Well, the frost has finally found us but just barely. We had a few nights where a few of the more sensitive things didn’t survive (basil, peppers, tomatoes) but we still are awaiting a good freeze to sweeten up our roots (especially parsnips!) We have however begun to harvest for storage. Tenzin just finished building our new cooler today, and not a minute too soon. I can’t believe we survived last year without it! This should give us a lot more space to store things into the winter.
We are also spending a lot of time cleaning up the farm and tucking everything away for the season. All of the drip tape and irrigation hoses need to be cleaned and stored and all of the black plastic that we use as mulch needs to be pulled up and disposed of. It always feels good to get the farm ready for winter because you are doing yourself such a huge favor for spring! We are hoping to have enough extra time this winter to get things like shelving and hooks for the pack shed which, I am convinced, will be a game changer. Little by little.
Announcements:
Kale
Turnips
Dill
Salad Turnips
Winter Squash
Sweet peppers- green
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Carrots
Celeriac OR Broccoli
Kale- as the weather cools and the nights begin to frost, kale really makes a remarkable transformation. Many plants use their natural sugars as antifreeze to keep cell walls from exploding. These are typically drawn out of the leaves to prioritize the root. Kale sends energy the other way and many kale leaves can survive a full winter in a snow bank, giving them a jump on the next spring. The upshot is it’s getting sweeter and more nutritious! Great for “massaged kale salads” and other fresh eating. Still great for a quick steam or sautee too, as the weather sometimes calls for heartier meals. Strip kale off the stems, then roll and cut across the grain into long ribbons. Add it to soup just a few minutes before finishing cooking, the ribbons are like long, sweet, green noodles. Store in a bag in the fridge.
Turnips- Turnips are great in place of or along side of potatoes in your favorite potato recipe. Perfect for soups and stews! Try them in the recipe of the week. (They make a great addition to mashed potatoes too!) Store in the crisper.
Dill – Fresh dill is so nice! Easy to use, and hard to overuse. Dried dill is still good, but quite different. If you want to hold on to the fresh dill flavor, your best bet is simply to freeze it whole in a bag. Then pull it out and chop up what you want immediately (don’t thaw first). Then return the unused portion to the freezer for next time. Great on honey-glazed roasted carrots, try it with the recipe of the week! Store for a few days in a bag in the fridge. Also great on salmon or chicken. Add it just before serving so as not to lose the flavors!
Salad Turnips- These are so fresh and sweet, definitely the fresh-eating turnip of choice. Our kids can’t get enough of them. Seriously, not your average turnip! The tops are great too, sautee or steam them and use like cooked spinach. Make a rich spinach and artichoke dip with the tops and save the actual spinach for salads. Then try dipping sliced fresh rutabagas in the dip! Separate the bulbs from the tops for best storage.
Carnival Squash- So pretty and sweet. Keeps well on the counter or as a festive fall centerpiece. Delicious for sauces, pies or anything squashy. Enjoy!
Sweet Peppers – Fresh peppers are such a treat, and these are about as fresh as they get. But they do keep well in the fridge, and roasted peppers are great too! Can’t use them this week? Try roasting them while you’re baking something else, then slip the core out and freeze them whole in a bag for winter use. Great in sauces and blended soups, when thawed.
Onions- Store at room temp in the dark for a few weeks, or right on the counter for up to a week. Try them in the recipe of the week or in any soup!
Garlic- Sweet when roasted, strong and savory when raw. Stores well on the counter and compliments almost any dish. Just a clove or two can go a long way, but more will often really make a dish “pop.” If you’re no fan of garlic breath, then just make sure to add it early, so it cooks down to its sweetest form.
Potatoes- Great for roasting or mashing, these spuds will keep for weeks in a dark drawer. But who could wait that long. The quintessential tuber of fall cuisine. Wash well, then chop to your desired thickness, just leave the skins on, less work-more flavor. Try the recipe of the week!
Broccoli- Sweet and beautiful, great for fresh eating or a quick-light steaming in salted water. Store in a bag in the fridge, but best when freshest. Nice thick stems can be peeled and used in stir fry or enjoyed like kolrhabi.
Celeriac (or celery root)- Celery’s homely cousin. This gnarly-looking root shines culinarily. Wash and scrub thoroughly, then peel the bumpy rind and set it aside for soup stock. The remaining root can be cubed or sliced thinly and used in any potato dish, soup, stew or roast. These have a lovely fresh sweet celery flavor that will not disappear when cooked for a long time in a baked dish or a soup-pot. Stores well in a bag in the crisper drawer.
Fall Skillet:
Perfect for using up fall and winter storage crops quickly. Basic recipe, please feel free to embellish, experiment and improvise (bacon and sausage go well in here!)
*You will need a large, heavy, flat-bottomed skillet for this (well-seasoned cast iron is best).
– 1 lb potatoes (or any starchy root crop: rutabaga, turnip, sweet potato, a mix is best) cut into bite-size, thin slices (less than ¼” thick).
– ½ lb “aromatic” root crop (carrot, celeriac, parsnip, etc, or a mix) finely chopped
– 1 small-medium onion coarsely chopped (and/or garlic)
-1 green pepper coarsely chopped
– 4 Tbsp oil, butter or bacon grease (I like some canola oil mixed with butter)
– 4 Tbsp chopped fresh herb of your choice (parsley, thyme, rosemary, etc, or 2 Tbsp dried herbs added earlier)
– ½ cup chopped leafy greens (optional)
– 2 Tbsp flour or corn starch
-1/2 cup milk or broth
– Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat the oil in the pan, until very hot, but not smoking. Add the potatoes, stirring to coat.
Once seared, stir, reduce heat to Medium and cover for several minutes.
Add other root vegetables, onions/garlic, and green pepper. Continue to fry on med until potatoes are almost ready (I just taste them to tell). (If using dry herbs, add them now).
Sprinkle everything with salt and flour (if using) and toss in leafy greens and stir-leaving uncovered.
Just when everything begins to stick to the pan, but has not yet burned, add milk or broth. Allow this to sizzle for a minute, then scrape the bottom of the pan gently to lift and mix in the goodness.
Allow this to simmer until the veggies are coated in their own gravy. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste, and serve in the hot skillet. Scoop out portions to eat alongside, or underneath a fried egg.
Pretty quick to make, serves as the whole meal, and works well for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!