- • Salad mix (baby spinach, arugula, lettuce, and escarole)
- • Celeriac
- • Sweet peppers
- • Hot peppers
- • Radicchio (a real treat, add to your salad or use recipes below)
- • Tomatoes (Enjoy them while they last, not as sweet as summer tomatoes but great in soups)
- • Cabbage (Zulema, Savoy King, Storage 4 all delicious!)
- • Brussels sprouts tender greens
- • Leeks
- • Kale (we couldn’t resist giving you this popular green, even though this is such a heavy green week)
- • Winter squash (can sit on your counter and will get sweeter, it will keep!)
- • Broccoli or cauliflower
We have shifted gears into fall veggies. It is time to make soup! Enjoy the last of the tomatoes and peppers (we made ratatouille last night in celebration of the night shades of summer).There is winter squash (holds well and gets sweeter as the weeks go by) and celeriac (also keeps well in the fridge) both great for creamy soups. Brussels Sprouts are coming! They are beautiful plants with small er sprouts. We are trimming off their growing ends and serving them up this week as tender greens. Polly (my farmers market partner and co-owner and farmer of “Pumpkin Ridge Garderns”) suggested we serve up these tender tops after one of her subscribers tasted them as a member of another CSA. They can be cooked any way you cook kale or collards. We should have the full meal deal (the sprouts for the last harvest October 28 and 31). Of course the Thanksgiving Harvest will have plenty of sprouts for your Thanksgiving table.
The salad mix is a lot of work but worth the effort as it highlights all the sweet flavors of the cool nights. The escarole is a tougher leaf with a slightly bitter flavor but adds texture to your salad. The radicchio can be made as another salad or added to your mix. We are so proud of the fact that it is mostly in nice heads that it had to be a separate item in this week’s harvest.
This week (and the rest of the season) is heavy on the brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, kale etc.). These are highly nutritious and varied veggies that have great health benefits.
Some pearls from “Eating on the Wild Side”:
• Eating broccoli raw has twenty times more of a beneficial compound called sulforaphane than cooked broccoli. Sulforaphane provides much of the vegetables anticancer property.
• Broccoli begins losing its nutrients almost immediately after being harvested. The freshest broccoli (the stuff you get as a member of a CSA)is most beneficial. Eat the broccoli within the first 2-3 days after harvest and keep it cool
• Cutting cabbage and steaming it briefly (no more than 5 minutes) increases nutritional value and cuts down on odor and gas producing properties. She suggests boiling the water first and then add the sliced cabbage on the steamer.
Juvencio has been busy clearing beds and preparing them for cover cropping. We often don’t to the cover crop stage as we try and ek out the very last fruit of each plant. The early rains spread late blight through our tomatoes outside and slowed the second flush of eggplant. Juvencio worked hard to get all the support posts and strings out of the beds and mowed them all. Today he will till and I will seed crimson clover and vetch to help put additional nutrients into the soil for stronger plants next spring.
We managed to get managed to get 5 of the 7 beds planted in three varieties of garlic. We are committed to better garlic next season. We hope with better fertility and less weed infested beds to plant into we have larger heads next summer.
Important dates:
1) Harvest Party – October 20th (next Sunday!!!) 2-6 p.m. see attached flyer for details
2) Final harvest for the regular 2013 season – October 28 and 31.
3) Sign-up for Thanksgiving Harvest November 24 – 25; $35 and not to be missed
4) Let us know about 2014, reserve your spot with a $100 non-refundable deposit. Tell your friends spots for 2014 available, contact us by email.
Asian Cabbage salad with Chicken
• 1 red jalapeño or Fresno chile with some seeds, chopped
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 small head of red cabbage, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, shredded
• 6 scallions, whites and pale greens only, thinly sliced
• 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 cup baby spinach, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
• 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
preparation
Whisk chile, oil, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, and ginger in a large bowl; season with salt. Add cabbage, carrots, scallions, chicken, spinach, and cilantro; toss to coat. Top with peanuts and sesame seeds.
Celeriac Recipe “Veal in a White Sauce”
Café Boulud’s Blanquette de Veau
10 ounces pearl onions
4 1/2 pounds veal shoulder, boned, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
9 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
3 medium turnips, peeled, each cut into 6 pieces
8 ounces button mushrooms
6 ounces haricots verts or other green beans, ends trimmed
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon (about) fresh lemon juice
1/2 bunch fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Add pearl onions and cook 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, remove onions from pot. Trim ends and peel. Add veal to pot and cook 4 minutes. Drain veal; rinse with cold water. Rinse pot and return veal to pot. Add 8 cups chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaves and simmer until veal is tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in another heavy large pot over medium heat. Add pearl onions, celery root, carrots, turnips, mushrooms and 1 cup chicken stock. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender and almost all liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Add haricots verts and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes.
