Week 18 - final week

Greetings, once again!

Let me get right to the contents.

- Potatoes (from Hugh's Gardens, organically certified)

- Parsnips (white, unwashed carroty shaped roots)

- Rutabaga (globular/cylindrical shaped, white to lavender)

- Pepper(s) or eggplant

- Carrots

- Leeks

- Cauliflower or Napa cabbage

- Spinach

- Collard greens

- Parsley with thyme or oregano

- Raspberries (harvested over the last two months, frozen, bagged and repackaged)

On the contents: The cauliflower may have cabbage looper/worm (green larvae) hiding inside. To remove them, first cut it up into florets then soak these in a little salty water for a while. The larvae should let loose and can be picked out. There were three types of cauliflower: an orange, a white and a green variety; the latter is a Romansesco type. The parsnips keep better unwashed, as do the carrots. The raspberries, well they probably thawed out quite a bit. You can make a nice sauce with them or refreeze them for later.

What a storm! I debated postponing the drops until today (Thursday) but decided to proceed as planned thinking it would be less confounding than changing the drop day at the last minute. If the weather prevented you from grabbing your box, you can still do so. If you pick up at the downtown or south Fargo sites, the boxes are at 224 15th St North in Moorhead (SE corner of 15th and 3rd Ave.); look in the garage (east of the house) on 3rd. If you pick up at Sydney's, they are still there ( I can't vouch for the berries' freshness, though). You have until the end of the day (Thursday, 10/28) to get yours. 

   Starting Friday, 10/29, boxes not claimed will be available for any RGG member to come grab. As of 2:30 pm Thursday, there are 18 boxes not claimed since Tuesday (a record high for the season). Come to 224 15th Street North, Moorhead, (map) head to the garage east of the house on 3rd Ave. If you get a regular box, take another; if you get a large box, take two regular ones. I will send out a second notice Sunday or Monday if any are still unclaimed. (The stuff should keep just fine.) 

Timing is especially critical in agriculture. If you ventured out past the city in the last few weeks you probably noticed the flurry of activity up to the storm; you won't see much happening out there for several days. While the workload here is much more steady over the course of the season, we too worked hard to get things in the crib, so to speak, over this time. Now, after a record rainfall, and after the last drop for the season, we will change our focus a bit from harvesting to picking up various pieces of the irrigation and trellis systems. With clover/grass paths between beds, we should avoid the twenty pound foot syndrome that can happen working in the field after a soaking rain.  

   I hope you have enjoyed the season of produce. There has been good and not so good, and hopefully some really good but not so much really bad. I know there is room for improvement in every aspect of this operation: agricultural, communication aspects, etc. I'm still honing my skills in all of these aspects; I am naturally better at juggling some things, others take more effort on my part. Please know that I am committed to the continual improvement of the service Red Goose Gardens has to offer. 

This "off-season", in the near future I hope to finalize and unveil a new and improved website that will offer several features such as the ability to pay online and a cross-referenced recipe/produce item database. I will be pursuing a few specialized pieces of equipment to make the grunt work of farming (bed preparation, planting, transplanting, weeding, root digging, etc.) more efficient. Construction of new hoophouses is on the agenda, which should lead to earlier and better produce, as well as construction of a weather-proof packing/storage shed that should help keep boxes dry and the yard less cluttered. Proceeding with the plans to have species of four legged creatures here some day soon (one-two years out), I will need to spend the time getting those areas ready and the infrastructure in place (hence the need for greater efficiency).

   I plan on doing an itemized assessment of how the season went, detailing my observations of each crop and garden section as well as aspects of the service (packaging, timing, drop sites, communications, etc.), and then making this assessment available for your review. I also plan on sending out a post season survey so I can get your opinion on how the season went before the memory fades. Along with this, I will ask of your intent to renew so I can reserve your share for next season.

And later, there's the weeks of planning for next season. Needless to say, I won't be spending much or, more likely, any time on any beaches or golf courses this winter. 

