This week your basket contains: carrots, sweet peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, LEEKS, cabbage, and spinach.

 WE HAVE TWO SMALL (TODDLER) SWEATSHIRTS THAT WERE LEFT ON PUMPKIN PICK-UP WEEKEND.  Just drop us an email to identify yours, and we can deliver it to you with your veggies next week.  November is here, and that means that THANKSGIVING will be here sooner than you think.  As we do every year, we will be delivering a DOUBLE BASKET to you on November 22^ND. We will skip delivery November 29^th, and resume normal delivery on Dec. 6^TH.  We have posted this information to our web site (under the blog tab) along with our December delivery schedule for your convenience.

Leeks are an amazing crop for the northwest.  This biennial relative of onion is mellow, versatile, very flavorful, and extremely hardy in our climate.  We planted our very first crop of leeks in January 1990 for harvest through March of 1991. We have had leeks growing continuously since then and will be planting leeks in a couple of months for harvest in the early spring of 2018.  In the kitchen, you can substitute leek for onion in any recipe.  Slice the leek into coins and rinse in a colander to remove any soil that got trapped between the layers as the leek grew.  You can use the white and light green portion of the leek (use everything up to the point where the leaf flattens out from the stem.  Continue chopping the stem from the lower leaf to the point where all the leaves diverge.

LEEKS AND CABBAGE ON A BED OF WILD RICE

1 c. wild rice

3 c. chicken stock

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 ½ tsp. loosely packed saffron threads

1 Tbs. lemon juice

salt and pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil

4 medium leeks, white and green parts cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds

1 medium green cabbage, cored and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

4 thin slices prosciutto, cut into ¼-inch-wide ribbons

Combine the wild rice and chicken stock in pan over medium-high heat, cover, and bring to a boil.  Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and saffron threads.  Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until half the rice kernels have split, showing white, 45-50 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Most likely, there will still be some cooking liquid left.  Remove from heat and keep warm.  While rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the leeks and toss so that they are coated with the oil.  Cover, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until they are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the cabbage to the leeks, toss so that they are well mixed, season with salt and pepper, and cook until cabbage is slightly softened and has turned bright green, about 8 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Mound the rice in the center of a warmed serving platter, pouring any remaining cooking liquid over it.  Arrange cabbage and leek mixture around the rice.  Sprinkle the prosciutto over the cabbage mixture and serve immediately.  Serves 6.  From Farmhouse Cookbook by Susan Herrmann Loomis.

CURRIED CREAM OF CARROT SOUP

2 Tbs. butter

2 med. onions, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ tsp. dry thyme

1 lb. carrots, pared and diced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 tsp. curry powder

1 cup milk or cream

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Add onion, garlic and thyme.  Sauté until onion is soft.  Add carrots and cook 10 minutes.  Add chicken broth and curry powder.  Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.  Puree in a blender; return to pan and add milk or cream until the soup reaches desired consistency.  Heat for 5 minutes and serve garnished with yougurt or sour cream and chives.

DEEP-DISH HAZELNUT VEGETABLE PIE

3/4 c. cauliflower

3/4 c. broccoli

2 c. chopped fresh or frozen spinach

1 small onion, chopped

1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped

3/4 c. grated Cheddar

1 c. coarsely chopped hazelnuts

1 1/2 c. milk

1 c. biscuit mix

3 eggs

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small florets and steam until almost tender. Drain and mix with spinach, onion, garlic, and Cheddar cheese. Spoon mixture into well-greased 10-inch pie pan or baking dish. Top with hazelnuts. Beat together milk, biscuit mix, eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over hazelnuts and vegetables and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Serves 6. From the Winter Harvest Cookbook by Lane Morgan.