The plants seem to have recovered from the cold temperatures and extreme dryness; no longer are they drooping towards the ground and sad looking. We are so grateful to feel the moist soil and to see the green everywhere.
With a short break in the rain, we were able to clean out the last remnants of the irrigation from the fields. We have been watering everything up until last week and are relieved to switch to relying on rain instead! Even if we have a break in the rain going forward, our clay soils tend to hold enough moisture that the plants are fine. If we leave the irrigation in the fields all winter it simply adds one more project in the spring, plus it is so much harder to remove then.
This week’s pick list:
Lettuce
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Onions
Beets
Chard
Cabbage
Radishes
Leek
Carrots
Frisee, Escarole, Sugarloaf, and Radicchio
Garlic
Kale
Turnips
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Winter squash
Rutabaga
Parsnip
Parsley
Fennel
Scallions
Celery
Revolution Bread is available
Date, Feta and Red Cabbage Salad, from smitten kitchen.com
If you don’t like your cabbage too crunchy, dressing it as directed and letting it rest in the salad bowl for a while before adding the other ingredients will soften and wilt it a bit.
Serves 4 to 6 as a side
1 to 1 1/4 pounds red cabbage (1 small head or half of a large one), sliced very thin
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice (I use lime)
Salt and red pepper flakes (I used the mild Aleppo variety) to taste
About 1/2 cup pitted dates, coarsely chopped or sliced
4 ounces feta, crumbled into chunks
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons well-toasted sesame seeds
Toss cabbage with olive oil and first tablespoons of lime juice, plus salt and pepper, coating leaves evenly. Taste and add more lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. I do this a few times, making sure I really get this base well seasoned because it will be hard to do it as well later.
Toss dressed cabbage gently with half of dates and feta. Sprinkle with remaining dates, then feta, then parsley and sesame seeds. Dig in.
Do ahead: The whole salad can sit assembled for at least an hour, if not longer in the fridge. Mine is going strong on the second day. You can also prepare the parts separately (feta, chopped dates, sliced cabbage) to assemble right before serving, if you’re planning ahead for Thanksgiving or a dinner party.