Oops, never got week 13 up on the blog!
If you have not canned tomatoes, or made some huge batch of tomato something to freeze, now is the time!!! Get a case or more ASAP while they are beautiful!
Lots of fun and interesting Asian greens in the boxes last week…that may continue, or you may see regular cabbage. The peaches have slowed down, but man, what a run we had with peaches this year. I think I had them for my boxes on Mondays since mid-July. WOW! Also, the tomatoes have rocked AND they are gorgeous. We are still picking peppers heavy! What exactly will appear in your box is hard to say, but I expect this week: corn, tomatoes, several varieties of apples, bell peppers, hot peppers, kale, potatoes and beyond that, it’s a daily surprise, even for me.
There are several varieties of apples kicking around: Redcort, Cortland, Molly Delicious, Golden Delicious, Early Mac, Ginger Gold, and Honey Crisp. We’ll try to tell you what’s what at the pickup. Of note, the Molly’s are an heirloom variety and amazingly tender-crisp. If there are any around, this is surely the last week of them. None of the Delicious apple varieties we grow are ever mealy, so if you were planning on avoiding them, don’t’ – they’re all great!
I believe everyone is getting butternut winter squash this week – looks like the carnival squash went in last week 🙂
Great job posting on facebook – I love that we can help with veggie ID 🙂 Also, for my box contents posters – the posts look awesome, I’d surely sign up for our CSA if I was looking for one;)
Boerenkool Stamppot (Kale Hash) apparently I never posted this but it is awesome this time of year.
Butternut chicken pot pie
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup frozen white pearl onions, thawed
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 small bunch kale, center ribs and stems removed, leaves chopped
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into 1/2″ pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 rotisserie chicken, meat torn into bite-size pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (such as Pepperidge Farm), thawed
- 1 large egg
Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Heat oil in an 8″ cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic and sage to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic begins to brown, about 2 minutes.
Add kale and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing often, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle flour over. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes.
Stir in broth, 1/2-cupful at a time, then add squash. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is just softened and broth is thickened, 8-10 minutes. Add chicken to skillet, stir, and season with salt and pepper.
Unfold pastry and smooth any creases; place over skillet, allowing corners to hang over sides. Whisk egg and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Brush pastry with egg wash; cut four 1″ slits in top to vent.
Bake pot pie until pastry is beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until pastry is deep golden brown and crisp minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Farm Dirt
Still no salsa, but I did put 16 quarts of peaches by and Glenn and I froze 2 bushels of corn. I also froze baked eggplant slices and zucchini squares. It is a bunch of work…but think how easy we have it now with our food processors, electric or gas stoves, and freezers. There are things I choose to freeze because they taste better and it is easier. Every year I think of my dear friend Stephanie and a story she told me about her Mother-in-law: It seems her Father-in-Law returned from market with 10 baskets of peaches that were dead ripe…meaning the next day they would be spoiling. It was late in the day, but after supper, Mother started in on them. Stephanie, being large with child, went off to bed. In the morning she woke to find all the peaches had been put up…it must have taken all night, and that was with a wood cookstove in August! I figure it would have been 150-200 quarts. Stephanie later told me she counted 2500 quart jars (of everything that had been put by) in the cellar that year. Plus I bet there were crocks of meat and kraut. A tremendous achievement for anyone keeping the house and pantries stocked! What work ethic! BTW, Stephanie, now 90, has amazing work ethic too, and has raised a large family on their garden and food she put by.
Eat well, Geneviève Stillman