CSA Members 2009: Newsletter Archive

Summer Delivery #19

Dear CSA Members,

NEXT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27th IS OUR FINAL DELIVERY. . . unless you join us for the Winter season.

We are enjoying the warm spell of weather these last few days. Despite monsoon-like downpours, we've had a few hours of weak sun here and there -- just enough to keep us from breakdown as our memories of warm Summer sunshine start to fade.

Now is the season of the Mud Shoe. If this is your first season with our farm, you probably haven't heard much about it. The Mud Shoe is the hardest part about Winter harvest. Your rain boots, which are equipped with just enough traction to keep you upright on wet ground, attract mud, much more mud than you ever thought possible. Within minutes, you are walking with five extra pounds on each foot (no, seriously), and you stagger-walk, laden with the heaviest vegetables of the season, from field to truck, hoping that one of your boots doesn't get stuck. Luckily, we have all season to build up our strength and stamina, so we're at our best for this time of year.

A special thank you to our field crew, who has labored all year without complaint.

Fall abundance greets us with today's boxes. Peppers, onions, squash and celery top the list for Autumn cooking. Kale is sweeter than ever, improved by our recent frost. Bok choy and lettuce hold in the field with the help of row cover fabric, which gives them a few extra degrees of warmth. And dried flowers will add a little color to the gray days of Winter.

The last minute addition is Romanesco -- a cauliflower variety that is delicious raw or cooked. Its green color and lovely head are such a treat this time of year -- it's a bit fickle, and the cool weather helps it to thrive.

I have included a Winter squash recipe below, ideal for acorn or delicata squash. Please remember that we do have a database of recipes, along with storage tips for the vegetables.

Boistfort Valley Farm's gone Year-Round!

See our Winter offerings and sign up now!

Baked Winter Squash with Apple Stuffing

This is a favorite of ours. Simple, easy to prepare, and delicious!

ingredients

• 1 Sweet Dumpling squash
• 2 small apples, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 leek, minced or 1 cippolini onion, quartered and sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp water (as needed)
• Pinch of salt

procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down in a shallow baking dish with about 1/2 inch of water. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.

Sauté leeks and celery in butter until soft, then add apples and sauté a few minutes longer. Toss in walnuts, then add another tablespoon of butter, water and salt. Put in a small baking dish and cover. Bake stuffing for 30 minutes or until tender. Spoon stuffing into squash and serve.

Layered Potato, Onion & Celery Root Casserole

ingredients

• 1 celery root (celeriac), peeled, quartered, thinly sliced
• 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (packed) grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

procedure

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 1/3 of celery root slices in dish. Top with 1/3 of potato slices. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Top with half of onion slices, half of garlic, then half of cheese. Repeat layering 1 more time. Cover with remaining celery root, then potatoes.

Bring broth and cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Pour over vegetables. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake casserole 1 hour. Remove foil. Bake until vegetables are very tender and liquid bubbles thickly and is slightly absorbed, about 55 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes; serve.

Adapted from Bon Appétit, December 1998

Chiles Rellenos

ingredients

• 4-6 green chiles, roasted and peeled (procedure follows)
• about 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (pepper jack, queso fresco, cream cheese or chevre)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• a pinch of cumin
• 1 heaping teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable shortening for frying
• 2 large egg yolks, beaten
• 2 large egg whites, beaten until stiff
• 1/2 cup additional grated cheese for topping chiles
• Accompaniment: fresh salsa

procedure

To roast peppers:

Preheat broiler. Broil peppers on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from heat, turning every 5 minutes, 15 to 20 minutes, or until skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle. Keeping peppers whole, peel them, starting at blossom end. Cut off tops and discard seeds and ribs. Peel skins.

Carefully stuff each chile with cheese. Combine flour, salt, and pepper and dredge chiles.

In a large saucepan, heat 1/2 inch shortening to 375°F. on a deep-fat thermometer. Fold yolks into egg whites. Working with 2 chiles at a time, dip chiles into eggs and fry, turning occasionally, until golden, no more than a couple of minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chiles to paper towels to drain. Arrange chiles on a broiler safe plate & top with cheese. Broil chiles just long enough to melt cheese and serve.

Adapted from Gourmet, September 1995

White Bean and Kale Minestrone

ingredients

• 5-6 leaves kale
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 cups cooked white beans, divided
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock, divided
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Freshly grated pecorino cheese

procedure

Wash kale and remove stems. Roll up kale leaves and cut into thin ribbons. Set aside.

In a 4-quart pot, heat oil and sauté garlic briefly over medium heat. Add about half the cooked beans and half the stock. Purée the remaining beans and stock in a blender with tomato paste and sage. Stir puréed beans into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix kale into the soup and simmer until it has wilted (about 10 minutes). Add lemon juice and enough water to make the soup a desirable thick consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with pecorino cheese sprinkled over top.

Adapted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair