Thanksgiving 2010

TANTRE FARM CSA NEWSLETTER
Thanksgiving Share
November 20, 2010
Please contact Richard Andres & Deb Lentz at: 2510 Hayes Rd. Chelsea, MI 48118 tantrefarm@hotmail.com 734-475-4323

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE!
This last week at Tantre Farm has been filled with plans for the future, (& questions about the future!), many fond memories, and strong friendships between the men and women, who have been living and working together on the farm this past season. We have shared long days sitting in the wet, soft earth pulling carrots, radishes, turnips, celeriac, etc. looking up occasionally as the geese or cranes fly over to feed on neighbors’ corn fields. The hands are many, and therefore the harvest has been light. We’ve enjoyed our last week of meals with the house full of much talk, warmth, and laughter. Hearty meals and hearty conversation!

Although this is our final CSA distribution for 2010, we know it marks an early beginning for 2011. The garlic is planted. The hoop houses have been emptied of all the summer debris. The end is important in all things and can be for some sentimental and nostalgic, but it is also a time to look ahead.

Please feel free to give us a call or e-mail throughout the winter, if you are interested in more greens, squash, potatoes, kohlrabi, or Brussels sprouts and are willing to pick up your order at the farm. After the Thanksgiving Distribution we are planning on coming at least one more time to the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market for 2010 on the following Wednesday, November 24. We may continue coming to market on Wed. and Sat. throughout Dec. depending if it stays above freezing during the day, as it has been. We also distribute our produce through Lunasa (www.lunasa.us) an online way to purchase local products, so you can pick up vegetables every 2nd or 4th Tues. of the month in Ann Arbor. The People’s Food Coop of AA also carries many of our vegetables throughout the fall, winter, and spring.

The vegetables for this last distribution will be distributed into 1 big (1 ¾ bushel) box, 1 summer share-size (3/4 bushel) box, and parsley on the side. You may want to bring your own containers or bags, if you don’t want to keep the boxes. If you keep the boxes, you can keep them forever, return them next Wed. or next year, or bring them back to the farm 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, or in the ASPARAGUS TO ZUCCHINI cookbook (p. 191), or other preserving books. If your refrigerator is overflowing, you also can store roots like beets, carrots, celeraic, turnips, and radishes, in a cold, dark area that is between 32-45 degrees. If storing for several weeks or more, they like 90-95% humidity, which can be created by placing them in containers of damp sand, peat moss, or leaves.

Unless you have made prior arrangements, keep in mind distribution will be ONLY on Saturday, November 20, in Ann Arbor at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market from 7 AM until noon and at the Farm from 2 PM until 5 PM. If you are a member of our CSA from 2010, there will be registration renewal forms for 2011 available. Please remember that Summer 2010 members have a guaranteed space in our CSA if you sign up by Dec. 31. After that, there are no guarantees. This is NOT for new members. New members may begin sign up the last week in January. It seems to work best, if new members send us their postal mailing & email addresses ahead of time, so we will contact you when sign up begins.
Thanks for buying locally and seasonally. We wish you a safe, healthy, and enjoyable Thanksgiving!

BEETS: You will receive 1 mixed bag of beets without tops of Red Ace (round, smooth, deep red roots with sweet flavor and medium-tall, red-veined green leaves) or Chioggia (Italian variety with leaves all green and pink-striped stems; root has cherry red, candy-striped flesh and has a sweet flavor). This bag of beets will be mixed with Celeriac (celery root).
How to use: roots good in 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.

BROCCOLI or CAULIFLOWER (Violet Queen): This variety looks like a purple broccoli head, but botanically it’s a cauliflower! The purple florets turn green when cooked, but excellent for salads and dips when eaten raw.
How to use: use raw, steamed, sautéed, stir-fried, in casseroles, soups, pizzas, etc.
How to store: store loosely in plastic bag for up to a week

BRUSSELS SPROUTS tiny, green cabbage heads with mildly pungent, mustard-like flavor.
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.

CARROTS (Sugarsnax) smooth, uniform, 9-inch tapered roots that are tender and sweet.
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: Remove greens from roots and refrigerate dry and unwashed roots in plastic bag for up to 2 weeks; greens may last up to a week refrigerated in plastic bag.

