Welcome to the 27th week of the Pitchfork & Crow CSA!
Here’s what’s in the share:
- Leeks
- Red Onions – a mix of the darker Cabernet and lighter Rossa di Milano
- Beets
- Jimmy Nardello Sweet Peppers
- Collards
- Sunchokes – Similar in texture to the Yacon from last week, Sunchokes (aka Jerusalem Artichokes or Earth Apples) are the root of a particular sunflower variety. You can cook them like potatoes or eat them raw. Note that they also contain high levels of inulin, the carbohydrate difficult for some people to digest.
- Cabbage – The variety is Colorsa this week, a red savoy cross that we’ve come to love for its beauty, taste, and overwintering ability.
- Butternut Winter Squash
- Polenta – We grew Cascade Ruby Gold Flint Corn this year, a locally bred and adapted corn variety that when milled results in both polenta (aka grits) and flour! It doesn’t get much better than that in my opinion. Quick video of the process here and a recipe down below.
Once again, thanks to everyone who has filled out the CSA survey. I’ll be compiling the answers and hope to share them next week. If you haven’t yet, we’d appreciate you taking a few minutes to let us know what you think.
Also, as mentioned last week, we’re offering bulk purchases of some items for your holiday meals, or to help stock your pantry as the end of the CSA season arrives next week. Please note that orders are due by Friday November 22nd and will be delivered at the final CSA pick-up, Tuesday November 26th. We’ve included further details in the weekly email. Please let us know if you have any questions.
To help you plan your Thanksgiving grocery shopping, we thought we’d provide our projected share list for next week:
- Pie Pumpkin
- Garlic
- Yellow Onions
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Green Apples
- Kale
- Parsley
- Brussels Sprouts
- Corn Flour
Of course while we’re never exactly sure what’s going in the share until we’re harvesting, we’re feeling confident enough to say that the above items will likely make it in.
Jeff spent some time this past week pulling out the tomato trellising, plants, and drip irrigation from the field house at the back of the farm. You know it’s the end of the season when the tomato house finally gets cleaned out. We put this field house up last winter and it served us well this season. We’re still debating what’s next for the space, but we’re glad to have the season extending flexibility of field houses.
I focused on cleaning leek seed this week. We grew a leek seed crop for our friends at Adaptive Seeds and the seed is due to them in a few weeks. Those photos up above illustrate the current stage of the process. The seed heads are dry, but it’s been tricky to separate the seed from the seed heads. Luckily the majority of the crop looks like the blackest seed pile now.
Next week is the final week of this season of the CSA. We’re looking forward to the winter pace ahead of us, but first a celebratory Thanksgiving meal! Until then, enjoy the vegetables!
Your farmers,
Jeff Bramlett and Carri Heisler
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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:
Not sure what to do with Sunchokes? CSA member Patty Holt has you covered! She suggested the following link which includes six recipes: http://tablematters.com/2013/05/15/here-comes-the-sunchoke/. Now who’s brave enough to try the ice cream?
Soft Polenta with Leeks
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
- 2 1/4 cups (or more) water
- 2 cups canned chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup polenta
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat. Cover and cook until leeks soften, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water, broth and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture is thick and creamy, stirring often and thinning with more water if necessary, about 35 minutes.
Remove pan from heat. Discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter and Parmesan cheese. Season polenta to taste with salt and pepper. Divide polenta among plates.
Roasted Cabbage with Bacon
- 1 large head green cabbage, outer leaves removed
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices thick bacon
Heat the oven to 450°F. Cut the cabbage into quarters and slice the bottom of each quarter at an angle to remove the stem core. Cut each quarter in half again so you have eight wedges. Lay these down on a large roasting pan or baking sheet and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Cut each slice of bacon into small strips and lay on top of the cabbage.
Roast for 30 minutes, flipping the cabbage wedges once halfway through. If the edges aren’t browned enough for your taste after 30 minutes, put them back in for five-minute increments until they are.
Serve immediately; the wedges cool down fast.
From The Kitchn, by Faith Durand, http://www.thekitchn.com/easy-winter-recipe-roasted-cab-105338
Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Pickled Beets and Cabbage
Cut several holes about 4 inches deep into the pork roast on the top and bottom sides. Rub down the pork roast with a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, pushing some down into the holes with your finger. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Once done, remove the pan from the oven and take off the lid. Use a pair of forks to begin to pull the meat apart. Mix the pulled pork pieces up with the juices and the onions (which should now look caramelized) in the pan. Add the barbeque sauce and stir.
Serve the pulled pork on whole wheat buns with pickled beets, fresh shredded cabbage, and a dab of extra barbeque sauce.
Pickled Beets
1 large red onion, frenched
1 cup tarragon wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
Remove the skin from the Roasted Beets and slice thinly. Arrange in 1-quart jars alternating layers with the onion. In a small pot boil the rest of the ingredients and pour over the beets. Tightly lid the jars and place in the refrigerator for 3 to 7 days before serving.
2 large shallots, peeled
2 sprigs rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 responses to “csa share – week 27 {november 19}”
First, I’m thankful for our CSA growers!! Your produce is always so clean (compared to another person’s produce they receive). Appreciate your extra effort in that way among so many. Thanks for sharing recipes – we’ve tried on the average of one a week and most of them have become “keepers” to the family list. Today we tried roasting the collard greens (olive oil, s & p, and Italian seasoning) in the oven – nom! Have a grand Thanksgiving!
Oh gosh, thanks! You’re awfully kind. We’re so glad you appreciate the efforts we put into growing food for our community. Comments like this make it all worth it! Happy Thanksgiving to the Ulshafers!