Welcome to the 24th share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2022 Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Salad Mix – A mix of lettuces and spinach.
• Green Cabbage – Big heads coming your way this week. Have you roasted cabbage? Or made sauerkraut? Or made cabbage and noodles? Or checked out the jalapeno coleslaw recipe down below?
• Small Broccoli Heads
• Celery
• Alpine Daikon Radishes – A short Korean daikon variety traditionally used in kimchi but tasty on salads or roasted.
• Magic Molly Purple Fingerling Potatoes – Purple on the outside and inside too, these are great roasted with other root vegetables.
• Mixed Red & Yellow Beets
• Yellow Onion
• Bunching Onions
• Sweet Peppers
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Green Tomatoes – We’re wrapping up the tomato season with a harvest of all the remaining unripe fruit. You can try to ripen any fruit with some coloring by leaving it out in your kitchen. Unripe fruit can be used in fried green tomato recipes or check out the green tomato cake recipe down below.
• Festival Acorn Squash

After a very hot and dry October it appears the weather has a different pattern in store for November. The farm weather station reports 4.68″ of rain since last Tuesday and we’re about to see low temps in the 20s and low 30s for the next week. It’s been an abrupt switch from summer to winter weather.

We spent the past week readying the farm for the upcoming cold snap. We focused on continuing the root harvests by digging more potatoes and Jeff harvested the last two beds of beets during last Friday’s big wind/rain storm. He’s a real go getter. I managed to avoid that storm by focusing on canning/roasting the last of the tomatoes and getting our 2023 seed potato order wrapped up. Saturday was the calmest day this past week and we were both back at it, managing to get the remaining celery, turnips/radishes, and celeriac covered with frost protection row cover. Fingers crossed we’ll have celery for future shares. Then we split up; I took on the beet washing project and Jeff put up end walls on one of the greenhouses that has vulnerable greens planted inside. Sunday we focused on getting the storage onions and garlic into the barn now that the sweet potatoes have taken over the germ chamber storage area. It was a wet day for such a task but it worked out. While I processed garlic Jeff washed potatoes for this week’s share. Now we’re back to the harvest scramble and hoping we did enough ahead of the cold temps.

Irrigation lines have been drained, crops are covered, greenhouses are enclosed, coolers are filling up with storage crops. I guess it really is November. Wasn’t it just 90 degrees?

In the week ahead we’ll be continuing the potato harvest, harvesting other roots for storage, and working towards wrapping up this season. Not counting this week’s share we have two more weeks remaining in the Summer CSA season. There are still lots of tasty fall vegetables we’ve got planned for you. Hurrah for seasonal eating!

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you here next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

.

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Green Tomato Crumb Cake

• Batter
• 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (248 grams) all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for preparing the pan
• ¹/₂ cup (106 grams) dark brown sugar
• ¹/₂ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¹/₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¹/₄ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¹/₄ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (225 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
• ²/₃ cup (151 grams, about 11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 ¹/₂ cups (about one 10-ounce) medium diced green tomato

• Topping
• ¹/₂ cup (106 grams) dark brown sugar
• ¹/₂ cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
• ¹/₂ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons (40 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray or butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

For the batter: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together 2 cups (240 grams) or the flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla, buttermilk, and cooled butter.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat until smooth. Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon (8 grams) flour. Fold in the tomatoes. Pour into the prepared pan.

For the topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Use your fingertips to work in the butter until large, shaggy crumbs form.

Sprinkle the topping over the batter, pressing the crumbs lightly into the top.

Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, until a thin knife or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan and slide it onto the rack to cool completely. Slice into wedges and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

From Food52.com by Rachel Rappaport, https://food52.com/recipes/88159-green-tomato-crumb-cake-recipe

Sweet & Smoky Beet Burgers

• 1 yellow onion
• 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, plus extra for searing
• 1 cup peeled and grated raw beets (approximately 1 small beet)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup walnuts
• ¹/₂ cup golden raisins
• 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
• ¹/₂ cup cooked green lentils, rinsed and drained
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice or white sushi rice, at room temperature
• 1 egg

Slice the onion to a thickness of 1/4 inch. In a medium skillet, sauté the onion in the oil over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until it starts to darken and caramelize. Turn down the heat slightly and add the beets along with the garlic, walnuts, raisins, and paprika, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor and pulse several times until chunky. In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture with the lentils, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Replace the food processor without washing and add the rice and egg, and pulse to form a coarse puree. Add the rice mixture to the onion-lentil mixture and mix well with your hands.

Lightly oil your hands and divide the dough into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a patty just under 1 inch thick.

Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and add oil to coat the bottom. Place the burgers in the skillet and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Gently flip the burgers and turn down the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the burgers have a firm, brown crust. Serve hot with your favorite condiments.

