Slippery ground

The ground is so saturated right now it is incredibly soft and squishy. It is easy to loose your balance and end up on the ground! We are grateful for all the rain and to see the landscape change with all the water flows.

Annie tilled new beds in the tunnels this week even though it is still quite wet. We are anxious to get them planted as the crops in the large fields are dwindling. The moisture and the humidity in the tunnels are not only causing weed and bed prep problems, but disease as well. We had to till in the baby lettuce mix and arugula as it already had issues and would not grow well or last well in the fridge. The mustards, tatsoi, and spinach look okay.

Jesse finished the germ chamber and it looks beautiful. We are putting our first seeds in it tomorrow: the eggplant, pepper, and tomatoes for the tunnels. We will also start leeks this week, as well as working down our list of farm improvements.

This week’s pick list:

• Onions

• Broccoli

• Celery

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Brussel Sprouts

• Carrots

• Sugarloaf, Castelfranco, Escarole, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Kohlrabi

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

One Pot Tumeric Coconut Rice with Greens, nytimes.com

• 2 cups long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati

• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

• 1 tablespoon white or black sesame seeds

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed

• 1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk

• Pinch of saffron (optional)

• Kosher salt

• 1 medium bunch kale, spinach or Swiss chard

• 1 lime

Rinse rice until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.

In a medium pot or Dutch oven, toast the coconut and sesame seeds over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. (Adjust heat as needed to prevent burning.) Transfer to a small bowl. Wipe out the pot.

In the same pot, melt the coconut oil over medium-low. Add the scallion whites, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and cook, stirring, until aromatic and lightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the rice, coconut milk, saffron (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt. Fill the empty can of coconut milk with water and add it to the pot. Give the mixture a good stir to separate any lumps and bring to a boil over medium-high.

Once boiling, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

As rice cooks, remove and discard the tough stems of the leafy greens, if needed, and cut or tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. When the rice has cooked for 10 minutes, arrange the greens on top of the rice in an even layer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes.

As rice rests, zest the lime and cut it into 4 wedges. Add 1/2 teaspoon zest to the coconut-sesame mixture, along with the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Gently stir the greens into the rice using a spatula or fork, then divide among bowls. Sprinkle the coconut mixture on top and serve with a lime wedge for squeezing over.

A cold storm

In preparation for the cold nights ahead, we braved the weather today and were able to find a brief window of calm to cover the celery to protect it from the frost. We allowed it to get frosted previously when it was still growing, knowing that we would eventually trim the damaged outside stalks. However now that it is mature and beautiful we do not want it to burst. Many of the brassicas in the flooded areas of the field have died: unfortunately some of the broccoli, kale, and more. We had high hopes for the overwintered cauliflower but I do not think it will make it through the current stress.

We are working to revamp our germination chamber, hoping to insulate it better and build new doors. We are starting to check off items on our winter office list, as well as finishing the clean up of most spaces. We started weeding the garlic last week, as well as cutting back the perennial and herb gardens. We hope to finish them this week if it is not too saturated!

This week’s pick list:

• Onions

• Broccoli

• Celery

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Brussel Sprouts

• Carrots

• Sugarloaf, Castelfranco, Escarole, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Kohlrabi

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

Pasta with Radicchio, Bacon, and Pecans, from nytimes.com

• 4 ounces smoked bacon, cut into 1/4-inch lardons (about 4 strips)

• 1 pound radicchio

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• 1 pound rigatoni or other short, tubular dried pasta

• 1 teaspoon roughly chopped rosemary

• Pinch of red-pepper flakes

• 8 ounces ricotta (about 1 cup)

• 4 ounces toasted pecans (about 1 scant cup)

• 4 ounces grated pecorino (about 1 cup)

Heat the broiler. Put a large pot of water on the stove, bring to a boil, then turn to a simmer so it is ready for cooking pasta.

As water boils, put 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add bacon lardons, and blanch for 1 minute, then drain and set aside.

Cut radicchio into 1-inch wide ribbons and spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If using Tardivo, just cut off bottom of bunch to free the slender leaves.) Drizzle 3 tablespoons olive oil evenly over radicchio and season generously with salt and pepper.

Broil radicchio close to the heat source so it chars. Cook for about 5 minutes, until warmed through, but not wilted. Remove and let cool slightly, then chop crosswise into rough 1-inch pieces.

Salt the pasta water and bring to a hard boil. Add rigatoni and cook until al dente, usually 11 to 15 minutes, depending upon the brand.

While pasta is cooking, put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and add rosemary and red pepper.

Drain pasta (reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water) and add to skillet. Add reserved radicchio and ricotta and toss to incorporate.

Transfer pasta to a warmed deep serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle pecans over surface and top with a dusting of pecorino. Serve immediately and pass remaining cheese at table.

Brimming

The large pond that we use to irrigate the fields filled in the last storm. To see the pond at capacity again is always a highlight of the winter. We know that we can farm another season; we are excited and reinvigorated for the coming year.

