Henry's CSA this week . . .
Date: November 2nd 2009
In Your Share
Asian Greens (various kinds of Choi)
Scallions
Sunchokes
Parsley
Pumpkin or Winter Squash
Your choice of 2 from a wide selection of ROOTS
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Counting down . . . only TWO more weeks of CSA veggies after this week!
And, as promised, Henry is bringing sign-up sheets for next year’s CSA this week. For those of who pick up in Morton or Eureka, Henry is getting the sheets to the pick-up site host, who will get them to you. Simply fill out the form, and give it back to the host along with your check. (B-N subscribers will pick up the sheets from Henry, and get them back to Henry with a check -- at the pick-up or next week.) The check confirms your spot in next year’s CSA, but remember -- Henry won’t cash the checks until Feb. 2010.
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FOOD NOTES – Sunchokes, Scallions, Parsley
The Scallions are so nice and big that many people think they are leeks. But these are true scallions, and both the white and the green part can be used. I substitute them for onions in any dish, from scrambled eggs, to sautéed vegetables, to soups.
Parsley is another versatile vegetable. You can chop it and add to just about any dish you are making – during the cooking, or as a garnish after. But my favorite things to do is make it into a pesto, and put it on crackers, or with mayonnaise on sandwiches. It also makes a nice marinade for chicken or fish.
Parsley Pesto
- 2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves, washed and dried
- 1 large clove garlic, crushed
- Zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
- 1/4 cup walnut halves, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
- Pinch salt, or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine the parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice, walnuts, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of the oil in a food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the remaining oil to form a creamy sauce. Stop the machine occasionally to scrape down the sides, if needed. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
SUNCHOKES (Jerusalem Artichokes)
While this cool damp year has been hard on a lot of crops (and on the farmer and his family and apprentices, with week after week of cold, muddy harvest days!), it has been fantastic for the sunchokes. Since we are getting a bumper crop, you are too--so I looked up a few different things to do with them.
RAW -- The raw sunchoke is delicious: crisp and crunchy, like a water chestnut, with a hint of sweetness. You can use them instead of water chestnuts or jicama in recipes. Or . . .
- Slice raw sunchokes and enjoy the crunch they add to any salad.
- Slice and serve them along with other raw vegetables and dips.
- Shred them into a slaw.
- Slice, dice, or shred and marinate in a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice or rice vinegar
STIR FRY: Slice and stir fry along with other fresh vegetables in a little extra virgin olive oil. They will soften in about 4 to 6 minutes. For a tender crisp texture, stir fry about 2 to 4 minutes.
BAKED: Sunchokes can be baked whole or sliced. Toss them in a bowl with a little extra virgin olive oil (and other root vegetables if you like) and place on a baking sheet. Set the oven at 375 and bake 30-45 minutes for whole, and 20-25 minutes for sliced, turning them half way through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
SAUTÉED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH SUNFLOWER SEEDS
1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
Salt and freshly milled pepper
3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil
Salt and freshly milled pepper
3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
Sauté the Jerusalem artichokes in the oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly browned and tender but still a bit crisp. Taste them as they cook; they can be done in 5 minutes or as long as 10. Season with salt and pepper, add the sunflower seeds, parsley, and thyme, and toss well.
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE FRITTERS
1/2 pound Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed
1 carrot, peeled
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Fresh black pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste
2 eggs
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Peanut oil for frying.
1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Grate Jerusalem artichokes and carrot into a mixing bowl. Add shallots. Stir together cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder, and stir in, mixing well. Season with pepper and Tabasco to taste. Add eggs, and mix thoroughly.
2. Combine scallions, sour cream and lime juice, and set aside.
3. Pour oil 1/2 inch deep into a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat until sizzling. Drop mixture in by tablespoons, flattening slightly. Fry until crisp and golden brown, turning once. Transfer to oven on a baking sheet lined with paper towel while frying more. Serve with sour cream mixture.
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE GRATIN
Adapted from ''Uncommon Fruits and Vegetables'' by Elizabeth Schneider (William Morrow, 1998)
1 pound Jerusalem artichokes
1 cup milk
Butter for pan
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, halved
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
White pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated Gruyère.
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Scrub Jerusalem artichokes, and slice 1/4 inch thick. Bring milk and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, add slices, and cook until tender but crisp, 8 minutes. Drain, and arrange in a buttered baking dish.
2. In a small saucepan, bring cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper to a boil. Remove garlic, and pour mixture evenly over artichokes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in upper level of oven until bubbling and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
More information and ideas for Sunchokes:
Mark Bittman’s blog: http://bitten.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/a-versatile-root/
Trowbridge, Peggy. http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blv287.htm
p.s. If you’d like to attend a very special “Farmer Dinner” featuring Henry’s vegetables (plus Henry and various members of his family) at June Restaurant in Peoria on Nov. 12th, call the restaurant today at 309-682-5863.
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