• Leeks
• Celeriac – this big semi-ugly brown ball is great in soups or slaw. The leaves and stocks are great in soup or stew and last well. Peel the root and use in recipes below.
• Shallots – long lasting “Picador” adds flavor and zing to your cooking
• Winter squash
• Hot peppers
• Sweet peppers
• Tomatoes
• Green tomatoes– see recipes below and under recipe tab above
• Lettuce – beautiful heads of “red sails” and “galisse”
• Broccoli or cauliflower
• Zucchini or cucumbers or cabbage (the last efforts of these previously plentiful veggies)
• Kale
• Eggplant
• Cherry tomatoes
• Decorative pumpkin

What a big harvest , so nice to go out with a bang. Many of these veggies will keep for weeks with a little care. Let the tomatoes ripen on the counter or make the green tomato pie from my cousin, it is delicious.  Overall it was a good year. Weather was the biggest problem with a cool wet spring and cool summer. The fact that the rain held off in September let the tomatoes take off and produce to their potential. We are so thankful for the hoop houses as they have extended the season on both ends giving us great lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, cukes and Chinese broccoli.

We are hunkering down for winter. We are still planting winter crops that you may see in spring. We have most of garlic in, plan to get the Walla Walla onions in as well as fill the green (hoop) houses with the remainder of the lettuce and spinach seeding in September. We have quite a bit of clean up before we call it vacation time in December. But without harvest we can take our time. We will miss the activity and friendship of our subscribers but soon enough it will be spring and time to celebrate the bounty of the farm again.

The add-on Thanksgiving share will be available on November 20-21 for pick-up. The cost is $30 and is due prior to the vegetable pick-up , please drop by a check or put it in the mail.

We still need to hear from many of you as to whether you plan to continue in 2012 or not. We are signing up people for the wait list, so now is the best time to tell your friends about joining La Finquita. We give preference to returning members until December 1. At that point we will be contacting the people on the wait list and solidifying the membership for 2012. Send us your deposit ASAP.

Lyn is still selling wreaths at the Beaverton Farmers Market for one more weekend. She has some on display in the barn for you to purchase now if interested. They last for years and make great gifts. They will be on display at Thanksgiving in the pump house as well.

Keep an eye on the website we will update you on the farm news during the off season. We will let you know  about opportunities to help on the farm with the pruning party in January we look forward to seeing you around. We expect our kids to be born in February and March so we will keep you posted on that too.

GREEN-TOMATO RELISH

1/3 c. salad oil 3 lg. onions, diced 1 lg. garlic clove, minced 8 lg. green tomatoes (about 4 lbs.), cut into bite-sized chunks 4 med. green peppers, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips 4 med. red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips 3 c. cider vinegar 1 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar 1 tbsp. salt 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 tsp. ground gingerIn 8-quart Dutch oven or heavy saucepot over medium heat, in hot salad oil, cook onions and garlic until tender, stirring occasionally. Add green tomatoes and remaining ingredients; over high heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, uncovered, 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens.

 

Prima Sweet Green

Tomato Pie

Cousin Sandy

Makes 6 servings. Prep Time: 30 minutes

 PIE FILLING

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

4 cups finely chopped green tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup raisins, mixed jumbo

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into

pieces

2 teaspoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

 BASIC SWEET PIE CRUST

8 ounces all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ pieces

3 tablespoons ice water

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

PIE FILLING

Make the pie crust and let rest in the refrigerator

for at least 30 minutes. Divide the dough in half.

Place 1 piece of the dough on a lightly floured

surface and roll out to an 11-inch circle, about

1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Trim

the crust with scissors or a sharp knife to within

1/2-inch of the outer rim.

In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 1/2

cup granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and

pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour

mixture across the bottom of the prepared pie

crust.

Add the tomatoes, raisins and lemon juice to the

bowl with the remaining flour mixture and toss to

coat. Spoon the tomato mixture into the pie shell

and dot with the butter.

Roll out the remaining crust on a lightly floured

surface. Place on top of the tomato filling and

tuck the overlapping crusts into the pan, forming

a thick edge. Crimp the edges to seal and cut

small 1/2-inch long vents in a decorative pattern

along the top crust. With a pastry brush, brush

the top of the crust with the cream, and sprinkle

with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the

temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until the

crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 35

to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool

on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

BASIC SWEET PIE CRUST

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.

Using your fingers, work in the butter until the

mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 2

tablespoons of ice water and work with your

fingers until the water is incorporated and dough

comes together. Add more water as needed to

make a smooth dough, being careful not to

over-mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly

in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30

minutes before using.

Desserts, Pies & Pastry

Per serving (excluding unknown items): 465.1

Calories; 5.9g Fat (11.2% calories from fat); 5.6g

Protein; 100.4g Carbohydrate; 15mg Cholesterol;

238mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2

Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat; 3 Other

Carbohydrates.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

4 medium sized green tomatoes
3/4 cup fine cornmeal
3-4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
salt & pepper
Green Chile Mayonnaise

Slice the tomatoes crosswise 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Press each piece into a plate of cornmeal and coat on both sides. Heat oil in a wide skillet over high heat until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Add tomatoes, reduce heat to medium and fry on both sides until golden. Remove to plate, season with salt and pepper. Green Chile Mayonnaise Add several minced and seeded jalapeños or 1-2 unseeded poblano or serrano chiles to 1 cup homemade or purchased mayonnaise.

