Henry’s CSA

Food & Farm Notes

Week 20 – October 9, 2007

 

In Your Share This Week:

Choice of Herb: Basil, Dill, or Sorrel

Choice of Spicy Salad Greens: Arugula, Mizuna, Golden Frill, Ruby Streaks

Choice of Greens: Kale, Turnip Greens, Mei Qing Choi, Fun Jen, Tah Tsai, or Stir-fry mix

Choice of: Winter Squash, Pumpkin, Okra, or Poblano Peppers

Choice of Roots: Parsnips, Salsify, Celery Root, Red Turnips, Purple-top Turnips, Japanese Turnips, Rutabagas, Red Radish, Daikon Radish, Rose-Heart Radish, Black Radish, Burdock, Sunchokes

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FARM NOTES: Annual Potluck

 

nothing lost in translation

 

By Aozora Brockman

 

“ . . . twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, THIRTY!”

 

I turned around quickly. Green tomato plants greeted me. They waved in the wind as I ran through the rows trying to find Noah, our farmer neighbor Bill Davison’s incredibly energy-filled son. I finally found him, running as fast as he could down the tomato rows.  After chasing him, I felt all worn out.

 

“Let’s go back,” I said to Noah in between breaths. Noah nodded his agreement so we walked back up to the eating area of tables and hay-bale seating on the hill above the field.

 

It was the annual potluck at Henry’s Farm. Every fall, we have a Potluck/Farm Tour here on the farm, when we invite all our market and CSA customers to come out and see where their veggies come from. If you didn’t make it, you really missed out. We had perfect fall weather--the sun warmed my skin as the blue sky stretched endlessly up above.  The field looked beautiful, as if it were showing itself off to the newcomers.

 

Soon after our trip up from the field, Noah and the Davisons had to make their way home. After they left, I spent the whole rest of the evening conversing with everyone. The hours went by like mere seconds and before I knew it the sun was setting. The field was dimming slowly, putting the once-illuminated vegetables to rest. My eyes traveled up to where the sun was disappearing into the horizon. Red and purple smeared the sky to make for an awe-inspiring sunset. I asked Renée for her digital camera and snapped the picture. A few minutes later the sunset was gone, faded into the blackening sky.

 

“Sora!” Daddy called my nickname. He had been giving several tours of the farm and now was getting the bonfire ready. I helped him get all the wood off of the truck and onto an already bulging pile of wood. The bonfire was ready.

 

Unfortunately I was not able to witness the lighting of the bonfire because I was busy giving a ‘Zoe Tour’. This tour consisted of me trying to guess what the vegetables were in the pitch darkness of the field. But it was a fun tour all the same.

 

Marjorie, Thomas, and I went up to the bonfire just in time for marshmallows. Mommy bought two huge bags of marshmallows, but we didn’t have a branch to roast them on. Renée, being the adventurer that she is, set out to find a dutiful marshmallow roasting stick. “I found one!” she said with a huge smile. It was a huge branch made up of lots of little branches sticking out every which way. We stuck marshmallows on every little branch and roasted them all on the fire. “Anybody want any marshmallows?” I yelled and started eating the warm marshmallows off the branches. 

 

“I want mine black,” Courtney said when she came over. So Bob put her marshmallow directly on the fire until it caught on fire. It was still burning when he showed it to Courtney. She blew it out, looked at the blackened marshmallow and said matter-of-factly, “Put it back on the fire. The other side isn’t black yet.”

 

 All this time our very own band of guitar and banjo players was playing. In the flickering light of the bonfire they played tune after tune, pausing to take requests. I requested Bob Dylan; Kazami requested Billy Joel.

 

After eating my share (or more) of marshmallows, I walked over to where Obachan--my Japanese grandmother--and Mommy were sitting.  They were talking to Violetta, the wife of Garrick, our farm intern 2 years ago, and her mother.  Violetta and her mother are from Peru and talk in Spanish, so I tried with difficulty to understand them. I am taking Spanish this year at school. Unfortunately, I was unable to understand anything but a few words here and there.

 

Obachan and Violetta’s mother were ‘talking.’ I say ‘talking’ because Violetta’s mother can only speak Spanish and Obachan can only speak Japanese. Obachan would talk to Violetta’s mother in Japanese, with big sweeping hand motions, and Violetta’s mother would try hard to understand. Sometimes I would have to translate the Japanese into English and tell Violetta, who would in turn translate the English into Spanish and relay the message to her mother. But sometimes the message Obachan was trying to communicate would be understood without translation.  They would both smile, their hands clasped tightly together. Looking at them I smiled and silently wished that everyone in the world could do this. I hoped everyone around the world could understand and forgive each other, and be peaceful.

 

 

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Food NOTES: Spicy Salad greens, winter radishes

 

 

WINTER RADISHES: Black, Rose-Heart, Daikon

 

The winter radishes are wonderfully crisp and delicious whether they are eaten raw, stir-fried, or in soups. My favorite way to eat the Black and Rose-Heart Radishes is simply sliced on bread with butter, or (especially) on a bagel with cream cheese. You shouldn’t peel the black radish, but can peel the Rose-heart and Daikon if you want to eliminate the stronger taste around the skin. It’s hard to imagine that something so simple as bread, butter or cheese, and radish could be so good, but try it and you’ll see.

