2015 Thanksgiving Share

TANTRE FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
Thanksgiving Share
Nov. 21, 2015

If needed, please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 e-mail: tantrefarm@hotmail.com phone: 734-475-4323 website: www.tantrefarm.com.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!
The snowy, cold weather is upon us, but our hearths and homes will soon be warmed by the aroma of roasting, steaming, baking, and the earthy smell of the many roots and greens of this Thanksgiving CSA share. It is the end of one season and the time for transitioning into the start of another. The end of the fall harvest finds us with a barn full of squash, garlic, and onions and a root cellar full of cabbages, potatoes and other roots ready to eat for the next several months. It is so important to rejoice in the abundance of this harvest! We are full with so many fine meals with friends to share the work and harvest. This Thanksgiving Share is a sampling of this year’s fall harvest and a testament to this year’s hardworking hands. Thank you for being part of our CSA. We hope you enjoy this most abundant Thanksgiving Distribution.

Please feel free to give us a call or e-mail throughout the late fall and early winter, if you are interested in more greens, squash, potatoes, radishes, turnips, spinach, onions, garlic, etc. and are willing to pick up your order at the farm. After the Thanksgiving Distribution we are planning on being at the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market on the following Wednesday, Nov. 25, for any last minute Thanksgiving purchases, but NOT on Sat. Nov. 28. We are hoping to continue coming to the Ann Arbor market on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout December and then only Saturdays for January through April. If you have “liked” us on Tantre Farm’s Facebook page, you will know when we are coming and what we are bringing, since we try to keep you updated. We also may attend a new Winter Farmers Market in Chelsea starting Nov. 28 and into the following 2 Saturdays of December, but please pay attention to our Facebook page to find out. The People’s Food Coop and Argus Farm Stop of AA also carry many of our vegetables throughout the fall and winter.

If you are interested in our Summer CSA shares for 2016, our online registration will start soon. Just check our website. We will be sending you a separate email as well to let you know when registration opens.

The vegetables for this last distribution will be distributed into 1 big (1-7/8 bushel) box, 1 small (1/2 bushel) box, and a 50 lb. mesh bag of root vegetable medley. You will also receive Parsley and 2 jars of The Brinery’s sauerkraut on the side. You may want to bring your own containers or bags, if you don’t want to keep the boxes or the net bag. Otherwise, you can return them at another time to the Farm or the AA Farmers’ Market throughout this winter. Most of the following items can be stored for long-term (especially the root vegetables) or preserved very simply, so please note storage or simple cooking tips listed below, in the ASPARAGUS TO ZUCCHINI cookbook (p. 191), or on our website. **Also, if you’re having trouble identifying any unfamiliar produce, please look for “Veggie ID” with additional information on our website under CSA INFO or under RECIPES.

Thanks for buying locally and seasonally. We wish you a safe, healthy, and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

–Deb, Richard & the 2015 Tantre Farm Crew

WHAT’S PART OF YOUR SHARE

ARUGULA: an aromatic, bright green, salad green with a peppery mustard flavor; rich in iron and vitamins A and C
-How to use: add to salads, soups, and sautéed vegetable dishes
-How to store: very perishable, so use up quickly; store in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

BEETS: You will receive a mixed bag of topless baby beets with Golden (orange skin with rich gold interior; mild, sweet flavor when cooked) and Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor when eaten raw or cooked).
-How to use: roots good in juices, soups, stews, roasted, boiled, steamed, excellent grated raw into salads or baked goods.
-How to store: store unwashed in plastic bags in hydrator drawer of refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS: You will receive a stalk of tiny, green cabbage-like sprouts with mildly pungent, mustard-like flavor. These sprouts are very easy to break off and seem to store better while still on the stalk until ready for use.
-How to use: Boil or steam for 5-10 minutes without overcooking, so they are still bright green; toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, or a pat of butter; excellent roasted or stir-fried.
-How to store: Refrigerate for up to a week or more unwashed in a plastic bag in hydrator drawer.
-How to freeze: Blanch for 3-4 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain, and store in air-tight bags or container.

