Over the years, as we have leaned into Winter growing, Mark and I have made a good intentioned but lofty (maybe unreasonable) goal to grow “something green” to offer the CSA, even in the coldest weeks. Sometimes that something green is purple, and sometimes that green is maroon or pink. We may not be sentimental creatures, but Mark and I really love it when the chicory harvest aligns with Valentine’s Day. Indeed, the crew harvested them today, but heartbreakingly, it looks like less than a quarter of our Winter Chicories survived the January deep freeze and there’s not enough to cover the shares. (Ugh) But, we’re going to make it work to the best of our abilities. Bitter Chicories, while beautiful, are not everyone’s favorite flavor-wise. (If they were, we’d grow enough to have them every week). So, we’re going to make the most of what we lack this year and give our CSA a choice of Cabbage or Chicories this week. We will see if a bit more braising is available tomorrow as well.

And hey, what we may lack in pink, we’re more than making up for in RED, because we’re sitting on the the best stand of Winter Beets that we’ve had in years, if not ever. I made an embarrassing amount of Borscht over the break, and I’m going to make even MORE this weekend. I’ve also been making Citrusy Beet Salads. They’ve become one of my grandma’s favorites, and for those of you who are reading this because you know and love her, that’s saying something. The tangy citrus/deep earthy flavor combination is a winner, and as a bonus, all of that Vitamin C helps our bodies absorb the Iron that we get from eating Beets. To save time and mess, I’ve been pressure cooking the beets and letting them cool before chopping up with sweet slices of Fennel, juicy Oranges, and dressing them up with the vinaigrette that I like to make for chicories this time of year, which I have of course shared below so you can make it at home.  No pressure cooker?  Roasted Beets work just as great.

Much Love,
Katie

PS: It looks like we’re going to come up short on eggs this week, so if you have an Egg Share in Winter and want to trade for store credit this week, we’d love it. Thanks!

IN THIS WEEK’S FARMSHARES:

• Cabbage or Chicory

• Beets

• Delicata Squash

• Onions

• Cosmic Crisp Apples
  

AT THE FARMSTAND THIS WEEK

RECIPES & SEASONAL TIPS

KATIE'S WINTER CHICORY SALAD
WITH CITRUS & ONION VINAIGRETTE

• 1/2 lb Chicories, washed and cut or torn into bite sized pieces

• 3 Oranges (I used a mix of 2 Cara Cara Navels and 1 Blood Orange)

• 1/2 Red Onion, sliced thin

• 1 Shallot, minced

• 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds (optional, but I really like them)

• 1 T Wine or Sherry Vinegar

• Salt

• Pepper

• Olive Oil

Place Fennel Seeds, minced Shallots and a pinch of salt and a couple healthy grinds of pepper into a small bowl.  Muddle with a spoon for a bit and then juice one orange into the bowl.  Add your vinegar and then submerge your sliced Red Onions.  Set aside to marinate a little while you do the next steps.  

Place prepared salad greens in a large bowl.  Using a sharp knife, peel the pith and rind from the remaining two oranges.  Cut each orange in half crosswise, and then into bite-sized segments. Scatter oranges over prepared greens in a large bowl. 

Then, make the dressing.  Using a slotted spoon, strain the red onions from the small bowl, adding them to the salad bowl while reserving the remaining liquid and seasonings.  Whisk about 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil into the small bowl of seasoned juice/vinegar until emulsified. Taste and add Salt to your liking.  Toss with the prepared salad ingredients and top with a few grinds of pepper if you'd like.   This salad is also wonderful topped with Roasted Beets!

RADICCHIO & ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH SALAD
Brooklyn Supper

Roasted Squash
2 medium delicata squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 teaspoon heat tolerant, neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed)
sea salt
Salad and Dressing
1 small head radicchio, cored with leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
Zest of 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons juice, divided
Sea salt
2 shallots, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Toppings
1/4 cup raw, hulled pepitas
Heat tolerant neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed)
10 sage leaves , rinsed and patted completely dry
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BARBIE-INSPIRED BEET PASTA
Jillian Barreca

3 medium size beets, trimmed, washed and scrubbed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ tsp salt, divided
1 ½ cups mascarpone, divided
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
½ cup grated parmesan, plus more to serve
½ tsp black pepper
9 oz fiorelli, orecchiette or rotini pasta
Basil, to serve

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE WITH TANGY BLOOD ORANGE FROSTING
Brooklyn Supper

3 - 4 medium beets
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted|
pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon beet juice squeezed from reserved grated beets
1 teaspoon blood orange zest plus 1 tablespoon juice plus several blood orange wedges for garnish
pink sprinkles optional 

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

VEGETARIAN BORSCHT
Serious Eats

1 pound beets (beetroot), peeled and cut into matchsticks (reserve a small piece to grate into the soup at the end)
2 medium onions, sliced into half-moons
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3/4 pound white cabbage, cut thinly into shreds
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cups vegetable stock
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt to taste
Coarsely ground black pepper
Sour cream (optional, omit for vegan soup)
Finely chopped parsley or chives (optional, for garnish) 

CONTINUE TO RECIPE

BORSCHT SALAD
Mark Bittman

1 pound beets
1 shallot, minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup sour cream
lemon juice to taste
chopped dill
shredded cabbage
a chopped hard-boiled egg 

CONTINUE TO RECIPE