I will likely again be conducting a pre-Thanksgiving sale of remnants and possibly items that had not reached maturity by a couple days ago. Before this takes place, I will also be vending/attending a couple other food related events in November: November 9, 100-MILE Thanksgiving event at Concordia College, from 4-7pm, in the Campus Center atrium (#12 on the map: http://www.cord.edu/About/Visit/campusmap.php); and November 13, "Healthy Holidays Celebration" at Sydney's Health Market, 10am - 3pm, at Sydney's (810 30th Ave, Moorhead, MN; (218) 233-3310).  

Again, I hope you enjoyed the season as much as possible. I thank you for your participation and patronage! 

Please stay tuned for the announcements of the new website, season survey, renewal opportunities, eggs, Thanksgiving sale, etc. Feel free to send me your comments and questions.

Recipes:

Mini Potato Pancakes

2 pounds potatoes

½ cup onions

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon  baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

*Peel the potatoes, and grate them on the large holes of a box grater, or using the large disc on a food processor.  Using a kitchen towel, wring the potatoes dry in batches.  Add the potatoes and onion to a mixing bowl, and toss

gently with the eggs. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

*Pour enough vegetable oil into a large skillet to reach a depth of one half inch, and heat it over medium-high heat.

When the oil is hot add the pancake mixture by tablespoonfuls.  Gently flatten each pancake with the back of a fork,

And panfry until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with the remaining pancake mixture, adding more oil between batches.

Herbed Gravy- Makes about 4 cups

8 tablespoons butter

½ cup all purpose flour/

4 cups turkey, chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon cider vinegar (optional)

*Melt the butter in a heavy 4 quart pot, and stir in the flour.  Cook the mixture over moderate heat, whisking as needed, until lightly browned, 5 minutes.  Add the stock in a stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  Stir in any juices from the turkey platter (if you are cooking turkey, etc) and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add all the herbs and the salt and pepper.  Add the cider vinegar if using, and stir well.  Remove from heat and serve immediately, or keep warm, until ready to serve.

Adapted from Farm to Fork by Emeril Lagasse

Lemon-Thyme Dip – Makes 1 ½ cups

1 cup sour cream

½ cup mayonnaise

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

*In a bowl, stir to combine sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and thyme; season with salt and pepper.  Dip can be refrigerated, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 3 days; transfer to a small dish and garnish with additional thyme just before serving.

Thyme Mayonnaise – Makes 1 ¼ cups

This mayonnaise is excellent with all kinds of sandwiches!      

1 egg

¾ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vinegar

½ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 cup vegetable oil

*An hour before making the mayonnaise, take the egg from the refrigerator.  A cold egg won’t take up oil as easily as a room temperature egg.

*Place the egg, salt, vinegar, spices, and thyme leaves in a blender or food processor and process until the egg is thoroughly blended.  With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin stream.  If the mayonnaise is too thick, thin it with a bit of water or more vinegar.  Stored in the refrigerator this mayonnaise will keep 3 to 4 days.

Spinach Sauteed with Garlic, Figs, and Honey – 4 servings

Sweet and savory come together nicely in this dish that is just an explosion of flavors.  You may have to sauté the spinach in batches; whatever you do, just work quickly so you don’t overcook it.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic

¼ cup dried figs

¼ cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 pound spinach, rinsed and spun dry (if not baby spinach, cut the larger leaves down to smaller size)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons honey

*Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil, and when it is hot, add the garlic and cook until it is lightly toasted, about 30 seconds.  Add the figs and stock, and cook until the stock is nearly completely reduced, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the spinach and cook, stirring until wilted, about 2 minutes.

*Season with the salt and pepper, and drizzle with the honey just before serving.

Hot Spinach Dip – Makes 3 cups

Serve this rich dip with crostini, breadsticks, or crackers (warm bread works well too).  Or try it as an accompaniment for roast chicken or pork.

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for baking dish

1 onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

2 pounds spinach, washed well and coarsely chopped

½ cup milk

6 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces, softened

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

3 dashes hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco

¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium.  Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

*Add spinach in two additions, letting the first batch wilt before adding the next; cook until completely wilted, tossing frequently, 5 to 8 minutes.  Transfer mixture to a colander; drain, pressing to release all excess liquid.

*In the same pot, bring milk just to a simmer.  Add cream cheese and cook, whisking, until melted about 3 minutes.  Add spinach, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, and ¼ cup mozzarella; stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer mixture to a lightly oiled 1 ½ quart shallow baking dish; sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ cup mozzarella.

