•  Cauliflower 
• Fennel
• Salad mix
• Green onions
• Winter squash
• Radish
• Broccoli
• Green peppers
• Hot peppers
• Kohlrabi
• Persimmons

Quick note this week as I am off to trim my pottery. Juvencio has been cleaning and prepping every space he can in every greenhouse. The black aphids and white flies have had their food source removed and we hope they take a hike for good. Eternal optimism and the popping of that balloon when they return to a new host.

This is the last November Harvest unless you sign up for the Thanksgiving harvest next weekend. The cost for that is $45 and pick up is Sunday November 19th. Please pre-pay and sign up here:Sign-up for Thanksgiving harvest November 19, 2023

The next Winter harvest is December 10th. We are off to Honduras and will be there to celebrate with Don Felix – Juvencio’s dad who turns 96! We will soak up the sun (if it ever stops raining down there) and bring you back a treat (cacao or coffee if we can) . We will see the house Juvencio has been building long distance since the summer and have pictures to share.

Calcots are planted, garlic is almost done, flowers have been tucked in every corner. We have planted spring bulbs and are planning our next steps on the farm. Wishing for more hours every day to do all that I want. On a happy note, an early birthday, Christmas and new years gift from Juvencio has been a very fun addition. He got me an e-bike and we have been racing out for quick rides all around our immediate area when we have 20-40 minutes. I can’t wait for us to take them on a road trip, for now whizzing around at 25 miles per hour and still getting exercise is fun.

Photos of a few of the meals we made with the veggies we had this week:

Please make sure to soak your radicchio! Honestly the best way to cut the bitter from the radicchio is to soak it in an ice water bath for 15-60 minutes. I cut it up and put it in a bowl of ice water with a plate on top to submerge it and then I spin it dry. I love it with my favorite salad dressing plus some type of blue cheese. You can add the hard persimmons, shave fennel and cut up the daikon.

Recipes to enjoy this week:

Lyn’s Salad Dressing

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic pressed

Add all ingredients to a Mason jar and cover with lid.  Shake until creamy and well blended.

• 
  
  
  
  Persimmon and Radicchio salad
• ▢ 8 ounces Radicchio or Treviso
•            ▢ 2 pounds Fuyu persimmons and/or Honeycrisp Apples
• ▢ 4 ounces baby kale or another hearty green
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
• ▢ 1 teaspoon honey
• ▢ 1 shallot, finely chopped
• ▢ Kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• ▢ 3 tablespoons candied walnuts or marcona almonds 
• ▢ ½ cup crumbled feta (I prefer to buy the one in the brine) optional

 

1. Cut off the tough green tops and slice each persimmon in 10 to 12 wedges.
2. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar, honey, shallot, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Tightly cover and shake hard to mix well. Taste the dressing on a small piece of persimmon. There should be just enough red pepper flakes to give it a little kick. If you’d like it hotter, add more and shake again
3. Combine the persimmons, radicchio, kale and the dressing in a work bowl and toss to coat well. Turn the salad out into a decorative bowl and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and walnuts. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

NOTES

Not a fan of or can’t find persimmons? Just use all crisp apples. Delicious and different!

Roasted fennel and kohlrabi, and a soup

Serve the roasted veggies on day one, then puree for a lovely soup the next day.

  

Roasted vegetables

• 1 lemons large
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin)
• 2 fennel large bulb
• 6 kohlrabi
• 6 onions (green) scallions, spring onions, large
• 1 tsp sea salt kosher salt divided, (omit for low-sodium diet)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Soup

• 2 cups rice milk milk of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

 

Roasted vegetables

1. Cut the lemon in half and remove the seeds. Roughly chop.
2. Remove the papery husks of the garlic by placing each under the flat blade of a large chef’s knife pressing down on the widest part of the blade until the husk pops off. (Some TV chefs whack the blade with a fist. Only do this if you’re very careful, have the blade facing away from you, and are using a very large, wide-bladed knife.)
3. Put the lemon pieces, garlic, and olive oil in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Wash the fennel bulbs and cut off the bottom of the bulb, and the stems just past the top. Cut into pieces and put into a large bowl. Reserve some of the feathery fronds for a garnish. Wait until serving to mince them.
5. Cut off the arms of the kohlrabi, the bottom, and then peel each one.
6. Remove the woody outer layer with a sharp paring knife until you reach what looks like a light green potato.
7. Cut them into halves or quarters and throw them into the bowl.
8. Wash the green onions. Cut off the root ends. Cut the stems about halfway up. Discard the tips. Add to the bowl.
9. Pour the marinade from the blender over the vegetables and let sit up to 30 minutes.
10. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/gas mark 4. Spray a large glass baking dish and pour the vegetable mixture in. Add salt and pepper.
11. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, then uncover, stir, and bake another 15 minutes. Everything should be soft when pierced with a fork and nicely golden brown. You can serve it at this point, topped with minced fennel fronds and some additional lemon zest.

Soup

1. Reserve 2 pieces of fennel that are nicely caramelized and cut into small chunks.
2. Put everything else in the blender and add 1 C. (250 ml) rice milk (or the milk of your choice).
3. Begin blending, adding up to another 1 C. (250 ml) of milk until the soup is thick and creamy.
4. Serve warm or room temperature, topped with minced fennel fronds, lemon zest, and the reserved roasted fennel pieces.

NOTES

Dry Green Pepper Curry

Dry green pepper curry/shaak coated with chickpea flour mix, loaded peanuts, sesame seeds and lots of dry spices!

Prep Time 10 Minutes mins

Cook Time 15 Minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Side DishCuisine: Indian

Ingredients

• 5 Green Bell Peppers
• 3 tbsp Oil
• ¾ cup Chickpea Flour
• ½ cup Coarsely Ground Peanuts
• 2 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tbsp Dhana Jiru cumin coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Garam Masala
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 cup Water

Instructions

Prepare Chickpea flour mix

1. Dry roast chickpea flour on low/medium heat until it starts changing color to golden brown. It should take about 3-5 minutes. Keep mixing frequently while you roast it so the bottom part does not burn. 
2. Add all the spices except sugar. Add ground peanuts and sesame seeds to the flour and mix well. Roast it for another minute. 
3. Take it off the stove and add sugar. Mix well and keep it aside.

Cook peppers

1. Heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a shallow wide non-stick pan.
2. Once hot, add cubed green bell peppers to it.
3. Char the peppers on high medium/heat until they start having charred spots on them and half way cooked.
4. Add chickpea spice mix to the charred peppers. Mix well.
5. Add 1 cup of water to it and mix well.
6. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until peppers are cooked to your desire and extra moisture from the chickpea mix starts to evaporate, while stirring a few times in between. It should get somewhat dry.
7. Take it off the heat and serve it hot with some phulka roti, dal and rice!

• Mark Bittman Ratatouille with Fennel and ChickPeas
• 1 pound eggplant (smaller is better), peeled if you like, and cut into large chunks
• ¾pound zucchini, cut into large chunks
• 1 pound Roma (plum) tomatoes, cored and chopped, or 1 28-ounce can, drained
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 red or yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced
• 1 fennel bulb (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into large chunks
• 5 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• ¼cup olive oil
• 3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary, or ½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
  • Step 1
  • Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine all ingredients except oil, chickpeas and herbs in a large roasting pan. Drizzle with oil and toss to combine.
  • Step 2
  • Transfer to the oven and roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned and tender and some water has been released from the tomatoes to create a sauce, 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Step 3
  • Add chickpeas, stir and return to the oven until beans heat through, 5 to 10 minutes. Add herbs and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.