Storage Share Newsletter 2017

Farm News                 What’s in the Storage Share

U-Pick            Nuts and Bolts                      Recipes

Remember to bring bags and/or boxes,

and guess the weight of the Blue Hubbard Squash!

Pickup is This Thursday, November 16th from

10 – 6:00.

Farm News

Greetings Friends!

This cold snap was a rough one for us.  While we were able to get enough in the cellar for the storage share and to keep various customers supplied til sometime in February, we did lose tens of thousands of pounds of carrots, all the purple carrots, half the beets, and a little bit of cabbage.

We cleaned out, got the root cellar ready and started the final harvests earlier than ever before, but this cold came on so fast and so hard that we just didn’t have enough thawed days and hours to get it all out before they cracked and started the process of rotting in the ground.  When the snow appeared in the forecast soon after the share ended, we had 5 days to do what we could, but we had about 10 days worth of preparations and harvesting to do.  We have been leaning on all the blunt things people have said to us over the years in times of crop loss — “Welcome to farming,” “Well that’s farming,” “If it was easy everybody’d do it,” “Don’t count your chickens til they’ve hatched,”  “Farming is too heartbreaking to let your kids do it.”  We do wonder if it ever stops hurting when it happens; some hurt more than others, but it’s just part of the farming life.  It is heartbreaking — our own little personal heartbreak alongside the ongoing heartbreaking events around the world.

This loss is just on the wholesale side of our business , and a strong reminder of why CSA is such an awesome helpful financial stabilizing force for a farm.  Despite the loss of sellable food at the end here, we had a really good year, for the CSA and for wholesale crops, and the cellar still has lots of food in it, so with the help of all that we are in ok shape financially.  The risk-sharing of CSA is designed precisely to spread this kind of weather-related loss amongst the community, and the risk we take on ourselves is by selling a portion of our veggies wholesale.

Once the dust settles from this week we will be solidifying plans of how to handle this kind of cold October in the future, having our annual far-ranging farm planning meetings, and then moving into budgeting and planning of crop rotations for next year.  Hopefully we’ll get to work on the machine shed we started this spring, and get a shop space enclosed to repair and maintain all the machines that we lean on to make this work easier.

We continue to be fortunate to work with a great crew, who kept smiling and laughing through the cold harvest days, and this week is washing carrots and all the other roots and leeks, brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale for you.  The squash and sweet potatoes are washed and sorted, the garlic (almost) all cleaned.  We’ll pick parsnips this week, but really this week we wash and wash and wash some more — most fall crops are dirty crops!

Next week or after the holiday we’ll hopefully get to clean up in the fields — we’ve still got irrigation pipes laying out, and tomato stakes out….before we can plant the last round of  cover crop seeds — which obviously might have to wait til spring, depending how cold this next couple weeks is.

We hope you find it satisfying and rewarding to cook and eat these hearty foods, and continue to support the farm.  We’re excited to have added the customizable option, it seems to have been useful to many of you.  Although the regular season share is the mainstay of the farm’s financial stability, and for many of you, the mainstay of your summer produce supply, we hope the storage share is a valuable part of our role in providing food for the community, and will be for years to come. Not everybody gets as excited about the sweet heartiness of fall food as they do about the juicy fruits of summer, so we appreciate your passion for good farm food extending into fall and winter.

As usual we’ll be happy to answer any questions, concerns or feedback you may have about all this produce. We hope this week’s farm goodies warm your houses, tables and tummies with their health-giving nourishment!

We hope you have a great winter, eating and being well.  The first winter store will be Tuesday, December 12th from 11-4 pm.  We know that’s the middle of your workday too — we can set things aside for later pickup, see “nuts and bolts” below for more details.

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What’s in the original Storage Share?  

For details about picking up your customizable order, see further below.

Carrots — 20 lbs — Sweet and juicy, definitely the best carrots of the year. They’ll be in two separate, ten-pound bags. The bags are perforated with holes and work great for long-term storage. Easy Storage Tip : Fridge.  We can store some of them for you, see “nuts and bolts” for details.