The last week of bright sunshine and warm weather has allowed us to get one tunnel reseeded and the other one weeded and ready to plant in a few weeks. Even though we stopped watering in them weeks ago, they have stayed incredibly moist. We are looking forward to more spinach and arugula in a few weeks!

This week’s pick list:

• Onions

• Celery

• Lettuce Mix

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Brussel Sprouts

• Carrots

• Frisee, Castelfranco, Escarole, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Kohlrabi

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

Charred Escarole Salad, from saver.com

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil

• 2 red apples, such as Gala, cored and cut into thin wedges

• 1 head escarole, halved lengthwise

• 1 Vidalia onion, cut into thin wedges

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1⁄4 cup lightly packed oregano leaves

Build a medium-heat fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium.) Toss the oil, apples, escarole, onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Grill apple and onion wedges, turning, until charred, 12 minutes. Add the escarole and grill, turning once, until charred and all vegetables are tender, 3 minutes more.

Transfer vegetables to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Roughly chop apples and escarole. Add the chopped vegetables and onions to a serving bowl and toss with vinegar and oregano. Season with salt and pepper

Planning

Annie and I spent yesterday going over our plans for the vegetable fields next year, readjusting how much of each crop we will grow and thinking about how best to manage our time and efforts. We map each field, making sure we have space to fit it all. It can feel like a puzzle!

We also got the animals well set up for the coming rain: spreading out new dry straw for the chickens and putting the sheep in the barn. We purchased organic oat hay from a local farm to feed to the sheep and cows as we have already fed all of our own hay. We are hoping to give the grass a rest, to allow it to grow and dry before we graze again. We may decide to increase the amount of hay we harvest this year as well.

This week’s pick list:

• Cilantro

• Pac choy

• Fennel

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Brussel Sprouts

• Carrots

• Frisee, Castelfranco, Escarole, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Kohlrabi

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

Savory Bread Pudding With Mushrooms and Brussels Sprouts, from sfchronicle.com

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus a little extra to grease the baking pan

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• ½ cup onion or shallots, finely minced

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon dried red chile flakes

• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms

• 8 Brussels sprouts, thinly shaved or sliced

• 3 cups stale bread cut into ½-inch cubes

• 6 large eggs

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt

• ¼ cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9-by-5-inch rectangular baking pan with a little butter.

Melt the butter in a large skillet on medium-high heat and cook until the solids start to turn reddish brown, about 3 to 4 minutes, then add the olive oil. Add the onion and saute for 4 to 5 minutes until they start to turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the turmeric, cumin, chile flakes and cook for an additional 1 minute. Carefully fold in the mushrooms to coat evenly and cook for 3 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook an additional 5 to 6 minutes until they are tender.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a large mixing bowl with the bread cubes, scraping any leftover bits. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and salt and pour it over the bread mixture in the bowl. Transfer the contents to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top and bake for at least 30 minutes or until the egg is fully set and the top is golden-brown and crusty. Remove from heat and serve warm.

Flowing water

What a treat to hear flowing water on the farm again. The drainages are filling and the puddles are forming around the farm. The road that we put in across the farm is holding up well and we are taking of notes of the spots we need to touch up this summer to have it work even better.

The plastic is up on the greenhouse! Jesse and Annie tackled it while we were away. It sounds rather difficult and now we are all excited to see how it performs. This week we are working in the tunnels to plant another succession of crops, as well as starting seeds in the greenhouse.

This week’s pick list:

• Arugula

• Pac choy

• Fennel

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Frisee, Castelfranco, Escarole, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Parsley

• Kohlrabi

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

KOHLRABI & CARROT SLAW WITH SMOKED TUNA, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 2 carrots, julienned

• 1 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned

• 1/2 a small red onion, thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup yogurt

• splash of red wine vinegar

• 5 ounces smoked albacore tuna (or regular)

• hefty pinch of salt

• drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

• freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup minced parsley

In a large bowl combine the julienned veggies and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

In a smaller bowl combine the yogurt, vinegar, tuna, salt, oil and pepper. Mix well. Add the mixture to the bowl with the veggies and toss in the parsley. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Sunshine

The past week of sunshine has been a welcome break for the plants; you can almost see the grass growing. Seth and I are in New Hampshire visiting family and finding snow where we can while the crew skillfully manages the farm. Reading the weather from afar, I can imagine that the cold and windy weather of the past few days has stunted the growth. Still the light is returning each day and the plants know it.

We are hoping to get the greenhouse plastic on this week, as well as weeding the strawberries and the tunnels. Since the tunnels were moved to fresh ground this fall, we feel as though we are starting all over in prepping the ground. There are many weeds and it is difficult to manage when there is limited sun to kill the weeds. We are slowly working at it.

We are open both Tuesday and Friday this week! Happy New Year!

