CSA Week 14

Week 14 is here! In your share this week:

Red Kuri Squash
Potato
Cucumber
Cilantro

Full Shares Only:
Zucchini
Sweet Bell Pepper
Sugarloaf Chicory
Bok Choy
Basil
Broccoli

Half Shares Only:
Eggplant
Beet or Cauliflower or Broccoli
Radicchio Chicory

Can you believe there are only 4 weeks of CSA left? Your final share will be the week of October 25. The season is winding down; the last Neskowin farmers market is this Saturday! After that you will still be able to find us:

• Thursdays from 11am-2pm at the Lincoln City hospital, through October 28
• Farm stand at Corvus Landing on Saturdays, 10am-1pm, through November 21
• Online farmstand order deadline is changing to Wednesdays at noon; all online farmstand orders for the week must now be placed by 12pm Wednesday.

Autumn is officially here! Two of our crew are finishing up their last week on the farm and our lovely marketeer, Else, had her last day of market on Saturday before she flew off for a visit home to Holland. Bittersweet for all but onward to new adventures for everyone.

With fall comes squash for all! That’s a saying, right? We harvested two wheelbarrow-fulls of red kuri squash. You may want to let them sit for a few days to darken and sweeten up some more, fortunately they make a lovely fall decoration. If you haven’t heard of kuris (similar to kabocha), now’s the time to get to know the tasty Japanese squash. It has a fluffy texture similar to chestnut and a sweet flavor that tastes like sweet potato mixed with pumpkin. I most often roast them. I cut them in half, put them cut side down in a baking pan with about 1/2″ of water, and roast at 400 until they are soft enough for a fork to go through easily (about 45-60 minutes). I like to scoop out the seeds and “guts” after roasting, since they are soft and easy to scoop, but you can do it before roasting too. (You can also toast and eat the seeds!) Once it’s roasted, you can eat it by itself or with a bit of butter and maple syrup, or add it to soups, curries, rice dishes, etc. I don’t usually eat the skin on these, and find it easiest to peel after cooking.

Kuris are a great source of beta carotene, high in fiber and loaded with iron, vitamin C and some B vitamins. A single cup of has just 40 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrates which is about half of what you would find in a butternut squash. Once you get your squash home, simply store it in a cool dry place. You can leave it right on the counter and it will easily last up to a month. This is a very informative squash article for you to check out with more recipes, prep and storage tips.

Full shares have Sugarloaf Chicory. Both sweet and crunchy, the large ‘loafs’ of leaves are reminiscent of romaine with the distinct flavors of chicories and radicchio stronger in the green outer leaves, more sweet and tender in the blanched heart. Sugarloaf chicory in salads may be best of all, though you can also grill and roast it whole or stir it into polenta in the final moments before serving. Store chicories loosely wrapped in damp towel and kept in a plastic bag in the fridge. Check out this link for more recipes to inspire you. https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/collection/best-chicory-recipes/

Half shares have Radicchio Chicory. Although it looks like a small red cabbage, radicchio belongs to the chicory family. This small, vivid veggie packs a punch of flavor, with a chewy texture and slightly bitter taste. Radicchio is great as a leafy salad vegetable, and it adds a sharp, pungent flavor. Eat it raw in salads, or lightly grill or sauté it to add to salads, pasta dished, stews or risotto. To prepare, trim the outer leaves and wash the head in cool running water. Cut the head into quarters, wedges, or slices and use raw or cook. See below for a recipe.

Some half shares also have cauliflower, and we’re hoping to get the rest of you cauliflower in the next week or so. We have lost a lot of cauliflower to mice and vole predation this year, mostly at the seedling stage and right after planting, so we haven’t been able to include as much as we’d like. But we have one last rotation out there and are reserving it for CSA shares so everyone gets it at least once. As the CSA is nearing the end, please remember to return your CSA bags. Enjoy your week!

THAI KABOCHA SQUASH SOUP

By Pamela Salzman

● 1 3-4 pound kabocha squash, washed, quartered and seeds removed
● 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
● ½ Tablespoon fresh, peeled ginger, thinly sliced
● Optional: 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more to taste if you want a bit of sweetness
● 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade, divided
● 2 Tablespoons red curry paste
● 1 teaspoon sea salt (you will need to double this if your stock is unsalted)
● ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk, plus more for finishing
● 2 limes, cut into thirds
● handful fresh cilantro or mint leaves, sliced
● 2 red chiles (either Thai or Fresno,) sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the squash pieces cut side up in a roasting pan. Divide the ginger slices and maple syrup evenly amongst the squash cavities. Arrange the onion slices around the squash. Pour 2 cups of stock in the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 90 minutes until squash is very tender.
3. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool slightly or enough that you can handle them. Scoop the squash pulp from the skins and transfer to a large soup pot. Discard skins. To the soup pot add the onions, ginger (if desired, but this will add strong ginger flavor to the soup) and cooking liquid from the pan.
4. Add the remaining 2 cups of stock, curry paste, sea salt and coconut milk to the soup pot. Stir well and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
5. Puree the soup until smooth in the pot with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and/or maple syrup as desired.
6. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle each with a tablespoon of coconut milk, generous squeeze of lime, herbs and sliced red chiles.

Seared Sweet Potatoes with Sausage and Chicory

From Epicurious

Sweet potatoes and nuts:
1 garlic clove, finely grated
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 large or 4 small sweet potatoes, preferably garnet, scrubbed
Kosher salt
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Sausage and assembly:
1 head radicchio or 1/2 head sugarloaf chicory, leaves separated and torn into pieces
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces merguez sausage, casings removed
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
1/3 cup plain sheep’s-milk or Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Ingredient info:
Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets or online. You can substitute lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, pomegranate juice, or cranberry juice concentrate if you prefer.

Sweet potatoes and nuts:

Preheat oven to 400°. Mix garlic and 3 tablespoons oil in a small bowl. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork and rub with half of garlic oil; set remaining garlic oil aside. Season with salt and roast on a rimmed baking sheet, turning once, until flesh is soft and yielding, 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven; reduce heat to 350°.

Toss pecans and remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Toast, tossing once, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 8-10 minutes.

Let sweet potatoes cool slightly, then cut in half lengthwise. Brush cut sides with reserved garlic oil. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium. Cook sweet potatoes, cut side down, pressing lightly with a spatula, until browned and charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and reserve skillet.

Sausage and assembly:

Place chicory in a large bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in reserved skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in Aleppo pepper. Transfer meat to a plate with a slotted spoon and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.

Reduce heat to medium. Combine pomegranate molasses, vinegar, and 1/4 cup water in skillet, stirring to combine and scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes, then drizzle over chicory. Add reserved sausage and toss to coat; season with salt.

Mix yogurt and remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a small bowl, thinning with a little water to make pourable; season with salt. Divide yogurt among plates and top with sweet potatoes. Arrange sausage mixture over, along with any pan juices. Top with pecans and mint.