CSA Week 14

2 bunches greens

savoy cabbage

sweet peppers

hungarian hot wax peppers

carrots

onions

eggplant

tomatoes

garlic 

Black Kettle Farm had a short and extremely unsweet visit from a flock of very naughty, bold and unruly icelandic sheep this past week.  My good friend moves her sheep crew around to different (and greener) pastures throughout the season and BKF was next in the rotation.  40 showed up one day last week and it was pretty much mayhem ever since.  Their first night every single one got out and I woke to them dozing rather far away from their fenced in area as the morning fog lifted.  It kind of took me a minute to remember exactly who they were and what they were doing at my farm and after some initial panic on my part, my friend hustled up here and wrangled them back in.  All was semi well and good until I was snug in my bed the night before farmer’s market and I heard a strange noise.  Was it Mean Kitty coughing?  A truly huge cricket?  Nope, it was a sheep, in fact it was all the sheep.  Out again, all over the farm again and this time in the dark of night.  I channeled by Colorado rancher ancestors, found my head lamp and a bucket of alfalfa and single handedly corralled every last one ‘em back in.  It took me a while to come down from that one.

Then there was the final straw that sent them ewes a packin’.  Here’s were it gets a tad ugly.   After a long and awesome day at Portsmouth Farmer’s Market, about to jump in the shower, a fuzzy being catches my eye.  This time, not in the compost pile or in the grass by the pig pen, but in the veggie field, the Kettle source.  It is all fun and games until the Kettle loses some kale!  The whole flock was happily snacking away on fall carrots and brusell sprouts.   Sheep, it’s not the Kettle, it’s you, you really gotta go!  The next day, after many trips and lots of shoving of animals into a trailer, they were finally gone and it was back to the calming veggie chaos that is Black Kettle Farm.  It’s no picnic growing the 40 different vegetables in always the weirdest of weather and with the fiercest of bugs, but in all my days I have never had to chase chard or tackle a turnip.  Those Icelandic's made the pigs and the carrots look like pure angels.

  

Kettle Community News:

Congrats to Eva and Trevor, Erik and Mercedes and Hank and Becca and their  recent weddings.  Yay!  We love love!

Congrats to Katie and Barrett who officially have an eggplant in the oven!  Yay!  We love a new crop of Kettle kids!

Carrot Cabbage Slaw with Cumin Vinaigrette

Gourmet  | September 2009

by Paul Grimes

2 1/4 pounds carrots with tops

2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

Pick enough fronds from carrot tops to measure 1 cup, then coarsely chop.

Cut carrots crosswise into 2-inch pieces, then julienne with slicer. 3Whisk together vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.

Toss cabbage, carrots, and chopped carrot tops in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season with salt and let stand 30 minutes before serving.

Kale with Panfried Walnuts

Gourmet  | November 2009

by Ian Knauer

1 bunch  kale

1 cup chopped walnuts (3 1/2 ounces)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Tear kale into large pieces, then cook in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain kale, and, when cool enough to handle, press out excess liquid.

Cook walnuts in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add kale and salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing, until heated through.

Notes from the Kettle Kitchen....

Every thursday the Kettle Crew does farm lunch together on the farm house porch.  Just like pig and greenhouse chores, this is done on a rotational basis so every one gets a chance to be the crew cook.  During our normal work days we do a lot of moving veggies around, fluffing veggies, chasing bugs away from veggies, but on thursdays we really get to enjoy veggies and enjoy the sunshine and enjoy our amazing crew of hard working ladies.  Farm lunch is the best.

It’s my turn this week and I already know what’s cookin’ good lookin’!!!!!  

BKF Veggies:

Onion

Garlic

Savoy Cabbage

Peppers

Tomatoes

Additional Items:

Oil

Fresh Ginger

Mustard and Cumin Seed

Apple Cider Vinegar

Tamari

Heat up a large skillet with oil.

Chop an onion and dice a few cloves of garlic.  Sauté until soft, then grate fresh ginger into the mix.  While this is happening, heat a small dry skillet and add mustard and cumin seeds, once the mustard seeds start to POP, add the spice mix to the onions, garlic and ginger.  Add a few splashes of apple cider vinegar.

Cube sweet peppers and a few hots if you have them and add them to the mix.  Sauté at a medium heat until the peppers start to soften.

Add a splash of tamari, chop your head of savoy cabbage and add.  Cook at medium heat until the cabbage wilts, stirring as needed.

Chop tomatoes and add.  Sprinkle some salt, and grind in some black pepper.  Cover and let it all cook down so the flavors meld together.

Serve with rice, cooked chick peas or lentils.

If you want to beef it up, add shredded carrot after the peppers have cooked for a bit, any kind of cooked green along with the cabbage.  You can also use ground cumin if you don’t have seeds,  and add turmeric, or red pepper flakes.