This Week’s Share

• Brussels Sprouts
• Carrots
• Celeriac
• Garlic
• Kale
• Onions, Copra
• Pie Pumpkins, Baby Bear
• Potatoes
• Shallots

Share Notes

• Brussels Sprouts: This week in your share you will receive your sprouts on the stalk. As we continue to struggle with aphids in the field, you may notice some stalks show residual damage. For preparing them first pop them off the stalk, then slice off the base of each sprout in order to easily peel off and remove the outer layers of damaged and dirty leaves.

• Celeriac: This season we learned our celeriac crop was impacted by a soil born fungus that causes the flesh of the bulb to have some discoloration or hollowing in the center. Much of the celeriac is still edible and tasty, and that is why we decided to distribute it despite its imperfections. You can cut around any affected areas and discard them.

• Kale: This week in your share you will receive a beautiful bunch of Rainbow Lacinato kale. This particular variety was developed by local seed developer Frank Morton of Wild Garden Seed.

Thanksgiving Thoughts

We would like to remind you of the changes to CSA pick-ups for this week.

At the Farm: Tuesday, November 24-shares ready for pick-up by 4:30pm
SE Elliot: Tuesday, November 24- 5:30-7:00pm
Friendly House: Tuesday, November 24- 4:30-6:30pm
EcoTrust Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 1pm
Metro Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 2pm
Portland State Office Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 2pm
Providence Medical Center: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 2pm
NW Pump: Tuesday, November 24- delivered by 3:00pm

Warm Wishes this Thanksgiving

As you get together with friends and family this holiday and give thanks for the bounty that the harvest season has to provide we at Sauvie Island Organics want to give you a BIG THANK YOU for supporting community agriculture. We have just two more weeks of the season together. To sign up for the 2010 season you can go to http://www.sauvieislandorganics.com/join.php, fill out the community farm agreement, pay the deposit and reserve your share of the harvest.

Recipes

Brussels Sprouts Recipes

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Sage
From Eating Well in Season by Jesse Price

2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chicken broth or water
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cooked chestnuts (about 4oz.)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until bright green and just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well. Melt butter with oil and broth (or water) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add Brussels sprouts, chestnuts and sage and cook, stirring often, until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sweet and Sour Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Recipe submitted by CSA Member Jessica Roberts (from Cook’s Country)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through core if large
12 small shallots, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400˚F degrees. Melt butter and sugar together in microwave. Toss Brussels sprouts, shallots, butter mixture, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Scatter on rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes, shaking pan every 10 minutes to redistribute vegetables. Serves 8

Kale Recipe

Sage and Kale Cornbread Dressing (Stuffing)
From Jackie Benedetti (CSA Coordinator Francesca’s Aunt)

5 cups coarse crumbled cornbread (See recipe below for Black Pepper Cornbread (below)
7 tablespoons butter
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
5 large kale leaves, center spine removed, slivered (about 6 cups)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 1 tablespoon dried, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups 1/2 inch cubes white bread
1/4 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
1 egg, beaten to blend

Crumble cornbread coarsely onto large cookie sheet. Let stand uncovered at room temp overnight to dry. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onion and cook until tender, stirring frequently, about 12 min. Add kale and cook until kale wilts, about 5 min. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Mix in sage, salt and pepper. (can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Add cornbread crumbs and bread cubes to vegetables. Mix stock with egg in small bowl. Stir into dressing. You can stuff into the turkey and/or cook in a ovenproof dish and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to and hour. Makes about 11 cups.

Black Pepper Cornbread (enough for 5 cups as called for above)

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tbs butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Mix together first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Mix milk with egg and butter, and pour over dry ingredients, stir until just moistened; do not over mix. Spoon batter into pan, bake until light brown, about 15 min.

Pie Pumpkin Recipes

Homemade Pumpkin Pie

Don’t just use those Baby Bear pumpkins as a Thanksgiving table centerpiece (although their beauty merits that honor). Put them to good and tasty use in a homemade pumpkin pie. For this recipe I am including a link to a page I found last year when making my first pumpkin pie from scratch. The directions are very clear and even have a photograph to accompany each step. The pie is delicious! A crust recipe is included below in case you don’t have your own. Click on the link below and scroll down to view the step-by-step recipe http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/pumpkinpie.php

Homemade Pie Crust
Adapted from the Joy of Cooking

Note: This is a very basic pie crust recipe, and with some trial and error can be perfected to your own tastes. I prefer to use a blend of vegetable shortening and butter, but I encourage you to figure out what works for you. Joy of Cooking also suggests using lard, which I have yet to experiment with, but have been told makes the best flaky pie crust. This recipe yields two 9-inch pie crusts.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar or 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup solid vegetable shortening (or 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening and 1 stick cold unsalted butter)
1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon ice water (must be ice water, its important!)

Premix the dry ingredients in medium to large bowl. Add the vegetable shortening and/or butter and cut into flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until pea-sized and cornmeal size chunks are achieved. Add ice water in tablespoon size portions, cutting in to dry ingredients until small balls form. If the balls stick together when pressed its ready, if not add an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and for up to 2 days, or crust dough can be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months. After dough has chilled separate into two equal size balls. Flour a large flat surface and roll out each ball into a round large enough to cover a pie pan. Continue to fill with pumpkin pie filling (or other pie filling) as directed.

Fresh Pumpkin Bread
From www.dianasdesserts.com

1/2 cup (1 stick/4 oz.) butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup honey
1 cup fresh puréed pumpkin* (See Preparing Fresh Pumpkin below)
2 eggs
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Grease parchment paper also. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add honey, beating until blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 75 to 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.)

Preparing Fresh Pumpkin Puree

Remove the pulp and seed from your pumpkin(s). You can steam your pumpkin in the microwave or bake it in the oven, but it needs to be cooked until tender and soft. After its cooked let it cool until you can handle and then scrape out the pumpkin flesh into a bowl. Using processor, blender, immersion/stick blender, or even a potato masher and a fork make a puree with the pumpkin. Transfer the puree to a large sieve or colander lined with over lapping coffee filters and set over a large bowl. Cover the surface of the purée with plastic wrap and let the purée drain, chilled, overnight. Use 1 cup drained puréed pumpkin in above recipe.

This Week’s Share

• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Garlic
• Kale, Lacinato
• Onions, Copra
• Parsnips
• Sweet Peppers
• Winter Squash, Delicata

Share Notes:

• Cabbage: This week in your share you will receive a beautiful Savoy cabbage. You may notice some minor frost damage to the outer leaves, so be sure to remove those before using.

• Sweet Peppers: Surprise! One last week of peppers. They will be yellow to light orange in color and you can try leaving them on the counter for a couple days to color up.

