Winter Share Ten April 7th 2016
Important information:
- The next distribution is Thursday April 21st; there will be one more distribution on May 5th.
- Please remember your share boxes.
Farm news from Jane
Spring certainly is a temperamental time of year; two steps forward and three steps back! Seventy degrees one day and then back to the teens. We finished maple syrup season on Easter weekend. Even though the temperatures have been conducive to sap flowing, the ground temperature has allowed the trees to come back to life and swell their buds changing the flavor of the sap giving it a “buddy green” flavor. So it was time to pull the taps and gather in the buckets to be washed and stored for another season. Thanks to those whose help made it an easier task this season. Although we did not make an average amount we were very pleased with the way the season went.
We were all excited to welcome our first calf of the season on the last day of March. The cows have had a pleasant spring so far enjoying the new fresh green grass coming back to life. There is nothing like a spring rain to renew the earth! It has been interesting to watch the cows roam from pasture to pasture checking out each one’s offerings. What is it about having the opportunity to enjoy God creatures that bring so much joy; whether it is a cat’s silly antics, a faithful dog’s presence or animals outside enjoying their God’s green earth? Definitely one of life’s simple pleasures…
The time will soon be at hand to begin seed bed preparation for transplanting seedlings. There is something mystical about the smell of the soil being opened, kind of like the fresh smell after a spring rain; definitely a deep inner connection…
Ben has been spreading our mature farm compost as well as some “imported” chicken compost for the fields that need an extra boost. Sometimes our vegetable crop field rotations don’t allow for a year of rest from vegetable production. In order to supply enough nutrition to the soil we have to “feed” it a little extra to give back all it needs. Good soil nutrition translates into good plant nutrition which then translates into good nutrition for us when we eat the vegetables. A broccoli is a broccoli is a broccoli is not quite the truth. Each one contains a varying amount of vitamins, minerals and micronutrients based entirely on the soil biology and composition. We’ve read that the amount of nutrients in an average head of broccoli is thirty per cent less than that of the nutrients found in broccoli from the 1950’s. Although we do not use any chemical or synthetic products on our farm whether they are organic or conventional we believe that the most important practice we can do is to “feed the soil”.
There are only two more shares after this one so enjoy those potatoes and other roots; spring means eating lighter again.
So eat hearty while it lasts, Jane
Produce: Honey Spinach Carrots Cooking onions Shallots
French Fingerling potatoes Rutabaga Celeriac Red beets
Produce tips:
– If any of your onions are sprouting don’t be afraid to use the green tops to substitute for green onions or scallions in recipes.
– Although the honey shared was not produced from hives on our farm it is still local coming from near Lake Ontario in Appleton. The flavor is delicious; if it solidifies just place it in a pan of warm water to bring it back to its liquid state.
– I appreciate a small hand held vegetable brush as my hands are small. I recently found a good one at The Dollar Store.
I picked up three; when I find a good one I stock up for root scrubbing for the next season!
Recipes
FRIED BEETS AND CARROTS
2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; 2 medium beets, quartered, sliced 1/4-inch thick; 2 medium carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick; tamari sauce; greens
Heat olive oil in skillet. Add cumin; cook about 1 minute. Add beets and carrots; fry until tender. Remove from heat, sprinkle on a little tamari, and serve. Variation: If using young beets save the tops. When the beets and carrots are tender, add chopped greens, cover, and cook until soft. Toss mixture, sprinkle with tamari, and serve. Makes 2-4 servings; recipe from Linda Derrickson, Sunporch Café
AUTUMN BEET AND VEGETABLE SALAD WITH CHEESE AND NUTS
Dressing: 1/3 cup minced onions; 5 tablespoons cider vinegar; 3-4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley; 11/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup olive oil; salt and pepper to taste
Salad: 2 cups cooked, diced yellow or red beets; 1 1/2 cups blanched, diced carrots; 1 1/2 cups cooked, diced waxy-type potatoes; 1 cup diced roasted red peppers; 11/2 cups diced Jonathan apples; 4-6 ounces cheese, crumbled; 2/3 cup nuts, toasted 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees
Make dressing: Combine onions, vinegar, basil or parsley, and mustard. Whisk in olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble the salad, toss each type of vegetable and the apples, one type at a time, with enough dressing to barely coat them. Arrange in separate piles in a wide, shallow bowl. Serve at room temperature. Just before serving, sprinkle salad with cheese and nuts, add more salt and pepper to taste, and toss gently. The original recipe calls for blue cheese and hickory nuts, but other nuts and cheeses can be used according to your preference. Makes 8-12 servings; recipe from MACSAC
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
ROASTED CARROTS WITH MOZZARELLA AND BUCKWHEAT
The little sprinkle of buckwheat delivers a much-needed crunch factor. If you don’t have any, add some chopped toasted almonds or homemade breadcrumbs.