From Food52.com by Louisa Shafia, https://food52.com/recipes/22553-sweet-and-smoky-beet-burgers

Chicken Udon Soup

• Broth
• 1 ¹/₂ to 1 ³/₄ pounds bone-in chicken thighs and/or legs, skin removed
• 1 (4-ounce) piece Korean mu or daikon radish, about 3-inch diameter x 1-inch height, peeled
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and halved at the root
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled (12 to 14 cloves)
• 2 whole scallions
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, unpeeled and sliced into thick planks
• 1 (4×6-inch) piece dashima konbu kelp, or several smaller pieces adding up

• Soup Assembly
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 blocks frozen udon noodles (about 8 to 9 ounces each), or about 1 pound fresh Korean udon/jjajang noodles
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to season chicken and to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 2 thinly sliced scallions (both green and white parts), for garnish

Make the broth: In a large pot, add chicken pieces, mu/daikon radish, onion, garlic cloves, the 2 whole scallions, peppercorns, ginger slices, and kombu kelp. Slowly pour in 8 cups (2 quarts) of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Start skimming any white foam or scum that comes to the top. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover with lid slightly ajar, and cook for around 25 minutes until the chicken and daikon are done; skim off any scum every so often.

15 minutes into the broth cooking time, bring a separate, medium-size pot filled with water to boil for the udon.

Meanwhile, when the chicken broth is done, remove the chicken pieces and mu/daikon radish and let cool on a cutting board. Strain the rest of the broth into another similarly (or slightly smaller) sized pot. Discard aromatics. Season the chicken broth with soy sauce and salt, adjusting to taste. Keep strained chicken broth hot over a low heat.

Prepare the chicken and mu/daikon radish: Once cool enough to handle, use two forks or your hands to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bones. Put the chicken in a bowl or storage container, season with toasted sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Cut the radish into bite-sized pieces; set aside.

Cook udon noodles according to package instructions (usually 45 to 60 seconds for frozen udon blocks). They are already cooked, so you are just warming them through and gently releasing them from their caked state with tongs or chopsticks. It’s important not to overcook them. Drain in a colander.

Divide drained udon noodles among soup bowls. Ladle hot broth over the udon. Top each bowl with cut mu/daikon radish pieces and a small handful of shredded seasoned chicken. Garnish with the thinly sliced scallions and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

From Food52.com by Hana Asbrink, https://food52.com/recipes/87476-chicken-noodle-soup-recipe-with-udon-garlic-ginger

Pan-Seared Rib Eye with Jalapeno Coleslaw

• For the steak:
• 1 cup cilantro stems, leaves reserved for garnish
• 2 large jalapeños
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 1 ¹/₂ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¹/₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
• ¹/₄ cup olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for cooking steak
• 1 (1 1/2–pound) bone-in rib-eye steak, about 1 1/2 inches thick
• ¹/₂ teaspoon rice vinegar
• ¹/₄ teaspoon granulated sugar

• For the coleslaw:
• ¹/₄ pound green cabbage, finely shredded (about 1 cup)
• 1 large jalapeño, deseeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• ¹/₂ teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 pinch celery seed

First, marinate the steak: In a blender or food processor, blitz the cilantro stems, jalapeños, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil until smooth. Transfer 1/4 cup of the marinade to a small resealable container and refrigerate (you’ll turn it into a sauce later). Add the steak to a large zip-top bag and pour in the rest of the marinade. Seal and smoosh everything around so the meat is fully covered in the green sauce. Set the bag on a plate in the fridge to marinate for as little as 4 hours, and as much as 8 to 12 hours or overnight. (If you’re in a hurry, you could also leave the steak to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, then proceed straight to cooking.)

Heat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, followed by the steak, and sear on that first side for 6 to 8 minutes. Flip, then cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the steak reaches 130°F for medium-rare (make sure your instant-read thermometer isn’t hitting the bone or any fat pockets, which will obscure this reading). Transfer the steak to a wooden cutting board and let rest for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the coleslaw: In a medium bowl, toss together the cabbage, jalapeño, olive oil, rice vinegar, sugar, and celery seed and set aside.

When the steak has fully rested, carve it as thinly or as thickly as you like. But when doing this, just be sure to cut against the grain, which is to say: perpendicular to the parallel muscle fibers of the meat (the shorter these strands are, the tenderer the steak will feel as you eat). On a rib eye, these fibers usually run top to bottom across the surface, which is why I like to carve it on the diagonal. (Save the bone for nibbling on later.)

Remember that 1/4 cup of reserved marinade? Stir in the rice vinegar and sugar, and transfer the sauce to a large plate, flattening it with the back of a spoon. Lay the carved steak slices over the sauce and garnish liberally with the whole cilantro leaves. Grind more fresh black pepper over top if you’d like, and enjoy with the jalapeño coleslaw.

