5/22/24 Winter Squash Round One

The big deal this week is that we’re planting our first round of WINTER SQUASH this week! Hundreds of feet of Delicata, Red Kuri and Black Futsu! The second round will include Butternut and Kabocha plus more Delicata! We only are just coming into our Summer Squash plants and yet our mind is on Winter Squash. That’s farming for you, you’re living both in the present but also 6 and 9 months in future!

We’re trialing something new out this year. A lot of the squash are going into beds that have a lot of weed pressure. Some are being planted into black plastic but we’re also trialing seeding a low growing clover at the same time as a living mulch. We’re excited about this trial.

New Add-ons from Mendocino Grain Project.

On May 1st you had the opportunity to try Quinoa from them and now our store is stocked with three kinds of flour (Hard Red, Einkorn and Rye). All grown in Mendocino county  by Farmer Rachel who runs the granery and milled fresh. We keep them in our walk-in fridge and recommend you keep them in your fridge so you have the freshest flour. We are also stocking their quinoa (we had in the May 1st CSA box for everyone), Rice, Oats and Beans. We are loving the Rice and Oats and we are hearing good things from CSA Members. Also, don’t forget about the Walnuts! Everyone who gets them really loves how fresh they are.

CSA member Sara said “I've really appreciated the extras and add-ons including walnuts, beans, quinoa. All the are such good quality; the beans and quinoa in particular are not items where I would have thought it  matters that much where they are grown but these were so tasty and I like learning about the other farms.”

A reminder that Add-Ons are available between the Friday afternoon email and Monday 5pm.

Produce Notes & Recipes!

This Week’s Box

Red Butter Lettuce

Panisse Lettuce

Toscano Kale

Mixed Beets (SR) OR Hakurei Turnips (WC)

Cauliflower (SR) OR Summer Squash (WC)

Bulb Fennel

Family: Genovese Basil & Cucumbers

We’re back into a big Lettuce Week! With not one but two big heads for everyone this week. Red Butter Lettuce is a classic for us. We are selling cases and cases of them to Handline right now for their salads. Their light flavor and perfect soft crunch are amazing. Panisse Lettuce pares very well with them. Panisse is a very light textured and flavored oak-leaf lettuce. It’s softer that Red Butter.

We fly through them at home with thinly shaved  Hakurei Turnips or Bulb Fennel, or Roasted Beet wedges on them. It’ll be a warm weekend, enjoy your salads!

Here is my favorite salad dressing, especially for Red Butter and Panisse Lettuces. It calls for Scallions but I sometimes use chives or Bulb Fennel Fronds (you have just a few to play with as we cut and compost the majority).

Mellow Miso Salad Dressing (from family friend Meg Parmer)

Here’s one of my favorite salad dressings.

½ c vegetable or avocado oil

½ c water

½ c Mellow White Miso (make sure it’s white - not yellow)

3 Tbs brown rice vinegar (or Apple Cider works)

4 Tbs honey

4 Tbs chopped scallion

1. Mix ingredients - in food processor is best but not necessary. Makes 1 pint.

Bulb Fennel has a fascinating anise flavor but we do find it’s a love or hate crop. And then many people who don’t know it or hate it try it again, and find they can’t live without it. As such, we keep providing occasionally throughout the year.

Bulb Fennel has a fibrous center that needs to be cut out. Preparation:

• Place fennel horizontally on cutting surface. But 1 in above bulb to remove stalks. Set aside a few fronds. (Fronds are a nice garnish and can be used as an herb but there are so many we’ve taken 80% of them off.)

• Remove and discard any wilted outer layers of bulb (we did this during harvest).

• Cut a thin slice off the root end. Discard any stem/root.

• Cut bulb lengthwise from from stalk to root twice (in quarters).

• Cut away tough core portion (triangle) from each quarter.

• I love to cut super thin (⅛” or less) slices from bottom to top. Some places recommend a mandolin, I find hand chopping best here.

• If cooked (roasted or braised), keep in quarters or cut lengthwise in thicker slices.

Serving/Cooking ideas:

• Thinly slice and add on a green salad

• Make salad of it and other veggies: fennel and celery or kohlrabi; fennel with avocados and citrus; fennel with plain yogurt and mint; add to potato salad or coleslaw for sweet crunch

• Add to sandwich instead of tomato and lettuce

• Great cooked with pork or fish, especially salmon

• Add to dish of baked potatoes

• Add fronds as herb to be sprinkled on scrambled eggs, frigate

• Use fronds to make stock or a soup itself.

• Braised: cut into quarters from tip to root, braise in frying pan with butter and ~150 ml chicken or veggie stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover for 20-25 minutes until tender.

We have a bunch of spring Toscano Kale in the box. Many people call this Dino Kale but it’s also known as Lacinato, Cavil Nero, or Italian Kale. We stick with the  name Toscano. It’s from Tuscany, it dates to the 18t century and in fact was amongst plants Thomas Jefferson recorded in his 1777 garden in Monticello. Many people love it because it holds up well in kale salads but honestly, it’s also amazing blanched, sautéed, used in pastas and soups and more!

Toscano Kale, Fennel and Apple Salad

• 1 bundle of Toscano kale

• 1 large fennel bulb (fronds included)

• 1 Granny Smith apple

• 1 1/2 cups of walnuts

• ~ 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano

• Dressing: 1 small shallot, minced

• extra virgin olive oil

• apple cider vinegar

• sesame oil

• sea salt

• fresh ground black pepper

1. Remove the kale stems by running a knife along each side of the stem so you’re left with just the leafy part.  Stack the leaves and slice into thin strips.

2. Cut the apple into match sticks.  Halve and core the apple and slice into 1/4 inch slices.  Stack the apple slices and cut into thin match sticks.

3. Remove the stems of the fennel (save the fronds for garnish!).  Cut the bulb down the center and remove the center core.  Slice into paper thin slices with a mandolin or a sharp knife.

4. Toast the walnuts in a pan until they start to become fragrant.  Put the kale, fennel, and apple into a large salad bowl and crumble the toasted walnuts over the salad.  Add the grated parmesan cheese .

5. In a small bowl, whisk about 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil with about 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.  Add a small drizzle of sesame oil– a little goes a long way.

6. Add the minced shallots and add a couple large pinches of salt and fresh ground black pepper or season to taste.  Give the dressing a taste and add adjust ingredients if needed (don’t forget the parmesan will add additional saltiness).

7. Dress the salad and garnish with some fennel fronds.  Toss and enjoy!

Red Beet & Cauliflower Rice Curry

1 onion

1 tbsp curry powder

1 head cauliflower

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

4 oz spinach/other greens

10 oz beets

2 cans coconut milk

1 clove garlic

1 scallion

1 lime

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1. Start the curry: Peel and slice the onion. Peel and chop the red beets into 1 inch cubes. Place a large pot over medium heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the sliced onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped beets and curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup water, coconut milk, and ½ tsp salt, and bring the curry to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beets are tender; 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Prepare the cauliflower:Trim and chop the cauliflower into small florets. Add 1 clove garlic to a food processor and pulse until well chopped. Working in batches, add the cauliflower, and pulse until you reach an even, rice-like consistency.

3. Cook the cauliflower rice: Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tsp olive oil. Once hot, add the cauliflower rice and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower rice is tender and browned in places, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower rice to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

4. Finish the toppings:Roughly chop the pumpkin seeds. Thinly slice the scallion.

5. Sauté the greens: Return the skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Once hot, add the spinach and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Serve: Halve the lime and cut half into wedges. Squeeze half the lime into the curry, and season with salt and pepper. Divide the cauliflower rice between large, shallow bowls and top with red beet curry.