Winter Share Nine March 22nd 2018

Important reminders:

• Final payments are due April 1^st for tree fruit shares and summer shares. Please let us know if you would like to add a tree fruit share this summer. If you don’t remember if you asked for one just send us an email to confirm…
• We do still have summer shares available for those who’ve been inquiring for family or friends!
• Share box returns are always helpful!

Farm News from Jane
Another chilly St. Patrick’s Day parade this year but it certainly didn’t affect our family’s celebration including a home-cured/brined corned beef; tender and delicious. Spring did officially arrive yesterday but someone needs to let Old Man Winter know… We continue to await the sap to flow. The nights have been so cold that it takes quite a while for the sun to warm the trees and that is generally only the southern exposed taps. When the warmer weather does arrive we’ll literally need to “spring” into action.  Soon and very soon, right??? I would assume that by the next distribution that we’ll have maple sap evaporated, jugs filled, and ready to share! But for now, we’ll just continue to concentrate our efforts in the greenhouse; seeding, transplanting and preparing for the spring “fling”. And if you haven’t checked out our Facebook page recently Ben posted a demonstration of the “plug pusher” that he fabricated. We grow seedlings in a variety of plug trays; 288, 200, 128, and 98 cell trays. This new device allows the seedling plants to be pushed up and loosened in the tray so when we go to the field to transplant the plants pull out quickly and easily.  It will save quite a bit of time loosening them by hand. The more efficient each process is the more time we have to devote to keeping vegetables and cover crops planted and tended.

It’s amazing how perceptive “little ones” can be. Two weeks ago, when Izaak, one of our three-year-old grandsons was over he said “grandma, baby cow”! Well I couldn’t quite see the calf with its momma clearly as they were quite a distance away to discern if it was a new one. We got out the binoculars and it was still hard to tell but within the next few days we found to our delight that it was a new calf and he was already running and jumping around enjoying his new environment. He continues to thrive and have fun getting to know the other “guys & gals”. There was a calf born just before Christmas just before the cold spell hit. He is doing great also. They are both Hereford beefalo cross and have very snow-white faces and pretty reddish brown curly coats. And of course, their mommas keep them very clean! I think that they are much healthier in the steady cold rather than the extreme fluctuations in temperatures.
Well happy spring; it’s a comin’ soon. Have a blessed Passover or Easter celebration and remember to give thanks, Jane

Produce:   Spinach   Kale   Carrots   French fingerling potatoes   Garlic
Golden/Red Beets   Red Cabbage   Red Onions   Shallots

Produce tips:
– Red Cabbage; Don’t be afraid to fry your cabbage with onions or utilize it in a stir fry. It made wonderful coleslaw with the carrots. You could also use any kohlrabi to grate in with the cabbage for a colorful option of valuable nutrients.
– Carrots; I made the ginger beer glazed carrots for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration and they were a big hit. The ginger beer I used wasn’t strong enough for my liking and so I added a small amount of fresh grated ginger to the liquids. I also made the quick pickled carrots which were easy and yummy. A great lunch addition!
– Kale; The Red Russian kale although not very red is extremely tender so the stems do not need to be removed. It should be great added to a salad whether you “massage” it or not.
– We hope to have enough golden beets for each share otherwise there will be a combination of red and golden so you’ll have a beautiful color combination for your Passover or Easter table!
– French fingerling potatoes are great for roasting or frying as they are waxy in texture.
– The Garlic is getting a bit dry in storage but still has loads of flavor and nutrients!

Recipes
DICED BEETS WITH ORANGE ZEST AND YOGURT SAUCE
1/2 lb. beets, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes; 1/8 cup cider vinegar; zest of 1 orange, grated (about 1 tbsp.); 1/8tsp. ground mace; 1/8 tsp. ground cloves; 1/8 tsp. salt; freshly ground black pepper; 1/8 cup plain low-fat yogurt; 1 tbsp. fresh orange juice; 1/2 tsp. honey
Preheat the oven to 3750 F. In an 11/2-quart ovenproof casserole with a lid, combine the beets, vinegar, 1/4 cup of water, orange zest, mace, cloves, salt and pepper. Bake the beet mixture, covered, for one hour. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, mix together the yogurt and orange juice in a small bowl. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to serve. Remove the beets from the oven and stir in the honey. Serve immediately, topped with the yogurt sauce. Serves 2

HONEYED BEETS
¼ cup honey; 1 tbsp vinegar; 1 lb. cooked, sliced beets; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
In a saucepan blend honey, vinegar and 1 tbsp water. Add butter, beets and onion rings. Simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook as onion rings should remain crisp. Serves 4.