Potatoes — 10 lbs — Our friends at Driftless Organics in Viroqua, WI do a great job growing potatoes, so we buy them in from them. They are not offering Kennebecs this year, but you can choose from Yellows or Reds. Easy Storage Tip: Dark, cooler than room temp, but not in fridge.

Mixed Roots — 10 lbs — You get to mix and match a bag of beets (a few golden beets too), parsnips, celeriac, watermelon radishes, purple daikons, and maybe another surprise or two.  Unfortunately we don’t have any purple carrots this year, as they were part of what we lost to the cold.  We’ll have those same perforated bags you can put the roots in for long-term storage. Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.  We can store some of these for you too –see “nuts and bolts” for details.

Winter Squash — 5 — Butternut plus acorn, carnival, ambercup and pie pumpkins available. The butternut should keep very well into January, declining after that. The others are best eaten within a couple weeks.   Easy Storage Tip: Countertop or tabletop, but for longest storage put a few in the basement or cool closet.  The flesh freezes well too, once roasted or cubed and boiled.  

Brussels Sprouts — 2 — We leave them on the stalk since it takes so much labor to cut them off (and maybe it’s interesting for you to see how they grow)–thank you for dealing with the stalk!  Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.  They do well in a plastic bag on or off the stalk, for 1-2 weeks.

Cabbage — 1 head — Green and crisp.   Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.  

Onions — 5 lbs — These yellow ones store very well, until March or so. Easy Storage Tip: Basement or hanging basket.

Leeks — probably 4 —   Think of leeks like mild, glamorous onions. Our favorite use is in quiche, with red peppers and spinach or kale (fresh or frozen.) Leeks also freeze well, chopped raw in a bag, they can keep a month or two but then may start losing flavor. Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.

Garlic — 5 heads– These should store until January or even February.  We do have extra for sale if you like. Easy Storage Tip: Countertop or hanging basket.

Kale — 1 clear bag — It is mild and yummy, though not as sweet as it can get.  Some nights in the teens would take it to another level — we’ll have it open for U-pick for another week or so, then we need to till it in to send the black rot bacteria into the soil to get hopefully munched on by other organisms.

Sweet Potatoes — 3 pounds — Most of them developed the creamy texture and deep sweetness we’re always aiming for.  We’ll have them clean and dirty, your choice. The clean ones are reliably good for two to three weeks. The dirty ones will store longer, maybe 1-2 months. Easy Storage Tip: Basement, 60°, if it’s not 60 then eat within one month.

Dried Herbs — Your choice of 2 bunches — Oregano, Thyme, and/or Sage.  Some are available for U-pick in the field too.

Easy Storage Tip for entire share: Keep about half of everything in your fridge for eating all winter and then have a soup-making day with the rest of the share and freeze soup to enjoy all winter. There are a lot of soup recipes in recipes section below, along with copies of more detailed storage info available.  And you can leave some of the roots with us to pick up at our winter store in December or later.

Customizable Orders

We have a printed order sheet for everyone with your order, and you can “shop” from that list.  You will weigh the items that need to be weighed, we will have scales available.

Don’t follow the signs , which are for the regular full storage share — just follow your own list of items you ordered and paid for.

Please pay while you are here, if you haven’t paid yet.

If you haven’t paid yet your total will be at the top of your order sheet.

If you ordered purple carrots, they died in the cold so we can refund you or you can take an equal value of other crops.

Thanks and let us know how it goes!

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What’s for U-Pick?

Spinach! Honestly it’s dark right now and we keep forgetting to check on the spinach.  We will check before Thursday and have it on the U-Pick board if it is alive enough to be open.  The lettuce died in the cold, but the spinach might still be hanging on.  You can use scissors or pinch with your fingers.  When we harvest we clear-cut with a knife, but scissors and fingers work too.  We’ll probably till it in after this week, so we can plant a cover crop to give something back to the soil for next year’s crop.

