Weekly Share Nov 10th – 16th

Asian Green Salad Mix (Mizuna, Red Mustard, Tatsoi), Thai Kang Kob Pumpkin, Red Meat Winter Radish, Mustard Greens, Green Peppers, Serrano & Jalapeños, Scallions, Cilantro

This past week has been full of changes and excitement on the farm. Last Sunday we had a fabulous workday planting all of our 2015 garlic crop with a small group of CSA members. The weather was very windy, crisp, and cold; but the work went quickly and efficiently. We really appreciate having CSA members come out and join in with some of our work. Garlic planting is a perfect job for a group of people, since most of us love garlic, everyone seems excited to learn how it gets planted and for us to get it accomplished in one day makes the planting more consistent and efficiently done. Plus a newly straw mulched crop looks beautiful and neat. Sunday was also the last day our apprentice Pete worked with us. This marked the end of our regular season and although the work is not really slowing down for us, it is when the work should be slowing down. Having Pete at the farm for seven months really increased our productivity and allowed our business to produce more than was capable with just the two of us. He was a great addition to our operation and we look forward to seeing what he will do on his own. So now we are back to just the two of us; which for the last few weeks of the CSA and two weekly markets, means a lot of harvest hours. Once December comes we will be coming to market less frequently and working more on planning, administrative, and maintenance projects. For now though, lots of harvesting and selling while the food is still abundant. In the middle of last week we finally had our big high tunnel built. This amazing crew of 5 people took less than two days to erect this huge high tunnel in our backfield. For those of you who come out to the farm, it is definitely changing the view. The high tunnel will allow us many possibilities for increased food production and season extension. We are excited to begin leaning how to produce food well with the issues that arise in a covered and enclosed space. It’s a whole new game.

This week’s share includes our favorite Winter squash variety: Thai Kang Kob, technically a pumpkin, it is great in curry, soup, and roasted. It is extremely versatile and has a beautiful hard flesh. We have included a recipe below for Silky Cocount Pumpkin soup. This recipe is absolutely fabulous and easy to make. Over the past few years it has become one of our favorite ways to eat this pumpkin. In addition we have recipes for mustard greens, green peppers, and a wonderful simple salad dressing from Japanese Farm Food which would be great on the salad mix this week. Please enjoy the share…..Autumn and Brian

Jaw Phak Kat: Northern Thai Mustard Green Soup With Tamarind and Pork Ribs – Pok Pok by Andy Ricker

Tofu and Peppers with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Easy Chicken Fajitas 

Silky Coconut-Pumpkin Soup – Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffery Alford & Naomi Duguid

3-4 Shallots unpeeled

1 1/2 lbs of Pumpkin or Squash

2 cups canned Coconut milk

2 cups Pork or Chicken Broth

1 cup loosely packed Cilantro

1/2 teaspoon Salt

2 Tbls. Thai fish sauce

Generous grindings of Black Pepper

¼ cup minced Scallions

In a skillet or on a grill, dry roast the unpeeled shallots until softened and blackened. Peel, cut lengthwise and set aside. Peel the pumpkin and clean off any seeds. Cut into ½-inch cubes. You should have 41/2 – 5 cups cubed pumpkin. Place the coconut milk, broth, pumpkin cubes, shallots, and coriander leaves in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt and simmer over medium heat until the pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes. **Stir in fish sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Taste for salt and add a little more fish sauce if you wish. (The soup can be served immediately, but has even more flavor if left to stand for up to an hour. Reheat just before serving.) Serve from a large soup bowl or in individual bowls. Grind black pepper over generously, and, if you wish, garnish with a sprinkling of minced scallion greens. Leftovers freeze very well.

**At this point you can strain out about 1/3-1/2 the pumpkin cubes and blend just for a few seconds, return to the pot and the soup will have a slightly more creamy and emulsified texture.

Soy Sauce Vinaigrette – Japanese Farm Food by Nancy Singleton Hachisu

1 Tbls Soy Sauce

1 Tbls Rice Vinegar

2 Tbls Rapeseed Oil

Whisk the soy sauce and vinegar together in a small bowl before drizzle-whisking in the rapeseed oil to emulsify. Take care to rewhisk if you do not dress the salad immediately after making the vinaigrette. Spoon enough well emulsified vinaigrette on the salad to film the leaves and gently toss with light hands. The leaves should not be drippy, nor should there be any dressing pooled up in the bottom of the bowl after serving (if so, you have overdressed the salad). Save any extra dressing in a jar in the refrigerator. Keeps for several weeks or more.