This week we have Lemongrass from Ho Farms

Lemongrass is widely used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisine and also as medicinal herb in India. It is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for use with poultry, fish, beef, and seafood. Research shows that lemongrass oil has antifungal properties.

Preparation

1. The softer, fleshier, pale yellow part of the lemongrass – which is what you want to use in your cooking – is located under the tough outer leaves. Peel away these layers and discard.

2. Then use a sharp serrated knife to slice off the lower bulb, which includes about 2 inches of the end. Discard. The stalk is now easy to slice into pieces. Stop slicing when you have cut two-thirds of the way up the stalk, or when it is no longer yellow. The upper end the stalk will be green and woody, but is still useful in cooking soups and curries.

3. Because lemongrass is so firm and fibrous, it helps to process the slices a little further. Place the lemongrass in a food processor and process well on “high”, or pound for a minute or two with a pestle & mortar. It’s possible to use the lemongrass slices as they are, but the thicker slices will be difficult to eat.

4. Your lemongrass should now appear finer – almost like yellow-green flakes. It is now ready to use in recipes such as curries or soups (note that the lemongrass still needs to cook or be boiled for at least 5 minutes before it is soft enough to be edible).

Storage: Use the lemongrass immediately, or store lemongrass by freezing it in a sealed container in your freezer. With lemongrass, very little is wasted. You can use the upper, reserved stalk to add even more flavor and fragrance to soups and curries. Simply make several cuts along the length of the stalk and bend it several times to “bruise” it. This will release the fragrance and flavor. Now throw the stalk into your soup or curry pot.

Farmers that grow Lemon Grass

Ho Farms

Recipes

What else is in the bag?

Apple Bananas
Sugarland

Collard Greens
Ho Farms

Sweet Corn
Aloun Farms

Family Tomatoes
Ho Farms

Lemongrass
Ho Farms

Lettuce
Kunia Country Farms

Orange
Adaptations

Try out these recipes!

Fresh Lemongrass Tea

Thai Sweet Potato Soup with Lemongrass

This week, we have Avocados

Now sometimes lovingly known as the avo, avocados are divided into three categories: West Indian, Guatemalan, and Mexican. Thanks to cross-pollination, however, there are hundreds of hybrids with varying characteristics, and in the islands, trees produce some of the biggest, best avocados in the world. Here’s why: The microclimates and supreme soils result in larger fruits with larger amounts of healthy oils, like polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and nutrients.

Hawaii’s main avocado export is the Sharwil (a cross between Mexican and Guatemalan types)—but only recently. Just within the past five years, the United States Department of Agriculture lifted an embargo from 1992, which banned this island cultivar from reaching the mainland. Prized for its buttery flavor and small pit, this breed of avocado grows especially well in the Kona district of Big Island. But different regions bear different fruit—so there’s plenty to choose from.

Avocados are a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids. Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which can help a person feel fuller between meals.

Preparation

How to cut or slice avocados in half:

Be sure to fully wash before cutting or slicing.
Place the avocado lengthwise on a secure surface.
Hold the avocado securely with one hand, and slice slowly down the center lengthwise around the seed, starting at the narrower end.
Holding the avocado in the palm of one hand, use your other hand to twist and rotate the two halves apart.
Use a teaspoon to remove the stone from the center of the avocado. Use a dessert spoon to scoop the whole avocado flesh out from the shell if required. Cut into slices, chunks, or mash with a fork.

What else is in the bag?