Sign-up for Next Season

It’s hard to believe the end of the season is just around the corner, and with 3 more weeks left in the 2009 season it’s time to start planning for next year. To sign up for the 2010 season you can go to http://www.sauvieislandorganics.com/join.php, fill out the community farm agreement, pay the deposit and reserve your share of the harvest for next season. The rest of November is only open for current members to sign-up, and then beginning in December we open sign-up to new members. Be sure to sign-up and send your deposit by January 1, 2010 in order to guarantee the $875 share price.

Thanksgiving Week Delivery Information

We would like to remind you of the changes to all CSA pick-ups for the week of Thanksgiving.

At the Farm: Tuesday, November 24-shares ready for pick-up by 4:30pm

SE Ankeny: Tuesday, November 24- 5:00pm-7:00pm (No changes)

SE Elliot: Tuesday, November 24- 5:30-7:00pm

Friendly House: Tuesday, November 24- 4:30-6:30pm

EcoTrust Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 1pm

Metro Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 2pm

Portland State Office Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 2pm

Providence Medical Center: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by 2pm

NW Pump: Tuesday, November 24- delivered by 3:00pm

PGP (SE 46th and Harrison): No changes

All Monday Pick-up Sites: No changes – In order for Monday site to receive the Thanksgiving Share prior to the holiday you will receive your Thanksgiving Share (Week 28) on Monday Nov. 23 and your Week 27 Share on Monday Nov. 30.

For those of you menu planning and making your shopping lists we are providing a preview of the share.

• Brussels Sprouts (approximately 2 pounds)
• Carrots (1 pound minimum)
• Garlic (1 head)
• Kale, Rainbow (1 bunch)
• Onions, Copra (2)
• Potatoes (4 pounds)
• Pie Pumpkins, Baby Bear variety (2)
• Shallots (4 minimum)

Recipes

Parsnip Recipes

Kale and Parsnips
From www.astray.com/recipes

1 cup onion, sliced
1 cup parsnips, halved & sliced
1 tablespoon corn oil
1 cup water
2 tablespoons ginger, minced
4 cups chopped kale, tough center ribs removed

Saute the onions and parsnips in oil for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the water and ginger. Cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the kale and continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes longer. Stir occasionally but keep the saucepan covered otherwise. When kale is tender (but not overcooked) its ready to serve.

Parsnip Oven-Fries with Yogurt-Curry Dipping Sauce
From http://fooddownunder.com

1 pound parsnips
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
¼ teaspoon curry paste
1 small green onion, minced

Peel parsnips. Cut into 2 inch x 1/2-inch sticks. In bowl, toss together parsnips, oil, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Bake on greased baking sheet in 425˚ F oven, turning occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until browned and tender. In small bowl, stir together yogurt, curry paste, and green onion. Serve sauce with parsnip fries.

Cabbage Recipe

Tangy (No Mayo) Cabbage Slaw
From Matt Uddenberg (CSA Coordinator Francesca’s close friend)

1/2 head cabbage, sliced thin
1 carrot, grated
1 tablespoon whole cardamom seed
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seed1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seed
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar (rice wine or apple cider vinegar also work)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (or a few drop of bottled)
1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon salad oil or olive oil (amount depends on your preference)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Place the cabbage and carrot in a salad bowl. Using a mortar and pestle (or other method for grinding the seeds) grind the whole coriander and mustard seed together until it is a coarse texture (you don’t want to grind it down to fine) and add it to the bowl. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, oil. Toss and combine in the bowl until everything is evenly mixed and coated with spices and dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. It develops better flavor if you let it stand in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes, but can be eaten right away. This is a great one to make the day before for a dinner or to take with lunch because it tastes even better the next day.

Winter Squash Recipe

Winter Squash and Sweet Pepper Soup
Adapted from the American Institute of Cancer Research

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (or a leek from last week) chopped
2 sweet peppers, seeded and diced
4 cups diced winter squash (any of the kinds you may have will work great, even pumpkin)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup raw pumpkin or other winter squash seeds, crushed (for garnish)
1/8 tsp. Spanish paprika, smoked or dulce (sweet), optional, for garnish

Heat oil in medium Dutch oven or heavy, large saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onions (or leeks) until translucent, 4 minutes. Add bell pepper, squash and pinch of salt, stirring to coat with oil. Reduce heat, cover and cook vegetables gently to release juices, 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and paprika for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add broth, increase heat and bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer soup until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Uncover, and let soup cool for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. Transfer soup to blender, cover and whirl soup to a velvety puree. Or, using an immersion blender, puree in the pot. Blend in orange juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, divide soup among four soup bowls. Place pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium-high heat and cook, shaking and swirling the pan, until seeds are plump and mostly golden. Crush seeds and add to soup as garnish. If using, sprinkle Spanish paprika. Serve immediately.

Wild Things: Adventures of a Grassroots Environmentalist

by Donna Matrazzo

2009 Oregon Book Awards finalist

SIO member and one of the founders of the Sauvie Island Conservancy,
Donna Matrazzo weaves an entertaining and inspiring tale of growing up
in a Pennsylvania milltown devoid of nature, moving to Oregon and
falling in love with Sauvie Island, helping to save the island from development,
and getting roped into the dogged exploits of Portland’s greenspaces pioneers.

“The planet needs more friends like Donna Matrazzo-and
it needs more books like this one, which remind us that
we’re all quite capable of making big and useful change”
— Bill McKibben, author, The End of Nature

“Simply lovely.  A personal encounter with the world, a
woman’s eye, a fine prose voice.”
— Luis Alberto Urrea, author, The Hummingbird’s Daughter

Available at St. Johns Booksellers, Powells, Broadway Books, Kruger Farms, Cistus
Nursery, amazon.com. For signed copies, contact Donna at matrazzo@msn.com.
Check out her website at www.donnamatrazzo.com

This Week’s Share

• Brussels Sprouts
• Celeriac
• Collard Greens
• Escarole
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Potatoes, Sangre
• Sweet Peppers
• Winter Squash, Butternut

Share Notes

• Brussels sprouts: Frost sweetened sprouts are in! This week in your share you will receive your sprouts on the stalk. For preparing them first pop them off the stalk, then slice off the base of each sprout in order to easily peel off and remove the outer layers of damaged and dirty leaves.

• Celeriac: Also called celery root, celeriac is late fall crop that despite its gnarled appearance offers a fresh and crisp flavor chopped or grated in raw dishes and savory celery flavor to cooked dishes. While considerably less starchy than some of the other root vegetables, its great in soups and stews, as well as boiled and mashed or in gratins and other bakes dishes.