CABBAGE (Kaitlin): large, late-season cabbage that is excellent for kraut with a very white, rather than green, interior after storage; should store well until December or January.
-How to use: steamed, stir-fried, chopped into salads or coleslaw.
-How to store: You will receive this unpeeled and unwashed, so that it will store better, so the leaves may look a little dirty or brown. It is best to store cabbage with its protective outer leaves until ready to use, so that it will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, just peel off a few layers until you get to the crispy, clean leaves that will make it ready for eating.

CARROTS (Orange and Purple): You will receive a mixed bag of these topless, frost-sweetened carrots with an orange variety called Bolero (orange, tender, excellent long-term, storage carrots with medium-long, thick, blunt roots) and a beautiful purple variety of either Deep Purple (deep purple roots; excellent grated raw or cooked; taste very similar to their orange cousins and should be embraced for their nutritional powerhouse benefits such as extra antioxidants, which help prevent blood clotting and heart diseases; anti-inflammatory as well as anti-bacterial properties) or Purple Haze (bright purplish-red roots with bright orange interior and a sweet flavor; cooking will cause the color to fade).
-How to use: Can be used raw as carrot sticks, grated in salads or juiced; steamed or sautéed, in stews, soups, casseroles, stir-fries
-How to store: Refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks; stores best in near freezing conditions around 32 degrees and 95% humidity; greens may last up to a week refrigerated in plastic bag

CAULIFLOWER (Romanesco): lime green, spiraled heads with pointed, spiraled pinnacles; crisp and mild.
-How to use: Raw for salads and dips, steamed, sautéed, or roasted.
-How to store: Sweetest and best when used within a week when stored in the refrigerator, but can last up to 2 weeks.
-How to freeze: Blanch 2-4 minutes, rinse under cold water, drain and dry, pack into freezer bags.

GARLIC: You will receive Russian Red Garlic; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and the immune system.
-How to use: Excellent in all cooking; make garlic butter with 1/2 cup of softened butter mashed with four minced cloves of garlic
-How to store: store for several months in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated place; if cloves begin to get soft or moldy, break off bad part, chop, and pack into small jar filled with olive oil, then refrigerate (great gift idea!).

FRESH HERBS: Everyone will receive 1 bunch of Italian Flat-leaf Parsley (flat, glossy, dark green leaves have a strong parsley/celery flavor for use dried or fresh; high in vitamins A and C, and other minerals, such as iron; especially good in omelets, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, soups, pasta and vegetable dishes, as well as, sauces to go with fish, poultry, & pork) or Curly Parsley (curly, dark green leaves, often used as a garnish, but can be used the same as flat-leaf parsley).
-How to store: Place in plastic bag and store in refrigerator up to a week or put herb bunch in jar with 2 inches of water, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

KALE: You will receive Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”) or Lacinato Kale (dark green, noncurled, blistered leaves, but heavily savoyed).
-How to use: Boil for 2-3 minutes or steam for 3-5 minutes, until color brightens (Colors will darken or fade if overcooked, and then can be mushy, tasteless, and less nutritious), and then toss with red wine vinegar/olive oil/salt/pepper, or sesame oil/rice vinegar/soy sauce, or lemon vinaigrette, or just butter and salt; mix greens (most are interchangeable in recipes) into omelets, quiches, lasagna, casseroles, soups, stews, and gravies.
-How to store: Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag for to 2 weeks.
-How to freeze: Blanch washed greens for 1-2 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain, and pack into air-tight containers, or just destem, chop, and freeze in bags.

KOHLRABI: delicious bulbous member of the strong-smelling cabbage family, that grows above ground; crisp, green skin shaped like a small baseball with apple-white flesh sprouting leaves out of it’s top and sides; leaves are good sources of vitamins C and A, calcium, potassium, fiber, and can be used just like collards/kale.
-How to use: usually peel the tough outer skin, and then good steamed or mashed with potatoes, added to soups or stews, but especially delicious sliced and eaten raw with dip
-How to store: store in refrigerator for up to a month

LETTUCE MIX: a bag of dark reds and vibrant greens including Green and Red Oakleaf, Green and Red Romaine, and Redleaf lettuces. Your lettuce has been rinsed once.
-How to use: raw in salads, sandwiches, or use in soups
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 3-5 days.

