Salad mix( enjoy lettuce, baby radicchio and some spinach- wash well)
Sprouts/microgreens ( radish, spicy greens and arugula – trim them off their stems and enjoy- or like Sue- plant them in your own garden space!)
Kale ( wash well!)
Onions or shallots
watercress or cilantro
Leeks
Celeriac
Daikon Radishes (this is really your last daikon for the season- we hope you have enjoyed and appreciated this most amazing crop)
Juvencio has been on overdrive as he prepares for his departure to Honduras. He has turned over most of the vacant beds in all the greenhouses and gotten them ready for me to plant while he is gone. We broke ground in the field to get my decorative wheat planted just in time for the freak cold snap we are expecting later this week. It is a very stressful time as we race to get as much prepped as possible in anticipation of Juvencio’s absence. Of course, the reason for the travel looms as his father’s health declines. We made the decision that everyone should head to Honduras over the next three weeks to say our goodbyes. Diego and Jacob will go first and join Juve at the beginning of March. Luna and I will follow on their return. It is kidding and lambing season on top of prime farming. We need someone left at the farm to deal with animal emergencies, freezing temperatures and harvests.
As Juvencio and I are preparing for the main season of 2022 we see a very small roster of subscribers. This is good in some ways as our spring is unsure with events in Honduras, but overall not great for our business. Please spread the word about our CSA, as your friends and neighbors make the best longtime members of our farm. Also if you have been on the fence about 2022 – sign-up now. Even if you will take the long awaited summer vacation you can gift your share to a neighbor who may then get turned on to community supported agriculture and eating locally and seasonally. We have been here for you the entire pandemic and will continue to care for the land and the food we produce.
We have three more harvests in March. Our winter stores are diminished and will depend on quick growing spring crops to feed you during that month. We hope the purple sprouting broccoli survives this extreme cold this week and brings us many weeks of deliciousness. Sa;ad and more microgreens and spinach too.
Here are some recipes for this week:
Great website produced locally for eating winter veggies:
We awoke to a deep frost. The weather was predicted to reach a low of 34 and we dropped to 28. The Hard frost is affecting our ability to get the harvest out of the ground and into the cooler. We will have to wait for it to thaw. We spent yesterday in the orchard with an excellent crew who helped us tame the fruit trees. If you have time when you come to pick up the veggies take a look at the neat piles of branches and the beauty of the freshly trimmed trees. Quite a site, I wish I had taken better pictures. Thank you to all who showed up to make this possible, we are sore this morning but feeling very grateful.
Our sheep are lambing! We had triplets last night and twins this morning. Cold weather and curious and deadly coyotes make this even more challenging. The goats are due to deliver next month so we will have a very full barn. So many challenges that we get ourselves into.
Juvencio and I are working hard to seed, weed and prepare for the start of the 2022 regular season. Tomatoes and peppers were seeded Thursday and are tucked on a heating table with nice new plastic cover to prevent them from freezing. We have to open and close the water system to prevent freezing and the list goes on. We are trying tarping our land to kill weeds and grass and flaming to get the sprouting weeds. We have a good stand of cover crop to regenerate our soil during the winter.
Enjoy your winter veggies, remember to pickle daikon (quick pickle is all it takes), braise your greens and enjoy a winter soup of squash and cabbage. Here is one of our favorite soups:
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.
DELICATA SQUASH WITH ROSEMARY, SAGE, AND CIDER GLAZE
This is my favorite way to cook winter squash. You peel, and slice it, then cook it in a skillet with cider and
winter herbs. When most of the liquid boils away, the cider forms a tart-sweet glaze around the now-tender squash.
Delicata is a wonderfully firm-textured squash that’s not too sweet and almost like a potato. Other varieties like
acorn, turban, or kabocha will make good substitutes, but they may not hold their shape quite as well through the
braising.
2 medium delicata squash (about 2 pounds) or other firm
winter squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup very coarsely chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups fresh unfiltered apple cider or juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Squash. If using delicata squash, peel it with a vegetable peeler, cut it lengthwise in half, and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each piece lengthwise in half again, then crosswise into 1/2-inch -thick slices. Other types of squash should be peeled with a chef’s knife, seeded, cut into 1-inch wedges, then sliced 1/2-inch thick.
2. Herb Butter. Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over low heat. Add the sage and rosemary and cook,
stirring, until the butter just begins to turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not brown the herbs. Cooking the herbs in butter mellows their flavor and improves their texture.
