Snow & a shift of seasons

CSA Pick-Up Nov 17

We woke to snow lightly covering the fields and the sunrise peeking through clouds on Friday morning.  I’m thankful we’re not caught in a polar vortex just yet, but still excited to see the transformation from November gray to white.  More than anything else this season, the first snow marks a turning point for us on the farm–aside from the crops under low-tunnels and high-tunnels, everything is harvested and stored, and our work shifts to building projects, season reviews, and next year’s projections.  Of course, we still have 5 more weeks of the Winter CSA, so we aren’t done with the crops by any means, just transitioning into a different rhythm.

**Worcester Pick-up is back at the Town Hall**

This week on the menu: Leeks, Parsnips, Turnips, Kale, Carrots, Winter Squash, choice of Sauerkraut or Magic Soup Starter

Thanks to our CSA member Lisa Mase of Harmonized Cookery for this week’s recipe: Beautiful Vegetable Pie with kale, carrots, beets and turnips.  Lisa has incredible recipes on her website, so be prepared to get lost in all of them and then come out wanting to cook immediately!  Enjoy!

Beautiful Vegetable Pie with Kale, Carrots, Beets and Turnips

You will need:
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 carrots
2 beets
2 turnip
1 large yellow onion
1 bunch kale
Leftover brown rice
thyme
Flour (rice, wheat, or spelt)
Flaxseed meal
optional: Parmesan for garnish
To prepare:
Unless you already have leftover rice, cook 1 cup brown rice in 2 cups water.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil.
Chop carrots, beets and turnip with oil and a little salt and black pepper.
Roast for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, chop the onion.
Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a skillet that has a matching lid.
Add onion, stir briefly with spatula, turn burner down to medium-low, and cover.
Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add salt and simmer for 5 more minutes, until onion starts to brown.
Add water if onion is sticking to the bottom of the skillet.
As the onion simmers, rinse and chop kale. Add to skillet with onions.
Add 1⁄4 cup water, cover, and simmer for 10 more minutes.
•For the pie crust, mix the following ingredients together:
1⁄4 cup flour (rice, spelt, or wheat); 1 cup leftover brown rice; 1 teaspoon thyme; 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add:
1⁄4 cup water; 1⁄4 cup olive oil; 4 Tablespoons flaxseed meal
Mix all ingredients together and add a splash of water of needed. Dough needs to be firm enough that you can pick it up with your hands and shape it into a flat disc.
Grease a 9 inch cake or pie pan with vegetable oil.
Spread the dough evenly into the bottom and along the sides of a 9 inch round pie or cake pan.
Prick with a fork and bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees.
Remove crust from the oven and spread greens and onions into it. Top with roasted roots.
•Using the same bowl in which you mixed the crust, mix together:
1 cup leftover rice; 1⁄2 teaspoon salt; 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
Leave this batter clumpy and use your fingers to sprinkle it over the top of the vegetables to make a crumble topping.
Sprinkle with grated parmesan if you like.
•Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center tests clean.