CELERIAC: also called Celery Root, rather ugly, knobby, brown vegetable skin with white flesh when peeled; taste is like a cross between strong celery and parsley; can range anywhere in size from an apple to a small cantaloupe; high in carbohydrates, vitamin C, phosphorus, and potassium. *Look at recipes on Tantre website! You will receive celeriac in the same bag with the beets.
How to use: outer skin should be peeled, but after peeling can be soaked in lemon juice to prevent discoloration; eaten raw in slaws or salads or cooked in soups, stews, purees; can also be baked, boiled, or sautéed;
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for up to a month; may also be dried and used as a seasoning.

GARLIC You will receive a bag of garlic (a bulb of several papery white cloves; believed to help in fighting infections, cancer prevention, and bolstering the immune system).
How to use: Add to soups at beginning of cooking and again at the end or just prior to serving; make garlic butter with 1/2 cup of softened butter mashed with four minced cloves of garlic; try roasting garlic by cutting off tops of garlic bulb, so cloves are exposed, brush with olive oil and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, squeeze garlic out of skins and spread on a good, crusty bread.
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 clove and chop up others and pack into small jar filled with olive oil, then refrigerate (great gift idea!).

KALE You will receive Red Curly (well-curled, ruffled red leaves with red stem), Red Russian (the stems are purple, and leaves are deep gray-green, purple-veined, flat, non-curled, and tooth-edged), Green Curly (well-ruffled, curly green leaves on green stems; this variety makes a good, roasted “kale chip”), or Lacinato (dark green, noncurled, blistered leaves, but heavily savoyed).
*This is a very nutritious green–high in protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A, K, & C and contains many cancer-preventing antioxidants–well-worth freezing.
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; sauté pre-cooked greens in garlic butter and onion; mix greens (most are interchangeable in recipes) into omelets, quiches, lasagna, casseroles, soups, stews, and gravies.
How to store: Refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag for up to 2 weeks.
How to freeze: Blanch washed greens for 2-3 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain, and pack into air-tight containers, or just destem, chop, and freeze in bags.

KOHLRABI delicious, cabbage-flavored bulbs that grow above ground; purple or green skin and crisp, apple-white flesh tubers.
How to use: good steamed and then mashed with potatoes, added to soups or stews, or sliced and eaten raw with dip; excellent grated into slaws or stir-fries.
How to store: Refrigerate unwashed in a plastic bag for up to 1 month; for longer storage, layer kohlrabi in moist sand in root cellar.

SPICY GREENS MIX a mildly spicy, leafy salad mix of greens and reds with a wide variety of leaf shapes and sizes with ingredients such as arugula, tatsoi, red/green mustard greens, mizuna in a bag.
How to use: used for salads and sautéing–cooks up quickly
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 2 to 4 days.

BABY LETTUCE MIX a custom mix of red and green lettuces such as Rouge D’Hiver, Parris Island, Royal Oak, and Saladbowl in a bag.
How to use: used for salads and sautéing–cooks up quickly
How to store: refrigerate in plastic bag for 2 to 4 days.

ITALIAN FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY a fresh herb with flat, glossy, dark green leaves, which has a strong parsley/celery flavor for use dried or fresh. See other “Parsley” recipes in “A to Z” cookbook.
How to use: Toss in a salad, cook in stir-fries, soups, stews.
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; can also be dried upside down in warm dry place.
How to freeze: Chop the leaves coarsely and place 1 tablespoon of chopped herb into each compartment of an ice cube tray and add about 1 inch of water to each and freeze solid. These cubes can be added to soups, sauces, gravies, stews and casseroles, as needed.

GREEN PEPPERS: Believe it or not, we still have peppers! You will receive green peppers of any of the following varieties: Red Knight Bell, Apple Pimento, or Carmen.
How to use: eat raw for best nutrient retention, but also added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches, stir-fries, etc.
How to store: refrigerate unwashed in hydrator drawer for 1-2 weeks. Peppers can be easily frozen by washing, chopping, and placing in freezer bags. Also, peppers can be dehydrated or dried.