• Sweet Peppers: It’s likely the last week for sweet peppers, and some of your peppers will be varying degrees of yellow, orange, and red. You can leave them on the counter for a couple days to color up or eat them as is. They all taste delicious, so enjoy the last of this season’s crop.

Recipes

Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Becker Brussels Sprouts
From The Joy of Cooking

12 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons butter (or half butter, half olive oil)
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
Grate Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a medium skillet heat the butter/olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, stirring, until beginning to brown. Remove the garlic and discard. Place the sprouts cut side down in the garlic butter, cover, and cook over low heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Arrange the sprouts on a warm platter and drizzle any remaining butter on top. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

Collard Green Recipe

Pasta with Hearty Greens and Beans
From The Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon

8 oz. fettucine
1 bunch collard greens (or kale or chard), washed, any tough center ribs removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can cannellini, navy or other white beans, rinsed and very well drained
3 cloves garlic, pressed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 lemon (optional)
Dried chilled (optional

Start the fettucine in vigorously boiling water. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Stir the greens in the oil for  2 minutes, cover, and let them steam for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but not overdone. Place the beans, garlic, and a bit of salt and a lot of pepper in a bowl. Add the green and pasta when they are done and toss. Add a squeeze of lemon, if you like. You may also have dried chiles available for crushing over plates of pasta.

Leek Recipes

Potato, Leek & Celeriac Soup
From www.astray.com/recipes

1/4 cup butter
4 leeks, roots & tops removed
3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 celeriac bulb, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups Chicken or vegetable stock
Thyme, basil and/or marjoram (preferably Fresh), to taste

Melt butter in stockpot. Slice leeks into 1/4-inch slices and add to stockpot. Saute for 5 minutes until golden. Add potatoes and celeriac and saute for 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup stock, cover and continue to cook until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat. For a chunkier soup mash up cooked vegetables with a potato masher. For smoother soup pour vegetables and stock into a food processor or blender and puree or puree with a hand blender in the pot. Return soup to stockpot (if removed) and add remaining stock and herbs. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Leek Tart
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking

For Tart:

1 9-inch pie crust (recipe below, or you can use pre-made)
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
4 leeks, white and tender green parts only, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare and a crust into a 9-inch quiche, tart, or pie pan. Brush the dough with beaten egg yolk. Refrigerate the brushed dough. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet of medium heat and add the sliced leeks and onion, salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as the leeks cook, until they are very soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl beat together the eggs, cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper until well combined. When leeks are done, add to the custard. Transfer to prepared pastry shell. Bake until the top is golden and the custard is set, 20 to 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes.

For Crust:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chilled lard or vegetable shortening
2 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
3 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon ice water (very important that its ice cold)

Sift together the flour and salt. Add the lard/shortening and butter and cut into the flour until cornmeal to pea-sized chunks are formed. Sprinkle the dough with 3 tablespoons ice water. Blend the water gently into the dough until it just holds together. If necessary to hold the ingredients add another 1 teaspoon of water. You may need to wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in freezer to chill for a few minutes before rolling it out.

Winter Squash Recipe

Butternut Squash Rounds with Dates and Pistachios
From Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

1  butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots (or 1 small onion), finely diced, about 1/3 cup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/ 3 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup peeled pistachios, preferably unsalted, slivered or chopped
1 tablespoon grated zest from 1 Meyer lemon or orange
6 dates, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
juice of 1 Meyer lemon or 1 Persian lemon

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly butter a large baking dish. Peel the neck of the squash and slice into rounds about 1/3 inch thick. Heat the olive oil in a wide nonstick skillet. Add the squash in a single layer and cook over medium heat until golden, then turn and brown the other side, 8 to 10 minutes per side. When the pan becomes dry add 1/3 cup water. Cover the pan and steam the squash until tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Check while it’s cooking and add more water as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the shallots (or onion) and garlic and cook without browning, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes. Ad the nuts, zest, dates, herbs, and cinnamon and raise the heat. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, then add lemon juice, cook for 1 minute more, and turn off heat. Arrange squash rounds in the baking dish and scatter the dates and nuts over them. Add 1/4 cup water and bake until heated through and the topping is barely crisped, about 15 minutes.

This Week’s Share

• Beets
• Escarole
• Garlic
• Kale
• Onions, Copra
• Parsnips
• Sweet Peppers
• Winter Squash, Delicata

Share Notes

• Onions: Storage onions are harvested in late August and cured, then given out throughout the rest of the season in your shares. Whole onions are best kept in a cool, dark part of the kitchen, where they will last for many weeks. Leftover pieces of onion can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

• Parsnips: If you are not familiar with parsnips, you may quickly grow to love this wonderful winter vegetable. We harvest parsnips in late fall, after the cool weather has made these roots nice and sweet. Try pan frying them for a twist on a French fry. Also delicious roasted, or boiled and mashed.

Thoughts for Thanksgiving

The big meal is just around the corner and in preparation we here at Sauvie Island Organics have some thoughts to share. As a member of a local CSA you may already be aware that you are helping support a local food system, and the 100-Mile Thanksgiving encourages you to join and share with other people and families around the country who are also eating local this holiday season. Visit http://100milediet.org/thanksgiving to join the movement and show your support for delicious local food and passionate local farmers this Thanksgiving.

And now you are wondering what is in my share for the week of Thanksgiving? For those of you menu planning and making your shopping lists we are providing a preview of the share.

• Brussels Sprouts (approximately 2 pounds)
• Carrots (1 pound minimum)
• Celeriac (2 bulbs)
• Garlic (1 head)
• Onions, Copra (2)
• Potatoes (4 pounds)
• Pie Pumpkins, Baby Bear variety (2)
• Shallots (4 minimum)

We would like to notify you of the changes to all CSA pick-ups for the week of Thanksgiving.

At the Farm: Tuesday, November 24-shares ready for pick-up by 4:30pm

SE Ankeny: Tuesday, November 24- 5:00pm-7:00pm (No changes)

SE Elliot: Tuesday, November 24- 5:30-7:00pm

Friendly House: Tuesday, November 24- 4:30-6:30pm

EcoTrust Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by noon

Metro Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by noon

Portland State Office Building: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by noon

Providence Medical Center: Wednesday, November 25- delivered by noon

NW Pump: Tuesday, November 24- delivered by 3:00pm

PGP (SE 46^th and Harrison): No changes

All Monday Pick-up Sites: No changes – In order for Monday site to receive the Thanksgiving Share prior to the holiday you will receive your Thanksgiving Share (Week 28) on Monday Nov. 23 and your Week 27 Share on Monday Nov. 30.

