Happy Halloween, everyone! We had a costume party on the farm Saturday night and got to see a lot of past and present farmers over the weekend. It was nice to get back together with everyone.
We’ve got a gorgeous week of weather in the forecast. All the crops still in the field have been soaking up the sun are are showing good signs of growth this late into the year. I was worried that some beds wouldn’t have enough time to mature, but with nights in the 40’s and 50’s, those worries have been put to bed. Carrots for the last few weeks of the season won’t be as big, this last bed we’ve been harvesting has been beautiful, but there are plenty of carrots to keep em in shares for the rest of fall.
One thing I have been meaning to include was that week 3 of fall shares was the first time since June that we weren’t able to include an herb in shares. We had a pretty good run on the herbs this year, something that I wanted to prioritize getting into shares on a weekly basis, and will try to replicate that again next year. I’d like to figure out how to get some of the perennial herbs to last longer into the fall. Sage, thyme, and oregano are perfect matches for fall veggies. I’m thinking of growing them as annuals in the rows rather than growing less in our limited perennial bed space.
We didn’t get the garlic planted last week. First time in 5 years it hasn’t been planted by Halloween! It was a little too wet in the fields to be walking all around them getting the garlic in, so decided to put it off until this Friday. Shouldn’t be an issue, especially with the warm weather we have had. We don’t want it to sprout until spring!
Looking like another nice week of shares this week. More below
FALL SHARES WEEK 5!
Fall shares go out every Wednesday from October 5th until the week of Thanksgiving. On November 22nd shares will be packed on Tuesday.
Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes are weekly regulars in shares. Celeriac is back in shares this week. Soups on! Escarole is going into shares trying to save it from the deer. They have been vicious this fall. Lettuce is still looking good in the field. Hakurei Turnips, my favorite veggie, will be in shares this week. Winter Squash will go in shares. Baskets will either have Delicata or Butternut Winter Squash was a bummer for us this year. It didn’t get enough water when establishing and never really caught up. We’ll keep passing out what we have and I plan on buying some in for the end of the season.
1 head escarole fresh, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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3-4 cloves garlic sliced
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pinch crushed chili flakes or more-according to taste
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salt to taste
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lemon juice optional
Instructions
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Set a large pot of salted water to boil.
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Once the water has started boiling, add the chopped escarole, and simmer for about 5 minutes. The total time will vary based on how tough the leaves are.
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Meanwhile, over medium heat, drizzle 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat.
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Lower the heat to medium, add the sliced garlic (3-4 cloves) and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Take care not to let the garlic brown.
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If desired, add a pinch or two of chili flakes.
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Remove from heat.
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By this time, the parboiled escarole should be tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, allowing the excess water to drain off and place in a bowl. There will be a little bit of liquid that accumulates at the bottom of the bowl.
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Next, add the drained escarole to the pan of sauteed garlic along with a couple of tablespoons of the drained liquid.
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The oil might splatter a little so be careful.
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Return the pan back to medium heat and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. If there is still a bit of liquid left, raise the heat to cook it off.
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Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Transfer to a serving dish and if desired serve with lemon wedges.
3 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
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1 large celeriac (celery root) bulb, peeled and cubed
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½ to ¾ cup homemade aioli (link under photo)
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Garnish: snipped fresh chives, fresh sage leaves, and celery leaves
Preparation
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Slice ¼ inch off the top of a head of garlic, exposing the tops of the cloves inside. Drizzle cut garlic with 1 tablespoon evoo, and wrap in foil. Roast in a 375°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the cloves are soft and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
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Place potatoes and celery root in a large pot. Cover with cold water, until it reaches 2 inches over the vegetables. Set to boil over medium high heat. Once water comes to a boil, cook for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft but not breaking apart.
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Drain vegetables, and return them back to the pot. Place over low heat to gently dry out vegetables in the warm pot for 3 to 5 minutes.
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Transfer vegetables to large mixing bowl. Squeeze garlic from the bulb. Rice or mash vegetables and roasted garlic through a potato ricer, or use a potato masher. Do not use a mixer as the potatoes will become too starchy.
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Add homemade aioli to vegetable-garlic mixture. Stir to combine. Add additional aioli until you have the texture and fluffiness you like. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with chopped chives, celery leaves, and fried sage.
Tracie's Community Farm 