*Bake until bubbly and cheese is golden brown.  20 to 25 minutes.  Serve hot.

MAKING AHEAD:  You can prepare the recipe through step 2 a day or two ahead; let spinach mixture cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container before proceeding.

Parsnip Fries – 4 servings

2 ½ pounds parsnips

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

*Preheat oven to 450 degrees F, with racks in upper and lower thirds.  Trim tops and bottoms of parsnips; peel, and slice in half crosswise to separate thick and narrow parts.  Halve or quarter thick parts lengthwise to make uniform pieces.

*On two large rimmed baking sheets, toss parsnips with oil; season with salt and pepper.  Spread in a single layer.  Roast, rotating sheets and tossing parsnips half-way through, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve hot. 

Roasted Herbed Potatoes – 4 servings

1 ½ pounds new potatoes, scrubbed (if  larger cut in half or quarters)

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon mixed fresh or dried herbs, such as thyme, rosemary and oregano)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

*Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes are golden brown and tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife (but not falling apart), 30 to 40 minutes.  Serve hot.

Roasted Root Vegetables – 8 servings

You can add or subtract vegetables to the list below.  This is a wonderful, simple cold weather dish.

1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

1 pound red onions, peeled and quartered lengthwise

1 pound carrots, halved lengthwise if thick, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

1 pound parsnips, peeled halved if thick, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

5 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil *

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

*The parsnips are an addition to the recipe.  If you use them, increase the olive oil by about ½ to 1 tablespoon or as desired.

*Rutabaga.  The boxes this week have rutabaga in them, and you might want to take part of the rutabaga and add it to this dish.  About 1/3 would be a nice addition.  Make sure you peel the rutabaga and cut it into 1 ½ inch pieces.

If you add rutabaga, again increase the olive oil.

*Preheat oven to 45 degrees F, with racks in upper and lower thirds.  Divide vegetables and garlic evenly between two rimmed baking sheets; drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Toss to combine, then spread in single layers.

*Roast until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, tossing vegetables and rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

STORING LEFTOVERS

Let vegetables cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container; refrigerate up to 3 days.

Adapted from Fresh Flavor Fast by Martha Stewart

Roasted Carrot Soup – Makes about 6 cups

1 pound carrots cut into chunks

2 small potatoes cut into chunks

1 large onion, cut into chunks

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 hefty thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 quart vegetable stock or water

½ cup light cream

2 to 3 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream stirred with a fork until loosened

2 teaspoons minced parsley

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and season with ½ teaspoon salt and some pepper.  Put them in a large baking dish with the thyme and bay leaf and roast until tender and glazed, about 1 hour, turning them 2 or 3 times.

*Transfer the vegetables to a soup pot. Add the stock, and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the carrots are soft, about 20 minutes, then puree until smooth.  Return the puree to the pot, taste for salt, and season with pepper.  Stir in the cream.

*Ladle the soup into b owls, swirl a spoonful of crème fraiche into each, add a little minced parsley, and serve.

Adapted from Vegetable Soups by Deborah Madison

Leeks Braised in Red Wine – 4 servings

  This dish is a French classic and is good served hot, cold, or at room temperature.  You can also use a dry white wine instead of a red

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 medium leeks, halved, with 1 to 2 inches of green top

Salt

1 cup red wine

½ cup vegetable broth or water

*In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot.  Add the leek halves, cut side down, season lightly with salt, and sauté until brown on the edges.  Turn and brown the other side.  Turn the leeks once more so they are cut side down and pour the wine and vegetable broth over them.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the leeks are very tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

*Remove the leeks to a serving dish.  Increase the heat to high and reduce the sauce to a glaze.  Pour over the leeks.

 Adapted from Cooking from the Garden

Braised Potatoes with Mustard and Leeks – 4 servings

The original recipes calls for new potatoes.  If the ones you are using are large cut them in half or quarters.

