- Spinach
- Celeriac
- Butternut Squash (Genesis Growers, St. Anne, IL)
- Napa Cabbage
- Yellow Potatoes (Igl farms, Antigo, WI)
- Beauty Heart Radishes
- Japanese 'Hakurei' Salad Turnips
- Garlic
- Tomatoes (last ones of the season)
Farm Journal
Tuesday, 2 pm
"OK, now give him one more big shove. Really put your back into it," I call to Carol as I tug at one end of the rope. I realize that I am, both literally and figuratively, at the end of my rope, and I don't find a single bit of humor in it at this moment. A light mist begins to fall as the donkey and I both dig our heels in, locked in a ridiculous contest of wills. My Aunt Carol, whom I've enlisted to help me coax the stubborn beast into the barn, coughs politely and deadpans, "Um, I think I've seen a cartoon like this, and I'm pretty sure I know who wins." "All right, all right!" I throw down my end of the rope, and the donkey goes back to placidly gathering big mouthfuls of grass and clover.
We're coming to the end of harvest season, but it's only just the beginning of project season here on the farm. Things have been in a slight state of upheaval this week, and the donkey has taken advantage of the relaxed security to make a jailbreak. He found his freedom when he discovered a gap in the fence of the temporary paddock that Matt had put him in earlier that morning. Matt is on a mission to remake the north side of the farmstead, and he's decided that some of the old paddocks with their rotting fenceposts must go in order to make room for a new greenhouse and polebuilding. Fences, animals, even buildings are being moved around. By next spring we'll have a new greenhouse, new walk-in coolers, 6 more acres of vegetable fields in production, and a new crop of baby lambs. I'm looking forward to sharing our progress with you in the spring. Maybe by then I will have figured out how to move the donkey into the barn. I'll keep you posted...
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| Man on a Mission |
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| Matt removes old fenceposts with the help a little horsepower. |
Notes from the Farm Kitchen
This week's yellow potatoes were grown by our friend Brian Igl. Brian and his brother, Brad, farm up near Antigo, Wisconsin on close to 200 acres of nice silty loam soil. Their certified-organic farm is situated in the heart of Wisconsin's potato growing region, where many thouands of acres of seed potatoes and fresh market potatoes are grown. Their grandfather started the farm in the 1930s and was one of the first commercial potato growers in the area. This particular potato variety is called 'Satina' and is very similar in taste and texture to a Yukon Gold. Satinas can be prepared in many different ways, but one of the ways we like them best is when they are made into oven fries. Making oven fries is fast and easy--simply cut into wedges, coat with olive oil and salt, place on a cookie sheet and cook in a 400-degree oven until brown and crispy on the edges.
Butternut squash is a very versatile vegetable. It tastes great prepared in both sweet and savory ways. I like to use butternut squash in place of canned pumpkin when making pies and sweet quickbreads, but it's equally as good when paired with savory and spicy flavors to make dishes such as chili and enchiladas.
- Roast with carrots and potatoes and serve with roast chicken or pork.
- Boil celeriac pieces and mash them with an equal amount of boiled potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and butter. (This is heavenly!)
- Combine with grated apples, shredded napa cabbage, carrots or other root vegetables to make flavorful autumn slaws.
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| Tyler harvests celeriac on Monday morning. |
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| freshly harvested celeriac |
Beauty Heart Radishes, also known as Watermelon Radishes, are rather ugly in the outside but beautiful on the inside. They got their name because of the brilliant pink color of the interior. Beauty hearts are in a class of radishes called storage radishes. They are meant to grow to a much larger size than spring radishes. When stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator they will keep for months. I use beauty heart radishes much like traditional spring radishes. They can be peeled and grated or sliced for use on sandwiches, in salads and on crudité platters.
This Week's Recipes
Glazed Hakurei Turnips and Carrots
adapted from www.epicurious.com
1 bunch baby turnips, trimmed, greens reserved
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
Kosher salt
- Place turnips and carrots in a large skillet; add water to cover vegetables halfway. Add butter, sugar, and a large pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is syrupy and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. (If vegetables are tender before liquid has reduced, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate and reduce liquid until syrupy. Return vegetables to pan and stir to coat well.)
- Add turnip greens to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt.
Potato Celeriac Gratin
adapted from www.cookinglight.com
1 garlic clove, peeled and halved
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash of grated whole nutmeg
2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
1 celeriac bulb, peeled and cut into1/8-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- Preheat oven to 375°. Rub a broiler-safe 11 x 7-inch baking dish with garlic; discard garlic. Coat dish with butter. Combine milk and next 5 ingredients (through celeriac) in a skillet; bring to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Spoon potato-celeriac mixture into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.
- Preheat broiler. Broil 3 minutes or until golden. Let stand 10 minutes.
Pasta with Butternut Squash and Pecans
1 pound tubular pasta, such as strozzapreti or penne
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, thinly sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup, fresh ricotta cheese
- Fill a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket with 1/2-inch water and bring to a boil over high heat. Place squash in steamer basket and cook, covered, until easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook butter, stirring, until melted and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add pecans and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Add squash and stir gently to combine; season with salt and pepper.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Add olive oil and parsley and season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.
- Divide pasta evenly between 4 plates and spoon squash mixture on top of pasta. Sprinkle over parmesan and top each with a dollop of ricotta. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.