3. Cooking the squash. Add the squash to the skillet, then the apple cider, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender,
20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper, and additional salt if needed.
Winter Is Here Period Short breaks in the rain have allowed some of the field to dry out and the river of water from the upper fields to stop flowing through our greenhouses. The Swiss chard is slow to recover after the sheep ate the tops off and the Escarol is also barely recovered. We hope that you will enjoy the end of the winter squash, the radicchio and the Brussels sprouts. We are looking forward to sprouting broccoli in February and March and wondering if anything else will be ready or have survived.
We started seeding for spring and late winter. The heating table is packed with arugula, spinach and lettuce. The sugar snap peas are seeded as we wait for them to sprout. We are glad for the end of January it has been a long and rainy month. You may notice some changes around the barn as we clean up and redesign our garden spaces.
Please do let us know about the regular season. We are taking sign-ups and hope to be full in March. Our season opens April 17th and runs through the end of October. It really helps me to know if you will continue as I can focus on planting, weeding and seeding and not rounding up subscribers for our farm.
If you missed this notice last week:
Pruning party set for February 5 from 9 – 3:00. We will be outside and each family can take a tree so we can keep our social distance.
Our arborist friend is on sabbatical so we will be winging it. We are happy to give you some pointers if you have never pruned a fruit tree. We count on a you all to help us prune over 30 fruit trees, so please consider joining us in February.
Here are some basic guide I looked at that seemed good to get some idea of how to prune::
More info to come as the date nears, but please put this date on your calendar
I made a delicious fennel, radish and fresh crab salad that Juvencio suggested we serve in tacos. Some of the best seafood tacos ever. Using a mandolin for slicing all these fresh winter veggies makes them easy to add to salads, on top of tacos or just to eat raw (my personal favorite).
We wish you and yours health, joy and happiness. We hope you all have your vaccine and booster jab and we look forward to seeing you around the farm.
Wash the bulgur wheat and soak it in water for 5-7 minute. Drain very well (squeeze the bulgur wheat by hand to get rid of any excess water). Set aside.
Very finely chop the vegetables, herbs and green onions as indicated above. Be sure to place the tomatoes in a colander to drain excess juice.
Place the chopped vegetables, herbs and green onions in a mixing bowl or dish. Add the bulgur and season with salt. Mix gently.
Now add the the lime juice and olive oil and mix again.
For best results, cover the tabouli and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. If you like, serve the tabouli with a side of pita and romaine lettuce leaves, which act as wraps or “boats” for the tabouli.
How To Make Classic Italian Gremolata (a 3 Ingredient Parsley Sauce)
Make sure your knife is sharpened before finely chopping up the parsley and garlic together. Having a super sharp knife will make sure you make clean cuts through the parsley leaves so you’re not just banging at them with a dulled knife blade.
Add the lemon zest and keep chopping the ingredients up until they’re completely combined and the size you want for serving, i.e. do you want more texture or more of a sauce consistency?
Add in some lemon juice to taste as soon as you’re happy with the texture. I also like to add some sea salt which really isn’t the norm with this dish but I think it makes it just perfect and brings out all the flavor of the ingredients.
Here is what has happened since the last time we communicated with you all. Shortly after the December harvest we saw the weather report that predicted temperatures in the teens. None of our crops can really survive 10 or 15° and so we raced out right before Christmas to harvest as much of the Radicchio, all of the outside daikon, the celeriac and the celery as we could. We covered all of the greenhouse crops with agricultural fabric. Oh and by the way, the day after we harvested on December 20, The sheep trotted into the greenhouse through a door blown open by gale force winds. They ate all of the escarole and uprooted all the Swiss chard that we had nicely left for the January harvest. I replanted every Swiss chard plant that they pulled out and covered that with the agricultural fabric. I went in last weekend to uncover the crops, found a slug eaten mess and a waterlogged greenhouse. We have active water flow moving through that greenhouse going from the field above to every gopher hole and it is impossible to walk in that greenhouse without your foot:sinking 8 inches below the surface. Needless to say the agricultural fabric remains covering those crops and a beautiful habitat for slugs.
