Winter 2022 CSA-Week of December 7th
Full share: Kale, Lettuce Mix, Micros, Purple Potatoes, Garlic, Carrots, Parsnips
Half share: Kale, Lettuce Mix, Purple Potatoes, Garlic, Carrots, Parsnips
Hello!
Welcome to December and your sixth week of winter CSA. I hope everyone is staying warm and enjoying the fresh snow as much as possible. This week’s box has quite a bit of color, and I’m sure a feast for the eyes is a welcome gift in our sea of white. We will have lots of green with fresh kale, spinach, and micros. Even our potatoes are jumping into our color theme with their deep purple hue. Cozy classics like carrots and parsnips are here to stay for the remainder of winter, but we are always on the hunt for new ways to experiment with them. Enjoy!
Notes:
We will have some fresh bouquets for sale in the market stand this week for $20!!!
Nordic trails have been ginzhu groomed!!! ~3 k classic and skate loop with a sinuous interior skate option. Should be excellent skiing on farm on Wednesday and Thursday. Bring your gear!
Our market stand will remain at its regular hours of 12-6 on Wed until the end of the winter season. If you’d like to come and choose your box, stop by and see us. If you arrive after hours or another day, they are always found in the cold room and labeled with the current week.
We have wreaths for sale. $60 for any of our beautiful wreaths this season. Whole farm CSA is entitled to one wreath to take home, and we do have a few you-cut spruce trees available in their stead.
Frozen cider is available at any time. Feel free to ask anyone around the farm to grab any jugs you may need.
The Last Kale Standing
Where was kale when we were children? It’s not as if kale is a new plant; in fact, it has been around for a long time. How did this leafy, hardy green go from topping the foodie charts alongside cake pops and avocado toast, to being seen in almost every refrigerator in the country? My guess is that the farmer’s market movement needed a vegetable that would become reliable in multiple climates and throughout the whole year.
This brings me to the variety of kale you’ll be receiving this week. It’s called Beedy’s Camden kale. This kale originated in Camden, Maine by, you guessed it, someone named Beedy. Her name was Beedy Parker to be exact. She noticed this variety was overwintering very, very well in her garden. This was something to note as she hadn’t noticed this in her hardy greens thus far. After propagating the plant in the 1980s, it can now be found in many private veggie gardens, larger farm settings, and here at Gallatin Valley Botanical. It is an extremely hardy variety of kale that has a sweeter taste after it’s experienced frost. It is said to not be as tough as some of the other types we have all become accustomed to eating. It’s a favorite here on the farm. As it is such a reliable crop, I am happy to nickname it “The Last Kale Standing.”
When it comes to preparing kale, salads have become quite common. I personally have much better success with kale salad after using the massaging technique. This involves removing the vein, chopping into desired size, drizzling with acid (lemon juice or vinegar works great), adding a bit of salt if desired, and rubbing the leaves. Doing this for 2-3 min gives the kale a softer mouth feel. You should notice it getting softer throughout the process. If you are still more of a cooked green fan, then I have a recipe for you. It is on the rustic side, but my family has been enjoying this traditional Irish dish for many years. There are quite a few variations on this dish, but I hope you'll give our’s a shot. Sláinte!
Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potato Colcannon
2 lbs unpeeled potatoes, yellow potatoes work great
4 cloves garlic
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup chopped scallions
4 cups finely chopped kale
2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
Place the potatoes, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
Heat ½ teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the scallions and kale, and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
Use a potato masher to coarsely mash the potatoes and garlic. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the ⅓ cup olive oil, ½ cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the kale, scallions, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Continue folding until creamy, adding up to ½ cup more cooking liquid and additional drizzles of olive oil, if desired. Season to taste with up to ½ teaspoon more salt, and pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve hot.
Rooting for Winter Vegetables
Living in this unforgiving Montana climate, root vegetables have become a staple in the colder months. While just grabbing some ranch or hummus feels like a great way to take down some carrots, I find that a root vegetable combination feels much less monotonous. Combining things like parsnips, carrots, potatoes, beets, etc. can add a depth of flavor. Pickling can be a great way of brightening these cold weather veggies. Carrots are particularly great for this purpose. Most root vegetables make a great base for a cozy winter soup. If you are looking for a way to use this week’s vegetables, carrots and parsnips make a great combination in the recipe below.
Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
4 lb combination carrot and parsnip
6 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp + 1 ½ tsp butter
1 tbsp + 1 ½ tsp honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Place racks in the middle and lower third of the oven; preheat to 400°. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with foil. Divide 2 lb. medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and 2 lb. medium parsnips, peeled, halved lengthwise, between baking sheets and spread out in a single layer on each. Drizzle 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over, dividing evenly, and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; toss to coat.
Roast vegetables, tossing every 10 minutes or so and rotating baking sheets top to bottom halfway through, until tender and browned in spots, 35–40 minutes.
Melt 1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. honey and 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar; stir to combine.
To serve, transfer vegetables to a platter or medium bowl, drizzle honey glaze over, and toss to coat.
I’d like to thank each and every one of you for contributing to our farm. This will likely be my last week reaching out to our CSA members, and I have enjoyed sharing with you and seeing so many of your faces in the market stand. I hope you enjoy your future farm fare and try out some of the recipes we share with you.
Take care & stay safe,
Audrey