Kale — We’ll have some in the barn but there’s still more out there, help yourself! At this point you can pick every single leaf, literally, there’s no need to leave the small ones since we will till it in soon.

For herbs, there are a few tiny remaining sprigs of thyme, oregano, and for parsley, we’ll also have to check when it’s not dark out. 

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Nuts and Bolts

If you can’t make it on Thursday please call or email, and we’ll make arrangements to get you your share.

WINTER STORE– Second TUESDAYS — December 12, January 9, February 13.  11am – 4pm.  Like last year, these days we’ll have a simple, small layout of veggies set out for you to purchase by the pound.  We expect to be washing roots for wholesale in the barn and it will be tight quarters.  In December we may have a few other crops, but probably just carrots, beets, parsnips and radishes.  We will send out a reminder email.  If you got this in an email you will get that reminder.  The winter store is open to anyone — If you have family or friends who might be interested, they can come on over, and have them email us and we’ll get them on the reminder list.  If you can’t make it on those days, you’ll be able to pre-order by email and we’ll set it aside for you to pickup when you can.

If you’d like us to store carrots for you we can.  Give one of us your bag or partial bag, and we’ll put your name on it to store in the root cellar for you.  You can then pick up your bag at one of the Monday winter stores.  For example and most likely, you give us your 1 of your 2 10 lb carrot bags, and maybe put a few of the mixed roots in the bag, and we’ll give it back to you when you come and ask for it.  Remember that our root cellar is too cold for potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and onions — this will just work for carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips etc (most crops on the “mixed root” table.)

Guess the Blue Hubbard!  We’ve saved out the biggest one of the year and it will go to the closest guess. We have no poker face, so we won’t be weighing it until after everyone guesses! It will be on the sign-in table, a bumpy blue-grey dinosaur-looking-squash, and we’ll provide a few recipes to go with it. It makes an awesome harvest feast.

Bring a Sturdy Box — If you like, a box or tote may be the best way to carry this share to your car. It’s a lot of food, and heavy. Much of it is already bagged for you, but it is several bags, plus the loose crops. We’ll have a few paper bags but if you have some please bring those too. We can help you carry or roll it to your car if you like, feel free to ask.

Storage Details — On the sign-in table we’ll have hard copies of detailed storage needs, lengths, and suggestions for each crop, help yourself.

Storage Share Pickup Hours — THIS THURSDAY, November 16, 10:00-6:00pm. Call or email if you can’t make it and we’ll make arrangements with you.

Please Drive Carefully — Children are everywhere.

Thank you!

Your farmers,

Erin and Ben, with Allia, Alissa, Arfi, Danny, Fatuma, Jaime, Paul, Zach, and Emily and Bobbie

Storing the Harvest

General Tips:

–Sort as you eat, and check on things at least every couple of weeks. One bad “apple” can spoil the lot, so remove the ones that are going soft and use them first.

— Remove bad spots with a knife (including green spots on potatoes.)

–None of these crops like to freeze, so if you have anything on a porch or unheated place, remember to monitor with a thermometer and protect them!

— Many of them can, however, be prepped, cooked, and frozen. If you have something going bad, but can’t eat it all right away, see the recipes and freezing tips.

–If you’re having trouble storing any of the veggies, we’re happy to troubleshoot with you, so feel free to call or email at any point. We want this to be a satisfying eating arrangement!

Storage Needs at a Glance

	In the Fridge?	Plastic Bag?
Roots	yes	yes
Cabbage+Kale	yes	yes
Leeks	yes	yes
Brussels sprouts	yes	yes/no
Potatoes	no	yes/ paper
Winter Squash	no	no
Onions	no	no
Garlic	no	no / paper
Sweet Potatoes	no	no / paper
Dried Herbs	no	no

Storage Details

We don’t usually use charts like this because the vegetable world isn’t that simple, but it’s a start.

Roots –Carrots, Beets, Celeriac, etc

Best to store dry, in a bag. If too moist they will sprout or mold. If kept out of the bag, they will begin to go flacid and lose flavor. You’ll notice the bags for the roots have vent holes—these should keep the moisture level just right. The roots should keep into January in these conditions (with the exception of the daikon radish.)

