Melting

The first big heat wave of the summer always reminds me how grateful I am for the wind that runs through our valley. We can usually count on it to start mid afternoon, just as the heat is peaking. I was away this weekend, watching the temperatures climb on my phone, worrying about the crew, plants, and animals at the farm. While the heat was intense, I need not to have worried as everyone and everything was doing well. 

This week's pick list:

• Kale
• Lettuce
• Scallions
• Garlic Scapes
• Tokyo bekana
• Radishes
• Carrots
• Strawberries

SHORTCAKES, from smittenkitchen.com

• 2 1/4 cups (295 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons (40 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
• 6 tablespoons (85 grams or 3 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cut into chunks
• 2 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (205 ml) heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons (35 grams) raw or turbinado sugar

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined. Add butter and using your fingertips or a pastry blender, break it into small bits, the largest should be no bigger than a small pea. In a small bowl, whisk yolks with a splash of cream, then pour rest of cream in and whisk to combine. Pour into butter-flour mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix and mash it together into one cohesive dough. 

Divide dough into 6 (for large, 3 1/2 to 3 3/4-inch wide and up to 2-inch tall) shortcakes or 8 smaller ones. I do this by pressing the dough somewhat flat into the bottom of the bowl (to form a circle) and using a knife to divide it into pie-like wedges. Place raw or turbinado sugar in a small bowl. Roll each wedge of shortcake into a ball in your hands and roll it through the raw/turbinado sugar, coating it in all but a small area that you should leave bare. (I found that the sugar underneath the shortcakes would burn, so better to leave it off.)

Place it, bare spot down, on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wedges of dough. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden all over. Let cool completely on tray or on a cooling rack.

Bright nights

We are enjoying the abundance of light and long days, basking in the extended day length before and after the work day. The ground seems to have finally awoken from the saturated rains and the plants are beginning to thrive. The growth this spring in the planted feels slow, possibly in contrast to the grass explosion that surrounded us.

The rain last week was a pleasant surprise: a lovely cleaning shower. The pause gave us a moment to tackle needed tasks: building compost piles and tending to the greenhouse. Now we are back to weeding.

This week's pick list:

• Radish
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Lettuce Mix
• Arugula
• Scallions
• Garlic Scapes
• Pac Choy
• Strawberries

Homemade Tarragon Soda, from 101cookbooks.com

1 cup natural cane sugar
1 cup water
3 sprigs of fresh tarragon

sparkling water, seltzer water, or a non-sweetened carbonated drink like grapefruit or meyer lemon Spindrift

for serving: ice, and some fresh tarragon leaves

Taking root

Many of the plants in the field have taken root and are slowing starting to grow. It is hard to believe that soon enough the fields will be full of green. The first little flowers are blooming in the annual flower garden, as well as many in the perennial field. 

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Basil
• Pac Choy
• Tatsoi
• Tokyo Bekana
• Chard
• Carrots
• Garlic Scapes
• Onions

GRILLED BOK CHOY WITH BREADCRUMBS, PARMESAN & LEMON, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 1 loaf of good quality bread 
• 2 heads of bok choy
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil + additional for serving if desired
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1-2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• flakey sea salt for serving

Preheat the oven to 300F. Cut the bread into small cubes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and dry out slightly in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pulse the bread in a food processor until they're small crumbs. Set aside.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium. Slice the heads of bok choy in half lengthwise. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub it in until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place the bok choy cut side down on the grill. Cover and cook until tender and lightly charred, about 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, the parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon zest.

Place the bok choy on a platter and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture. Season with flakey sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.  Serve warm.

Curious chicks

The chicks are almost 2 weeks old and they are busting out of their pen already. We will open up the dividers and give them the whole barn today. They are vigorous, healthy, and endlessly entertaining to watch.

We planted the potatoes and winter squash last week, two of the largest crops now in the ground. This is the last week of big plantings until the fall. We are now turning our focus to weeding and cultivating, as well as catching up on mowing and other projects.

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Onions
• Green garlic
• Carrots
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Arugula
• Tatsoi
• Strawberries

Green Garlic Toasts, from nytimes.com

•  Slices of crusty bread
• ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 2 ½ tablespoons chopped young green garlic stalks, white and green parts
• 1 tablespoon minced chives
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
•  Large pinch red chile flakes
• 1 regular (not green) garlic clove, halved

Heat the broiler. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil them, flipping them halfway through cooking time, until golden on both sides. Keep warm.

