Pick List:

Spinach - Bok Choy - Lettuce - Cilantro - Potatoes - Sweet Potatoes -

Hakurai Turnip Greens - Onion - Green Tomatoes - Beets - Rutabaga - Cayenne

KITCHEN LIST:

Pizza Dough - Romesco - Stella’s Bulgarian Spread

First of all, a HUGE shout out to all you brave souls who came out last week to pick up your CSA shares during the coldest night of our entire lives (huge hyperbole here, but it’s nice to sound like a vegetable-share-hero every now and then, right?).

Second, MAJOR shout out to all of our dear friends and Jamaican co-workers who are on a plane right now heading home and reuniting with their families and sunshine and yams and curried goat. Roy, Strong, Ramone, Jasper, and Garnet keep our field crew afloat during the growing season. Because of their dedication to the farm we are able to be the best berry/tomato/carrot/potato/etc farmers that we can be. At this point, Roy- a 20 year Edgewater Farm veteran is the 5th member of my family and at times he is the glue that keeps us all together especially during our toughest times- strawberry season in particular when our sleep is little and our backs feel less then. He loves picking strawberries and somehow his good spirits during the 7 hour days of straight picking keep me motivated and my heart full. Strong, Jasper, and Garnet, have been working with us for maybe 5 years now. They are the most reliable folks I have ever come across- happy to show up to work no matter the weather. I like to joke with Jasper about getting off the farm and messing about the Upper Valley and he likes to remind me “i’m not a tourist I am here to work.” Finally, there is Ramone, the rookie of the year and a very welcomed addition to our Edgewater Crew. He keeps us laughing all day, every day. Hot damn, will I miss these guys.

TIPS - TRICKS - RECIPES

Green tomato salsa verde from nytimes

1 pound green tomatoes

2 to 3 hot peppers (more to taste)

Salt to taste

½ cup roughly chopped cilantro

¼ to ½ cup water, as needed (optional)

½ medium onion, preferably a white onion, chopped, soaked for five minutes in cold water, drained, rinsed and drained again on paper towels

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the green tomatoes on the baking sheet, stem-side down, and place under the broiler about 2 inches from the heat. Broil two to five minutes, until charred. Using tongs, turn the tomatoes over, and grill on the other side for two to five minutes, until blackened. Remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle, core the tomatoes and remove the charred skin. Quarter and place in a blender or a food processor fitted with a steel blade (I prefer the blender).
Add the remaining ingredients, except the water, to the blender or food processor, and blend to a coarse or a smooth puree (to your taste). Transfer to a bowl, taste and adjust seasonings, and thin out with water if desired. Allow to stand for 30 minutes or longer before serving to allow the flavors to develop. You may wish to thin out after it stands.

Hakurai Turnip Greens: so delicious!! Eat fresh in a salad like you would arugula or braise lightly

Swede (Rutabaga) and spinach loaf by nigel slater

(The British call rutabagas swedes).
Take a little care with this, blanching the roots first then weighing them down during baking so they squish firmly together. The loaf doesn’t need to be to be turned out to serve it. But should you wish to, then be sure to let it rest, weighted, for a good 30 minutes before flipping onto a serving dish.

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as an accompaniment

Swede (rutabaga) 2 pounds

Turnips (though i bet celeriac would be great here!) ¼ pound

spinach 1 pound

mixed fresh herbs ¼ cup

eggs 3

egg yolk 1

creme fraiche 1.5 cups

Grated gruyere 1.5 cups

Line the base of the loaf tin with kitchen parchment.

Bring a large, deep pan of water to the boil. Peel the swede and turnip, then slice each thinly, about the thickness of a pound coin. Cook the slices in the boiling water for 7-8 minutes, until there is a hint of tenderness to them. Drain and set aside.

Wash the spinach thoroughly. Return the empty pan to the heat with a small amount of water in it, then add the spinach. Cover tightly with a lid and leave to cook for a couple of minutes, turning the spinach over once or twice with kitchen tongs. When the leaves are soft and bright green, drain and squeeze dry. Roughly chop the spinach and set aside.

Chop the herbs finely. Beat the eggs and egg yolk together in a mixing bowl, just enough to combine the whites and yolks, then stir in the creme fraiche and gruyere. Season generously. Heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

To assemble, scatter a few of the chopped herbs in the base of the loaf tin. Place pieces of swede and turnip, neatly, in one layer then cover with some of the fresh herbs and a little of the creme fraiche mixture. Repeat, several times, layering the root vegetables, spinach and herbs with the creme fraiche mixture until everything is used up. Cover tightly with kitchen foil then place in a roasting tin. Place a board and a heavy weight on top of the loaf tin.

Pour hot water into the roasting tin, coming half way up the sides of the loaf tin then carefully place in the hot oven. Bake for an hour, then test with a metal skewer. It should glide effortlessly through the layers. If not, return to the oven and continue cooking for 20-30 minutes until ready.

swede (RUTABAGA), sweet potato & chia hash recipe adapted from Nigel Slater

A sweet hash of golden root vegetables and crunchy seeds topped off with a fried egg

Peel a little over 1 pound of swede (rutabaga) and cut it into small dice, about 1cm square. Then do the same with ¾ pounds of sweet potatoes. Warm 4 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan then add the swede and cook for 4 or 5 minutes. Add the sweet potato and continue cooking, stirring from time to time. After 20 to 25 minutes the roots should be tender and starting to crisp lightly. At minute 15 add the Roughly chopped onion. Fold 1 tbsp of chia seeds into the frying root vegetables.

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan, break two eggs into the oil and fry them for a couple of minutes until they are as you like them. You know how you like your fried eggs.

Divide the swede and sweet potato between two hot plates then slide a fried egg on top of each. Serves 2.

The trick

Keep the frying temperature low enough that the roots get a chance to cook right through. Turn the heat up towards the end so the edges of the roots crisp appetisingly. Don’t start cooking the eggs until the root vegetables are well and truly ready.

The twist

Swap the swede for parsnip for a sweeter note. Use halved new potatoes instead of the sweet potato. At the end of the cooking time shake a little chilli sauce into the pan. As well as their long list of nutrients, chia seeds introduce a pleasing crunchiness to the dish and a nutty flavour. You could use sunflower seeds mixed with poppy and hemp seeds if you prefer.