Root for Winter Roots (and Pears)

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Date: October 15th 2009

It's been a long week down in Congerville, my home town . . . and a very long weekend. Or a non-existent one -- if you equate “weekend” with time off work.

We had harvested all day last Friday (in the cold rain) for the market. Dad laughed wryly when he heard the ag reporter announce, “Harvest has come to a standstill across central Illinois!” knowing there were half a dozen people harvesting like mad down in Henry's fields every daylight hour and some of the dark ones as well.

Then Henry left at 1 a.m. Saturday, as usual, for Evanston. But before he did, he left instructions for Matt, Kris, Adrienne, and me to go down to the field at 11, after the frost had burned off. Our first task was to harvest out the chard, kale, fennel, lemongrass, and parsley for Tuesday’s CSA – to save them from what was to be an even deeper freeze in the low 20s on Saturday night. Once the greens were cut and bunched and safely out of the field, we then got busy digging the most frost-sensitive of the roots, the sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are a tropical vine that can’t stand soil temperatures (or storage temperatures) lower than 55 degrees. The frost Friday night had blackened their leaves, and the rot would seep into the tubers if we didn't act swiftly. And so we dug in the heavy mud, and scrabbled around in the freezing wet earth to rescue sweet potatoes from the earth’s cold grip hour after hour after hour. It was on the one hand miserably hard back-breaking work. On the other hand, and at the same time, it was wholly gratifying -- plunging the potato fork into the ground and turning over the black earth until we came upon the next cluster, then loosening them with the fork and bending down to pu ll beautiful torpedo-shaped vegetables, burgeoning with taste and nutrition, from the ground to feed us all in the coming months.

So while Henry worked at the market all morning, we worked harvesting greens. And while he was driving home in the mid to late afternoon, we harvested sweet potatoes. At 5 p.m. we heard the rattle of the diesel engine of the big box truck coming down the lane. Minutes later Henry joined us, as did Matthew, and we continued digging with renewed urgency for the last few hours of daylight.

As darkness descended, we hurried to gather up all the piled-up sweet potatoes along the rows -- white, orange, and the purple-skinned Japanese varieties. Then the apprentices took the potatoes to their sauna – the hot, humid room they cure in. Just as meat is cured with salt and/or smoke, sweet potatoes are cured with 7-10 days of 90 degree heat and 90% humidity, which thickens their skin and starts the enzymes working to make them sweeter and last longer. I left Henry at the wash area Saturday evening, cleaning the greens we had harvested earlier. I don’t know what time he finally got into the house, and into bed, but I know it was nearly a 24 hour work day.

There was still nearly a third of the sweet potatoes in the ground as we went to bed, so we were relieved in the morning to see that the temperature had not fallen nearly as far as had been predicted. And at 9 a.m. everyone gathered in the field once again to finish the task.

In other news . . .

We continue to have a plethora of delicious Winter Squashes. The word on the street is that the Nobel Committee is considering awarding Henry a prize on the basis that his Acorns, Butternuts, Delicata, and Kabocha have altered people’s world view, and been known to bring about good will and conviviality through their extraordinarily deep, rich tastes. This week you’ll see a few new varieties from Southeast Asia – look for the warty, flattened, medium-sized pumpkin shape, in a green-tan color.

The Garlic Braids are being snapped up by eager customers as fast as Henry can make them. So if you want one, come early and get it! He’s making short, long, and very long braids – some plain, and some with beautiful dried flowers or peppers woven in. These make wonderful gifts -- or give yourself and your own kitchen the gift of beauty and utility.

We are nearing the end of the potatoes, so stock up on your favorites now, because it is very likely that Henry will run out before the last market (just 3 more regular markets after this Saturday, and then 2 weeks later, the pre-Thanksgiving market). This will also be the last week for fennel. And although you won’t see head lettuces, there are plenty of spicy salad greens, as well as our autumn mesclun salad mix.

The pears from the old pear tree are ripening fast, so Henry will be bringing a lot up this week. The tree was there when Henry and Hiroko bought there place, so we don’t know the variety, but it is a good winter-keeper, and the pears are crisp and sweet – good for eating or cooking. Google a recipe for Pears poached in red wine. It's simple, and makes an elegant and beautiful dessert -- an ideal ending to an autumn meal.

FOOD NOTES – Celery Root, Parsley Root, Parsnips, Salsify, and Fennel

While this cold, wet year has been tough on many of the heat-loving summer crops, and the potatoes as well, it has been a perfect year for many of the root crops, particularly the celery root, parsley root, parsnips and salsify. And now that we’ve had a frost, they are even sweeter, wonderful in soups, stews, or roasted.

Roasted Root Vegetables

One of my favorite things to do as the weather gets colder is cut up a bunch of different roots and roast them with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a few herbs such as rosemary or winter savory.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Use any combination of roots, and cut into similar sized chunks (peeled): parsnips, celery root, small fennel heads, white or orange or red carrots, radishes (great cooked), etc. Toss with enough olive oil to coat the vegetables and season with salt and pepper and your favorite herbs. Roast in a large glass or ceramic baking dish, or a heavy roasting pan, uncovered, until browned and tender, 20 to 30 or even 40 or 50 minutes, depending on the size of your vegetable chunks. Stir every 10-15 minutes so that they cook and brown evenly

PARSNIPS are wonderfully aromatic. You can use them in soups or in savory dishes as you would potatoes (try parsnip oven fries, or mashed parsnips), or substitute them for carrots in carrot cake or carrot cookie recipes.

