MEADOWLARK FARM WINTER CSA NEWS

                                                                                                10-30-09

Dear community of meadowlark friends,

            Balmy temperatures and rain, rain, rain create the framework for your first meadowlark late fall/ winter share.  It brings us a great deal of pleasure to feed you and your family at this time of year.  We thank you for participating in this late fall/winter share and appreciate that you folks  "get it" about eating locally grown foods.  You are willing to take the strange looking rooties and transform them into dinner.  The challenges continue as you take on the responsibility of washing your winter greens.  In the summer, our salad line is in full production; now it sleeps.  

We hope that you aren't overwhelmed by this abundance and have some words of encouragement and advice.  First, your share consists of two boxes, a bushel and 1/9^th plus a smaller ¾ bushel.  The larger box contains the rooties.  Anything in this big box would be fine in an unheated garage, room or basement, any space that stays ABOVE freezing, and is consistently cool.  The smaller box contains the precious greens and this must be protected and taken in. Please find room in the fridge for these beauties.  Many people find that washing these greens right away is helpful psychologically.  Knowing that you can simply pull out fresh and washed greens feels satisfying and nurturing.  Also, once you get your sink full of dirt and get the salad spinner out, you may as well go for it!  We recommend filling your sink with cold water, placing the greens within and swish, swish, swish.  The salad mix is so little and oh so sandy from all of the rain, that you will want to rinse it at least twice.   

            Your winter share today includes:  yellow onions, shallots, a small bag of already separated/cracked garlic cloves, a  bonus left over from garlic planting, 3 winter squash; sunshine orange, buttercup and a delicata which is small and stripy, 3 leeks, celeriac or celery root which are knobbly and brown, chioggia beets, sugarsnax carrots, purple majesty potatoes which are purple through and through, a purple or red cabbage and Italian parsley in the little waxed bag.  Brussels sprouts are on the side, please take 2 stalks.  The smaller box contains broccoli raab, red Russian kale, 1 ¼ # salad mix and a bag of straight arugula.   

            The best way to store the Brussels sprouts is right on the stem in a cold spot.  We leave ours outside on the porch and break them off as needed.  Try this recipe to warm your bones:

                        BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND MUSHROOM RAGOUT WITH HERB DUMPLINGS

first make mushroom stock:  to do this, take ½ c. dried porcini mushrooms and cover with 3 c. boiling water and set aside.  Heat 2 tsp olive oil and sauté 1 carrot, 1 onion, 1 large garlic clove and 2 fresh mushrooms.  Stir and sauté until browned, 10 minutes.  Reduce heat,  stir in 2 tsp tomato paste, 1 tsp dried marjoram, ½ c. red wine and 1 TBL flour.  Reduce to syrupy consistency and after 3 minutes add porcini and  soaking liquid plus salt and black pepper.  Simmer 20 minutes, then strain. 

mushroom ragout:

-4 TBL olive oil            -2 medium onions, sliced ½" thick                       -3/4 # mushrooms of choice, sliced

-3 TBL chopped parsley            -1 TBL chopped tarragon           -1 plump garlic clove, minced

-1/2 large lemon                       -1 # Brussels sprouts, halved

Bring pot of water to boil for Brussels sprouts.  Heat oil in wide skillet.  Add onions and cook over medium heat until aromatic and colored, 12 minutes.  Meanwhile slice mushrooms and chop herbs and garlic.  Turn onions to high and add mushrooms,  herbs and garlic.  Squeeze lemon over mushrooms and sauté until browned 5-7 minutes then reduce heat to low.  Add salt to boiling water and then Brussels sprouts.  Boil until just tender, don't overdo it here, 4 minutes.  Drain and add to pan and pour in mushroom stock.  Turn off heat and make dumplings.

dumplings:

Mix 1 c. all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 3/8 tsp salt.  Mix in ¾ c. milk heated with 3 TBL butter, 3 TBL mixed chopped parsley and 1 egg quickly with a fork.  Add dumpling batter by spoonfuls to ragout, making 12 small dumplings.  Cover pan with tented foil, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.  Serve in soup plates, and divvy out dumplings. 

Have fun with your winter foods and next share will be Friday, Nov. 13^th.  Remember, we will have a special Thanksgiving share on Tuesday, Nov. 24^th.  Any special requests?  Thanks for returning both boxes next time.  love, the meadowlarks