Hi everybody!
This week is the final farm share. We have had a fantastic time growing and harvesting your veggies. I hope that you have enjoyed eating them, and will enjoy this last installment! In your share this week:
Winter squash- If you are a bit backed up with several weeks of winter squash still in the kitchen, remember they will keep...often for months. Don't put them in the refrigerator, just leave them out on the counter or in a dry cupboard. This week there is a hubba hubba red kuri squash in your share. If you want more winter squash, you should grab an extra acorn squash or grey ghost pumpkin out of the farm stand! We have lots of extras of those varieties and would be happy to give you more if you'll use them. Here's a recipe for red kuri mac and cheese:
http://www.organicauthority.com/squash-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe
And a link to a bunch of other recipes if mac and cheese isn't your thing:
http://www.pinterest.com/recipes/kuri-squash/
Carrots- Enjoy the last of the delicious carrots in your share this week! If you still have your carrots from last week, these ones should store for weeks in the fridge inside a plastic bag. Pull them out one by one over the coming weeks to shred in salads or add to stir fries, or make a big batch of carrot soup or carrot juice.
Beets- Boy, beets have really undergone a renaissance of popularity in the U.S. When I began farming about a decade ago, beets were reliably the thing that folks would complain about not knowing what to do with or not like to receive in their farm share. Now it seems like everybody loves beets and can't get enough. I hope you'll love these ones!! If you need more beets, carrots, winter squash, fennel, kale or chard in the coming weeks, we should have plenty in the farm stand at least until Thanksgiving and probably even a bit longer. You can use the arugula in place of the spring greens called for in this recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/mixed-beet-salad-with-maple-dijon-dressing-385150
Onions- The last of these yellow storage onions...I think we will have just enough to give everyone two this week and then we will be out of onions! Hope you got enough onions in your share throughout the year...this was the first year we really grew onions on the farm and I was really happy with how they turned out...we will be planting more next year, plus probably leeks and shallots for next fall to mix it up a bit.
Rutabaga- Well, it wouldn't be a proper final share without at least one strange winter root vegetable! If you have any Northern European heritage you can channel your ancestors while you eat, and imagine surviving the long cold winter on turnips and rutabagas as they did. Here are some rutabega recipes to help you out, first a simple recipe for mashed rutabaga (similar but more flavorful than mashed potatoes) and then a recipe for rutabagas pureed with carrots.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mashed-rutabagas-recipe.html
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Rutabaga-and-Carrot-Puree-104253
Kale- It is my favorite time of year to enjoy kale. It is so nice to have warm, hearty greens on a cool day. Kale is great in soup or stew. Here is a recipe for a traditional Portuguese kale soup with sausage and beans...it calls for a large white bean, but you should try it with the Scarlet Runner beans in your share. Either halve the recipe or add a few half pound of white beans to the half pound of runner beans. I am going to try it myself, and I think they'll be perfect in this recipe. See below for how to soak and cook them before adding them to the soup. Recipe:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Kale-and-White-Bean-Soup-106153
Arugula- Here is a nice bunch of arugula for a final fall green salad. Last week you might remember I posted a recipe that called for arugula, but it wasn't in your share. If you still have your fennel and black Spanish radish from last week, then see the recipe below from last week's blog!
Scarlet Runner Beans- These beautiful beans should store indefinitely until you're ready to use them...you may just want to crack the ziplock bag a little bit or put them into a paper bag if you're planning on storing them for a long time. When you are ready to use them, soak them in water for at least 8 hours. Drain the water and rinse the beans, and then boil them in plenty of water for an hour or so.
Thanks so much you guys. Stay warm this winter and we will hope to see you soon!
SECOND TO LAST farm share! week 23
Hi everybody,
Next week will be the final share for 2014. This wet, gray weather is not the most exciting, but the good news is, it has been warm and we still have lots of food out in the fields. In this weeks share:
Lettuce- One last hurrah with the head lettuce! After being ravaged by deer, these heads recovered enough to make a nice small, single-serving sized lettuce. I'm excited about having one last lettuce salad before winter.
Brussels Sprouts- These are the first sprouts we've ever picked from our farm. If you haven't prepared Brussels sprouts before, it is not too difficult...and if you've only had the ones from the grocery store, you're in for a treat. I think there are few vegetables where the quality is SO MUCH higher when you get locally grown. The grocery store sprouts are all grown on the Central California coast, and leave much to be desired as far as flavor goes. Here is a little video that hopefully you can view on your computer, showing how to trim the sprouts:
http://www.finecooking.com/videos/how-to-trim-brussels-sprouts.aspx
There are some recipes on that website, but my favorite thing to flavor Brussels sprouts with is a tasty mustard sauce, so I found a link for that too:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/brussels-sprouts-with-dijon-mustard-recipe.html
Enjoy!!
Carrots- Good old carrots, still looking great and tasting even better. Here is a recipe for glazed carrots that would be great on a cool night...sorry if the ads are annoying on this page:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/honey-glazed-carrots-recipe.html
Fennel- Here is a treasure trove of fennel recipes, courtesy of Martha Stewart. All 25 of these fennel recipes sound pretty delicious...especially numbers 3, 4 and 21. Check them out! You have to click the little chevron arrow to scroll through and see all the recipes...
http://www.marthastewart.com/286398/fennel-recipes/@center/1009854/winter-produce#286395
Delicata- Delicata squash is in the share again...remember, these ones you don't have to peel...just halve them longwise, scoop out the seeds, and you can eat the skin. I usually bake the halves for about 35 minutes at 375, or I cut them into little crescent shaped slices and braise, steam, or saute them in a pan.
Gypsy Peppers- Last time the sweet peppers will be in the share, so enjoy. I have been really enjoying sliced pepper raw as a little appetizer before dinner.