Mustard greens

• Pac choy

• Fennel

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Frisee, Escarole, Castelfranco, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Kohlrabi

• Scallions

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

·    Winter Slaw with Farro, from food52.com

• 1/2 cup (100g) finely diced dried apricots

• 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine vinegar, plus more to taste

• 1 small-medium (2 pounds or a bit less than 1kg) head green cabbage

• 1 1/3 cups (145g) cooked farro, cooled (from about 3/4 cup uncooked)

• 1/3cup (45g) roughly chopped roasted almonds

• 2 ounces (55g) Parmesan, thinly shaved on a grater with a vegetable peeler

• 3 tablespoons (45ml) olive oil, plus more to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
  
  Place the apricots in a small bowl with the vinegar, and set aside while preparing the other ingredients. Cut the cabbage in half, and remove the core (and eat the core as a crunchy snack); then cut the halves again so you have quarters. With a mandolin or a knife, slice the cabbage into very thin ribbons. You’ll have about 12 cups total, which will seem ridiculous, but it will wilt down with dressing on it. Pile it into your largest bowl. Add to the bowl the apricots and their vinegar, the farro, almonds, and most of the Parmesan, plus the olive oil, salt, and a good helping of freshly ground pepper. Toss to combine, and try to give it 15 minutes to let the ingredients settle a little before making seasoning adjustments; then add more vinegar, Parmesan, oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Heap the slaw on plates in piles, and top with remaining Parmesan. The slaw's textures are best for serving to company at this point, but this will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge for great take-to-work lunches.

Solstice

The garlic has sprouted and is poking through the straw. It is always exciting to see the new green growth the winter but we are even more delighted as the cloves we planted are our own!

We had a bug infestation in the tunnels again and had to remove all the beautiful lettuce that was in there. Unfortunately this means we will not have lettuce for some time but we have plenty of chicories and other greens for making salad.

We will be closed next week but we will be open Tuesday January 1st from 2 to 6 pm.

Happy Winter Solstice!

This week’s pick list:

• Mustard greens

• Tatsoi

• Pac choy

• Fennel

• Brussel sprouts

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Frisee, Castelfranco, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Parsley

• Kohlrabi

• Scallions

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

Italian Potato-Pasta Soup with Greens, from nytimes.com

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for garnish

• 2 cups diced onion

• 1 cup diced carrot

• 1 cup diced fennel or celery

• Salt and pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 large thyme sprig

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 3 quarts/12 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water

• 2 pounds medium-size starchy potatoes, such as Yukon Golds or russets, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks

• 8 ounces kale or chard, stems removed, leaves sliced across into 1/2-inch ribbons (about 4 cups total)

• ½ pound dried pennette, orecchiette or other small pasta

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or marjoram, for garnish

• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

In a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add onion, carrot and fennel, stir, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened and golden, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the heat to prevent vegetables from browning or scorching.

Stir in bay leaf, thyme sprig, garlic, paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, potatoes and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a brisk simmer. Cook until potatoes are cooked through but still firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Stir in kale and pasta and simmer another 10 minutes, or until greens are well cooked and pasta is done. (Soup can be made up to this point, without the pasta, cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

Ladle soup into bowls, and sprinkle with chopped rosemary and Parmesan. Drizzle each serving with a teaspoon of olive oil. Pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Winter hours

We shifted to working shorter days this week, allowing for a short winter respite while the projects are less pressing. Mary had her last day on Friday; she is off to new adventures in Sacramento. We are grateful for her hard work and good cheer and will miss the laughter she brought daily.

We finished weeding the greenhouse last week and are now laying down the weed barrier. We hope to have the plastic on before our holiday break so that we can start new seedlings in January.

This week’s pick list:

• Lettuce

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Fennel

• Brussel sprouts

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Frisee, Castelfranco, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Parsley

• Kohlrabi

• Scallions

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

Maple Roasted Delicata Squash with Red Onion, from epicurious.com

• 3 medium Delicata squash (about 3 pounds), halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

• 2 medium red onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch rings

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 4 fresh thyme sprigs

• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• Kosher salt

• freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the racks in the upper and lower rungs in the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F degrees. Place the squash, red onion, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Spread vegetables evenly onto two large, rimmed baking sheets. Bake the squash on the upper and lower racks of the oven, tossing, rotating, and switching the pan positions half way through cooking, until tender and browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and season again with more salt and pepper, if desired.

Rainbows

The mix of rain and sun on Saturday meant that there were multiple rainbows through the day. In the morning there was a large double rainbow across the farm. In the morning light the colors shone through brightly and grass was a deep green.

We mowed and tilled empty beds in the winter field yesterday and then covered them with a silage tarp. The tarp will help keep the soil beneath from getting overly saturated with rain water and will allow it to warm more rapidly in the spring. We hope to be able to transplant into these beds in March, allowing us to have more crops to offer in the spring.

We are also covering the asparagus and artichoke beds with straw, beginning to service all our equipment, and continuing to work on the greenhouse.