From Food52.com by Eric Kim, https://food52.com/recipes/83926-pan-seared-rib-eye-steak-recipe

Welcome to the 23rd share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2022 Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Salad Mix
• Arugula
• Rainbow Chard
• Broccoli Bits
• Hakurei Salad Turnips – These are mild enough to eat raw on salads but we also enjoy roasting them with other root vegetables. Don’t forget to eat the greens!
• German Butterball Potatoes
• Red Onions
• Garlic
• Sweet Peppers
• Shishito Peppers – The shishitos are the roulette peppers we’ve shared in the past where 1 in 10 can be hot. They’re delicious blistered in hot oil and salted as a snack or chopped up and thrown into other dishes. We’ve enjoyed them in breakfast burritos.
• Tomato – It’s true, we found one more ripe tomato out there to share. Green tomatoes coming at you next week.
• Gill’s Golden Pippin Acorn Squash – A tasty little acorn squash that’s just the right size for a single serving.

The season is quickly winding down as Thanksgiving, and the final share of the Summer CSA season, is just three weeks away now. The rain has settled in, the temps have dropped, the days are getting shorter and shorter. Whew! What a roller coaster this growing season has been. We’re looking forward to the break but we’re also already thinking about improvements for next year.

Although the weather forecast had suggested several rainy days last week, we had a bit of a reprieve and were able to make some progress in the digging of potatoes, both sweets and non-sweets alike. We finished getting the sweet potatoes out of the ground and they’re now finishing curing at a balmy 85 degrees in the temperature regulated germination chamber. We also spent time digging more regular potatoes for storage. We have about a third left to dig in the coming weeks. Slowly but surely we’ll get through that project.

We’ve got our first frost warning of the season coming up Wednesday night, though it’s looking less likely as we get closer to Wednesday now. Most sensitive crops are either in greenhouses at this point or done for the season already, so there isn’t much prep to do ahead of a frost. I did spend time Sunday harvesting the last of the peppers though. We had a strange pepper year but it’s nice to have what’s left out of the field and ready to be shared in the next few CSA shares.

In addition to harvesting and more harvesting we managed to plant a bed of lettuce and a bed of bunching onions into a greenhouse for winter eating. We also planted a couple of beds of fava beans for next spring. Favas are one of the last things to go in the ground, and we’re generally ready to be done with planting by the time they roll around. But they sure are nice to have in June! Jeff also managed to sow some cover crop seed in some open areas and do quite a bit of mowing of past crops. It’s crazy how quickly the landscape view can change with a single pass of the flail mower.

In the week ahead we’ll be tackling more potatoes in between rain storms. It looks like a rainy week ahead so we’ll be taking on some indoor projects too. There’s some weeds we’d like to get to in a couple of greenhouse beds. It’s also time to think about our potato order for next year to make sure we’re at the top of the list for seed potato supplies. It’s a never ending potato cycle: harvest, plant, harvest, plant. I guess that’s the nature of farming though.

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you here next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

.

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Potato Salad with Arugula & Dijon Vinaigrette

• ¹/₂ small red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 3 cups arugula, stems removed, washed and dried and very roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 5 tablespoons good olive oil

Put the onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water (this will remove some of the bite). Put the potatoes in a large pot of generously salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat.

Lower the heat so the water is barely simmering and cook for about 10 minutes, until you can pierce the potatoes with the tip of a sharp knife and it slips out easily. Drain the potatoes well and pour them into a large bowl.

Gently toss the warm potatoes with the rice vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the chives, arugula and red onion and stir through.

Whisk together the red wine vinegar, mustard and olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the potato mixture and toss to combine. Serve warm or keep covered at room temperature for up to an hour.

From Food52.com by Merrill Stubbs, https://food52.com/recipes/12198-potato-salad-with-arugula-dijon-vinaigrette

Chard Salad with Breadcrumbs and Parmesan

• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 1 lemon
• ¹/₂ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1 ¹/₂ cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ³/₄ cup grated Parmesan

Wash and dry the chard and remove the stems from the leaves. Set aside. Zest and juice the lemon.

Combine the lemon juice (you should have about 2 1/2 tablespoons), 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest and a few generous pinches of salt in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Set aside.

Warm the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and golden brown (about 5 minutes). Be careful not to burn them! Stir in the garlic and let them toast for another minute, then remove from the heat.

Separate the chard leaves from their stems. Finely chop the stems. Stack a few of the leaves on top of each other, roll them like a cigar and cut the cigar into thin (1/8-inch) ribbons. Repeat until all the leaves are shredded. Put the chard stems and leaves into a large bowl and toss gently with the Parmesan and about 2/3 of the lemon dressing. Taste and add more dressing if you like. Toss in the toasted breadcrumbs and serve immediately.