1# small carrots, any color, scrubbed, tops trimmed, halved lengthwise, 1 T olive oil, plus more for drizzling, 2 t buckwheat groats, ½ t nigella seeds (optional), 1 ½ t Champagne vinegar, 1T fresh carrot juice (optional), 8 oz stacciatella di bufala, burrata, or fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces, 1 C (packed) mixed tender herb leaves (such as dill, basil, cilantro, and/or mint) * Nigella seeds, a pungent peppery seed also known as kolonji or black onion seeds, can be found at Indian markets and some supermarkets, or online. Preheat oven to 4250. Toss carrots with 1 T olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 15-20 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, toast buckwheat in a dry small skillet over medium high heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in nigella seeds, if using. Place vinegar in a medium bowl and mix in carrot juice, if using. Add carrots and toss to coat. Season with salt. Place stacciatella mozzarella on a platter. Arrange carrots over cheese, top with herbs and buckwheat mixture, and drizzle with oil.
Do Ahead: Carrots can be roasted 6 hours ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before tossing with vinaigrette.
DILLY SLAW
4 cups shredded veggies (carrots, Hakurei turnips, radish, kohlrabi), 5 scallions chopped
Dressing: 3⁄4 cup yogurt or 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise, 2 Tbs. lime juice , 2 Tbs. cider vinegar, 1 Tbs. honey , 1⁄4 cup dill
1 tsp. salt, 3 garlic scapes or cloves of garlic, minced
Blend dressing and toss with veggies. If time, let chill and stir occasionally so the dressing can soak into the veggies.
Recipe from Red Fire Farm, Granby MA
WINTER ROOT VEGETABLE SLAW RECIPE
Prep time: 25 minutes Yield: Serves 4-6 as a side dish
The choice of root vegetables here works well, but you are free to mix and match. Just be sure to not have too many sweet vegetables like carrots and parsnips, or too many sharp ones, like radishes or turnips.
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar, 1 cup chopped parsley, loosely packed, 2/3 cup olive oil, 2 large carrots (choose different colored carrots if you can find them), 2 medium parsnips, 1 small celery root, 2 black radishes or 1/2 daikon radish
Put the mustard, salt, sugar, vinegar and parsley in a blender and process until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender, cover and process at its slowest setting. Drizzle in the olive oil slowly. When it is all in, move the blender to its highest setting and puree for about 90 seconds. Peel all the vegetables except for the radishes, if you are using black ones. The slivers of black in the salad look cool, so I leave them in. Using a vegetable peeler or a coarse grater, slice shreds off the vegetables into a bowl. Try to keep the shreds roughly the same length if you can. To finish, toss some of the vinaigrette with the shredded vegetables and let stand in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before serving.