Recipes

Escarole Recipes

Escarole Salad Dressings

Honey Mustard Dressing
From www.allrecipes.com

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and lemon juice. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
From www.allrecipes.com

2 1/2 ounces blue cheese
3 tablespoons buttermilk (can substitute for whole milk)
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork until mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dressing may be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Wilted Winter Greens & Black-Eyed Peas
From Eating Well in Season by Jesse Price

8 ounces dried black-eyed peas (1 1/3 cups)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 heads escarole, trimmed, washed and sliced  crosswise into ¼ inch-wide strips
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 ounces country ham or proscuitto, diced (about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Soak peas overnight in cold water (Alternatively, place peas in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour). Drain the peas, rinse well, and place in a large saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 45 minutes. Add salt. Let sit, covered, for ½ hour, then drain and rinse. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add ham (or prosciutto) and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the greens and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, 5 to 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Add the reserved black-eyed peas and heat through. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper and serve.

Parsnip Recipes

Parsnip Pancakes
From http://fooddownunder.com

1 pound parsnips
½ pound potatoes (use some from last week’s share)
1 small onion
1 large egg, beaten lightly
1/8 tsp Cayenne
1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Peel parsnips and potatoes. In a large saucepan bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil and add parsnips and potatoes. Return water to a boil and boil parsnips 3 minutes. Drain parsnips well. In a food processor fitted with coarse grating disk or on a hand grater grate parsnips and onion coarse. Line a baking sheet with wax. In a bowl stir together parsnips, onion, and egg and stir in spices and salt. Add flour, stirring until just combined, and form mixture into eight 1/2-inch-thick cakes (each about 3 inches in diameter), transferring them as formed to prepared baking sheet. In a large heavy skillet heat oil and butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and saute pancakes in 2 batches until golden, about 5 minutes on each side, transferring them cooked to paper towels to drain. Pancakes may be kept warm 15 minutes in a 200 degree oven. Yields 8 pancakes.

Parsnip Galette with Greens
From Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

1/2 pound (2 or 3) parsnips
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups chopped kale leaves and/or beet greens
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
/12 cup finely chopped walnuts
sunflower or olive oil for frying

Heat a large pot of water for the greens. White it’s heating peel the parsnips, then grate them lightly, stopping when you get to the core, which is visible. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside. When the water comes to a boil, add salt, plunge in the greens, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Taste to be sure. Drain, press out much of the moisture, then chop coarsely. Beat the eggs, then whisk in the flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in the parsnips, greens, and cheese. Season with pepper. Melt the butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet. Add the sage and walnuts and cook stirring frequently, until they smell toasty and good, after just a few minutes. Add them to the parsnip mixture. Wipe out the skillet and add enough oil to coat lightly. When hot, add the parsnip mixture and pat it evenly into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Slide the galette onto a plate, place the skillet over it, and grasping both plate and skillet, flip them over. Cook the second side until golden and crisp, then slide the galette onto a counter, cut into pieces, and serve.

Sweet Pepper Recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Spread
Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

2 red sweet peppers
2 small garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Dash of red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut off the tops of the peppers and slice in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and pale membranes, and press down to flatten. Brush skin sides with oil and place skin side up on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 20 minutes, until skins are wrinkled. Remove peppers from oven and stack on top of each other, allowing to steam for 15 minutes. Rub off skins using your hands or a paper towel. Place peppers, garlic, cashews/pumpkin seeds (if using) and oil in a blender and puree. Season to taste with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Makes about 1 cup.

This Week’s Share

• Bok choi, Joi choi
• Carrots
• Escarole
• Garlic
• Onions, Copra
• Potatoes, yellow
• Romanesco
• Sweet Peppers
• Winter Squash, Acorn

On Rotation

• Broccoli

Share Notes

• Broccoli: Fall broccoli is here. It started rotating through shares last week and will continue through this week. This season we have been experimenting with more fall Brassicas in the share. Enjoy its dense florets and more spicy flavor.

• Escarole: This week you will receive your first head of escarole. Escarole is a member of the chicory family, and is a more winter hearty green. It has a stronger and bolder flavor than the lettuce you have received throughout the season, and pairs nicely with dressings that are sweeter or saltier in flavor. Its also great lightly sautéed with some butter or bacon grease.

• Peppers: What a wonderful pepper season it’s been so far! Although sweet peppers are now winding down for the season, we can thank the new unheated greenhouse for this season’s bounty. Enjoy the last distributions as they make their way through the shares.

• Winter Squash: This week in your share you will receive 2 beautiful acorn squash. The acorn squash in particular has a sweet nutty flavor and relatively smooth texture. It is particularly good in soups and stews, as well as baked with butter and maple syrup.

Recipes

Escarole Recipes

Bold Winter Greens Salad
Adapted from Eating Well in Season by Jessie Price

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2-3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups chopped escarole
2 large hard-boiled eggs

Place garlic in a large salad bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and vinegar; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in anchovies to taste. Whisk in oil in a slow steady stream until well combined. Add escarole and toss. Shred 2 eggs whites and 1 egg yolk. Sprinkle the salad with the grated egg.

Escarole and Rice Soup with Chicken
From Eating Well in Season by Jessie Price

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 head escarole, thinly sliced
7 cups reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup Arborio or other short-grain rice
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 14 ounce can whole tomatoes, drained, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add escarole and 1 cup of broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining 6 cups of broth and bring to a simmer. Add rice and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add chicken and tomatoes and cook, covered, until the rice is tender and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into a bowl and top with cheese.

Joi Choi Recipe

San Francisco Vegetable Soup
Adapted from http://recipeland.com

1/2 cup onions, sliced
1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup bok choi, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon sesame oil
5-6 cups water
2 tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
2 teaspoon granulated garlic
4 teaspoons garlic, minced fresh
1/4 cup snow pea pods (optional), diagonally sliced (could also use bean sprouts or pea shoots)

In a medium-size saucepan sauté onions, carrots, bok choi and bell pepper in oil over medium heat until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add water, bouillon powder, ginger and garlic. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, cook for one minute and serve hot.

Potato Recipe

Lemon-Baked Potatoes
From the Territorial Seed Company Garden Cookbook

1/3 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/8 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
3 large or 6 medium potatoes

Preheat oven to 425˚F. In a small bowl combine butter or margarine, lemon juice, garlic, dill, lemon peel, and hot-pepper sauce. Mix well. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Make deep slits in cut surface every 1/4 inch, being careful not to cut through skin. Arrange in shallow baking pan. Brush with half the butter mixture. Bake 1 hour, brushing with remaining butter mixture every 15 minutes.

