CSA Week 14...

Vegetable List

Swiss Chard
Muir Head Lettuce
Red Tide Head Lettuce
Local Organic Potatoes
Corvair Baby Spinach
Butternut Squash
Tomatoes


Notes from the Farm

Well thanks a ton... this has been a whirlwind of a season and having the CSA such a steady, stable force really grounded us as farmers.
There's not much more to say really... somehow, it's not even October, and we're in peak leaf season, our fields are totally bare, and it's more dark than light every day.
We did the best we could, we really loved having you all as a part of our farm, and we're super excited about next season already!
Have a great fall and winter, and hopefully we'll see you all around the bend.


Recipes

Creamed Swiss Chard with Gorgonzola, Rye Bread Crumbs, and Walnuts

1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed, leaves halved lengthwise, and cut into 2" pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
6 tbsp. flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 (8-oz.) piece Gorgonzola cheese, rind removed
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 1⁄2 oz. (about 3 slices) pumpernickel bread, torn into 1/4" pieces
1⁄2 cup roughly chopped walnuts


Cook chard in salted boiling water until wilted, 1–2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chard to a bowl of ice water until cold; drain and squeeze completely dry; set aside.
Heat oven to 400°. Grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with butter; set aside. Heat 6 tbsp. butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high; cook garlic and onion until golden, 6–8 minutes. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and cream; cook until sauce is thickened, 4–6 minutes. Remove from heat; crumble half the Gorgonzola into pan. Stir in reserved chard, the nutmeg, salt, and pepper; pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Toss remaining butter, the pumpernickel, and walnuts in a bowl; sprinkle mixture over chard. Crumble remaining Gorgonzola over top; bake until chard mixture is bubbly and pumpernickel is crisp, about 30 minutes.



Cast-Iron Squash Pudding

1 lb. butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
3 cups whole milk
1⁄2 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1 delicata squash (1 lb.), washed, halved lengthwise and seeded, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1⁄2 cup turbinado sugar
1⁄2 cup grade B (dark) maple syrup
3 large eggs
3 tbsp. apple cider
2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp. ground ginger
1 generous pinch ground nutmeg



In a medium (4-quart) Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, add the butternut squash and milk. Bring to a low simmer over medium-high heat, then continue to simmer until the squash is fully tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
Grease the bottom and sides of a large (10-inch) cast-iron skillet or hanging pot with butter. Set aside.
Drain the butternut squash and discard the milk. Transfer the squash to a medium bowl. Using a metal whisk, mash the squash until mostly smooth. Set aside.
Fill a measuring cup with 1 1⁄2 cups water and set it next to the stove. In a 12-inch, heavy-bottomed skillet (not the prepared cast-iron skillet), combine the granulated sugar and 1⁄2 cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve, until the mixture is simmering and just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Immediately stir in 1⁄4 cup water (mixture will bubble vigorously), then carefully add the delicata squash, arranging the pieces so they fit tightly in one layer (omit any pieces that don't fit). Cook the squash in the caramel, adding 1⁄4 cup more water each time the caramel becomes dry, until the squash is softened and lightly browned on one side, 8–10 minutes. Flip the pieces and continue cooking and adding water as needed, until the squash is tender (but not too soft) and well browned, and the caramel is thickened and bubbling slowly, 8–10 minutes more.
Pour the caramel and delicata squash into the prepared cast-iron pan, arranging the squash in a single layer. Set aside.
Prepare a fire in a hearth, fire pit, or woodburning oven. Alternatively, set a rack in the center of an indoor oven and preheat to 350°. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and turbinado sugar to incorporate. Beat in the maple syrup, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed, then beat in the eggs one by one. Mix in the cider and squash purée.
In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Fold the dry ingredients into the squash mixture.
Pour the batter over the squash in the cast-iron pan, then spread with a spatula to cover (be sure the batter reaches all the way to the edges of the pan).
Suspend a hanging pot over the fire, rest a skillet on the embers, or bake the pudding in the oven until the batter has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 42–45 minutes.
Remove and transfer the pan to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes. Place a large, flat serving plate atop the skillet and carefully invert. Let cool slightly, then serve.