Best of the season:

Fall/Winter

Chicories

The chicory family includes an array of classic culinary delights. Escarole, curly endive,

Belgian endive, frisee, radicchio, treviso radicchio, sugarloaf and Italian dandelion are all members

in good standing, and there is a huge number of varieties within each of these.  They grow best in

spring and fall. Some will survive the heat of Virginia's summers in the field, and stored properly, fall

chicories can be enjoyed well into the winter months.Qualities they share include

 classification as bitter greens, with varying degrees of bitterness/sweetness, beautiful

 color, shape and texture, and excellent keeping quality both in storage and on the plate. 

They stand up well in a composed salad or chiffonade, as sturdy wraps,  in braised dishes and on the grill.

Try this simple classic Italian recipe a market customer shared with us:

Wilted Greens with Garlic and Anchovies 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

3-4 anchovie filets

4 cloves garlic

1 lb escarole, radicchio, or other chicory, coarsely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

one half lemon

To Prepare:

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat until hot.

Add olive oil, anchovies,  and garlic and saute until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. 

 Add the greens and cook until wilted, tossing with tongs, about 5 minutes. 

Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and serve.

 Spring

 French Sorrel

French sorrel is in a class by itself.  Unlike most salad greens, it is a tenacious perennial. 

It produces well in the field over a long season, spring until frost.  It also performs well in the greenhouse. Sorrel is a great addition to a green salad, and makes a wonderful soup or sauce

that pairs well with seafood.  Soft shell crabs, anyone? People tasting sorrel for the first time are usually surprised by its fresh, green apple flavor. 

Try this for a refreshing taste of heaven:

French Sorrel Soup or Sauce
4 Servings

Ingredients: 

                                               2  heaping handsful sorrel leaves       4 T. fresh chervil or parsley    

                                               4 tb butter                                                    1 T. fresh lovage  
                                               3 T. flour                                                       2  c  chicken stock (homemade-best) 

                                               2 shallots, minced                                    2   egg yolks

                                               1 c half and half                                          salt and pepper to taste
 

Instructions:
Remove midribs from sorrel and chop. In stockpot, cook sorrel in butter with minced shallots.  Sorrel breaks down easily and will  puree itself in a few minutes.  Blend in flour, chopped herbs, salt and pepper and stock.  Pour ½ cup into beaten egg yolks in a bowl.  Return to pan, add half and half and heat thoroughly but slowly and gently.  The soup may be put into a blender to chop herbs and prevent lumps. Serve hot or cold.

~This is a variation of a recipe from Gertrude Parks' book Success with Herbs.

Pimientos de Padron

Spanish tapas pepper, mild and yummy. Be prepared for the occasional hot one!

Remove to paper towel, sprinkle with sea salt,

enjoy with Manchego, olives and your favorite beverage.