This week your basket contains: rutabagas, cabbage, leeks, sweet peppers, beets, COLLARDS, scallions and butternut squash.

THANKSGIVING SCHEDULE: Next week (Nov. 24^th ) we will be delivering a DOUBLE BASKET for  Thanksgiving.  We will Skip delivery on December 1^st and resume normal delivery on December 8^th.  Please let us know if you have questions or concerns.  We have posted a projected harvest list for the double basket to our web site to help you plan your feast.  At the same time we posted our late December-early January schedule.

One effect of our warmer than normal fall is that many of the crops in the garden have continued to grow.  Rutabagas and beets are larger than normal, and the cabbage is also getting big.  When cabbage gets big fast, the tightly packed leaves in the head build up quite a bit of pressure which eventually splits the heads wide open.  Sometimes as we are harvesting they will “pop” audibly in our hands.  They also can split just sitting in your basket or fridge. This week’s basket is perfect for borscht.  We gave a recipe a couple of weeks ago that we really like.  This is another version that is also quite good.

LILIIYA’S UKRAINIAN BORSCHT

1 pound of lean pork

8-10 cups of water

4 med chopped potatoes

half head of chopped cabbage

4-6 chopped beets

chopped fresh dill (about 1/4 cup)

1 medium onion

2 TB butter

4 medium finely chopped carrots

4 finely chopped tomatoes (canned or frozen)

In a pan, brown pork.  Add the browned pork to a large soup pot with water and boil for 15 minutes.  Add potatoes and boil another 10 min. Add cabbage, beets, and dill.  Boil another 20 min.  Meanwhile, in a separate pan, brown onion in butter.  Cook until golden. Add carrots to the onions and cook until tender. Add tomatoes and simmer slowly for 10-15 minutes.  Add the pan vegetables to the soup pot.  Add enough water to make the consistency of soup you enjoy.  Add salt to taste.  Cook until all the vegetables are soft.  Serve topped with sour cream sprinkled with chopped parsley.
We found this recipe on the internet.  It should help you make good use of the rutabaga in your basket.

CREAMY, SMOKY WHIPPED RUTABAGA

3 1/2 to 4 pounds rutabagas (two small or one large vegetable)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons smoked olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper

Cut the rutabaga(s) in half crosswise. Place a half cut side down on a stabilized cutting board and carefully shave off the peel with a large chef’s knife. Cut the peeled rutabaga into small slices about 1 inch thick. Repeat with the rest of the rutabaga. Heat the butter in a large, heavy 4-quart pot, set over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir in the chopped rutabaga and the garlic. Stir to coat the vegetables in butter, then sprinkle them with the salt. Pour in the milk and bring to a simmer, then turn the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the rutabaga is very tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Let the vegetables cool for about 5 minutes. At this point you can either leave the rutabaga in the pot and use a hand mixer to whip it, or you can transfer it to the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle. Drop the cream cheese into the rutabaga and use the hand mixer or stand mixer to mash it into the vegetables. The rutabaga will crumble then slowly turn into a mashed potato consistency. Add the olive oil and smoked paprika and mix thoroughly. Taste and add more salt and some black pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.  Adapted from thekitchn.com.