Weeks like this are difficult to make heads or tails of when I sit down to write about the farm.  On one hand, we’re in hustle mode.  There’s a whole lot of seeding, planting, weeding, harvesting, gathering, washing, and skill building happening daily among members of our crew, and Mark opens and closes greenhouses seventeen thousand times a day as the weather changes.  So much incredible stuff is in motion, all in the name of something fresh and new…and here I am, trying to figure out how I’m going to get you excited for yet another week of making incredible soup.  Ha!  At least the weather is on point for soup.  Don’t get me wrong, these vegetables taste great and are totally seasonally appropriate; however, I know that you’ve been working with them for several weeks (and in some cases, months) already.  But as I have to remind myself every Spring—good things take time.  Even the Purple Sprouting Broccoli and these tender but slender overwintered Pencil Leeks took a looong time to get to this point, even though they didn’t thicken up like the others.  Their journeys started last Summer, and they too will fall out of season soon.   Next year’s Parsnip seeds will be going in within the next couple of weeks even though we won’t be ready to think about them until after the first frost in October. This what I try to keep in mind as I toss another sheet pan of Potatoes & Parsnips into the oven on a weeknight, melt a skillet of leeks for another omelet or make Parsnip Leek Pear Soup, again.   Mark is stoked for a side of Leeks Vinaigrette.

Now, I know that many of you have visions of juicy tomatoes running through your heads, because several of you have asked if we will have our super duper awesome Tomato Plants for sale again this year.  And the answer is an enthusiastic, YES!  We’re aiming to have them available for sale starting the first week of May.  We’ve got another fabulous variety of Cherry, Roma, Beefsteak and Heirloom types in the works, and they’re sizing up and staying warm in the greenhouse as we speak.  The overnight temps dipped down into the thirties over the weekend, so indoors is where they really ought to stay until we get closer to fifty degrees consistently. I’ll post details about specific varieties in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, don’t worry—you’ll have plenty of time to get them planted in your garden this Spring to enjoy this Summer.  I promise!

Take Care,
Katie

IN THIS WEEK’S FARMSHARES:

Purple Sprouting Broccoli
Pencil Leeks
Potatoes
Parsnips
Pears/Apples or Bonus Eggs

AT THE FARMSTAND THIS WEEK

SEASONAL RECIPES, TIPS & INFO:

WARM POTATO LEEK SALAD
Food.com

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1⁄4 cup canola oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper
3⁄4 lb small fingerling potato
1 lb peas, if frozen, thaw first
2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, split lengthwise then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1⁄4 cup snipped chives

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

SEARED BROCCOLI & POTATO SOUP
Melissa Clark, NYT

½cup olive oil, plus more as needed
2 heads broccoli (about 2 pounds), separated into small florets, stems peeled and diced
2 ½teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large Spanish onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoons black pepper, more for finishing
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ pound potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more to taste
Grated Parmesan, to finish
Flaky sea salt, to finish 

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

PARSNIP CUPCAKES
Dishing Up the Dirt

1 cup all purpose flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup walnut oil (or another neutral tasting oil)
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups grated parsnips (from about 1 large parsnip)
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 cup honey
dried edible flowers for topping (optional)
CONTINUE TO RECIPE
 

BRAISED EGGS WITH LEEK AND ZA'ATAR
Yotam Ottolenghi

2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 extra-large leeks (or 4 smaller), trimmed and cut into ¼-inch/½ cm slices (6 cups)
salt and black pepper
1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
½ small preserved lemon, seeds discarded, skin and flesh finely chopped (2½ tbsp)
1¼ cups vegetable stock
7 oz baby spinach leaves
6 large eggs
3¼ oz feta, broken into ¾-inch pieces
1 tbsp za’atar
CONTINUE TO RECIPE

SWEET POTATO, PARSNIP & BROCCOLI FRITTATA
The Roasted Root

1 1/3 cups sweet potato, grated (1/2 medium potato)
1 cup parsnip, peeled and grated
1 1/3 cups broccoli, grated
8 eggs
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
1 cup jack cheese, grated

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

SAM SIFTON’S PASTA WITH PARSNIPS & BACON
Food 52

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 6  slices thick-cut bacon, guanciale, or pancetta, cut into sticks

• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or a combination of thyme and rosemary

• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

• 8 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

• 2 pounds dried fettuccine or any wide-ish flat pasta

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pats

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE