THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: carrots, leeks, winter squash, celeriac, onions, and salad mix (endive, pan de Zucchero, claytonia, and radicchio)

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Despite the extended period of cold nights, our winter salad greens have been doing well. Most are in hoop houses which help protect them from the cold, but we also covered them with floating row covers for added protection as we did for the radicchio that is outside.  One of our favorite winter/spring salad greens is claytonia (also known as miner’s lettuce).  It has very tender heart shaped leaves that are buttery and wonderful.   Below are a couple of dressing recipes that would work well with this week’s mix.

WINTER SALAD DRESSING

2 Tbs lemon juice (or rice vinegar)

2 Tbs Soy sauce or tamari

2 Tbs Olive oil

Whisk all the ingredients together and dress greens.  The longer the heartier greens marinate, the more tender they become.

AVOCADO AND BUTTERMILK SALAD DRESSING

1/2 Hass avocado, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 small shallot or onion, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons minced flat-leaf parsley

1 small garlic clove, smashed

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

In a blender, combine the avocado with the buttermilk, vinegar, shallot, parsley and garlic and process until smooth. With the machine running, add the vegetable oil in a thin stream and process until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper. 

We have been loving winter squash simply roasted with olive oil and salt, the recipe below take things a step further to create a truly amazing winter delight.  You can use lemongrass paste (available in most grocery stores) if you cant find fresh lemongrass.

ROASTED SQUASH WITH LEMONGRASS, PEANUT, AND LIME

1 large winter squash

5 Tbs. olive or coconut oil

2 Tbs. coriander seeds

4 cardamom pods; seeds removed

4 sticks lemongrass, chopped

3 red chilis, chopped

4 limes

1 ½ inch chunk of ginger, peeled

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup peanuts, chopped

Chopped cilantro

Salt

Heat oven to 400⁰ . Slice squash into thick slices or boats.  Peels the squash slices and lay on a roasting tray then drizzle with oil.  Grind coriander and cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle, add lemongrass (we used lemongrass paste from the grocery store) and mash.  Scatter half of this mixture over the squash with salt and chopped chilis.  Zest 2 of the limes over the squash then squeeze their juice over the squash as well.  Bake in the preheated oven until golden (approx.. 45 minutes).  Meanwhile, put remaining lemongrass mixture in a bowl with the zest and juice of the final 2 limes, and finely grated ginger.  Add the yogurt and mix well.  When the squash is cooked, transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.  Serve with the yogurt mixture on the side.  Adapted from One: Pot, Pan, Planet by Anna Jones