ONIONS: You will receive Red Hawk (medium to large, uniform, deep red bulbs, which are slightly flattened with consistent color and excellent skin retention) and Patterson (medium-large, blocky bulbs with dark yellow skin and thin necks; excellent storage onion).
-How to use: good in French onion soup, great for salads, soups, sandwiches, slices, grilled.
-How to store: can last for 10 to 12 months if kept in a cold, dark place, but remove any ones starting to go soft from the others.

POTATOES: Everyone will receive mesh bags of several varieties of potatoes including Adirondack Blue (round to oblong, slightly flattened tubers have glistening blue skin enclosing deep blue flesh; moist, flavorful flesh is superb for mashing or salads; very high in antioxidants!), Carola (yellow potato from Germany; smooth, creamy texture that is good for baking or frying), Dakota Red (red potato with white flesh that is good for baking, boiling, or frying), and Russian Banana Fingerling (an heirloom potato with small, banana-shaped tubers with yellow skin and light yellow flesh; used by chefs for its delicious flavor and smooth “waxy” texture that doesn’t fall apart when cooked; good baked, boiled, or in salads).
-How to store: keep unwashed in cool, dark place in paper bag; ideal temperature is 40-50 degrees with high humidity (80-90%). A basement or very cool closet will work. If too warm or stored with onions or apples, they will shrivel and sprout; light turns them green; don’t refrigerate, since the starches turn to sugars.

PIE PUMPKIN (Baby Bear): bright orange skin with dry, sweet flesh
-How to use: Excellent for pies (For other ideas see winter squash)
-How to store: store whole pumpkins at room temperature up to a month or for 2 to 3 months in moderately cool conditions (45-60 degrees with 60-75% humidity).
-How to freeze: Bake pumpkin until fork tender at 350 degrees, purée and put cooked pulp in freezer bags.

DAIKON RADISH: You will receive K-N Bravo (looks like an overgrown carrot with internal color ranging from pale purple to white with purple streaks; good, sweet, eating quality), Alpine (the smooth, attractive roots are white with green shoulders; looks like an overgrown green carrot, but with a slightly mild radish taste; crunchy and sweet texture; good macrobiotic root that is good for the gut; the most common type grown in Korea), and White Daikon: looks like an overgrown white carrot, but blunt-tipped on end, with a lightly mild, radish taste.
-How to use: excellent julienned, sliced, used in a salad or tossed with your favorite vinaigrette; good eaten fresh, cooked, or pickled
-How to store: not as hardy as you may think, so store wrapped in plastic to keep them crisp for up to 2 weeks

WATERMELON RADISH: an heirloom Chinese variety; large, 2-4”, round radishes with unique dark magenta flesh and light green/white skin along with a sweet, delicious taste.
-How to use: soups, stews, steamed, roasted, eaten raw in salads, pickled, excellent julienned and tossed with favorite dressing.
-How to store: Store dry and unwashed in plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; can last for 2-4 months if stored in cold, moist conditions like beets.

RUTABAGA: purplish skin with yellow flesh; thought to be a cross between a cabbage and a turnip and resembles a large turnip (3 to 5 inches in diameter).
-How to use: Bake, steam, or boil so it cooks up to a creamy texture as nice addition to mashed potatoes, can be substituted or added to pumpkin or squash pies, or baked in a root bake, and often a key ingredient in making pasties.
-How to store: Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to 1 month; keeps at room temperature for 1 week; long term storage

SAUERKRAUT: We are pleased to offer 2 jars of the Brinery’s Sauerkraut. Ingredients may include rutabaga, green cabbage, and sea salt. The Brinery is a local foods business, specializing in naturally fermented local vegetables and operated by long time Tantré farmer, David Klingenberger. For more information, please visit www.thebrinery.com.
-How to use: use as a condiment with any dish, especially meat dishes, salads, roasted veggies, or sandwiches.
-How to store: Must be REFRIGERATED up to 3 months or longer depending on how you like the flavor, since it will get stronger with more age. *NOTE: This sauerkraut jar has NOT been canned, so store in refrigerator.

SPINACH: crisp, dark green leaf—rich source of antioxidants & many nutrients, such as vitamins A, E, K, & C; delicious flavor when juiced.
-How to use: toss in fresh salad, add to sandwiches, sauté, steam, braise, or add to crepes, quiche, lasagna, and soups.
-How to store: refrigerate with a damp towel/bag for up to 1 week.

