Share #25! Novemeber 16th 2011

In your share today:
Arugula/Mustard Mix
Radicchio
Fingerling Potatoes
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Delicata Squash
Pie Pumpkin or Buttercup Squash
Onions
Radishes
Garlic
Cayenne Peppers

Recipe:
Sausage, Pear and Parsnip Stuffing (from Epicurious)


Ingredients:
* 1 1-pound loaf unsliced egg bread, crust trimmed, bread cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes (about 12 cups)
* 2 cups 1/4-inch cubes peeled parsnips (about 5 medium)
* 1 pound breakfast-style bulk sausage
* 6 tablespoons (about) unsalted butter, melted
* 3 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
* 1 cup chopped dried pears
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
* 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 1/2 pounds under-ripe Anjou pears, unpeeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 1/2 cups)
* 1 cup plus additional canned low-salt chicken broth
* 5 large eggs, beaten to blend

Prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread cubes on large rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheet. Transfer to large bowl. Maintain oven temperature. Steam parsnips over boiling water until tender, about 4 minutes.

Sauté sausage in heavy large pot set over medium-high heat until brown and cooked through, breaking into small pieces with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Transfer sausage to strainer set over bowl. Add enough melted butter to sausage drippings to measure 6 tablespoons; add to pot. Heat over medium-low heat. Add leeks, dried pears, sage, nutmeg and parsnips to pot and sauté until leeks are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in sausage.

Heat 2 tablespoons melted butter in same pot over medium-high heat. Add fresh pears and sauté until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to bowl with parsnip mixture. Add 1 cup broth to same pot and boil until reduced almost to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add to parsnip mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover bread and parsnip mixture separately. Store bread at room temperature. Refrigerate parsnip mixture.) Add parsnip mixture to bread. Season with salt and pepper. Mix eggs into stuffing.

To bake stuffing in turkey:
Loosely fill main cavity with stuffing. Add enough broth to remaining stuffing to moisten lightly (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on amount of remaining stuffing). Generously butter glass baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish alongside turkey until heated through, about 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 to 20 minutes.

To bake all of stuffing in baking dish:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add enough broth to stuffing to moisten (about 3/4 to 1 cup). Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with butter foil, buttered side down; bake until heated through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is slightly crisp and golden, about 20 to 25 minutes longer.


Vegetarian option:
Roasted Parsnip Bread Pudding
Ingredients
* 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons), melted, plus more for dish
* 2 large leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and rinsed well (about 3 cups)
* 1/3 cup dry white wine
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 5 large eggs
* 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 loaf (12 ounces) brioche, crust removed and bread cut into 1-inch cubes

Prep:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle parsnips with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, shaking occasionally, until caramelized and tender, 23 to 25 minutes. Let cool. Reduce heat to 375.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a medium saute pan until melted. Add leeks, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add wine, and return to heat. Let simmer until reduced, 1 minute. Add thyme, and remove from heat. Stir in roasted parsnips.
3. Whisk together melted butter, heavy cream, eggs, and 3/4 cup Parmesan in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add leek-parsnip mixture, then fold in bread. (Mixture can be refrigerated overnight.)
4. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish, and pour parsnip mixture into dish. Cover loosely with parchment, then foil, and bake until golden brown and puffed, 50 minutes. Remove parchment and foil. Sprinkle with remaining cup Parmesan, and return to oven. Bake for 10 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Share #24: November 9th, 2011

In this weeks share:

Garlic, Swiss chard, leeks, daikon radish, parsnips, carrots, delicata/buttercup winter squash, chickories (escarole), shallot

We had a few friends out to help mulch the blueberry patch. There was a lot of melancholy talk about next summers fruit.

Recipe:

This recipe is adapted from CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) website.

Ginger and Cider Braised Winter Squash with Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:

2 medium winter squash (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
1 garlic clove, minced
1 inch piece freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 cups fresh unfiltered apple cider or juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons brown rice or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Walnuts or almonds, toasted and chopped

Cut off the stem of the squash and split lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut each piece lengthwise in half again, then crosswise into 1/2-inch -thick slices.

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over low heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not brown the garlic.

Add the squash to the skillet, then the apple cider, water, vinegar, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat at an even boil until the cider has boiled down to a glaze and the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and season with pepper, and additional salt if needed. Top with fresh cilantro and toasted nuts and serve.

Share #23 November 2nd, 2011

In your share today:
Fingerling Potatoes
Rutabaga
Parsnips
Delicata Winter Squash
Leeks
Onion
Garlic
Sweet Peppers
Hot Pepper
Eggplant
Kale
Radish/Turnip (farm pickup)

Recipe
Shepard's Pie w/ Rutabaga
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

* 1 Leek, sliced in coins
* 1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 1 sprig fresh thyme
* 2 dried bay leaves
* 1 clove garlic
* 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, plus more for rutabagas and potatoes
* (optional)2 pounds boneless beef chuck or leg of lamb for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces. Can substitute more veggies or meat alternative.
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups dry red wine
* 1 cup homemade or store-bought low-sodium canned beef stock or veg. stock
* 4 carrots, cut crosswise into 3-inch pieces
* Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 3 rutabagas (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into large pieces
* Fingerling or Russet potatoes (about 2 pounds), cut into large pieces
* 1/2 cup hot milk, or more if needed

Directions

1. Tie rosemary sprig, thyme, bay leaves, and garlic in a small piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni; set aside. Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until hot. Melt butter, and brown meat in two batches, taking care not to crowd the pieces or they will steam and not brown; transfer meat to a bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onions and leeks; cook until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Return meat to pan and sprinkle flour over the meat and onions, cook about 1 minute, stirring often.
2. Add wine, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the brown bits. Add the stock and bouquet garni, bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low heat until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid after 1 hour; add carrots, and cook, uncovered, for the last 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place rutabagas and potatoes in separate saucepans; cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender, 30 to 40 minutes for the rutabagas and 25 minutes for the potatoes. Drain; return to the saucepans to dry out any moisture from the vegetables for a few minutes.
4. Put the rutabagas and potatoes through a food mill fitted with a fine disk, or ricer, or mash by hand. Add butter, as desired, and enough hot milk to make a creamy puree. Season with salt and pepper; stir in chopped rosemary.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove bouquet garni; transfer stew into a deep 2-quart baking dish. Top with puree; dot lightly with butter. Bake 1 hour, or until top is brown and crusty. Serve hot.