Drain veal, reserving 2 cups liquid (if less than 2 cups cooking liquid remains, add enough stock to measure 2 cups). Mix veal into vegetables.
Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook until butter mixture turns golden brown, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. Cook until thickened, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in whipping cream. Season sauce to taste with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Pour cream sauce over cooked veal and vegetables. Garnish with fresh chives, if desired, and serve immediately.
Bon Appétit
February 2000
2000-02-10 14:31:24.0
Spiced Pork with Celery Root Purée and Lentils
Celery Root Puree
2 pounds celery root (celeriac), peeled, cut into 2-inch cubes
5 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Ground white pepper
Lentils
3 bacon slices, chopped
1/4 cup 1/8-inch cubes peeled carrots
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
3 cups water
1 teaspoon butter
Pork
1/2 cup honey
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 1/2 pounds pork tenderloins
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon cold butter
For celery root puree:
Bring celery root and milk to boil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until celery root is very tender, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer celery root to processor. Add 1/2 cup hot milk. Puree until very smooth. Blend in butter and lemon juice. Season with salt and white pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
For lentils:
Sauté bacon in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp, about 3 minutes. Add carrots, shallots, and rosemary; sauté until shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 3 cups water; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until lentils are tender and liquid has nearly evaporated, about 35 minutes. Stir in butter. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
For pork:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in bowl. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add pork; sauté until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Brush pork with honey mixture. Transfer skillet to oven; roast pork 10 minutes. Turn pork over and brush with honey mixture. Roast until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145°F, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer pork to work surface; tent with foil (temperature will increase 5 degrees).
Add broth and remaining honey mixture to same skillet. Boil over high heat until sauce is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Strain sauce into small bowl. Return sauce to skillet. Whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper.
Rewarm celery root puree and lentils. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place 1/2 cup celery root puree in center of each of 6 plates. Using back of spoon, make indentation in puree. Spoon 1/2 cup lentils into indentation on each plate. Arrange pork slices atop lentils and drizzle with sauce.
Bon Appétit
September 2003
Celery-Root and Potato Latkes
1 large celery root (celeriac; 1 1/2 lb), peeled with a knife
1 1/2 lb large russet (baking) potatoes (about 3 large)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 lb onions, quartered
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground celery seeds
About 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
Special equipment: a kitchen towel (not terry cloth)
Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 250°F.
Coarsely grate celery root into a bowl using the 1/3-inch-wide holes of a box grater.
Peel potatoes and coarsely grate into a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss. Coarsely grate onions into same bowl.
Transfer to towel, then gather up corners to form a sack and twist tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.
Return potatoes and onions to cleaned bowl and stir in celery root, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, and celery seeds until combined well.
Heat 1/3 inch oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Fill a 1/4-cup measure (not tightly packed) with latke mixture and carefully spoon it into skillet, then flatten to 3 inches in diameter with a slotted spatula. Form 3 more latkes in skillet, then fry until undersides are deep golden, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Turn over using 2 spatulas and fry until deep golden all over, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes more. (If latkes brown too quickly, lower heat to moderate.) Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. Keep warm in 1 layer on a metal rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven. Make more latkes in same manner. Use a second rack and baking pan to keep last batches warm.
Cooks’ note:
Latkes can be fried 1 hour ahead.
Gourmet
December 2004
RADICCHIO SALAD WITH SPANISH BLUE CHEESE AND PEPPERED ALMONDS
1 head butter lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 head radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
8 ounces blue cheese (preferably Cabrales), crumbled
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons almond oil or olive oil
Peppered Almonds
Combine lettuce, radicchio and cheese in large bowl. Pour vinegar into small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Toss lettuce mixture with vinaigrette. Season salad with salt and pepper. Sprinkle Peppered Almonds over and serve immediately.
Bon Appétit
March 2000
Roasted Cauliflower and Radicchio Salad
1 large head cauliflower (3 to 3 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch-wide florets (9 cups)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 heads romaine (2 pounds total), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 large head radicchio (3/4 pound), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (from 1 bunch)
1/2 cup hazelnuts (2 1/4 ounces), toasted , any loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, and nuts coarsely chopped
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss cauliflower with 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Spread in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and roast, turning over with tongs halfway through roasting, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes total. Cool in pan on a rack, then transfer to large bowl.
Whisk together vinegar, shallot, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl, then add remaining 5 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified. Add half of dressing to cauliflower and toss to coat. Add romaine, radicchio, parsley, half of nuts, and remaining dressing to cauliflower and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with remaining nuts.