HOT PEPPERS: You will receive Jalapeño (small, conical pepper, ranging from green to red; hot chile pepper used commonly in Mexican cooking) or Korean Red (small, curved, greenish-reddish shape; sweet with a little stronger flavor than Anaheim).
How to use: Handle hot peppers with gloves, and cut on glass plate. Often roasted, chopped, and used to season corn bread and cheese dishes; good for stuffed appetizers, jams, salsa, and pickles.
How to store: For fresh peppers, store in refrigerator. For drying peppers, place string through the stems and hang in cool, dry, well-ventilated spot.

POTATOES You will receive 1 mixed bag of Swedish Almond Fingerling (dry, golden-fleshed heirloom fingerling from Sweden; perfect baked, roasted, or mashed) and All Blue (an heirloom potato with deep blue skin and flesh; moist texture; perfect in salads, baked, roasted, or boiled). You will also receive 1 bag of
Russet Potatoes (a brown-skinned, white-fleshed potato; commonly used in French fries in fast food restaurants; great baked, mashed, or fried). You will also receive 1 bag of Red Potatoes (red skin covering white flesh; all purpose potato is perfect baked, roasted, or steamed).
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 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 warm and dry conditions (50-60 degrees with 60-75% humidity).
How to freeze: Bake pumpkin until fork tender at 350 degrees, purée and put cooked pulp in freezer bags.

RADISHES (Pink Beauty) pink-colored root with mild, spicy flavor. *Tops are edible too & good in soups and gravies.
How to use: Use in soups and stews, steam, good in salads.
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.

SAUERKRAUT Tantré Farm is pleased to offer The Brinery’s sauerkraut in this season’s Thanksgiving Share. Ingredients include only: cabbage and salt–the purest form of lacto-fermentation. The Brinery is a local foods business, specializing in naturally fermenting local vegetables and operated by long time Tantre 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: refrigerate 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.

SPINACH a bag of crisp, dark green leaf; excellent source of chlorophyll and vitamins A & C.
How to use: Steam, toss in fresh salad, add to sandwiches, sauté, add to crepes, quiche, lasagna, and soups.
How to store: Wrap in a damp towel or a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to freeze: Blanch for 1-2 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain well, and pack into freezer bags.

SWEET POTATOES: You will receive Beauregard Sweet Potatoes (large, edible root related to the morning-glory family that has dark red-orange skin with a vivid orange, moist, sweet flesh; high in vitamins A and C) or White Yams (tan skin with white flesh that is very sweet and dry; contain more natural sugars and higher moisture content than other sweet potatoes).
How to use: Bake in 400 degree oven until tender, about 45 minutes; use like potatoes—baked, boiled, sautéed, fried; can be made into pies, waffles, pancakes, breads, & cookies
How to store: store in a cool, dark place like winter squash. *Do not store in plastic or in fridge, unless cooked.

TURNIPS You will receive Scarlet Queen (large, flat-round, sweet, crisp, white flesh with spicy, red skin with greens).
How to use: Boil, steam, bake, add to soups and stews, mash or scallop just like potatoes, excellent roasted. Greens can be used like spinach or beet greens.
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 You will receive any of the following varieties:
Acorn (small, green ribbed squash with pale yellow flesh)
Butternut (light, tan-colored skin; small seed cavities with thick, cylindrical necks; bright orange, moist, sweet flesh; longest storage potential of all squash)
Carnival (a multicolor Sweet Dumpling with colorful patches and flecks of dark and light green, orange, and yellow; sweet flesh and edible skin).
Black Forest Kabocha (smaller size kabocha; dark green, flat-round fruits; buttercup size with no button on end; orange flesh is medium-dry & sweet)
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)
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)
Sweet Dumpling (small 4-inch diameter, coloring is like the “Delicata”, but round, flat-topped shape)

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, etc. Acorn, Carnival, and Sweet Dumpling make excellent stuffed squash or soup bowls for holding soup or custards, etc.
How to store: Keep for several months (depending on the variety) in a dry, moderately warm (50-60 degrees), but not freezing location with 60-75% humidity; will also store at room temperature.
How to freeze: If you notice a squash is getting soft or a spot starts to rot, cook it immediately, and freeze it in freezer bags for future use. (See ”Pumpkin” information.)

RECIPES
*Keep in mind-Cooks.com, Epicurious.com, Recipes.com, and especially www.tantrefarm.com for more recipe ideas.