Winter Squash Recipe

Baked Acorn Squash with Herbed Stuffing
From the Rolling Prairie Cookbook by Nancy O’ Connor

Note: This recipe is easily doubled, just use two acorn squash and double the quantity of all other ingredients.

1 medium to large acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced finely
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small apple, finely chopped
2-3 cups whole wheat bread cubes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup vegetable broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
1 sprig fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cut each squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Place squash halved, cut side down, in a covered baking dish. Add several tablespoons of water to the dish, and bake until tender, approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Carefully scoop the pulp out into a small bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh in the shell. Place the empty shells cavity-side up in a clean baking dish. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and apple. Sauté until just tender, approximately 10 minutes. If the vegetables begin to stick, add several tablespoons water to the pan. Add bread cubes and toss with vegetables. Pour vegetables broth over the mixture, stirring to evenly distribute. Add the cooked squash, breaking up any large chunks. Finally, stir in the salt, pepper, and fresh herbs (and nuts if your using them). Mix well. Remove stuffing from heat. Heap filling into the squash shells. Cover, and return to oven for another 20 minutes or until heated through. Each half can be cut in half lengthwise. Serves 4.

This Week’s Share

• Beets
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Romanesco
• Sweet Peppers
• Turnips, Hakurei
• Winter Squash, Pumpkins

On Rotation

• Broccoli

Share Notes

• Beets: Beets are back this week, and will be accompanied by their beautiful and tasty greens. Try sautéing the greens up in olive oil and garlic or using them in an omelet or scramble.

• Lettuce: Enjoy the lettuce in your share this week, it is some of the season’s last. Be sure to wash the base of the leaves well to remove any remaining soil.

• Romanesco: The beautiful pale lime green romanesco is a variant of cauliflower, and can be used in much the same way. Its flavor is somewhat more delicate than that of regular cauliflower, and can be cooked in any fashion suitable for regular cauliflower (being careful not to overcook). With its fractal geometry, mild flavor, and tender bite it also makes appealing crudités.

• Winter Squash: This week’s squash is a pumpkin variety called Snackjack, and it produces hull-less seeds that are ideal for roasting. Look forward to more pumpkins for Thanksgiving.

Recipes

Beet Recipes

Basic Baked Beets
From Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon

Whole fresh beets, all about the same size, green removed but “tails” and 3/4 inch of stem intact, very well scrubbed and dried
Mild vegetable oil, such as corn, canola, or peanut

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat each beet with oil. Individually wrap the oiled beets in sheets of foil. Place the beets in the preheated oven. Bake until done, testing with a fork (the fork should go in easily, but the beet should still offer a tiny bit of resistance). This could be as little as 35 minutes if beets are very small, up to 90 minutes if they are large. Remove from the oven and let cool. When the beets are cool enough to handle, unwrap and, if desired, slip the skins off (they will come off easily). Cut large beets into eighths, medium into quarters or halve or slice crosswise; small ones can be left whole. Refrigerate for later use or finish as directed in a specific recipe, such as the one below.

Scallioned Beets and Their Greens in Herbed Mustard Sauce
From Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon

1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup vegetable stock
3 tablespoons coarse-ground Dijon mustard
1/4 cup Yogurt Sour Cream, tofu sour cream, reduced-fat sour cream or the real thing
2 teaspoons butter (or olive oil or vegetable margarine)
3 to 4 scallions, roots and wilted greens removed, finely diced
1 to 2 bunches beets greens (whatever came off the baked beets), washed, stems finely diced, leaves stacked and sliced in 1/4 inch ribbons
8-10 small-medium baked beets, halved or 4 to 5 large baked beets cut into wedges
2 to 4 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of stock in a small bowl. Smush together with your fingertips to dissolve the cornstarch, then whisk in the remaining stock, along with the mustard and yogurt sour cream. Set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and beet greens and sauté for 1 minute, then cover and cook for 3 minutes. Uncover and add the beets and garlic to the pan and toss until just heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk the mustard mixture. Quickly stir it into beets. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is hot and thick, 1 minute at most. Stir in the parsley and basil. Taste. If there is a raw cornstarch taste, cook a minute longer. Serve immediately

Romanesco Recipe

Roasted Romanesco
From www.nofearentertaining.blogspot.com

Romanesco, trimmed into bite-sized pieces and cleaned as you would broccoli or cauliflower
Olive oil
salt and pepper
sliced garlic
parmesan cheese grated

Preheat oven to 400. In a bowl toss all of the ingredients. Spread the seasoned romanesco out on a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes or until just tender.

Winter Squash Recipes

Pumpkin Pancakes
Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree (from pumpkins in your share this week, or canned)
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/3-1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/3-1/2 cup rolled oats (optional)

In a medium bowl mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Stir the liquid pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients, just enough to combine. Add chopped walnuts and/or rolled oats if desired. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup.

Pumpkin Curry Soup
Adapted from www.cooks.com

5 tbsp. butter
2 15-oz. cans pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 cups leeks, chopped (white and pale-green parts only)
3/4 cups onion, chopped
3/4 tsp. salt
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tsp. curry powder (or to taste)
1 tbsp. fresh minced ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne
6 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
pinch of sugar

To prepare soup, melt butter in a heavy 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and onion and sauté until onions are softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, pumpkin, sugar and spices. Add stock and cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Purée soup in pan with immersion blender (or working in batches, purée soup in blender). This can be made up to 2 days before using. Just reheat soup slowly to a simmer when ready to use.

Optional Toppings

Fresh chives, chopped
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Whip cream and nutmeg to a soft peak, and have a bowl of nutmeg whipped cream available for topping soup. Top soup with chives as well.

This Week’s Share

• Bok choi, Joi Choi
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Onions, Copra
• Spinach
• Sweet Peppers
• Turnips, Hakurei
• Winter Squash, Delicata

Share Notes

• Bok Choi: The return of cool weather crops is upon us, and with that we welcome back bok choi. This week in your share you will receive two beautiful heads of the variety joi choi. Make sure to wash the leaves thoroughly to rid of any remaining aphids. With weather permitting, you can look forward to seeing another distribution before the season’s end.

• Spinach: As you enjoy your spinach in a salad or sandwich this week you may notice its slightly sweeter flavor. As the weather gets colder spinach tends to sweeten in flavor, just one of the many delights of the fall season.

Recipes

Turnip Recipes

Quick Asian Salad or Stir-Fry

Note: This combination of ingredients can be served either chopped fresh and coated with an Asian dressing or it can be lightly stir-fried and served with rice.

