Henry’s CSA

Food & Farm Notes

Week 21 – October 16, 2007

 

In Your Share This Week:

Mesclun – mix of fall salad greens

Sweet Potatoes

Spaghetti Squash

Choice of Asian Greens, including Stir-fry mix, Mei Qing Choi, and others

Choice of Roots: Carrots, Japanese Turnips, Daikon, and others

 

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A NOTE ABOUT SIGNS: Last week, because there were so many choices of roots and greens, Henry put out the signs that he uses at the Evanston market. These signs give not only the name of the vegetable, but also a price. This may have confused some of you, thinking these were extra items for separate purchase. But in fact they were all part of the selection for your regular CSA share. We apologize for any confusion, and ask you to ignore any dollar signs on the vegetable signs.

 

This week there will be the last of the okra in the share box, for the okra lovers, and also available for purchase by the pound.

 

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FARM NOTES: Waiting for Rain

 

There’s an 80% chance of rain again this week, the weatherman says, but he’s said that for 3 weeks running now -- and last week we got zero, and only a light shower the week before. The nice inch of rain that fell a few weeks ago led Henry to put away all the irrigation equipment, thinking this was the start of our normal autumn rains. But instead of rain, we got a few more weeks of August-like weather. Now the ground is dusty and the plants wilting in the noon-day sun. So here we are, in mid-October, waiting for the soaking autumn rains, the sodden lanes, the earth black and green all over again, a mini-spring before the final fall.

 

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Food NOTES: First (petite) sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, spaghetti without Pasta

 

sweet potatoes

Henry and the crew are starting to dig all the sweet potatoes this week, and, as usual, the first ones to appear in your share are the ones that will not be good keepers – this translates to the small ones and the broken ones, and now and then, the ones that have been taste-tested by our resident voles (which our dogs are working to drive out of the field, away from the delicious roots). In November, however, you’ll be getting the gorgeous big sweet potatoes that will last all winter long (if you can keep yourself from eating them!).

 

You’ll get your choice of two varieties this week, the copper-skinned, orange-fleshed Jewel, and the purple-skinned, white-fleshed Japanese. Jewel is the classic sweet potato you are used to, with a moist orange flesh. The Japanese sweet potatoes are drier and sweeter, excellent roasted, or in a stir fry.

 

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carrots

The carrots have been suffering through the heat of July and August, and now September and October as well, so they are not as sweet as our normal fall carrots. Instead of using them as raw snacks, try them cooked, roasted, or in soups, where you can taste their robust flavors. Here are a few great recipes.

 

Tunisian Carrots

1 1/2 pounds carrots (6 to 7 large carrots) peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup water

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

 

1.      Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add carrots and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain well.

2.      Stir oil, cumin and cayenne in heavy large skillet over medium heat until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add carrots, then 1/2 cup water and vinegar. Simmer over medium heat until liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3.      Remove from heat. Cool. Mix in cilantro or parsley. Serves 4.

 

 

Carrot, Ginger, Coriander Soup

Adapted from Bruce Sherman, North Pond Restaurant

1 Tb olive oil

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 piece (1/2 inch long) ginger, chopped (opt.)

1/2 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 pound carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp Each of salt, pepper, ground coriander

2 cans (14.5 oz each) chicken broth

1/2 stick butter, cubed

 

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, garlic, ginger and celery. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the carrots, salt, and pepper. Cook until the carrots and fennel begin to soften, about 6 minutes.

 

Stir in the coriander. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the chicken broth. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the carrot pieces can be easily mashed, about 25 minutes.

 

Puree the vegetable mixture in a blender or food processor. Pulse in pieces of butter, one at a time, until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer into the saucepan. Heat over medium heat, about 3 minutes.

 

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Spaghetti Squash

 

Henry is growing a number of new varieties of Spaghetti Squash this year -- the “Pasta Hybrid” and the “Small Wonder,” a smaller, rounder spaghetti squash that is perfect to serve one or two people.

 

 

Spaghetti Squash can be used instead of noodles or spaghetti in any regular pasta dish. When cooked, the flesh separates into long pasta-like strands when teased with a fork. It’s low in calories and easy to prepare—simply bake, boil, or microwave, then combine the hot swirls with a full-flavored sauce, such as cheese, pesto, tomato, or garlic and herbs and serve as you would spaghetti. Be sure not to overcook, as it then gets watery and loses its sweetness.

 

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

1/2 medium spaghetti squash
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Slice spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and clean as you would a pumpkin. Completely submerge 1 half at a time, in a large pot of boiling water and cook for about 20 minutes until the inside is just tender to a fork and pulls apart in strands. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.

Scoop out the cooked squash from its skin with a spoon as you would an avocado and discard the skin. Use a fork to fluff and separate the squash into spaghetti- like strands. You can also use your hands. Reserve the separated cooked squash and dip with a strainer into boiling water to reheat just before serving.

Melt half the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cream and reduce for about 2 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in the rest of the butter and parsley. Place spaghetti squash in a large serving bowl, and pour Alfredo sauce over squash. Serve and enjoy!

 

Gingered Spaghetti Squash

Recipe adapted from Ming Tsai

1 small spaghetti squash cut in half, de-seeded
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
Salt and black pepper to taste

 

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on baking dish and add the butter, honey, ginger and seasoning in each squash cavity. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until squash is al dente. Do not overcook the squash. Spoon out squash and check for seasoning. Keep warm for serving

 

Herbed Spaghetti Squash

1 small spaghetti squash, about 2 pounds
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed soft herbs, such as chives, chervil, parsley and sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Using a sharp knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise and place, cut side down, in a baking dish. Add enough water to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a paring knife. Turn squash over and cover with foil again and continue to cook another 15 minutes, until the squash is very tender. Remove from the oven, uncover, and allow to cool slightly. Using a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Using a fork, gently pull the strands of squash away from the peel and place the squash strands into a mixing bowl.

Heat a skillet. Add the butter, spaghetti squash, herbs, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly but gently to heat and combine. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

 

BAKED SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH GRUYERE AND PARSLEY

1 spaghetti squash, about 3 pounds

1 cup grated gruyere cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons butter

1 garlic clove, chopped fine

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

 

Using sharp knife, deeply pierce squash in several places. Put squash in a hollow baking pan and bake at 375F for 1 1/4 hours or until shell gives to gentle pressure, turning over halfway through baking time.

 

Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds and fibers. Pull apart the strands with a fork and put into a large bowl. Add cheese, parsley, butter, garlic, salt and pepper; toss.

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