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
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