The Vegetable World’s Ugly Duckling: Celeriac

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6551175

Check out this great article from NPR about Celeriac; one of the many winter vegetables we’ll have at the Olympia Farmers Market this weekend.  This will be our last weekend at the market so make sure to come and stock up on some delicious, organic, winter vegetables!

Joe and Marshall hauling out some jumbo daikon

Our beloved moat!

 

 

Liza and Marshall riding with the veggies through the moat.

Fall CSA Box #4 November 15th 2011

In this week’s box:

Tatsoi Cipollini Onions Root medley: parsnips, sunchokes,
Beets Yellow Fingerling rutabaga, turnip
Chard Carrots Dry Beans
Leeks Butternut Squash Fresh Thyme

Dear members,

It’s hard to believe, but the final week of CSA delivery is here! It’s not only the end of the fall csa, but also of our entire season! 21 weeks have gone by, and for those of you that have been with us for the whole season we hope you have enjoyed the ride. It’s awesome to think of the progression of vegetables that have made this journey possible. It seems so long ago we we’re enjoying fresh peas, baby lettuces, strawberries and all the good stuff of spring, and then new potatoes, green beans, and cherry tomatoes etc. I’m getting nostalgic just thinking about it! Not only are those summer vegetables long gone, so too are the long days and sunny skies! With the dark and damp days here, and the hearty vegetables of fall and winter still here to sustain us, we wrap up the fall season. This is the time for giving thanks for the beautiful foods the earth provides us.
We too would like to thank you for joining our CSA and helping to make this farming life possible. For us, this is truly a way that we can make a difference in this world, and choose a local, sustainable, earth friendly way of living. While at the same time bringing healthy ultra-fresh produce to you and your families. Hopefully, improving your way of life and way of eating!
This final box is full of a lot of tasty items, a few of which you have not yet received. Tatsoi is a dark green Asian green that has a spoon shape and a mild mustard flavor that is pleasant and sweet. This green is best eaten fresh in salads or just wilted in a warm salad. Tatsoi has a short storage life, and will only keep for several days wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer of your fridge. The squash is a Butternut. This winter squash is really delicious and has a sweet, nutty flavor similar to that of pumpkin. Butternut squash can be roasted, boiled, pureed and cooked in soups, baked in to pies and muffins, grilled, and mashed. There are so many possibilities. This squash will keep for several weeks if not longer at room temperature. Last but not least are the dry beans. You’ll each be getting about a pound of these beauties. Wobbly cart has been growing and saving this bean medley for several years now. They have cool names: Vermont Cranberry, Soldier, Jacob’s Cattle, Ireland Creek Annie, and King of the Early just to name a few. These fresh beans will cook up quickly and are perfect for a winter pot of chili, stewed beans, baked beans, refried beans, a bean salad, you name it. I believe you’ll find the flavor superior to anything you can get in the store. Soak them overnight, change the water, and simmer them without salt until done. About 30 min. Then use them in the recipe of your choice. You’ll be able to keep these beans all winter if you want to. They’ll be just fine in the pantry.
That’s going to be all! Here’s to a happy and healthy winter. We look forward to seeing you next year! We’ll keep you posted this winter with a few farm updates and hope to have you join us for the 2012 CSA! Thank you so much!!!!!!

Asha, Joe and the Crew at Wobbly Cart

P.S: Please return your boxes to the drop sites by next week, we will be coming by to pick them up!!!!

Thank you !!!!!!!!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put 4 lbs fingerling potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl. Meanwhile, blanch 12oz Cipollini onions in boiling water for 2 minutes, rinse to cool, then peel and cut into bite sized chunks. Add onions, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper to potatoes and stir. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and golden brown with crisp edges, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a shallow serving dish. Beat ¼ cup crème fraiche and ¼ cup heavy cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in ¼ cup chopped chives, 4 oz bacon, cooked until crisp, then finely chopped, and ¼ tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper. Top potatoes with bacon cream and gently stir to coat. (adapted from a recipe in the November 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine).