From Food52.com by Merrill Stubbs, https://food52.com/recipes/24925-chard-salad-with-garlic-breadcrumbs-and-parmesan

Weeknight Lasagna with Any-Greens Pesto and White Beans

• For assembling lasagna:
• 12 lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces), either regular or no-boil
• 3 cups (roughly) marinara sauce, either homemade or store-bought (from a 24-ounce jar, such as Rao’s)
• 2 cups (or 16 ounces) full-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ³/₄ cups cooked white beans (from one 15.5-ounce can), drained and rinsed
• 2 cups (or 8 ounces) shredded mozzarella

• For any-greens pesto:
• 8 ounces greens (one or more of: kale, spinach, Swiss chard, arugula, basil, and parsley)
• ¹/₄ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 garlic clove
• ¹/₃ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Finely grated lemon zest + 2 teaspoons juice, from 1 lemon
• ¹/₂ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¹/₄ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

If using regular lasagna noodles: In a large pan or bowl, cover the noodles in very hot tap water (or cold water warmed in a kettle until about 120°F) seasoned with salt; let the noodles soak for about 10 to 15 minutes while preparing the rest of your ingredients. (Note: a longer soak time may cause the noodles to stick together, so drain and separate them after about 15 minutes). If using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.

Lightly oil an 8 by 12-inch baking pan for a thicker lasagna (my preference!), or a 9- by 13-inch pan for a thinner version.

To make the pesto: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the greens until finely chopped (adding the greens in batches for them to all fit), then add the pine nuts and garlic. Pulse again until integrated. Stream in the olive oil. Add Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste, and season to taste with kosher salt. Alternately, make the pesto by hand chopping the greens with a knife. Note: This is a less oily pesto than traditional versions given the volume of greens.

Transfer pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta. Taste again and add more salt, if needed, and several grinds of black pepper. (Take the time to get the seasoning right!). Add the egg, and stir until smooth.

Spread 1 cup pasta sauce in the prepared dish. Arrange 4 slightly overlapping noodles atop the sauce. (Gently tap noodles against the bowl to shake off any water.) Top with roughly one-third of the white beans, then spread roughly one-third of the ricotta-pesto mixture over in an even layer.

Layer the second row of 4 lasagna noodles, 1 cup sauce, half the remaining white beans, and half the remaining ricotta-pesto mixture.

Repeat with one more layer of 4 lasagna noodles, 1 cup sauce, and the remaining white beans and ricotta-pesto mixture. Evenly sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.

Cover lasagna with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. (If using an 8 by 12-inch dish, bake over a sheet pan in case any of the sauce bubbles over.) Uncover, then continue baking until the mozzarella is melted and browned, about 15 to 18 minutes longer. Let stand at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

From Food52.com by EmilyC, https://food52.com/recipes/84985-quick-lasagna-recipe-with-pesto-white-beans

Welcome to the 21st share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2022 Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Spinach
• Purple Napa Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Parsley
• Celery
• Carrots
• LaRatte Fingerling Potatoes
• Red Bunching Onions
• “Delectable” Sweet Corn
• Zucchini – Including green zucchini and “Mexicana” zucchini. We’re rapidly approaching the end of summer squash/zucchini season. Enjoy them while you can!
• Sweet and Shishito Peppers – The shishitos are the roulette peppers we’ve shared in the past where 1 in 10 can be hot. They’re delicious blistered in hot oil and salted as a snack or chopped up and thrown into other dishes. We’ve enjoyed them in breakfast burritos.
• Mixed Tomatoes – The tomatoes are dwindling but we might be able to eek one more week out of them. Time will tell.

After an extended summer stretch it looks like we’ve finally got some fall rain in the forecast later this week and into next week. Hurrah for that! Have we mentioned we’re looking forward to the end of irrigation season? Last weekend’s high of 90 here at the farm was a little much for October if you ask us. We’ve been slowly but surely working through the list of things that need to be done before the mud returns and fingers crossed we’ll be ready by the time the rain hits Friday evening.

This time of year I begin looking closer at the various weather forecasts. Mid-October brings with it the threat of the first frost and this time of year we’re always planning as if it could be right around the corner. That first frost warning signals the end of many summer crops and a shift in what’s available to harvest from the field. Staying on top of the short and long range weather forecasts can help when deciding what projects to tackle next.

For daily and 10 day forecasts I’ve found the Weather Underground app to be fairly reliable for our location. It provides detailed info about when to expect rain and elevated wind throughout the day and tends to be accurate with temperature predictions. Our weather station is also linked to the Weather Underground network and glancing at the real time temps reflect what’s happening here on the farm. You can see the farm weather station here.

Longer range forecasts are of course less accurate and more susceptible to change as the dates get closer, but it’s nice to have a heads up about the possibilities that models are showing. I like to read what Rufus at the Weather Cafe has to say for forecasts that are within a few weeks. He focuses on the PNW in twice a week updates and discusses the possibilities of what might be headed our way with the caveat that models often change.

The other long range forecast I’ve found to be helpful is the seasonal climate forecast put together jointly by the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Forestry. It’s updated monthly with temperature and precipitation projections for the next three month period. These forecasts are based on historical data in years that resemble the current weather patterns. The historical years used for comparison are revised from time to time as current weather data change. This is an especially intriguing discussion as climate change factors are evaluated.

