p i c k l i s t
CORN - GREEN TOMATOES - BRASSICAS - ONION - SWEET CARMEN PEPPERS - HABANADA PEPPERS -
POBLANO PEPPERS - EGGPLANT - PARSLEY - KALE - SWEET POTATOES - MUMS!
BREAD: HAZEL’S OATMEAL :)
It seems that everyone around us has experienced multiple frosts as we at Edgewater still enjoy eternal Summer harvest courtesy of the blanket of fog that sets in nightly along the Connecticut River. The fog does a beautiful job in protecting our non hardy crops. As the fog rolls in, it creates a thermal blanket that traps the heat beneath it, keeping the plants warm. As a result, our pepper, eggplant, and tomato fields remain green and debatably lively. That said, production of these crops has slowed down considerably due to the change in light levels and lack of 75(+) degree days. So we still have cherry tomatoes, but they are very slow to ripen. This slow to produce feels deeply relatable at this moment in time, anyone else experiencing Summer time burn out? Let’s nod in solidarity shall we?
Hopefully this coming week will be met with much more sleep, kitchen lingering and nourishing food eating, as we gear up for the final Fall harvest push.
In very exciting harvest news, our grandiose potato digger has finally left the barn and is currently enroute to the Windsor plateau field where the majority of our spuds are planted. Fingers crossed, the potato harvest will begin today! If you happen to see a wagon of tater tots heading north on route 12A from the covered bridge to River Road in the next week, give a wave and a friendly honk- The driver will most likely be Ray or Mike hauling our spuds from field to farm.
Lastly on farm updates, we finally caught up on weeding perennial crops of strawberries and raspberries and are currently tackling the blueberries.
And now let’s get into the meal making of it all…
Pro-tips:
Prep Time 20 mins/ Cook Time 35 mins/ Total Time 55 mins/ Servings 4 -6
Spicy Almond Dressing
½ cup sliced almonds, soaked for 1 hour and drained
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon Tamari
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce of choice, or to taste
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Kale Power Salad
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 500 grams), peeled and diced into 2-inch pieces
1 350 gram block firm OR extra firm tofu, drained and torn into little pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons cornmeal
6 cups chopped kale, lightly packed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 small red onion, sliced thin
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make the spicy almond dressing. In an upright blender, combine the almonds, garlic, nutritional yeast, water, olive oil, white wine vinegar, lime juice, Tamari, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Blend the mixture on high until smooth and creamy. If it's a little thick and pasty, just add a big splash of water and blend it again. Taste the dressing and check for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and set aside.
In a small bowl, make a little spice blend: stir together the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder. Set out two medium bowls. Place the chopped sweet potatoes in one of the bowls and the tofu pieces in the other. Using a clean kitchen towel, really do your best to blot all moisture from the tofu.
Divide the spice blend evenly amongst the sweet potatoes and tofu. Drizzle both the sweet potatoes and the tofu with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil. Season both with salt and pepper. To the tofu only, add the arrowroot and cornmeal. Toss the sweet potatoes until evenly coated. Then, using a spatula, toss the tofu bits until evenly coated.
Spread the sweet potatoes and tofu out on opposite sides of the baking sheet. Give each piece as much space as you can. Pop the baking sheet into the oven and roast for 35 minutes, stirring and flipping the pieces at the halfway point. At the end of the roasting, the sweet potatoes should be tender and the tofu bits should be crunchy on the outside.
In a large bowl, combine the kale, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lime juice, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to massage the kale until it’s slightly tenderized, about 1 minute.
Drizzle the top of the kale with some of the spicy almond dressing. Then top with roasted sweet potatoes, crispy spiced tofu bits, avocado, and red onion. Drizzle more of the dressing on top. Finish the salad with the toasted sliced almonds. Enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
You can substitute raw sunflower seeds or cashews for the almonds.
I go up to about 1 tablespoon of hot sauce total in my dressing. I like the zing and the hot sauce that I typically use for things like this (Cholula) isn’t overly hot.
If you’re using coconut aminos in place of the Tamari, I would double the amount to 2 teaspoons.
You can substitute cornstarch for the arrowroot.
Use the biggest baking sheet you’ve got for the sweet potatoes and tofu. You want to give each piece as much space as you can!
This vegan kale power salad is so satisfying and loaded with flavour. Kale is topped with tender roasted sweet potatoes, crispy baked tofu bits, avocado, red onion, and a super creamy spicy almond dressing that you'll want to drizzle on everything!
Sweet potato bags: Inside you will find unwashed cuties in all shapes and sizes that should be stored in a cool dry place until use. We left them unwashed for storage purposes, as they keep longer when dirty.
Kale: Yes, you are seeing aphids on the leaves. Shake off or leave on for extra protein.
Recipe from Atlanta restaurant, THE FLYING BISCUIT
Yield: 4 to 8 servings
Ingredients
6 cups canola oil
4 green tomatoes, medium size
3 cups all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups of flour reserved for the cornmeal breading mix)
2 1/2 cups milk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon celery salt
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch paprika
4 ounces goat cheese
2 cups The Flying Biscuit Cashew Relish
Cashew Relish:
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 large red jalapenos
1 1/2 cups cashews
3/4 cup honey
1/3 cup white vinegar
Directions
While preparing the dipping process for the tomatoes, heat oil in large pot until the oil reaches 350 degrees F. You will need a slotted spoon to drop the tomatoes into the hot oil. De-core and cut the ends off green tomatoes. Cut tomatoes 1/2-inch thick and set aside in medium bowl.
In small bowl, set aside 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. In medium bowl, mix milk and eggs to create an egg wash. In large bowl, combine remaining flour, cornmeal and salt. Add celery salt, cayenne, pepper, onion powder, and paprika. This is the cornmeal breading mixture for the tomatoes.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper to place the breaded tomatoes on after final dredging. Begin the dipping process by dredging the tomatoes in the all-purpose flour, then the egg wash, and finally through the cornmeal breading mixture. Repeat this process until all the tomatoes are breaded. Once the oil has reached 350 degrees F, begin frying until golden brown. Tomatoes will float to the top when finished cooking. Drain on paper towels. Garnish with cashew relish and finish with a dollop of goat cheese.
Cashew Relish:
Clean and pick cilantro leaves off stems. Cut stems off jalapenos and roughly chop. Combine cashews, chopped jalapenos and cilantro in food processor and pulse until combined. Do not puree, it should be a rustic mix. Pour mixture into bowl, and add honey and vinegar and mix thoroughly.