Our fields are also waterlogged. I have not dared to go into any of the other green houses. This winter has brought so many challenges to our farm work. We did not take the week-long trip to the coast we planned for fear of cold weather and snow here at the farm. The snow turned out to be just a few inches that melted each day but given the weather predictions of up to 6 inches we could not leave this place unattended. It has felt similar at my other work at Virginia Garcia. Between severe staffing shortages and the surge in Omicron I have been unable to leave the clinic work behind. Honestly it has been exhausting.
We have been living on those pre harvested crops. We hope that you will enjoy making a celeriac soup, roasted winter squash, radicchio salad and roasted brussels sprouts this week and next. Enjoy every vegetable that you can. We cannot predict the future and we are so ready for this winter weather to be gone, for COVID-19 to be gone and for something cheerful on the horizon. Please stay safe, get your booster shot if you have not gotten it yet and know that we are doing the best we can.
If you have not signed up for the regular season please do so now. We ask for a $100 deposit to reserve your spot. The payment in full is due by the start of the season 4/17 this year is you want to receive the $20 discount, otherwise you can pay in two installments: May 1 and August 1. The cost for the season remains the same but we have decreased the number of harvests by 1, thus the season will be 28 weeks long starting April 17 and ending October 26. The cost for seeds and potting soil have increased along with everything else. We continue to try to grow the best vegetables with organic practices for you and your family.
This is the last harvest for 2021. Do not worry you will get 7 more harvests in your winter share in 2022. We did have a bit of snow last night and therefore may be a bit slow getting the harvest completed. It is due to melt off around 11:00. We hope you enjoy this bountiful pre-holiday harvest.
I just opened my kiln for the last firing I will do this year. Some real successes and lots of pots to hold house plants in this set. I am working on plates and still have a lot to learn. I will have items out in the barn for purchase later today.
Omicron is on the rise and the predictions for cases and hospitalizations are staggering. The best protection is to get vaccinated and boosted if you are eligible. You can get a booster if you are >16 and are 6 months past your last mRNA vaccine (pfizer or moderna) or 2 months after your J and J. Virginia Garcia Clinic in Cornelius has walk-in vaccination every Thursday from 3:30 – 6:00 no appointment necessary. Many other locations exist and can be located by dialing 211 from a cell phone. Feel free drop into our clinic or text me if you are having trouble finding where to get the jab. The goal in Oregon is to give 1 million Oregonians vaccinated before end of January.
Urge 1 million Oregonians to get boosters by the end of January and increase access to boosters by expanding high-capacity vaccination sites, resuming mobile vaccination clinics, and increasing vaccination clinic staffing.
Focus boosters on people who are most vulnerable to becoming hospitalized if they catch the Omicron variant: Older adults, people in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, and communities of color
Rapidly deliver new COVID-19 treatments, such as monoclonal antibody therapies and antiviral drugs, and expand needed testing.
Support health care workers and hospitals in the face of the coming Omicron surge with increased staffing, and support local and regional coordination of hospital resources.
Connect more people to boosters, treatments and testing.
Please spread the word and get those you know vaccinated.
Meanwhile for the holidays there are recommendations to keep those gatherings small and among vaccinated and boosted individuals only. I hope you find a way to bring joy to your families and celebrate what we do have- which is a lot.
Winter squash (Dorian round or Zucca butternut – so sweet)
Parsley
Green tomatoes if they are still out there when we go to harvest
We have enjoyed unseasonably warm weather and all the cauliflower opened beautifully and then we got down too low. You will notice a slightly frozen bit on your cauliflower which means it this veggie first. The brussels are plump but will need some dramatic paring of outer leaves to get rid of leaves that are damaged by rain and insects. It is still a nice haul, just observe them as you prepare them. I trimmed up the whole stock for my mom in about 7 minutes and have them in a bag that has them to use during the week.
The escarole is nice and light green and not bitter in my opinion. The slugs love it as well. This being said, clean it in several washes of cold water. Pick out any damaged leaves and slugs and spin dry and keep in fridge for use when you want a nice solid salad. Do plan on using it early in the week.
The daikon has sized up so nicely. We have been enjoying it quick pickled or sliced in salads. I made a great quick pickle with daikon, cauliflower and cabbage a week ago that had everyone raving. We know the celery is huge, sorry about that, time to try a celery salad.
We take a break next week and have veggies again for you on December 19th. I hope to have a fresh kiln load of ceramics by then but we will see if I can pull it off.
December is a great time to donate to your favorite non-profits. I use the give guide for local organizations that have been vetted. Here is the link:https://giveguide.org/
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.