This week’s pick list:

• Lettuce

• Pac Choy

• Mustard

• 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

• Kohlrabi

• Scallions

• Celeriac

• Revolution Bread is available

Winter Squash Flatbread from smittenkitchen.com

Squash:
4 cups (1 L) lukewarm water
4 tsp (20 mL) fine sea or table salt
2 1/2 lb (a little more than 1 kg) butternut or similarly firm-fleshed winter squash, peeled, seeds removed, and very thinly sliced, ideally on a mandoline

Assembly:
1-lb (455-g) unbaked, fully risen pizza dough (recipe follows)
4 tbsp (60 mL) olive oil, plus more to oil pans and your fingertips

Spices:
3/4 tsp (3 mL) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
1/4 tsp (1 mL) Aleppo pepper or other mild chili flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

To finish:
1/4 cup (60 g) plain yogurt
1/4 cup (55 g) hummus
A couple squeezes of lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Za’atar, for sprinkling
3 tbsp (25 g) pine nuts, well toasted
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped

Prepare the squash: Combine the water and salt in a large bowl and add the sliced squash. Soak for 25 to 30 minutes, after which the squash slices will be soft and bendy. Drain them in a colander, and press out as much water as you can; then spread the squash out on paper towels to blot it further.

Assemble flatbread: Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Brush either one 13-by-18-inch (33-by-46-cm) rimmed half sheet pan or two 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) quarter sheet pans with olive oil. (Divide the dough in half, if using two pans.) With oiled fingertips, press, nudge, and stretch dough to fit the shape of the pan(s). Thin, imperfect dough is just fine here. If holes form, patch them together.

In a large bowl, combine 4 tablespoons (60 mL) olive oil, cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper, and several grinds of black pepper. Add the squash and toss to evenly coat. Spread the mixture over the dough(s), going all the way to the edges so that there are no uncovered spots. The edges brown more quickly, so you can make the squash slices a little thicker there.

Bake the flatbread(s): Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is golden at the edges but tender and baked through. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, to serve: Stir together the yogurt and hummus, and add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. When the flatbread has cooled a bit, dollop the yogurt-hummus mixture all over, and sprinkle with za’atar, pine nuts, and herbs. Cut into desired shape.

A VERY SIMPLE PIZZA DOUGH
Makes: 1 half-sheet (13-by-18-inch/33-by-46-cm), 2 quarter-sheet (9-by-13-inch/23-by-33-cm) or 2 12-inch (30-cm) round thin pizzas; dough clocks in at a smidge over 1 lb (455 g) but works seamlessly in recipes calling for a 1-lb dough

2 1/3 cups (305 g) all-purpose or bread flour
1 1/4 tsp instant dry yeast (from half a 1/4-oz or 7-g packet)
1 1/4 tsp coarse sea or kosher salt
3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp (190 g) room temperature water, plus more if needed

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, combine everything until it forms a craggy ball. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to bring the dough together. Reach your hands into the bowl and knead the dough to form a more cohesive mass, just for 1 minute. Cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature until the dough has more than doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Standing tall

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.

Weather shift

We pre harvested lettuce, chicories, broccoli, and cauliflower yesterday afternoon. The heavy frost and smoke cover has made it so that the frost takes even longer to melt and prolongs the harvest day. We are so grateful for the coming rain and the pattern change it will bring. The air has been so dry that the moisture in the plant’s leaves has evaporated, leaving them limp and leathery. The small amount of fog we have had this weekend has helped and the rain will bring necessary relief to all.

With the coming rain, we are planting the last seeds: wheat and rye, as well as putting equipment away and cleaning out the fields. The two chicken coops are being pulled in. We also started our winter project of revamping the greenhouse: first cleaning out all of the weeds, then laying down a better weed barrier, and recovering it with new plastic.

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

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pears and Pistachios, from food52.com

• 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 6 grinds black pepper

• 1 Bosc pear, halved lengthwise and cored

• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped coarsely

• Juice of 1/2 large lemon

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the prepared brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and pour on the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix with clean hands. Place the pear halves, cut sides-down, on the baking sheet, making sure there is enough oil to coat their cut surfaces.

Roast the brussels sprouts and pear for about 20 minutes. Then turn the brussels sprouts with a metal spatula so that both sides will get caramelized. Check the pear—it many not be caramelized at this point.

After another 10 minutes, turn the brussels sprouts again. Flip the pear. Reduce the oven heat to 375°F.

Add the pistachios—you just want to heat them up and toast them slightly.

After 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Squeeze lemon juice directly over all the ingredients. Use your spatula to chop up the pear halves. Toss everything thoroughly, check the seasoning, and serve on a platter or in a bowl.

Seeds

In the wake of more devastating fires, we are struggling to process these events and know how to move forward. Our thoughts are with those that have experienced loss.

In addition, the dry yet extremely cold conditions are taking a toll on the plants and us. The frost killed not only the few remaining summer plants but the beautiful peas as well. And still this week we are seeding our final fields with cover crop, hoping that the rain predicted for next week will arrive to refresh and nourish us all. We find solace in the new beginnings that the seeds represent and in our relationships with each other and you. We hope that the small steps we take to care for the Earth will make a difference.

This week’s pick list:

• Lettuce

• Broccoli

• Brussel sprouts

• Green chiles

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Frisee, Escarole, Sugarloaf, and Radicchio

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Parsley

• Revolution Bread is available.

