This week your basket contains: celeriac, potatoes, pumpkin, leeks, onions, Brussels sprouts, RUTABAGA, collards and kale.

HAPPY SOLSTICE!  We love this time of year when the days (finally) start to get longer again and the longer nights give us time to appreciate the bounty of our summer gardens.  This will be the final delivery of 2019.  We will be skipping deliveries on 12/24 & 12/31 and will be back on 01/07/20.

Rutabagas can be challenging both in the kitchen and in the garden.  For years it seemed like either we grew tiny roots or enormous roots (some of you may remember a couple of years ago when they were bigger than your head!).  In the kitchen they have a distinctive flavor that is unfamiliar to many (us included).  We have found that a couple of things make rutabaga easier to use.  One is to try it raw.  Fresh rutabaga, especially when sliced very thin, is sweeter and tastier than cooked.  You can use a “spiralizer” or mandolin to make thin slices for a veggie bowl or as an addition to salad or slaw.  You could also use the thin slices to make a quick vinegar pickle as part of a veggie platter. Rutabaga can also be made into fries.  Try adding them to this recipe for potato and celeriac fries:

LOW-FAT POTATO AND CELERIAC FRIES

Another great idea that came to us is a method for making very low-fat French fries.  We have used this with potatoes, celeriac and parsnips with great results.  Simply chop your roots into fries.  In a large Tupperware container with a lid mix 2 Tbs olive oil with a teaspoon or so of mustard (vary the amount to you r taste).  Add the fries, close the lid and shake so that the fries are evenly coated with the mixture.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes turning the fries over occasionally until the fries are evenly golden brown.

Rutabaga is very often served as a mash.  Smoked paprika in this recipe pairs well with rutabaga’s inherent flavors. 

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.

CREAM OF LEEK AND CELERIAC SOUP

2-3 leeks

1 1/2 Lb celeriac

1 large potato

3 Tbs butter

4-5 cups chicken broth

1 cup light cream (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Wash leeks and slice until you have approx 2 cups.  Peel and chop celeriac into 1/2 inch cubes (3-4 cups).  Peel and coarsely chop the potato.  Melt butter in a large sauce pan and stir in the leeks, cooking until wilted.  Stir in celeriac and potato then add 4 cups of broth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20-25 minutes.  Puree in a food processor or blender.  If very thick, thin with cream and additional broth.  Season with salt and pepper.

Pumpkins are not just for pie!  They can be added to or substituted for other winter squash or even sweet potato.  Try shredding raw pumpkin (after peeling of course) in this recipe. 

SWEET POTATO HASH WITH VEGETABLES

1 leek,

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 small sweet potatoes,

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded

2 cups chopped kale

5 eggs

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

black pepper

In a large, nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Into the warm oil, add leeks and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, or until they are fragrant and softened. Stir in red pepper flakes, then add the shredded potatoes, stir to incorporate leeks and press into a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until a browned crust begins to form. Stir and cook for 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Stir Brussels sprouts into the potato mixture and cook, stirring frequently for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until sprouts start to wilt. Next add the kale and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.  Meanwhile, in another large, greased skillet over medium-high heat, crack 5 eggs. Cook eggs until the whites are set (for over easy, flip eggs after the whites set slightly and then cook on other side for 30 seconds to a minute). Serve hash hot with a fried egg on top.

If you find yourself looking forward to the Thanksgiving stuffing more that the turkey this just may be the recipe you’ve been looking for!  It makes for a striking presentation at the table, too.

ELEGANT STUFFED PUMPKIN

1  pumpkin

2 to 3 cups brown rice, cooked

2 cups crumbled dry whole wheat bread (or part corn bread or other bread)

1 onion, chopped

1/2 to 1 cup chopped celery and leaves

2 apples (tart and unpeeled), chopped

1 cup roasted chestnuts or a handful of cashew nuts, cut in half

Herbs: Sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, and paprika to taste

1 to 2 cups vegetable stock

1/4 to 1/2 cup butter, melted, or safflower oil

Soy sauce or salt to taste

Cut off top of pumpkin to make a lid. Remove the seeds and scrape out any stringy pulp.   Combine brown rice, bread, onion, celery, apples, chestnuts or cashews, and herbs in a large mixing bowl and mix well with hands. Add stock and butter, and mix well, adding soy sauce and salt if desired. Stuffing should be moist but not wet. Pack loosely into pumpkin, replace lid, and bake on oiled cookie sheet for 1-1/2 hours or more at 325 degrees F. It is done when a fork pushes easily through the pumpkin. Transfer to a casserole dish and serve at the table, scooping out some of the tender pumpkin flesh with each serving of stuffing. You may eat the skin too. (If you have too much stuffing for your pumpkin, place extra in an oiled casserole, cover, and bake for 1 hour.) Yield: 5 servings Recipe Source: The Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook by Lucy Moll

This soup could be made with either the kale or the collards or both.

SMOKY HAM AND GREENS SOUP

1 onion or shallot, chopped

3 slices bacon, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

½ celeriac, chopped

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

½ tsp. smoked paprika

Salt

4 tomatoes frozen or canned, chopped

2 cups mixed greens, chopped

¾ cup ham, chopped

In a heavy sauce pan, cook bacon slowly to render fat.  Add onion or shallot, carrot, and celeriac and sauté over medium-low heat to soften and brown.  Add stock, salt, paprika, and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes.  At this point the soup can be held until ready to serve.  10 minutes before serving, add ham and chopped greens and bring back to a simmer. Taste, adjust seasonings and serve.