Garlic- This beautiful purple and white striped garlic is named "Xian", I assume after the city in China where the terra cotta warriors reside. It came from Georgie at Willowood Farm. We are getting ready to plant garlic for next year! Garlic is planted from late October through November, we just need to find a dry time to till up some space for it. We are excited to be able to give out our own garlic in the farm share next year.
Swiss Chard- The chard is still growing bright and beautiful in this cloudy weather. It should add a bit of color and cheer to whatever you cook it with. This time of year, I love to have a side of steamed or sauteed greens with almost any dinner....it kind of takes the place of a salad. (halve this recipe if you want, or grab a second bunch out of the farm stand...it calls for two bunches)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Swiss-Chard-with-Onions-240560
Black Spanish Radish- Now here's an unusual one that I bet most of you aren't familiar with. Here is a link to a funny article about what exactly the black radish is, and it has some good suggestions on how to use them:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-erway/black-radish-recipes_b_2617652.html
But here is the perfect recipe for this week...uses the carrots, fennel, and black radish!! It would have been even more perfect had we put arugula in the share, as originally planned, instead of the lettuce. I will put some bunches of arugula in the farm stand if you want to try this recipe out, or you could use your lettuce, spinach, or steamed chard instead:
Next week will be the final share for 2014. This wet, gray weather is not the most exciting, but the good news is, it has been warm and we still have lots of food out in the fields. In this weeks share:
Lettuce- One last hurrah with the head lettuce! After being ravaged by deer, these heads recovered enough to make a nice small, single-serving sized lettuce. I'm excited about having one last lettuce salad before winter.
Brussels Sprouts- These are the first sprouts we've ever picked from our farm. If you haven't prepared Brussels sprouts before, it is not too difficult...and if you've only had the ones from the grocery store, you're in for a treat. I think there are few vegetables where the quality is SO MUCH higher when you get locally grown. The grocery store sprouts are all grown on the Central California coast, and leave much to be desired as far as flavor goes. Here is a little video that hopefully you can view on your computer, showing how to trim the sprouts:
http://www.finecooking.com/videos/how-to-trim-brussels-sprouts.aspx
There are some recipes on that website, but my favorite thing to flavor Brussels sprouts with is a tasty mustard sauce, so I found a link for that too:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/brussels-sprouts-with-dijon-mustard-recipe.html
Enjoy!!
Carrots- Good old carrots, still looking great and tasting even better. Here is a recipe for glazed carrots that would be great on a cool night...sorry if the ads are annoying on this page:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/honey-glazed-carrots-recipe.html
Fennel- Here is a treasure trove of fennel recipes, courtesy of Martha Stewart. All 25 of these fennel recipes sound pretty delicious...especially numbers 3, 4 and 21. Check them out! You have to click the little chevron arrow to scroll through and see all the recipes...
http://www.marthastewart.com/286398/fennel-recipes/@center/1009854/winter-produce#286395
Delicata- Delicata squash is in the share again...remember, these ones you don't have to peel...just halve them longwise, scoop out the seeds, and you can eat the skin. I usually bake the halves for about 35 minutes at 375, or I cut them into little crescent shaped slices and braise, steam, or saute them in a pan.
Gypsy Peppers- Last time the sweet peppers will be in the share, so enjoy. I have been really enjoying sliced pepper raw as a little appetizer before dinner.
Garlic- This beautiful purple and white striped garlic is named "Xian", I assume after the city in China where the terra cotta warriors reside. It came from Georgie at Willowood Farm. We are getting ready to plant garlic for next year! Garlic is planted from late October through November, we just need to find a dry time to till up some space for it. We are excited to be able to give out our own garlic in the farm share next year.
Swiss Chard- The chard is still growing bright and beautiful in this cloudy weather. It should add a bit of color and cheer to whatever you cook it with. This time of year, I love to have a side of steamed or sauteed greens with almost any dinner....it kind of takes the place of a salad. (halve this recipe if you want, or grab a second bunch out of the farm stand...it calls for two bunches)
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sauteed-Swiss-Chard-with-Onions-240560
Black Spanish Radish- Now here's an unusual one that I bet most of you aren't familiar with. Here is a link to a funny article about what exactly the black radish is, and it has some good suggestions on how to use them:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cathy-erway/black-radish-recipes_b_2617652.html
But here is the perfect recipe for this week...uses the carrots, fennel, and black radish!! It would have been even more perfect had we put arugula in the share, as originally planned, instead of the lettuce. I will put some bunches of arugula in the farm stand if you want to try this recipe out, or you could use your lettuce, spinach, or steamed chard instead:
BLACK RADISH, CARROT, AND FENNEL SALAD WITH PECORINO CHEESE
from Joyce Goldstein's The Mediterranean Kitchen
(this is for a single portion. can be multiplied.)
from Joyce Goldstein's The Mediterranean Kitchen
(this is for a single portion. can be multiplied.)
1 small handful arugula (about 3/4 cup loosely packed)
1/4 cup Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
3 large paper-thin slices black radish
6 thin diagonal slices carrot (about 2 inches long), blanched
6 thin slices fennel
6 to 8 long thin curls pecorino or Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Citrus Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
3 large paper-thin slices black radish
6 thin diagonal slices carrot (about 2 inches long), blanched
6 thin slices fennel
6 to 8 long thin curls pecorino or Parmesan cheese
CITRUS VINAIGRETTE
1 1/4 cups mild olive oil
6 to 8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 to 8 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Toss the arugula with enough of the vinaigrette to coat and place
on a salad plate. Arrange the radish slices on top, then the carrot and fennel.
Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and top with the curls of cheese. To
make Citrus Vinaigrette, whisk all ingredients together. Makes about 1 1/2 cups,
enough for 4 to 6 salads.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)