SWEET & SPICEY CARROT BISQUE
1T canola oil, 1 medium onion, diced (1c.),1t plus 1 pinch of salt, 2 t minced fresh ginger, 1 T curry powder, 1 pinch of cayenne pepper, 4 large carrots, peeled, and cut into ¼-in rounds (4c.), 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced, 1 13.5 oz. can light coconut milk, divided, 2 ½ T lime juice
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and pinch of salt, and sauté 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in ginger, and cook 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add curry powder, cayenne, and ¼ c water. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring to coat onion and ginger with curry mixture. Add carrots, banana, 1t salt, and 4 c water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer, uncovered 25 minutes, to until carrots are soft enough to be pierced with fork. Puree soup in batches in blender or food processor. Return soup to pot, and stir in 1 cup coconut milk and lime juice. Simmer remaining ¾ c coconut milk in small saucepan over medium-high heat 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Ladle soup into bowls; and swirl 1 1/2t coconut milk reduction into each serving. Serves 4; Recipe from Vegetarian times
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
3 POTATO SALAD
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes; 3 medium red potatoes; 1 large sweet potato; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 cup mayo; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp white vinegar; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1/2 tsp dill weed
Cube potatoes and sweet potato. Boil until tender; drain and cool. Mix remaining ingredients together. Toss with potatoes. Refrigerate overnight
FRESH GREENS PASTA PIE
3 ounces vermicelli; 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened; 1/6 cup grated Parmesan cheese; 2 1/2 eggs; 1 teaspoon cooking oil; 1/2 small onion, chopped; 1 cup chopped fresh spinach or other greens; 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese; 1/6 cup milk; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper; pinch ground nutmeg
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large pie plate. Cook vermicelli according to package directions; drain. Stir butter and Parmesan cheese into hot vermicelli. Beat 2 of the eggs and stir well into pasta. Spoon mixture into pie plate, and use a spoon to shape vermicelli into a pie shell. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 10 minutes. Set aside. Heat oil in small skillet; add onion and sauté until tender. Beat the remaining 3 eggs and combine with spinach, mozzarella, milk, seasonings, and sautéed onions. Spoon spinach mixture into pasta shell. Cover pie with aluminum foil. Bake 35 minutes; uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Makes 3 servings; Recipe from Crystal Lake Gardens
SAUSAGE SOUP WITH SPINACH AND RICE
1 lb. hot Italian sausage; 1 tsp. dried oregano; 1 tbs. olive oil; 1 tsp. dried basil; 1 cup chopped onion; 3 cups fresh baby spinach, torn; 3 cloves garlic, crushed into 2-3 inch pieces; 9 cups chicken broth; 2 cups cooked long-grain rice; 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, with juice; salt and pepper to taste; 3 tbs. tomato paste; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté sausage in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from pot and discard drippings. Add olive oil to pot and heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Return sausage to pot. Add broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and basil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach and rice and simmer until spinach is just wilted. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Serves: 6; recipe from The Best 50 Garlic Recipes.
ROASTED GARLIC AND SPINACH QUICHE
1 bulb roasted garlic; 1 tbs. butter; 1 small onion, finely chopped; 4 eggs; 1 cup milk; 1/4 tsp. chili powder; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper; 1 cup cooked spinach, fresh or frozen drained well; 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese; 1/4 tsp. vegetable oil for oiling pan
Heat oven to 350°. Separate roasted garlic cloves, peel and mash in a small bowl to form a paste. Melt butter in a skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft; about 6 minutes. Add garlic paste and sauté for 4 minutes. Blend together and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, chili powder, salt and pepper. In another bowl, combine garlic-onion mixture with spinach and cheese. Mix well. Spread spinach mixture firmly in a lightly oiled 99inch quiche or pie pan. Pour egg mixture evenly over spinach.
Bake for 40 minutes. Quiche is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serves: 6; recipe from The Best 50 Garlic Recipes.
RUTABAGA “POTATO” SALAD
2 medium to large rutabaga, 1/4 -1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon mustard, 1/4 to 1/2 an onion, diced, 1-2 T sweet relish, garlic powder, salt, pepper
Other fun ingredients to try: salad greens, celeriac, celery salt, hard-boiled eggs, dill, dill seed, chopped dill pickle, raw bok choy, diced carrots, even some cooked potatoes mixed in! Clean, peel, and chop the rutabaga into cubes. Put into a pot, just cover with water, and boil until soft and edible, when a fork goes through easily. Drain water out. Rinse the rutabaga in cold water if you want to get it to be a cold salad. Mix in all other ingredients. You can soak the diced onions in warm water (or the rutabaga boiling water) to mellow them if you want. Adjust flavorings to taste. Chill in the fridge, or eat warm.
Recipe from Red Fire farm
CARROT AND RUTABAGA MASH
1# carrots peeled, and 1# rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces, 3T. butter, salt and pepper
Boil carrots and rutabaga until just soft. Smash together with a potato masher or food processor until it looks like a puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley if desired. Recipe courtesy of Robert Irvine; Food Network
RUTABAGA & POTATO PUREE
1 1/2 pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into small chunks, 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks, 4 cloves garlic, peeled, Salt, to taste, 1/3 cup nonfat milk, scaled, 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried, Freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste
Place rutabagas and potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add garlic and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the vegetables are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain thoroughly and return the vegetables to the pan. Place the pan over low heat and toss for about 1 minute to dry the vegetables slightly. Mash the rutabagas, potatoes and garlic with a hand mixer or potato masher. Add enough milk to make a smooth puree. Stir in thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Serves 8; Recipe from Eating Well Magazine
CHILI ROASTED RUTABAGA
2T vegetable oil, 1½t chili powder. 1t onion powder, 1t garlic salt, 1/2t sugar, 1/2t paprika, ½ t cayenne,
1 ½ lbs. rutabaga.
