Greetings from Atmospheric River Road
…where the skies are dismal but the food and folks are delightful!
Some weeks call for making thousands of single leaf cuts for mixes in the field, but this is not one of them. When Mark and I saw just how much rain was in the forecast, we rearranged the harvest plans so that nobody would have to work beyond the saturation point to bring something leafy to the table this week, and, thankfully, some nice heads of Green Cabbage were ready for us!
This sopping wet weather has soup written all over it, so in addition to the Cabbage we’re highlighting Potatoes, Leeks, and Celery Root (aka Celeriac), which is a serious contender for MVP in Soup Season. There are several recipes that showcase it as the main ingredient, but I have been known to keep a Celery Root rolling around my crisper drawer that I trim a hunk off of and dice up with onions and carrots in place of chopped up celery stalks for storable flavor—you can pretty much sub it into any recipe that starts with a mirepoix. It is even great for a crisp Winter Slaw.
As a quick reminder, this is our next-to-last week of harvests for the year (We’ll be totally closed for a Winter Break from December 14th, 2023 through January 15th, 2024). Priority Registration for 2024 CSA shares is LIVE! We are offering Priority Registration & Renewals for next year's CSA again, so returning and continuing members can click here to register online NOW through January 15th, 2024. If you’re not currently a member but are interested, please make sure you are on our waiting list.
Also, two weeks of harvest means that there are two weeks to donate items and fulfill Giving Box wishes for LASA (Living Access Support Alliance) and the families they support in Pierce County. There are an array of "wishes" for you to consider fulfilling for people in need of all ages. Just choose a tag (or more) from the box and return your corresponding item to the farm, unwrapped. Several donated items are already on their way to LASA thanks to our Wild Hare Organic Farm community (THANK YOU!) We will continue to collect donated items between now and December 13th, 2023 when we close for Winter Break.
Thank You,
Katie
IN THIS WEEK’S FARMSHARES:
Green Cabbage
Celery Root
Leeks
Russet Potatoes
Acorn or Sweet Dumpling Squash
Apples and/or Pears
RECIPES & SEASONAL TIPS
THE BEST POTATO-LEEK SOUP
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 quart homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters (about 3/4 pound)
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Sliced chives or scallions, for serving
RUSTIC CABBAGE SOUP
101 Cookbooks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
1 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups vegetable broth or water (see head notes)
2 cups white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)
1/2 medium cabbage / 12 ounces, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
Topping ideas: sour cream, spicy chile paste, chives, more good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (or chile oil) for drizzling
CELERY ROOT SOUP
David Lebovitz
2 tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
sea salt
1 large, or several smaller, celery roots , (about 3 pounds/1.5kg) peeled and cubed
6 cups (1.5l) water
1 bay leaf, (optional)
10 sprigs fresh thyme, (optional)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-ground white pepper, (or black pepper)
scant 1/8 teaspoon chili powder
5 INGREDIENT BUTTERNUT SQUASH CELERY ROOT SOUP
Nutrition by Laura
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth or stock
1 pound celery root trimmed, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound butternut squash peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh thyme sprigs optional
30 MINUTE DAIRY FREE POTATO SOUP
The Whole Cook
2.5 lbs potatoes, russet, yellow, or gold potatoes work best, peeled and diced
32 oz chicken stock or broth
1/2 white or yellow onion, sliced
1 cup canned coconut milk, unsweetened
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme or dried chives
CIDER GLAZED CELERY ROOT WITH WALNUTS (Thank you Alan & Dierdre!)
The First Mess
2 small or 1 large celery root
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon ground chillies (or to taste)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
2 cups apple cider
handful of leaves from the inner part of celery, finely chopped
¼ cup toasted walnuts chopped
CELERY ROOT, RED CABBAGE & POTATO COLCANNON
Martha Rose Shulman, NYT Food
1¼ pounds potatoes, scrubbed
1¼ pounds celery root (celeriac) (1 large), peeled and cut into chunks
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ medium-size red cabbage, quartered, cored and shredded (about 4 cups shredded cabbage)
½ to 1teaspoon caraway seeds, to taste
2½ tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup warm or hot milk
Freshly ground pepper