The bounty of the vegetables this season never fails to amaze with all the colors and flavors of the whole growing season at your fingertips. We finally finished harvesting all the sweet potatoes along with the very last picking of peppers and eggplant. Today we awoke with hard frost on the ground - our first killing frost of the year. That means all the summer vegetables like peppers and eggplant are really done and the plants have died. Amazingly, greens can freeze and thaw many times and stay fresh and in good condition for many weeks to come.
This Menu Planning Template is a nice way to keep track of what you receive in your winter share boxes and help you decide how to use everything. Don't forget that Thanksgiving is two weeks after you receive this box of veggies. Use some of this produce to plan your favorite recipes and start making them ahead.
The combination of vegetables this week reminds me of a recipe I like to share each fall. Curried Vegetables with Dahl is is a vegetarian dish with lots of interchangeable veggies. I would make it with sweet potatoes, turnips and tatsoi.
Turnips might be a vegetable you think you don't like but try these and taste the difference. These white Haikuri Turnips are tender and not as sharp as other varieties. I love to eat them raw - something I don't prefer with the larger purple and white turnips. If you want ideas of how to prepare Haikuri Turnips - join the Harvie Member Facebook Group. It's full of CSA Members who have lots of experience with uncommon CSA veggies. Just post a picture and ask "What do I do with these?" and you'll get a ton of comments and suggestions.
Enjoy your veggies this week! Your next delivery will be on November 24, the day before Thanksgiving!
Let us know if you have any questions about your Farm Share CSA - we are happy to help.
We'll keep farming for you!
Farmer Reuben and Tessa
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**If you want ideas of how to prepare your veggies - join the Harvie Member Facebook Group. It's full of CSA Members who have lots of experience with uncommon CSA veggies. Just post a picture and ask "What do I do with these?" and you'll get a ton of comments and suggestions.
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Curried Vegetables with Dahl - adapted from Moosewood Restaurant
Notes from Tessa:
- This may look complicated but it really is not. Just prep your vegetables and go. This recipe doubles well for lots of leftovers.
- It is super versatile and great for using up those vegetables in your farm share box. You could even try using winter squash in place of the sweet potatoes.
1 ½ cups red or yellow lentils
4 or 5 cups hot water
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1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 fresh green chile, minced (or 1 red dried, or chili flakes, or skip)
3 T healthy oil
4 cups sweet potatoes, cubed (2-3 sweet potatoes)
1 T mild curly powder
1 t ground cumin
2 T grated fresh ginger root
2 cups water
4 cups another vegetable: cubed kohlrabi, cauliflower, turnips, rutabaga, bok choi stems,
2 cups bell peppers, chopped
10 oz. fresh greens: kale, bok choi, tat soi, spinach, swiss chard, etc.
2 -3 T fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Rinse the lentils. In a covered saucepan, bring the water and lentils to boil. Skim foam. Reduce the heat, uncover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
In a large soup pot, suaté the onion and chile in the oil for several minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, curry powder, cumin and ginger. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Add 2 cups of water, other vegetable, and peppers, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the vegetables simmer, rinse, stem and coarsely chop the greens. Puree lentils and cooking liquid (with blender, food processor or stick blender) to make smooth dahl. If lentils are very soft and breaking up already, this may not be necessary.
When vegetables are tender, stir in greens, dahl, lemon juice. Simmer just until greens are wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.
Serve with a simple grain like rice or quinoa or even a crusty bread.
Serves 4 - 6
