Week #29
Last Harvest 2016
- Napa Cabbage or green cabbage or giant kohlrabi
- Sweet peppers
- Hot peppers
- Fennel
- Kale or chard
- Tomatoes (slightly green, they will ripen and they make great green tomatoes or green tomato pie)
- Green onions or leeks
- Onions
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower or Romanesco
- Winter squash
- Dill or parsley
- cilantro
- Small edible pumpkin or decorative gourds
- Lettuce or salad mix
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It is here, the end of the season. We have made it thru 57 harvests! There have been so many ups and downs this season, but mostly we remember the good times. The many harvests we shared with our family and our amazing volunteer members. We enjoyed finding that giant cauliflower and gathering 100 boxes of cherry tomatoes. We slogged through the sugar snap pea harvests that never ended. We taught people how to bunch the kale, beets and parsley. We also weeded, seeded and transplanted almost daily for 6 months. We have been so happy to share the fruits of our labor with you!
We have one last opportunity for you to enjoy our veggies in 2016. The amazing Thanksgiving Harvest! We expect to have:
- salad mix,
- radicchio,
- cabbage,
- leeks,
- celery,
- shallots,
- walnuts,
- tomatoes,
- peppers,
- parsley,
- Brussels sprouts,
- spinach,
- winter squash,
- pie pumpkins
- and more
Please pre-pay and sign up for the Thanksgiving harvest. There is a sign up sheet in the cooler. The cost is $40. We also want to know we can count on you for the 2017 season. Please sign up and leave us a deposit to secure your spot next season. We take your comments and suggestions seriously please send us the answers to the four questions we ask as you can over the next few weeks. We will rest for a week and then on to planning for 2017, the seed catalogs will come rolling in and we will take stock of successes and failures and try our best in the coming year. Farming is so humbling! You think you know how to grow certain crops (we grow over 55 different varieties!) and then some new disease, bug or weather condition gets thrown into the mix and you have to relearn everything again. We hope with more covered space in two new hoop houses we can combat some of them, but I am sure they will find a way to mess with us and challenge us in new ways.
We have tons of work to do this winter, so if you are tired of huddling near your warm fire and want to get wet and muddy stop by and lend a hand with greenhouse building, weeding or seeding. Best to send us a message first to make sure we are not hibernating as well. We will plan to prune our orchard this February so if nothing else we will see you then.
Here is a summary of our favorite recipes to make with this weeks share:
Kale Salad (from Kris Schamp)
Flax oil (1/8 C)
Lemon juice (1/8 C)
Soy sauce* (less than 1/8 C)
1 bunch kale
Red onion
Shredded or shaved (with peeler) carrots
¼ C pumpkin seeds
1/8 C sunflower seeds
Sesame seeds
Sprouts (any kind)
Mushrooms (optional)
* can use Bragg’s – a low sodium substitute for soy sauce
1) Make the dressing: equal parts flax oil, lemon juice & soy sauce (or Bragg’s – a low sodium substitute for soy sauce. Use less soy sauce if sensitive.)
Marinate very thinly sliced / shaved red onion in the dressing while you prepare the kale.
2) De-stem the kale – try to get the young, tender smaller leaves.
Cut it into ribbons. Place in very large bowl to allow for easy mixing.
Add rest of “dry” ingredients.
3) Add the dressing and marinated onions to the kale mixture. Using hands, gently massage the dressing into the kale; softening down the structure of the kale and aiding the absorption of the dressing by the kale.
Let sit for a while (20-30 mins) before serving. Can be made well beforehand and refrigerated. Can add chopped avocado when serving. Goes well with marinated tofu-you can use the same dressing.
Crispy Kale (the best new way to eat Kale or Collards)
1 bunch kale or collards
salt to taste
olive oil
parmesan cheese (our new favorite is Romano cheese)
This is an easy and fast way to eat your greens at every meal! Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the greens and remove the tough rib. Cut in a few pieces. Place on a baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and massage the oil into the kale (THIS IS THE KEY TO CRISPY KALE). Then top with grated Romano cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 13 minutes. Take out of the oven , it will crisp up a tiny bit more and often we just eat it off the baking sheet!
Curried Winter Squash Soup
Farmer John’s Cookbook, John Peterson
Serves 6-8
3 T unsalted butter
1 cup chopped scallions (about 6)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeno, seeded, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds butternut squash, about ½ a large squash, peeled, seeded, cubed
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 14 ounce can whole tomatoes or 2 cups peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes
12 whole curry leaves (optional)
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground mace (I skipped this)
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons curry powder
salt
freshly ground pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions; sauté until soft and wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, jalapeno, and garlic,; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Add the squash and toss to coat it with the scallion mixture. Add the stock, tomatoes, curry leaves, all spice, mace and nutmeg. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the squash is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor; puree.
- Transfer the soup back to the pot. Stir in the curry powder and add salt, pepper to taste. Return the soup to a simmer to heat through. Garnish with the parsley just before serving.
GREEK STYLE FENNEL
| 3 bulbs 2 tbsp. 1 clove 2 lg. 1/4 tsp. 1/4 tsp. 2 tsp. 1/2 cup handful |
fennel olive oil garlic, minced tomatoes, diced salt pepper fresh chopped herb (chervil, marjoram, or parsley, or other…) feta cheese reserved fennel tops |
Cut off the stalks and feathery leaves of the fennel. Chop and reserve some of the leaves for garnish. Cut fennel bulbs vertically into 8 sections. In a skillet, heat olive oil, ad garlic and fennel, and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, add salt, pepper and the fresh herb and cook over low heat until most of the liquid is reduced. Serve sprinkled with the garnish of feta cheese and reserved fennel tops. adapted from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff
Fennel and Red Pepper Salad
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
This is one of my favorite salads. I make it for buffets all the time because it never gets soggy — the longer the vegetables marinate, the tastier the salad is.
For the salad:
1 pound trimmed fennel bulbs, quartered and cut into very thin crosswise slices
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin 2-inch slices
1 to 2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 ounce shaved Parmesan
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
1 small garlic clove, very finely minced or puréed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss with the salad and serve.
Yield: Serves six.
Advance preparation: This is a great keeper. The vegetables marinate in the dressing, and they don’t get soggy, just saturated and extremely tasty.
Nutritional information per serving: 137 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 4 milligrams cholesterol; 8 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 128 milligrams sodium (does not include salt added during cooking); 3 grams protein
Prima Sweet Green Tomato Pie
Cousin Sandy (the best green tomato pie around)
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.
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.