This Week’s Share

• Cilantro
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Kale, Ripbor
• Lettuce
• Onions, Red
• Sweet Peppers, Gypsy
• Tomatoes
• Turnips, Hakurei
• Winter Squash, Pumpkins

On Rotation

• Eggplant

Share Notes

• Basil: Basil leaves are very vulnerable to cold damage, and due to the past week’s low night temperatures out at the farm the season for basil has come to an end. Hope you enjoyed the bounty this season and even froze a batch of pesto to get you through the winter months.

• Tomatoes: In anticipation of the first frost of the season we harvested the last of the seasons’ tomatoes.  Some of these tomatoes may need to ripen up on your kitchen counters.  Enjoy this last taste of summer in your shares this week.

• Winter Squash: This week in your share you will see your first distribution of the ever hearty winter squash. This week’s squash is a pumpkin variety called Snackjack, and it produces a hull-less seeds that are ideal for roasting. Look forward to more pumpkins for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Chef’s Corner: October

In addition to the crops SIO grows for our 400 member CSA program, we also grow and sell produce to over 40 different Portland area restaurants and kitchens. This season at SIO we decided to partner with some of those restaurants for some culinary inspiration. We have been picking the brains of some of the areas most talented chefs and restaurant owners, and have asked them to provide us with recipes and general cooking techniques based on the crops that you receive in your shares. Out at the farm we crop plan separately for both our CSA program and restaurant sales, so you don’t have to worry that part of your share may be going the restaurant down the street. For the month of September our featured restaurant is Aquariva, located a few minutes south of downtown Portland on the banks of the Willamette.

By Andy Arndt, Executive Chef at Aquariva

The Italian inspired Aquariva, in Portland for two years, focuses on using seasonal local produce, fish and meats. Located on the water with sweeping views of the river and spacious and abudant booth seating surrounded by large glass windows, Aquariva is an excellent way to enjoy an elegant evening in Portland. Executive chef Andy Ardnt has been with the restaurant almost a years and started working with SIO this past season. He put together a nice selection of recipes and says, “Here are 4 recipes that I have used with SIO veggies, 2 side dishes (Pickled Onions and Braised Carrots both make great sides) the Gnocchi is great by its self or you can use that third dish Fennel Caponta to garnish with.”

Pickled Red Onions

Yield = Enough to pickle 8 cups fine chopped onions

2 teaspoons, black pepper corns, cracked
4 tablespoons, coriander seed whole, toasted
6 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons mustard seed, toasted
6 cups rice wine vinegar
16 each bay leaves
8 cups chopped or sliced red onions

Method

Bring brine to a boil (all ingredients except the onions).  Leave spices in until brine is chilled.  Add to onions to cover them completely. Let stand for 24 hours.

Braised Carrots

2 1/2 quarts, peeled carrots (ice) cut into 1/2 inch lengths
4 ounces, butter
2 tablespoons, honey
3 each bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, fine ground
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
5 cups water

Method

Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer very slow covered with parchment paper until tender.  No bite left in vegetable but not mushy. Take off fire and pour into hotel pan to cool.  Store in braising liquid.

Fennel Caponta

4 large fennel fine dice
1 large white onion fine dice
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup plump golden raisins
1 tbs chopped sage
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
4 tbs honey

Caramelize onions and fennel separately. Plump raisins with warm balsamic and honey. Combine all ingredients while hot. Season to taste. Reserve in refrigerator. Serve either hot or cold.

Parsley Gnocchi

10 russet potatoes, cooked and riced while hot and left to cool
1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan
3 beaten whole eggs
1/2 cup parsley, fine chopped
1 quart flour (reserve 1 cup for dusting when finished)
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 tablespoons kosher salt

Note: Rice the potatoes on to parchment paper.

The thinner the layer of potato the lighter the gnocchi will be. Use the well method by incorporating slowly from the inside out. With all of the ingredients in the well except the (reserved 1cup flour). Incorporate gently roll, cut, & cook quickly in boiling water.

Aquariva
0470 SW Hamiliton Court (Just of SW Macadam Ave/HWY43)
Portland, OR
97239
www.aquarivaportland.com

Recipes

Tomatoes Recipe

Fresh Tomato Soup
Adapted from Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert

8 medium tomatoes, chopped (peeled and seeded if desired)
4 or more cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups water or vegetable juice
2 chicken or vegetable bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon sugar
2 sprigs fresh basil or oregano, chopped

Combine the chopped tomatoes and garlic in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft. Add the water/vegetable juice bouillon cubes, sugar and basil or oregano and bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes and serve.

Winter Squash Recipe

Winter Squash and Feta Enchiladas En Pipian
Adapted from A Cook’s Book by Delphino Cornali

For Filling:

2 cups cubed winter squash
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion
1/4 pound fresh feta
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
12 corn tortillas

For Pipian Sauce:

1 1/2 cups raw squash seeds (scooped from your winter squashes)
1 1/2 cups chunky tomato sauce (make your own with your tomoatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
A dash of cayenne if you like
4 tablespoons canola oil or corn oil

Cut winter squash in half and clean out the seed cavity. Clean the seeds of any pulp and set aside to dry. Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Put 2 cups of cubed squash in a pot with a clove of peeled garlic. Boil in 1 inch of water for 15 minutes until the squash becomes tender. Set aside the squash.

For the pipian sauce, first toast the squash seeds in a cast-iron skillet, turning them constantly to prevent burning. Cool the seeds for a few minutes. Grind toasted seeds in a coffee grinder with 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of cayenne if you like your enchiladas spicy. Put the seed mixture in a bowl and mix with the tomatoes. Heat the oil in a skillet at medium/high and add the contents of the bowl. Saute for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup of water to the sauce and stir in. Set aside.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Finely mince the onion. Chop the cilantro. Warm the tortillas until they become soft and pliable. Oil a baking dish. Stuff a small portion of squash, minced onion, feta, and chopped cilantro into a tortilla. Roll tightly and place in the oil baking dish. Continue stuffing tortillas and adding to the baking dish, tucking the rolled tortillas together so that they stay rolled up. Spoon the pipian sauce over the tortillas. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Cilantro Recipe

Cilantro Sauce
From the Mexican Gourmet by Maria Dolores Torres Yzabal and Shelton Wiseman

Note: Traditionally this sauce is served with Huitlacoche (Mexican corn fungus) dishes, but is equally as delicious served under beef, chicken, or fish.

1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
1 serrano chile, stem removed
3 spinach leaves
6 tomatillos
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon granulated chicken stock or 1 bouillon cube, crushed.

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. You may garnish sauce with drizzles of heavy cream and/or cilantro leaves.