The Freeze
The great freeze is upon us. The river is decorated with floating ice circles and the farm is full of ice puddles. The time has come when I don't leave the house with less then 2 pairs of socks on and feel grateful for my insulated overalls. The pipes in the barn are now frozen and so our veggies are officially unwashable. It's time to embrace the true root cellar experience and get a little muddy. It's amazing to think that the small layer of soil that stays on a root from its time in the field, will help protect it all winter long. It helps maintain its temperature - keeps it from freezing or will insulate it from temps that get too warm. That layer of soil keeps in moisture so the root won't respirate too much and shrivel up to nothing. It's a natural protectant so we don't have to add anything like wax or preservatives to our winter roots.
The freeze has also gotten to our greens, but since we've been blessed by bright sunny days they continue to grow and the cold temps just makes them sweeter. The kale snaps like an icicle off the stalk and may have a twinge of yellow on the edges from the frost. But the starches turn to sugars in these crazy temperatures and we get to enjoy more flavor from our frozen greens.
On these chilly days and nights we're now in the throws of spreadsheets. Analyzing data from last year's record keeping to make new and better plans for next season. We've started to crack open the see catalogs and have begun to dream of summer. We already can't wait to pick the first sweet pea, harvest the first ripe tomato, and grill the first summer squash. Even in the midst of the freeze we know it's going to be a great season.
All froze.
Inside the low tunnel. Covering the flower seedlings with an extra layer of reemay.
Indoor farming. Shitake mushroom log.
In the meantime, here's the share:
kale
salad greens
onions
leeks
napa cabbage
ketchup
Free choice of roots:
celery root
watermelon radish
hakurei turnip
rutabaga
potato
kohlrabi
parsnip
carrots
The Recipe section of the website has been re-organized and updated! So feel free to check it out. Recipes are organized by vegetable pages and you can search for a specific veggie or browse the pages. Have fun!
Here are some new ones though!
Kolhrabi Carrot Fritters with Avocado Cream Sauce
by: a Couple Cooks
Makes: 8 fritters
What You Need
- 2 kohlrabi
- 1 carrot
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil (enough for ¼-inch depth in a large skillet)
- ½ avocado
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- ½ lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Green onions (for garnish)
What To Do
- Cut the leaves off the kohlrabi and peel the bulb. Peel 1 carrot. Shred the vegetables in a food processor, or by hand using a grater. Squeeze the shredded vegetables in a tea cloth (or with your hands) to remove moisture, then add to a medium bowl with 1 egg, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne. Mix to combine.
- Place ½ cup oil in a large skillet (enough for ¼-inch depth). Heat the oil over medium high heat, then place small patties of the fritter mixture into the oil. Fry on one side until browned, then fry on the other side. Remove and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain excess oil.
- In a small bowl, mix ½ avocado, ¼ cup plain yogurt, juice from ½ lemon, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to make the avocado cream (or blend the ingredients together in a food processor).
- Serve fritters with avocado cream and sliced green onions.
Notes
These fritters are best eaten warm the day of making; they don't save well. Like anything made with avocado, the avocado cream sauce will become brown after exposure to air. Make sure to cover the surface with plastic wrap when storing.
Miso Soup with Napa Cabbage and Udon
- Difficulty: Easy |
- Total Time: 45 mins |
- Makes: 4 servings
Miso soup is usually seen in Japanese restaurants as an opener to the meal, but in this version, we make it hearty enough to be the main dish. Onions, napa cabbage, and dried shiitake mushrooms are simmered with white miso, then ladled over thick udon noodles. For added protein, you can poach eggs in the simmering broth before serving this healthy, easy soup.
What to buy: Udon noodles are Japanese wheat noodles; they can be found in gourmet grocery stores or in Asian markets. If you’re having a hard time finding them, you can substitute soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles), whole-wheat linguine, or spaghetti.
Miso is a Japanese culinary staple made by fermenting rice, barley, or, most commonly, soy. The two main types are white (or shiro) miso, which has a sweet, mild flavor, and red (or aka) miso, which is aged and has a salty, umami flavor. Be sure to use white miso here, as its red counterpart will have too strong a flavor for this soup. You can find miso refrigerated at most grocery stores.
Togarashi powder, a mixture of spices that always contains chiles, can be found in ethnic markets. It may also be labeled shichimi togarashi.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
- 2 cups boiling water
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (from about a 2-inch piece)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth or stock
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 (12-ounce) package udon noodles
- 1/2 medium napa cabbage (about 12 ounces), cored, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup white miso
- 4 large eggs (optional)
- Togarashi, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place the mushrooms in a medium heatproof bowl and add the boiling water. Let sit until the mushrooms have softened, about 12 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium high. Add the broth or stock and soy sauce and stir to combine. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms from their liquid and add them to the saucepan.
- Measure 1 cup of the mushroom liquid, being careful not to include any sediment from the bottom of the bowl, and add it to the saucepan. Bring to a boil. (Discard the remaining mushroom liquid.)
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mushrooms are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, add the udon to the pot of boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain in a colander and, while stirring, rinse the noodles with cold water until they’re cooled and no longer sticky. Divide all of the udon among 4 deep soup or noodle bowls; set aside.
- When the mushrooms are ready, add the cabbage to the pan, stir to combine, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the miso and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt as needed. Crack the eggs, if using, into the simmering mixture and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 2 to 3 minutes. Divide the soup and eggs among the bowls of noodles, being careful not to break the egg yolks. Serve immediately, passing togarashi on the side for sprinkling if so desired.