Butternut Squash Cheesecake with Chocolate crust and Salted Caramel:

Make crust: Preheat oven to 350. Whirl 9oz of chocolate wafer cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Whirl in ½ cup melted unsalted butter just until incorporated. Pour crumbs intp a 9-inch springform pan and press over bottom and about 1inch up the sides of the pan. Bake 7 min, then let cool on a rack. Reduce heat to 300. Make filling: In a large bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat 3 8oz pkg cream cheese, at room temp, ¾ cup sugar, and ½ cup light brown sugar, and 1 tbsp flour until smooth. Beat in 4 large eggs, one at a time. Add in 1 cup of cooked, pureed, butternut squash, ¼ cup each heavy cream, sour cream, and maple syrup, the zest of 2 medium oranges, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice. Beat until just blended. Wrap the bottom of your pan with foil, pressing it up the outside. Set the springform pan in a roasting pan and pour filling into the crust. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the sringform pan. Bake until the cheesecake barely jiggles in the center when gently shaken, about 1 ¼ hours. Let cheesecake cool on a rack 1 hour, then chill until cold, at least 5 hours. Whisk 6 tbsp store-bought caramel topping with 1/8 tsp table salt in a bowl and spoon over the cheesecake. Arrange ½ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans around the rim and sprinkle flaked sea salt over pecans for garnish. (adapted from a recipe in the November 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine.)

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips:

Preheat oven to 450. Toss 1 lb carrots, sliced on an angle, with 1 lb parsnips, sliced on an angle; 1 shallot, chopped; 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp melted butter; 1 tsp oil; 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper; and ¼ tsp salt. Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Roast 15 minutes or until tender.

Quick Pickled Beets:

Combine 4 medium beets, scrubbed, trimmed, halved, and cut into ¼ inch slices. 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced. ¾ cup apple juice or water, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1/8 tsp ground allspice, and a pinch of sea salt in a pressure cooker. Lock the lid into place and over high heat bring to high pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat by running cold water over the cooker in your sink. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. To serve, lift the beets out of the liquid with a slotted spoon. Serve warm or chilled. (from Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen by Lorna Sass).

Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing:

 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill another bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Wash 10 to 12 oz Tatsoi leaves and cut into thick strips. Dump Tatsoi into the boiling water, time for exactly 1 minute, then drain immediately into colander and sump into a bowl with ice water. While Tatsoi is cooling in ice water, get a plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid that’s large enough to hold all the Tatsoi. Mix dressing ingredients in this bowl; 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp Asian hot chili sauce, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Drain the Tatsoi well, and add to the dressing. Mix well, and chill in the refrigerator an hour or more, turning bowl over a few times to recoat with the dressing. To serve, arrange the salad on plates, toast sesame seeds for 1-2 minutes in a dry pan and sprinkle over the salad. Serve immediately. (from a NY Times recipe).

Maple-Braised Butternut Squash with Fresh Thyme: Melt 6 tbsp butter in a heavy large deep skillet over high heat. Add 1 3 to 3 1/2 lb butternut squash, halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes, sauté 1 minute. Add 1 ¼ cups low-salt chicken broth, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup. 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme, 1 tsp coarse sea salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, to cook squash until almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer squash to a large bowl. Boil liquid in skillet until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Return squash to skillet. Cook until tender, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with more pepper, if desired. (From Bon appétit.)