 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 small leeks (white and light green parts) cut lengthwise, sliced, and washed

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves roughly chopped

3 fresh bay leaves

1 pound new potatoes, washed and sliced ½ inch thick

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1/3 cup heavy cream

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

*Heat the butter over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the leeks and thyme and cook for 2 minutes, then add the bay leaves, potatoes and stock; stir in the mustard and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Add the cream, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for 5 minutes until just thickened and the liquid is reduced to about 1 cup. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

 Adapted from Harvest to Heat by Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer

Roasted Pumpkin Pie with Sour Cream and Brown Sugar – 4 to 6 servings

This pie is very easy, and the taste is incredible!

 1 small pie pumpkin

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 cup half and half or evaporated milk

Sour cream and brown sugar or coarse turbinado sugar to garnish

PASTRY:  Either make your own, or buy a very high quality one from the store.

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees F; position rack in center of oven.

*Wash pumpkin and cut in half.  Scoop out seeds and place cut side down on a lightly oiled sided sheet pan.  Roast until tender, about 1 hour.

*While pumpkin is roasting, make or prepare the pastry and chill for 30 minutes.  Roll into a 12 inch diameter on a lightly floured surface, place in a 10 inch pie pan, flute the edge, and return to the refrigerator to chill.

*While pumpkin is still warm, remove skin and place flesh in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or press through a ricer.  Add sugars, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and mix well.  Doing this while pumpkin is still warm releases the essential oils in the spices.

*Beat eggs in a large bowl, stir in pumpkin and sugar/spice mixture, slowly pour in half and half or evaporated milk, and beat until smooth.

*Pull center oven rack halfway out, place pastry shell in middle of rack, fill shell to crimped edges with pumpkin mixture, and gently push rack back into oven.  Place a sheet pan on the lowest rack of the oven to catch any drips.

*Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees F.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve garnished with sour cream and dark brown or coarse turbinado sugar.

 *NOTE:  For those who prefer, use whipped cream.

 Adapted from The Minnesota Table by Shelley N.C. Holl with recipes by B.J. Carpenter

    

Week 17 news

This past week has been all about birds. We collected the first egg(!) on Monday and again on Tuesday. So far it appears only one of the 26 is laying. Go figure. There are a few that have full combs; one of these is the layer. (Based on the combs, it will take a couple more weeks for full-on lay.) A few days before, while picking peppers, the hens started up a racket that persisted for more than a minute. The first time I heard these noises there was a hawk perching in a tree just a few yards from the coop. The hens were all piled inside and stayed there several hours after I scared the hawk away. This second time, I came armed with a few frost damaged peppers and after looking for several minutes at the trees I finally saw what they were cackling about. Perched on a low branch near the trunk of an oak a few dozen yards from the coop was a medium sized hawk. I threw the peppers at it, coming within a few feet. In between throws, to which it was oblivious, the hawk appeared to be scanning the ground in a small radius below it, looking for its primary food, small rodents. It did not fly off until I approached within thirty feet and clapped loudly. A few days later, during the second day of picking tomatillos, it appeared again only this time on a fence post about forty yards away, scanning the ground below it for movement. There was something curious about the way this bird handled itself, the way it shifted its weight, how it did not scare like other birds when people approached. One of us had a camera and walked slowly over to it, taking shots. It dove down to the ground to pounce on some prey and then returned empty clawed. Watching carefully as it flew back to its ten foot high fence post perch, I noticed what the curiosity was: it was missing a leg. It flew away from the camera-armed person, as she approached ridiculously close, swooping within a few yards of my head before landing on another post behind me. This bird, injured but surviving, seems to symbolize nature in many ways. I hope this bird can overcome its challenge, one that isn’t so hard to see.

  
Box contents included: arugula and/or spinach with baby lettuce greens, peppers (bells and/or long type, jalapenos or serranos), a few tomatoes, tomatillos, Brussels sprouts, leeks (some of you), squash (butternut, spaghetti, or delicata for regular shares, and a French heirloom for large shares), carrots, and parsley with sage.

