Week 12

Vegetable List

Reddish Cabbage
Golden Chard
A World Of Eggplant
Orion Fennel
Curly Kale
Lacinato Kale
Head Lettuce
Bell Peppers
Mystery Hot Peppers
Adirondack Red Potatoes
White Ice Scallions
Sungolds
Tomatoes
Delicata Squash (eat the skin!)
PYO Herbs & Husk Cherries

Notes from the Farm

Historically, we don't really grow potatoes.
A great potato grower can yield 10 pounds to every pound planted... we've never come close. Potatoes take some very specific handling to grow well, and their needs are often contradictions... to grow potatoes well you need:
1. Light sandy-adjacent soil, that is also extremely nutrient rich... light soil does not hold nutrients well.
2. Constant moisture, without constant saturation.
3. Regular cultivating and hilling, without disturbing the soil.
4. Aggressive digging, without damaging the tubers
5. No rocks...
This list is stacked against our skill set. We do many things well here at the hff; having light soil, regular moisture, cultivating carefully, doing anything carefully and not having rocks is a list of what we are not... on top of actually producing potatoes, because we're an organic farm, and love farming organically, we need to (want to) use certified organic potato seed. Certified organic seed potatoes cost 2 to 3 times more per pound than the conventional alternative... and while we charge a little more for organic potatoes than you would for conventional potatoes, the price ratio of cost:sale is not in organic potato growers' favor... potatoes are a fools job here... so this year, we grew potatoes.
And I'll tell you what, against all odds, it worked... we are even getting 9.7:1 pounds picked to planted (not that we're paying that close attention)... and we're pumped.
They're pink, they're moist, and they signal fall in a particular kind of way.
One of the harder things about farming is that we don't get to eat much of what we grow... we're busy growing it. What we do get to eat lots of is Red Peppers and Winter Squash. For me, red peppers and winter squash signal fall... I'm pretty excited to add potatoes to that list... and pretty excited to share them with all you all.

Recipes

Crispy Squash Fries With Tahini-Yogurt Dip

Vegetable oil, for frying
1 pound delicata squash (1 small)
3/4 cup rice flour, divided
1/4 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice cold water, plus more as needed
Flaky sea salt, such as Jacobsen, for sprinkling
Small cilantro sprigs, for frying (optional)
Tahini-Yogurt Dip, for serving

Heat oil:
Heat 1 1/2 inches oil in a medium, heavy pot or large saucepan over medium until it registers 360˚F on a deep-fat thermometer. Adjust heat, as needed, to maintain temperature.
Prep squash:
While oil is heating, halve and seed the squash (do not peel), then slice crosswise into 1/4 inch thick strips.
Mix ingredients for batter:
In a bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup rice flour, the potato starch, and baking powder; generously season with kosher salt and pepper. Whisk in egg and water to make a very thin batter, adding more water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Place remaining 1/4 cup rice flour in another bowl.
Coat squash strips in rice flour and batter and fry:
Working in batches, coat squash strips in rice flour, then dip in batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Fry, stirring a few times, until squash is tender and shell is crisp and golden, about 3 minutes.
Set on wire rack, season and keep warm:
Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Keep warm in a preheated 200˚F oven while frying remaining batches. Return oil to 360˚F between batches.
Batter and fry cilantro; serve with fries and dip:
Dip cilantro sprigs in any remaining batter after cooking squash, and fry just until crisp and golden, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Drain and serve warm with squash and tahini-yogurt dip.

Baked Delicata Squash With Brown Sugar

2 tablespoons butter, plus more for surface
2 medium delicata squash, (about 1 ½ pounds each)
2 tablespoons light-brown sugar
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven and prep baking sheet:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter a rimmed baking sheet.
Halve squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds; discard. Transfer squash halves to sheet; bake:
Set squash halves, scooped sides down, on prepared sheet. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn squash, add butter and sugar:
Turn squash; prick insides all over with a fork. Divide 2 tablespoons butter and sugar among halves; season with salt and pepper. Bake
Bake squash until flesh is easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Delicata Squash with Mixed-Grain Stuffing

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
4 small delicata squashes (each 1 to 1 ¼ pounds), halved lengthwise and seeded
6 cups Mixed-Grain Stuffing or ground beef precooked with onions and peppers.
Optional: grated cheddar cheese
Toasted slivered almonds and coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, for serving

Preheat oven to 425°F. Brush a baking sheet with oil. Mix together 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cumin, and coriander; sprinkle inside of squashes with spice mixture. Place squashes on sheet, cut-sides down, and roast until just tender, about 20 minutes.
Turn cut-sides up and fill with stuffing or beef, mounding slightly (you should use about 3/4 cup in each squash half), cover with the optional cheese. These can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before baking. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve, with relish and sprinkled with toasted almonds and parsley.