Week 14

Vegetable List

Swiss Chard
Eggplant
Curly Kale
Lacinato Kale
Bell Peppers
Mystery Hot Peppers
Potatoes
Tomatoes
Winter Squash
PYO Herbs & Husk Cherries

Notes from the Farm

Every year is different... every beginning, middle and end... every crew, every weather pattern, every customer craving, everything... it's always different.
This was a good one. One I'll remember for good reasons.
It was, easily, the best growing weather I've ever had.
We had, arguably, the most farm ready crew we've ever had.
We received, inarguably, the most customer support we've ever received.
And we absolutely stuck the landing.
This year, because of all the things, we closed the farmstand a little early... we did that so that we'd have food for all you all this week.
We are going to walk away at the end of this week without a single unaccounted for vegetable... that doesn't happen... often. It did happen in 2017, but that year didn't have as effective of a crew or quite as good weather... but that's it, to my memory, the only immaculate seasons for the HFF... 2017 & 2026.
Thank you all for supporting this farm. We honestly couldn't do it without you. The early financial investment we receive from you all is so helpful, but really it's the camaraderie... the laughs, the stories, the shared experience. The CSA pickup windows are a chance for us to be real people... we're not trying to sell anything and you're not looking to buy, it's a neutral community space... and we love it... we need it.
We really are grateful for everything, we hope you all have enjoyed your time at the farm this year, we hope you have a wonderful winter, and one way or another, we hope to see you all again next year.
We love you all.

Recipes

Dijon Potato Salad

1 ½ pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed and halved (quartered if large)
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Steam potatoes: Place a steamer basket in a saucepan filled with 1 inch water. Bring to a gentle boil. Add potatoes. Cover and cook just until tender, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Combine vinegar and mustard, then add potatoes; let cool: In a serving bowl, combine vinegar and Dijon; season with salt and pepper. Add hot cooked potatoes; toss. Let cool, tossing occasionally.
Stir in oil and parsley; season and serve: Add oil and parsley to cooled potato mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.

Potato Pavé

1 cup heavy cream
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds russet potatoes (Use 1-pound potatoes if possible)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon softened and 4 tablespoons cut into ½-inch cubes
Canola oil
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 cloves garlic, skin-on, lightly crushed
Minced fresh chives

Preheat oven and season cream: Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour cream into a large bowl; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Peel and trim potatoes:
Peel potatoes. Trim one side of each potato to make a flat, even surface.
Slice potatoes over bowl of cream:
Set a mandoline over bowl of cream and, starting with the flat side of the potato, slice potato lengthwise into very thin slices. Toss potato slices in cream occasionally to keep them from oxidizing. Repeat process with remaining potatoes.
Prepare pan:
Brush a 9-by-5-by-2 3/4-inch-high baking pan with half of the softened butter. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 5-inch overhang on all sides. Brush parchment paper with remaining softened butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Trim slices and layer in pan:
Trim slices to form an even layer in the bottom of the pan; repeat process to form a second layer.
Add butter and season:
Dot with a few cubes of butter; season with salt and pepper.
Repeat layering:
Continue layering potatoes and adding butter and seasoning after every two layers until pan is filled.
Fold parchment:
Fold sides of parchment paper over potatoes.
Cover with foil and place in oven:
Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and transfer to oven.
Bake and cool:
Bake until potatoes are completely tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 1 hour and 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Cut cardboard for pan:
Cut a piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the size of pan; wrap with aluminum foil.
Press with heavy cans:
Place foil-wrapped cardboard on top of potatoes and weight down with heavy cans; let potatoes cool to room temperature.
Remove weights, wrap pan; refrigerate:
Remove weights and foil-wrapped cardboard and tightly wrap pan. Refrigerate potatoes at least 6 hours or up to 2 days.
Remove pavé from pan:
Run an offset spatula between the parchment paper and pan to release. Using the parchment paper overhang, carefully lift pavé out of pan or invert onto a cutting board, then remove parchment.
Trim and cut into serving portions:
Trim sides of pavé and cut into 12 equal pieces; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Sour-Cream and Chive Mashed Potatoes

4 pounds russet potatoes (6 to 7), peeled and cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more, melted, for serving (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
Chopped chives, for serving

In a large pot, cover potatoes with at least 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then season generously with salt. Continue boiling until potatoes are tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain potatoes and let them cool and steam a few minutes in colander.
Meanwhile, return pot to medium heat; add butter. When it melts, add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Rice potatoes into pot (or return them to pot and mash with a potato masher until creamy).
Add sour cream and stir until smooth; season to taste. If necessary, add reserved potato-cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach desired consistency. Serve, topped with melted butter and chives.