1 head joi choi, chopped (keep leaves and stems separate)
4-6 hakurei turnips, cut into quarter or eighths depending on the size
1 cup spinach
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon peanut oil or other vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (toasted are better)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger

For the salad combine the tamari, sesame oil, peanut oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, garlic and ginger in small bowl or salad dressing jar and stir or shake vigorously until well combined. Let stand. Meanwhile prepare the joi choi, turnips and spinach and place in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing to the salad and toss until well coated. Let stand for several minutes for flavor to absorb, then enjoy.

For stir-fry prepare the vegetables and have all other ingredients at hand. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat, adding the sesame and peanut oil. Add the chopped joi choi stems and turnips to the pan and quickly sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. When pan is very hot add the tamari and vinegar tossing quickly for 1 minute. Then add the joi choi greens and continue tossing for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat when stems and turnips are just tender and greens are wilted. Add the spinach if desired. Serve over rice.

Quick-Pickled Baby Turnips
From The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich

1 pound hakurei turnips (half your bunch this week), trimmed at the top and bottom
2 teaspoons pickling salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 fresh red jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced, or 1 tablespoon minced pimiento
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups rice vinegar or white vinegar

Score each turnip several times at top and bottom. Put the turnips into a bowl. Dissolve the salt in the water, and pour the brine over the turnips. Let them stand for 30 minutes to an hour. Drain the turnips well, then return them to the bowl with the minced pepper, and toss well. Combine the sugar and vinegar, and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the liquid over the turnips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate and the turnips for two days, after which they will be ready to eat. Well covered and refrigerated, they will keep for several months.

Sweet Pepper Recipes

Red Pepper Quiche
From Herbs Love Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions and Zucchini by Ruth Bass

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet red pepper, finely chopped
8 slices bacon
6 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely shredded (1 1/2 cups)
9-inch unbaked pie shell (recipe of your choice or store bought)
3 eggs
1 cup light cream
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh chervil, parsley or tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Dash of cayenne

In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and gently sauté the chopped pepper until soft but not browned. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp (or between double layers of paper towels for 5 minutes, change the towels and cook another 2 minutes if the bacon isn’t crisp). Preheat the oven to 375°F. Sprinkle the shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, and red pepper evenly over the pie shell. Beat the eggs, cream, and milk until frothy. Add the chives, chervil/parsley/tarragon, salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne, and whisk well. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 45 minutes or until the quiche is firm and browned. Serve in warm wedges.

Red Pepper and Garlic Spread
From Herbs Love Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions and Zucchini by Ruth Bass

3 red sweet peppers, roasted and peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pitted and chopped black olives
6 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roast the peppers under the broiler until they are partly charred; place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes to loosen skin. Then peel and dice them. Next, start by adding the olive oil to a blender/food processor, and then add the peppers, olives, garlic, capers, parsley, and lemon juice into the blender/food processor and process for a short time. The mixture should be coarse, not pureed. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Winter Squash Recipe

Nut-stuffed Delicata Squash
Recipe from Sunset (October 2008)

Note: This is a great vegetarian dish on a cold day, hearty enough to please even an omnivores appetite.

3 tablespoons butter
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chopped pistachios
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup chopped pine nuts
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
About 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
2 delicata squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, eggs, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Stir in nut mixture. Divide stuffing among squash halves, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and bake until tender when pierced with a fork and tops are browning, about 45 minutes.

FIT Spotlight: Melissa

Melissa moved to Portland in 2005 and started working in local area restaurants. She soon noticed that many of the chefs used local and seasonal food in their kitchens and found that inspiring. After working last season as an intern at Gaining Ground Farm Melissa still wanted to work another season. She learned about SIO and the FIT program and knew it was the farm for her. Organization, structure, efficieny, established farming systems and beautiful produce were all things Melissa wanted experience with, and knew SIO had that to offer. Now that we are nearing the end of the season Melissa feels she has gained a better overall understanding of how to run a farm, but is also interested in learning the skills necessary for raising animals. Out at the farm she enjoys transplanting into a fresh soft bed, but her favorite activity is harvesting bunches of chard because, “they are so beautiful and colorful and they make a ‘zing’ sound when you chop the end off.”

This Week’s Share

• Cilantro
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Kale, Ripbor
• Lettuce
• Onions, Red
• Sweet Peppers, Gypsy
• Tomatoes
• Turnips, Hakurei
• Winter Squash, Pumpkins

On Rotation

• Eggplant

Share Notes

• Basil: Basil leaves are very vulnerable to cold damage, and due to the past week’s low night temperatures out at the farm the season for basil has come to an end. Hope you enjoyed the bounty this season and even froze a batch of pesto to get you through the winter months.

• Tomatoes: In anticipation of the first frost of the season we harvested the last of the seasons’ tomatoes.  Some of these tomatoes may need to ripen up on your kitchen counters.  Enjoy this last taste of summer in your shares this week.

• Winter Squash: This week in your share you will see your first distribution of the ever hearty winter squash. This week’s squash is a pumpkin variety called Snackjack, and it produces a hull-less seeds that are ideal for roasting. Look forward to more pumpkins for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Chef’s Corner: October

In addition to the crops SIO grows for our 400 member CSA program, we also grow and sell produce to over 40 different Portland area restaurants and kitchens. This season at SIO we decided to partner with some of those restaurants for some culinary inspiration. We have been picking the brains of some of the areas most talented chefs and restaurant owners, and have asked them to provide us with recipes and general cooking techniques based on the crops that you receive in your shares. Out at the farm we crop plan separately for both our CSA program and restaurant sales, so you don’t have to worry that part of your share may be going the restaurant down the street. For the month of September our featured restaurant is Aquariva, located a few minutes south of downtown Portland on the banks of the Willamette.

By Andy Arndt, Executive Chef at Aquariva

The Italian inspired Aquariva, in Portland for two years, focuses on using seasonal local produce, fish and meats. Located on the water with sweeping views of the river and spacious and abudant booth seating surrounded by large glass windows, Aquariva is an excellent way to enjoy an elegant evening in Portland. Executive chef Andy Ardnt has been with the restaurant almost a years and started working with SIO this past season. He put together a nice selection of recipes and says, “Here are 4 recipes that I have used with SIO veggies, 2 side dishes (Pickled Onions and Braised Carrots both make great sides) the Gnocchi is great by its self or you can use that third dish Fennel Caponta to garnish with.”

Pickled Red Onions

Yield = Enough to pickle 8 cups fine chopped onions

2 teaspoons, black pepper corns, cracked
4 tablespoons, coriander seed whole, toasted
6 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons mustard seed, toasted
6 cups rice wine vinegar
16 each bay leaves
8 cups chopped or sliced red onions

Method

Bring brine to a boil (all ingredients except the onions).  Leave spices in until brine is chilled.  Add to onions to cover them completely. Let stand for 24 hours.