Parsley-Lemon Dressing
1 c. coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2Tbs lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil
salt, pepper to taste
Combine in a blender or food processor with a tablespoon or two of
water until very smooth
Thai Pumpkin and sweet Potato Curry
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and chunked into 1-2” chunks
3-4 c. pumpkin or other squash, “ “
1/4 can coconut milk
2-3 whole kaffir lime leaves
curry sauce:
3/4 c coconut milks
3 cloves garlic
thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
3 tbs fish sauce
1 1/2 tsp limes juice
1 tsp sugar
1 red Thai curry, sliced
3 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
Blend sauce ingredients in blender or food processor.
Heat a lightly oiled pot; add curry and 1/2 c water, and lime leaves and bring to a boil.
Add squash and potato, bring to a boil and then simmer til veggies are soft.
Just before serving mix in handful of chopped cilantro. I often add frozen peas or edamame or red pepper for more color.
caramelized Brussel sprouts pasta with toasted chick peas
6 Tbs EVOO
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry
2 tbs butter
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and very thinly sliced
8 oz tagliatelle pasta
1/2 c freshly grated parmesan
2 tbs drained capers
2 tbs lemon jice
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 c chopped fresh chives
bring pot of salted water to a boil.
in a dutch oven or large deep skillet, heat 2Tbs of oil, add chickpeas, salt and pepper and cook until toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towel.
Add the butter, garlic and 2Tbs oil to the same pan and cook stirring, about 1 minute. Add shredded sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly caramelized—about 10 minutes.
Cook pasta according to directions, drain reserving 2 c of pasta water
Add the pasta, 1 c pasta water, 3/4 of the chickpeas and the remaining 2 Tb oil to the dutch over mix. stir in the remaining ingredients, add more pasta water if necessary, and scatter with remaining chickpeas.
brussel sprouts and winter squash hash
1 1/2 lbs winter squash, halved and seeds scraped out
1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut into quarters
2 Tbs EVOO
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
2 Tbs tomato paste dissolved in 1/4 c water
1 c. cooked black rice
Preheat oven to 425. Cover baking sheet with foil, lightly oil and place squash cut side down and bake 30-40 minutes until tender but not mush. Peel; away skin and dice.
heat oil over medium high in large, heavy skillet. add sprouts and cook, stirring often until just tender and edges seared light brown. add salt, scallions and garlic and stir together and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the squash. Cook, stirring until the squash has caramelized lightly about 10 minutes. season w/salt and pepper and stir in the tomato paste water and cook, stirring, for five minutes more. stir in the black rice and cook until heated through.
Sweet and Spicy roasted tofu and squash
14 oz extra firm tofu, darned
2 lbs dumpling, delicata or acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 1/2 Tbs soy sauce
1/2 tsp sriracha
kosher salt, black pepper
1/4 c peanut oil
1 Tbs honey
1 tb toasted sesame seeds
2 Tbs chopped celery leaves
slice tofu into 1/2” slabs and drain well on paper towels or clean dish towels
heat over to 425. Cut squash into 1/2” thick half moons, then cut in half again
in a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, sriracha and pinch of salt. Whisk in peanut oil. Spoon 3 tbs of this into a separate small bowl and reserve. whisk the honey into the original mixture. Spread squash out on a large baking sheet and pour the honey soy mixture over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well. roast until bottoms are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Flip and roast until uniformly golden and soft, about 10 minutes more. transfer to a large bowl.
adjust the heat to broil and position a rack just below the heating element. toss tofu with the reserved soy mixture and arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. cook until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Toss the hot tofu with the squash, sesame seeds and celery leaves
Brussels sprouts!! Yipee! They are sized up – enjoy
Fennel
Celery
Parsley
Cippolini onions
thyme
Leeks
Daikon radish
Salad mix – we left the lettuce as small heads in hopes that it would stay fresher for you
radicchio – we shared a special variety called Puntarelle, if you choose this one, text me for a short prep video.
Arugula (this one is spicy and may be enjoyed more with some braising)
Pie pumpkin (I cooked my last pumpkin/large squash whole and then it was easy to peel and seed – it took about 60 minutes)
Kale or chard or collards
Walnuts
Cauliflower
Broccoli
We raced out yesterday after the farmers market to harvest what we could. We were warned of a hard frost and it hit. It is 27 degrees outside and all is white. We will have to wait until it thaws to get the remainder of the harvest gathered.
