Spoutwood Farm CSA Harvest Guide: Week 16: September 27, 2007
To return to the 2007 Harvest Guide page, click here
Greetings, Spoutwood Farm friends!
Welcome to the sixteenth week of our CSA Harvest season. This is
another transition week, as the last of the summer vegetables give way
to the cool-season ones of early Autumn. Tomatoes are greatly reduced
in both size and quantity, ditto eggplant, although peppers are still
hanging onto production. Winter squash (butternut this week), and leafy
greens like mustard, kale, and mizuna are taking up the slack left by
summer squash and tomatoes.
As leaves begin to turn colors and drift down, and the wheel of the year turns toward its dark half, the gardens, too, begin to wind down. Many of our fields are lying fallow, or being readied for Winter cover crop. But, we still have six more weeks of harvest! So fear not, it’s not over yet: we still have a month-and-a-half of delicious veggies to share with our wonderful shareholders! We hope you enjoy this week’s selection.
Please feel free to drop us a line if you discover a new recipe, have any cooking tips, or would like to share your favorite way to eat the veggies from our harvest - email us and we’ll share with everyone else! You might also want to post these to our inter-active web presence at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spoutwoodcsa. There you can post messages that all members can read, add photos of your favorite Spoutwood memories, and otherwise contribute to our CSA community here at Spoutwood Farm. Enjoy! But first, a few notes on upcoming events...
Hard as it may be to believe, Mother Earth Harvest Fair is this weekend! The 29th and 30th of September, from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Spoutwood Farm will be hosting our third annual Mother Earth Harvest Fair, a celebration and showcase of sustainable, healthy, and balanced living in the Chesapeake bioregion. More than 40 exhibitors, approximately 30 vendors, musical acts, food, and merriment will abound. Many hands make light work: it’s not too late to volunteer. Contact Rob at 717-235-6610 or spoutwood@supernet.com to volunteer. Hours worked apply to your CSA hours!
As leaves begin to turn colors and drift down, and the wheel of the year turns toward its dark half, the gardens, too, begin to wind down. Many of our fields are lying fallow, or being readied for Winter cover crop. But, we still have six more weeks of harvest! So fear not, it’s not over yet: we still have a month-and-a-half of delicious veggies to share with our wonderful shareholders! We hope you enjoy this week’s selection.
Please feel free to drop us a line if you discover a new recipe, have any cooking tips, or would like to share your favorite way to eat the veggies from our harvest - email us and we’ll share with everyone else! You might also want to post these to our inter-active web presence at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/spoutwoodcsa. There you can post messages that all members can read, add photos of your favorite Spoutwood memories, and otherwise contribute to our CSA community here at Spoutwood Farm. Enjoy! But first, a few notes on upcoming events...
Special Note: Mother Earth Harvest Fair
THIS WEEKEND!
Hard as it may be to believe, Mother Earth Harvest Fair is this weekend! The 29th and 30th of September, from 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Spoutwood Farm will be hosting our third annual Mother Earth Harvest Fair, a celebration and showcase of sustainable, healthy, and balanced living in the Chesapeake bioregion. More than 40 exhibitors, approximately 30 vendors, musical acts, food, and merriment will abound. Many hands make light work: it’s not too late to volunteer. Contact Rob at 717-235-6610 or spoutwood@supernet.com to volunteer. Hours worked apply to your CSA hours!
Tomatoes: As noted above, the tomatoes are drawing near their conclusion for this year. But we still have some, even if they are fewer and smaller than just a few weeks ago. Pick from a rainbow of red, yellow, orange, and green zebras.
Butternut Squash: The first of our Winter squash to be distributed is the delectable butternut, also the subject of our Vegetable of the Week.
Green Peppers: While the cooler weather and shorter days have been hard on our tomatoes, the peppers still seem to be doing well. Two varieties for your enjoyment this week: green bell peppers, and Anaheims, a mild chili pepper.
Eggplant: Still hanging in there, too, are our eggplants. Everyone will get at least one Italian eggplant this week, and some may get an Oriental or “Beatrice,” as well.