Braised Carrots

2 1/2 quarts, peeled carrots (ice) cut into 1/2 inch lengths
4 ounces, butter
2 tablespoons, honey
3 each bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, fine ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
5 cups water

Method

Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer very slow covered with parchment paper until tender.  No bite left in vegetable but not mushy. Take off fire and pour into hotel pan to cool.  Store in braising liquid.

Fennel Caponta

4 large fennel fine dice
1 large white onion fine dice
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup plump golden raisins
1 tbs chopped sage
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
4 tbs honey

Caramelize onions and fennel separately. Plump raisins with warm balsamic and honey. Combine all ingredients while hot. Season to taste. Reserve in refrigerator. Serve either hot or cold.

Parsley Gnocchi

10 russet potatoes, cooked and riced while hot and left to cool
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan
3 beaten whole eggs
1/2 cup parsley, fine chopped
1 quart flour (reserve 1 cup for dusting when finished)
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 tablespoons kosher salt

Note: Rice the potatoes on to parchment paper.

The thinner the layer of potato the lighter the gnocchi will be. Use the well method by incorporating slowly from the inside out. With all of the ingredients in the well except the (reserved 1cup flour). Incorporate gently roll, cut, & cook quickly in boiling water.

Aquariva
0470 SW Hamiliton Court (Just of SW Macadam Ave/HWY43)
Portland, OR
97239
www.aquarivaportland.com

Recipes

Tomatoes Recipe

Fresh Tomato Soup
Adapted from Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

8 medium tomatoes, chopped (peeled and seeded if desired)
4 or more cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups water or vegetable juice
2 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon sugar
2 sprigs fresh basil or oregano, chopped

Combine the chopped tomatoes and garlic in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft. Add the water/vegetable juice bouillon cubes, sugar and basil or oregano and bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

Winter Squash Recipe

Winter Squash and Feta Enchiladas En Pipian
Adapted from A Cook’s Book by Delphino Cornali

For Filling:

2 cups cubed winter squash
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion
1/4 pound fresh feta
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
12 corn tortillas

For Pipian Sauce:

1 1/2 cups raw squash seeds (scooped from your winter squashes)
1 1/2 cups chunky tomato sauce (make your own with your tomoatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
A dash of cayenne if you like
4 tablespoons canola oil or corn oil

Cut winter squash in half and clean out the seed cavity. Clean the seeds of any pulp and set aside to dry. Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Put 2 cups of cubed squash in a pot with a clove of peeled garlic. Boil in 1 inch of water for 15 minutes until the squash becomes tender. Set aside the squash.

For the pipian sauce, first toast the squash seeds in a cast-iron skillet, turning them constantly to prevent burning. Cool the seeds for a few minutes. Grind toasted seeds in a coffee grinder with 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of cayenne if you like your enchiladas spicy. Put the seed mixture in a bowl and mix with the tomatoes. Heat the oil in a skillet at medium/high and add the contents of the bowl. Saute for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup of water to the sauce and stir in. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Finely mince the onion. Chop the cilantro. Warm the tortillas until they become soft and pliable. Oil a baking dish. Stuff a small portion of squash, minced onion, feta, and chopped cilantro into a tortilla. Roll tightly and place in the oil baking dish. Continue stuffing tortillas and adding to the baking dish, tucking the rolled tortillas together so that they stay rolled up. Spoon the pipian sauce over the tortillas. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Cilantro Recipe

Cilantro Sauce
From the Mexican Gourmet by Maria Dolores Torres Yzabal and Shelton Wiseman

Note: Traditionally this sauce is served with Huitlacoche (Mexican corn fungus) dishes, but is equally as delicious served under beef, chicken, or fish.

1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
1 serrano chile, stem removed
3 spinach leaves
6 tomatillos
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon granulated chicken stock or 1 bouillon cube, crushed.

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. You may garnish sauce with drizzles of heavy cream and/or cilantro leaves.

This Week’s Share

• Carrots
• Celery
• Chard
• Garlic
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Sweet Peppers
• Potatoes, German Butterball
• Tomatoes

On Rotation

• Eggplant

Share Notes

• Leeks: Welcome the arrival of leeks! We grow all our leeks using an Italian farming technique where we hill soil around the base of the leeks. This results in a proportionately larger amount of white and light green parts, which means more usable leek for you.
• Potatoes: This week you are receiving 3 pounds of German Butterball potatoes. These are an all purpose yellow skinned yellow fleshed variety; a good choice for roasting, frying, or mashing. As we allow your potatoes to size up the fields there is always some chance for small cosmetic damage. There is a possibility over the season you may see damage from wire worm  or scurf and the damage is usually to a small portion of the outer skin which can be easily peeled or cut off.
• Squash: Its the time of year when summer squash will be making its last rotation through the pick-ups, and as we say goodbye to summer squash you can look forward to the beginning of winter squash in your share next week.

Recipes

Chard Recipe

Swiss Chard with Peppers and Garbanzo Beans

Adapted from www.epicurios.com

Note: This is great as a side dish with chicken, fish and beef or if you want to go vegetarian, simply serve it over a bowl of some rice or quinoa.  You can also try this for breakfast topped over eggs.

1 large bunch of Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 an onion, sliced into half moons (or 1 leek, white and light green parts halved and sliced)
2 sweet peppers, sliced
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 15oz can of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup low sodium veggie broth
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add onions to the pan and saute for 3-4 minutes before adding in peppers and garlic. Allow vegetables to cook for about five minutes. Stir in cumin and paprika and stir until all the vegetables are coated. Add greens and broth; cover and cook until greens are wilted. Stir in garbanzo beans, and season with salt and pepper. Once the beans are heated through its ready to eat. Serves 4.

Leek Recipes

Note: Make sure to look at the Chef’s Corner in the Week 17 Blog for a Leek recipe from Lincoln Restaurant’s Jenn Louis.

Turkey and Leek Shepard’s Pie

Adapted from Eating Well in Season by Jessie Price

Note: This is a great recipe for using leftover roasted turkey or chicken. You can also poach chicken breasts by placing boneless skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or sauce pan, adding lightly salted water to cover and bringing to a boil, and reducing heat and simmering gently until chicken cooks through and is no longer pink in the middle (10-12 minutes).