Fall CSA Box # 3 November 8th, 2011

In this week’s box:

Carrots Celeriac Delicata Squash
Lacinato Kale Kohlrabi Fresh Rosemary
Onion Red Cabbage Red Fingerling Potato
Purple Mizuna Bell Pepper

Dear members,

A steady week of frosty nights, some temps even down into the mid-twenties here, has brought us deep into the Fall season. Root crops, Cabbages, and Kale have really sweetened up and are looking great with the lack of rain to pummel them. The hard frosts finally killed the peppers and tomatoes that live in our hoop-houses, but you get to enjoy the last harvest of bell peppers for the year. Pretty awesome for November 8th!
In the fields Joe has been busy trenching to lay the permanent irrigation lines at the new site. They need to be underground to protect them from the floods that affect our river valley. He buried 1500’ feet of pipe 3 feet deep this week! He reports that the trencher gave a great view of the soil profile, and some sand down deep means better drainage. Better drainage means the soil can be worked earlier and later in the season. This is all great news for Wobbly Cart.
This week you’ll get a few new crops I’d like to explain, and then on to the recipes.
Lacinato Kale is an heirloom kale that dates to the 18th century in Italy. It has a long tradition in Italian cuisine and is one of the traditional ingredients in minestrone soup. It has palm frond shaped leaves that are dark green and have an “embossed” texture. The flavor is sweeter and more delicate that most other kale varieties, this makes it excellent for use in salads and soups, as well as braised or stir-fried. It’s also awesome make into “kale-chips”. See the recipe page.
Purple Mizuna is a Japanese green that has a mild earthy, peppery taste. It is very tender and makes excellent salads and stir-fries. It will keep for 3 to 4 days loosely wrapped in plastic and stored in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
Celeriac is the large knobby looking root. It is weird looking, but tastes amazing. Peeled and trimmed it has a delicate celery like flavor, and is much less fibrous. It is excellent added to soups, baked in a gratin and shredded into robust salads and slaws. Loosely wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer, Celeriac will keep for many weeks.
Kohlrabi is the smooth, round vegetable. Peeled and sliced, kohlrabi makes an awesome veggie accompaniment to dip of your choice. It has a sweet crunchy flavor that my kids can’t get enough of. They are even known to fight over these when they see me unloading the CSA box! Kohlrabi is one of the many manifestations of the family brassica, the group that contains all of our cabbages, kales, broccoli, and cauliflower. It is actually a swollen stem of all things. Kohlrabi will also keep a long time stored like Celeriac.
Delicata Squash is the cream -colored winter squash with pretty green or orange stripes. It has a golden flesh that is very sweet and tender. It also cooks up quicker than most other winter squash making it very versatile. Delicata is considered by many to be the best of the winter squashes. Kept cool and dry, these squash will keep for several weeks and possibly months. Their flavor will improve over time if you can hold off from eating them tonight!
Enjoy the goodness! We’re so lucky to live in a climate mild enough to afford such great local eating in the fall and winter.

Asha, Joe and the Crew.

 In a large saucepan, sauté 1 onion, minced fine and 1 garlic clove, minced, in 3 Tbsp olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add 6 potatoes, peeled and diced, and sauté stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Ass 2 quarts cold water or stock, and boil gently for 20 minutes, until potatoes are mushy. Meanwhile, fry 6oz dry garlicky sausage (chorizo, linguica, or pepperoni) sliced paper thin, in a skillet over low heat, until most of the fat has drained out. Drain well and reserve. When potatoes are soft, remove from heat and either mash them in the pan with a masher or puree them, then add the sausage, 2 ½ tsp salt and pepper to taste. Return to medium heat, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes. When ready to serve add 1 lb lacinato kale, washed, trimmed, and sliced into fine shreds, and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes-until they are tender. Mix in 1 more Tbsp olive oil and taste for seasoning.

Celery Root (Celeriac) and Chile Gratin:

Preheat your oven to 375. Peel 2lb Celeriac and slice as thinly as possible. In a large bowl, toss the slices with 2 T of olive oil, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 3 garlic cloves, minced, and 1 cup half and half, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss until the celeriac is evenly coated and the garlic and chile well distributed. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking dish, spreading out the slices with your fingertips. Pour over any cream left in the bowl and trickle another Tbsp of olive oil over the top. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until the celery root is completely tender and the top is browned and crisp. For extra crispiness you can finish it under the broiler to 1 to 2 minutes.