Notes about contents:
   The baby greens have not been washed or sorted, just cut and bagged; there is some icky stuff that will need to be picked out. The lettuce and spinach should taste really good, as the cold temperatures have triggered a build-up of sugars in the plant cells.
   The peppers we doled out included two mild-heat, long types that have far less heat than a jalapeno and a sweet flavor. That's the last of the peppers, tomatillos and tomatoes for the year, the frosts have done them in.
   The tomatillos are of various sizes; some are really ripe (yellow and/or purple) and some are less so (green); the purple coloration on them is natural, but look out for black fuzz which is some kind of disease (first time I've seen this on tomatillos and hard to detect with the husk on).
   Instead of Brussels sprouts on the stalk, which took up a lot of space in the boxes last week, I decided to take the time to pluck them off, leaving the stalks in the field; on average, there were about 40 sprouts per stalk; I wonder if the flavor has mellowed and sweetened compared to last week's due to the frosts.
   The squashes are by and large all doled out. If you got a butternut, bear in mind that, undamaged, they will keep and improve in flavor for months. Spaghetti squash will keep for a good long time also. Delicata are best used within a couple months. The French squash is called Galeux D'eysines (see http://inthegardenonline.com/main/2010/10/pink-warty-and-delicious-galeux-deysines-squash/ for more info). In past seasons, I've stored these for months and used them for soups as the flesh is on the moist side. Here's a tip for any moist-fleshed squash: after roasting them cut side down until the skin browns somewhat, prop up one of the ends of the roasting pan and let the liquid run collect on the low end. Drain this liquid into a sauce pot and reduce it to concentrate the flavors - you can even make your own squash syrup - and save it for later use or add it to whatever you make of the flesh. (You can do the same thing with the liquid from roasted tomatoes or tomatillos.) If you plan on keeping your squash around a while, it may keep better if the skin is washed off and thoroughly dried. All the squash has been curing on shelves in the “greenhouse” for about a couple weeks, they’ve been relatively warm and dry. It wouldn’t hurt if you keep it/them in a warm spot for another week or so before eating or storing. Squash keeps best in a cool (60F) and dry space.
   Preserving herbs is pretty easy. Drying and freezing are the two most common ways. Here’s a useful link: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/00018.html.  For herb uses and more, see http://culinaryherbguide.com/typesofherbs.htm.
   Next week, the last drop for the year, we hope to have for you: parsnips, potatoes, raspberries (frozen), kale/collards, carrots, beets, cauliflower or Napa cabbage, possibly some other item(s).
Granola and jams are also available as well as pie pumpkins.

Week 16 News

Greetings!

The top story again is the extra nice weather we've had. Was it 80 a few days ago? And calm, too. Short sleeves in October are a bonus. The only tangible downside of the warm and dry is that the skeets have been out in force from about 6pm until after 9 or so. We have all been forced to quit working in the last week because of the skeeter pressure - how about that in the weather forecast! A few hours after dark their energy fades and one can go out again with headlamps, as I did Monday night to harvest the spinach. (Turns out I finished up just when the Vikings started playing some decent football.) The warm and dry is greatly appreciated by all farmers in the region and anyone who is affected by flooding in the Valley. The dryness 

   Contents this week are: spinach with arugula, tomatoes, parsley with thyme, beets, leeks (some of you), potatoes, Brussels sprouts on the stalk, buttercup or red kabocha squash, nasturtiums (some). 

   I apologize for my tardiness to the FM area. There were several factors involved; one is we had to cut the sprout stalks in half to fit them in the boxes (using a limb lopper); one is that we could not easily fit the greens into the boxes which necessitated another is the tremendous response to the pumpkin offer which took me away from the packing operation. I encourage you to heap oodles of kudos upon Courtney and Marc who are immensely responsible for making happen especially for the last six-plus weeks. This last week alone they dug about 1000 lbs of potatoes! I do try to reward them for their hard work but I am such a curmudgeon and verbally challenged sometimes that I'm not sure they know how much of a positive impact they are having. Please help me in my inadequacy! Email them yourself and heap some kudos upon them: mdcollin03@yahoo.com.  

   As opposed to my earlier prediction, I think we have enough stuff left to harvest to go another two weeks this season. That means next week and the the week after there should be boxes for you to pick up. Look forward to seeing parsnips (for the first time this year) along with more Brussels sprouts, spinach, baby lettuce, potatoes, squash, carrots, beets, peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, parsley and other herbs, kale/collards;and hopefully some small fennel bulbs and the late cauliflower and cabbage. They should be nice boxes.

