- Watercress or arugula
- Spinach or kale
- Chard
- Parsley
- Leeks
- Onions or shallots
- Winter squash
- Radicchio- the last
- Escarole (looks like lettuce but it is not. It is delicate as it is from one of the greenhouses that lost its top. Eat this first
- Fennel or turnips or kohlrabi
- Green onions
- Bok Choy
The Winter share is winding down. One more to go after this week. We have had cold wet weather and with two green houses without plastic and a third flooded the growing space has been limited. We feel lucky to have pulled so much out during the bad weather snap. We are finishing the last of the winter squash this week as well as the last radicchio that miraculously survived 13 degrees in the field. The spinach was looking amazing and then got hit by a yellowing illness and so we had less to choose from. We have another bed that hopefully will come along for you for the last harvest. The parsley bunches are huge this week. If you have not made parsley pesto yet, now is your opportunity. It is one of our favorite winter pasta dishes. Will try and link below but some websites reject me once I try to post on our site. Google: Pesto di Prezzemolo.
Juvencio has prepped the greenhouses that need plastic and we are ready to go but each day there’s just too much wind to try and pull over a 100 foot piece of plastic that acts like a gigantic sail. We are keeping our fingers crossed that tomorrow in the early hours we can pull it over and cinch it down. It is a ton of work but should last for 3-4 years.
Our seeding greenhouses are packed with seedlings almost ready for transplant. Sometime in the next two weeks I will get the sugar snap peas in as well as the spinach and asian greens. We are gearing up for the regular season that starts 4/14 with an opening potluck and pizza party.We hope all of our winter subscribers will join for the regular season. Go to this page https://www.finquita.com/wordpress/?page_id=231
and print out the enrollment form and send it with your check for $100 to us at the farm.
The final harvest for the winter season will be on March 10th. Keep your fingers crossed for a windfree day to get our greenhouses covered and ready to go for spring.
Recipes to enjoy:
Link to pesto di prezzemolo (parsley pesto): https://yougottamakethis.wordpress.com/2022/09/13/pesto-di-prezzemolo-parsley-pesto/
- Escarole Soup with Rice
- 1/4 c EVOO
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced, plus 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1/2 c chopped onion
- 4 c coarsely chopped escarole
- 1/4 c short grained ice, like arborio or sushi rice
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
- Salt, pepper, and grated parmesan to taste
- Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large deep saucepan. When oil is hot, stir in the minced garlic and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant, then add onions and cook until softened. Add escarole and toss gently until it begins to wilt. Add the stock and rice and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 Tbsp of EVOO in a small frying pan, add sliced garlic and fry until turning golden brown and starting to crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- When rice is tender, serve soup and garnish each bowl with garlic chips and grated parmesan.
- Butternut squash, leek and Zaatar pie
- 1 small (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1” chunks
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp EVOO
- 1 large leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 8 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 1/2 tsp Zaatar
- 2 cups swiss chard, leaves and stems finely chopped
- 3/4 c cream cheese
- 2/3 c crumbled feta
- 2 sheets of puff pastry
- 1 large egg, beaten
- Heat oven to 400. Toss squash chunks with maple syrup, cinnamon and 1 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until just cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add 3 Tbsp oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add leek, garlic, scallions and 1 tsp salt and cook until leeks have softened but not browned. Add 1 Tbs za’atar and stir over heat a minute more, until fragrant, then add chard and cook until just wilted, and remove from heat.
- Combine the cream cheese and feta and add fresh pepper—work this mixture into the butternut squash.
- Roll each puff pastry sheet into a 10 x 16 rectangle; trim one to 6×16 and prick well with a fork—this is your bottom. Place this smaller piece on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and score a 1” border around the edges. Spread the leek mixture over, avoiding the edges. Dollop the squash/cheese mixture on top. Brush the border with beaten egg, then cover with the larger sheet of dough. Use a fork to crimp the borders, then brush the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with remaining zaatar. Prick or slash the top a bit to allow steam to escape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425. Bake the chilled pie for 15 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes before slicing/serving.
- Winter Vegetable curry
- 3 Tbs neutral oil such as canola or sunflower oil
- ½teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- ½teaspoon turmeric
- ¼teaspoon cayenne
- 12-inch piece of ginger, grated
- 6 small garlic cloves, minced
- 4 small hot red Asian chiles or Mexican chiles de árbol
- 1 large onion, diced, about 2 cups
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4-5 cups winter veggies such as winter squash, celeriac, radish, turnip, carrot, sweet potato or regular potato (a mix is best!) cut into 1” chunks
- 1-2 c cauliflower, broccoli or cabbage, cut into 1-2” chunks (could also do strips of kale or collards but add later in the cooking process)
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, preferably home-cooked and the liquid reserved
- 1 can coconut milk (optional)
- Cilantro sprigs, limes juice for garnish
Heat oil in a large pot until it shimmers, then add the seeds and toast for a minute or two, then turn down heat and add remaining spices, ginger, garlic, peppers and onions. Cook over medium heat until onions have softened but not browned, then stir in the tomato paste and cook a minute or two more. Throw in the 4-5 cups of “hard” veggies and pour in just enough water (or chickpea water) to cover. Cover and let cook over low heat until veggies are starting to soften (about 20-30 minutes) stirring occasionally. Add the “softer” veggies and 1-2 cups of chickpeas and cook until all the veggies are cooked. At this point you can add a can of coconut milk or just a bit more water to make a sauce. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve over rice with cilantro garnish and a squeeze of lime.