|
Dear Common Thread CSA Members,
It's the second to last week of distribution and we finally had a frost. Well, a freeze actually. It got down to 27 degrees on Saturday night and then down to 23 degrees on Sunday night. The peppers, tomatoes and zukes were already on their last legs but the flowers were still full of beautiful blooms, but they are all brown now. We took a picture of Leslie with one of the last bouquets of the season on Saturday (above). But the cold means that the brussel sprouts will be tastier after a frost, and the kale and carrots that we pick now will be sweeter too.
We still have winter shares, and need just a few more to be able to do the deliveries to Dewitt and Utica. Please help us spread the word about this opportunity to keep eating local, healthy food from November into January! To sign up, just fill out our Winter Share Agreement Form and mail it in or bring it to the on-farm CSA distribution. If you plan to sign up and haven't sent in your form yet, please let us know so that we can hold you a space.
We will be sending out more information about signing up for the CSA for 2016 very soon and also sending out a survey so we can plan a great 2016.
We have brussel sprouts! This is one of our favorites. Brussel sprouts are quite hard won since they are seeded in the spring and are not ready until October and in the meantime must be covered to keep bugs out, watered, weeded, fertilized, and topped. I used to steam the sprouts which was okay but once I started roasting them I never looked back. Tonight, I picked them off the stalk, washed them, peeled off an outer layer or two that were not looking as nice, cut them in half, tossed them with oil, vinegar, tamari, maple syrup and salt, and roasted them at 375 degrees until they were soft and a little crispy. Yum!
We are starting to pull out the Butterkin Squash this week. We haven't grown this variety before, as it is a new variety. We've grown Long Island Cheese and like it but they are very large squashes which are a little much to deal with. Butterkin looks like a smaller version of Long Island Cheese. They are tasty enough for eating straight but are also dense little squashes which are good for baking.
Daikon radishes are crazy looking roots - they can be very long although they come in all sizes. They are a radish, but more mild than our little red radishes and they store well for a long time. They are used a lot in Japanese cooking, such as in miso soup and stir fries (they go very well with bok choi or chinese cabbage with a tamari/garlic/ginger seasoning). Common Thread member Michiko shared a recipe with me: she makes a salad with daikon and carrots, cutting both into very small (matchstick size) pieces and tossing with vinegar and a little bit of salt and sugar. I searched online to see if there were other recipes like this and saw a number of carrot and daikon dishes. Here is one from boston.com/Boston Globe, in case you'd like to have some proportions:
Carrot Daikon Salad
Light vinegared salads, known in Japan as sunomono, can be made with most any vegetable. In Shizuo Tsuji's "Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art,'' the author pairs carrot and daikon radish in a light and refreshing dish with a sweet and sour dressing called amazu (the word looks like shorthand for amazing - and it is). Salt shreds of deep orange carrot and white daikon radish to release their liquid, then knead the vegetables to create icicle-like shards of daikon. The dressing is made from mild rice vinegar, sugar, and water heated and then cooled. Toss it with the crunchy vegetables and refrigerate the dish for at least 30 minutes (it's even more flavorful if left overnight). Traditionally, the salad is served in small plates but add this mixture to a bowl of salad greens and you have an appealing variation.
| 1 | large carrot, cut into 2-inch-by- 1/2-inch matchsticks | | 1 | medium (1 pound) daikon radish, cut into 2-inch-by- 1/2-inch matchsticks | | 1 | teaspoon salt | | 1/4 | cup unseasoned rice vinegar | | 1 1/2 | tablespoons sugar | | 1/4 | cup water |
1. In a large bowl combine the carrot and daikon radish matchsticks. Add the salt and toss lightly. After several minutes, mix and lightly knead the vegetables with your hands. Working over a colander set in a bowl, gather up the vegetables in your hands and squeeze out the liquid. Rinse and dry the bowl. Place the vegetables in it.
2. In a glass bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, and water. Heat in a microwave for 1 minute or until the sugar dissolves. Alternatively, heat the mixture in a small saucepan. Cool to room temperature.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the vinegar mixture onto the vegetables. Mix with your hand and then squeeze the liquid from the vegetables. Discard the liquid.
4. Add the remaining dressing to the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to two days.
Yours in the field,
Wendy and Asher
|
