Dear CSA Members and Friends,
A favorite for this time of year....
"Wild Geese"
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
~ from Dream Work by Mary Oliver
Wishing you the very best - Justine
This week your share will most likely include:
Broccoli
Butternut Squash
Shallots
Lettuce
Mesclun
Fennel
Carrots
** 2nds/Juicing Beets for sale - 30 lb bag for $18
** 2nds/Juicing Carrots for sale - 30 lb bag for $18
If interested, please email me (denisonfarm@gmail.com) by Thursday for a Saturday Farmers' Market pickup or by Monday noon for a Wednesday CSA site pick-up.
Please send a check to Denison Farm after you have emailed me with your name, telephone number, pick-up location, and your order. Thanks!
Winter Vegetable Boxes
We are offering winter vegetable boxes again this November and December. Email me for an Order Form or Order Online from our website: denisonfarm.com
Call me (518-664-2510) with any questions. You may order on any or all of the 3 dates, change your pick-up location, and choose the number of boxes you want on any given date. Please let me know a week in advance if you decide to increase or change your order.
Dates:
November 17th
December 1st
December 22nd
Locations:
Denison Farm
Niskayuna CSA Site (Sandra Lane)
St. George's Church (Clifton Park)
Eileen's Basic Foods (Glenville)
Four Seasons (Saratoga)
Troy Farmers' Market
Saratoga Farmers' Market
Shallots (savorysimple.com)
Shallots are members of the allium family. Other alliums include onions, garlic, leeks, scallions and chives. This is why shallots look so similar to onions and garlic, with their thin, papery skins and clove-like shape; they’re all cousins!
However, unlike onions, which can be sharp and particularly pungent when eaten raw, shallots have a more delicate, sweet flavor with subtle notes of garlic. Don’t mistake the word “delicate” for “wimpy” here, though – shallots pack a powerful flavor punch, just without the same level of intensity.
This makes them perfect for raw preparations where you want the tang of an onion but don’t want to be breathing fire for the rest of the day.
Shallots are best stored in a cool, dark, and dry area, such as a cabinet. While you can store your shallots with your onions, make sure to keep both away from potatoes: potatoes and onions each give off gases that, when stored in close proximity, can cause the other to go bad quickly.
When shallots are used raw, their flavors truly shine. Try adding some finely minced shallots to a vinaigrette; they’ll provide a slight crunch in addition to their sweet, garlicky flavor.
You can also slice shallots very thinly and add them directly to salads. They can almost always be substituted for raw red onions in recipes where you want to make the onion flavor more subtle (like guacamole).
But this doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of amazing ways to cook them as well! For example, try sautéing together some finely diced shallots, mushrooms, and garlic in butter or olive oil. In no time you’ll have an amazing topping for crostini or pasta. You can also try them caramelized or even roasted whole to really enhance their natural sweetness.
Mixed Greens with Shallot-Dijon Dressing ~foodandwine.com
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds mixed greens, such as frisée, baby arugula, or mesclun
In a very large bowl, whisk the shallot with the white wine vinegar and mustard. Gradually whisk in the extra- virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, add the mixed greens. Toss thoroughly and serve right away
And three recipes from Pattie Garrett: mysaratogakitchentable.com
Pasta with Broccoli Sauce ~Milk Street Magazine
1 pound broccoli, stems, florets and leaves separated, stems peeled
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1½ cups packed fresh baby spinach
2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 Tablespoon drained capers
2 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, divided
12 ounces rigatoni pasta
½ cup Parmesan cheese or pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated, plus more for serving
In a large pot, boil 4 quarts of water and 2 Tablespoons salt. Cut the broccoli stems crosswise into ½ inch rounds. Add the stems and leaves to the water and cook until fully tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a blender or food processor, reserve ½ cup of cooking water. Keep the water at a boil.
Cut the broccoli florets into 1-1½ inch pieces. Add the florets to the boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water until cooled. Again, keep the water at a boil.
To the blender or processor, add the garlic, butter, capers, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 Tablespoon zest and the reserved cooking water. Puree until smooth and bright. 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water, then drain. Return the pasta to the pot and add the broccoli florets, the broccoli puree, ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water, the remaining 1 Tablespoon of zest and the cheese.
Cook over medium, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly and the pasta is well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add more of the reserved water if needed. Remove from the heat. Top with cheese.
Fennel and White Bean Soup ~Milk Street Magazine
8 ounces finely chopped bacon
2 finely chopped medium yellow onions
1 finely chopped medium fennel bulb
5 smashed garlic cloves
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, finely ground
3, 15-1/2 ounce cans cannellini beans
1¼ quarts low sodium chicken broth
4 inch sprig fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil
fresh chives
lemon wedges
In a large Dutch oven, cook 8 ounces finely chopped bacon until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons of fat, then return the pot to medium-low and sauté 2 finely chopped medium yellow onions, 1 finely chopped medium fennel bulb, 5 smashed garlic cloves and 2 teaspoons fennel seeds (finely ground). Cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Drain and rinse three 15-1/2 ounce cans cannellini beans. Reserve 1½ cups of them, add the rest to the pot. Add 1¼ quarts low sodium chicken broth, a 4-inch sprig fresh rosemary, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Discard the rosemary. Let the soup cool for 15 minutes.
Puree the soup in batches in a blender, adding 1 Tablespoon olive oil to each batch. Return the soup to the pot and add the reserved beans. Heat for 10 minutes, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, the bacon, chopped fresh chives, and lemon wedges.
Butternut Squash Chili ~My Recipes
¼ cup olive oil
3 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
4, 15 ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups of diced tomatoes
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons cumin
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano
4 cups butternut squash (about 2 pounds) peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch pieces
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil. Sauté onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add bell peppers and jalapenos, sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
Transfer pepper mixture to Dutch oven or stock pot. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chile powder, cumin, and oregano. Arrange squash on top. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours or tender.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream or cheese, or corn bread.
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