TATSOI: an Asian green with small, spoon-shaped, thick, dark-green leaves with tangy, sweet flavor.
-How to use: commonly eaten raw in salads, but can be cooked in stir-fries/soups
-How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag or wrap in a damp towel for up to a week.

TURNIPS (Purple Top): traditional, Southern variety with smooth, round roots with white on the bottom and bright purple on top
-How to use: Boil, steam, bake, add to soups and stews, mash or scallop just like potatoes, excellent roasted.
-How to store: Keeps up to 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator in a plastic bag; can last for 4-5 months, if stored like beets, preferring cold and moist conditions.

WINTER SQUASH: It’s been a great squash year! You will receive all of the following varieties:
Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh)
Buttercup Kabocha (green, blocky, with a gray “button” on the blossom end; thick, dry, deep orange flesh; medium-dry and sweet; very dry at harvest, sweeter after a few weeks; dry storage)
Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash)
Jester Acorn (about the size of Carnival squash, but with better eating quality; an oval, ivory-colored squash with green striping between the ribs that is tapered on both ends with small to average ribs)
Spaghetti (3-5-pounds, pale yellow, oblong, smooth, medium size, only mildly sweet with “spaghetti” (stringy) flesh; bake like squash or boil and fork out the flesh, topping the “spaghetti” flesh with your favorite sauce; mildly sweet)
Tetsukabuto (5-6 pound Japanese squash; nearly round with dark green rind, slightly mottled and ribbed; sweet and nutty flavor with yellow, thick flesh)
-How to use: Slice in half, scoop seeds out and bake with a little water in baking pan at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until tender; boil or steam chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until tender (peel skins off “before” or “after“ cooked, but “after” is easiest when it’s cooled); mash cooked squash with butter; purée cooked squash for creamy soup, or add uncooked chunks to soups or stews; add small amounts to yeast breads, muffins, cookies, pies, oatmeal.
-How to store: Keep for several months (depending on the variety) at 45-60 degrees with 60-75% humidity; will also store at room temperature.

RECIPES
**Keep in mind a very easy way to find recipe ideas for almost any combination of share box ingredients is to type the items into your preferred “search bar” with the word “recipe” after it.

TANTRE FARM SLAW (A simple, easy salad!) Serves 4.
2 medium beets, grated
3 large carrots, grated
1 kohlrabi, peeled and grated
1 watermelon radish, grated
sesame or sunflower seeds, toasted
olive oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Grate vegetables into a bowl. Chop onion, if desired, and add to bowl. Toast sesame or sunflower seeds. Add when cooled. Add olive oil and lemon juice as a salad dressing to suit your taste. Be careful of too much liquid. The tartness of the lemon should be prominent. Serve immediately or marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator. Variations: Add grated turnips, lettuce. parsley, etc.

TANTRE FARM OVEN-ROASTED HARVEST VEGETABLES
**Keep in mind, any combination of the following root vegetables will work. Roasted veggies are standard at many Tantre Farm meals. Yummy!
1 c. Brussels sprouts, cut in halves
1 c. carrots, quartered or chunks
1/2 lb. unpeeled multi-colored potatoes, cut into chunks if large
1 watermelon or daikon radish, julienned
3-4 onions, sliced
1 rutabaga, cut into chunks
1 c. turnips, cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. winter squash, cut into chunks
3-4 Tbs. vegetable or olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine any combination of vegetables above in large bowl, except parsley. Drizzle oil over. Sprinkle with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Bake for 30 minutes in 1 or 2 roasting pans or until vegetables are beginning to slightly brown. Turn the vegetables 2 or 3 times during cooking to prevent burning. Then increase heat to 425° and add chopped parsley (or may be added as a fresh garnish at the very end), toss vegetables, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Makes 6-8 servings.

COCONUT-RUTABAGA-CARROT MASH (from http://www.redfirefarm.com/recipes)
2 rutabaga, roughly chopped
4-5 carrots, roughly chopped
2 T brown sugar or maple syrup
1/4 cup thick coconut milk (or light cream)
1/2 t nutmeg
salt to taste
Cook rutabagas and carrots in boiling salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain vegetables, transfer to a food processor and purée with brown sugar, and cream until very smooth. If necessary, transfer purée back to pot and reheat.