Potatoes: The second week of our potato distribution, today we are giving out a colorful mix of blue and red potatoes. The blues have color all through their flesh, while the reds are simply red-skinned. If you have any fingerlings left from last week, make a patriotic red-white-and-blue potato salad!
Kale: Curly kale makes another appearance this week. A nutrious green leafy vegetable in the brassica (cruciferous) family, kale is excellent in soups or cooked as a pot-herb; smaller and more tender leaves can be enjoyed in salads.
Mustard Greens: Red mustard this week, a spicy, peppery green that can be eaten on its own or mixed with other greens. Most people prefer mustard cooked, but Rob swears by peanut butter and mustard-green sandwiches! May also be used in a salad (in small doses, for most of us).
Mizuna: An Asian green with a mild mustard-y flavor, Mizuna is excellent in salads and stir-fry.
Basil: A delicious and fragrant herb – add to pasta sauces, make a fresh tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad (toss in olive oil), or blend your own pesto. Please note: Basil should be placed in a vase with water, as you would cut flowers. Most refrigerators are too cold and tend to blacken the leaves.
Parsley: An under-used and under-appreciated herb, parsley make a good garnish, yes, but also can be added to soups and stocks -- where it adds flavor, vitamins, and minerals -- and even to salads. Use it replace some of the basil in pesto.
Bread: For those with bread shares, our wonderful Atwater bread this week is TBA.
Flowers: This week’s bouquet will include a potpourri of wild and cultivated blossoms.
Butternut Squash Soup
6 Servings
1/2 cup onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound butternut squash, *
2 each pears, pared and sliced
1 teaspoon fresh-snipped thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon coriander, ground
1 cup whipping cream
GARNISHES: 1 each pear – un-pared, sliced
1/2 cup pecans – toasted, chopped
* Squash should be pared, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Cook and stir onion in margarine in 4-quart Dutch oven until tender. Stir in broth, squash, 2 sliced pears, thyme, salt, white pepper, and coriander. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until squash is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour about half of the soup into food processor work bowl fitted with steel blade or into blender container; cover and process until smooth. Repeat with remaining soup. Return to Dutch oven; stir in whipping cream. Heat, stirring frequently, until hot. Serve with sliced pear and pecans.
Source: Public domain recipes converted from Meal Master format
Butternut Squash Souffle
6 Servings
Prep 0:20 Cook 1:00 Stand 0:30 Total 1:50
2 pounds butternut squash
11 ounces canned mandarin oranges, drained
1 tablespoon margarine, melted
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, separate
2 tablespoons almonds, toasted, finely chopped
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place cut sides down in casserole dish; add 1/2 inch of hot water. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender. Let cool for 30 minutes. When cooled, carefully scoop out pulp and mash with potato masher. (This should yield about 2 cups.) Stir squash together with oranges, margarine, flavoring and spice. Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Stir beaten yolks into squash mixture. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff but not dry. Gently fold in squash mixture. Spoon into 6 ungreased 6-ounce soufflÈ' dishes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Sprinkle each with toasted almonds and serve immediately.
Source: State of South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Savory Butternut
1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 lbs.)
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 tsp. dried leaf thyme, crumbled
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. Tabasco pepper sauce
Pare and seed squash; cut into 1 inch cubes. In medium saucepan, combine squash, water, onion and thyme. Cover tightly. Cook over low heat 20 to 25 minutes or until squash is tender. Mash squash well. Stir in butter and Tabasco sauce. Yield: 4 servings; 5 mg. sodium per serving.
Squash Soup
extra virgin olive oil
1 stick butter
1 or 2 large sweet onions, chopped
1⁄2 large fennel bulb with “fern”
1 large butternut squash
2 large carrots
white wine or Zinfandel
fresh sage
4 cans College Inn chicken broth (may use low sodium)
Pour generous amount of olive oil to cover bottom of a stock pot.
Add 1⁄4-1/2 stick butter. Heat over low-medium heat.
Add chopped onion. Cook until translucent.
Clean fennel bulb and the fern (the fern is the top, finely-leafed portion of the fennel) under cold water and pat dry. Detach some fern from stems, discarding stems (they can be pithy).