Roast Parsnips and Kale with Stilton, from ottolenghi.co.uk

6 parsnips, peeled, trimmed and cut into 7cm-long and 2cm-wide wedges 
3 red onions, peeled and cut into 3cm-wide wedges
60 ml olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
5 g picked thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
220g kale, stalks removed and discarded (or saved for something else – they’re great parboiled, then put in a gratin), to leave 110g leaves, cut into 4cm-wide slices 
80g stilton, roughly crumbled into 1cm pieces

For the dressing
115 g pickled walnuts, roughly chopped, plus 3 tbsp pickling liquor
60 g walnuts, roughly chopped
15 g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Put the parsnips and onions in a medium bowl with two tablespoons of oil, two garlic cloves, the thyme, half a teaspoon of salt and lots of pepper. Spread out on a large oven tray lined with greaseproof paper. Put the artichokes on a separate lined tray, mixed with a tablespoon of oil, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Roast both trays for 20 minutes, until the parsnips and onions are cooked and caramelised, and the artichokes are just cooked through, then tip both into a large bowl and keep warm.

Mix the dressing ingredients with a third of a teaspoon of salt and set aside until required.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the cavolo nero and blanch for two minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and pat dry.

Put the final tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan on a high heat, then fry the remaining garlic clove until just starting to brown; about 30 seconds. Add the cavolo nero and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, and fry for four to five minutes, stirring often, until it starts to brown. Add to the veg bowl and, just before serving, gently mix in the dressing. Spread out on a large platter, sprinkle over the stilton and take to the table.

Garlic

We are planting the garlic this week, using our own seed for the first time! We are happy with the varieties we choose last year and are looking forward to seeing how the adapt to our climate as we save the seed each year.

This Saturday’s celebration of the harvest was delightful. It was lovely to come together as a community to make beautiful wreaths and pouches, to eat delicious food, and to give our thanks to the land for the bounty of the summer.

Frisee, Escarole, Sugarloaf, and Radicchio

• Lettuce

• Broccoli

• Scallions

• Collards

• Sweet peppers

• Green chiles

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Parsley

• Revolution Bread is available.

Sarah's Pumpkin Pie

• 1 - 9 inch unbaked pie shell

• 2 cups pumpkin puree (see below for recipe)

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1 Tablespooon flour

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon each ground ginger and nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon clove

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Whisk the eggs. Add the milk, flour, spices and salt. Then slowly add to the pumpkin puree.

3. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about an hour or until the center is set. I place an empty sheet pan on the oven rack above the pies so that the crust does not burn.

Pumpkin Puree *I make this at least a day in advance.*

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. You can cook the pumpkins faster in a hotter oven but I choose to use a lower temperature and then I don't have to worry about them browning or burning.

2. Select 2 to 3 pumpkins. Since pumpkins are so varied in flavor and texture, I like to cook more than just 1 to ensure that the puree has good flavor.

3. Cut the pumpkins in half and seed them. Place them face down on a baking sheet.

4. Roast until very soft.

5. Remove skins and puree the pumpkin in a food processor.

6. Place a strainer over a bowl that will fit in your refrigerator. Put the pumpkin puree in the strainer and cover it. Leave it in the refrigerator to drain overnight.

Cleaning up

We started planting strawberries yesterday but the wind had other plans. We got 6 beds of plastic laid before it was too breezy to continue. We did plant those 6 beds and will finish the rest on Thursday. We are also focusing on tidying up the barns and farm yard in preparation for the Fall Harvest festival this Saturday 11 to 3 pm. We look forward to celebrating the growing season with you!

This week's pick list:

• Frisee, Escarole, Sugarloaf, and Radicchio

• Lettuce

• Broccoli

• Celery

• Collards

• Cucumbers

• Tomato

• Sweet peppers

• Green chiles

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Parsley and Cilantro

• Revolution Bread is available.

Roasted Cauliflower with Pepitas, Brown Butter, and Lime, from smittenkitchen.com

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, divided

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower (about 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 pounds)

• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup (30 grams) hulled pumpkin seeds (sold as pepitas) (see note above)

• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or less to taste

• Juice of half a lime (about 1 tablespoon)

• Handful chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or chives
  

Heat oven to 450°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with just over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle the sheet with salt and pepper. Trim cauliflower and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet, then drizzle with remaining scant 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until underside is deeply browned. Carefully flip pieces and roast until dark brown and crisp on second side, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.

While cauliflower roasts, in a small skillet over medium heat, melt butter, then reduce heat to medium-low and add pumpkin seeds. Stirring the whole time, cook until butter becomes light brown and smells toasty, about 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then add lime juice and season with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.

Arrange cauliflower on a serving platter and drizzle with dressing. Serve topped with herbs.

Turning over

We are harvesting the last of the roots today: the insane parsnips that have been such a struggle to get out of the ground. The coolers are full of roots we hope will last all winter. We sadly pulled up the strawberries yesterday to prepare to mow the whole field tomorrow. Even though there is no rain in the forecast we are working hard to clear out the fields and plant the cover crops. We are hoping for the water to come soon! We are also getting ready to plant the strawberries and garlic for next year.