Cantonese Beef and Daikon Stew: (maybe you still have some of that giant Daikon radish left from last week!)

Brown a beef brisket that has been cut into chucks in a large pot with a little bit of oil, then remove the meat from the pot. In the same pot add 5 slices of fresh ginger, and 3 cloves of crushed garlic, sauté until fragrant. Deglaze with ¼ cup rice wine. Add the meat back to the pot. Add 1 star Anise, 1 small piece of rock sugar, and enough water to cover all ingredients. Add 1 Daikon radish. Peeled and cut into chunks, bring liquid to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until meat is tender ( at least 1 ½ hours). Stir the ingredients around half way through. Add light soy sauce to taste. Thicken with 1 tbsp cornstarch that has been made into a paste in ½ cup water.

Rotkohl-German Red Cabbage:

 cut 1 medium red cabbage in half, remove core, shred or cut into fine strips. Chop 1 medium onion, peel 1 tart apple, and chop it. In a large pot heat 3 Tbsp butter, add onions and apple, add cabbage, 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar, 3 Tbsp red wine, salt to taste, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer on low for at least a half an hour.

Baked Kale Chips:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a non -insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems of one bunch of kale and tear into bite sized pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry the kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle the leaves with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. Spread out on the cookie sheet in a single layer and bake until the edges are brown but not burnt, about 10 to 15 minutes. (Like potato chips but way healthier!)

Spicy Chinese Slaw:
Slice into 2 -inch matchsticks one of the following:
2 to 3 Kohlrabi, peeled, or
5 small cucmbers, peeled and seeded, or
6 piece daikon radish, or 3 cups shredded cabbage.
Place mixture in a glass bowl and toss with: 4 Tbsp salt. Let stand and drain, 30 to 45 minutes. Rinse the vegetables under cool running water to wash off the salt. Drain well, place in a bowl, and stir in: 2 tbsp minced garlic, 2 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 11/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil. Salt to taste. Marinate a minimum of one hour. Serve at room temperature or chilled

Delicata Squash Rings:

Preheat oven to 375. Take a whole delicata squash and slice it across sideways. This will make ring shapes out of it. Scoop the seeds out of the middles of your squash rings. Lightly oil a large cast iron skillet with olive oil. Lay the rings out in a single layer across the skillet. Place in the hot oven. Bake for about 10 minutes. Then flip the rings with a spatula. Bake the other side until both sides are lightly browned and the squash is tender. Remove from oven and serve.

Braised Carrots:
Place in a skillet or saute pan that is wide enough to hold the carrots in a single layer: 1 lb carrots, quartered lengthwise, ½ cup water or chicken stock, 1 ½ tbsp butter, 1 tsp brown sugar, ½ tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the carrots are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for a few minutes more, then season with: 1 tbsp chopped parsley, chervil, or tarragon, black pepper to taste or grated Gruyere cheese.

Wobbly Cart Farm Fall CSA Box #2 November 1st 2011

In this week’s box:

Carrots Leeks Sunchokes Yellow Finn Potato
Rutabaga Onion Golden Beets Fresh Sage
Garlic Baby Fennel Great Batavian Escarole
Kabocha Squash Daikon Radish Vitamin Green

Hello to all,

Another gorgeous fall day on the farm! Perfect weather for our fall CSA harvests! I’m really excited about this week’s box and have a lot of explaining to do, so I guess I’ll get right to it.

Carrots: they will be “bulk” without tops from here on out. The tops get too ugly in the cold weather, but the roots just get sweeter and yummier!

Rutabaga: Some of you will recognize this from the summer season. This hearty root vegetable can be used similarly to potatoes but has a sweet, slightly cabbagey flavor. They are very nutritious and will store a long time loosely wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer of the fridge.

