Summer CSA Share – #27

Welcome to the 27th and final share of the Pitchfork & Crow CSA!  Here’s what’s in the share this week:

  • Celeriac
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Garlic
  • Lacinato Kale
  • Sage
  • Yellow Onions
  • Butternut Winter Squash
  • Pie Pumpkin
  • Corn Flour or Polenta

Somehow we’ve arrived at the final share of the season, and the very last CSA share of Pitchfork & Crow.  It’s been a wild ride these past nine years, and past eight years with the CSA.  We’ve made countless new friendships, grown thousands of pounds of food, and done our very best to figure out the mysteries of agriculture.  If I’ve done my math correctly, this marks our 274th CSA share.  Two hundred and seventy-four CSA harvests and distributions. No wonder I feel tired.

Five members have been with us all eight years of the CSA, and another five have been with us since year two.  We’ve had 295 members come and go, or stay on, over the full eight years.  We’ve seen kids grow up and get born.  We’ve seen friendships between members fostered.  We’ve attended one member’s funeral and one member’s wedding.  We created a community around this farm thanks to your support.

I feel like there are no words to express my gratitude to all of our current and former CSA members in this moment.  You bought into our ideas before there was proof, and you continued to believe in us even when we faltered.  We thank you for that.  Please take that support to other local farmers who continue the good fight to bring you real food.  One last time, thank you for all of your support.  We really, truly could not have done this without you.

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler and Jeff Bramlett

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Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Carol Deppe’s Cornbread Recipe

1 c water
¼ c ghee or butter
5/8 t salt
2 Large eggs
2 c corn flour
2 t baking powder

Preheat oven to 450 with rack at lowest setting. Grind 1 heaping cup flour corn. Put 2/3 c in large metal bowl; put the rest in smaller metal bowl and whisk with baking powder. Put water, ghee and salt in pot on stove on high, covered. Put small skillet in oven. Scramble the eggs in a small bowl. When water boils and ghee melts, pour this into large metal bowl with the 2/3 c corn flour and whisk. Let sit 1 minute. Then whisk in the eggs. Then take skillet out of oven. Add the corn flour/baking powder mix to big bowl and whisk together quickly (2 seconds), then immediately pour into hot skillet, quickly smooth it flat and return to oven (bottom rack). Bake for 15 minutes. Invert skillet over cooling rack and bread will fall out. Cool 10-20 minutes, then slice and eat. Keep at room temp for 3 days or in fridge for a week. Heat in steam oven before eating.

From Living Earth Farm’s website via Carol Deppe, http://www.thelivingearthfarm.com/prod/?q=node%2F218

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Skillet Phyllo Pie with Butternut Squash, Kale, and Goat Cheese

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 2 medium red onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
  • 3 ounces Parmesan, grated
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 8 ounces frozen phyllo pastry, thawed (half a 1-pound package)
  • 4 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta, crumbled

Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 6–8 minutes. Add squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, 8–10 minutes. Mix in thyme and red pepper flakes and transfer to a medium bowl; let cool. Wipe out and reserve skillet.

Add kale, eggs, Parmesan, and lemon zest to squash mixture and gently mix to combine; season with salt and pepper. Layer phyllo sheets inside reserved skillet. Spoon kale-and-squash mixture into phyllo and dot top with goat cheese. Brush edges of phyllo lightly with oil and fold over filling, overlapping slightly, leaving center exposed.

Cook pie over medium heat until bottom of pastry is just golden (carefully lift up on one side with a heatproof rubber spatula so that you can take a peek), about 3 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake pie until kale is wilted and tender and phyllo is golden brown and crisp, 20–25 minutes. Let pie cool in skillet at least 15 minutes before slicing into wedges.

Do Ahead

Pie can be baked 6 hours ahead. Let cool; store uncovered at room temperature.

From Epicurous via Bon Appétit by Anna Jones, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/skillet-phyllo-pie-with-butternut-squash-kale-and-goat-cheese

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Roasted Celery Root, Red Onions, Mushrooms, and Sage

  • 3 medium red onions (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
  • 3 pounds celery root (sometimes called celeriac)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt
  • 1 pound small white mushrooms
  • 1/2 pound assorted fresh exotic mushrooms such as chanterelles and Portobellos
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves

Cut onions into 1-inch pieces. With a sharp knife peel celery root and cut into 2- by 1/2-inch sticks. Divide celery root between 2 large roasting pans and toss each half with 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Roast celery root in upper and lower thirds of oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, 25 minutes total.

In a bowl toss mushrooms and onions with sage, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Divide mushroom mixture between pans, tossing with celery root, and roast, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, about 30 minutes total, or until all vegetables are tender and golden.

Season vegetables with salt and pepper.

From Epicurous via Gourmet, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roasted-celery-root-red-onions-mushrooms-and-sage-14454

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