This week's pick list:

• Frisee, Escarole, Sugarloaf, and Radicchio

• Summer squash

• Collards

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Broccoli

• Tomato

• Hot peppers

• Sweet peppers

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Radishes

• Leek

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Kale

• Turnips

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill

• Revolution Bread is available.

GINGER BEET MUFFINS, from dishingupthedirt.com

• 2 cups flour

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• pinch of cloves

• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

• 1 cup peeled and grated beets

• 1/2 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a standard 12 cup muffin tin and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves and shredded coconut.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, melted coconut oil, honey and grated ginger. Gently fold in the shredded beets and raisins. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well.

Divide the batter between the muffin tins and bake in the oven until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of a muffin. About 18 minutes.

Change

The past two mornings have been quite chilly with patches of frost across the farm. This morning we had to wait to harvest until the frost had melted. It has not been cold enough to kill the tender crops but it is a gentle reminder of what is coming and their production will definitely slow. We preharvested the last few heirloom and early girl tomatoes yesterday before removing the twine holding them up and pulling the t posts. We will harvest all the peppers off the plants today. The field they are all in should be empty and ready to till next week.

We planted the winter lettuce, fennel, and pac choy into the first tunnel yesterday. We also tilled the second tunnel and will seed it to spinach and more in a few weeks. We rented an extra cooler to store the bounty of potatoes, carrots, and more that we have this year.

Fall festival is Saturday November 3rd from 11 to 3!

This week's pick list:

• Summer squash

• Collards

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Broccoli

• Tomato

• Hot peppers

• Sweet peppers

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Cabbage

• Melon

• Leek

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Peas

• Potatoes

• Cauliflower

• Winter squash

• Rutabaga

• Parsnip

• Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill

• Pick your own Strawberries and more…..

• Revolution Bread is available.

We have so many beautiful green chiles! They are great to roast, freeze, and use all winter.

Green Chile Sour Cream Dip

• 1 heaping cup sour cream

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1/2 heaping cup roasted & peeled green chile

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Refrigerate to blend flavors at least 1 hour, preferably a few hours or overnight. 

New Mexico Green Chile Sauce

• 1/2 up chopped onion

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

• 1 Tablespoon flour

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 2 cups chopped green chile (roasted, peeled & seeded)

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon oregano

• salt to taste

Heat the oil and saute onions until transluscent, add garlic and cook until softened. Stir in flour, oregano, cumin and salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Slowly add stock and whisk until smooth. Add the chile. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

Add water or stock if sauce gets too thick. Makes about 3 cups.  

Carrots

We harvested most of our storage carrots yesterday with the help of a crew from the Graton Day Labor Center. They grew beautifully and we have so many! We are struggling to figure out where to put them. We have three varieties this year. The first is Yaya, which we have been eating all summer and is sweet straight out of the soil. For longer storage we grew Miami again, which flavor improves with time, and Negovia, which we are growing for the first time but has a lovely floral flavor. When we did our field walk a few weeks again and tasted all of them, it was incredible the difference!

The green grass is sprouting up everywhere, thanks to the soaking rain and warm weather. Each day you can see the rapid growth and it is exciting to imagine green hills again.

This week's pick list:

• Summer squash

• Collards

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Broccoli

• Tomato

• Hot peppers

• Sweet peppers

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Kohlrabi

• Cabbage

• Melon

• Leek

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Kale

• Lettuce

• Snap peas

• Potatoes

• Radish

• Winter squash

• Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill

• Pick your own Strawberries and more…..

• Revolution Bread is available.

Streusel Carrot Muffins, from good to the grain by Kim Boyce

For the streusel topping

• 1/2 cup flour

• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

For muffins

• Butter, for the tins

• 2 cup flour

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated carrots, about 2 medium

• 2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1/4 cup yogurt and 3/4 cup milk)

• 1 large egg

Make the streusel topping

1. Measure the flour, oat bran, sugars, and salt into a bowl. Add the butter to the dry mixture. Rub the butter between your fingers, breaking it into smaller bits. Continue rubbing until the mixture feels coarse, like cornmeal. The more quickly you do this, the more the butter will stay solid, which is important for the success of the recipe.

Make the carrot muffins

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176 °C). Rub the muffin tins with the butter.

3. Sift the flours, bran, sugars, allspice, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir the carrots into the dry ingredients.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk, and egg and whisk until thoroughly combined. Using a spatula, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

5. Scoop the batter into 8 muffin cups, using a spoon or an ice cream scoop. The batter should be slightly mounded above the edge. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the mounds of batter and press it into the batter slightly.

6. Bake the muffins for 32 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The muffins are ready to come out when they smell nutty and their bottoms are a dark golden-brown (twist a single muffin out of the pan to check). Remove the tins from the oven, twist each muffin out, and place it on its side in the cup to cool. This ensures that the muffin stays crusty instead of getting soggy. These are best eaten warm from the oven or later that same day. They can also be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or frozen and reheated.