Great Batavian Escarole: An escarole is a cold hearty member of the chicory family. This broad leaved green looks like lettuce and can be used like lettuce but has a stronger, slightly bitter flavor. Escarole is related to Endive (the curly greens often found in commercial salad mixes) but is more versatile and less bitter. Escarole can be cooked in soups, stews, stir-fries, or eaten fresh in salads. Escarole is rich in many vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and K, and folate. To store, keep loosely wrapped in plastic in the crisper drawer of your fridge for 4 days to a week.

Kabocha Squash: Kabocha is a Japanese variety of winter squash. It looks like a deep green, warty, squaty pumpkin. The flesh inside is deep orange, and has a very sweet flavor with a fluffy texture similar to chestnuts or sweet potato. This squash will keep for several months, and the flavor will only improve over the next month or so. If you’re not in a hurry to eat it, you can store it in your pantry for quite awhile. It is excellent roasted, made into vegetable tempura, cooked into a pie, or made into a soup. The squash can be hard to cut through, but the peels are perfectly edible so there is no need to peel it, unless the recipe specifically says so. I have to say, oven roasted squash is a huge favorite with my kids, so try it out and see the recipe page for more ideas.

Leeks: This long and lovely member of the Allium family (onions, garlic and the like) is one of our star winter performers. They will stay alive through most winters here as long as the temperature dosen’t go below 10 degrees or so. They are much prized by chefs for their mild and tender flavor. To use them, first slice the whole thing vertically. Then fan out the many layers under running water to remove any trapped sediments. Slice off the tougher deep green tops, and use the white and light green parts in your recipes. Leeks wil also keep for many weeks in your fridge crisper drawer. By peeling away outer layers, you can remove any discolored parts if you do decide to keep them for an extended time.

Daikon Radish: This long white carrot shaped radish is also a favorite in Japanese cuisine, though it is believed to have originated in continental Asia. It is used throughout China and India as well. The flavor is milder than many radishes, and makes an excellent quick pickle to garnish other dishes. It can also be cooked in stir fries and soups, grilled, or cut up as a vehicle for dip. Daikon is low in calories but high in fiber and vitamin C. The leaves are also rich in vitamin C, Calcium and Iron and can be cooked like other greens.

Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichoke): This unusual root vegetable is a tuber that comes from a native North American species of sunflower. The light brown tubers look and can be used similarly to potatoes, and have been for thousands of years by Native Americans. The interesting thing about them is that they have a different type of carbohydrate called inulin instead of starch. Inulin is used differently by the body, and can have a stabilizing effect on the blood sugar. Sunchokes are very low glycemic and a very good source of carbohydrates for diabetics. The flavor can be described and slightly sweet and nutty and is excellent steamed, or peeled and pureed into a creamy soup. Sliced thinly, they can even be fit for a salad, where I would describe the flavor as similar to Jicama. Store them wrapped in plastic in the fridge for 1 week.

Vitamin Green: this robust Asian green can be used similarly to Bok Choy. Excellent stir-fried.

Golden Beets: Just like red beets, but a gorgeous golden color. Slightly milder flavor. Greens can be used too.

Baby Fennel: use the bulbous part slow roasted in olive oil. I tried it in place of celery in a poultry stuffing and found it to be excellent that way.

In a large soup pot over low heat, add 3 Tbsp olive oil and sauté 2 oz pancetta, finely chopped, 1 large yellow onion, chopped, 4 cloves minced garlic, 1 celery stalk, finely chopped, and 1 chopped carrot until tender and fragrant, 15-20 minutes. Add 2 cups kale, stems removed, leaves washed and chopped and 5 cups Escarole, stems removed, leaves washed and chopped. Cook until the greens are wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chopped tomatoes and cook another 10 minutes. Pour in 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add 2 cans cannellini beans and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the juice of ½ lemon, stirring to combine and salt and pepper to taste.

