This week your basket contains: potatoes, celeriac, onions, winter squash, leeks, carrots, and salad mix (arugula, endive, radicchio, kale, miner’s lettuce, spinach, and lettuce).

We are reaching the end of our stored winter squash so there is a mix of varieties in the baskets this week.  All are good cooked alone or used in soups like squash leek soup.  We have at least a week’s worth of Tetsukabuto squash that we will be giving in the near future.  They are extremely good keepers and are a new favorite of ours in the kitchen.

We are also getting to the end of the celeriac.  This is a perfect winter recipe.  If you don’t have sweet potatoes, your squash would be perfect in this recipe.

CHICKEN TAGINE WITH SWEET POTATOES AND CELERIAC

3 Lbs. chicken thighs

salt and freshly ground pepper

½ Tbs. ground cumin

3 Tbs. butter

1 large onion thinly sliced

2/3 cup raisins

pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

1 Lb. sweet potatoes or Kabocha squash peeled and cubed (1/2 inch)

1 celeriac peeled and cubed (1/2 inch)

1 Tbs. honey

Rub chicken pieces with salt, pepper and cumin.  If time allows, let stand for 1 to 2 hours.  Covering the chicken and refrigerating overnight would be best.  When ready to prepare the dish, heat the butter in a large casserole or Dutch oven and cook chicken in batches until golden on all sides.  Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add raisins, saffron, cinnamon and ginger and cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Pour 2 cups water into the casserole.  Cover and cook the chicken for 30 minutes over low heat.  Add the sweet potatoes or squash and the celeriac along with additional salt and pepper.  Simmer the stew, covered 20 minutes.  Carefully stir in the honey, taking care not to mash the vegetables.  Serves 4-6.  Adapted from Fooday

Winter salad mixes are hardier than summer lettuce salads and thus can take on a hardier dressing.  This is one we enjoy.

FLOATING CLOUDS MISO DRESSING

6 Tbs. veg oil
1/4 Tsp. sesame oil
2 Tbs. rice vinegar or lemon juice
2 Tbs. red, barley, or Hatcho miso
1/4 C. water (if needed)
1/2 clove garlic, crushed
dash of powdered ginger
dash of dry mustard (or use a prepared sweet-hot honey mustard)

Combine all ingredients; whisk or shake well.  If the dressing seems at all weak, just pump up the miso and garlic. From “The Book of Miso,” by Shurtleff and Aoyagi.

SZECHWAN CARROT SOUP

1 med. onion or leek

1/3 cup chopped celeriac

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 lb. carrots cut into 1 inch pieces

¾ inch piece fresh ginger; peeled and thinly sliced

1/8 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

3 cups chicken broth

1 ½ Tbs. soy sauce

1 ½ Tbs. creamy peanut butter

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 cup milk

Chop onion and celeriac and mince garlic.  Cook in vegetable oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until onion is softened.  Add carrots, ginger, pepper flakes and broth.  Simmer covered until carrots are very tender; about 45 minutes.  Stir in remaining ingredients and in a blender puree mixture in batches.  Return soup to pan and heat over low heat until hot, being careful not to let boil.  If desired, prepare garnish by mixing ¼ cup sour cream with 2 Tbs. heavy cream and drizzle decoratively into soup after serving into bowls.  Adapted from Gourmet.

Blendily (owned by a family that have been subscribers for years) has created a special web page for our customers to order locally produced self-care products.  You can order at this site: (https://www.blendily.com/pumpkin-ridge-csa).  CSA members can use code ‘PRGCSA2021’ for a 10% discount.  We will pick up your order when we deliver their basket, and deliver it to you with your next delivery.