In a bowl, stir together the butter, cheese, green garlic, chives, pepper, salt and chile.

Rub the toast with the cut side of the regular garlic clove, then spread with the green garlic butter. Broil toast again for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, until the tops lightly brown and the butter melts. Serve hot or warm.

Glorious planting

The greenhouse is rapidly emptying as more and more starts are in the ground. It is exciting to see the fields filling and to be growing again. This week we hope to plant the winter squash and potatoes, as well as the dahlias and more. The warm weather accelerated the growth in the greenhouse and fields; all the plants seemed to bask in it. Still we are grateful for the morning fog and a little cool down to let the new plants take root and enjoy some extra moisture.

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Green garlic
• Onions
• Carrots
• Kale
• Collards
• Lettuce
• Salad Mix

FARM STAND MEATBALLS WITH COLLARD GREENS & APRICOTS, from dishingupthedirt.com

Meatballs 

• 1 pound grass fed ground beef
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, de-stemmed and minced
• 1 green garlic, minced
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Honey-Dijon Collard Greens & Apricots 

• 1 large bunch of collard greens, tough removed and very thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 6 dried apricots, chopped
• salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl add your ground beef, rosemary, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix well. Once the herbs and spices are evenly distributed form the mixture into small meatballs.

Coat the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with oil. Arrange the meatballs neatly in the pan. Bake in the oven for about 18- 20 minutes or until your meatballs are cooked through.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and place the pan on the stove. Use tongs to remove the meatballs to a large plate (reserving the pan juices) and heat the skillet to medium. Add the mustard and honey and whisk well. Add the collard greens and cook, stirring often, until they are coated in the honey/mustard mixture and are becoming tender, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped apricots, salt and pepper, toss well. Place the meatballs back in the pan to heat though and serve warm.

Spring winds

All the vegetable fields are tilled and the irrigation headers are in so we are ready to plant. Everything is ready and should be in the ground now so we are excited to be able to give all the starts more room. We  will have all the tractors going, using both the single row and double row transplanters. 

Almost all of the dry crops are planted. We are hoping the rain showers expected to day swing our way to give these crops a dose of moisture.

This week's pick list:

• Mustard greens
• Kale
• Onions
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Popcorn

Roasted Onion Dip with Kale, from food52.com

For the onion dip:

• 2 green garlic sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ounces spring onions sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2/3 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Coarse sea salt and black pepper

Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C (390°F/200°C convection).

Mix 1 tablespoon olive oil with onions and garlic on a sheet tray. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until browned and soft. Set aside to cool, then finely chop. 

Transfer the onions to a bowl and add the cream cheese, sour cream, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and set aside until ready to use.

For the kale:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• pinch chili flakes
• 1 1/4 pounds curly kale, washed, tough stems removed, cut widthwise into 1 1/2-inch slices (1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Put the oil for the kale into a large sauté pan and place over medium-high heat. Add the kale, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and chili flakes, and cook for 3 minutes—you might need to do this in two or three batches, depending on the size of your pan—stirring often, until the kale is cooked but still retains a bite. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice, and serve warm on a large platter or individual starter plates, with dollops of the green onion dip spooned on top.

Game Day

The fields are drying out rapidly and we are working hard to get them prepped before we lose too much moisture. We direct seeded greens, beets, carrots, and more yesterday, as well as transplanting broccoli and lettuce. Some of the crops will be ready rapidly and some take time. Still we are excited to be growing again and look forward to having more food for us all. We are hoping to get the wheat planted today, as well as fennel, scallions, pac hoy, and chicories.

This week's pick list:

• Kale
• Green garlic
• Onions
• Lettuce

Green Garlic Soup, adapted from David Tanis
 

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6 stalks green garlic , sliced
• 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh
• 3scups greens, mixed, such as kale, chard, or spinach
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 whole lemon
• 1/8teaspoon sea salt, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, to taste
• In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Add the green garlic shoots, thyme, and onions. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add greens and simmer until tender. Check seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

New lambs, dry fields

The heat and sun are drawing us out of our wet slumber: the grass is heading up, the greenhouse plants are perking up, and the fields are drying out. We put a new header in the perennial field yesterday. It was a slow process which is hard when we are so anxious to get everything done at once. That seems to be how the year starts though: it takes a little bit to return to routines and to find a rhythm.

