CSA Members 2009: Newsletter Archive

Holiday Delivery #2

Dear CSA Members,

With the frosty temperatures just behind us, this box is long on roots and storage vegetables, and noticeably lacking in greens. All our greens except the kale have laid down, defeated by the extreme cold (nine degrees was the low at the home field, with 6 degrees rumored at our coldest field). Just makes you want to curl up around a nice cup of cocoa and stare at the fireplace. Which is exactly what I anticipate doing for the next week or so.

A word about the delicata: if you haven't tried it lately, I highly encourage you to revisit this delicious squash. It just gets sweeter and sweeter. It's simple to bake, or use it for a pumpkin pie -- you won't be disappointed.

Enjoy the Holidays! We look forward to 2010!

Join us for the 2010 Summer Season!

See our Summer offerings & sign up now!

Celery Root and Potato Latkes

You can shred the potatoes, onions, and celery root in a food processor with the shredding disk. However, you'll need to use 5 eggs (instead of 4) because the machine grates more coarsely and the mixture will require more binding.

ingredients

• 1 large celery root (celeriac; 1 1/2 lb), peeled with a knife
• 1 1/2 lb large baking potatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb onions, quartered
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seeds
• About 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• Special equipment: an absorbent kitchen towel

procedure

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 250°F.

Coarsely grate celery root into a bowl using the 1/3-inch-wide holes of a box grater.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate into a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss. Coarsely grate onions into same bowl.

Transfer to towel, then gather up corners to form a sack and twist tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.

Return potatoes and onions to cleaned bowl and stir in celery root, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, and celery seeds until combined well.

Heat 1/3 inch oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Fill a 1/4-cup measure (not tightly packed) with latke mixture and carefully spoon it into skillet, then flatten to 3 inches in diameter with a slotted spatula. Form 3 more latkes in skillet, then fry until undersides are deep golden, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Turn over using 2 spatulas and fry until deep golden all over, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes more. (If latkes brown too quickly, lower heat to moderate.) Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. Keep warm in 1 layer on a metal rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven. Make more latkes in same manner. Use a second rack and baking pan to keep last batches warm.

Gourmet, December 2004

Medley of Root Vegetables with Cipollini Onions and Herbs

ingredients

• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6-8 unpeeled baby beets (each about 1 inch in diameter), scrubbed and trimmed
• 3/4 pound potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
• 3/4 pounds rutabagas (about 2), peeled, each cut into 10 wedges
• 1 pound carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut into 2-inch lengths (about 2 full cups)
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, cut into 2-inch lengths (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 4 ounces cipollini onions, peeled
• 1/6 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

procedure

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix thyme and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Transfer half of herb mixture to small bowl; set aside. Add oil to herb mixture in large bowl. Add vegetables to herb-oil mixture in large bowl; toss to coat. Transfer vegetables to prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until brown and tender, stirring once, about 60 minutes.

Mix broth and balsamic vinegar into reserved herb mixture in small bowl. Pour over roasted vegetables. Roast until liquid evaporates and vegetables are slightly glazed, about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Adapted from Bon Appétit, November 2001

Kale and Potato Purée

ingredients

• 2 pounds kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds large boiling potatoes
• 2 cups heavy cream

procedure

Cook kale in a pot of boiling salted water (1 1/2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water), uncovered, until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain kale, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. When kale is cool, drain but do not squeeze.

While kale cooks, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Simmer in cream with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a heavy medium saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Purée potato mixture with kale in 2 batches in a food processor until just smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Transfer to a 4-to 5-quart heavy saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.

Gourmet,December 2008, by Ruth Cousineau