December 13, 2022
What’s in this Week’s VEGGIE BOX: Lemons, Bok Choy, Escarole, Beets, Turnips, and Cilantro
Bread this week: Rosemary Foccacia OR French Baguette your choice of one
Holiday Special Order
If you have placed and order please look for a bag or box with your name on it this week (if you asked for it early) and next week at your normal drop site. there may be multiple boxes if you placed a larger order, please make sure you grab all your things
Good Humus will be closed from December 21st-January 7th.
No CSA delivery December 24th, 27th, 31st, January 3rd or 7th
Saturday December 24th boxes will be delivered December 20th to your normal drop site
This week on the farm
This time of year is one of my favorites; the cold weather, the shorter work days and the family traditions. I love the rain that we have been getting, makes me have some hope for the future, that water is coming back to the hungry hollow. I hope that it continues, to revive the drought ridden hills behind the farm. It’s been so nice to wake up in the night listening to the little patter of rain on the roof, knowing that the trees that have been searching for water are getting some this winter. Praying that it will keep it up!
I did the market this last Saturday and man was it a rough one. There was talk about it being cancelled, and then we talked about not going when it wasn’t. There was over an inch of rain, 20 MPH wind and extremely cold. There were a lot of people that decided to skip the market, vendors and customers alike. I went with the expectation to not have much fun, and the market being not a good one. But it was one of the most amazing markets for me in a long time. I went, prepared to be cold and wet (which were true) but I looked around and saw all the vendors that made it out and the customers too that came to support us. We were all back up under the structure, with Christmas lights everywhere; I even brought a speaker and played some Christmas songs to bring some good cheer. It was definitely not even close to a normal market, but for me, seeing all the vendors and the customers running in from the rain and chatting with each other, thanking the farmers for coming out. It made my heart warm.
In my mind, that’s a community; people lifting each other up, supporting each other and just showing up when so many would rather stay home. My dad said ‘well lets all go and be miserable together’. That’s kind of what it was, a community going and being miserable together, but because of that, people were happy, joyful and upbeat and the weather wasn’t so bad. We all felt the rain, complained about the cold and worried about what we would end up taking home, but we stuck it out, because we had people around us, helping us through it all. Just talking to the people that showed up, and the other vendors, watching the people of the market just made it for such a great day. I didn’t even care that my clothes were soaked, I couldn’t feel my toes and we took most of our product home. I left with a big smile.
I know I tend to talk about this stuff a lot, but to me it’s what makes everything so special. Sometimes I find myself taking it for granted, not remembering how lucky I am, and it takes something like this last market, or someone pointing out some everyday thing for me to make me step back and remember. I think people look for a community to be a part of, and I have been lucky enough to have one. I was talking to a farmer from Winters about how our parents were such an integral part of the community and all their friends are still around and have watched us grow up. They are the people that have supported and lifted us up for so long, and now we have started taking over and creating our own support system as the new generation. Expanding our community, one that, hopefully, will continue to grow and be strong for a long time to come. And who knows, maybe my kids or some nieces and nephews will have the same conversation at the market in the future.
I hope that everyone get a moment this winter to step back and realize all the good you may have in your life. Happy winter and have a cozy week! ~Claire
Chinese Style Greens
Source: Cookingnook
1 1/2 pounds greens, (kale, turnip, chard, beet, bok choy, or mixture of all greens)
2 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 - 5 mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 onion, sliced
1/2 red pepper, small, sliced
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce, optional
Wash the greens thoroughly, shake off excess moisture and cut out the stems. Shred the leaves coarsely with a sharp knife. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the garlic, mushrooms, red peppers and onions. Cook until the onion is slightly soft, then add the greens. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted. Add the honey and soy sauce, cover and cook over low heat until the greens are tender, about 10 minutes for mustard or turnip greens, about 5 minutes for other greens. Serve at once.
Lemony Egg Soup With Escarole
Source: NYtimes cooking
5cups chicken stock
½cup white rice
4cups escarole, coarsely chopped
3large eggs
2 to 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice, as needed
½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and black pepper
In a medium pot, bring stock to a simmer. Add rice and simmer gently until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in escarole for the last 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and 2 tablespoons lemon. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle 1 cup hot broth into the egg mixture. Pour mixture into the pot of hot stock. Cook gently until soup begins to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with lemon zest, salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if desired.
Roasted Turnips with Peanut Cilantro Sauce
Source: RedfireFarm
Turnips
Chunks of any type of turnip or rutabaga
Olive oil to coat
Salt and pepper
Cilantro Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey (or other sweetener)
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs cider or rice vinegar (or other light vinegar)
2 tbs lemon or lime juice
2-4 tbs olive oil
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tbs sesame oil (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced (optional) – or green garlic
1 tbs minced fresh ginger (optional, or a little ginger powder)
a little of cayenne powder or chili flakes
Clean and top turnips, remove thicker skin areas, and chop into similar sized chunks. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 375 or 400 until soft to the tines of a fork, and starting to brown a little. Sauce: Mix everything together. Add a little water to get desired consistency. Salt to taste.
BRAISED BOK CHOY & TURNIPS
Source: BostonOrganics
2 heads baby bok choy, quartered and washed thoroughly
6-8 small turnips, peeled, washed and quartered
3 tbl unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tomato, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
3 tbl soy sauce
1/2 tbl sesame oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup couscous, cooked
Note: If you have turnip greens available, they can be used in place of the bok choy. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and garlic until the onion becomes tender, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the bok choy and cook for 3 minutes or until it begins to brown slightly, flip and then cook an additional 3 minutes. Add the turnips (should be in approximately 1-inch pieces) and chopped tomato and cook for 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 6 minutes, or until the bok choy is tender. Transfer bok choy and turnips to a serving platter, leaving the cooking liquid in the skillet.Cook the liquid in the skillet over medium-high heat. Allow it to reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Serve bok choy over couscous and drizzle the liquid on top.
GRILLED BOK CHOY & TURNIP RICE BOWLS WITH SOY SESAME SAUCE
Source: Dishhingupthedirt
Rice Bowls
2 heads bok choy, large leaves trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
1 bunch turnips, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds (reserve greens for another use)
1 cup cooked edemame
2 cups cooked white rice
3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
handful of cilantro
3 Tablespoons sesame seeds
Soy Sesame Sauce
3 1/2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 1/2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Heat the grill to medium. Rinse the chopped bok choy under cold water to remove any dirt. Set aside. Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Taste test and adjust seasonings if need be. Lightly brush the bok choy and turnips with a little bit of the sauce. Place the bok choy cut side down on the grill; cover and cook until tender. About 5-8 minutes. Place the turnips directly on the grill and cook, covered for 2 minutes per side.
Serve the grilled veggies with the cooked rice, edemame, radishes, micro greens and a few tablespoons of sesame seeds. Drizzle with remaining sauce and enjoy.