The cows finished grazing the first field this weekend. It has been mowed and we will finish spading it today. We have disced about half of the grain fields once and hope to finish them today. A new lamb arrived this weekend!

This week's pick list:

• Wheat berries
• Green Garlic
• Turnip
• Radish
• Choice of grass fed beef

How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries, from thekitchn.com

Approximately 3 cups

What You Need

Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
Salt
Olive oil (optional)

Equipment
Measuring cups
Baking tray (optional)
2-quart sauce pan with lid
Strainer
Bowl for tossing (optional)

Instructions

1. Toast the wheat berries (optional). Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Spread the wheat berries on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until lightly colored and aromatic.
2. Cook on the stovetop.  Transfer the wheat berries into a sauce pan and add 3 cups of water and a big pinch of salt.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover the pan.
3. Check for doneness.  At about 30 minutes, start checking for doneness by scooping out a few berries and carefully tasting after they've cooled a bit.  They should be chewy but not tough. If not quite done, continue cooking and check the wheat berries every 5 minutes. You may need to cook them up to 25 minutes longer depending on the exact variety of wheat berry you purchased and their age.
4. Drain.  Drain the berries in the strainer and transfer to a bowl.  Toss with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
5. Store in refrigerator.  If not using right away, store the cooked wheat berries in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week.  Gently reheat in a frying pan over low heat until hot, or serve at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

• Check the pot on occasion to be sure there is enough water.  Add more hot water as needed.
• Farro is another wheat grain very similar to wheat berries. It is cooks just like wheat berries, but will require a shorter cooking time.  Start checking at 30 minutes.  Farro can be used interchangeably in recipes calling for wheat berries.

for more details: www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-tender-chewy-wheat-berries-and-farro-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-189553

Swimming in grass

While the weather is still gray, we do feel that a change is finally coming. We were able to till the asparagus beds and are planning to plant tomorrow. The cows are grazing through the fields and we hope to begin tilling next week. We are working on additions to the potting shed to make seeding easier and more efficient.

While the vegetable growing has been difficult in this abundance of rain, the grass season has been incredible. The grass is at its peak right now; the cows fill easily and are lying down more. The grass is so tall in many places, even spots we have already grazed twice, it is hard to believe.

Please join us this Friday to walk to the pond and see the wildflowers! We will begin to hike at 4 pm. We will also have a fire going. Bring a picnic dinner if you wish!

This week's pick list:

• Bread
• Lettuce
• Tatsoi
• Chard
• Green Garlic
• Turnip
• Radish

Rosemary Olive Oil Cake, from Good to the Grain

• 2 1/4 cups / 10.5 oz / 290 g flour
• 3/4 cup / 4 oz / 115g sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup / 240 ml olive oil
• 3/4 cup / 180 ml whole milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 5 ounces / 140 g bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar for top crunch

Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C. Rub a 9 1/2-inch (24 cm) fluted tart pan, or equivalent, with olive oil (and/or line with parchment paper).

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. Add the olive oil, milk and rosemary and whisk again. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry, gently mixing just until combined. Stir in 2/3 of the chocolate. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top. Sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and run a fork along the length of the chocolate so that the batter envelops it just a bit. Sprinkle with the second sugar.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is domed, golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 

The cake can be eaten warm or cool from the pan, or cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and kept for 2 days.

Serves 8 -12.

Sun in the forecast

Even though it is drizzly today, we are grateful to look at the weather predictions and see some hope of drying out. We are ready this week to put new plastic on the hoop house, to install new irrigation in the perennial fields, and to begin grazing the wheat field.

We are also looking forward to our All Member Meeting this Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 pm in the CSA Barn!

This week's pick list:

• Sonora wheat flour
• Chard
• Green garlic
• Radish
• Turnip
• Delicata Squash

Swiss Chard Pancakes [Farçous]
Adapted from smittenkitchen.com and Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table

This is very flexible recipe. Once you have the milk, flour and egg base in place, you can add the suggested combination of onions, herbs and greens below or one more suited to your tastes/what you have in the fridge right now. 
 

• 2 cups (475 ml) whole milk
• 2 1/2 cups (325 grams) all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 spring garlic, coarsely chopped
• Small handful of fresh herbs
• 5 large or 10 small Swiss chard leaves, center ribs removed, roughly chopped
• About 1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil

To serve: Plain, thick yogurt mixed with a little lemon zest, lemon juice and salt, to taste

If you’d like to keep your finished pancakes warm while you cook them: Heat oven to 250 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. 

