See everyone soon, at the farm or in the city, and I do promise to post a farm update soon (with more veggie pictures), and details on the upcoming harvest celebration..... Until then, take care and have an enjoyable end to the week!
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BEET, RED ONION AND ORANGE SALAD1 ½ lbs fresh beets
Red onion, thinly sliced
2 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
Dressing:
¼ c red wine vinegar
¼ c fresh orange juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp orange zest
½ c olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Wash the beets well, leaving the root and small bit of stem intact (to help control bleeding). Cook in salted water 30 to 40 minutes until tender. Drain, and when they are cool enough to handle (you can rinse them under a bit of cold water to speed this up if you’d like), peel and slice them. Toss together with the onion, orange sections and dressing.
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SWISS CHARD GRATIN 
Makes two generous servings
1 potato peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups milk
Makes two generous servings
1 potato peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups milk
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch each sea salt, freshly ground pepper and ground nutmeg
1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (or substitute havarti if you prefer)
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 ½ cups shredded Swiss chard
Boil the potato until tender. Drain and let cool. Thinly slice. Overlap in greased 3 cup shallow oven-proof dish.
Pinch each sea salt, freshly ground pepper and ground nutmeg
1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (or substitute havarti if you prefer)
3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 ½ cups shredded Swiss chard
Boil the potato until tender. Drain and let cool. Thinly slice. Overlap in greased 3 cup shallow oven-proof dish.
Meanwhile in a small saucepan, heat butter over medium meat; cook onion and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisking constantly, add milk, ½ cup at a time. Whisk in cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low; simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses.
Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce over the potato. Top with Swiss chard, pressing to compact. Pour remaining sauce over top. Bake in 400 degree oven until bubbly and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
Pour 1/2 cup of the sauce over the potato. Top with Swiss chard, pressing to compact. Pour remaining sauce over top. Bake in 400 degree oven until bubbly and browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
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CABBAGE ROLLS(from “Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites”).
1 large head green cabbage or napa (Chinese) cabbage
2 medium onions
2 tsp olive oil
3 ½ cups chopped mushrooms
1 cup grated carrots
3 – 6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
¼ tsp dried thyme (or substitute fresh!)
½ tsp dried dill
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp miso
12 ounces of firm tofu, mashed
1 cup tomato juice
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, core the green cabbage and finely chop the onions. If using napa cabbage, pull off 12 large leaves and blanche them for about 2 minutes. Carefully plunge the cabbage into the boiling water, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the leaves pull away easily from the head. (Use two forks to test the readiness of the cabbage, one to steady the head in the water and the other to try to loosen a test leaf). Set aside 12 leaves to cool while you prepare the filling.
In a large skillet, sauté the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes until translucent. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in the thyme, dill, and parsley and continue to cook until the mushrooms become soft and juicy. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, miso and mashed tofu and mix well. When the tofu is heated through, remove from the heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Assemble the rolls: put about ½ cup of filling at the broad end of each cabbage leaf, fold the side edges toward the center over the filling, and then roll up lengthwise. Place the rolls, seam side down, in an unoiled 9 x 12 inch baking pan and pour the tomato juice over them. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until hot and steaming. Serve these on a bed of brown rice.
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SESAME-SAUTEED CARROTS
(from the Autumn 2009 Food and Drink magazine)
1 lb carrots
2 tsp sunflower or canola oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp honey
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Trim off the ends of the carrots. Gently scrub under running water to remove any sand and grit. Cut crosswise on a diagonal into 1/8 inch (3 mm) slices.
In a large skillet or wok, heat the oils over high heat. Add carrots and sesame seeds and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until just starting to wilt. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with lemon juice and honey and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4 to 6.
(from the Autumn 2009 Food and Drink magazine)
1 lb carrots
2 tsp sunflower or canola oil
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp honey
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Trim off the ends of the carrots. Gently scrub under running water to remove any sand and grit. Cut crosswise on a diagonal into 1/8 inch (3 mm) slices.
In a large skillet or wok, heat the oils over high heat. Add carrots and sesame seeds and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until just starting to wilt. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with lemon juice and honey and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4 to 6.
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PARSNIP FRITTERS
1 cup mashed parsnips
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
Enough milk to make batter
Boil parsnips until tender. Drain and mash. Add other ingredients and then add milk and stir until smooth. Drop by spoonful into hot fat (in a cast iron skillet if you have one, or a frying/sauté pan) and fry until well browned. Drain on paper towel.
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SQUASH AND KALE RISOTTO(from “Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favourites”).
4 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 cup minced onions
3 tsp olive oil
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups peeled and cubed winter squash (3/4 to 1-inch cubes)
3 cups stemmed and chopped kale, packed
1/8 to ¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, preferably non-stick, sauté the onions in 2 tsp of the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add more oil, if necessary, to prevent sticking. Using a wooden spoon to avoid breaking the grains, add the rice and stir until it is well coated with oil. Add the wine. When it is absorbed (it won’t take long), ladle in 2 ½ cups of the simmering stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes between each addition, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the squash and kale and stir. Continue adding ½ cup of broth every few minutes for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until all of the stock has been added and the rice is tender but firm. Add the nutmeg, lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the cheese, and serve immediately. Serves 4.
SPINACH SALAD DRESSING 
Well, despite the rainy forecast for tomorrow, the show (or, in our case, the squash harvest) must still go on!
