CSA Newsletter – Week 18
After the Harvest
I said my goodbyes to a house of heirloom tomatoes as I helped clear it out for the next planting. It is another reminder of the changing seasons and another reminder that a farmer’s work is never done!
When we harvest many of our crops, such as beets, turnips, potatoes, more often than not, the whole plant is harvested and the field is pretty much cleared and ready to be turned over to the next crop in the rotation. Sometimes, we add an amendment or two and then we turn over the soil and prep it to receive the next planting.
However, some crops require more work before the ground is ready for the next planting. Crops such as tomatoes, eggplant, and cucumbers that are harvested continuously often require trellising infrastructure. Once the crop is done producing, the plant matter, up to 10 ft. tall, must be uprooted and hauled away. This can be a messy job as there are inevitably some rotting vegetables in the houses as well. The trellising setup must be dis-assembled and any drip irrigation must be removed. Only then can the soil be prepared for the next planting.
It’s a lot of work but I think that we can agree that the delicious results are worth the extra effort!
Table of Box Contents
☐ Lettuce ($2.00)
☐ 1½ lbs Huckleberry Gold Potatoes ($3.00) – Beautiful purple potatoes with yellow flesh that is creamy and buttery. Great as mashed potatoes, roasted, or baked.
☐ Scarlet Kabocha Squash ($4.50)
☐ 1 lb Sunchokes ($4.00) – These knobby tubers caramelize beautifully when roasted. See recipe.
☐ Bok Choy ($3.00) – This beautiful, Asian vegetable is delicious in stir-fries and soups.
☐ 2 Colored Peppers ($1.25)
☐ 1 Bunch Colored Carrots ($3.50)- This bunch of carrots not only beautiful but they are just as delicious as they look!
☐ Romanesco ($6.25) – This fractal vegetable is beautiful and delicious! It is in the brassica family and is related to broccoli and cauliflower. Blanch it in boiling water and then shock it under cold water or in an ice bath. Us it in stir-fries, salads, or grill it!
☐ 1 Dried Sweet Onion ($0.75)- Sweet onions don’t store as well as other varieties. It is delicious raw in salad, sautéed with greens, or in soup.
☐ 1 Dried Red Onion ($0.75)
☐ 3 Roma Tomatoes ($3.00) – These tomatoes are great for sauce, soups, or roasting. They have firm flesh and are less juicy which lends itself to cooking but they are also delicious in salsa. If you want to save them for soups or sauces for winter, you can freeze the tomatoes whole.
Box Market Value: $32.00
Recipes
Creamy Kabocha Squash Polenta
I tend to roast squash and eat with a little butter and salt, but if you wanted to incorporate it in a dish, polenta is a perfect base.
Ingredients
- 1 Kabocha Squash
- ½ cup cream
- 2 cups polenta
- 2 oz parmesan, grated
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- Remove stem from squash. Halve, scoop seeds, and bake face down in 1/2″ water at 400 F until tender, 20-30 minutes. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes. Scoop flesh into bowl with an immersion blender or blender. Add the cream and blend to get a thick and very smooth purée. Season with salt.
- Bring 3 cups water to a boil with 1 t salt. Stir in polenta and stir until your arm wants to fall off – about 30 minutes. Try to stir as much as possible as it makes it creamier. At around the 20-minute mark, stir in the kabocha and cheese. Season with nutmeg and white pepper and salt to taste.
Read More: Food52
Roasted Sunchokes
This knobby tuber caramelizes wonderfully when roasted.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Sunchokes, scrubbed
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian or curled parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- Scrub the Sunchokes with a potato brush and chop into 1 inch bite-size chunks
- Toss in a medium sized bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper until coated
- Place onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the skin is slightly browned
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve plain or with a side of ketchup.
Read More: OliveandHerb
Sautéed Romanesco with Garlic
Any fresh vegetable sautéed is bound to be delicious. I find that with most things, getting them a little color or even char greatly enhances their flavor and texture. In addition to sautéed garlic, try incorporating caramelized onions or shallots into this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 head of Broccoli Romanesco, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 good pinch of salt
- 2 cloves of garlic, pressed and mixed with 1 tbs water
- Parmesan or Romano cheese to taste
Directions
- Bring some well-salted water to a boil.
- Cook the Romanesco pieces until just tender, about 3 or 4 minutes
- Drain the broccoli pieces and run under cold water until they are cool.
- Heat the oil in a pan until it is a hot and begins to shimmer
- Add the garlic and for 30 seconds. It should start to smell good and garlicky.
- Now add the Romanesco and a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Grate cheese over warm Romanesco and enjoy!
Carrot soup
Duck leg confit on Israeli couscous with mushrooms, carrots and basil 
Seafood brodetto of prawns & trout with potatoes, tomatoes and aioli