ROASTED BEET SALAD
6-8 small beets, scrubbed, tops trimmed to 1 inch; 4 tbsp white wine vinegar; olive oil; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; salt and pepper to taste; 4 cups baby salad greens; 1/4 cup pecans; 1/2 small sweet onion, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Heat outdoor or indoor grill. Place beets on heavy foil; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly; grill until beets can be easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast pecans in a dry pan on the grill, tossing frequently. Finely chop the nuts. When beets are cooled a bit, use a paper towel to remove the peel, stems, and tails. Cut beets into quarters. Combine mustard and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil until thickened. Add salt and pepper. Toss salad greens in a bowl with a little dressing. Portion the greens onto 2-4 plates. Top with beets, onions, blue cheese, and pecans. Drizzle with as much more dressing as you like. Makes 2·4 servings.
Recipe from Jenny Bonde and Rink DaVee, Shooting Star Farm

SECRET CHOCOLATE CAKE (CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE)
2 C. cooked chopped beets, ½ c. applesauce, 1+1/2 c. sugar, ½ c. oil, ½ c. plain yogurt, 3 eggs, 1+1/2 t. vanilla, 1+1/2 c. flour, 1 c. whole wheat flour, ½ c. baking cocoa, 1+1/2 t. baking soda, ½ t. salt, ½ c. chocolate chips (I prefer mini chips), powdered sugar or your favorite glaze or frosting
Prepare beets by cooking, peeling, and chopping them. Combine with applesauce and puree with a hand blender or in a standing blender. Set aside. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. For 2 minutes. Add half the dry ingredients and incorporate slowly, alternating with the beet/applesauce mixture until everything is blended. Pour half the batter into greased Bundt pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips, then pour the remaining batter on top. Bake @ 350⁰ for 45-50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in pan on rack. From Simply in Season Children’s Cookbook by Mark Beach & Julie Kauffman

SAVORY BEET SOUP
1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 cup chopped onion, 4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 medium beets, peeled and halved, 1 medium potato, peeled and halved crosswise, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 8 tsps. reduced-fat sour cream
Preparation: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until beets and potato are tender. Discard bay leaf. Place one-third broth mixture in blender or food processor; process until smooth. Place puréed mixture in a large bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed mixture to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice. Combine 1/2 cup soup and the sour cream, stirring with a whisk. Divide soup evenly among each of 8 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream mixture; swirl sour cream mixture using the tip of a knife.
Recipe from: Kathryn Conrad, Cooking Light OCTOBER 2004

CABBAGE-BEET SLAW WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE
1 small head red cabbage, 1 medium-sized beet, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 tablespoons oil (vegetable or canola), 1 1/2 tablespoon honey, 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated, Salt & pepper to taste
Chop the cabbage into 4 wedges. Trip away any of the tougher core.  Cut the remaining cabbage into thin strips. Place in a bowl. Peel the beet using a vegetable peeler.  Using a hand-held grater or box grater, shred the beet into the bowl with the cabbage, being careful to not stain clothes with beet juice.
Make the vinaigrette.  Combine vinegar, honey, and ginger in a small bowl. Add oil and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss vinaigrette with cabbage-beet mixture.  Allow the slaw to stand 20-30 minutes before serving, tossing regularly.  Add salt and pepper if needed, and serve. Recipe from TheBittenWord.com

ROASTED BEETS WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE RECIPE

2 # red beets, scrubbed clean, Olive oil, Salt, 1/2 c balsamic vinegar, 2 t sugar, 1 t grated orange zest, freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°F and line pan with aluminum foil.  Rub beets with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, place in pan, cover with foil: Place the beets in the pan. Rub olive oil over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Cover the beets with another sheet of aluminum foil. Roast for 1 to 2 hours: Roast for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and how old they are. After 1 hour, test every fifteen minutes by poking a beet with the tines of a fork. Once the fork tines go in easily, the beets are tender and cooked. Remove from the oven.
Prepare balsamic glaze: While the beets are cooling, prepare the balsamic glaze. In a small, shallow sauté pan, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar. Heat on high until the vinegar has reduced to a syrup consistency. Remove from heat. Peel and cut cooked beets: After the beets have cooled for several minutes, but are still warm to the touch, peel off the outer skins and discard. Cut the beets into quarters or more, bite-sized pieces. Pour glaze over beets: Place beets in a serving bowl. Pour balsamic glaze over the beets. Stir in grated orange zest and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a little orange zest to serve.

