We hope you have all made good use of this unusually warm fall we’ve been having. We’re happy we haven’t had to cover any tender crops so far, though we may need to drag out the row cover by this weekend. We included two soup recipes this week which are both very satisfying and would be delicious if ea ten along with a hearty loaf of bread or grilled cheese. The roasted turnip soup was wonderful even without the cream. We’re excited to have lettuce back in the share this week, and we hope to have another cutting or two before the end of the season. We only have 4 more weeks to go, and we than you all for sticking with us Through spring, summer, and fall. We will miss seeing all of your smiling faces every week!
Fennel, Celery, & Apple Salad
Finely chop baby fennel bulbs and stems, about 2-3 bulbs totaling 3/4 cup, and 1/4 cup fennel fronds. Julienne 1 small or medium apple, preferably a tart variety. Thinly slice about 2 large stalks of celery, 1/2 cup. Combine fennel, fennel fronds, apple, and celery in a mixing bowl with 1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts.
To make dressing combine 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 pinch ground black pepper.
Dress salad with dressing, then top salad with Parmesan cheese before serving.
Creamy Arugula Soup
Dice 1 lb of baking potatoes, about 3 medium potatoes into bite sized pieces. Finely chop 3/4 cup celery, including greens, 1/2 cup carrot, and 1-2 medium onions, about 3/4 cup.
In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, bring 2 Tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion, and saute for 3-5 minutes, until vegetables are fragrant. Add diced potatoes, 1-2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, and 8 cups chicken stock. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
Rinse and roughly chop 4 oz arugula. Once potatoes are tender, add the arugula, and cook another 5-10 minutes until greens are wilted.
Soup can be served as is, or blended. Allow soup to cool before blending, then blend until smooth. Serve with 1 Tbsp heavy cream per serving if a creamier soup is desired.
Lacto-Fermented Cabbage, Red Beet, and Carrot Sauerkraut
Finely chop about 1/2 head of cabbage (any type). Cut 1 bunch of beets and 1 bunch of carrots into either matchsticks, or shred them using a grater. Try to have a ratio by weight of 1 part cabbage to 1 part beet to 1 part carrot (aim for about 2/3 lb each of cabbage, beet, and carrot). Toss vegetables together in a mixing bowl with 3 Tbsp salt (aim for a 2% salt solution, so for 3 lb of vegetables that would be 0.04lb or roughly 2 Tbsp salt). Allow vegetables to sweat for about 20 minutes to release some juices, then tightly pack vegetables and juices into about 2 quart glass/mason jars or the equivalent (4 pint jars, for example). Add just enough water to cover packed vegetables in jar, about 2 cups total between the two jars.
Set jars on countertop with lid loosely in place, then allow to ferment for 1-4 weeks. A longer ferment will enhance the flavor and the sourness. Check that the vegetables stay submerged below the liquid (any vegetables exposed to air may spoil, but they can be removed from the ferment). Allow gases produced during the fermentation process to escape the jar by not screwing the lid on tightly, and using a knife to press the vegetables down inside the jar if pockets of gases form that are not able to escape.
After 1-4 weeks, taste the ferment to check if the sourness is to your liking, then the jar can be placed in your fridge, which will slow additional fermentation, and the kraut can be enjoyed for many months. Use as a side to meat, on top of eggs, or on a salad.
Spiced Pepper and Eggplant
Cut 4 banana peppers into 2x1" pieces. Dice 1 eggplant (or 1/2 eggplant if very large) into 1/2" cubes. Mince 3-4 cloves garlic and dice 1/2 onion.
In a large skillet heat 4 Tbsp olive oil and add onion, garlic, 3/4 tsp coriander, and 3/4 tsp cumin. Cook for about 4 minutes, then add peppers and eggplant with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat slightly, and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar. Optional: toss in 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil or parsley. Serve as a side to pork chops or flank steak, or chop and fold into couscous, pasta or rice. Can be served with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Ground Cherry Salsa Quesadilla
Dehusk 1.5 pints of ground cherries. Roughly chop 2 sweet banana peppers, 1 jalapeno pepper (seeds removed), and mince 1 clove of garlic. Dice about 1/3 cup red onion. Add 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro or parsley (optional). Add all ingredients to a food processor with 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or apple cider vinegar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Pulse several times until salsa is well mixed and finely chopped.
To make cheese quesadilla, add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Lay a medium tortilla flat in the pan, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, then add another tortilla. Spread 1 Tbsp cooking oil over the surface of the top tortilla. After 2-3 minutes, when the bottom tortilla becomes golden brown, flip the quesadilla over and cook the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove quesadilla from pan and cut into quarters, then serve with a generous helping of ground cherry salsa and a dollop of sour cream.
Ingredients
The first table shows the ingredients that come in the share. The table after that shows the ingredients you would need to make the recipes.