This week your basket contains: PEARL ONIONS, leeks, acorn squash, potatoes, carrots, celeriac, cabbage, celery, HAMBURG PARSLEY, and SALAD MIX.

THIS IS YOUR THANKSGIVING DOUBLE BASKET.  We will be listing the items in that basket on Friday on our web site.  We will skip delivery Nov. 25^th and be back to normal on Dec. 2^nd.

Hamburg parsley is an interesting crop and we are pleased with how well it did for us this year..  The leaves are like any other type of parsley (curly or Italian) and the roots are similar to parsnips, carrots or scorzonera.  Try the roots roasted with other roots like potato, carrot, and celeriac.

As we’ve said earlier, the onions we grew from seed this year did poorly, giving us many “pearl” onions.  They are perfect for caramelizing alone or peeling and roasting around a chicken or turkey (if any of you have something like that planned soon).

Thanks to one of our subscribers for the following new version of a recipe we’ve given in the past.  She describes this as “a winter tonic!”

MODIFIED DOUBLE CELERY TURKEY SALAD

Dressing:

¼ head crushed garlic

olive oil

toasted sesame oil

soy sauce

rice vinegar

black pepper

Salad:

1 grated celeriac

few stalks minced celery

2-3 grated carrots

1 lb. cooked turkey

1 roasted beet, diced

Saute garlic in olive oil briefly, just so that it is not raw.  Whisk garlic together with other dressing ingredients to taste.  To roast the beet, wash,  wrap in aluminum foil and bake in 350-degree oven for about an hour or until easily pieced with a fork.  Allow to cool, then rub off the skin with your thumb.  Dice or shred the turkey.  Mix salad ingredients with dressing (adding beets last and mixing only gently afterward) and serve.

WINTER SQUASH AND GRUYERE GRATIN

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock or canned broth

2 medium butternut squash (1 1/2 pounds each)

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 medium leek, white part only, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon olive oil

One 12-ounce can evaporated skim milk or 1 cup whole milk

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

2 slices toasted  peasant bread (cut into 4 equal pieces)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

8 basil leaves, shredded

Preheat the oven to 400°. Halve the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place the squash, cut side up, in a baking pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper and cover tightly with foil. Bake for about 1 hour, until the squash are tender but not mushy. Let cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the leek, olive oil and 2 teaspoons of water. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the leek is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in the wine. Increase the heat to high and boil until the liquid is reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Stir in the stock, milk, sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Using a big spoon, scoop the flesh from the squash in large pieces. Place in a medium bowl.  To assemble the gratin, preheat the oven to 400°. Bring the leek mixture to a boil. Spoon half of the squash into a 6- to 8-cup casserole. Ladle half of the leek mixture over the top and cover with half of the toast and half of the Gruyère. Repeat the layers with the remaining squash, leek mixture, toast and Gruyère. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top. Bake the gratin for 30 minutes, or until the top is browned and bubbly. Garnish with the basil and serve.  Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared up to assembling the gratin 3 hours ahead. Set aside at room temperature.  From Food and Wine  Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes, The Best Squash Casserole Recipes  Published November 1993                                                                                     OVER_à

We are sad to say that this Thanksgiving we do not have Brussels sprouts for you.  While there are several beds of them in the garden, none of them had sprouts of a size we felt good about giving.  Part of the problem has been heavy aphid pressure (we have sprayed with organic sprays several times) and the fact that we did not cut the tops off the plants early enough (that does spur better sprout growth).  We should have them in December, and the good thing about them is that they can last into March.  In the meantime, you might consider this recipe as a replacement on your table.

ROASTED CABBAGE WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

1 medium green cabbage

½ cup olive oil

1 tsp. lemon zest

2 Tbs. mustard

1 Tbs. honey

2 garlic cloves

Salt

Pepper

For the Dressing

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 lemon zested

2 Tbs. lemon juice

Salt

Peper

parsley

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare the cabbage: Peel any wilted outer leaves, then halve the cabbage lengthwise through the core, setting both halves flat on your cutting board. Slice them through the core into 12 even wedges (each about 1¼ inches thick at the widest point). Gently transfer them to a large sheet pan, carefully keeping each wedge intact.  In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, honey, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Brush half the vinaigrette over the cabbage wedges, making sure it drips between the leaves, then carefully flip the wedges over and brush with the remaining vinaigrette.  Roast the cabbage until tender, golden at the edges and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. While the cabbage roasts, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice; season to taste with salt and pepper. (If using sour cream, thin the dressing with just enough water so that it can be drizzled, about 1 tablespoon.) Refrigerate for up to 2 days.  Let the cabbage cool, then refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Arrange the cabbage wedges on a serving platter. Season to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature, drizzled with the dressing (brought to room temperature) and garnished with the dill and parsley.

To make pumpkin puree, you can cut off the skin of the pumpkin as if you were peeling an orange. Then, halve the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and pulp. After this, cut the flesh into 1 1/2-2 in. chunks and steam until soft. Press through a strainer or puree in a food mill. Pumpkin chunks can also be microwaved in a covered container in about 8 minutes. Use the puree for pies or in other recipes. It can be frozen and used later.  Below is the basic pumpkin pie recipe I use for my famous pumpkin pie pizza!  I add a splash of brandy when making a pie, which seems to just kick the flavor over the top of deliciousness.

PUMPKIN PIE

2 c pumpkin, canned or cooked – see directions

1 1/2 c milk, evaporated or cream

1/4 c brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 c white sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated or allspice

1/8 tsp clove, ground

2 eggs, slightly beaten

Whisk 2-3 large eggs in a bowl.  Whisk in rest of the ingredients into the egg.  Leave the pie filling at room temperature before pouring the rest of the mixture into the crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes until firm.  Cool completely/refrigerate for up to one day.

QUICK CELERY ROOT SALAD WITH CAPERS AND LEMON

1 lemon, juiced
1 head celery root, peeled
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/3 cup juicy capers, rinsed
Small handful Italian parsley, chopped

Peel the celery root and shred it. Stop halfway through and sprinkle with a tablespoon of the lemon juice to keep the root from turning brown. Shred the other half and toss with another tablespoon of lemon juice. Salt and pepper liberally and toss.  Whisk the remaining lemon juice with the walnut oil, olive oil, sugar, and vinegar. Taste and adjust. Toss with the celery root, capers, and chopped parsley.