Last night I made a quick pickle of daikon radish, cabbage and cauliflower and some thai hot peppers and we had that with pupusas. It was a great way to eat a lot of veggies with a tummy warming family favorite meal.
This Thanksgiving I will cut up the turkey and roast the legs and thighs in the style of Samin Nosrat with buttermilk and salt. I will bone the breast and fill with celery, parsley, herbs, onions and mushrooms and roll it up and cover with bacon and roast. We did this last year and we felt it was our best cooked turkey ever. Share your ideas!
I cannot let the acquittal of Rittenhouse a white supremacist youth go unmentioned. The blatantly racist white judge who called protestors rioters and made so many decisions that influenced the outcome of the trial set in motion a national shame. Black people in this country are treated unjustly on a daily basis while white people get away with murder. How to make an impact seems to be a daily challenge. We must make it our work to push forward and elect leaders, judges, school boards that speak truth to white supremacy. Spending some time as we gather with family to examine the origins of our “Thanksgiving” meal is also worthwhile. It does take a bite out of the celebration. Hold your family close and find ways to give to those with less.
Off to make that green tomato coffee cake I shared last week- it was so good. I will cut the sugar a bit.
Radishes (daikon – light purple or pink , radish – dark purple (these you do not need to peel)
Winter squash
Leeks
Broccoli
Cauliflower or cabbage (take the one you did not get last week)
Radicchio (Pan di Zucchero variety)
Cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes or green tomatoes
Green peppers
Parsley or thyme (spice up your life- well, they are really herbs, but add some zing to your meals)
This week we received the atmospheric river in full force. Water pooled in the lower fields and ran through greenhouse #2. It made farming difficult and restricted us to the hoop houses. Juvencio managed to construct two new garden boxes for my many tulips and during a break in the rain I planted them. There is still so much more to do as we continue to prep for winter.
The first seed catalog showed up on Thursday serving as a minor distraction for me as they had about 100 varieties of pumpkins on the cover. I have vowed to get them in the ground in May next year as they did not color up by October 31 with a July planting date.
You are getting this new radicchio cousin today as the gopher is determined to finish it off if we don’t give it now. We were hoping to have it for the new year but our vermin have a different plan. Enjoy it in many forms and let us know what you think. I may also give a few puntarelle, my pride and joy radicchio. It looks spiky and if you choose it text me and I can send you my favorite recipe. You slice it real thin and soak in ice water and it curls. We have it mixed with other radicchio or alone.
puntarellePan di Zucchero
Pan di Zucchero Notes
Pan di zucchero is a chicory, not as strong as radicchio and the name means sugar loaf in Italian. It’s a bit like a denser version of escarole. It’s crisp and sweet and complex and a definite treat. You can use like Romaine for a Caesar like salad (see recipe below).
It also takes well to braising with a little broth and/or white wine and some thinly sliced garlic and salt and pepper.
You can also grill it, cut into wedges and brushed generously with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Then you can serve it with thinly sliced pears or apples and a soft, pungent cheese like gorgonzola or other blues or feta or goat cheese even. Delicious! For even more decadence add some diced, rendered bacon or prosciutto.
Green tomato spice cake
Ingredients
4 cups green tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
In a medium sized bowl, place the chopped tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of sugar and let stand about 15-20 minutes.
Rinse and drain in a colander. Dry with a paper towel as much as possible.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare a 9×13 baking pan.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until creamy.
In another bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture and mix really well.
Fold in the drained tomatoes and again, mix well.
Spoon into your prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees, or until toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
from Chef Bruce Hill at Picco and Zero Zero: We are currently grilling it with olive oil, s+p at Zero Zero serving it as a warm salad with pears and gorgonzola.
It also makes a great salad with caesar dressing ( we call it a white radicchio caesar). At home we love it with just salt and new harvest olive oil.
Tatsoi & Pan di Zucchero Pasta with Preserved Lemon and Toasted Almonds from Julia
I wanted to make a quick dinner for a quick and relaxed weeknight just-get-it-done but sit down together meal. I looked in the fridge and cupboard, and threw this together with the garlic I cleverly purchased earlier in the day.
