CSA Members 2008: Newsletter Archive

Dear CSA Members,

Season's Greetings! Now that the snow has begun to melt, we are creeping back into our Winter schedules. Mike smashed his thumb while working on our barn, but other than that, all is calm around the farm. I hope that your drive has been an uneventful one, and that you have had plenty of time to enjoy the snow. . . perhaps from your sofa, by the window, with a cup of hot coffee.

We were fortunate enough to harvest and clean all your produce for today's delivery. . . except the potatoes. Our wash lines froze on Monday night, and we suffered some broken pipes, so your potatoes are protected from greening with a nice dry layer of organic soil.

We hope that the weeks ahead are calm and warm, and that you enjoy your winter!

Apple, Potato, and Onion Gratin

ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, divided
• 2 pounds onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons (packed) chopped fresh thyme
• 4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2 1/2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
• 2 pounds apples, peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

procedure

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, thyme, and 2 teaspoons salt; sauté until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high; sauté until onions are tender and begin to color, about 8 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Add remaining 6 tablespoons butter, 2/3 cup water, wine, and sugar to skillet; stir and swirl skillet to combine. Bring to boil. Cool onion mixture to lukewarm.

Combine potatoes, apples, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and onion mixture in large bowl; toss gently to blend. Transfer to prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover dish with parchment paper, then cover with foil, shiny side down. Bake gratin until potatoes are tender, about 55 minutes. Uncover and bake until top browns and juices bubble thickly, about 20 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm, loosely covered with foil, in 300°F oven for 20 minutes.) Let gratin stand 15 minutes before serving.

Bon Appétit, February 2005

Potato Latkes

ingredients

• 1 pound potatoes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
• Accompaniments: sour cream and applesauce

procedure

Preheat oven to 250°F. Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander. Spread grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.

Latkes may be made up to 8 hours ahead. Reheat on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes.

Grating the potatoes, soaking them briefly in water, and then squeezing out the liquid (as we've done here) keeps the batter from turning brown too quickly.

Gourmet, December 2000

Beet and Cabbage Borscht

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 pound russet potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chopped green cabbage (about 1/4 of small head)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
• 6 2-inch-diameter beets, peeled, chopped
• 1 cup drained canned chopped tomatoes

procedure

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, cabbage and onion and sauté until cabbage softens, about 5 minutes. Add 8 cups broth, beets and tomatoes. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Working in small batches, puree 4 cups of soup in blender; return to remaining soup in pot. If desired, add more broth by 1/2 cupfuls to thin soup. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of sour cream; sprinkle with parsley. Serve, passing lemon wedges separately.

Bon Appétit, March 1998