CSA Week 11

Vegetable List

Brussels Sprouts
Savoy Cabbage
Fairy Tale Eggplant
Lacinato Kale
Lincoln Leeks
Muir Lettuce
New Red Fire Lettuce
Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions
Green Bell Peppers
Red Bell Peppers
Hotties! Aji Amarillo, Poblano, Green Chile, and Jalapenos
Conservor Shallots
San Marzanos
Sungolds
Tomatoes
Winter Squash! Honeynut
Winter Squash! Butternut
PYO Herbs
PYO Flowers

Notes from the Farm

I love this time of year... so much... the sun, the cool, the breeze and dry air...
I mean, I love summer for all it's summerness, and the late spring... oh, and late fall/early winter leading up to the new year, so good... and what about deep winter in January and Feb? Always a winner...
But, there is something special about the first of September here in the Great State of Maine... it's quieter... sure some of the seasonal folks are headed out, but also kids are back to school, neighbors are starting to stay in and stay home... generally we've collectively downshifted a couple gears and there's something absolutely lovely about that.
There is also something lovely about leaning into fall flavors like squash and brussels and the like... Butter and olive oil taste better in the fall of the year... maybe it's just me, but maybe not. Warm brown butter squash gnocchi, roasted brussels with olive oil and maple, onion soup... all of them, all of the flavors with all of the cozy salts and fats.
As we're rumbling around the fields, getting in the veggies for the CSA, it's hard to not be a little nostalgic about the season. I mean, the season isn't over, but we're in the throws of the great switch over to fall... just like the switch that happens mid July when we go from mostly greens to weighable produce.
Change is good. Butter is good. Squash is good... and slow is good... slow feels really good. Slow allows us to fiddle with our agricultural memories, our collective culinary experience of 2024, and lean into all that is cozy.




Recipes


Brown-Sugar Butternut-Squash Pie

1 medium butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
Unbleached all-purpose flour, for dusting
Test Kitchen's Favorite Pate Brisee, divided into one round and one square disk
4 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup packed light-brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Confectioners' sugar and lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place, cut-side down, on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until soft, 45 to 50 minutes.
When squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and transfer to a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer to a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Squeeze out excess moisture and let stand, covered with plastic, at least 2 hours or, refrigerated, up to 3 days. Return to room temperature before using.
On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll out round disk of dough 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish. Trim dough flush with rim, prick inside all over with a fork, and refrigerate.
Roll square disk of dough into an 11-by-14-inch rectangle (between 1/8 and 1/16 inch thick). Freeze until firm but pliable, about 10 minutes. Use a knife or pastry wheel and a ruler to cut fifteen 1/4-inch-wide strips of dough along the short side. (Use an assortment of cookie cutters to cut out decorative shapes for pie top from remaining dough.)
Working with 5 strips at a time, gently press tops together to adhere. Place 3 strips to one side and 2 to the other. Make a fish-tail braid by bringing outer-third strip over to the center of side with 2 strips. Repeat, with outer-third strip always moving to middle to join side with 2 strips. Repeat fishtail-braiding with remaining strips of dough, so you have 3 braids of 5 strips each.
Beat 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water; brush piecrust rim with egg wash. Place braids over rim, cutting them as needed to fit circumference of pie, and press gently to adhere. Freeze piecrust and decorative cut-outs until firm, about 20 minutes. Brush edge with egg wash.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees with racks in lower and upper thirds. Line crust with parchment, keeping it away from decorative rim. Fill with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake piecrust on lower rack until edges begin to turn golden and bottom is dry, 22 to 25 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and beans. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and return crust to oven. Place chilled cut-outs on a separate parchment-lined baking sheet and brush with egg wash; place on upper rack. Bake until both piecrust and cutouts are golden brown and dry, 10 to 15 minutes more (smaller cutouts will bake more quickly). Let cool slightly on a wire rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Whisk together 1 cup squash puree and remaining3 eggs. In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, and spices. Whisk dry ingredients into squash mixture, then stir in vanilla and evaporated milk to combine. Pour filling into piecrust; tent rim with foil and bake until center is just set, 50 to 65 minutes. Let cool completely on rack.
Dust cutouts with confectioners' sugar and use to decorate top. When ready to slice pie, remove cutouts. Serve, with a few cutouts and a dollop of whipped cream on top of each slice.



Butternut-and-Boursin Shells

1 large butternut squash, peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ pound medium pasta shells
1 container (5.2 ounces) Boursin
1 cup baby arugula, for serving
¼ cup blanched hazelnuts, toasted and chopped, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using the large holes of a box grater,shred squash until you have 5 cups; cut remaining squash into1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups). On a rimmed baking sheet, tosssquash cubes with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.Spread in a single layer and roast until tender and browned, about25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted wateraccording to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pastawater. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Addremaining 2 tablespoons oil and shredded squash; cook, stirringoccasionally, until caramelized in spots, 10 minutes. Transfer toa blender with reserved pasta water and half of cheese; blenduntil smooth.
Return blended sauce to skillet; stir in pasta and roasted squash.Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, topped witharugula, hazelnuts, small dollops of remaining cheese, and adrizzle of oil.



Butternut-Squash and Kale Gratin

1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds), peeled
½ bunch kale (about 8 ounces), stems and tough ribs removed, leaves torn into large pieces (about 7 packed cups)
Unsalted butter, for baking dish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
¼ cup packed small fresh sage leaves
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons panko

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice squash just above bulb. Slice squash neck crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds. Cut squash bulb in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon; discard. Slice each half crosswise into 1/4-inch half-moons.
Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 inch water; bring to a boil. Add kale, cover, and steam until bright green and wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly. Squeeze dry.
Butter a shallow 4-quart baking dish (13 by 9 inches). Arrange half of sliced squash in dish, shingling pieces to overlap. Season with salt and pepper. Top with kale, season with more salt and pepper, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup Parmesan and 2 tablespoons sage. Place remaining squash on top, overlapping pieces slightly; season with more salt and pepper. Pour cream over squash and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sage.
Cover tightly with parchment-lined foil and bake until squash is tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with panko and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool slightly before serving.


Squash Hash With Kale and Baked Eggs

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, minced (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
½ medium butternut squash or 1 whole acorn squash (1 ¼ pounds), halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into ½-inch pieces (3 ½ cups)
10 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces (1 ½ cups)
2 cups packed coarsely chopped kale (from 1 small bunch)
4 large eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, and cilantro, then season with salt and pepper.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes.
Add squash and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and transfer to oven. Roast, stirring once, until golden and tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir kale into squash mixture, along with 1/4 cup cilantro mixture. Return to oven 7 minutes. Make 4 wells in vegetables and crack an egg into each. Season eggs with salt. Return to oven and bake until whites are set but yolks are still runny, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve, drizzled with more cilantro dressing.