Kabocha Squash with Sage and Leeks:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare kabocha squash by washing, poking 2 to 4 holes in the center with a sharp knife. Bake whole squash in oven to 60 to 90 minutes, until soft. When squash is done, cut in half, remove seeds and fibers, and scrape flesh from skin into a bowl. Mash but do not puree the squash. Melt ½ cup butter in a large skillet. Add 4 to 8 sage leaves and fry until crisp, 1 – 2 minutes. Add 1 leek (julienned white part only) and 1 tsp salt and continue to heat for 2 to 5 minutes until leeks are soft and translucent. Now add squash to skillet and mix until all butter is incorporated.

Fall Green Salad with Apples, Nuts, and Pain d’epice Dressing:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put ¾ cup walnut halves in a pie pan. In another pie pan, toss 2 cups cubes of rustic multigrain bread with crusts removed with 1 tbsp walnut oil. Bake walnuts and bread, stirring occasionally, until walnuts are golden and croutons are golden and crisp, 12 to 25 minutes. Let cool. Coarsely chop nuts. Whisk together, 3 tbsp walnut oil, 1 tsp orange zest, 1/3 cup orange juice, ½ tsp each cinnamon and ground cloves and ¼ tsp each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss gently with 2 qts lightly packed small lettuce leaves or pieces, 2 cups lightly packed escarole, 1 thinly sliced tart-sweet apple, the nuts and croutons. Add more salt and pepper to taste if you like. (from October 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine)

Nori Radish Toasts:

Slice a 12 in. section of baguette in half length-wise, cut into 2-in. pieces, and toast in a 350 degree oven until golden brown on edges. Using scissors, snip 1 large sheet toasted nori into bits, then pulverize in a spice grinder. Mix nori powder with about 5 tbsp butter; smear thickly onto toasts. Top with thinly sliced radishes and radish greens. (daikon would work great). (from the November 2011 issue of Sunset Magazine).

Mushroom, Chicory (Escarole), and Celery Root Salad:

Preheat oven to 375. Wipe dirt from 1 ½ lbs mixed wild and cultivated mushrooms such as Maitake, oyster, and chantrelles. Trim any tough ends, and cut mushrooms to make all pieces about the same size. Toss in a bowl with ¼ cup olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until browned, 30 t 45 minutes. Let cool. Make dressing: sprinkle a peeled garlic clove with ¼ tsp salt, mince and then flatten with the side of a chef’s knife into a paste. Scrape paste into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and add 2 tsp whole grain mustard, 1 tsp honey, ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, ¼ cup Champagne vinegar and ¼ cup olive oil. Cap jar and shake until emulsified. Peel 1 8 oz celery root, then cut into matchsticks, dropping them into a bowl of water to prevent darkening. Pat dry, then put in a large salad bowl and add 12 cups loosely packed escarole, endive and raddichio, leaves torn into bite sized pieces. Add mushrooms. Toss gently with dressing. (also from Nov 2011 issue of Sunset)

Sunchoke and Sausage Soup:

Dice 4 slices turkey bacon. Place the turkey bacon, 16 oz sausage, 1 lb sunchokes, washed, peeled, halved and cut into ½ inch slices, 6 yellow finn potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks, 3 stalks celery, diced, ½ large onion, diced, 1 leek white and light green parts only, chopped, 3 cups chopped fresh greens (vitamin green!) or spinach, and 2 cloves minced garlic into a large saucepan. Pour in 1 quart chicken stock and season with ½ cup chopped fresh parsely, 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano, 1 pinch cayenne pepper, 1 pinch ground paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir ¼ cup flour into 1 cup water until no lumps remain. Stir into the simmering soup, and continue simmering, covered, 30 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. (adapted from a recipe found on allrecipes.com)

Roast Baby Fennel:

Preheat oven to 425. Slice the stems from the baby fennel. Slice the bulbous parts into thin slices vertically, Slice 1 large onion into thin slivers. Toss the fennel and onion with ¼ cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste and place in a heavy baking dish. Bake to 35 minutes or more covered in foil. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more until the fennel is tender and onions are caramelized. Serve immediately.