Green Tomatoes and Roasted Squash  (serves 8-10)

3# kabocha, Delicata or acorn squash                    6-8 cloves of garlic

2# green tomatoes                                                 2 tablespoons olive oil           

1 ½ # red onions                                                     salt

1 ¼# red skinned potatoes
 

Trim squash and cut meat into ¾ inch cubes.  Cut tomatoes into 1 inch chunks. Cut oinions into thin wedges.  Scrub potatoes and cut inot ¾ inch chunks.  Peel garlic cloves.  Toss with olive oil and spread onto baking sheets.  Roast at 400 degrees for 1 ¼ – 1 ½ hours or until tender.  Serve with couscous.

Sausage-Leek Soup
serves 6

1/2 pound smoked sausage
1/4 olive oil or butter
3 cups cleaned, chopped leeks
3 tablespoons chopped herbal celery or parsley
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup milk or half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
S & P to taste

Slice or cut the sausage into thin slices. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the sausage, heat and stir for 3-4 minutes add the chopped leeks, heat and stir for 5 minutes. Add the celery/parsley, stir add the chicken broth bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender or in a food processor. Return to the pot and place over a low flame; stir in milk and gradually stir in the grated cheese. Season to taste with S & P and serve hot.

Celeriac and Tomato Soup

4 tomatoes                            2 cups water

2 # celeriac                            ¼ cup lovage chopped (optional)

3  leeks                                   1 onion

1 clove garlic                        1 large carrot       

1 tablespoon olive oil         2 T butter

3 sprigs parsley                    6 cups chicken broth          

salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel, seed, and roughly chop tomatoes.  Peel sufficient celeriac to make 1 ½ pounds trimmed flesh, then cut into ½ inch cubes and drop into acidulated water.  Wash and trim leeks and, using only the white and light green parts, thinly slice.  You should have 1 ½ cups.  Chop onion and combine with leeks.  Chop garlic.  Thinly slice carrot. Heat together oil and butter and sauté leeks and onion until wilted.  Add garlic and carrot, and cook for 5 minutes longer,  Add one third of the tomatoes and cook until they are lightly browned on the edges and the juice is evaporated.  Add drained celeriac, the rest to the tomatoes and the parsley sprig.  Cook together for 10 minutes.  Add chicken broth, water and lovage (if using).  Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Puree, season with salt and pepper, and serve with croutons on the side.  (serves 8)  For thinner soup only use 1 pound celeriac and 3 tomatoes.

CELERY ROOT BISQUE WITH THYME CROUTONS
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shallots (about 3 large)
2 pounds celery roots (celeriac), peeled, woody parts trimmed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 10-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1/4 cup whipping cream
Additional chopped fresh thyme
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery; cover and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add shallots; sauté uncovered 3 minutes. Stir in celery root cubes and potato, then broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, transfer soup to blender and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.)

Stir cream into soup and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped thyme and serve.

Bon Appétit
November 2005

Celeriac Slaw
From Carried Away (a great place to eat in Aptos, CA…if you ever need a caterer, we highly recommend them)

1 celery root, peeled and cut into julienne (or grated if you don’t have a mandolin, some of you may be able to julienne with a sharp knife)
1 egg
1 cup oil
1 Tablespoon capers, chopped
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 Tablespoons chopped parsley (or cilantro, or other fresh herb)

Boil a pot of water. Add the thin slices of celeriac for one minute, just to blanch them. Drain and set aside. In a blender mix the egg, lemon juice, salt & pepper. While that is mixing, slowly add in the oil. Spoon the sauce over the celery root, add the capers and the parsley, then toss. (Julia’s note: I’ve successfully skipped the blanching part)

Potato-Celery Root Cakes
from Deborah Madison

1 pound potatoes, peeled
1 pound celery root, peeled
3-4 Tablespoons oil
Salt & Pepper

Grate the potatoes and celeriac, mix together. In a heavy skillet heat half the oil over med. heat. Add half the potatoes-celery root mixture, making a layer about 1/2 inch thick. Season, then cover with the other half of the mixture. Press down on the cake and neaten the edges. Reduce heat to low and cook until the bottom is golden, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a plate, add the remaining oil, slide the cake back into the pan and cook the other side until golden.

Storage: Wrap celery root in plastic and refrigerate for up to one week.

Spices that go nicely with celery root:
Nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, allspice.

measuring:
1 small celery root, sliced = 2 cups

Nutritional Value: Celery Root is Rich in phosphorous and potassium; 40 calories per cup

A very basic cooking method:
Peel and cube celery root and cook in boiling salted water about 10 minutes. Serve with butter or lemon juice.