What's Coming Up!

Welcome back salad greens! 

In addition to long-awaited crops such as acorn squash (a couple weeks ago and a second round to go) and butternut squash (still curing in the field), the cooler conditions of fall encourage leafy greens from the spring and early summer:  lettuce, kale, arugula, mustard greens, -oh!- and radishes.  

Garlic?

For those of you who haven't gotten your cured garlic this fall, we are cleaning/preparing bulbs for next week.  We will be saving most of the bulbs from our harvest this year for planting.

What about our famous potatoes?

Some of you have been asking this question.  I am pained to say that we lost our entire potato crop this year.  Demands for labor in other areas (partly anticipated, partly unexpected) and other crops were given priority this year at the beginning of the season.  So we lost the weed battle early on.  I just hadn't brought myself to writing a note about it.  I'm getting a little choked up right now.  We do have a solid plan for integrating our new cultivating tractor into the labor outlook for potatoes next year.

Try the amazing recipe below with any of your remaining tomatoes and chard/beet greens for warm fall bliss.  Use a drizzle of pesto to top it off when ready to serve.  (I'm trying it today!  I am using shelly beans from Dotson's farm instead of cannellini.)

Soupe au Pistou

adapted from Lidia’s Italy

Total time: 30 minutes                        Makes: 4 servings

This hearty vegetarian dish can stand alone as a one-dish meal with good bread, or served alongside pasta with pesto sauce, but it is also a delicious side dish with roasted chicken.  Start with dried beans or use canned to save time.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large bunch (~ 1 lb) of fresh Swiss Chard or beet greens
• 1 14 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 plump garlic cloves sliced thin
• 1 Tablespoon tomato paste 
• ½ teaspoon peperoncino or red pepper flakes
• 5 tablespoons olive oil … more for serving
• coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• about 5 tomatoes, chopped

METHOD

1. Wash, trim and chop the chard; let stand in the sink or very large bowl of cool water to wash and refresh

2. Finely slice the garlic and gently sauté them in 3 T of the olive oil until fragrant, about 1 minute; add the spoonful of tomato paste to a clear spot in the pan and toast; at the same time toast the pepper flakes in another clear spot

3. Grab the chard and shake off much of the water, add to the pan with the garlic and spices; stir frequently to braise and wilt the greens

4. When the greens have reduced by half add the tomatoes and bring to a low boil; simmer until liquid is reduced by half; spill in all the beans and season with salt and pepper and the remaining olive oil; warm thru until the whole begins to thicken.

5. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed … maybe a squeeze of lemon juice or dash of wine vinegar.  Serve with grated parmesan and extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle over the top.