Mashed Parsnips and Scallions

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths
8 ounces potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
Salt
1 bunch green onions, trimmed, cleaned and sliced thin
1/2 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
black pepper

Place the parsnips and potatoes in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Pour in enough cold water to cover by three inches. Add plenty of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the scallions and cook 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter over low heat until the butter is melted. Drain the vegetables thoroughly and return them to the empty pot. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher, gradually adding the milk mixture, to a smooth texture. Add the lemon zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Roasted Parsnips with Balsamic Vinegar and Rosemary

adapted from Vegetables Every Day by J. Bishop

2 pounds parsnips
2 Tablespoons olive oil
S & P to taste
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Peel parsnips (or scrub them really well.) Cut them into 1 inch chunks or mor slender 'batons'. Toss with oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. (sometimes I do this step in a bowl then just arrange them on the baking sheet. -julia) Sprinkle with S & P. Roast, turning once, until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Combine the vinegar and rosemary in a small bowl. Drizzle the mixture over the roasted parsnips on the baking sheet and toss to coat. Continue to roast just until the parsnips are glazed, about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately.

PARSNIP-PECAN CAKE
adapted from: Marian Morash's VICTORY GARDEN COOKBOOK Yield: 1- 10" Tube pan

* 1 1/4 cups cooking oil, such as safflower or 'light' olive
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 2 cups flour
* 1 Tb baking powder
* 1 Tb baking soda
* 2 tsp cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 4 eggs
* 3 cups grated raw parsnips
* 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Thoroughly combine oil and sugar. Sift together dry ingredients and add to oil and sugar, alternating with eggs. Beat well after each addition. Mix in parsnips and then pecans. Pour into buttered tube pan. Bake in a preheated 325 degrees F oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Buttered Parsnips
from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

1 1/2 to 2 pounds parsnips, peeled
2 Tbs butter
Salt and freshly milled pepper
Chopped parsley or tarragon

Cut the parsnips into pieces of equal length, then halve or quarter the thicker ends so they'll be approximately the same thickness as the rest. Steam or boil in salted water until tender-firm, 7 to 10 minutes, checking after 5 minutes. Drain and toss well with the butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss with chopped parsley.

SALSIFY -- Even though Thomas Jefferson is said to have cultivated it, salsify, with a flavor that reminds some of oysters and others of artichokes, is more popular in Europe than it is here, but seasonally minded chefs are raising its profile. Salsify is a hairy and not particularly attractive root, but it has a delicate, mild taste that can be addicting. After you peel these roots, they turn brown quickly. If that bothers you, put them into water that has a bit of lemon juice. This slows down the process. If that doesn’t bother you, don’t worry about it. Boil (for about 20 mins) or bake with some potatoes, sunchokes, and winter squash for about an hour until tender. If you make a soup, throw in so me chopped salsify.

Pan-Roasted Salsify

4 large salsify roots
Juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1–2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Peel the salsify and place in a shallow pan with water to cover, lemon juice, black pepper, 3 sprigs of thyme, bay leaf, coriander, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender.

Remove salsify from liquid and once cooled, cut into small pieces (batons) of equal size. Heat sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil.

Add salsify and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown. Add the butter and the remaining sprigs of thyme and toss until the butter foams. Remove from heat and transfer to paper towels. Serve immediately.

Teresa’s Fruit and Herb News

Pear Bonanza!

Yes, it's yet another week for our delicious Keiffer Pears. If you haven’t tasted these juicy, sweet pears yet, you need to.

Keiffers are a very old pear variety popular with Midwestern farmers because of their ability to not only withstand the harsh cold winter winds and to fruit almost every year, but to last half the winter in the fruit cellar! I’ve had these pears last until Christmas. Just put them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag and remove them as you would like to use them. If they need additional ripening, just leave them on the counter until they are a deep yellow color. Don’t wait until they are soft though, or they may be brown at the center.

Dried Flower Bouquets

Our fresh flowers all got frosted last week, but we have been cutting and drying flowers all summer for our dried flower bouquets. These bright, beautiful bunches of statice, globe amaranth, strawflowers, and celosia, will bring you a little bit of summer all winter long. And, they will last the all winter long too, and possibly longer. What a deal!

Fresh and Dry herbs and Herb Teas - STOCK UP, STOCK UP!

The basil bit the dust last week, along with the lemon grass, lemon verbena, and a few other fresh herbs. I managed to save a few bunches of lemon grass, and we have dry lemon verbena and basil for those of you who need those. We will have plenty of mint, sage, oregano, parsley, and some of the other hardier herbs, so be sure to stop by and get some for your roasted root veggies or fall squash recipes.

I just made the last batches of Thai Spice Tea and Tulsi Tea today. When those are sold out, that will be it for the season. There are plenty of the other 6 varieties though, so stock up and pick some up for holiday gifts while you are at it.

Don’t forget to check your cupboards and restock all of your culinary herbs too. Our dry herbs are so much more flavorful and vibrant than those from the grocery store. After you try them, you’ll never go back.

Check last week’s email for varieties and descriptions of all of our herb teas and dry herbs.

New Soaps this Week

Jill has been slaving away in her kitchen making 2 or 3 batches of soap every week for the past month. This week we will be bringing up her Cucumber-Melon Soap which contains soothing cucumber and melon seeds for scrubbing, and a variation on one of the old favorites called Cleansing Oatmeal. These are smaller bars, so each package contains 2 small bars of soap. In the next couple of weeks look for 3 new varieties—Almond Joy, Pumpkin Spice, and Lemon Medley.

Very LAST of the Hedge Apples

Get ‘em now or forever hold your peace!

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