliced, fresh 1 8 oz pack, or 1 dry cup rehydrated
Tamari/Soy Sauce - 6 Tbs, 4 for the sautee and 2 reserved for the end
Rice Vinegar - 1 Tbs, in a pinch you may use white wine vinegar
Sesame Oil - 3 Tbs + 1.5 tsp,  may substitute avocado or safflower oil, but sesame is the best flavor
Tahini - 2 Tbs Tahini, one in the sautee, and one reserved for the end
Ginger - 1/2 tsp powder, or 1/2 inch fresh root minced
Vegetable broth - 1/3 cup, mushroom and onion broths especially work well here
Chinese 5 Spice Powder - 1/2 Tbs, in a pinch combine anise/fennel/tarragon, black pepper and cinnamon to a total of 1/2 Tbs to approximate the flavor
Toasted Sesame Seeds - For serving
Cayenne Pepper - 1/2 tsp, optional



First, set the Noodle to Boil:
--12 cups of water, seasoned with salt and 1 tsp of oil. Bring to a boil and then add noodles, and return to boil, 4 minutes. Drain, and toss with 1/2 tsp oil and set aside.

Next, Prep your sautee:

Sautee mixture
4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 Tablespoon Tahini
1/2 tsp or inch of Ginger
2 stalks Spring garlic, chopped

-- Heat the sautee pan or wok on medium heat. Whisk together the mixture vigorously and add to a hot pan. Once it bubbles at
the edges, add the mushrooms, and stir to coat. 2 minutes.

--Add 1/3 cup vegetable broth, and layer the choi and broccoli atop the liquid and cover, 2 minutes.  Stir mixture, and add 1/2 Tablespoon Chinese 5 Spice powder, and the optional cayenne pepper if desired.

--Once the Choi has wilted, and the broccoli has softened a bit, add in the noodles, another 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and a tablespoon of tahini.






Garnish with toasted Sesame seeds, and your favorite hot sauce (such as Sriracha) if desired!