Within the next few weeks, peak foliage in Connecticut will roll through the state from north to south, (check out CT DEEP's interactive foliage map
here) and that means cold weather is on its way. In fact, that cold weather is closer than you might think. According to the National Weather Service, the
first freeze of the season is happening overnight tonight. I know I'm going to go out and pick the last of my peppers before the sun sets, but what I haven't decided yet is what I'm going to do with them. Sounds like I'm in need of either some food preservation techniques, or a good recipe, right?
For the last year or so we have been sharing guidelines for winter food storage, recipes for cooking fall and winter foods, and farming and gardening tips for the off-season in the Winter Food Project section of our Gleanings eNewsletter. With winter literally on our doorstep, now's a perfect time to start reviewing our
enewsletter archive and our
Winter Food Project webpage to refresh your memory about all the information that's available.
Below are some of the recipes we've featured in Gleanings. Try making one this weekend with some of your harvest, or from food you purchased at a
local fall event.
Have a bountiful weekend!
-Melissa
Winter Food Project
Gleanings Recipes
For
a traditional winter dish, you can't go wrong with this one. The
version we had at the conference had homegrown organic veggies.
-kale
-tomatoes
-carrots
-peas
-celery
-onions
-edamame
-parsnips
-garlic
-parsley
-kidney
beans
Chop
up ingredients as finely or coarsely as you want and combine in a
large soup pot. Cook on medium heat until all the veggies are tender
and have released juice - you can always add some vegetable stock if
you want a thinner soup.
Dutch
Kale Dish - From Johan van Achterberg, a longtime farmer and board
member from Easton. He wrote that this was the way his mother made
kale.
-Peel
and boil 4 good size potatoes for mashing with some butter and milk;
add salt before cooking.
-Remove
the leaf part from the kale stem (about 12 stems) and shred the
greens. Cook the greens for about 15 to 20 minutes so it is tender.
-After
draining the water add the kale to the mashed potatoes; mix well and
season to taste.
-For
real flavor fry bacon, cut into small pieces and add the bacon and
some fat to the mix.
-Ring
Belogna (PA Dutch) or sliced Kilbasa are a great supplement.
-For
the best flavor kale should not be used until it has had some frost.
For
this recipe, be sure to wash the kale well - dirt and grit hides in
the leaves. Chop the kale finely to avoid floppiness in the
potatoes, and avoid over mixing the kale into the potatoes as that
will add a green tinge to the dish. You can use either peeled or
unpeeled potatoes for this recipe.
-3
lbs potatoes, cut into large chunks
-sea
salt
-4
tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-4
cloves garlic, minced
-1
bunch kale, large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped
-1/2+
cup warm milk or cream
-freshly
ground black pepper
-5
scallions, white and tender green parts, chopped
-1/4
cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish (opt)
-fried
shallots, for garnish (opt)
Put
the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of
salt. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes,
or until the potatoes are tender.
Heat
2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high
heat. Add the garlic, chopped kale, a big pinch of salt, and saute
just until tender - about a minute. Set aside.
Mash
the potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Slowly stir in the milk a
few big splashes at a time. You are after a thick creamy texture, so
if your potatoes are on the dry side keep adding milk until the
texture is right. Season with salt and pepper.
Dump
the kale on top of the potatoes and give a quick stir. Transfer to a
serving bowl, make a well in the center of the potatoes, and pour the
remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the scallions, Parmesan cheese,
and shallots.
Serves
6.
4 pounds
Jerusalem Artichokes, washes & scrubbed, diced 2 inches
1 pound
Leeks, white and light green part
only
8
cloves
Garlic, Roasted
1/4 cup
Olive oil
1 quart
Vegetable stock
2
Tbl. Thyme,
fresh
2 cups
2% low-fat milk
As needed
Salt, kosher and fresh cracked peppercorns
1. Split the leeks
lengthwise and wash well to remove all sand and grit. Slice them thinly.
2. Sweat the leeks
in the olive oil without browning them.
3. Add the Jerusalem
Artichokes, roasted garlic, thyme and vegetable stock
and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer until the
Jerusalem Artichokes are tender, approximately 45 minutes.
5. Purée the soup
in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender; season with salt and pepper. Add milk and return to
low simmer to heat through for 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot or
chilled.
Yield: 4 quarts
Deb's
Dried Apples - From the CT NOFA Office Manager Deb Legge
Slice your favorite unpeeled apples into 16 slices. (One of those
corer/slicer gadgets makes the job go a lot more quickly.) Sprinkle
with a small amount of lemon juice, if available. For seasoning,
use a mix of mostly cinnamon, with a bit of nutmeg, cardamom, and
cloves to your preference. Arrange in a single layer in each
dehydrator rack and dry for 20-24 hours. Store in glass jars.
