Calypso Farm Note for the Week of September 5, 2005

Your Share This Week:

*Celery
*Leeks
*Senposai
*Brussels sprouts
*Beets
*Carrots
*Turnips
*Potatoes
*Cauliflower
*Kohlrabi
*Onions
*Garlic
*Savory
*Thyme

Thankfully, last week’s frosts were light enough and came with enough warning that we didn’t lose anything except for the summer squash. We pulled all of the garlic, onions, flowers for dying and drying and some of the herbs inside just in time. And lucky for you – most of what is left in the field only gets sweeter with the cooler temperatures! We hope you enjoy this week’s larger than normal harvest – especially the Brussels sprouts and the leeks!

Happy Fall!
Christie

P.S. Senposai is an Asian Green, with a firmer textured leaf than the Asian Greens in the salad mix or the pak choi. Enjoy!
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Brussels Sprouts with Bacon-Fried Onion
Adapted from Asparagus to Zucchini

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
2 slices thick-cut bacon
¾ cup onion, chopped
2-3 tbsp apple cider or beer
Pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to boil; add Brussels sprouts and blanch 2-3 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, cook bacon in skillet until crispy; remove bacon, drain on paper towels, chop into pieces, and reserve. Discard all but 1-2 tablespoons fat in the pan. Saute the onions in the bacon fat until barely tender, 1-2 minutes. Stir in apple cider or beer and cook to heat through. Add the drained Brussels sprouts and reserved bacon to the pan, stir well, and heat through. Season with pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Gingered Beets and Brussels Sprouts
From Winter Harvest Cookbook

1 pound Brussels sprouts (about 3 cups), trimmed, 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 medium beets, boiled, baked or steamed, 2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter, Salt and pepper

Cut an X in the stem of each Brussels sprout and steam over boiling water until nearly tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Peel (optional) and slice beets. Cut sprouts in half if they are really large. Heat butter in a medium skillet, or saucepan, add sprouts, beets and ginger and sauté until vegetables are tender. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and cook very gently another 2 to 3 minutes. Serves 4.

Sesame Garlic Brussels Sprouts
Adapted from Asparagus to Zucchini

¼ cup soy sauce or tamari, 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
3 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 4-5 tbsp peanut or canola oil
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, crushed pepper, sesame seeds, garlic and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Blanch the Brussels sprouts in boiling water until partially tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain well. Heat wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat until the air looks hazy over the pan, 2-4 minutes. Add a small amount of peanut oil, swirl the pan to coat the surface, and add about a third of the sprouts. Stir-fry until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain on paper towels. Stir-fry the remaining sprouts similarly, in batches. Add stir-fried Brussels sprouts to soy sauce mixture and toss well. Serve immediately or allow Brussels sprouts to marinate one or more hours before serving. Makes 6 servings.

This Week’s Harvest Salad
Adapted from Winter Harvest Cookbook

3 tbsp lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups carrots, chopped, 1 tbsp fresh grated lemon rind (optional)
3 celery stalks, cut into bite-sized pieces, Salt and pepper
1 large leek, chopped, 1 tbsp chopped savory
1 pound Brussels sprouts

Combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and 3 cups water in a medium bowl. Add carrots and celery and let stand, covered, in the refrigerator until its time to dress the salad. Cook the leek in an inch of boiling, salted water until tender but not slimy, about 5 minutes. Drain, saving the water. Bring water back to a boil and steam Brussels sprouts only until crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Put leeks and Brussels sprouts in a serving bowl. Drain carrots and celery well and add. Dress with olive oil, the remaining 2 tbsp of lemon juice, lemon rind. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix and check fro seasoning. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. Garnish with chopped savory.

Root Vegetable and Leek Soup with Cheese
Adapted from Winter Harvest Cookbook

2 tbsp butter, 5 potatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped, 4 carrots, grated or chopped
2 leeks, chopped finely, 1 beet, chopped
3 cups strong beef, chicken or vegetable stock, salt and pepper
1 turnip, grated or chopped, 2 cups milk
1 cup shredded Gouda or other cheese, 2 cloves garlic, chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add onion, leeks, garlic and a little salt and sauté over medium heat, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Don’t rush this part – proper slow cooking brings out the natural sweetness.
Add soup stock and turnip and heat to simmering. Add potatoes. Cover without stirring (you want the potatoes to stay on top) and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Lift out potatoes with a slotted spoon, puree and return to soup. Add a little salt and generous amount of pepper. Bring soup to a boil, add carrots, beets and stir in milk. Bring just to boiling and simmer for 5 minutes. Add cheese, adjust seasoning and heat through – so not to boil again. Serves 6.

Cauliflower, Egg and Potato Bake
Adapted from Vegetarian Dished from Around the World

1 ½ pounds potatoes, Dry bread crumbs
1 medium cauliflower, Fresh thyme
2 cups sour cream, A little butter for topping
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced

Cook potatoes in their skins in boiling water until tender. Drain and cool them (slip skins off with a sharp knife if desired). Cut the potatoes into slices. Break the cauliflower into even-sized sprigs and cook in a little boiling water for 5-7 minutes or until they are just tender. Drain well. Preheat the oven to 375. Butter a large shallow ovenproof dish and line with a layer of the potato slices, followed by some sour cream, then the cauliflower and the egg slices, then some more sour cream
Continue like this until everything has been used, ending with a layer of potato and then one of sour cream. Spring the top with bread crumbs, fresh thyme and dot with butter. Bake for 50 minutes, until heated through and golden brown on top.

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