Chop bulb, discarding tough outer layer. Add chopped fennel bulb to onion and continue to sautÈ over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Peel squash and carrots. Cut squash into medium sized cubes; slice carrot.
Add approximately 2 teaspoons salt to pan (Kosher salt preferred), and sprinkle with pepper (use white pepper if available).
Turn heat to medium, add 1⁄4-1 cup wine to onion and fennel; cook until alcohol “burns off”, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
Add carrot and squash to pot. Add 4 or 5 cans of chicken stock and remaining butter. Cover and bring to a slow boil.
Mince several sage leaves and chop reserved fennel fern. Add to pot.
Reduce to simmer, and cook until vegetables are very tender.
Flavor with a dash of cinnamon, cayenne pepper, curry powder, nutmeg, ginger, if preferred.
Remove soup from heat and puree with hand mixer/blender
Butternut Squash Pie
1 unbaked pie crust
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
15 oz. cooked squash (strained)
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
Heat oven to 425_F. Place crust in 9-inch pie pan. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour into pan.
Bake 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350_F. Bake 40 - 50 minutes longer.
Store in refrigerator.
Butternut Squash and Apples au Gratin
1 med. sized butternut squash
3 Granny Smith apples
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. butter
2 lg. onions
3/4 c. whole wheat crumbs
3/4 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Peel squash and apples and slice thin - toss apples with 2 tablespoons flour and layer alternately with squash in a deep baking dish - sautÈ onions in 2 tablespoons butter until golden - pour over squash and apples - add broth and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Combine bread crumbs with cheese and pour over all. Bake 20 minutes longer and serve.
Butternut Casserole
Cook's Note: The no-boil lasagna noodles can be substituted with fresh spinach lasagna sheets. Look for fresh lasagna sheets in the refrigerated section of specialty markets.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
3 amaretti cookies, crumbled
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch nutmeg
3/4 cup (lightly packed) fresh basil leaves
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 1/2 cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.
Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.
*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.
Baked Butternut Squash
1 butternut squash
salt
brown sugar (optional)
Cut 1 butternut squash in half (there is no need to peel}. Sprinkle salt and brown sugar onto the squash.
Be sure the oven is preheated to 350_F before placing in oven.
Bake squash until soft; then simply scoop the squash out of the skin, add a little butter and serve!
Hail to the Czar!
We are very pleased to announce that we have a CSA Booth/Country Kitchen Czar (Czarina): our wonderful shareholder Heather Woodward has kindly volunteered to fill that slot. Yaaaaaay, Heather!!!
Butternut Squash (Winter)
This week’s vegetable is a lifetime favorite of mine: As much fun to say as it is to eat: “Squash”! The word squash is a foreshortened version of “askoolasquash”, an Algonquin and a Massachusetts Native American word meaning “eaten raw“.
There are two kinds of squash: summer and winter. Butternut squash is a winter squash. It is vase-like in shape. It has a hard, thick skin and it is filled with seeds. It can range in size from 8 to 12 inches long, and about 3 to 5 inches wide, weighing up to 3 pounds. The color of the Butternut squash ranges from a yellow to a light tan. Inside, the flesh is dense and finely granular. The flesh is orange and butternut has a sweet flavor.
Winter squash is related to the cucumber and melon just like summer squash. However, it has more complex carbohydrates and more nutrients than it’s summer sibling. Butternut is high in beta-carotene so its’ juices prevent cell mutation thus it curbs cancer growth and reduces muscular degeneration.
The top eight nutrients for butternut are:
Fiber Potassium
Magnesium Iron
Vitamin C Calcium
Niacin Folate
Storage: May be stored in a cool dry place for 1-3 months.
Preparation: Rinse and cut the squash lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds and excess fiber. May peel skin if desired.
Cooking:
Stir-Fry: tender when pierced.
Bake: 400 degrees 30 - 40 minutes, uncovered.
Microwave: 1/2 the squash and microwave for 10 -12 minutes.
Boil: Cut into chunks and boil 7 - 9 minutes.
Steam: Cube and steam for 6 - 8 minutes.
Roast: 400 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes.
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