Hello Friends!
So we are down to our last two of weeks of CSA season, so we have to make them extra special. We started the week off with a frosty Monday morning. Luckily, our row covers held up and kept the veggies warm and cozy during the winter-like conditions.
This week the share features our very first sunchokes and carrots of the season! So for those of you who haven’t had sunchokes (or jerusalem artichokes) don’t worry because they’re easy to prepare. You cook them just like you would potatoes, boil ‘em, steam ‘em, or roast ‘em. We had a lot of fun digging those up with the help of the children from the montessori school.
We are also doing pretty well in the greens department, they are looking delicious and growing fantastically! Hope you are finding a lot of ways to use those powerhouse veggies. I will share with you some ways I like to eat em. Enjoy!
-Apprentice Erica
Sunchoke-Kale Winter Hash
Adapted from Food and Wine.
This is a hearty dish to start off these chilly mornings. It would also be great to top a grilled steak.
Cover sunchokes with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Once tender (about 10 minutes) chop into ¼ inch pieces.
Add water to a separate sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add kale and cook until tender (about 3 minutes). Drain kale and let cool slightly. Squeeze out excess water and coarsely chop.
In a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of oil and a chopped red onion. Cook over low moderately low heat until onion until browned occasionally stirring (about 12 minutes). Set aside.
In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter. When melted add sunchokes in an even layer and cook on high heat until browned on bottom. Turn them over and slightly reduce the heat. Once browned add onion and kale and mix. Put on low heat and let the flavors blend for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Chard Gratin
Adapted from The Art of Simple Food, Alice Waters.
Wash and stem a bunch of chard, and ½ a bunch of kale or other green. Save ½ the stems and thinly slice.
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, add salt, and cook sliced stems for 2 minutes. Add chard and kale leaves and cook until tender (about 3 minutes). Drain and cool. Squeeze excess water from stems and leaves and coarsely chop.
Toss together 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 2 teaspoons melted butter. Toast on baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Melt 1 ½ teaspoons of butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add 1 diced onion. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add chard and kale. Salt. Cook for 3 minutes and then sprinkle with flour.
Stir well and add ½ cup milk. Cook for 5 minutes. Add more milk if mixture gets too thick. The chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed. Butter a small baking dish, add mixture, and dot with 2 teaspoons of butter. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and cook at 350 degrees until gratin is golden and bubbly, 20-30 minutes.
Serenbe Farms 