Make the batter: Put everything except the Swiss chard and oil in a blender or food processor and whirl until the batter is smooth. Scrape down sides. Add chard leaves and pulse machine until they’re chopped to your desired consistency. 

Cook the pancakes: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and pour in a good puddle (1/4-inch deep) of oil. Once oil is hot enough that a droplet of batter hisses and sputters, spoon about 3 tablespoons batter in per pancake. It will spread quickly. Cook until browned underneath and (the edges will scallop, adorably), then flip, cooking on the other side until browned again. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, and then, if you’d like to keep them warm, to the foil-lined tray in the oven. 

Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with lemony yogurt or another sauce of your choice. 

Do ahead: Unused batter keeps in fridge for 3 days. Finished pancakes keep in fridge for a couple days, and will freeze much longer. Separate pancakes with pieces of waxed or parchment paper so they don’t glue together.

Organization

The weather is making us go a little stir crazy as we are anxious to plant and to return to a more predictable rhythm. Still we finishing many projects that have languished on the list as well as getting very organized and prepped for production. 

Four calves have been born since Sunday. The oldest and lead cow Blossom is always one of the first. This year she had a beautiful brown and white spotted calf. 

This week's pick list:

• Chard
• Radish
• Turnip
• Green garlic
• Winter squash
• Wheat berries

Wheat Berries and Chard with Pomegranate Molasses, from Jerusalem by Ottolenghi

• 1 1⁄3lbs swiss chard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 large green garlic, green and pale green parts, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 1 1⁄4 cups wheat berries
• 2 cups chicken stock
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• Greek yogurt, to serve

Separate the chard's white stalk from the leaves, and slice the stalks into 3/8 inch slices.

Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy bottomed pot. When the butter has melted add the green garlic and cook, stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add the chard stalks and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the maple syrup, pomegranate molasses and wheat berries, mixing well. Add the stock, 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper for taste. Cook on low heat for 60-70 minutes, or until the wheat berries are al dente. Add the sliced chard and cook until chard is tender. Keep cooking until the base of the liquid has evaporated, and there is caramelizing on the pan.

Remove from heat, and do a taste test to check whether more salt, pepper and molasses is neede.

Many Seedlings

The greenhouse is filling up as we start many of the summer crops: tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. We will start more flowers and succession crops this week. We are also hoping to plant some perennial flowers before the rain. Unfortunately the fields will not be dry enough to till before the rain but as the days lengthen, the soil warms faster and hopefully we will be able to plant soon.

This week's pick list:

• Chard
• Radish
• Turnip
• Green garlic
• Winter squash
• Celery
• Ground beef

Quiche with herbs and goat cheese, adapted from nytimes.com

•  Short-crust dough (see recipe), rolled and chilled in a 9 1/2-inch tart pan
• 3 large eggs
• 1 and 1/4 cups half-and-half
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
•  Black pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic
• 1 teaspoon chopped sage
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

Bake prepared dough at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Patch any small holes with leftover dough. Cool.

Make the custard: in mixing bowl, beat eggs. Whisk in half-and-half, salt, pepper, lemon zest, thyme, green garlic, and parsley. Set aside.

Set tart pan on a baking sheet. Spread goat cheese slices evenly over bottom of pastry. Beat custard once more and carefully pour into shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until top is golden and custard is set. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spring Fever

The sunshine and longer days have us itching to start the planting the fields. Still we are waiting for them to dry out and focusing instead on the herb and perennial flowers which we work by hand. You may have noticed that we tucked in some vegetables in these fields where we could. We are hoping the slugs leave some for us! 

We have the grain barn set up and have put the wheat through the first stage of cleaning. We are hoping to have the second stage set up this week and to have some wheat ready soon. 

This week's pick list:

• Pea sprouts
• Radish
• Turnip
• Rutabaga
• Winter squash
• Parsnip
• Potato
• Cabbage

Spaghetti with Fried Eggs, from nytimes.com

•  Salt
• ½ pound thin spaghetti
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or lard
• 2 large cloves garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
• 4 eggs
•  Freshly ground black pepper
•  Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese, optional

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Start the sauce in the next step, and start cooking the pasta when the water boils.

Combine garlic and 4 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic, pressing it into the oil occasionally to release its flavor; it should barely color on both sides. Remove the garlic, and add the remaining oil.

Fry the eggs gently in the oil, until the whites are just about set and the yolks still quite runny. Drain the pasta, and toss with the eggs and oil, breaking up the whites as you do. (The eggs will finish cooking in the heat of the pasta.) Season to taste, and serve immediately, with cheese if you like.

Preparations

The fields are drying quickly in the warm sun. Still the puddles and wet spots are not completely gone. We took advantage of the break to clean irrigation lines and remay out of the fields. We are also starting large seedings of onions and flowers this week and the greenhouse is starting to fill.

Two more lambs were born last week, making a total of 7. Although they vary in age only by weeks, their size difference is striking. They grow so fast!  

This week's pick list:

• Mustard greens
• Pea sprouts
• Radish
• Turnip
• Rutabaga
• Winter squash
• Parsnip
• Potato
• Cabbage
• Oranges

Buckwheat Blini with Radish Topping from nytimes.com

• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm 1 percent or 2 percent milk
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
• 2 large eggs, separated

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the water in a large bowl. Stir in the lukewarm milk, and let stand for five minutes until creamy.

Sift together the flours and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk into the yeast mixture. Whisk in the buttermilk or yogurt, the oil or melted butter, and the egg yolks. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise in a warm spot for one hour or longer until bubbly.

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold them into the batter. Cover again, and allow to rise for another 30 minutes until bubbly.

Lightly grease a heavy nonstick or cast iron griddle, and heat over medium heat until hot. For bite-size blini that you can pass as hors d’oeuvres, ladle on 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter for each silver-dollar-size blini. For larger, pancake-sized blini, ladle on about 1/4 scant cup per blini. Cook until holes break through the upper side, about a minute. Turn and brown on the other side for about 30 seconds. Remove to a rack or a plate. If serving right away, wrap them in a towel or place them in a low oven to keep warm. If not serving right away, wrap them in foil and reheat them for about 20 minutes in a 325-degree oven.

Radish Topping

• 1 bunch radishes, cleaned, trimmed and finely chopped
• ¾ cup drained yogurt, or 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese blended with 1/4 cup drained yogurt or Greek-style yogurt until smooth
•  Salt
•  freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon minced mint, dill, or parsley
•  Very thinly sliced radishes for garnish

In a medium bowl, mix together the finely chopped radishes, drained yogurt or blended cottage cheese and yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice and dill.

Warm the blini. Top with a spoonful of the radish mixture, garnish with a radish slice and serve.

Cooking on coals

Three new employees started today; our crew is now complete for the coming season. After the quiet winter, it is nice to have the farm full of people living and working here. We made lunch together: hamburgers cooked over the wood fire and more. With all the rains we have not had as many fires. It was nice to smell and feel the fire again. The greenhouse is starting to fill up. We are working to get as much prepped and in order so that we can focus on planting when the time arrives. It will be a while still.

This weeks's pick list:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Radish
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Chard
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Oranges

Kalpudding, from nytimes.com

FOR THE MEATLOAF:

• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1 head green cabbage, approximately 3 pounds, cored and shredded
• 3 tablespoons molasses
•  Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• ¾ pound ground beef
• ¾ pound ground pork
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• ⅓ cup chicken, beef or vegetable stock, ideally homemade or low-sodium store-bought (or water)

FOR THE SAUCE:

• ⅓ cup lingonberry or cranberry preserves
• 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

Heat oven to 350. Put a large pan over medium-high heat, and add the butter. When it starts to foam, add the cabbage and molasses, lower the heat to medium and sprinkle with salt. Cook slowly, stirringoften, until all the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage is caramelized, approximately 20-25 minutes.

While the cabbage is cooking, lightly mix the meats in a large bowl, then add the onion, cream and breadcrumbs, and mix again to combine.

When the cabbage is done, add about a third of it to the meat mixture, and mix to combine. Use the remaining butter to grease an 8-inch-square baking pan, and transfer the meat mixture to it, spreading it out to cover the whole surface evenly. Spread remaining cabbage over the meat, pour the stock or water over the top and place in the oven, on a sheet tray, to cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cabbage is very, very caramelized, almost dry and crunchy at the edges. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes or so before serving.

While the meat and cabbage cooks, make the sauce. Heat lingonberry or cranberry preserves, vinegar and butter in a small pot set over medium heat, then add Worcestershire sauce to taste. Serve alongside the kalpudding.

Drying out

It has been glorious to see the sun for so many days. The cool breeze has kept us bundled and feels more like winter than spring but you can still tell the sun has shifted. The animals are basking in the sun. The greenhouse is warming more rapidly during the day and the plants are growing quickly. We are working to finish our winter construction projects and starting to get equipment ready to be used.

This weeks's pick list:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Radish
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Celery
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Celeriac
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Oranges

Fudgy Maple Syrup Brownies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Mix all together, pour into 8x8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Wet

I have to admit that I am struggling to write another update when it is pouring again. The rain truly slows us down. While there are plenty of jobs to do in the winter, such as tuning tractors and equipment and minor construction, we are not set up to do them in constant rain. We plan to be in the fields as little as possible as we do not want to create too many ruts or compaction. Yet we usually plan on having breaks in the rain when we can work outside in the barnyard. The rain is conducive to office work but we are all starting to get antsy. Still I know I will miss the sound of running water and the excitement of the storms when they are gone. 

This weeks's pick list:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Radish
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Celery
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Celeriac
• Cabbage
• Potatoes
• Oranges

Cabbage and Squash Gratin, from nytimes.com

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound winter squash, peeled and shredded
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ¾ pound green cabbage, shredded
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

FOR THE GRATIN:

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup low-fat milk
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup cooked barley, rice (preferably brown) or quinoa
• 2 ounces Gruyère, grated (1/2 cup)
• 1 ounce Parmesan, grated (1/4 cup)

If serving the vegetables with grains, begin cooking the grains of your choice first.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wok and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded winter squash and the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until not quite tender, about 10 minutes, and add the remaining oil, the cabbage, sage, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with grains or use the vegetables for the gratin below.

If making a gratin, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon) and freshly ground pepper, and stir in the cooked grains (I used cooked purple barley, and it was a beautiful and tasty combination with lots of texture) and the cooked vegetables. Add the cheeses and stir everything together, then scrape into the prepared baking dish.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the gratin is set. Allow to cool for 15 minutes or longer before cutting into wedges and serving. The gratin is good hot, warm or at room temperature, and you can cut it into smaller pieces to serve as an hors d'oeuvre.

Stirrings

The farm has been bursting with activity during the break in the rain. All the creatures are basking in the sunshine and warmth, thankful for a change in the weather. Many of the plants are growing so rapidly it is hard to fathom. The roses burst overnight and the garlic has doubled in size. We are hopeful for a good crop this year!

Alyssum, another ewe, had triplets yesterday. She seems to be taking good care of all of them. The lamb born last week already look like giants compared to the newborns. We are splitting the cows into two herds this week in preparation for calving. 

This weeks's pick list:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Radish
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Leeks
• Celery
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Celeriac
• Greens

Fried rice cakes with creamed leeks and egg, from www.ottolenghi.co.uk

• 1 tsp saffron strands
• 400g cooked rice of any variety
• 100g diced gruyère
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for frying the cakes
• 3 leeks, trimmed and cut into 1cm-thick slices
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 100ml double cream
• Freshly crushed black peppercorns
• 2 tbsp chopped tarragon
• 5 free-range eggs

Here's a solution to cooked rice left over from takeaways. Though, as a matter of fact, it's so good I often cook some rice especially for the occasion. There are plenty of alternative ways to vary this dish. Consider, for example, replacing the gruyère with some feta and adding freshly chopped marjoram or oregano; or throw in some chopped capers, olives and parsley, with or without the cheese. Serves four.

In a small bowl, stir the saffron with about a tablespoon of boiling water, leave to infuse for a couple of minutes, then stir into the rice. Add the gruyère to the rice mix, and season well.

Next, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and, on high heat, fry the leeks for three minutes to give them a little colour. Add the stock, cream and plenty of crushed black peppercorns, and carry on cooking on a slow simmer for about 10 minutes, until the leeks are soft and the sauce is thick. Add salt to taste and keep warm. Stir in the tarragon just before serving.

Add one egg to the rice mix, and stir well. Pour a tiny amount of olive oil into a large, nonstick frying pan and place over a medium heat. With a spoon, take some of the rice mix and press it down into the hot oil to create four flat cakes about 1cm thick and 7cm in diameter. Fry them on both sides until crispy and brown, about four minutes a side. Transfer to absorbent paper and keep warm while you make another four cakes.

Once all the rice cakes are made, crack the four remaining eggs into the same pan and fry, seasoning just before they're done. Serve two cakes per person and spoon over some of the creamed leeks. Top each portion with a fried egg and serve.

Listening

I was awake last night listening to the storm. It is hard to sleep when the wind is howling and the rain is pounding. Still I was surprised to look at the rain gauge to find 2.5" or so had fallen. Walking through the fields there seems to be coating of water everywhere. It is often hidden in the grass but it is there, sometimes deep and sometimes thinner.

We had 2 new lambs born this week, a lovely reminder of new growth and spring during all the rains. Even though there is plenty of good grass for them, we moved the herd to the barn for the rains as there is no other dry place. 

We are starting to prep equipment, replacing blades and spades for use when the soil dries. We are starting more seeds as well, mostly perennial flowers and slow growing crops. It is hard to imagine when we will be able to plant but it will come.

This weeks's pick list:

• Carrots
• Chicories
• Radish
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Leeks
• Celery
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Celeriac
• Greens

 LENTIL AND ESCAROLE SOUP, from nytimes.com

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, cut in small dice
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice; or 3/4 pound tomatoes, seeded and grated
• 1 cup lentils, washed and picked over
•  A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a few sprigs each thyme and parsley, and a Parmesan rind
• 6 cups water
•  Salt
•  freshly ground pepper
• 1 small head escarole, washed and roughly chopped about 6 cups
•  Optional: 4 to 6 slices country bread, toasted and rubbed with a cut clove of garlic

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant, five to 10 minutes. Add the lentils and simmer with the tomato mixture for a few minutes, then add the bouquet garni and the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and add salt to taste (1 to 2 teaspoons). Cover and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Add the escarole, and bring back to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the escarole and the lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bouquet garni.
3. Toast slices of country bread if desired and rub with a cut clove of garlic. Place a slice in each bowl, ladle in the soup and serve.

Emerging bulbs

The bulbs we planted in the fall are slowing started to emerge. Many have frost burned tips but they are welcome signs of new growth. The grass is also growing quickly during these warm, dry days. Walking the vegetable field though was overwhelming. The warm weather seemed to have promoted rot. The lettuce beds that I had been waiting to harvest are just too flooded. I am thankful for the stored crops!

This weeks's pick list:

• Carrots
• Beets
• Radish
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Potatoes
• Celery
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Rutabaga
• Celeriac

Pumpkin Flan, nytimes.com

• 1 ¾ cups/350 grams granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cups/473 milliliters half-and-half
• 4 large eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see note)
• ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ cup/125 grams pumpkin purée
• ½ cup/125 grams butternut squash purée

1. Make the caramel: In a heavy saucepan, mix 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. The mixture should look like wet sand. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it begins to make large bubbles. Continue to cook without stirring, rotating the pan regularly, until the caramel is translucent and amber-colored, 12 to 15 minutes. Working quickly, pour caramel into a 2-quart oven-safe glass bowl and rotate the bowl so it coats the sides.
2. Make the flan: In another saucepan, combine remaining sugar, cinnamon stick and half-and-half. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl until well blended. Whisk in vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt and pumpkin and squash purées. Add cooled cream mixture and whisk well.
4. Pour custard mixture through a mesh sieve, stirring and pressing with a spatula. You can do this directly into the bowl with the caramel, or into a separate bowl first, and then pour the strained mixture into the bowl with the caramel.
5. Place the bowl with the custard into a larger baking dish and carefully add warm water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan bowl. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 45 to 60 minutes, or until flan is just set in the middle, but still jiggles slightly. (A wider, shallower baking vessel will cook more quickly than a deeper one.)
6. Remove flan from water bath and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until completely cool, preferably overnight. To serve, run a knife around the edges of the flan, then put a serving platter on top of the bowl and invert. The flan should slip easily onto the serving platter with the caramel sauce pooling nicely around it.

Tips

For the pumpkin pie spice, you may substitute 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and pinch each of allspice and cloves. To make pumpkin and squash puree, halve it, remove the seeds, roast in a 400 degree oven until soft. When cool, puree it in the food processor. For best results, strain it overnight in a colander to remove extra liquid.