Fall CSA Box # 1 October 25th 2011

In this week’s box:

Fresh Thyme    Turnip      Watermelon Radish
Pie Pumpkin     Onions      Spring Raab
Red Chard          Garlic       Yellow Fingerling Potato
Parsnip               Carrots      Savoy Cabbage

Hello to all and welcome to the Wobbly Cart Fall CSA!

We’re so glad to have you join us for four weeks of delicious, robust fall vegetables. It was a gorgeous day for harvest here on the farm. Last night marked our first frost of the season, a fitting way to begin our fall CSA. It warmed up quite quickly however, to beautiful blue skies and rich fall color in the fields and on the trees. The frosts and cold killed some crops, but leaves behind the best of what fall in the northwest can offer us. We have a great selection of Asian Greens, Kales, Cabbages, Winter squash, potatoes and much more still in the barns and fields. We hope you enjoy them all!

Many of the crops you will be receiving over the next four weeks will keep for a long time in your refrigerator and pantry. You don’t have to worry so much about using them up within a week! Properly stored many of the root vegetables and squashes could be saved for your Holiday celebrations in a few weeks. I’ll try to give you storage tips and recipes each week to help you along the way.

First off I’d like to describe Parsnips. Parsnips are a winter root vegetable. Like carrots, which they resemble, these cream colored roots are prized for their sweetness. When cooked they have a creamy texture, and they make a velvety puree (try mixing some with mashed potatoes, to accompany roast beef or pork). Small to medium roots are best, and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper. Peel them with a vegetable peeler and trim the stem ends before using.

Savoy Cabbage is the lovely green cabbage with the soft and crinkly leaves. It can be used in any recipe calling for head cabbage, though it is milder in taste and texture. Savoy cabbage is best stored in the refrigerator where with will last several weeks if not longer.

Turnips are the large white globe shaped roots with green shoulders. They are at their best when freshly harvested during cool weather. Smaller turnips are milder and sweeter than larger specimens. Store them in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper, up to one week. If the greens are attached, remove them and store separately. If tender, they can be cooked like any greens. Turnips can be cooked and served any way potatoes or rutabagas are. However, do not overcook or they will develop an overcooked cabbagey flavor.

Spring Raab is a green that is also known as broccoli raab, rapini or Chinese broccoli. The leaves stems and flower heads are cooked, basically, just like any green and are popular in many Asian cuisines as well as in Mediterranean cooking. Greens like this are also gaining popularity in the U.S. and Europe due to their ease on cooking and high nutritional value. Spring raab is high in vitamins A, C, and K as well as potassium. To maintain crispness, refrigerate, unwashed, and loosely wrapped in plastic for 3 to 4 days. These greens are excellent in stir-fries, broiled, braised, sautéed, or steamed. There are many possibilities!

For those of you who are new to our CSA for the fall season you may not recognize the Watermelon Radish. These look like the turnips, but when you cut them open the inside is a gorgeous shade of watermelon red. These are a mildly pungent radish that has gained quite a following amongst our customers. They are so beautiful, yet also so delicious and nutritious. Store them like turnips and also use the greens if they are tender enough for you.

The Pumpkin is for pies. An extra sweet and non-stringy variety that can also be used for soups or curries.

Hope you all enjoy!

Any questions feel free to call or email us;
Wobbly Cart Farm
360-273-7597
info@wobblycart.com

Thanks!