1 head pan di zucchero (you could use escarole or radicchio or another cooking green here), cleaned and sliced into ribbons then chopped a bit some more
1 pound tatsoi: stemmed and washed well. I removed the stems and washed up the green leaves with the bits of stem that remained, it was pretty quick thanks to my salad spinner
4 large cloves of garlic, or to taste
1 onion (optional, I meant to add this and didn’t…)
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons (approx) chopped preserved lemons (you could use capers and or kalamata olives if no preserved lemons are lurking in your fridge)
1 bunch Italian parsley washed and chopped (I actually bought a bunch of this, then forgot!)
Toasted almonds, roughly chopped
1 can great quality tuna or salmon in oil, flaked, optional (I didn’t add this but I pondered it)
3/4 pound pasta or a whole pound (I used penne, could use other shapes including spaghetti), cooked
S & P to taste
1-2 lemons quartered to serve for squeezing to taste at the table
a grating cheese to serve on the table with the grater (I like to make the eaters do some of the work, and I don’t usually add cheese to my dish)
Saute the onion in 2-4 tablespoons oil until soft. Add all the cooking greens plus the garlic, cook until well wilted and garlic is soft.
Toss the hot wilted greens/onion mix with the preserved lemons & pasta. Add tuna if using, and toss the whole thing in a large bowl. Season to taste with S & P. (go light on the salt as the preserved lemons are salty!)Serve with a small pile of chopped almonds on top. At table pass lemon quarters and hunk of grating cheese such as parmesan or asagio with the grater for eaters to garnish themselves.
from Chef Jonathan Miller: To my taste, Pan di Zucchero is sweeter, more tender, and less nutty than escarole. It is transformed, as most chicories are, by fire into something remarkable. Camino cooks their zucchero over fire and serves them as large, wilted leaves, dripping with something delicious of course.
all the following recipes are from Chef Jonathan:
Braised Pan di Zucchero with Roasted Chicken
When you’re ready to use your pan di zucchero, remove the outer most leaf or two. Those could be travel worn, frayed, and wilted. Rinse well, although it hasn’t seemed to have any grit inside its tightly packed layers (a real benefit since fitting it into the sink is even an exercise in spatial orientation), and give it a shake without completely drying it. Make sure you use all the thick, white end of the head – it’s got all the great flavor and texture.
2 T butter
2 large shallots, peeled and minced
3 T parsley, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, leaves only, minced
1 chicken, whole (about 4lb)
vermouth
chicken stock
1 more tablespoon of butter
olive oil
1 head pan di zucchero, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 anchovies, minced
Melt the butte in a small saucepan and add the shallots, parsley, and rosemary with a little salt. Saute over medium-low heat until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
Heat the oven to 425. Rinse and dry your chicken. Cut off the wing tips and save for stock. Using a pairing knife, gently cut out the wish bone (it is at the very top of the breast) by gently cutting around it (don’t slice too deeply into the meat), then pulling it out with your fingers. This makes carving much easier. Don’t worry if it breaks, just pull out both pieces. Now gently slip your fingers between the breast skin and the meat, separating the skin from the flesh without tearing the skin. Slip the sauteed shallots and herbs into that space between the skin and breast meat, massaging the stuffing all the way down the breast. Generously salt and pepper your bird on all sides.
Oil the center of a cast iron skillet (or other heavy, oven proof skillet) and put the bird in the skillet on its side, making sure it doesn’t rock over. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes. Working quickly but gently, pull the chicken out and turn it over to its other side using tongs. Try not to tear any skin while doing this, but don’t beat yourself up if you do – it will still turn out good! Roast the chicken on its other side like this for another 25 minutes. Remove the bird again so it is breast side up. Roast for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the chicken out onto a plate, breast side down, and allow it to rest this way, gently tented with foil, for at least 10 minutes, preferably 15. Make a simple pan sauce: pour off the fat from the skillet and return it to the stovetop. Over high heat, add a little vermouth (about 1/4 cup at most), stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up all the baked on chicken. Allow to reduce to a glaze, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, allow to reduce by half, then finish with a tablespoon of butter, turning off the heat when you add the butter. It should be plenty salty already, but check just to make sure.
While the chicken roasts, heat a saucepan and add a few tablespoons olive oil. Add the pan di zucchero and saute gently for a few minutes until it has wilted. Add the garlic and anchovies and a little salt (remember that anchovies are a bit salty, so use less salt than you otherwise would). Stir well, then cook over low heat, covered, for another 5-10 minutes, or until the pan di zucchero is nice and soft.
Pour any juices that ran out of the chicken into your pan sauce, then carve the chicken into parts and serve it on top of the pan di zucchero while both are still nice and warm. Pass the sauce at the table.
