This week your basket contains:  winter squash, potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, celeriac, RUTABAGA, parsley, shallots, and garlic

This is the second of two 2-week baskets.  YOUR NEXT DELIVERY WILL BE ON JANUARY 9^TH.  We wish you all happy holidays and a wonderful New Year.

Rutabagas are somewhat unusual and not the easiest vegetable to use (also not one of our favorites).  We find that roasting them mellows and improves their flavor.  In the following recipe we might roll the veggies in the sauce and roast them at 400 degrees for half an hour or so (look for crispy edges) instead of boiling them.

CARROTS AND RUTABAGAS WITH LEMON AND HONEY

1 1/4 pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 pound carrots cut into matchsticks

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

Cook rutabagas in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes. Add carrots and cook until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.  Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add lemon juice, honey, and peel. Bring to boil. Add vegetables; cook until glazed, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Mix in fresh chives.   From Bon Appetit November 2001.

RUTABAGA AND POTATO GRATIN

Rutabagas can be thinly sliced and layered with potatoes and sliced onions in a perked-up version of potatoes au gratin.  Butter a deep 3 quart casserole.  Layer thinly sliced potatoes, rutabagas and/or turnips in the bottom, season with salt and pepper.  Cover with a layer of onions, sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. flour, dot with 1-2 Tbsp. butter, and cover with a layer of cheese.  Repeat this layering 3 more times.  Heat about 1 qt milk to just below boiling and pour over layered vegetables to cover.  Cover and bake in a 350^o oven for 45-60 minutes or until milk comes to a boil and bubbles.  Remove cover and bake for another 30-45 minutes, until root vegetables are tender and the top is browned.   Adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash

CREAMY CELERY ROOT AND BARLEY SOUP

1/4 cup pearl Barley

1 large celeriac

4 cups water

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup half-and-half

2 Tbs butter

1/2 cup milk

1 leek or onion

Cook barley with 3 cups of water and salt until tender.  Drain and set aside.  Peel celeriac and dice into 1-inch cubes.  Mince leek including tender portion of greens.  Melt butter in heavy saucepan, add leek and celeriac.  Sauté until color changes slightly (3-4 min.).  Add broth and remaining cup of water, bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered until celeriac is tender (15-20 min.).  Remove from heat.   Roughly puree half of the celeriac/leek mixture, return it to the pot.  Add the barley, milk and half-and-half, stir well and heat to serving temperature. Do not allow the soup to boil.

Sometimes, the most simple preparation of a vegetable is the best.  Shredding and sautéing Brussels sprouts transforms them.

SAUTÉED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

3 strips lean bacon, chopped

1 stalk Brussels sprouts

1 leek or onion

1-2 c. chicken stock

1 tsp. lemon juice

Thinly slice the leek or onion.  Slice the sprouts thin, about 1/8-inch thick.  Cook bacon in a sauté pan, add the olive oil and sauté the leek slices.  When they have wilted, add the Brussels sprouts and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the chicken stock, to a depth of about a ¼ inch and continue cooking until tender.  Season with salt and pepper and the lemon juice.  Mix to end up with an emulsified liquid that just coats the sprouts.