Share #22: October 26th, 2011

In this weeks share:

Onions, sorrel, tomatoes, cress, radicchio, husk cherries, potatoes, carrots, peppers, delicata winter squash, leeks, lettuce

Recipe:

Mashed Parsnips

Ingredients:
Parsnips
2 bouillon cubes
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chives

Place parsnips in a saucepan and cover with water. Add the bouillon cubes and lemon juice. Simmer for 20 minutes and then drain. Mash the parsnips, adding the butter and cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chives.

Share #21: October 19th, 2011

In this weeks share:

Onions, leeks, garlic, rutabaga, turnips, radishes, tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), kale, arugula, cabbage, pie pumpkin


This past Sunday folks gathered for the second annual Sharemembers Harvest Festival at Wealth Underground Farm. We pressed apples for cider, bobbed for apples, played with goats, and conversed in the midst of a beautiful fall day in Portland.

Also, Shine a Light, an art event hosted by the Portland Art Museum and curated by the Art and Social Practice program at PSU, happened this last Friday. Wealth Underground farmer Nolan Calisch had a few projects running at the event. You can read more about Shine a Light and Nolan's projects on the Oregonian website.

Recipe:

Buttered Rutabaga and Kale

1 rutabaga, cut in cubes
a bunch of kale sliced in thin strips
one onion chopped thinly
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp paprika
salt
pepper

Place half the butter and oil in a pan and turn on medium high heat. When the butter has completely melted, add the onions, covering them completely dousing them in the liquid, and then cook until slightly brown. Once you've caramelized the onions, add the rest of the ingredients (except for the kale) and cook covered on medium heat. Once the rutabaga is tender, add the kale and cook uncovered about 2 minutes or until the kale has wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.

Share #20 October 12, 2011

In your share today:
Sangre Potatoes
Onions
Carrots
Parnsips
Delicata Squash
Swiss Chard
Mustard Greens
Sweet Peppers
Hot Pepper
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Cilantro

Alice Waters' Chard Gratin
4 servings

1 1/2 bunches of chard
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, diced
Salt
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup milk
A few strokes of freshly grated nutmeg

1. Wash and stem the chard. Save half the stems and slice them thin. Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil and cooked the sliced stems for 2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the stems and leaves and coarsely chop them.

2. Toss together the breadcrumbs and the melted butter. Toast on a baking sheet in a 350-degree oven, stirring now and then, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the diced onion. Cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and season with salt. Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Then add the milk and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed.

4. Butter a small baking dish. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish and dot with the remaining butter, cut into bits. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake in a 350-degree oven until the gratin is golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

Chard Frittata

1 bunch chard
3-4 Tbls. olive oil
1 small onion
6 eggs
cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash chard and remove stems. Cut stems into thin slices and coarsely chop leaves. Peel and thinly slice onion.

Add about 1-2 Tbls. olive oil to a heavy, 10-inch, ovenproof pan (cast iron) works well). Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Add chard and stems. Add a dash of salt and cook for another 5 minutes, until leaves are tender. Press chard to pour out any excess liquid from the pan.

Crack eggs into a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt, freshly ground pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Beat eggs, then mix in chard and onions. Wipe out pan with a paper towel. Add 2 Tbls. olive oil, let it heat for a few seconds, then pour in egg mix. After a couple of minutes, place the pan in the oven and let cook until set, about 8 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven. Invert a plate on the top of the pan and turn the plate and pan upside down to turn out the frittata.

Share #19: October 5, 2011

We are transitioning here at the Wealth Underground Farm. The beans have finished producing and been turned in as well as summer squash and the cucumbers will be wrapping up soon. In this share we have the first installment of winter squash in the form of a pie pumpkin. We also have the first of our fall root crops, rutabaga. Naturally, the shares will slowly get smaller and less diverse as the farm begins to drink non-caffeinated tea and fall asleep for the winter. That said, we should have some strong fall harvests that won't disappoint, starting with this week.


In this week's share:

Radishes, onions, tomatoes, husk cherries, rutabaga (root and greens), garlic, parsley, cucumbers, pie pumpkin, cabbage, peppers (sweet and hot)

Recipes:

Garlic Mashed Rutabagas

Cut the rutabaga into large chunks (peel first if desired). Put them in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil, cooking until tender (about 30 minutes). Cook in a pan about 3 minutes to dry off the rutabagas. Mince the garlic and then heat it in melting butter. Cook until it begins to brown. Mash the rutabagas in a bowl, adding salt, pepper, nutmeg, and other spices to taste, and stir in the garlic butter.

Here is another recipe from the fabulous Lexa Walsh.

Pumpkin Soup with Roasted Pepper Cream

Wash and peel pumpkin flesh, chop into manageable pieces
Sautee onion and garlic til soft
Add pumpkin, plus salt and pepper, cumin, cloves, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cardamom
Add enough water or stock to cover, boil til soft
Remove bay leaves
Puree with a food mill or blending wand
Simmer and reduce, adjusting seasoning if necessary
Serve with a dollop of roasted pepper cream (see previous post)