   The chickens must be close to starting to lay. With the platform of the mobile henhouse built, we hope to commence the final phase of construction very soon. (Time's a'ticking.)

  

I have mentioned before that there is a group attempting to open a food co-op store in the near future. I have been a part of this effort (though I've been a bit distracted the last several months) and encourage you to lend a hand. If you would like to learn more about it and/or be a part of this effort, come to the meeting. 

When: Tuesday, October 19^th

Time: 7:30 – 8:45pm

Place: Stokers in the Basement @ The Hotel Donaldson

If you cannot come but would like to know more about it, please check out their blog (http://ccwfoodcoop.blogspot.com/) and/or contact stephenrlong@gmail.com.

For those of you who do leave comments on this blog, I apologize for not getting back to you right away. If you have an urgent question or comment, please contact my email (redgoosegardens@gmail.com) as I check that more frequently.

More pictures next time. Enjoy!

Info on Brussels sprouts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels_sprout 

The important thing is to not overcook them! 

Recipes:

Beets with Pistachio – 6 servings

2 large bunches medium beets, preferably a combination, trimmed and scrubbed (not peeled.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt

½ cup shelled pistachios plus chopped pistachios for garnish

About ¼ cup warm water

2 tablespoons pistachio oil

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinaigrette

Flaky sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

*Toss beets with olive oil and a light sprinkling of salt in a medium bowl.  Spread beets out   in a baking pan and roast until tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

*Pulse pistachios in a food processor until fairly finely ground.  Add 3 tablespoons water and pulse to incorporate it.  Add oil and pulse until smooth, adding up to 1 ½ more tablespoons water if necessary.  You can refrigerate the pistachio butter for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

*Rub skins off beets with a paper towel.  Cut into 1 inch chunks and transfer to a serving bowl. Toss beets with the vinaigrette and let stand for at least 10 minutes, or for up to 1 hour, before serving.  You can refrigerate the beets up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

*Transfer beets to a platter or plates and sprinkle with the remaining pistachios.  Spoon the pistachio butter alongside and serve.

Adapted from Molto Gusto Easy Italian Cooking by Mario Batali

Deviled Tomato Slices – 4 servings

Pungent Dijon mustard and spicy cayenne are responsible for the kick in these savory tomatoes.  They are a great accompaniment to everything from eggs to barbecue.

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 tablespoon butter

1 mild vegetable oil

4 large tomatoes (2 pounds) sliced 3/8 inch thick

¼ cup whole grain Dijon mustard

1 lemon, cut into quarters

Handful of tarragon or parsley for garnish

*In a large flat bowl, blend the flour, thyme, salt and cayenne.  Heat butter and oil in a large cast iron skillet or other heavy pan over high heat while you dredge each tomato slice in the flour mixture.  When butter has started to brown, add as many slices as you can fit in the frying pan.  Saute them just long enough to make the coating crispy and to warm the slices through about 1 ½ minutes on the first side, then 1 minute on the second side.

*Lift the slices onto a heated platter and quickly spread each with about ½ tablespoon mustard.  Serve at once garnished with lemon wedges and herbs.  A spritz of lemon over the mustard is delicious.

Squash with Cheddar and Sage - 4 servings

2 squash, about 1.5 pounds each

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped sage

1 tomato coarsely chopped

4 ounces Cheddar cut into ½ inch cubes

1 cup dry white wine

4 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons butter cut into small cubes

*Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Remove stems from squash, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seed, etc. from the cavities.  Place the squash halves in a shallow roasting pan.

*Sprinkle each of the cavities with salt, pepper, and a touch of sage.  Place 1 tablespoon chopped tomato in the bottom of each cavity.  Divide the cheese among the 3 squash halves, add 2 tablespoons wine to each cavity and top with the remaining tomato and sage.  Sprinkle the squash with salt and pepper.  Pour the remaining wine around the squash and bake for 1 hour, basting the squash several times.  Check the bottom of the pan to make sure the liquid hasn’t cooked away.  Add more wine or water if needed.

*The squash should feel tender when pierced with a fork or sharp knife; if not, bake it for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon maple syrup on top of each squash half and top with the 

cubed butter.  Bake until butter is melted and the syrup has formed a glaze on top, about 5 minutes.  Serve hot.