October Rain

To hear the rain outside is beautiful. It is a relief to know it has returned and signals a large shift on the farm. We seeded as much cover crop as we could before the rains and hope to get some in the soft soil as soon as it stops raining. The winter squash is safely in the barn. We will begin brining in all the other storage crops this week, continuing for the next 2 weeks as well.

The rain usually revives some crops and is the end of others. It is too soon to know how some of the summer crops will recover but we do hope to harvest tomatoes for 2 more weeks or so. We harvested them yesterday in anticipation of the rain. We will only offer the strawberries as you pick now, as we need to turn our attention to other crops.

Please put the following dates on your calendars:

• Yoga in the barn Wednesday October 10th

• Fall Harvest Festival Saturday November 3rd

This week's pick list:

• Summer squash

• Collards

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Eggplant

• Tomato

• Hot peppers

• Sweet peppers

• Onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Kohlrabi

• Fennel

• Melon

• Leek

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Spinach

• Lettuce

• Potatoes

• Radish

• Winter squash

• Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill

• Pick your own Strawberries and more…..

• Revolution Bread is available.

Beth's Partially Fermented Salsa (eaten at the Fall Equinox potluck...)

You will need:

• 1/2 gallon glass mason jar

• Non-iodized salt like sea salt

• Food processor or blender

• At least four days for the fermentation process for phase one.

Phase one:

Collect carrots and jalapeño peppers from your CSA haul (I like a combination of the white and green varieties). Resist the urge to wash them, as beneficial starter yeasts and bacteria from the farm will accelerate your at-home ferment. Big temperature fluctuations will damage lactobacillus (your fermentation bacteria), so be wary not to store your ferment in space that gets very cold or hot over the course of the day, or if the weather is on course to change dramatically outside. Thinly dice carrots and peppers in equal measure and stuff your jar just over half way full. Cover the vegetable with about two inches of water (distilled or well) and add enough non-iodized salt so that the liquid tastes like ocean water.The ferment needs oxogen, so cover with loosely woven cloth — or with a jar, I find an old sock works great. Leave your jar on the counter out of the sunlight and wait. After a day I like to pop on a lid and give the jar a good shaking — if things are going well the liquid will foam up start to smell sour. Taste the water to make sure the liquid leached from the veggies has not diluted the salt water — adjust the salt (add more) to maintain its ocean flavor. By day four I’m usually satisfied with the flavor of the ferment, but it won’t hurt things to go on for the course of the week.

Phase two:

Collect onion, tomato, cilantro, and garlic from CSA. The salsa will be 50/50 fresh to fermented ingredients — keep in mind that you can refrigerate the carrots and peppers to stall the ferment and make small batches of fresh salsa for up to a month with your weekly tomato rations. Scoop a percentage of carrots and peppers from your finished ferment and process in either a blender or food processor. Dice up your favorite tomatoes with your preferred amount of fresh garlic, onion, and cilantro, and blend with the ferment. Now eat!

Bonus eats:

The spicy sour fermentation liquid left over in your jar makes rad salad dressing or extra special Bloody Mary mix.

Field helpers

Margrethe, Oliver, and Teddy are on their three week fall break, and thus mostly joining us in the field to help. The projects at this time of year are often large and we work all together to accomplish them rather than splitting apart to work in pairs on many tasks. This week we are baling straw to use in the winter chicken yard, as well as harvesting the winter squash. We cut the squash yesterday and will let it sit for a few days, allowing the stems to dry before we load them into the large wooden storage bins. We are also planning the last two beds in the field and starting to prep the ground for next year’s strawberries and garlic.

Thank you to everyone who came out to help with trimming the garlic last Thursday! We were able to finish the task and enjoyed the time with members as well. Thank you as well to those who joined us for the potluck, for the delicious food, and wishes for the fall harvest.

This week's pick list:

• Summer squash

• Cabbage

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Eggplant

• Tomato

• Hot peppers

• Sweet peppers

• Spring onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Kohlrabi

• Fennel

• Melon

• Corn

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Arugula

• Lettuce

• Potatoes

• Radish

• Turnip

• Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill

• Strawberries

• Revolution Bread is available.

Basque Potato and Pepper Tortilla, from saveur.com

• 2⁄3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced

• 1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt

• 2 lb. large potatoes (about 6 large potatoes), peeled and sliced 1⁄8 inch thick

• 2 large red bell peppers, thinly sliced (3 1⁄2 cups)

• 1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 10 large eggs

• 8-10 thin slices firm sheep's milk cheese, such as Ossau-Iraty or Manchego (optional)

• 8-10 thin slices jambon de Bayonne, serrano ham, or prosciutto (optional)

In a large ovenproof nonstick or cast-iron skillet, warm 1⁄3 cup oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes, bell peppers, another 1⁄3 cup oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper and cook until the oil begins to simmer. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned in places, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, rinse out the skillet; dry and place back on the stove.

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy; season with 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the beaten eggs to the vegetables and stir gently to combine.