With an eye on the rain in the forecast we spent this past week preparing for the shift in weather. We finished bringing in the flour corn to dry down in the prop house and we harvested the dry bean plants too. They’re drying down in the old prop house and we’ll thresh out the beans once the plants are dry enough. In the meantime we shifted focus to potato harvest and managed to get three more beds harvested and into storage. Hopefully we have another window after the initial bout of rain this week so we’re not finishing up that project in too much mud.

After cracking our garlic seed this past weekend we’re ready to get our 2023 garlic crop in the ground on Thursday ahead of the rain. We’ll also be planting out overwintering onions and fava beans if we’re quick enough. These mark the last of the crops to be planted outside in the field this season. Fingers crossed the rain holds off just long enough for us to finish up.

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you here next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

.

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Sheet Pan Curried Chicken with Cauliflower and Grapes

• For chicken and curry rub:
• 6 chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (about 2.5 pounds total)
• 2 tablespoons full-fat yogurt (either regular or Greek)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 teaspoons curry powder (salt-free), such as madras or maharajah
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• For rest of sheet pan and yogurt sauce:
• 1 teaspoon curry powder (salt-free), such as madras or maharajah
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for yogurt sauce
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1 cup red or black seedless grapes, left whole if small, or halved if large
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
• ¹/₂ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¹/₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup full-fat yogurt (regular or Greek)
• 1 large lemon
• A few big handfuls of roughly chopped cilantro, parsley, or dill

1. Heat oven to 425° F.
2. Dry chicken well with paper towels. Make curry rub by whisking together yogurt, olive oil, curry powder, and salt until well integrated (it may not fully emulsify, which is fine). Notes: you may need to add a bit more olive oil if using Greek yogurt. If using a curry powder that includes salt, slightly decrease the amount of kosher salt in the rub.
3. Season chicken evenly with the curry rub (on both sides and under the skin). Arrange in a single, even layer on a sheet pan.
4. Roast chicken for 15 minutes. (Set a timer.)
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon curry powder with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add cauliflower, grapes, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to taste. Toss well to evenly coat in the curry oil.
6. When the timer goes off, remove the sheet pan from the oven, and add the cauliflower and grape mixture, nestling it around the chicken as evenly as possible. Roast about 20 minutes longer, or until the chicken is cooked through (target temperature is 165° F in the thickest parts) and cauliflower is tender. (Note: If the chicken is done before the cauliflower, remove it from sheet pan and continue roasting the cauliflower. Optional: slide the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to deepen the browning of the chicken and cauliflower.) Squeeze the juice from half a lemon over the chicken and cauliflower. Adjust acidity and seasoning to taste. Toss in herbs.
7. While the chicken cooks, combine yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and a big pinch or two of salt. Stir to combine, and adjust acidity and seasoning, to taste. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top.
8. Serve warm with yogurt on the side, so everyone can spoon some onto their plates.

From Food52.com by EmilyC, https://food52.com/recipes/78524-sheet-pan-curried-chicken-with-cauliflower-and-grapes

Chicken Stew with Potatoes, Carrots, and Celery

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Kosher salt
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 sprig thyme
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ¹/₄ cup all-purpose flour
• 32 ounces low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken stock
• 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
• ¹/₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Sear the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Set aside.

In the same pot over medium heat, cook the onion and garlic, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until translucent and softened; season with salt. Add the rosemary and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, until translucent.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes, until all of the vegetables are coated and the raw taste has cooked off. Slowly pour in the stock, stirring to break up any lumps of flour.

Add the chicken, potatoes, and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are fully cooked and the liquid has slightly thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings; discard the thyme and rosemary sprigs.

Divide the soup among bowls. Garnish with the parsley.

From Food52.com by Rachel Gurjar, https://food52.com/recipes/84569-best-chicken-stew-recipe

Napa Cabbage with Hot Bacon Dressing

• 1 Napa cabbage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (you’ll need 6 to 8 cups)
• 8 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/ 4-inch lardons
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar
• ¹/₂ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• ³/₄ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Place the cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon to a medium sauté pan and set over medium heat. Render the bacon fat and brown the bacon, adjusting the heat as needed. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, then pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat (approximate, don’t measure) from the pan.

Set the pan over medium low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Season with the salt. Gradually – and slowly! – whisk this mixture into the egg.

Sprinkle the bacon on the cabbage, then pour 3/4 of the dressing over the cabbage and toss to mix. Add more dressing as desired (I like a fair amount). Serve with grilled pork chops, roasted potatoes and beer.