TANTRÉ FARM SLAW (A simple, easy salad!) Serves 4.
2 medium beets, grated
3 large carrots, grated
2 red turnips, grated
1 kohlrabi, grated
1 celeriac (if celery flavor is desired), grated
2-3 scallions or 1 onion, chopped (optional)
sesame or sunflower seeds, toasted
olive oil or toasted sesame oil
lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Grate vegetables into a bowl. Chop scallions, 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 radishes, chopped parsley, etc.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD (Winter Harvest Cookbook)
3 Tbs. lemon juice, divided
1 1/2 c. sliced carrots
1 large celeraic, peeled & cut into bite-sized pieces
4 small leeks, white part only, chopped
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. fresh grated lemon zest (optional)
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. chopped parsley

Combine 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and 3 cups water in medium bowl. Add artichokes (carrots) and celeraic; cover and chill until it is time to dress salad. Cook leeks in 1-inch of boiling water until tender, but not slimy, about 5 minutes. Drain, saving the water. Bring water back to boil; steam sprouts over it until tender-crisp, 8-10 minutes. Place leeks and sprouts in serving bowl. Drain and add carrots and celeraic to bowl. Toss with olive oil, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional lemon zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill 1 hour. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.

LEAFY SALAD WITH PARSLEY-GARLIC VINAIGRETTE Serves 6-8.
8 – 10 cups assorted salad greens
For the vinaigrette:
1 bunch parsley
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbs. stone ground mustard
2 Tbs. tamari or shoyu
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Rinse the salad greens, tear them into bite-size pieces and set aside. Chop the parsley and mince or press the garlic and place in a large salad bowl. Mix in the mustard, tamari, pepper and oil. Add the greens to the bowl just before serving. Toss gently from the bottom to coat evenly with the dressing. Serve immediately.

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!)
2-3 onions, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. carrots, quartered or chunks
½ c. celeriac, cut into small chunks.
1 c. sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 lb. unpeeled fingerling potatoes, cut into chunks if large
4 or 5 radishes, cut into small chunks
1 c. red turnips, cut into chunks
1 c. broccoli in 1 1/2″ florets
1 c. Brussels sprouts, cut in halves
1 c. winter squash, cut into small 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 root vegetables first in large bowl, except parsley. Drizzle oil over. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper; toss gently to coat. Bake for 30 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to slightly brown in 13×9 in. pan. Add broccoli and Brussels for last 15 or 20 minutes. 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 minutes or so, stirring once, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Makes 6-8 servings. *Variation: Toss destemmed kale on roasting vegetables for last 10 minutes of cooking to add greens to your meal.

APPLE STUFFED SQUASH (There is a Season: Cooking with the Good Things Grown in Michigan)
2 Acorn or Sweet Dumpling squash
3 Tbs. butter
2 chopped apples
1 chopped onion
2 c. cottage cheese
2 Tbs. lemon juice
3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. raisins (optional)

Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place face down on oiled baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. While squash is baking, sauté apples and onions in butter. Add remaining ingredients to apples. Stuff squash with mixture, covered, 15-20 minutes.

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 (or celeriac), chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
½ cup turnip, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 cup winter squash, peeled and chopped
½ cup sweet red or green 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 (turnip green, Asian green, spinach, 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. For extra flair, serve in Acorn or Sweet Dumpling “bowls”, which have been baked for 20 minutes in oven at 350 F. degrees. Serve warm.

MARTHA STEWART’S PUMPKIN SOUP IN A PUMPKIN (from www.recipezaar.com) Serves 6.
6 cups chicken or turkey 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
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
5 peppercorns
1 medium whole pie pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh, flat-leaf 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.

SOUTHWEST COLACHE (Capay Organic Farm CSA “Farm Fresh To You” website)
2 Tbs. oil (veggie or olive)
1 Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, diced
1 med. onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
16 oz. chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned, undrained
1 bell pepper, seeded, chopped
14 oz. whole kernel corn
1 hot pepper, chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Optional: grated cheese for topping

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add squash, onion, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add tomatoes and bell pepper to skillet. Bring to simmer, cover and let simmer for 15 min over low heat. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer covered, 5 min, or until squash is tender. Uncover; increase heat to high and continue cooking a few minutes or until most liquid has evaporated. Top with grated cheese if desired.

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