Asha, Joe, and the Crew at Wobbly Cart

First prepare the pastry (makes enough for 2 single crust pies): sift together 2-½ cups flour and 1 ¼ tsp salt. Add: half of ¾ cups chilled lard or vegetable shortening with a pastry blender until it has the consistency of cornmeal. Cut the remaining half into the dough until it is pea-sized. Sprinkle the dough with 6 tbsp ice water. Blend the water with the dough until it just holds together. Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. For the filling: Preheat the oven to 425. Line a 9-inch pie pan with ½ of your pie dough. Glaze the crust with 1 large egg yolk. Prick the dough generously with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes covered in foil. Remove foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes longer until golden. Decrease the oven to 375. Whisk thoroughly in a large bowl: 3 large eggs. Whisk in thoroughly; 2 cups cooked pumpkin puree*, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, ½ cup sugar, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cloves or allspice, and ½ tsp salt. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the crust and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until firm. Cool completely on a rack. Pie can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Serve cold or at room temperature. Accompanied with whipped cream or hot brandy sauce. (From the Joy of Cooking).

*To bake your pumpkin: Preheat oven to 325. Break off the stem. Chop it in half. Scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the halves in a large baking pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 35 to 60 minutes or until the flesh is tender. Scoop the flesh from the rinds and puree in a food processor. A 5 to 6 lb pumpkin will yield 4 cups of puree.

Braised Turnips:

Cook in boiling water, uncovered, over high heat for about 6 minutes: 1 ½ lbs turnips. Peeled, left whole if small, quartered if large. Drain. Melt in a large, heavy skillet over high heat 3 tbsp butter. Add the turnips and cook, stirring, until coated with butter, about 5 minutes. Add 1-cup chicken stock, ½ tsp salt, and black pepper to taste. The stock should come to bout ¾ inch up the side of the turnips; add more stock or water if needed. Reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer until the turnips are tender but still slightly resistant to the tip of a sharp knife, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the turnips to a serving dish. Boil the cooking liquid over high heat until reduced to a thin, syrupy glaze. Pour it over the turnips and serve immediately.

Simple Spring Raab:

Trim the stem ends from your bunch of Spring raab. Wash thoroughly under running water. Cut the bunch crosswise into ¼ inch slices. Drop into boiling salted water. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Saute the Spring Raab in a little olive oil and as much garlic and red pepper as you like for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Serve over rice.

Oven-Braised Parsnips:

Preheat the oven to 375. Peel and quarter lengthwise 1 ½ lbs parsnips. Combine in a shallow baking dish with: ¾ cup water or chicken stock, 2 tbsp butter, and ½ tsp salt. Cover and bake until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Give the pan a shake once or twice during baking. Uncover and increase the oven temperature to 400, and bake until the parsnips begin to color, about 10 minutes more. Serve with black pepper and fresh thyme.

Caramelized Onions:

Heat 2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat until the butter is melted. Add 3 lbs yellow onions, thinly sliced. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Cook stirring constantly, 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and brown, about 40 minutes. Add ½ cup dry white wine or water. Stir and scrape the pan to dissolve the browned bits. Remove from heat and season well with salt, black pepper and grated Parmesan cheese.

Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage and Scallions (Colcannon):

Place in a large saucepan or Dutch oven: 2 lbs fingerling potatoes peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks. Add cold water just to cover, pile on top of the potatoes: 2 bunches scallions, white part only, sliced and 1 small green cabbage ( about 1 lb) cored and chopped into 1 inch pieces. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil, and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes, cabbage and scallions to the pot. Mash the mixture over low heat adding: ½ cup milk or half and half, warmed. ¼ cup butter, softened, ¾ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. When the mixture is coarsely mashed, taste and adjust the seasonings.

Asian Greens with Whole Herbs:

Combine in a salad bowl: 10 to 12 cups asian greens, chopped. 2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips, ½ cup cilantro leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves, and ¼ cup basil leaves. Prepare ginger lemongrass dressing, recipe below.

Ginger Lemongrass Dressing:

Combine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat: 2 stalks lemongrass coarsely chopped, 2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger, 2/3 cup white vinegar, 2/3 cup water, and 3 tbsp sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Strain into a small bowl. Whisk in: 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tsbp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp soysauce, 2 tbsp fish sauce. Cool to room temperature. Stir the cooled dressing well. Add just enough to moisten the salad and toss gently to coat.