From Food52.com by Amanda Hesser, https://food52.com/recipes/7940-helen-getz-s-napa-cabbage-with-hot-bacon-dressing

Parsley Miso Pesto

• 2 heaping cups fresh parsley (about 3/4 of a bunch)
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced, plus more to taste
• 4 teaspoons white miso, plus more to taste
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed to moisten and bind the pesto

Knife method: Pile about a third of the parsley and garlic in the center of a large cutting board, and use a large, sharp chef’s knife or vegetable cleaver to chop it very fine. Add another third of the parsley and garlic, and chop again until very fine. Add the final third of the parsley and garlic, and chop again until very fine. Add the miso paste, 1 teaspoon at a time, chopping each addition into the mixture until it’s incorporated. Towards the end, you may find it easier to mash the miso into the herbs with the flat of your knife, rather than chopping. The pesto is ready when you can press it into a lump and have it more or less stick to itself.

Food processor method: In a food processor, combine parsley, garlic, and miso paste. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and holds together when pressed. (If you have a small processor, doing this in batches is fine.)

If you’re using immediately, combine the parsley mixture with the oil. If you did the knife method, you can do this by hand in a bowl. If you used a food processor, you can stream in the oil with the machine running.

If you aren’t using immediately, you can simply pour the oil over the herbs. The unstirred pesto can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. To freeze the pesto, transfer the solids to an airtight container and add enough olive oil to cover the surface; it’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen pesto overnight in the refrigerator. Just before serving, stir to combine the olive oil and solids.

From Food52.com by IEatThePeach, https://food52.com/recipes/24851-parsley-miso-pesto

Welcome to the 20th share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2022 Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Lettuce Mix
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Italian or Thai Basil
• Carrots!
• Red Onion
• Garlic
• “Sweetness” Sweet Corn
• Zucchini – Including green zucchini and “Mexicana” zucchini. We’re rapidly approaching the end of summer squash/zucchini season. Enjoy them while you can!
• Mixed Cucumbers – Including green cukes, ‘Silver Slicer’ yellow cukes, and lemon cukes. Cucumbers are on the way out!
• Mixed Sweet Peppers
• Aji Marchant Hot Peppers – These peppers have an intriguing history that you can read about here. Though spicy when yellow and under-ripe they get hotter as they mature to red.
• Mixed Cherry Tomatoes
• Slicer Tomato
• Mixed Eggplant

Jeff mentioned yesterday that it felt like the months were off this season. June felt like May, October feels like September. We’re thankful for the extended weather window while we attempt to get the remaining storage crops out of the field. We’re kind of over the 80 degree days though and would welcome shift to the 60s or 70s. Can we stop irrigating please?

We did get all of the flour corn harvested and now it’s drying down in the prop house. The onions that were drying down there are now boxed and being stored in the germ chamber where we can regulate the temperature until we’re ready to use them. Luckily we’re done using the germ chamber for germinating seeds for the moment. It’s nice to be able to use these spaces for multiple uses throughout the season, even if it takes some planning ahead.

Many thanks to everyone who made it out to the farm this past Saturday. Tractor rides were taken, farm tours happened, and pumpkins were picked from the patch. It was great to be able to show many of you around the farm and get to chat about what’s going on out here. If you missed the event but want to take a walk around the farm just let us know. We’d love to show you around. Also, we’ll have extra carving pumpkins at both pick-ups for anyone that needs more pumpkins.

As we begin to think about wrapping this CSA season up we know there’s still a lot to do before we make it to the end. With six weeks remaining in the summer season, and an expectation that the rain and/or frost will make an appearance sooner or later, it’s time to squeeze as much as we can from this growing season.

Our seed garlic arrived this past weekend and soon I’ll be cracking open the heads, getting ready to plant next year’s garlic crop. We’re also about to get serious about harvesting potatoes, sweet potatoes, and dry beans. One step at a time. Eventually we’ll get through these big harvests, hopefully before it starts to rain too much. In the meantime summer shares will start to look more like fall shares soon as we get into leek and kale weather soon.

Enjoy the extended summer via extended summer crops! Happy eating this week!

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you here next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

.

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Curried Cauliflower Soup

• 1 head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut into florets, or about 6 cups)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 onions, sliced 1-inch thick
• ¹/₂ teaspoon turmeric
• ¹/₂ teaspoon dried coriander
• ¹/₂ teaspoon hot paprika or chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup yogurt or labnne (optional; adjust to suit tastes)

Preheat oven to 450° F. On a baking sheet, toss cauliflower with vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread out and roast until the florets turn brown, about 25 minutes. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crispiest florets for garnish.

Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in spices, cauliflower, water, and broth; cover, and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until a desired consistency is reached. Stir in yogurt or labne if using. Season with salt and pepper and serve in bowls, garnishing with the reserved cauliflower florets.

From Food52.com by KMartinelli, https://food52.com/recipes/11855-curried-cauliflower-soup

Unfussy Eggplant Parm

• ¹/₄ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 medium globe eggplant
• ¹/₂ cup fresh breadcrumbs
• ¹/₄ cup grated low-moisture, whole-milk mozzarella
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

Get the tomato sauce going. Add the olive oil to a pot and set over medium heat. When it’s shimmery, add the tomatoes and their juices. Smush with a spoon to break up a bit. Add the salt and stir. Cook—somewhere between a simmer and boil, stirring every so often—for about 30 minutes, or until thick and jammy.