MOROCCAN GRATED CARROT AND BEET SALAD RECIPE
2 cups of grated carrots (from about 3 carrots), 1 C of grated fresh beets (from about 1 medium sized, peeled beet), 1/2 C golden raisins, 1/2 tsp paprika (sweet, not hot), /4 tsp ground cumin,

1/4 tsp cinnamon, Small pinch of salt, pinch of cayenne, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp honey, 2 T sliced fresh mint leaves

BEETS AND CARROTS IN A LIME VINAIGRETTE
2 medium beets, peeled and cubed, 2 medium carrots, sliced diagonally, 1 medium cucumber, cubed, 6 Tbs veggie oil, 3 T lime juice, 2 T chopped cilantro or dill, 1 garlic clove, minced, salt to taste
Steam beets and carrots separately until tender. Combine dressing ingredients (I find a jar works well because you can put the lid on and shake it all up.) Put the veggies, including the cucumber in a bowl and toss with dressing. Chill.
Recipe from Red Fire Farm
Place the grated carrots in a medium sized serving bowl. Place the grated beets into a sieve and briefly rinse with cold water. This will rinse away a little of the excess beet juice that may otherwise color the whole salad beet red.  Pat dry with a paper towel. Then add to the bowl with the carrots.  Add the raisins.  Stir to gently combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne. Then add the lemon juice and honey and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the carrots and beets, then gently fold until the carrots and beets are lightly coated.  Let sit for an hour before serving, either chilled or at room temperature, for the dressing to seep into the carrots and beets. Right before serving, stir in a couple tablespoons of sliced fresh mint leaves. Garnish with fresh mint. Recipe from simplyrecipes.com

GINGER BEER GLAZED CARROTS
1 cup strong ginger beer, such as Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew, 1 cup chicken stock, 2 1/4 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch segments, 2 tsp. butter, 4 tsp. chopped fresh parsley, 1 tsp. chopped garlic, 1 tsp. chopped orange zest
In large skillet, boil ginger beer and stock until reduced to 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add carrots and butter; season. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until tender and glazed, about 15 minutes; season. Chop together parsley, garlic and zest. Sprinkle over carrots.

QUICK PICKLED CARROTS
2 C water, 2 C cider vinegar, ½ C sugar (more or less to desired sweetness), 1/2t salt, 1 T mixed pickling spices 2+1/4# carrots, peeled and cut into desired sizes for container
Place all ingredients except carrots in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Prepare carrots and add to a pot of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Drain carrots and place in prepared brine. Let mixture cool to room temperature. Place in jars or desired containers. Makes approximately 2 quarts.

SIMPLE KALE & POTATO SOUP
1 medium (8 ounce) yellow or russet potato, scrubbed clean and chopped, 1 garlic clove, minced, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water, 1/2 bunch kale (6 to 8 big leaves), preferably dino, lacinato, or Tuscan, 1 teaspoon lemon juice or cider vinegar, 1 to 2 large eggs, depending on your appetite, Salt and pepper, Grated Parmesan cheese, extra-virgin olive oil, or yogurt, to serve
Combine the chopped potato, garlic, salt, and stock (or water) in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. While the potatoes start to cook, chop the kale. Remove any thick, tough stems and chop them into small pieces. Add the chopped stems to the pot with the potatoes and simmer for 2 minutes.
Stack the leaves of kale on top of each other. Slice them crosswise into thin ribbons and add them to the pot with the potatoes and kale stems. If necessary, add more stock or water to the pot to just about cover the kale.
Cover the pot and let the soup cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The soup is ready when the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, and when a ribbon of kale has become tender, but has not yet become stringy or pulpy. Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. Taste and season with more salt and fresh cracked pepper. Also add more stock or water if a more brothy soup is desired. To finish, crack the eggs into measuring cups, and then gently slide them into the soup. Ladle some of the soup broth on top of the eggs to submerge them. Put the lid back on the pot and cook for 4 minutes. When done, the whites of the eggs should be opaque, but the yolk should still be soft. If the eggs break into the soup before they are poached, just use a fork to swirl them into the soup, like egg drop soup. Carefully spoon the eggs into a soup bowl. Ladle the soup on top. Finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, or a spoonful of yogurt.
Recipe Notes If you have extra time, enrich your soup by sautéing some chopped onions, celery, or carrots before adding the potato and broth, or by adding cooked bacon or sausage. You can also flavor your soup with a few sprigs of fresh oregano or thyme. Serving More Than One: This soup can, of course, be multiplied to serve several people. If poaching more than three eggs, I recommend poaching them in a separate pot before adding them to individual bowls.
Serves 1 generously or 2 modestly; Recipe from the kitchen.com

KALE CHIPS
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a non-insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10-15 mins. May be oiled or sprayed with cooking oil and sprinkled with garlic salt.

