Week 4: 1/19 - 22
Thursday 3pm - till Sunday Night | SELF SERVE
13197 10TH St. South. Afton, MN. 55001 | 612.770.7194
On the farm this week: This has been the snowiest winter we have had in a long time! it is absolutely beautiful but definitely keeping us all busy moving it out of the way. January is always a hard month for the farm. It is typically the cloudiest so we get very little growth and heat in the tunnels. That can lead to a lot of moisture build up which inhibits the respiration of our crops and ultimately can lead to rot. So besides the fact that everything is frozen outside, winter growers also have to manage humidity in sometimes strange ways. We will find the warmest day in a week and crank the heat in our 96' tunnel and open the vents to push that humidity outside. In our unheated tunnels, it means opening vents and running fans even when the temps outside are not ideal. too much humidity can be a killer, more so than the below 0 temps, so we do our best to move it out :)
reminder: the winter share is EVERY OTHER WEEK so the next bag pick up is the Feb 2nd!!
In Your Bag This Week
Kale: Red Kale is tasty and versatile! Rip leaves from stems and tear apart to cook or eat raw. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Swiss Chard: related to spinach, you can cook it in similar ways. I really like to bake the stems in cream and cheese then sautéed the leaves and throw them on top at the end. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Celery: Celery is another crop that tastes so much better in the winter as it loves to freeze. The flavor gets a little sweeter and its celery essence gets stronger too. Great for cooking. Store in your fridge.
Micro Arugula: crisp and peppery, top off your eggs, pizza or sandwiches for added zing! Store in your fridge.
Spinach: slightly sweet, crisp and tender. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Flavor Mix Micros: mild and tasty, these make an easy salad on their own or can add some color to any other salad. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Pea Shoots: sweet pea flavor but in a green! Great addition to sandwiches or salads. Store in a bag in your fridge.
Sauteed Swiss Chard with White Beans | Serves: 4 | total time: 25 mins
Ingredients
1 large bunch* of Swiss chard (I used rainbow)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup diced shallots about 2 medium shallots
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced, or minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves plus sprigs for garnish
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 fifteen-and-a-half-ounce cans white beans drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons red, or white-wine vinegar
pinch of red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
Wash Swiss chard to remove dirt and sand then strip or cut the leaves from the stems. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Roughly chop the leaves into 1-inch strips. Keep the chopped stalks and leaves separate.
Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, add shallots and sauté until soft and just starting to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme leaves, and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds.
Stir in the chard stalks and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Place half of the chard leaves in the saucepan and toss until they lose some volume, about 30 seconds. Add in the other half of chard leaves and continue to toss until just wilted; this should only take about 1 minute - you don't want to overcook them.
Stir in the white beans and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using). Toss gently to combine and cook until beans are warm, about 1 more minute. Taste and season with a little more salt and/or pepper, if necessary.
Serve immediately, or allow to sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Roasted Butternut Squash with Chorizo-Spiced Kale | Serves: 4 | Total Time: 35 min
Ingredients
2 medium (3-pound) butternut squash, necks peeled, each squash cut lengthwise into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) planks (squash bulbs reserved for another use)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 1/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Pimentón de la Vera picante
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium bunch kale (about 8 ounce), stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup salted roasted pepitas
Instructions
Preheat oven to 475°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet in oven; let warm 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, drizzle squash steaks evenly with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Arrange squash steaks on hot baking sheet in a single layer. Roast in preheated oven until golden brown and tender, 22 to 30 minutes, flipping after 12 minutes.
While squash steaks roast, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium. Add cumin, Pimentón, and coriander; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until slightly softened, about 1 minute. Stir in kale, 2 tablespoons water, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook, stirring often, until kale is wilted and tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar. Season with salt to taste.
Divide squash steaks among 4 plates. Top squash with kale mixture, and sprinkle with cheese and pepitas.
We wash everything in your bag but we wash them in bulk so some things may need an extra rinse at home. Please bring your bag back next week so we can re-use them! thanks!