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise—so, from stem to tush. Now, cut a diagonal crosshatch pattern in each: sort of like a duck breast. Figure 1/2-inch deep, 3/4-inch diamonds. Line a rimmed sheet tray with parchment or foil or a silicone mat. Place the eggplant haves on top, cut side facing up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Rub both into the eggplant with your hands.

Roast for about 28 minutes or until tender. During the last couple minutes, add the breadcrumbs to the sheet pan to toast a little. Pull from the oven and raise the temperature to 475° F. Mix the mozzarella and parm in a small bowl to combine. Top each eggplant half with 6 tablespoons tomato sauce, spreading evenly with a spoon. Now top each with roughly a quarter of the cheese. Then each with half the breadcrumbs. Finish with the remaining cheese.

Bake until the cheese is bubbly and browned, about 4 minutes.

Let cool a little before serving. Serve with a fork and very sharp, steak-worthy knife.

From Food52.com by Emma Laperruque, https://food52.com/recipes/77386-unfussy-eggplant-parm

Genius Ratatouille From Alice Waters

• 1 medium or 2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more to taste
• 2 medium onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• ¹/₂ bunch basil, tied in a bouquet with kitchen twine + 6 basil leaves, chopped
• 1 pinch dried chile flakes
• 2 sweet peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 medium summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• Salt to taste

Toss the eggplant cubes with a teaspoon or so of salt. Set the cubes in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Pat the eggplant dry, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden. Add a bit more oil if the eggplant absorbs all the oil and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Remove the eggplant when done and set aside.

In the same pot, pour in 2 more tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, basil bouquet, dried chile flakes, and a bit more salt.

Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir in peppers. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in summer squash. Cook for a few more minutes, then stir in tomatoes.

Cook for 10 minutes longer, then stir in eggplant and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more, until all the vegetables are soft. Remove the bouquet of basil, pressing on it to extract all its flavors, and adjust the seasoning with salt.

Stir in the chopped basil leaves and more extra virgin olive oil, to taste. Serve warm or cold.

From Food52.com by Genius Recipes, https://food52.com/recipes/14155-alice-waters-ratatouille

Welcome to the 18th share of the Pitchfork & Crow 2022 Summer CSA! Here’s what’s in the share this week:

• Escarole – A little hardier than lettuce, escarole will stand up to wilting or a little cooking. We like to use it as a base for warm pasta or salmon topped with your favorite sauce/dressing.
• Brussels Sprouts Tops – We snap the tops off our Brussels sprouts to help the plants focus on making sprouts. At some point we realized these tops are really tasty and we should all be eating them. Treat them like kale in the kitchen.
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Celery
• Huckleberry Gold Potatoes – A new-to-us purple skinned, yellow flesh potato variety.
• Torpedo Onion
• “Delectable” Sweet Corn
• Romano Beans – Mixed green and purple striped beans, great for use in your favorite green bean recipes.
• Zucchini & Summer Squash – Including green zucchini, yellow summer squash, and “Mexicana” zucchini.
• Mixed Cucumbers – Including green cukes, ‘Silver Slicer’ yellow cukes, and lemon cukes.
• Sweet & Shishito Peppers
• Mixed Cherry Tomatoes
• Mixed Slicer Tomatoes
• Melon – Choose from Tuscan, Lambkin (aka Christmas), Honey Orange honeydew, and watermelons.

We’re sure looking forward to fall and some milder temperatures. Oh, the official start of fall was last week you say? It’s nearly October you say? It’s been hard to tell with highs in the upper 80s the past few days. We’re wringing out the last bits of summer, thankful for some warmth to keep the melons ripening, but hopeful for some rain in the forecast too. Can irrigation season be over already?

Fun news that came through this week, actually associated with irrigation season, is that our water rights were officially issued by the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD)! Our dry summers mean access to water makes growing vegetables a lot easier but there’s not always enough water to go around for everyone that wants to use it . When we started leasing this farm back in the fall of 2010 we knew water rights were crucial but the previous owners hadn’t finished the process to secure water rights when they put in the irrigation well. As land renters we started the wheels turning, hoping to know if we’d have legal access to the water before we purchased the property. It turns out the government doesn’t move that quickly.

The folks at the OWRD suggested we would likely get the water right issued from the beginning but there were some steps that had to be undertaken first. Of course there was paperwork to submit, then came 7 years of annual well tests to confirm our aquifer was holding steady from year to year and not being depleted by our summer irrigation use. We also had to hire a professional surveyor to research and map our property and irrigation use areas and demonstrate that our proposed irrigation plan matched the capacity of well. And there was the local company that messed up our flow test (an hours long wide open discharge of water to see if the rate changed over time) and it had to be re-done. (Thanks for the help with that one Jen!) It’s been a journey.

