The gleaning party was a success! The weather was mild; chilly but dry and not too windy. The sky was beautifully quilted with clouds. Everyone found treasures to take home. The most popular gleaning crops were pumpkins, flowers, basil and kale/collards. I will tell you, those pumpkins were fully ripe in mid-August! It is a miracle that they remained solid and beautiful for almost two months. This is unprecedented.
Basil was a last-minute gleaning crop. By the weekend, we knew it would suffer cold damage on Sunday night, so I offered entire plants to take home. The farm smelled amazing!
Quite a few people hiked to the back of the farm, to explore or to glean winter squash. Steve and I both enjoyed talking with so many of you. We always learn something new when you visit.
Beth & Steve
Veggie List & Veggie Notes
Week #22, October 12/13, 2023
– Weekly shares
– BiWeekly/ green
– Sampler/ B group
Autumn Frost winter squash
Carrots, 2 lb
Poblano chilies, 2 (packed in bag of carrots)
Daikon radishes (white or purple or red)
Bok choy
Colored peppers, ~2
Yellow onion
Scallions
Garlic, 1 medium bulb
By site: purple OR white cauliflower OR smaller cauliflower plus Romaine lettuce
Next week’s box will probably contain butternut squash, red cabbage, greens and more.
‘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. This is a fairly new variety. The breeders really knocked it out of the park with this one. The skin is edible.
Poblano chiles – Your chilies could be green or red. We packed them in the bag of carrots so they will be easy to identify.
Korean radishes – These are a favorite vegetable among our farm crew. Crunchy Korean radishes are sweeter and milder than Japanese daikon radishes and come in a more manageable size. They contain lots of water, which makes them easy to pickle or ferment. You’ll receive at least two of the colors we grow: white, red and purple.
Storage: Refrigerate.
Uses: Maangchi rules for radish ideas! Head to her website for dozens of radish recipes. She has the best website for Korean recipes. Her Radish Kimchi recipe is close to foolproof and easy to scale.
More uses: Phoebe has a recipe below for “Quick pickled vegetables” that can be made with grated carrots and daikon. It’s like the pickled slaw served on bahn mi sandwiches.
Scallions – Your scallions will need a little extra prep. I asked the crew to trim roots and wash, but not do our usual full prep, to save time on a busy day. Just pull off an outer leaf or two.
Garlic – This is German Extra Hardy variety, the type with large cloves.
Cauliflower – You’ll get purple or white cauliflower. FYI, the purple color darkens when cooked.
Storage: Refrigerate.
Pretty, pretty Autumn Frost winter squash.
You will receive at least two of the daikon colors we grew this year; white, red and purple.
RECIPE from BETH
Steamed Coconut Custard in Autumn Frost
Thai pumpkin custard is a treat, and can be prepared in an Autumn Frost pumpkin. That’s my custard in the photo above. Autumn Frost really is that color inside! I based my version on these recipes, with alterations.
Thai Pumpkin Custard, from Cooking with Lane
Thai Pumpkin Custard, from Amporn’s Thai Kitchen
Beth’s notes.
– I’ve only made this in a steamer.
– Steam your hollow squash for 25 minutes before adding the custard mixture. Otherwise, your squash is overcooked by the time the custard is set.
– I’ve never used pandan leaves.
– The linked recipes call for coconut milk or coconut cream. I substitute a mixture of coconut milk and oat milk as I prefer it less rich. I’ll pull together my cooking notes this weekend and will share my custard mixture here and on the Facebook group page.
RECIPES by PHOEBE
Pepper Lovers’ Pizza
Love peppers on pizza? This recipe is for you! It stars colorful roasted peppers, tangy pepper jack cheese, and red pepper flakes for an extra kick of heat. You can use any of the peppers from your share here—just keep in mind that the poblanos will increase the spice level.
Serves 2 to 3
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
6 ounces mixed peppers (bell, frying, poblano, etc.), stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
¼ onion, sliced into thin wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt
2 tomatoes from a can of whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup grated low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
Cornmeal, for stretching the dough
1 pound pizza dough, store-bought or homemade*
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
Red pepper flakes, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the peppers and onions on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast until soft and browned around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F.
Place the whole peeled tomatoes in a medium bowl and use your hands to crush them into a slightly chunky sauce. Add ¼ teaspoon sea salt and stir to combine.
In another medium bowl, place the mozzarella and pepper jack cheeses and toss to combine.
Dust another large baking sheet or pizza pan with cornmeal. Place the pizza dough on the baking sheet and stretch it into a large circle or oval. Spread the tomatoes evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Top with all but ¼ cup of the cheese mixture, then top with the roasted peppers, onions, garlic, and dried oregano. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup cheese on top.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Slice and serve.
*If using store-bought dough, let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before stretching.
Photo by The Modern Proper
Quick Pickled Vegetables
From The Modern Proper
These quick pickled carrots and daikon would be a great addition to a homemade banh mi, but the uses for them don’t end there. Pile them onto a burger or BBQ sandwich, add a scoop to a grain bowl, or top them onto cold sesame noodles.
Photo by The Woks of Life
Boiled Daikon Radish
From The Woks of Life
If you’re used to eating radishes raw, you might be surprised how much you enjoy this simple boiled daikon recipe. The cooking process mellows the radish’s bite, yielding a delicious, nourishing side dish.
Photo by Eva Kolenko
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
From Love & Lemons
This ultra-comforting mac and cheese features a creamy sauce made from part cheese, part roasted squash. The recipe calls for butternut, but autumn frost squash would add exceptional flavor!
Photo by The First Mess
Maple Tahini Glazed Cauliflower with Chipotle
From The First Mess
Purple and white cauliflower are both fair game here! The smoky chipotle seasoning and sweet, nutty tahini sauce will make them irresistible.
Photo by Pinch of Yum
Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice
From Pinch of Yum
In this satisfying weeknight recipe, a gingery, peanut-y medley of chicken thighs, scallions, and bok choy tops a fragrant bed of coconut rice. Omit the cilantro if you don’t have any on hand.
Photo by Smitten Kitchen
Chicken Wonton Soup
From Smitten Kitchen
Homemade wonton soup is the perfect cozy cooking project for a rainy fall day! Finish the soup with chopped bok choy instead of spinach.