CSA Week 7

Vegetable List

Gonzales Cabbage
Savoy Cabbage
Romanesco Cauliflower
Swiss Chard
Cucumb'o'rama
Fairy Tale Eggplant
Mediterranean Eggplant
Orion Fennel
Lacinato Kale
Kossac Kohlrabi
Muir Head Lettuce
New Red Fire Lettuce
Ailsa Craig Sweet Onions
Bell Peppers
Hotties! Green Chile and Jalapenos
Conservor Shallots
Sungolds
Tomatoes
Zucchini and/or Summer Squash
PYO Herbs
PYO Flowers


Notes from the Farm

I'm never quite sure what it takes to pull off a farm season... honestly, I really have no idea what I'm doing, I just kind of do it.
I mean, I know how to start seeds and make potting soil, I know how to troubleshoot a grumpy greenhouse heater and plant out a farm, I know how to weed and manage bugs, I know how to shoot the breeze with customers and I know when watermelon is ripe, but I'm not totally sure how it all strings together... I don't think I could sit down and explain farming, I'm not paying as close of attention as I should be.
It's instinct, like a newborn birthed in a pool knowing how to swim... all of this is instinct and learning. I feel like I'm constantly learning the very, very hard way. And it could be easier, but there is something so sacred to letting go of the anxiety of perceived control and just getting up and doing a thing... a thing that has been done for 10,000 years. It's almost as if it's the most reptilian brained muscle memory and I've devolved into a husk of human potential... but you know, in a good way.
I enjoy the reactive ultra-moment of the farming instinct... there is no yesterday, tomorrow or even today... there is just now, and even the concept of now is an abstraction.
Every breath is the moment, and the moments move the farm through the season, and somehow, by the end, it becomes a thing, a named season that I'll reference as long as I farm or I talk about farming... even if I have no idea how it was made, I know it was, and I now I was there.


Recipes

Grilled Cauliflower With Spiced Yogurt Sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), stem trimmed
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 clove garlic, finely grated (about ¼ teaspoon)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 Persian cucumbers (each about 3 ounces), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 large heirloom tomato (12 ounces), chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Vegetable oil, for grill
Store-bought chutney, for serving

Boil water; add cauliflower: Bring about 1 inch salted water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Place cauliflower in basket, stem-side down.
Cover and steam; let cool slightly: Reduce heat to medium, cover, and steam until a sharp knife easily slides into stem, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate; let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
Whisk together oil mixture: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons olive oil, garam masala, paprika, and garlic; season with salt and pepper.
Make spiced yogurt: Whisk 2 tablespoons olive-oil mixture into yogurt, along with 1 tablespoon lemon juice; season with salt and pepper
Combine salad ingredients:
In another bowl, combine cucumbers, tomato, chives, and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat grill, then clean and oil grates; season cauliflower: Preheat grill to medium-high; scrub grates, then lightly brush with vegetable oil. Brush cauliflower all over with 1 tablespoon olive-oil mixture; season with salt and pepper.
Grill top and sides of cauliflower: Grill top and sides of cauliflower, turning every few minutes and covering grill in between, until florets are charred in places, about 20 minutes.
Grill bottom of cauliflower: Flip cauliflower stem-side down; brush with remaining oil mixture and grill, covered, until tender but not falling apart, 5 to 8 minutes more.
Slice cauliflower and serve: Cut cauliflower into quarters and serve with cucumber salad, yogurt mixture, and chutney.



Roasted Chile Potato Soup with Kale and Chorizo

6 medium (about 1 1/2 pounds total) red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
3 or 4 large Hatch Style Green chiles
8 ounces (about 1 cup) Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
8 cups stemmed, sliced kale—1/2-inch slices are good, cut in half if long
Salt
Abut 1/4 cup grated Mexican queso anejo or other garnishing cheese like Romano or Parmesan
About 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cut 2/3 (4) of the potatoes into roughly 4 pieces each and scoop them into a medium (3-quart) saucepan, along with the garlic. Chop the remaining 1/3 (2) of the potatoes into 1/4-inch cubes and set aside. Pour half of the broth into the saucepan and set it over high heat. When the liquid boils, reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, roast the chiles over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for a broiler. Cover with a kitchen towel. Let cool until handleable. Cut the top off the chiles, slit the side from seed pod to point, open out flat and scrape out the seeds; discard. Flip over and scrape the skin off the flesh; discard. Chop the flesh into smallish pieces.
When the potatoes are tender, use an immersion blender to coarsely puree the soup base (or coarsely process in several batches in a food processor or a loosely covered blender draped with a kitchen towel, then return to the pan). Add the remaining half of the broth, the reserved cubed potatoes and the chile pieces. Simmer 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking up any lumps, until thoroughly cooked and well browned, about 12 minutes. Scoop onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
Just before serving, stir the greens into the soup and let simmer until they are tender—2 to 4 minutes.
Taste and season the soup with salt, usually about 1 1/2 teaspoons depending on the saltiness of your broth. Ladle into warm soup bowls, then sprinkle with a portion of the chorizo, cheese and cilantro. Serve right away.