In the skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the egg-vegetable mixture and cook, stirring a little at first to let more of the egg touch the surface of the pan, until the eggs begin to set on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Spread the vegetables into an even layer at the top, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the tortilla, shaking the skillet occasionally to prevent the eggs from sticking, until the eggs are halfway cooked, about 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the top of tortilla is just set, 3-4 minutes. Turn the heat to broil and cook until the top is beginning to lightly brown in places and the tortilla seems fully set when the pan is shaken, 2-4 minutes. Remove the skillet and quickly place a large ovenproof plate over the top. Carefully invert or slide the tortilla onto the plate and either enjoy immediately with the ham and cheese on the side, or let cool slightly in order to stuff the tortilla.

If stuffing, use a long serrated knife to slice the cooled tortilla horizontally in half. Gently and carefully pull back half of the top piece, then cover the bottom half of the tortilla with a layer of cheese, followed by a layer of ham. Sandwich the ham and cheese with the top half of the tortilla. Repeat on the remaining side. Cut into wedges and serve.

Moving the tunnels

We are moving the first of the tunnels this week in preparation for the winter planting. We have removed all the trellising from the tomatoes and cucumbers, as well as the irrigation. We are working to take off the doors and to brace it so that we can pull it forward with the tractor. The ground that we have grown on for a year will be covered cropped and allowed to rest for a year, and the new ground will be planted in a month or so. It was amazing to see how much food was produced from that small space in one year!

This week's pick list:

• Summer squash

• Spinach

• Celery

• Cucumber

• Eggplant

• Tomato

• Hot peppers

• Spring onions

• Beets

• Chard

• Kohlrabi

• Fennel

• Melon

• Corn

• Carrots

• Garlic

• Scallions

• Lettuce

• Potatoes

• Basil, Cilantro, Parsley, and Dill

• Strawberries

• Revolution Bread is available.

Corn Cardamom Custard Tart

This is a versatile custard that I can bake as a tart or a pie — or skip the pastry entirely and bake in a ramekin. Roasting the corn kernels amplifies its sweetness and introduces a tiny hint of caramelization that pairs well with the cool cardamom infused into the custard.

Makes one 9-inch tart

• The dough

• ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon

• ¼ cup sugar

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• Seeds from 2 green cardamom pods, ground (see Note)

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting the pan

• ¾ cup medium-grind cornmeal

• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

The custard

• 4 cups sweet corn kernels, frozen or fresh (about 4 corn cobs)

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 cup whole milk

• ½ cup creme fraiche

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

• Seeds from 3 green cardamom pods, ground

• ½ cup sugar

• 4 large egg yolks

Make the dough: Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and lightly grease a 9-inch tart shell using a pastry brush. Dust the greased pan with 1 tablespoon of flour, shaking off any excess.

Place the ¼ cup of butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at low speed for 7 to 8 minutes, stopping the mixer at 1-minute intervals to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. The mixture will be whitish in color when done.

Add the egg and cardamom to the bowl and continue to mix on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the flour, cornmeal and salt and mix on low speed until combined for about 1 to 1½ minutes. Remove the dough and transfer to the center of the prepared tart pan. Place a large piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap on the surface of the dough and, using your fingers or a small flat bowl, spread the dough to cover the inside of the pan and sides. Refrigerate the tart for at least 1 hour. This can also be prepared a day ahead, wrapped in plastic film and refrigerated.

Make the custard: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Mix the corn with the oil, spread on a baking sheet and roast for about 12 to 15 minutes until the kernels start to brown a little. Remove from heat and transfer to a blender. Add the milk and blend on high speed for a few seconds until just smooth. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl to remove any last bits of corn, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as you can. Discard the solids left behind in the sieve. Whisk the creme fraiche into the liquid corn mixture to combine evenly.

Melt the butter in a large thick-bottom saucepan on medium heat. Stir in the cardamom and cook for 30 seconds until you just start to smell the aroma. Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the sugar and the yolks until smooth. Return the saucepan to the stove and continue to stir while adding the corn mixture. Stir constantly, about 15 minutes, scraping the sides of the saucepan, until the mixture is thickened. The custard is ready when a finger run across the back of a spoon coated in the liquid leaves a clear trail. 

Remove the parchment from the chilled tart shell and fill the shell with pie beads or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Remove the tart pan from the oven. Remove the beads and pour the warm custard into the center of the pan. Return it to the oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the custard starts to firm up and jiggles slightly in the center but is no longer liquid. Resist the urge to overbake the custard or it can crack. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours or until room temperature. You can also chill the tart in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Using a sharp serrated knife to cut slices.

Note: Cardamom is available in two distinct varieties, and they cannot be used interchangeably in most cases. The larger black pod with a camphor-like scent is usually used in savory preparations, while the much smaller green pod smells more mintlike and nutty and is used to season both sweet and savory dishes. Inside the tiny pod are tiny seeds that are usually crushed using a mortar and pestle or a spice mill to help extract the essential oils trapped inside. Because cardamom creates a cooling sensation, it works extremely well in desserts like ice creams and pastries, especially those that are served cool or at room temperature.