Pan di Zucchero Pizza with Walnuts
3 T milk
3 T warm water
pinch sugar
1 1/4 t yeast
1 T olive oil
1/2 c flour
2 T whole wheat flour
2 T rye flour
1 1/4 t salt
small handful walnuts
olive oil
1 large red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1/2 head pan di zucchero, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch chili flakes
vinegar
3 oz fontina, grated
Mix the milk, water, sugar, yeast, and olive oil in a bowl, stirring until the yeast dissolves. Add the flours and salt, mixing well. Knead this dough until smooth, but still tacky, about 5 minutes. Put a little olive oil into a bowl then drop in the dough, turning it to coat it with the oil. Allow to rise for about an hour in a warm place.
Toast the walnuts in a 350 degree oven until colored and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
Heat a skillet, add some olive oil, and saute the onion until softened and just starting to color, then add the pan di zucchero and the garlic. Saute until wilted, about 5 minutes, then finish with some salt, a generous pinch of chili flakes, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Taste.
Heat a pizza stone to 500 degrees. Shape your dough, put it on a generously floured pizza peel, and put all but a couple tablespoons of fontina on the bottom of the crust. Top with the pan di zucchero, then the walnuts, then the remaining cheese. Slide it onto the pizza stone and bake for 10 minutes. Check on the crust to make sure it’s done, and pull it out and allow to rest a couple minutes before cutting and eating.
Pan di Zucchero Soup
1 head pan di zucchero, chopped
2 qt water
1/2 lb ground sausage
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 eggs
1 c mozzarella, grated
cider vinegar
2 hard cooked eggs
chives
Put the pan di zucchero in a pot with the water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute and turn off the heat.
Brown the sausage in a large skillet, mixing well. Add the beef and brown it as well. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Pour off any fat, then add the meat and onions to the pan di zucchero. Return soup to a simmer and cook another 10 minutes with the meats. Beat the eggs together, then add them to the soup, stirring while you add them so they don’t cook into clumps. Add the mozzarella and stir well until melted. Finish with a couple tablespoons of vinegar (or not, if you don’t like it).
Serve hot, garnished with chopped hard cooked egg and chives.
Pan di Zucchero Caesar Salad
Serves 4-6 depending on appetites and what else is being served
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 flat anchovy filets (or more to taste)
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
Freshly grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
1 head (or only part of one if they’re huge) pan di zucchero, washed, leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1 1/2 inch ribbons
¾ – 1 cup croutons or toast a slice or two of good crusty bread and tear it into bite-sized pieces
You can either use a food processor or a mortar and pestle. If using the latter, put the garlic, anchovy, pepper and salt in it and pound it into a smooth-ish paste. Scoop the paste out of the mortar and put it into a bowl. Then whisk in the lemon juice and egg yolk and then slowly add the oil and finally the Parmesan. If using a food processor start with the garlic, anchovy, lemon juice and salt and then add the ingredients in the same order. Stir the parmesan at the end after you’ve removed the dressing from the processor.
Toss with pan di zucchero, top with croutons and some more freshly grated Parmesan.
Roast Chicken with Grilled Chicory (and parsnips and potatoes)
Grill or broil the pan di Zucchero in large wedges, brushed lightly with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, until browning around the edges and tender.
Roast a chicken, however, you like to. This is the easiest way I know of and a funny blog post to boot–by cookbook author and blogger Michael Ruhlman. You could add some diced potatoes and/or parsnips and add them to the pan in which you’re roasting the chicken for a very complete meal.
Roughly chop the grilled chicory and serve with the chicken and drizzle any pan juices over the greens. If there isn’t enough juice drizzle with good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Simple, delicious food!
Panfried Delicata with Sage and Garlic
I made this the other day when I had little time and little in the pantry. It’s hardly a recipe but here you are.
I tend to only think of baking delicate rings or slices but cooking them over high-heat in a cast iron skillet on the stove top is even faster and just as delicious.
1-2 delicata squash, scrub well and halve lengthwise and remove all seeds and strings (keep the seeds to roast if you’d like)
Cut the squash halves into 1/3-inc half rounds (skin on)
Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in the largest, heavy skillet you have over high heat. Add the squash slices and toss briefly to coat. You probably won’t be able to manage a single layer and that’s fine. Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Turn the heat down to medium high and cover the pan. Cook undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes or until to smell what might be considered scorching squash. Toss carefully trying your best (without driving yourself crazy) to flip most of them so the other side can brown. It will all work out in the end. Cover again and cook some more. You can decide when to take it off the heat. You can let it get quite soft or leave it with a bit of bit. The important thing is to get some good color.
Meanwhile finely chop the sage and mince or mash the garlic into a paste with some coarse salt. When the squash is done to your likely carefully stir in the garlic and sage and a good drizzle of olive oil. Let it all sit in the hot pan for a few minutes before you serve it to mellow the garlic just a bit. You can serve with a drizzle of sherry vinegar or lemon juice or just as is. I dare you not to eat one whole squash worth yourself.
Daylight savings is here! It is 6:50 in the morning and I can see the cloud studded sky. I am happy now, but come 5:00 p.m. I will feel the effects of the short days. We head into the dark months and time to rethink and plan for the coming season. As you will see some of the area around the barn is getting cleaned up. Jacob was out there cutting down wayward trees and blackberries between cloudbursts. I have been cleaning up some of the planter pots and replanting tulips and daffodils. Courtney helped clean up the seeding area. It is fun envision taking back some of the overgrown and non-productive areas around the farm.
I have been out in the clay studio too preparing for the post Thanksgiving sale. We will have some holiday evergreen wreaths (if we don’t sell them all at the Beaverton Farmers Market), sunflower head bird feeders and ceramics on November 26th. I will have many of the items up and available for purchase at the Thanksgiving harvest on 11/21. Thanksgiving is an add on, so if you are wanting all the fixings for your Thanksgiving meal, let us know by sending an email and leaving your payment of $40.
Super simple, spicy pickled radishes that are ready to eat immediately! These pickled radishes are amazing on tacos, burgers, salads and more. Recipe as listed below yields about 1 ¼ cup pickles.SCALE1X2X3X
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch radishes
¾ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this yields very spicy pickles, so use ½ teaspoon for medium spicy pickles or none at all)
½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds (optional)
Optional add-ins: garlic cloves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
To prepare the radishes: Slice off the tops and bottoms of the radishes, then use a sharp chef’s knife or mandoline to slice the radishes into very thin rounds. Pack the rounds into a pint-sized canning jar. Top the rounds with red pepper flakes and mustard seeds.
To prepare the brine: In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, honey or maple syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then pour the mixture over the radishes.
Let the mixture cool to room temperature. You can serve the pickles immediately or cover and refrigerate for later consumption. The pickles will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks, although they are in their most fresh and crisp state for about 5 days after pickling.
The original cartoon of La Calavera Catrina, by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada. It is thought to have been drawn around 1910, as the Mexican Revolution was gathering steam. PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSÉ GUADALUPE POSADA
Here are your first selection of winter veggies:
Arugula
Radishes (daikon – light purple or pink , radish – dark purple (these you do not need to peel)
Winter squash
Leeks
Broccoli
Cauliflower or cabbage (take the one you did not get last week)
Fennel
Radicchio
Cherry tomatoes or regular tomatoes
Green peppers
Parsley or thyme (spice up your life- well, they are really herbs, but add some zing to your meals)
Persimmons – these are the variety you eat when hard – I just eat them like an apple, they can be sliced in salads
Happy Halloween and Dia de los Muertos. One of my favorite celebrations. No dressing up in our house today except for “Higo” and “Pee Wee” who will strut their costumes as bumble bees with Kody later on tonight. We hope you enjoy the clear night without rain. Happy trick or treating.
We continue to prep the beds with more winter crops. I hope to seed a special spinach to be harvested as baby leaves later today after harvest. I have purchased both arugula and spinach for this purpose. In the past we get so much weed seed growing our intentional crop gets covered. We will try again and keep on trying until success.
If you have not let us know that you want to be part of the 2022 Regular Season you can do so by completing the enrollment form and leaving us a deposit of $100. Here is a link to the page: https://www.finquita.com/wordpress/?page_id=231
We will harvest 12 times during the winter season. The first few weeks are back to back and then we will spread out to twice monthly for December – February. Here is the schedule again:
10/31,
11/7,11/14
12/5,12/19
1/9,1/23
2/6, 2/20
3/6, 3/203/27
You can add on Mushrooms by joining Cloud Cap mushrooms and they will deliver your mushrooms here for pick -up with your share:
