Saturday morning our friends Maura and Charlie came down to help us on the farm for the day! The cloudy skies did not dampen their enthusiasm as they walked the fields, helped set up the store, and fixed the broken mower. Did I mention they delivered burritos for lunch? Friends like that make even a rainy Saturday on the farm feel bright! The festivities continued yesterday when we attended the Acton-Boxborough Farmers Market for our second and final Sunday this fall. While our focus is on selling vegetables on the farm, a few hours at the market September 28th and October 5th was a great way to spread the word about our venture and get involved with our neighboring communities. We had a blast meeting new people, sharing recipes, and of course talking vegetables. We are back on the farm today harvesting more leeks, storage potatoes, carrots, and more for the remaining four weeks of the farm store and CSA season.
In the CSA:
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
A frost last night did in many of the pick your own crops but we will still have herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill, thyme and oregano) until we have a hard frost.
In the store:
In the CSA:
- Buttercup Squash- These winter squash are creamy and richly flavored. Great for roasting in the oven as a side dish to any fall meal. The skin is edible so very little preparation is required to enjoy!
- Butternut Squash
- Savoy Cabbage- These pretty cabbages have relatively thin leaves which makes them great for coleslaw or light cooking.
- Baby Bok Choy
- Radishes- Easter egg and cherriette
- Pie Pumpkin
- Celery
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Red Ace Beets
- Potatoes
- Acorn Squash
- Red Kuri Squash
- Broccoli
- Scallions
- Leeks
- Arugula
- Tat Soi
- Spinach
- Red Russian Kale
- Salanova
- Kale
- Peppers- Sweet Italian including red and orange
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
A frost last night did in many of the pick your own crops but we will still have herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill, thyme and oregano) until we have a hard frost.
In the store:
In addition to everything available in the CSA, we will also have swiss chard, Happy Rich broccoli, head lettuce, spaghetti squash, and delicata squash.
Kale, Cabbage & Carrot Salad With Creamy Caper Dressing
From the Wall Street Journal
ANTIOXIDANTS, FIBER, calcium, iron, potassium: These are our mantras in the aftermath of December's excesses. Leafy, deep-green kale has all that and then some. Combined with fresh cabbage, carrot and onion, tossed in a bold, creamy dressing, it adds up to an appealing and genuinely satisfying winter salad. New Year's resolutions? No problem. You're on safe ground here.
The third Slow Food Fast contribution from chef Michael Anthony of Manhattan's Gramercy Tavern, this is a recipe you'll have no excuse not to make. None of the ingredients is esoteric, and the dish comes together in no time. Moreover, it keeps. "I make lots of this and let it sit in the fridge," Mr. Anthony said. "It actually gets better with age." Over the course of several days, the dressing penetrates deep into the vegetables and softens their bite.
Use any variety of kale you like, the chef said, but seek out bunches with firm, shiny leaves and moist, snappy stems. To the mineral flavor of the kale, the carrot adds sweetness; the cabbage, a pleasing bitterness; and the onion, a nice astringent kick.
The one hint of decadence here, the dressing, has a rich mayonnaise base. "People are constantly surprised that you can make mayonnaise at home," Mr. Anthony said. "And it actually takes just three minutes." Simply whisk an egg yolk with a little mustard to help emulsify and bind the dressing, then, drop by drop, beat in equal measures of olive and grapeseed oil. Once the dressing is good and thick, mix in the lemon juice, garlic and capers, along with a spoonful of the capers' flavorful brine.
Go ahead and use your hands to toss the salad, massaging the rich dressing into the vegetables to coat every last crunchy bite. At times like this, we need all the decadence we can get.
—Kitty Greenwald
Total Time: 20 minutes Serves:4-6
Ingredients
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon caper pickling liquid
1 large clove garlic, smashed to a paste
½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons snipped chives (optional)
¼ head of cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
1½ large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves thinly sliced or torn into bite-size pieces
½ yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, basil, chives or dill (optional)
What To Do
1. In medium bowl, whisk egg yolk with mustard. While whisking constantly, slowly dribble in oils. Continue whisking until oil is fully incorporated and mixture is thick and pale in color.
2. Whisk in capers, pickling liquid, garlic and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste and snipped chives, if using.
3. In a large bowl, combine all vegetables and herbs, if using. Add dressing and toss, using both hands to mix until dressing coats all ingredients. Allow salad to marinate until vegetables soften, at least 10 minutes.