Just three more weeks. Please don’t let it snow!
Bins of freshly harvested carrots
With our crew, we surge toward our finish line, harvesting and packing crops into storage. We’re like squirrels, stashing away cabbage and root crops. By Thanksgiving, we’ll be done. This spell of cold weather has forced us to prioritize the more frost-vulnerable crops first. All the celeriac, beets, daikon, rutabaga, napa cabbage are in. We’re still working on carrots, parsnips, cabbage and leeks. They can handle some very cold nights without damage.
Steve and I harvest carrots together most weekends. He steers the harvester from the tractor. I ride the back and keep the carrots flowing into bins. We can harvest a lot, with just the two of us.
We picked lots of broccoli, cauliflower and some Romanesco for you this week, just before the nights got too cold. Steve, Maggie, Ben and I cut in the field. The conveyor carries the heads to the wagon.
Karen grades and counts the cauliflower from the conveyor belt. So much counting! Mike drives the tractor.
The farm is beautiful in the afternoon light.
Our house is filled with flowers that I cut before the freeze. I bet you all did the same! These are my favorite dahlias.
Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Extension Share
November 4/5, 2021
Winter squash (‘Autumn Frost’ or ‘Heart of Gold’)
‘Orleans’ sweet potatoes, 2 lb
White cauliflower, 1
Purple cauliflower, 1 small
Broccoli, 1 small
Carrots, 2 lb
‘Suntan’ bell peppers, 2
Poblano chiles, 2 (in bag with carrots)
Red onion
Yellow onion
Garlic
By site, you’ll get an additional portion of Romanesco cauliflower OR cauliflower (white or green or purple) OR broccoli.
‘Autumn Frost’ squash – Store cool and dry. 60 F is ideal.
This beautiful frosted squash has both pumpkin and butternut squash breeding. They cook and taste like an unusually good butternut, with rich, smooth texture. They are quite nice. The skin is edible. They store very well but you have to keep an eye on them. If you see flaws developing, eat promptly.
‘Heart of Gold’ acorn squash – A few sites get these speckled acorn squash. We’ve trialled this variety a few years and are very happy with its flavor and sturdiness. Eat these soon – acorn squash do not store for long.
Orleans sweet potatoes – Store at room temperature, no colder than 60 F.
We couldn’t wash the sweet potatoes because of the cold weather. We had to drain all the pipes in our pack shed. Therefore, we packed the unwashed sweet potatoes into paper bags, to keep everything else from getting dirty.
Garlic – This is the German Extra Hardy strain.
Medley of cauliflowers, broccoli, Romanesco – Refrigerate.
We have a medley of these crops to share this week. Most people will get a white cauliflower + a small purple cauliflower + something else (unless your cauliflower is unusually large). The warm fall weather delayed these crops. Cauliflower and Romanesco don’t set their heads without cold weather. We’re glad they made it but then we had to pick them small before the freeze.
RECIPES from PHOEBE
Visit our 2020 Recipe Log or our 2019 Recipe Log.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Rice Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
Tossed in a sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing, this salad is a fresh, fun side dish. You can make it a day or two ahead of time, but wait to add the toasted almonds until right before you eat.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes marinating
Cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
1 small head broccoli (about 1/2 pound)
1 small cauliflower (about 1 pound), chopped
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more for sprinkling
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Big pinch smoked paprika
Heaping 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- Break the broccoli into small florets. Set them aside and roughly chop the stalk. Place the chopped broccoli stalk in a food processor with half the cauliflower and lightly pulse until the vegetable pieces are well-chopped, but not pureed, about the size of grains of rice. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, honey, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Add the second batch of cauliflower, the broccoli florets, and the red onion to the large bowl, and toss to combine. Pour in the dressing, and mix well to coat. Set aside for at least 30 minutes so that the vegetables have a chance to marinate in the dressing.
- Meanwhile, toast the almonds. Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and fragrant, 4-5 minutes, turning down the heat as necessary. Remove from the heat and scrape onto the lined plate. Spread in an even layer, sprinkle with salt and smoked paprika, and set aside to crisp and cool for 10 minutes.
- Before serving, fold the dried cranberries into the salad and sprinkle with the almonds. Season to taste and serve.
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Roasted Cauliflower Flatbreads
Thanks to toppings like dried apricots, olives, roasted onions, and cauliflower, these flatbreads boast a delicious, unexpected mix of sweet, tangy, and briny flavors. Slice them up and serve them as an appetizer, or enjoy them as a meal on their own. I like to make them with store-bought naan, though if there’s another type of flatbread you like, go ahead and use it instead!
Serves: 4-8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
5 cups small cauliflower and/or Romanesco florets (1 pound)
1/2 cup cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 onion, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 ounces)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
4 large or 8 small naan or other flatbreads
3 dried apricots, diced
1/4 cup pitted green olives, torn
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the cauliflower and/or Romanesco florets on one sheet and the chickpeas and onion wedges on the other. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the chickpeas are crisp, the onion is soft and browned, and the cauliflower is tender and browned around the edges.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and measure 1/2 cup of the cauliflower florets. Place them in a food processor with the feta, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and water. Process until smooth.
- Meanwhile, warm the flatbreads in the oven. I like to place them directly on the oven racks for 5 minutes, or until slightly browned and beginning to crisp up on the bottom.
- Assemble the flatbreads with a slather of the feta mixture, the remaining cauliflower florets, the chickpeas, onions, dried apricots, and olives. Sprinkle with the lemon zest, season with a few grinds of black pepper, and serve.
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Butternut Squash Risotto
From Love & Lemons
Dice up your Autumn Frost squash, and use it in this creamy, comforting fall risotto. If you don’t have rosemary or sage on hand, feel free to skip it. Even without the herbs, this recipe is fantastic.
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Poblano Chicken Fajitas
From What’s Gaby Cooking
Served with tortillas and whatever fixings you like, this fajita recipe is an easy, 1-skillet meal. Toss in the poblanos and bell peppers from your box – any color will be fine!
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Roasted Broccoli Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad
From Minimalist Baker
This hearty salad would be a great lunch or light dinner. Cauliflower or Romanesco cauliflower would be a fine sub for the broccoli here, or you could use a mix of cauliflower and broccoli.
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5-Ingredient Sweet Potato Turkey Chili
From Pinch of Yum
Ok, in reality, this recipe is more like 10 ingredients, but it’s super simple nonetheless. Perfect for using this week’s sweet potatoes!
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Roasted Carrots with Honey Butter
From Cookie + Kate
A drizzle of honey butter highlights the natural sweetness of these simple roasted carrots.
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Spicy Sesame Carrot Soup with Red Lentils
From The First Mess
Tahini and red lentils give this pureed soup a rich, creamy texture. Serve with crusty bread for a delicious fall meal!