WINTER VEGETABLE CHOWDER (from 366 Simply Delicious Dairy Free Recipes by Robin Robertson) Serves 6.
1 tsp. canola oil
½ cup onion, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
½ cup turnip, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped (optional)
1 cup winter squash, peeled and chopped
½ cup sweet red pepper, chopped
1 tsp. garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable stock or water
½ tsp. minced fresh thyme, or 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 cups kale (spinach, arugula, kohlrabi greens, tatsoi, cabbage)
1 cup unsweetened soymilk
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onions, celery, turnip, and carrot for 5 minutes. Add sweet potato, squash, bell pepper, garlic, stock or water, and herbs. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Boil greens in lightly salted water for 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Purée soup in a blender (or use a stick blender in saucepan) until smooth. Return to saucepan. Stir in the soymilk, cooked greens, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly heat the soup, being very careful not to boil. Serve.

MARTHA STEWART’S PUMPKIN SOUP IN A PUMPKIN (from www.recipezaar.com) Serves 6.
6 cups chicken stock
2-3 cups pared pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh sage or rosemary leaves
5 peppercorns
1 medium pie pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh, parsley
In a covered saucepan, heat the stock, cubed pumpkin, onion, garlic, salt, thyme, and peppercorns to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of the pumpkin with a slotted spoon; reserve. Simmer remaining pumpkin mixture, uncovered, 20 minutes longer; transfer to a large bowl. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Cut the top off the sugar pumpkin and remove the seeds. Place the pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes; set aside in a warm spot. Puree 2 cups of the pumpkin mixture in a blender or food processor; return pureed mixture to the pot. Repeat with remaining pumpkin mixture. Heat pureed mixture to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir warm cream and reserved pumpkin into soup. Place the warmed sugar pumpkin on a platter; ladle the soup in and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.

TATSOI STIR FRY
Olive oil
1 turnip and/or carrot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch tatsoi
salt and pepper to taste
Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until translucent. Add turnip & carrot slices and sauté 3 minutes. Add sliced tatsoi stems and cook another minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Add mushroom slices and stir fry another minute. Add tatsoi greens and steam with a cover for 3 minutes. Add a little hot water, if necessary.

DAIKON IN PLUM SAUCE (from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables by John Peterson) Serves 3 to 4.
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons plum sauce
1 tablespoon minced scallion
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 daikon radish, peeled, cut into matchstick-sized strips (could add watermelon radish as well)
2 tablespoons water
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir until cornstarch dissolves. Stir in the plum sauce and scallions. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Swirl the oil around the wok so that it covers the cooking area, then add the daikon; cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the water; cover. Cook until the daikon is tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce mixture and continue cooking, stirring vigorously, until the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

GERMAN SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE
1 head cabbage, shredded
1/4 cup vinegar
1-cup onion, chopped
2 cups water
1 apple, chopped
3 Tbsp. sugar
salt
Salt the shredded cabbage and let sit for a half hour. Add remaining ingredients and simmer covered for one hour until cabbage is tender. Serve.

TETSUKABUTO SQUASH PIE (from Backwoods Home Cooking)
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
2 cups mashed or pureed, cooked pulp of Tetsukabuto squash
1/2 tsp. vanilla
10 oz. evaporated milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. unbleached flour
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Thoroughly mix pulp, vanilla, and milk. Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, and ginger together and stir into the wet mixture. Pour into the pie shell and bake in 375° oven until the middle of pie is almost firm but still sticky. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with pecans. Continue baking until a straw inserted in the center comes out clean. Entire baking time takes 40-45 minutes.

VELVETY BEET AND COCOA CAKE (makes 2 9-inch cake layers)
3/4 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cups pureed cooked beets, juice drained off and 1/2 cup reserved
1/2 cup reserved beet juice
Heat the oven to 350’F. Cream the butter and sugar and beat in the eggs until light, pale, and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and add in alternating amounts with the milk. Add the beets and beet juice and mix for a couple minutes or until very smooth. Pour into two greased 9-inch cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Layer with lightly sweetened whipped cream and cacao nibs.

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