Carrots like to be at a steady 34°. If you know the coldest part of your fridge, put them there. The peels will start to dry out a little, but as long as there is some moisture in the bag they should be fine. If the carrots taste at all bitter, try peeling them—the bitterness is usually just in the peel and can increase with storage time.

Remember that apples can make carrots bitter, so either store one of them in a crisper drawer, or outside the fridge.

The other roots—beets, celeriac, rutabagas, watermelon radishes, parsnips–are happy in the fridge, or anyplace below 40° and above freezing.

Daikon radishes will last a few weeks in the fridge.

Cabbage + Kale—Cabbage can keep a couple months in the fridge, in a plastic bag. We find a loosely closed plastic bag keeps the right amount of moisture in. Peel off any outer leaves that go soft or moldy, and the inside will usually still be great. The kale will last a couple weeks if kept tight in a plastic bag.

Leeks—Can keep a month in the fridge. Best kept loosely in a plastic bag. When you want to use part but not all of a leek, simply chop off the part you want, and return the rest to the bag.

Brussels sprouts—The flavor is best in the first week or two, but they will probably keep 3-4 weeks. You can throw the whole stalk in the fridge or pop the sprouts off and put in a bag.

Potatoes— Potatoes need darkness.

Ideal storage is around 50° and mildly humid. A pantry or cool spot in the basement should work. If you’ll eat them within a few weeks, a kitchen cupboard will be fine. The bag they’re in is vented and they can stay in it for a long time. Cover with a blanket or cloth to keep light out but allow ventilation.

Winter squash—Ideal storage is 50-55°, dry, and ventilated. We like to pile them up on the kitchen counter because they’re so pretty. They keep well there for a few weeks, but they keep better in a cooler part of the house, such as the basement or cool corner upstairs (as long as it isn’t humid.) The best butternut squash with no soft spots can store into February. Most of ours this year will keep until New Year’s, but start eating them now, watch them closely and eat them before they go bad. If you find a brown or soft spot, you can usually cut around it and use the rest of the squash.

Onions + Garlic —These should keep well into January, or longer. Room temp. or cooler, dry air, well-ventilated. For longest storage, darkness helps too.

Sweet Potatoes—Just in case you don’t use them right away, they can last through January if kept around 55° or a little higher. Do not put in fridge.

Dried Herbs—Two common ways are to hang the bunches from a string or in a hanging basket in the kitchen, or put the usable part in jars. Either way, keep out of direct sunlight and enjoy!

Alternatives to your refrigerator:

The crops that need fridge space will take up about one tall shelf, and the other crops can be kept in various places around the kitchen or house, depending on their needs. If the cold-needing items won’t fit in your fridge, there are a few options. First, refer to the freezing section in the newsletter. This other storage method will require a little more thinking and monitoring to work well. Unheated garages, porches, mudrooms, etc are possible alternatives if you pay regular attention to them during changes in weather. For any of these:

Get the veggies very cool—fridge temp—by leaving them ucovered on a cold night.

Pile them tightly together and wrap tightly in blankets or an insulating material.

Place a thermometer next to the veggies and check it in the early morning.

Touch them with your hand to gauge their actual temperature. Cold enough? Too warm?

The vegetables’ thermal mass will hold a temperature pretty well. In warm weather, covering them can help keep them cool. If they warm up during the day, uncover them, and maybe open a window to let them cool off during the night. Then re-wrap to keep them cool the next day.

In deep, long freezes it will probably be time to excavate a part of the fridge to find a home for the remaining veggies, or process and put them in the freezer.

Above all,EAT and BE MERRY!!