BABY KALE, TOASTED PECAN AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD WITH CRANBERRY-GINGER VINAIGRETTE
1T balsamic vinegar, 1T cranberry sauce, 1T honey, 2t fresh ginger, grated, 1T orange juice, ¼ C olive oil, salt & pepper to taste, 4C baby kale, rinsed, 1/4C toasted pecans; slightly chopped, 1/4C goat cheese; crumbled
Prepare the vinaigrette: Place balsamic vinegar, cranberry sauce, honey, ginger, and orange juice in a blender or food processor and blend. Slowly drizzle in oil. Once all oil is in, blend for about ten more seconds.
To prepare salad: In medium bowl toss kale and 2/3 of the dressing. Divide kale on to four plates then sprinkle goat cheese and pecans and drizzle remaining dressing over the salad. Recipe form Brandon Veile, Juniper

AROMATIC WILTED GREENS WITH COCONUT MILK
2 T coconut oil, 4garlic cloves, lightly crushed, 2 small shallots, 1 red chili (such as Fresno) thinly sliced, 1” piece of ginger, peeled, thinly sliced into matchsticks, 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, divided, kosher salt, 1 small bunch kale, ribs and stems removed and leaves torn, 1 small bunch collard greens,  ribs and stems removed, leaves sliced 1 “ thick, ½ C coconut milk. Divided, lime wedges (for serving)
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook garlic, stirring, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add shallots, chili, ginger, and two thirds of scallions. Season with salt; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add kale and collard greens a handful at a time, letting them wilt slightly before adding more. Cook, tossing occasionally, until greens are crisp tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add half of coconut milk and toss to coat. Transfer greens to a serving bowl and top with remaining coconut milk and scallions. Serve with lime wedges. Recipe form Bonappetit

KALE & APPLES
1 bunch of kale, stripped from its stalk, chopped into bite-sized pieces and rinsed, (10-12 oz., 6-8 cups), 1 T butter, 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced (1/2 c), 2 crisp apples, such as empire, or Crispin,, peeled and cored and cut into ½ dice, 2 t brown sugar, ¼ C dried cranberries, roughly chopped, salt, 2 t olive oil, ½ C walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
Place about 4 cups of water in a 10-12 inch skillet or soup pot that that a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil and add the kale. Cover and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until tender, 4-6 minutes, depending on the kale. Transfer to a colander to drain. Shake a few times to release the steam and stop the cooking. Dry the skillet and melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and apples and sauté until the apples are nicely colored and nearly soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cranberries and sauté for a few minutes more. Add the cooked kale (squeeze out any excess moisture), a pinch or two of salt and the olive oil and mix well. Top with the walnuts, if using and serve hot. *Try with pears or a combo of apples and pears

BERRY KALICIOUS
1c frozen blueberries, 1/2 c frozen strawberries, 1/2c frozen raspberries, 7 pitted dates, 1+1/2ckale, or baby kale (stripped from stalks, chopped and rinsed)
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend from low to high speed until smooth. Add a ¼ C of water if too thick.

SCANDINAVIAN CABBAGE SOUP
2 C. Cabbage, chopped; l cup Onion, sliced; l cup celery slices; 1 cup peas; l cup thin sliced carrots; 2cps creamed corn; 1 stick butter; 21/2-3cps milk; 1 tsp salt; 1/4tsp pepper; 1 tsp thyme; 1/4tsp garlic powder or fresh garlic to taste; 11/2-2cups shredded cheddar cheese.
Sauté cabbage, onions, celery, peas, and carrots in butter until tender, stirring frequently. Add milk and seasonings. Heat over low; add cheese, stirring until melted.

FRUITED CABBAGE SLAW
1/2 # green cabbage, shredded (about 3 cups); 1 C shredded carrots; 1 cup pineapple tidbits; 1/2 cup raisins; 1 red apple, cored and cubed; 1 cup plain yogurt; 1 tsp cider vinegar; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp celery seed; 1 banana, sliced
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, pineapple, raisins, and apple; set aside. Mix together yogurt, vinegar, sugar, salt, and celery seed. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss until well mixed. Refrigerate 1 hour or more. Just before serving, add sliced banana and toss. Serves 6 to 8

RED CABBAGE AND APPLE CASSEROLE
1 1/2 pounds red cabbage; 3 onions, chopped; 2 fennel bulbs, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp caraway seeds; 3 large, tart eating apples or 1 large cooking apple; 11/4 cups plain yogurt; 1 tbsp creamed horseradish; salt and freshly ground black pepper; crusty rye bread, to serve
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Shred the cabbage finely, discarding any tough stalks. Mix with the onions, fennel and caraway seeds in a large bowl. Peel, core and chop the apples, then stir them into the cabbage mixture. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish. Mix the yogurt with the creamed horseradish. Stir the yogurt and horseradish mixture into the casserole, season with salt and pepper and cover tightly.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice during cooking. Serve hot, with rye bread. Serves 6