Heat oven to 4000. Mix first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Peel rutabagas and cut them into chunks that are about 2inches long and ½-1 inch wide. Toss with spice mix. Transfer to large baking sheet, spreading pieces out evenly. Bake until tender and somewhat browned, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.
“SUMMER IN WINTER” CELERIAC CARROT SLAW
1 small celeriac bulb; 4 large carrots; 1 clove garlic or 1 small shallot, minced; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1/8 tsp salt; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1/2 tbsp sour cream; freshly ground black pepper
Peel celeriac with a sharp knife. Grate on large holes of box grater. Peel carrots and grate the same way. You’ll have about 4 generous cups. Mix minced garlic or shallot, vinegar, salt, and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in olive oil until smooth and thickened. Stir in sour cream and fresh ground pepper to taste. Add more salt if necessary. Pour over grated vegetables and toss gently. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Makes 4 generous servings.
CELERY ROOT AU GRATIN
3lbs. celery root; salt; 1-1/2 cups cooking liquid; 1/2 cup butter; 6 tbs. flour; cayenne pepper; 1 cup (1/2 pt.) whipping cream; 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; dry mustard; 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
Peel and dice celery root. Put cubes in water with a little lemon juice added to prevent darkening. When ready to cook, drain and place in saucepan with enough water to cover and a little salt. Bring to boil. Cook about 20 minutes, or until barely tender. Strain cooking liquid and reserve 1-1/2 cups. Drain cooked celery root very well. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Remove pan from heat and stir in flour. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Combine cream and reserved liquid. Blend with butter and flour. Return to heat and stir until sauce boils. Add 1/2 cup cheese and a pinch of mustard. Stir over medium heat 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add celery root. Mix well and turn into a large flat casserole. Sprinkle heavily with crumbs, remaining cheese and butter. Bake in 350°F oven 30 minutes.
Recipe from the Fresh Vegetable Cookbook.
SMASHED CELERY ROOT WITH HORSERADISH
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to mash; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 6 scallions, trimmed and chopped; 3 1/4 cups peeled and finely diced celery root; 3 1/4 cups peeled and finely diced potatoes; 2 inch piece of horseradish, peeled and finely grated (or 3 tablespoons ready-grated); 1 1/4 cups vegetable stock; 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaved parsley; salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic and onion and sauté slowly for 5 minutes. Remove with a draining spoon and set aside. Add the celery root, potatoes, and horseradish to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes. Pour the stock into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the lid and boil until the liquid is reduced to the point where almost nothing remains and the mixture is sticky. Stir in the reserved garlic and onion. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper and mash coarsely with a fork, beating in more olive oil to taste.
Serves 4; recipe from a handful of herbs.
CELERIAC (CELERY ROOT) SALAD
2 medium firm celeriacs; 2 tbsps. lemon juice; 4 hard-cooked eggs; 1/4 c. chopped onion; 1 tbsps. minced parsley; 1/8 tsp. pepper; 4 to 5 tbsps. mayonnaise or salad dressing; Salt to taste; Pimiento-stuffed olives; Paprika
Peel celery roots, cutting away fibrous roots at bottom and any adhering top growth. Cut in halves; cook in boiling salted water to cover, with 1 tsp. lemon juice added, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes for halves, about 40 to 60 minutes for whole roots. Drain; cut in cubes, place in bowl and add remaining lemon juice (or French salad dressing) to help keep it white instead of turning gray. When celery roots are cool, add 3 diced hard-cooked eggs, onion, parsley, pepper and mayonnaise. Add more salt, if needed. Mix well; turn into serving bowl. Garnish with slices of hard-cooked egg and olives and sprinkle with paprika. Chill 1 hour, or several hours, before serving.
Makes 6 to 8 servings; recipe from America’s Best Vegetable Recipes.