Carrot Ginger Soup from Lynne Reeck (Northfield News)

4 pounds carrots, washed and chopped coarsely

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ gallon water or vegetable stock

2 onions, diced

1 cayenne pepper, de-veined, deseeded, minced

1 Tbsp garlic, minced

3 Tbsp Ginger, minced

2-3 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

½ cup cilantro, minced

1-2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 cans coconut milk

2-3 Tbsp lime juice

Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper in olive oil until translucent. Add remaining

ingredients except coconut milk and lime juice and bring to boil. Cook 15 minutes or until sweet

potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and lime

juice and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Curried Winter Squash Soup

Angelic Organics Kitchen (adapted from Greene on Greens).

Serves 6 to 8

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped scallions (about 6 scallions)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

2 pounds butternut squash (about 1/2 large squash), peeled, seeded, cubed

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes

12 whole fresh curry leaves (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

pinch freshly grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons curry powder

salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions; sauté until soft and

wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, jalapeño, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5

minutes.

2. Add the squash and toss to coat it with the scallion mixture. Add the stock, tomatoes, curry

leaves, allspice, mace, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the

squash is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3. Transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor; purée.
4. Transfer the soup back to the pot. Stir in the curry powder and add salt and pepper to taste.

Return the soup to a simmer to heat through. Garnish with parsley just before serving.

Gingered Carrot Soup from the Moosewood Cookbook

2 lbs carrots

4 cups water

1 Tbsp butter or oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp of each:

cumin, ground fennel, cinnamon, allspice, dried mint

3 to 4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup lightly toasted cashews

optional: buttermilk to drizzle on the top

1. Cut carrots into 1 inch chunks. Place in a medium-large saucepan with the water, cover,

and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer until very tender (about 10 to 15 minutes,

depending on the size of the carrots pieces).

2. Meanwhile heat the butter or oil in a small skillet. Add onions, and saute over medium

heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt, and spices. Turn heat to low, and

continue to saute for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until everything is well mingled and the

onions are very soft. Stir in lemon juice.

3. Use a food processor or blender to puree everything together (including the toasted

cashews). You will need to do this in several batches. Transfer the puree to a kettle, and

heat gently just before serving. If desired, pass a small pitcher of buttermilk, for

individual drizzlings.

Three Sisters Soup from Renee Russell, Hanover Co-op Food Store

Serves 8

4 pounds of Winter Squash (butternut, acorn, ambercup, etc)

4 quarts vegetable stock or water

2 small yellow onions, diced

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup fresh garlic, chopped

2 tsp thyme leaf, dried

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 pound fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 15 oz cans of cooked cannellini beans

1 bunch green onions, sliced

½ cup white wine

1 large bay leaf

Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Roast the squash in a 350° oven until soft, about 40

minutes. Remove from the oven, cool and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Puree the cooled

squash (add a little liquid, if needed.)

In a large stock pot, add the oil and sauté the onions over medium heat until they begin to brown,

then add garlic, thyme and black pepper and cook (stirring often) until the garlic turns light brown

in color. Add the stock, bay leaf, wine and squash to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the

remaining ingredients and salt and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust as needed.

Roasted Winter Vegetables From Simply in Season Cookbook

Serves 8

6-8 cups Winter Vegetables: potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, beets,

onions, winter squash—peeled and cut in 1 inch thick pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

1Tbsp dried or 3 Tbsp fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano

Toss ingredients together (keep onions separate, as they will roast faster; add them to the pan 10

minutes into the baking time). Spread in a single layer on greased baking pans. Roast in a

preheated oven at 425 F until tender, 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and

pepper. Serve with roasted garlic sauce (optional).

Roasted Garlic: Remove loose papery layers from outside of a whole garlic bulb but do not peel.

Slice off the top of the bulb, exposing the tip of each clove. Place on a square of aluminum foil

and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil or just season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and bake

alongside the vegetables until tender.

Roasted Garlic Sauce: Bake one head of garlic as directed. Squeeze soft roasted cloves into a

small bowl, mash with fork, and stir in ¾ cup plain yogurt. (Also try this sauce as a raw

vegetable dip).