RUSSIAN TORTELLINI SOUP
T olive oil, 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced, 5 C chicken broth, 4 C mixed, shredded cabbage and carrots, (or coleslaw mix), 10 oz. cheese or meat filled tortellini, ½ t salt, ¼ t pepper, 1/3 C chopped fresh dill (or 2-3 T dry dill)
Heat 2T oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add broth; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add shredded cabbage and carrots, tortellini, ½ t salt and pepper; cook until the tortellini are hot, 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in dill. Recipe from Eating Well magazine; Serves 4

CORNED BEEF SANDWICHES WITH PICKLED CABBAGE
1/4 cup mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 1 8-ounce package shredded green cabbage (about 3 cups); 1 cup thinly sliced onion; 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, coarsely crushed in resalable plastic bag with mallet; 1 teaspoon celery seeds; 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar; 8 slices rye bread; 4 ounces sliced sharp white cheddar cheese; 12 ounces thinly sliced corned beef
Whisk mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in small bowl. Set aside. Heat vegetable oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, sliced onion, crushed coriander seeds, and celery seeds; sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and sauté until wilted and crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in white wine vinegar and sugar. Sauté until all liquid is absorbed, about 30 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Wipe out skillet and reserve. Place slices of rye bread on work surface. Divide white cheddar cheese among 4 bread slices; top with corned beef, dividing meat slices equally. Divide cabbage mixture over corned beef. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over each remaining bread slice; place rye bread slices atop cabbage, mayonnaise side down. Spread 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixture over each top bread slice. Heat same skillet over medium heat. Add 2 corned beef sandwiches, mayonnaise side down. Spread some of remaining mayonnaise mixture over top bread slices. Cook sandwiches covered until golden brown and cheddar cheese melts, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining corned beef sandwiches and serve.

SPICY POTATO, SAUSAGE AND GREENS SOUP
1-pound bulk hot Italian sausage; 1/2 cup chopped onion, or more to taste; 4 cups chicken broth; 4 cups thinly sliced potatoes (slice them with skins on); 4 cups water; 2 packed cups torn or chopped fresh greens; 1/3 cup whipping cream; salt and pepper
Heat soup pot over medium flame. Add sausage and onions and cook until meat is no longer pink. Add broth, potatoes, and 4 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes. Stir in greens; cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in whipping cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve right away, or, for more developed flavor, let cool, then chill and reheat later or the next day. This recipe was inspired by a soup at Olive Garden restaurant. Add some buttered biscuits and it’s a perfect winter meal. Makes 8-12 servings. Recipe from JoAnn Hoffman, Vermont Valley Farm member

CRISPY FINGERLING POTATOES
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, Kosher salt, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon grill seasoning, 2 teaspoons paprika, freshly ground black pepper,
Put the potatoes into a large pot and cover them with water. Add a big pinch of salt, then cover, and put over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncover, and cook just until the potatoes start to soften but are not cooked all the way through, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the warm pot. Shake the potatoes around to roughen up the sides and to let them dry out. Put them into a bowl. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put a baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Add the olive oil, grill seasoning, paprika and pepper, to taste, to the potatoes and toss to coat. Spread the potatoes out onto the preheated baking sheet and roast them until they are cooked through and crispy, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the potatoes once halfway through the cooking time. Remove the potatoes from the oven to a serving bowl and serve. Recipe courtesy of Sandra Le; Food Network

POTATO SOUP WITH CARMELIZED SHALLOTS

2 garlic heads, 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 cups chopped leeks, 2 cups chopped onions, 1/3 cup chopped celery, 4 teaspoons ground coriander, 3 1/4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, 8 cups (or more) vegetable stock or chicken stock, 2 cups sliced shallots
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub garlic heads with 1 tablespoon oil. Place in small baking dish; cover with foil. Bake until garlic is tender, about 1 hour. Cut tops off garlic; squeeze out roasted garlic and reserve. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add leeks, onions and celery; sauté until tender but not brown, about 20 minutes. Add coriander; stir 2 minutes. Add potatoes; stir 2 minutes. Add roasted garlic and 8 cups stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill, then cover.) Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until deep golden, about 15 minutes. Bring soup to simmer in heavy large pot. Thin with more stock, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Top with caramelized shallots.