We submitted the final paperwork pieces several years ago and the OWRD said to watch out for a confirmation within the decade. I guess they’re backed up over there. That’s why we were surprised to receive a letter in the mail earlier this summer outlining our water right and asking us to confirm everything was correct and then another letter this week showing that our water right has been issued. It only took 12 years but we’re happy to be wrapping up this irrigation season with our water right in hand!

This past week saw a slowdown in our productivity. I think we’re feeling the season. Jeff did manage to prep the last greenhouse for planting and I hoed in two of the other greenhouses that are filling up with direct sown fall/winter radishes and greens. And tomato sauce was canned and we bought a life changing shelf for our kitchen. Yes, sometime you just need to buy a shelf to upgrade life. We harvested potatoes and sowed (maybe) the last round of lettuce for future transplanting. And we filled up the Winter CSA in record time! Many thanks to everyone who jumped onboard for the upcoming season!

Enjoy the vegetables and we’ll see you here next week!

Your farmers,
Carri Heisler & Jeff Bramlett

.

Here are a few recipes to get you inspired:

Slightly Exotic Skillet Broccoli & Cauliflower

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced (pole to pole)
• 1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and separated into florets, large florets cut in halves
• 1 head of romanesco or broccoli, trimmed and separated into florets, large florets cut in halves
• ³/₄ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, and divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon brine from preserved lemons
• 1 preserved lemon, rinsed
• 12 to 15 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• 2 small to medium red peppers, roasted, seeded, peeled, and diced
• 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
• ¹/₂ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹/₂ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro leaves (or substitute Italian parsley)

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch cast iron or other non-stick skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower and romanesco/broccoli, and evenly distribute in a single layer. (The pan should be crowded, but if you cannot create a single layer remove a few florets.) Take a minute to wiggle each piece into place to get some surface contact on each floret. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes and all but 1/2 teaspoon of the chopped garlic over the brassicas. Season with ground black pepper, and sprinkle on the brine from the preserved lemons. Set a timer for 25 minutes.

While the brassicas are cooking, prep your lemon and make your dressing. Quarter the preserved lemon, and use a spoon to scrape out the pulp. Remove the seeds from the pulp and put the pulp in your blender. Coarsely chop one quarter of the peel, and add it to the blender. Dice the remaining peel and set aside. To the blender add the reserved chopped garlic, all but 1 heaping tablespoon of the diced red pepper, sherry vinegar, cumin, and paprika. Blend until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the blender jar, then while running slowly pour in the remaining olive oil. Taste and add a splash or two more of vinegar if the dressing isn’t tangy enough. Set aside. (NOTE: This step could also be done ahead, just re-blend dressing prior to serving if any separation has occurred.)

After your timer has gone off, check a couple of florets for caramelization. If needed, cook an additional 5 or so minutes. Otherwise scatter the reserved red pepper, diced preserved lemon, and chopped olives over the brassicas. Cover the pan and allow to steam for 5 to 10 minutes as needed to cook the florets through, but still maintain some texture.

Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with cilantro just before serving. Drizzle with dressing, and serve the rest on the side. (Note: The brassicas will be under-seasoned without the dressing.)

From Food52.com by HardLikeArmour, https://food52.com/recipes/24362-slightly-exotic-skillet-broccoli-and-cauliflower

Jane Grigson’s Celery Soup

• ¹/₂ pound celery, chopped (outside stalks or celeriac — about 2 cups)
• ¹/₂ cup chopped onion
• ¹/₂ cup diced potato
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups turkey or chicken stock
• ¹/₂ cup milk (optional, up to 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon dill weed (2 teaspoons for fresh dill)
• 2 ¹/₂ tablespoons cream

Stew celery, onion, and potato gently in the butter in a covered pan for 10 minutes. Don’t let the vegetables brown. Add stock or water and 1/2 teaspoon of dill weed. Simmer for 20 minutes if you have a blender, 40 minutes if you use a food mill.

Blend or purée the soup. Pour through a strainer into a clean pan (to remove the last few threads of celery), adding a little milk if too thick. Bring slowly to just under the boil, seasoning with salt, pepper and more dill weed if required.

Put the cream into the soup dish, and pour the soup in on top. Swirl round with the ladle before serving, to mix in the cream.

From Food52.com by GeniusRecipes, https://food52.com/recipes/26523-jane-grigson-s-celery-soup

Classic Waldorf Salad

• 1 cup diced apples
• ¹/₂ cup diced celery
• ¹/₂ cup chopped walnuts
• ¹/₂ cup mayonnaise
• 5 leaves escarole or chicory, chopped and stems removed
• Smoked paprika, for garnish

In a medium bowl, mix apples, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise. Arrange chopped lettuce on four plates and top with apple mixture. Sprinkle paprika on salad to finish.

From Food52.com, https://food52.com/recipes/36688-classic-waldorf-salad