Winter Squash, Leek, and Saffron Risotto From Asparagus to Zucchini

5-6 cups chicken stock (we cook half a celeriac, cubed, in with the rice instead)

½ teaspoon saffron threads, pulverized (optional)

3 tablespoons olive oil

½-1 cup finely chopped leeks (white and pale green sections only)

1 ½ cups arborio rice (or any white rice)

2/3 cup dry white wine

2-3 cups cooked, pureed winter squash

¾-1 cup grated Parmesan, romano, or asiago cheese

salt and pepper

Bring stock and saffron to a simmer in saucepan. Heat olive oil in large, heavy

saucepan. Add leeks; cook over medium-low heat until softened, several minutes.

Raise heat to medium-high and stir in rice. Keep stirring rice 1-2 minutes, then add

wine. Stir and cook until nearly all the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add

two ladlefuls hot stock (enough to barely cover the rice); stir frequently until most

is absorbed. Continue to add stock a ladleful at a time and stir very frequently until

nearly absorbed. Risotto is done when rice is barely tender and mixture is creamy;

this should take 25-35 minutes. (Adjust heat if rice is absorbing liquid too quickly.)

Stir in squash during last 10 minutes. Fold in most of the grated cheese. Season

with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, with a little more cheese on top of

each serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

Curried Vegetable Bisque from Simply in Season Cookbook

5 cups tart apples (peeled and chopped)

2 cups onion (chopped)

2 cups sweet red pepper (chopped)

1 ½ cups carrots (chopped)

¾ cup celery (diced)

In large soup pot sauté vegetables in 2 tsp oil until vegetables are soft, 7-10 minutes.

3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 cups potatoes (chopped)

½ cup raisins

3 Tbsp Curry Powder

¾ tsp ground cardamom

½ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp dried thyme

Add, stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring as needed, until potatoes are

soft, 12-15 minutes. Puree in batches in blender or food processor. Add some broth if mixture is

too thick. For a chunkier soup do not puree about 2 cups. Return everything to soup pot.

3 ½ cups beef or vegetable broth

3 cups milk

1 ¼ cups dry milk powder

1/3 cup tomato sauce

Add. (The soup can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated up to 24 hrs.) Reheat soup

over medium heat until hot but do not boil, about 10 minutes.

2 cups cooked shrimp or chicken (chopped; optional)

salt to taste

Stir in. Just before serving, add 3-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or serve with chutney.

Butternut Harvest Stew Simply in Season Cookbook, serves 4-6

2 Tbsp butter

1 ½ pounds boneless pork (cut in ¾ inch cubes)

1 medium onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add pork, onion, and cloves and sauté until meat is no longer

pink; drain off fat.

3 cups chicken broth

¾ tsp salt

¼ tsp dried rosemary

¼ tsp rubbed or ground sage

1 bay leaf

Add, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

1 medium butternut squash (peeled and chopped)

2 medium apples (peeled if desired and chopped)

Add and simmer uncovered until squash and apples are tender, 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Glazed Carrot Soup How to Cook Everything Vegetarian Cookbook, serves 4

1 ½ pound carrots, sliced (app. 6-10 carrots)

2 Tbsp butter or 1 Tbsp neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn

1 tsp sugar, maple syrup, honey

salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 cups vegetable stock or water

2 Tbsp minced fresh chervil or parsley for garnish

1. Put carrots, butter, ¾ cup water, and the sugar in a large skillet or saucepan and turn the

heat to high. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bring the mixture to boil. Cover, turn

the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 5 minutes.

2. Uncover and raise the heat a bit. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has

evaporated and the carrots are cooking in the butter. Lower the heat and continue to heat,

stirring occasionally, until the carrots are very tender, about 10 minutes more. If they start to stick or brown, add a tablespoon or so of stock.

3. Add the stock and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the syrup at the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat so that the stock gently bubbles and cook, stirring

occasionally, until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes more.

4. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pan or cool the mixture slightly, pour

into a blender container, and carefully puree. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Variations: Glazed carrots with orange and ginger

In Step 1, add 1 Tbsp minced ginger and 1 Tbsp grated orange zest to the carrot

mixture and use the orange juice instead of water

Glazed Carrots with Garlic, Tequila, and Lime

In Step 1, add 1 Tbsp minced garlic and 1 tsp grated lime zest to the carrot

mixture. Instead of water, use a mixture of ¼ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup tequila,

and ¼ cup water. Instead of chervil or parsley, garnish with chopped cilantro.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

from Farmer John’s Cookbook

1 pound Brussels Sprouts (about 4 cups)

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Soak the Brussels Sprouts in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes; drain. Spread the

Brussels sprouts in a large baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil.

3. In a large bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, and mustard; mix well. Pour the

vinaigrette over the sprouts.

4. Add the water to the bottom of the baking dish. Bake until the Brussels Sprouts are

tender-firm, 30 to 45 minutes.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

By Roger Doiron from Mother Earth News

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Butternut Squash (1 ½ lb to 2lb), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes

salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup water

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

pinch of nutmeg

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

2 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

(We learned from a friend to also add one onion, caramelized and 1 bunch of kale, steamed)

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle

with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet, cover and simmer over medium heat until

the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. (You can also roast and scoop out the squash.)

Transfer the squash to a mixing bowl or food processor to mash. Season the squash puree to taste

with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to

medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Add the

nutmeg. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass baking dish. Spread ¾

cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Cover the bottom of the pan with one layer of

lasagna noodles. Spread half of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with ½ cup

mozzarella cheese. Drizzle ½ cup of the sauce over the cheese. Add onions and kale to the

layers, if desired. Repeat layering once more, finishing with a layer of noodles covered only by

white sauce.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle the

remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese over the lasagna and continue baking until the sauce

bubbles and the top is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes

before serving. Serves 8.

Golden Celebration Pie of Winter Vegetables

© 2004 Lynne Rossetto Kasper

All the orphans of the vegetable world turn into stars in this party pie. Rutabaga, celeriac, parsnip,

Brussels sprouts and turnips could each or all go into the pan, just remember to balance earthy

tastes with sweet and rich ones like onion, potato, yam, or carrot. Cut harder vegetables into

smaller pieces for even cooking. Roast the vegetables a day or two ahead. Warm them before

baking with the crust. The pie is good hot from the oven, or just warm. Serves 8.

The Vegetables:

• 3 medium onions, cut into six chunks each
• 4 small unpeeled red-skin potatoes, halved
• 1 medium rutabaga or large turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
• 1/2 small cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
• 4 branches fresh thyme
• 20 fresh sage leaves
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 cloves garlic, halved

1. Set one oven rack high up and a second toward the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to

450°. In a large bowl, toss together the vegetables, herbs, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil

(enough to lightly coat them) with salt and pepper.

2. Spread the vegetables on two large, shallow roasting pans. Roast about an hour, turning

several times during cooking for even browning. Switch pans’ positions and add garlic to

pan halfway through cooking. Vegetables are done when they are browned and easily

pierced with a knife. Cool them down, wrap and refrigerate until ready to do the pie.

The Crust:

• 1-1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose unbleached flour
• Generous 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

For Assembling:

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 egg yolks, beaten in a small bowl

1. Combine dry ingredients in a food processor or large bowl. Cut in butter with rapid pulse

in processor, or rub between your fingertips until butter is the size of peas. Add the first

egg and 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse just until dough gathers into clumps, or toss with a

fork until moistened. If dry, work in another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon water. Turn dough out

on a floured board and let rest a few minutes.

2. Select a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the vegetables in a mound. Measure the

dish then roll out the dough so it is no more than 1/8-inch thick and at least 5 inches

larger than the dish. Put it on a foil-covered pizza pan or cookie sheet and refrigerate 30

minutes to 24 hours.

3. About 50 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 400°. Butter the inside and rim of the

baking dish. Warm the vegetables in the oven. Pour the broth or water into the baking

dish then pile in the vegetables.

4. Turn the chilled dough over onto the vegetables, gently peeling back its foil. Fold up and

crimp the overhang of pastry to make a raised border atop the rim of the baking dish

(extra pastry could be cut into decorative pieces and applied to the crust with beaten egg).

