WILD HARE WILL BE CLOSING AT 6PM ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28TH
I’m packing a lot of (hopefully) helpful info into this newsletter, because this week’s harvest is, in a word…a biggie. As you can see from the photo, Mia is holding one of several hundred gorgeous but gargantuan cabbages that were up for harvest this morning. Thankfully, Cabbage is versatile and long storing, so you can hack off a bit to use this week and have more to come back to. This is a If you’ve been kicking around the idea of trying your hand at Sauerkraut, or stuffing some epic Cabbage Rolls, this your week. Maybe share some with neighbors or friends. Yes, they’re that big.
…and with Great Cabbage comes GREAT PUMPKIN. The little edible pie Pumpkins that we grow every Fall are adorable, and I will admit, they’re worth every bit of adoration. Smaller in size than the big decorative carving types, these cute little orange babies are often called Sugar Pumpkins, because they're naturally very sweet and are the basis for many seasonal baked goodies. But don't think you have to bust out a pie to make them worthwhile. You can still enjoy these sweet little Pumpkins in savory ways too. And if you’ve been here a while, you know where I’m going with this. Two Words—Pumpkin Chili! It is a Wild Hare Fall Favorite, and if it isn’t your favorite just yet, it will be. Scroll on down for my recipe.
Now, I know that Winter Squashes and Pumpkins possess a tragic flaw—the very thing that makes them great (a sweet, colorful, versatile and long-storing source of solid nutrition) is also the source of their downfall (those suckers can be HARD to cut into). But one of the techniques I've been employing and recommending more often, especially when it comes to working with tough, oddly shaped squashes and sharp knives, is to use HEAT to your advantage by roasting squashes whole like this rather than cutting them up ahead of time, peeling or dicing. I just snap off the stem, poke a few deep holes (to keep the squash from exploding all over the sides of my oven), let it cool to the touch, and then proceed with my recipe or plan. I like to coarsely dice pieces of pumpkin and squash this way for soups, curries, pastas and salads. Yes, the cooking time is a little bit longer, but at 425 degrees, even the biggest squashes that our oven will hold don't take more than an hour, tops. Similarly, my mom swears by using her Instant Pot for cooking whole squashes and pumpkins. Yes, all of this it is a bit more labor intensive than cracking open a can, but the results are well worth it. Another helpful hint: most recipes call for using 15oz of Pumpkin, because that's the standard unit of canned purees. So, feel free to add just shy of 2 cups of your homemade puree for the equivalent.
Lastly, Mark is really stoked to that the crew is harvesting some stark and spooky Black Spanish Radishes this week, aka Nero Tondo. Black on the outside and white on the inside, Black Spanish Radishes look sharp like a tuxedo and are bold in flavor. Veteran members of the Wild Hare CSA like them roasted or sliced up raw for salads too. After learning about the technique from a market customer many years ago, Mark started and soaking grated Black Spanish Radishes with grated Yellow Onions, draining them and serving them with sour cream or cream cheese on dark grainy bread. I have stolen this idea and put the mix on my avocado toast, and it is SO GOOD. Be sure to check out the links and recipes below for some more ideas of what to do.
Have a great week!
Katie
PS: Repeating for good measure, we’re closing at 6pm on Tuesday this week (October 28th). Ifyou will need your farm share packed for Tuesday night after hours, just let me know by 5:30pm. Thank you!
IN THE FARMSHARES THIS WEEK:
Great Big Green Cabbages
Sugar Pie Pumpkins
Black Spanish Radishes
Yellow Onions
Mix & Match Apples: Arkansas Black, Spitzenberg, and MORE.
RECIPES & SEASONAL TIPS
HOW TO MAKE SAUERKRAUT (EASY HOMEMADE RECIPE)- The Kitchn
HOW TO ROAST A PUMPKIN (AND MAKE YOUR PUREE) - Minimalist Baker
ODE TO A DIFFICULT FOOD: BLACK RADISHES - Not Eating Out in NY
UNSTUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS - Noble Pig
OVEN ROASTED CABBAGE WEDGES - The Mom 100
ONE POT PUMPKIN MACARONI & CHEESE - Half-Baked Harvest
COZY CABBAGE & FARRO SOUP - Smitten Kitchen
APPLE CABBAGE SLAW WITH RADISH- Blackberry Babe (Thank you, Cindy!)
MISO ROASTED BLACK RADISHES -Very Vegan Val
BLACK RADISH ZAKUSKI DIP- Mother Earth News
SPICY PUMPKIN HUMMUS - Food Network Kitchen
PUMPKIN PROTEIN PANCAKES - Laura Fuentes
PUMPKIN QUICKIES -Simply Recipes
PUMPKIN BREAD - Natasha’s Kitchen
PUMPKIN CORNBREAD MUFFINS - Once Upon a Chef
THE BEST PUMPKIN CHILI RECIPE
Katie & Mark Green
1 Small Pie Pumpkin (1.5 lbs or so)
2 T Vegetable or Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced (about 2 Cups)
2 fresh Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and diced OR one 4oz Can of Diced Green Chili Peppers OR 2 T Chipotle Peppers in Adobo, diced
4 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
2 T Chili Powder
1 T Cumin
Kosher Salt
Black Pepper
2 Cups prepared (or two 15oz cans Black Beans), drained and rinsed
1 Quart (or 28oz can) Tomatoes, stewed or diced
1 lb Ground Pork, Turkey, Beef or Substitute (or add an extra can of beans if you’re going for a veg option)
12 oz Beer (we like a Lager or an Amber, but if Pumpkin Ale is your thing, go for it!)
Suggested Toppings/Garnishes: Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Shredded Cabbage, Cilantro, Tortilla Chips and Cornbread
Using a vegetable peeler to remove the outer skin from your pumpkin. Then, remove the stem, cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seed cavity and then dice the pumpkin into bite sized pieces.
Add a good glug of oil to the bottom of a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, and then stir in the prepared Pumpkin, Onion, Garlic, Peppers, Chili Powder, Cumin and about a teaspoon each of Salt and Black Pepper. Cook for about 5 or 6 minutes, stirring, until the edges of the pumpkin pieces are slightly softened. Then, add the ground meat of your choosing, breaking it up and cooking it thoroughly.
Then, add your Tomatoes, Black Beans, and Beer, stirring and scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of your pan. Add another hefty pinch of salt to the pot, bring the it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 30 minutes. We leave the pot uncovered, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes are up, you’ll want to grab a spoon and give it a taste for heat and salt. Extra salt will counteract the bitterness if any, and by all means, adjust the spice level to your household preference before serving it up with the toppings or sides that you like. We tend to serve ours up with cornbread on day one and then with chips when we’re having leftovers. Like many soups, this one seems to taste even better on day two, so it is a good thing that this recipe makes a nice big pot. And for what it is worth, this recipe freezes well too!