 

Grated Daikon in Dipping Sauces for Veggies or Fish

 

Daikon Radish are also good in stir-fries and soups, but a classic Japanese preparation is grated daikon in a dipping sauce for vegetables or fish. The dipping sauce can be as simple as a dash of soy sauce. It's usually served with broiled fish, the radish adding a tangy sharpness and the soy sauce filling out the subtle flavor of the fish. You can use the grated daikon and soy as a east-west topping for hamburgers. On burgers, fish, or steamed vegetables, it's a refreshing alternative to rich, creamy toppings.

 

Steamed Veggies with Grated Daikon dipping sauce

Steamed vegetables of your choice

Dressing

1/2 pound daikon, peeled and grated

½ lemon, juice only

1-2 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted and lightly ground

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a jar, put the lid on and shake vigorously to blend. The dressing will keep for several days refrigerated.

2. Dress the steamed vegetables with the daikon dressing.

 

Noodle Dipping Sauce

2 1/2 cups dashi or light chicken stock
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
4 tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 ounce dried bonito flakes
Cooked, cold soba noodles
Thinly sliced scallions
Grated daikon

Combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Stir in the bonito flakes and immediately remove from the heat. Wait about 10 seconds for the flakes to get thoroughly soaked, and then strain. Let liquid cool to room temperature. Serve with soba noodles and steamed vegetables for dipping, along with scallions and grated daikon.

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SPICY SALAD GREENS – Golden Frill, Ruby Streaks, Mizuna, Arugula

 

There will be fall lettuces coming soon, but this week, try some of the spicy salad greens. Henry supplied these to Kendall Culinary College last Friday for their special “Slow Food” dinner with Alice Waters, so you will be in good company!

 

I love the slight tang of these greens, but if you find them too strong, you can moderate them with the sweet dressing or the poached egg dressing in the recipes below.

 

Sweet Dressing for Spicy Green Salad

1 cup olive oil

2/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 small onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon salt

 

Whisk together oil, sugar, vinegar, onion, and salt until emulsified. Toss with greens. Serve.

Spicy Greens with Poached Eggs

Dressing:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:
1/2 pound mixed greens such as golden frill, ruby streaks, mizuna, and arugula
4 quarts water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
4 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper

Place minced tarragon in a bowl, and add Dijon mustard. Add a pinch of salt, sherry vinegar, and olive oil. Whisk mixture together thoroughly.

In a large bowl, toss the greens with enough of the dressing to coat them lightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside.

For eggs, make sure that upon starting they are room temperature. Bring the water to a boil in a deep saucepan. Add the wine vinegar and salt. Adjust the heat so the water barely bubbles. One at a time, break the eggs into a small bowl, then slide gently into the water. Allow eggs to cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, then, with a slotted spoon, gently lift and shape the whites around the yolks. Continue to cook until the whites are just set and the yolks are glazed but still liquid about 2 1/2 minutes longer. Transfer the poached eggs with a slotted spoon to a clean dish towel or paper towels to drain.

Place poached eggs on top of coated greens in large bowl, add a pinch of salt, to taste. Serve. As you eat the salad, you break open the eggs and the yolks add a wonderful richness to the salad dressing.

 

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TURNIP GREENS (and ROOTS)

This week you can choose from the Japanese turnips (white and very mild), the Red Turnips, or the Purple Top Turnips. I had some of the latter last week, roasted with other root vegetables, and they were juicy and mild.

In addition to the classic turnip roots, Henry raises a variety of turnip bred especially for its lush greens. Turnip greens are the absolute best green for calcium, which is not only good for your teeth and bones, but also for nerve signaling, muscle contraction and relaxation (including a normal heartbeat), and the release of certain hormones.

The first recipe below is for the turnips and their greens, and the second is a classic Southern cooked greens dish. Try them both!

 

Turnip Greens with Cornmeal Dumplings

3/4 pound smoked meat (smoked turkey wings, or smoked ham or hocks are excellent)
4 quarts water
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 tsp pepper
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bunch turnip greens with roots
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 teaspoon sugar (optional; may be used if greens are bitter)
Cornmeal Dumplings, recipe follows

 

Place smoked meat in water along with salt, pepper, bouillon, and ginger. Cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Wash turnip greens in a sink full of clean water. Peel and slice or quarter turnip roots. Add greens to the meat pot and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring often. Add roots and continue to cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until roots are tender. (Reserve 2/3 cup turnip liquid for the dumplings.) Add butter and sugar. Serve with dumplings.

 

Cornmeal Dumplings
1 cup all-purpose cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg
2/3 cup liquid from cooked turnips

Mix all ingredients together. Gently roll teaspoonfuls of batter in the palms of your hands into approximately 1-inch balls; drop into boiling turnip liquid. Make sure each dumpling is completely covered in liquid by shaking the pot gently; do not stir. Boil for about 10 minutes.

Southern Braised Greens with Bacon

from Emeril Lagasse

3/4 pound sliced bacon
3 cups sliced onions
8 cloves garlic, mashed
3 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 quart water
1 (12-ounce) can beer
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses or cane syrup
5 pounds fresh greens, such as mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, or kale, rinsed well, picked over and tough stems removed

 

In a large, heavy pot cook the bacon until it has rendered most of its fat, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper and cook until the onions are wilted, about 4 minutes. Add 1 quart of water, the beer, vinegar, and molasses and bring to a boil. Begin adding the greens in batches, pressing down with a wooden spoon to submerge them in the hot liquid and adding more as they wilt. When all of the greens have been added, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the greens, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender.

 

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