Brush crust with beaten egg, cut a few vent holes, and bake 30 minutes, or until golden

brown and crisp. Serve hot or warm

Mom’s Carrot Cake from my mom (Kirsten Johnson)

1 ½ cup corn oil 2 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs ½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking powder

2 cups sugar 1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour 3 cups raw carrots, grated

Beat together oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, salt, baking

powder, and baking soda.

Add carrots to creamed ingredients. Add dry ingredients. Grease and flour a 9×13” pan. Bake at

350° for 25-30 minutes

Cream Cheese Frosting

½ cup butter

8 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

When beating, add sugar until sweet enough.

Chocolate Beet Brownies from: http://www.plantea.com/chocolatebeetbrownies.htm

1/2 cup butter (or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 cup applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup cooked beets or 15 oz. can beets packed in water, drained and mashed

1/2 cup finely chopped almonds

1/2 cup wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs

until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well

creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour,

salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and

almonds. Turn into greased 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool

before cutting into squares.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranate Dressing, Dried Cherries & Toasted Walnuts (Serves 4)

From Fresh from the Farm by Susie Middleton

Ingredients needed:

-1¼ pounds brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut into halves lengthwise

-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

-kosher salt

-3 tablespoons pomegranate juice

-1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

-1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey

-2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus 4 small lime wedges for serving

-¼ cups coarsely chopped dried cherries

-1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

-¼ cup toasted walnuts

-2 tablespoons very roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus a few sprigs for garnish

-2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

Heat the oven to 475 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, toss the brussels sprouts with the oil and ¾ teaspoon salt. Arrange the sprouts in a 9”x13” baking dish (they will be very snug). Roast, stirring once or twice during cooking, until nicely browned and tender, 25 to 27 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Combine the pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, and lime juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by about one third. (It will be a bit more vicious but still loose). Remove the pan from the heat, add the dried cherries and the butter, and stir until the butter is just melted and creamy. (Don’t reheat the mixture).

Pour the sauce over the roasted sprouts and stir gently but thoroughly. Add most of the walnuts and herbs and stir well again. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the remaining nuts and herbs (and the herb sprigs), serve right away with lime wedges for seasoning at the table. (A gentle squeeze is enough).
Kimchi

From The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila

Make 2 quarts

1 large head (about 2 pounds) Napa cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced

½ pound carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal

½ pound daikon radishes, red radishes, spring white turnips, or some combination, sliced thinly

3 tbs. grated fresh ginger

4 scallions, roots removed, cut into ½-inchlengths

6 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ to ½ cup diced hot peppers (depending on their heat and your own heat desire)

Kosher salt

Optional: Whey

Optional: 2 tsp. fish sauce

1) Combine the cabbage, carrots, radishes, scallions, garlic, hot peppers, and 1½ tbs. salt in a large bowl. Put on dish gloves to protect your hands from the peppers, and squeeze the mixture until the vegetables release their juice. Work the mixture until it’s quite wet.

2) Scrape the mixture and any liquid into a crock or similar vessel. Place a small Plate over the vegetables, and top that with a smaller jar to weight down the plate. Lay a dish towel over the crock to protect the mixture, and store in a cool place. Lay a dish towel over the crock to protect the mixture, and store in a cool place. Check the contents after 24 hours. If the liquid from the vegetables does not entirely cover them, add a solution of 1 tsp. kosher salt to 1 cup water. If you have whey, you can use that instead of salt water.

3) Monitor your kimchi over the next few days. Some bubbling is a good (but not necessary) sign, and a layer of fine white scum is okay too—just skim it off as it appears. After about 5 days, taste the kimchi. It should still be crunchy, but with no taste of raw cabbage. If it’s too salty, crunchy, or not quite funky enough, let it ferment another day and taste again, repeating for up to 2 weeks total. When it’s ready, stir in the fish sauce, if using and transfer to a covered jar in the refrigerator.