For Filling:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks white and light green parts only, well washed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 stalks celery, chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
1 cup frozen peas optional
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste

For Mashed Potatoes:

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2-3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

To Prepare Filling

Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring, until the leeks soften, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.  Pour in wine and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add flour and sage and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to turn light brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and the carrots are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey (or chicken) and peas and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a deep 10-inch pie pan or other 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

To Mash Potatoes and Bake Pie:

Place potatoes in a large sauce pan and add cold salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pan. Cover and shake the pan over low heat to dry the potatoes slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, or whip with and electric mixer, adding enough buttermilk to make a smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread the potatoes on top of the turkey mixture. With the back of the spoon, make decorative swirls. Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake until potatoes and filling are heated through and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Tomato Recipe

Chilled Gazpacho Soup

Adapted from Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

4 cups tomatoes, chopped
2 cups beef or vegetable broth
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup sweet pepper, diced
1 cup celery, diced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
several dashes Worcestershire sauce
10-12 drops Tabasco pepper sauce
6 ice cubes
Green onions or chives, chopped (optional)

Mix together. Allow soup to stand for 30 minutes to let the ice cubes chill the soup and for the flavors to mingle. Serves 4.

This Week’s Share

• Basil
• Beans
• Braising Mix
• Carrots
• Corn
• Garlic
• Lettuce
• Onions, Copra
• Summer Squash
• Sweet Peppers
  
• Tomatoes

On Rotation

• Eggplant

Share Notes

• Corn: Surprise! The last planting of Silver Queen sweet corn that had previously blown over made a miraculous recovery and not only stood back up, but has produced a bountiful last distribution of corn. Enjoy this sweet treat one last time.

• Peppers: This week sweet peppers will be starting on rotation. We are growing two varieties this season, Gypsy and Joelene. Gypsy peppers are a thick-walled sweet pepper ranging in color from yellow to orange to red depending on maturity and are well suited to Oregon growing conditions. Joelene is a red Italian variety and is a long and narrow sweet pepper. It is new this season from local seed producer Wild Garden Seed from Gathering Together Farm in Philomath, OR.

Recipes

Bean Recipes

Fresh Corn and Green Bean Salad
Adapted from www.recipezaar.com

4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off after cooking
1/2 pound beans (green bean or dragon’s tongue both work)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/4 tablespoons olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Prepare corn by removing husks and silk. In a large soup pot bring water to boil and add corn. Add additional water if needed to make sure the cobs are fully submersed. Cook for 3-5 minutes until corn is just tender. Remove corn and set aside to cool. In the same water, add the beans and cook for two to three minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain beans and shock with cold water to stop the cooking. Strip the kernels of corn off the cob with a knife into a bowl. In a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Add in the onions, corn, beans and parsley. Toss the salad together until it is fully mixed and coated with the dressing. Cover and chill for up to four hours before serving.

Risotto with Summer Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers and Basil
Adapted from Field of Greens by Anne Somerville

7 cups vegetable stock*
salt
1/2 pound beans (all one kind or using a mix of the green and dragon’s tongue is great)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 medium-sized yellow onion, diced
pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
a generous pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon of hot water (optional)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 yellow or red sweet pepper, diced, about 1 cup
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 pound tomatoes, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
grated Parmesan cheese

Pour stock* into a saucepan, bring it to a boil, and reduce it to 6 cups. Keep the stock warm over very low heat. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drop beans into the boiling water for 2-4 minutes or until tender; scoop from the water with a strainer and rinse under cool water. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet and add the onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few pinches of pepper. Saute over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until it begins to soften, then add garlic and sauté for another minute or two. (If you are using saffron, add it now.) Add the rice and sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Begin adding stock a cup at a time, allowing rice to absorb each cup of stock completely before adding more. Continue to stir. When the rice has absorbed 3 cups of stock, add the peppers and sherry. Continue to stir and add stock until you have used 5 to 5 1/2 cups. As you stir in the last cup of stock, add the beans, tomatoes, basil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. At this point the risotto should be ready to serve-the grains of rice will be a little toothy and the risotto will be saucy. Serve immediately in warm bowls and pass the Parmesan.

*Anne Somerville suggests making and using a Tomato-Mushroom stock for the risotto and the recipe for that is included below.

Tomato-Mushroom Stock for Risotto

2 quarts cold water
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 leek top, sliced and washed
8 garlic cloves, in their skin, crushed with the side of a knife blade
1 teaspoon salt
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
2 medium-sized carrots, sliced
1 large unpeeled potato, sliced
1/4 pound white mushroom, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or 1 28-ounce can tomatoes with juice)
6 parsley sprigs, coarsely chopped
6 thyme sprigs
3 fresh sage leaves
2 fresh marjoram or oregano sprigs
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns

Pour 1/2 cup water into a stock pot and add the onion, leek top, garlic, and salt. Give them a stir, then cover the pot and cook the vegetables gently over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and over with the remaining water. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Pour the stock through a strainer, press as much liquid as you can from vegetables, and discard them. Use immediately or cool and refrigerate or freeze. The stock will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator and indefinitely in the freezer. Makes about 7 cups.

Braising Mix Recipe

Colorful Braised Greens
From the New Entry Sustainable Farm Project at Tufts University

1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 carrots, sliced
1/4 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 ear fresh corn, kernels cut off
1/2-3/4 cup braising liquid (wine, water, broth)
1/2 lbs braising mix
2-3 tomatoes, diced (with some liquid drained)

Heat the oil over in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion. Cook 3 minutes. Add the braising mix, corn and 1/2 c. liquid. Cover the pan and cook just until the greens start to wilt, adding more liquid if necessary. Add the tomatoes, toss. Serve immediately.

Corn Recipes
Fresh Corn and Bean Salad
(see above in Bean Recipes)

Colorful Braised Greens
(See above in Braising Mix Recipes)

Eggplant Recipe

Indian Eggplant Salad
Adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

1 eggplant (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ teaspoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 ½ cups minced onion
¾ teaspoon salt
cayenne pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons lemon juice
water, as needed
½ cup yogurt (optional)

Cut the eggplant into small (1/2-inch) cubes. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter. Add all the seeds (mustard, sesame, cumin) to the butter. Turn the heat to medium, and cook the seeds by themselves for a few moments, stirring constantly. (This head-start helps to bring out their flavors.) Soon the seeds will start popping from the heat.  When the seeds begin to pop, add the garlic, onion, salt, and cayenne. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes- until the onions soften. Add the eggplant, and stir well. Cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. After about 5 minutes, stir again, and add lemon juice. Cover, and keep cooking (stirring intermittently) until the eggplant is cooked. (Add water, ¼ cup at a time, as needed to prevent sticking.) Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and chill completely. Stir in optional yogurt (or not) after it is cold.

Tomato Recipes

Summer Risotto
(see above in Bean Recipes)

Tomato-Mushroom Stock for Risotto
(see above in Bean Recipes)

Colorful Braised Greens
(see above in Braising Mix Recipes)