Frozen!

Snow has finally arrived in Michigan. Everything outside is under snow and even the greens in the greenhouse are frozen. So, for all the winter CSA members, we have a week off and the hope that it will warm up a bit for next week.

snow covered kale

ice on the inside of the door to the greenhouse

frozen beauty
The pak choi still has a vibrant color but it is frozen solid. If it warms up a bit, all of the greens will take off again.

Farmer Justin's sprout experiment
The alfalfa sprouts are just starting to show a bit of white and green shoots.

We grabbed a handful of frozen kale to munch on the way home.
My kids ate the kale faster than I could pass it back to them which again shows how sweet kale becomes in the winter.

And not to stand on my soap box too long but I must mention how it warms my heart to raise kids who understand where their food comes from, who know and love their farmers, and who gobble up kale as if it is candy.

Stay warm and happy eating,
Kara

Sweeter in December

The snow is covering the ground and everything is frosty yet Wildwood is producing delicious produce. It is certainly a treat to have local produce in the winter but these greens actually taste sweeter.

Green vegetables react to the winter frost by going into survival mode.  They start turning stored starches into sugars to provide immediate energy to the plant. Some folks don’t like the sometimes bitter or peppery taste of many greens such as kale, arugula, or chard and the bitterness is primarily caused by the starches in the leaves and stems of the plant. However, after that first frost, those starches convert to sugars and the taste becomes sweeter and so much more appealing. 

Our first winter CSA share

The barn is decked out for Christmas.

pak choi

Justin checks on the micro greens that will hopefully be in next week's share.

I know I usually post a new recipe but this week I was so happy to have local greens that I tore everything up for a big salad dressed with my favorite dressing and tossed the chopped parsley into our beef stew. Delicious!

Happy eating,
Kara

Here is my go to dressing in case you forgot.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

3/4 c olive oil

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

2 TBS honey

1 TBS whole grain mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1 sprig of rosemary, minced

sea salt and pepper

Whisk to combine.

Spicy sauteed kale with lemon

Spicy sauteed kale with lemon

1 TBS vegetable oil

1 hot pepper, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed and slices quartered

1 TBS honey

kale (about 1 1/2 lbs), stems removed, coarsely chopped

6 scallions

coarse salt

In a large skillet, heat oil and chile over medium-high. Add lemon and honey and cook, stirring, until lemon begins to break down (about 2 minutes). Add kale and cook, stirring until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add scallions, season with salt and cook 1 additional minute. Serve warm or at room temperature. To make it a simple, cleansing meal, serve over rice and top with your favorite toasted nut and a squeeze of lemon juice (I think slivered almonds would be very tasty).

Butternut Squash Salad and catching up from last week with fall vegetable crumble

Butternut Squash Chickpea Salad

Yield: about 4 servings

For the salad:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 hearts of romaine, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Pita chips, crumbled, for serving
3 tbsp. fresh minced chives, for serving
For the dressing: 
1/3 cup tahini
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 clove garlic, finely grated
1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  On the baking sheet, combine the squash with 2 tablespoons of the oil.  Season generously with salt and pepper and toss to combine.  Place the baking sheet on the lower oven rack and roast until fork tender, about 20-25 minutes, tossing once during cooking.
Meanwhile, place the chicken on a second rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.  Drizzle lightly with the remaining olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Place on the upper oven rack and roast until cooked through (160˚ F internal temperature on an instant read thermometer), about 15-20 minutes.  Set aside to rest briefly, then slice.
To make the dressing, in a small bowl, combine the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and garlic.  Whisk together to blend.  Whisk in the water, adding more as needed until the dressing has reached your desired consistency.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide the lettuce up between serving plates.  Top each serving with some of the squash, chicken, chickpeas, pita and chips.  Drizzle lightly with the tahini dressing.  Sprinkle with the minced chives.  Serve immediately.

Crumble aux legumes du soleil (fall vegetable crumble)

serves 6 (can be doubled)

2 zucchini, diced

1 eggplant, peeled and diced

1 red pepper, diced

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 onion, diced

salt, pepper, basil or other fresh herbs

1 ball fresh mozzarella

1 stick cold butter

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

optional: prosciutto or coppa or pancetta, thinly sliced and cut into 2-inch lengths

Wash and dice all vegetables (dice+small cubes, all the same size to allow even cooking). In a separate bowl, sprinkle kosher salt over cubed eggplant. Let sit for 10 minutes, rinse and dry in a towel (if you skip this step, the dish will be too watery).

In a large saute pan, add a bit of olive oil. Saute onions, then add red pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add eggplant and zucchini. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Add the cherry tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Cook until there is no more water. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Make the crumble: cut the cold butter in small cubes and mix it with the flour so that it resembles small peas. Mix in grated Parmesan.

Put the vegetable is a shallow gratin dish. At this point, you can add the optional sliced cured meat. Distribute mozzarella over the vegetables and cover everything with the crumble.

Bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 30 minutes until crumble is golden Bon appetit!

Squash Bisque

Just a reminder for farm members: If you are unable to pick up your share (and we understand that for many of you, the start of school brings about a hectic schedule), please contact the farm to let us know as soon as possible. Beginning on Tuesday, Justin and Kelly begin the big task of cutting and picking our produce and we hate to see good crops go to waste. Thanks so much!

Our share this week:
 

And this is why the start of fall is my favorite time of the CSA.

 

Nature takes it course. Baby chicks that were born on the farm this past week.

Squash Bisque

1 TBS canola oil

1 TBS unsalted butter

1/2 cup diced onion

3/4 diced carrots

4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)

salt and ground pepper to taste

ground nutmeg to taste

1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion until tender.

Add the carrots and squash. Pour in stock and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to boil, reduce hear, and simmer until vegetables are tender.

In a blender or food processor (or I use an immersion blender), puree until soup is smooth. Return to the pot and stir in heavy cream. Do not boil. Serve warm with a dash of nutmeg.

 

Happy eating,

Kara

Honey Roasted Zucchini and Feta

Honey Roasted Zucchini and Feta

1lb zucchini, deseeded if large, cut into chunky strips

2 garlic cloves, sliced

3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

8 oz feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

2 TBS runny honey

freshly ground black pepper

Put the zucchini in a large ovenproof dish in a single layer. Add the garlic and sprinkle with 2 TBS olive oil. Using your hands, toss the zucchini until they are evenly coated with garlic and oil.

Spread the zucchini evenly over the dish. Scatter the feta cheese over them and drizzle the remaining oil, the honey, and pepper. The saltiness of the feta means that no extra salt is needed. Roast in a preheated over at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes until deep golden all over. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Stuffed Zucchini with tomatoes and mozzarella

 Here is our share this week. Hope the Tuesday pick up went well for you all. Next week we are back to our normal Wednesday.
Have a blessed holiday and happy eating,
Kara

Stuffed Zucchini with tomatoes and mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Halve 2 medium zucchini lengthwise and scrape out the majority of the seeds. Place, cut side up, on sheet and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine 2 small tomatoes, halved, seeded, and diced, and 1/4 tsp each chopped fresh oregano leaves and white vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Top zucchini with tomato mixture. Bake until zucchini is tender, 20 minutes.

Heat broiler with rack in top position. Top zucchini with 5 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into 1 inch pieces. Broil until cheese is brown and bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately.