CSA Harvest #27

Hi farm friends! I hope this week's harvest finds everyone healthy. As per my earlier email this week the Lehne's graciously invited us out into their fields to harvest some items for supplementing our normal shares. This offers us a huge relief as at this time most of the farm has been planted in cover crop (which needs to establish itself before the colder winter months arrive).

Already the garlic we planted in mid October is poking up through the newspaper mulch and straw searching for sunlight. The first leaves are white spears that poke their way up through any obstacle in search of the sun. Of course as soon as they reach the sun the white is replaced with a deep green as photosynthesis begins- aren't plants amazing! The garlic will have a long while to go before it is harvested, around the first two weeks in July.

Asinete and I have finished deconstructing our greenhouse and it is laying in neat piles in the front of our house. Like the nursery rhyme "humpty dumpty" I'm fearful trying to put the greenhouse back together again is going to prove to be a royal headache. We are going to make the most out of the upcoming good weather and try to get it finished.

After this week we will have two more deliveries. The Thanksgiving week harvest will be delivered on Monday but I will remind everyone again next week!

Please check out my previous posts (volunteers needed as well as a great poem from Gary Paul Nabham).

Enjoy!

Suzie, Asinete, M.A., Robin, Violet and the Burkhert kids


This Week's Harvest Includes:


Apples

Romanesco Broccoli (Lehne)

Dinosaur Kale (Lehne)

Garlic

Potatoes

Cilantro

Red Bell Pepper (Lehne)

Daikon Radish


We have more winter squash to come for the last two CSA harvests!

Braised Dinosaur Kale (adjust recipe accordingly as you only have 1 bunch of kale)

So hearty it's almost meaty tasting, this is our favorite kind of kale. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour.
Notes: Lacinato kale is also called black kale, cavolo nero, dinosaur kale, and Tuscan kale. It's a dark green, bumpy, very flavorful cousin of ordinary kale and is packed with minerals and vitamins.
Yield
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
3 bunches Lacinato kale (about 2 1/4 lbs.), leaves rinsed and tough center ribs cut out (see Notes)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 to 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
About 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Chop kale into 1-in. pieces and add to pot. Cover and cook until slightly wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large frying pan or heavy-bottomed pot, cook garlic in olive oil over low heat, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add kale and wine and cook, covered, until almost dry. Add chicken stock and cook, covered, until stock is almost evaporated and kale is very tender, about 30 minutes (if kale isn't tender, add more stock and continue cooking). Season to taste with salt and lemon juice.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1/2-cup serving.
Nutritional Information
Calories:
39 (36% from fat)
Protein:
2.1g
Fat:
1.5g (sat 0.2)
Carbohydrate:
5.7g
Fiber:
1g
Sodium:
570mg
Cholesterol:
0.0mg
Sunset, JANUARY 2008