This Week's CSA Harvest (11/11/13)

Reminder: This week we are distributing vegetables, eggs, dairy, meat and trout. Next week is the final week of the CSA season. In addition to vegetables, we will be distributing lamb and turkey orders next week.



The Vegetable Share:

• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Rutabaga
• Spinach
• Yellow Potatoes
• Carrots
• Bok Choy
• White Salad Turnips
• Tomato Puree

The Dairy Share:

• Garlic & Basil Butter from Nordic Creamery
• Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt from Sugar River Dairy
• Saxony, an Alpine-style cheese from Saxon Creamery

The Meat Share:

• Bacon
• Italian Sausage
• Whole Chicken
• Breakfast Sausage

Fun Farm Photo: Snow Day!

The intrepid SFF harvest crew takes everything, including a little snow, in stride! Picture, from left are Scott, Donna, Nadia, Adam, Tyler and Jeff.

2014 Registration Information

Information regarding 2014 CSA shares is available at our website. The deadline for early bird CSA pricing is this Friday, the 15th. Order by Friday and automatically receive a 5% discount on 3-Season Vegetable Shares and Fruit Shares. As always, you can pay for your shares in 5 installments throughout the season.

Ordering Thanksgiving Turkeys

Friday is also the deadline for ordering pasture-raised certified organic turkeys for Thanksgiving. Rich Lange raises these turkeys on his farm near Platteville. Turkeys will be available in two sizes: small (13-14 lbs ) and large (15-16 lbs). The price is $4.79/lb. Orders may be placed through our website. There is a $40 deposit for turkeys. Once you've placed your order online, please mail a check for your deposit to Sandhill Family Farms, 16228 Skinner Road, Brodhead, WI, 53520. Turkeys will be available for pickup next week (Nov 19-21) at the following sites:

 

Tuesday, Nov 19th

Glenview, 3:00-6:30

Lake Forest 4:00-7:00

Grayslake Farm, 4:00-7:00

 

Wednesday, Nov 20th

Barrington 4:00-7:00

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Thursday, Nov 21st

Oak Park, 4:30-7:00

Grayslake Farm, 4:00-7:00



In the Farm Kitchen: Making the Most of your CSA Share

With their purple tops, rutabagas look a bit like turnips. The difference is that rutabagas are slightly more elongated than turnips and the flesh is a little more yellow. They're also sweeter than turnips and less peppery. They are thought to be a cross between a wild cabbage and a turnip. Rutabagas are creamy and starchy and work well for mashing, roasting and braising. To make roasted rutabaga, cut it up into 3/4″ dice, tossed it with olive oil, the herbs of your choice, a bit of salt and pepper, and a spoonful of sugar (to encourage browning). Then spread the cubes out on a baking sheet and cook at 350F until the cubes are tender. Store rutabagas in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.





Easy Autumn Pot Roast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3-pound beef round roast or chuck roast
2 cups tomato puree
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large rutabaga, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large leek, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium celeriac, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Heat the oil in a 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until it's well browned on all sides. Pour off any fat. Add 1 ¾ cups tomato puree, garlic powder and black pepper to the saucepot and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.

Add the rutabaga, carrots, leek and celeriac. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until the beef is fork-tender. Remove the beef and vegetables to a platter. Stir the flour and remaining puree in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the juices in the saucepot. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Serve with the beef and vegetables.

Farmhouse Chowder
1 whole chicken
8 to 10 cups water
1 large leek, chopped
2 carrots, 1 halved lengthwise, 1 cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 stems fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
10 whole black peppercorns
1 ounce (2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 medium or 2 small rutabaga, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Coarse salt
1/2 cup heavy cream

Place chicken in a large pot. Add enough water to just cover chicken. Add leek, carrot halves, parsley, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, partially covered. Reduce heat, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Remove chicken, and let cool. Strain broth through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth into another pot, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes to reduce and intensify flavor. Shred chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding bones and skin.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped shallot and diced carrot, and cook until shallot is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in reserved chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Add rutabaga and potatoes and 2 1/2 teaspoons salt. Reduce heat, and simmer until root vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir in reserved chicken and the cream, and heat until warmed through, about 1 minute. Season with salt, and garnish with fresh parsley or dill.

Slow-Cooked White Beans with Tomato & Herbs
1 cup dried navy beans
6 cups water
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small rutabaga, chopped
1 large leek, white and light green parts chopped
3 (3-inch) thyme sprigs
1 (3-inch) rosemary sprig
1 (3-inch) sage sprig
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For tomato sauce:
3 bacon slices, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, chopped
1/4 cup minced garlic (from 1 to 2 heads)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 jar tomato purée
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover by 2 inches, then drain. Bring beans, water (6 cups), carrot, rutabaga, leek, and herb sprigs to a simmer in a 4-quart heavy pot, then simmer, partially covered, until beans are al dente, about 45 minutes. Add kosher salt, then continue to simmer until beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour more.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. (This step may be omitted for a vegetarian version.) Add oil and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Add tomato purée and thyme and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

Discard herb sprigs and drain beans in a sieve set over a bowl, reserving cooking liquid, and return beans and vegetables to pot. Add tomato sauce and 1 1/2 cups bean-cooking liquid and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes.


Next Week's Harvest (our best guess)... sweet potatoes, beets, spinach, garlic, parsley, shallots, parsnips, popcorn and more!