Pick List:
potatoes - turnips - watermelon radish - 2# onion - blue hubbard squash -
beets - celeriac - arugula - kale - napa cabbage - eggs
KITCHEN LIST:
PIZZA DOUGH - ROASTED VEGGIES - H0T SAUCE or JAM
HOLY SMOKES, the CSA season comes to an end this week. Typically, at this time I feel completely confused by this end date. Historically, November is greeted with far more sunshine, a smattering of warmer days, accompanied by the occasional bare-armed t-shirt wearing experience. Also, there is usually no snow on the ground forming a white crusty blanket over your vegetables. Bottomline, I always want to keep the CSA going and 7 weeks never seems long enough to do the end of season justice. But this year is clearly different. Let’s face it ya’ll, it’s cold outside.
But before I HIGH-TAIL it out of town for tropical places leaving you all with a few stored winter squash and a bag of onions (just kidding, i am clearly having a baby sometime within the next month or so- Upper Valley Bound over here) let me say, cheers to you all for taking a risk in your kitchen and participating in our CSA! I am so grateful that you all keep on coming back year after year. Your participation not only supports our farm monetarily, but it also allows us to do what we really love to do- grow vegetables, spend our days outside, feed a community, raise farm kids, and eat good food. I literally could not do what I do here at Edgewater without you all riding this CSA wave with me. Big thanks y’all.
And for all of you that have the end-of-Edgewater-Farm-CSA blues, let it be known that we will continue to supply the Co-op food stores (Hanover, Lebanon, WRJ) with potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, sweet potatoes, parsnips, onions, winter squash, etc... until we run out.
Also, for those of you pumped on getting that early-bird CSA special, check our website sometime in the next two weeks! I will probably have something posted and the shop updated by the beginning of December, just in time for your holiday shopping- who wouldn’t love a CSA share?
TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES
-Your blue hubbard squash-
BEWARE, the outside skin on a blue hubbard is tough as nails. However, it is my second favorite squash (next to long island cheese) because it stores beautifully. When kept in the right conditions (cool dry place) this squash can last you into March making it one of the least committal vegetables I’ve ever known. Cook as you would any winter squash.
4 servings
Crunchy, salty, sweet, and vinegary, this is more of a salad than a slaw. Massaging the cabbage with salt not only seasons it, but also softens the leaves. Pistachios tossed with orange zest and sugar bring an unexpected floral note to the dish. This recipe is from Drifters Wife in Portland, ME, our No. 9 Best New Restaurant 2018.
1 28-oz. Napa cabbage, tough outer leaves removed, halved, leaves torn into 3"–4" pieces
1½ tsp. flaky sea salt, plus more
½ cup coarsely chopped raw pistachios
1 tsp. plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil; plus more for drizzling
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more
1 sprig thyme
½ tsp. finely grated orange zest
½ tsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. honey, preferably wildflower
1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems
1 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
3 oz. Parmesan, shaved, plus more for serving
Preheat oven to 350°. Place cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1½ tsp. salt. Toss, massaging with your hands, to soften a bit; set aside.
Toss pistachios and 1 tsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add thyme, orange zest, and sugar and toss to combine. Let cool; discard thyme sprigs.
Whisk vinegar, honey, and ½ tsp. pepper in a small bowl to combine; season with a pinch of salt. Drizzle over cabbage and add parsley, chives, 3 oz. Parmesan, ¼ cup pistachios, and 2 Tbsp. oil. Toss to combine, then taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
Transfer cabbage salad to a platter and top with more Parmesan and remaining pistachios. Season with pepper and drizzle with some more oil.
Do Ahead: Cabbage can be massaged up to 3 hours in advance. Cover and keep chilled.
Inspired by Donna Hay Magazine, Winter 2012 issue serves: 4
notes: You could use chard or actual beet greens for the salad as well. If you only have access to bigger beets, just cut them into quarters or sixths pre-roasting. Some crunchy, toasted hazelnuts would be a nice garnish here too.
beets:
2 bunches of baby beets (about 12 beets total), scrubbed and trimmed
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp grape seed oil
salt and pepper
kale + salad:
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 bunch of curly kale, stems removed and leaves torn into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp grape seed oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper
handful of pecorino shavings (parm or grana padano would be great too)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the trimmed beets in a 2 inch deep ceramic or glass dish. Pour the balsamic vinegar and grape seed oil in. SPrinkle the muscovado sugar, salt and pepper around the beets. Cover dish with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, stir the beets up a bit and continue to roast, uncovered, for 20 more minutes. They should be quite tender. Remove from the oven and allow dish to cool.
In a small saucepan, place the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup of water. Add a pinch of salt. Place pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until quinoa is mostly cooked and the little tails start to pop out. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large soup pot, heat the 2 tbsp of grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and smoked paprika. Stir around until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the quinoa, a splash of water and half of the kale. Stir around until kale begins to wilt a bit. Add the remaining kale, season with salt and pepper and keep stirring. The kale should all be slightly wilted, but still firm. Take off the heat and transfer kale and quinoa mixture to your serving bowl.
Arrange roasted beets on top of the greens and quinoa. Drizzle salad with the balsamic cooking liquid in the pan (there should be about 1/4 cup of it left). Scatter the pecorino shavings on top and serve.