This week your basket contains: CELERIAC, onions, basil, eggplant, cauliflower, Florence fennel, potatoes, kale, and sweet peppers.

Celeriac is a wonderful combination of celery flavor and potato texture.  It can be used raw grated as a salad, added to soups and stews, or added to mashed potatoes (my favorite).  This recipe seems perfect for cool fall weather.

POTATOES AND CELERIAC WITH SMOKY BACON

1 lb. potatoes

1 medium celeriac

6 ounces double-smoked bacon, cut into 1/3 in. dice

Coarse sea salt

In a large pot of boiling salted water, boil the potatoes until just tender, about 25 minutes.  Peel the celeriac and drop it whole into the boiling water and boil until it can be just pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.  (Undercook both vegetables rather than overcooking). Drain both vegetables.  Peel and halve the potatoes, then slice them 1/3-inch thick.  Likewise, slice the celeriac 1/3-inch thick.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over low heat until most of the fat has been rendered, about 8 minutes.  Scrape the bacon and the fat onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.  Add the potatoes and celeriac and toss gently to coat.  Spread the vegetables in a single layer and bake for about 15 minutes, or until browned on the bottom and crisp.  Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and serve.  Serves 4.  Adapted from Food and Wine Dec. 2001.

By the end of the week we will have temperatures in the 20’s which means that this is the last hurrah for summer veggies like eggplant.  This is a great way to use them.

IMAM BAYILDI

2/3 cup olive oil

3 medium eggplants

Salt and pepper

2 onions

4 garlic cloves

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 Lb. tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbs dried oregano

½ tsp sugar (optional)

3 Tbs chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and, using a large frying pan, fry in batches in 1/3 cup olive oil, until brown on both sides (10 -15 minutes).  Blot off excess oil with paper towels. Arrange on shallow baking dish and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauce pan, saute onions until they start to color. Add garlic and cumin, fry for 2-3 minutes then add tomatoes, oregano and sugar (if desired).  Pour in 2/3 cup water and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Stir in parsley and divide stuffing into 6 equal portions.  Pile the stuffing on each eggplant half.  Pour 2/3 cup boiling water into the baking dish and cook in oven for 45 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Serves 6.  Adapted from Easy Vegan.

A great low calorie alternative to rice can be quickly and easily made from cauliflower.  The best thing about it is that it tastes great!

CAULIFLOWER RICE

1 cauliflower
1Tbs. olive oil

Salt

Process cauliflower in a Cuisinart fitted with the grating blade.  Heat a bit of olive oil in a skillet and add the grated cauliflower.  Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the cauliflower starts to brown.  Add salt to taste.  Serve as you would rice.

EGGS:  Our hens are fully into their molt and will not be laying many eggs until they are done growing new feathers.  We will get eggs to our standing order customers as supply allows.  Thank you for understanding.