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Tuesday November 1, 2011
Greetings CSA Members,
Shoveling our way to the leeks, slopping through both mud and ice, we all thought that this must just be the icing on this season’s cake! We were spared the 25 inches Connecticut and Massachusetts received, but snow in October on fragile arugula, tat soi and small heads of lettuce does not bode well for an end of season burst of greens.
And although we are here at our last distribution of the 2011 season, one of the most challenging years ever in our farming experience, the ground is still soft and the fields are still a glorious green. I must remember to always be grateful for these small wonders. We are indeed fortunate people to have farming as our life and livelihood and people such as you as enthusiastic supporters and friends. I know without a doubt that we would not be standing on our feet today without the prayers, good thoughts, support, contributions of time, energy and donations from all of you all season long and for some of you for many years. Your kindness, delicious meals, and support have been invaluable during the past two months since Tropical Storm Irene. We appreciate you all so much and send to you our heartfelt thanks.
As I have said before, you enrich our lives and make possible the existence of small, organic farming. Community Supported Agriculture is thriving here in the Capital area because of you.
Thank you!
We look forward to next Spring - a time for beginning again and providing you with another 22-week season of vegetables. Until then, stay warm and take good care.
Snow Geese
Oh, to love what is lovely, and will not last!
What a task
to ask
Of anything, or anyone,
yet it is ours,
and not by the century or the year, but by the hours.
One fall day I heard
above me, and above the sting of the wind, a sound
I did not know, and my look shot upward; it was
a flock of snow geese, winging it
faster than the ones we usually see,
and, being the color of snow, catching the sun
so they were, in part at least, golden. I
held my breath
as we do
sometimes
to stop time
when something wonderful
has touched us
as with a match
which is lit, and bright,
but does not hurt
in the common way,
but delightfully,
as if delight
were the most serious thing
you ever felt.
The geese
flew on.
I have never
seen them again.
Maybe I will, someday, somewhere.
Maybe I won’t.
It doesn’t matter.
What matters
is that, when I saw them,
I saw them
as through the veil, secretly, joyfully, clearly.
Mary Oliver
All The Best and Enjoy – Justine
This week in your share, you will most likely receive:
A Bag of Beets, Rutabaga, and Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Leeks, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Fennel or Kohlrabi or Scallions, and Satina Potatoes (similar to Yukon Gold)
***** Bring some grocery bags with you so that you can leave your box at your pick-up site and remember to thank your host! *****
Savory-Sweet Rutabaga Pudding
Somewhere between a fluffy ricotta dessert and mashed potatoes, it pairs exceptionally well with lamb. Serves 6 to 8
1 rutabaga, peeled, cut into 2-inch dice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
Butter for greasing the baking dish
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup raisins, plumped in hot water for 15 minutes and drained (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rutabaga and 1 teaspoon salt, partially cover, and cook until the rutabaga is very soft, 30 to 45 minutes. (You will need to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.)
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with butter. Beat the eggs and egg yolk in a medium bowl. Stir in the cream, bread crumbs, maple syrup, and nutmeg.
Drain the rutabaga, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Mash the rutabaga thoroughly with a potato masher or run it through a food mill. If the mixture seems dry, add a little of the reserved rutabaga water as you mash. Add the egg mixture, raisins, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grindings of pepper; stir to combine.
Transfer the rutabaga pudding to the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top and dot with butter. Bake until lightly golden on top, about 45 minutes. Serve hot.
French Onion Soup
(Martha Stewart)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow onions, sliced 1/4-inch into half circles
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 cups Beef Stock
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small French baguette, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups)
Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat. Add onions. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, about 1 hour.
Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat. Add sherry, stock, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, lightly toast bread under a broiler; set aside. Ladle hot soup into six ovenproof bowls. Arrange the bowls on a baking pan. Place 1 or 2 slices of toasted bread over each bowl of soup. Sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheese over bread in each bowl, and place under the broiler until cheese is melted and crusty brown around the edges. Watch carefully that bread doesn't burn. Serve immediately.
Leek and Spinach Tart
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (or your basic pate brisee for an 11" tart)
2 tbsp butter
1-3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 ½ - 2 cups of spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cup of whole milk
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface to a 12" square. Transfer to a tart pan or a 9" glass pie dish (this is what I used). Fold overhang under and crimp edges. Chill until ready to use.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and sauté, stirring often, until leeks are very tender but haven't begun to brown yet (7-10 min). Add spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes until it's wilted. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 425F. In a large bowl, whisk milk, eggs, yolks, salt and pepper. Mix in the cooled leeks and spinach. Pour filling into the crust.
Bake for 15 min on 425F. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for 10-15 min longer until filling is puffed and completely set in the center. I find that it's best at room temperature with a little bit of grated cheese on top.
Butternut Squash, Spinach and Goat Cheese Pizza
by Stephanie Clarke, R.D. and Willow Jarosh, R.D.
2 cups cubed butternut squash (1/2-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 ball (16 ounces) store-bought whole-wheat pizza dough, at room temperature
2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons cornmeal
Heat oven to 400°. Heat pizza stone on bottom rack (or use an inverted 11" x 16" cookie sheet, not heated). Toss squash with 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. On a baking sheet, cook squash until soft and lightly browned, 25 minutes, stirring halfway through; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cook onion (season with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper), stirring, until light brown, 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water; cook, stirring, until brown, 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Turn oven up to 450°. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface. Press dough into a 15-inch circle or 10" x 16" rectangle. Top with squash, onion, spinach, cheese and thyme. Dust stone or inverted sheet with cornmeal; place pizza on it. Bake until crust is crispy and cheese melts, 10 to 12 minutes.
Curried Vegetable Soup
(from A Bushel of What Blog)
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 leek, white part only, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
2lb Yukon gold potatoes (Satina), washed, quartered and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small head broccoli, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp yellow curry
¾ tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground mustard
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth 2-3 cups water salt, to taste
Heat butter and olive oil in large pot. Saute garlic, onion, leek, green pepper and parsnip, until veggies begin to soften. Add cumin, curry, turmeric, mustard and stir. Add potatoes and broccoli. Add broth and water. Turn up heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer uncovered for approx 20 min, or until potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork. Add salt, to taste.
Sweet Potato and Yukon Gold Gratin
Extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/4 lbs each of sweet potatoes and yukon golds, scrubbed, peeled and cut into approx. 1/4" thick slices
1 tsp herbs de provence (or an equal mix of dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, sage)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 generous cup of grated Gruyere cheese, tightly packed
2 1/2 cups low-fat milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat your oven to 375degrees.
Lightly oil a gratin or casserole dish. There should be even layers of potatoes, not a single layer, so make sure not to use a dish that is too large. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, garlic, herbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper, a 1/2 cup of the cheese and a healthy sprinkle of salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes evenly in the oiled dish. Pour milk evenly through potatoes and bake, uncovered for approx. 1 hour. The potatoes will float to the surface, so make sure to open the oven every 20 minutes or so to press the potatoes gently down. This will help prevent any overflow. After 1 hour, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the potatoes and bake 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let rest 10 before serving.
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