New England Spinach Salad

Still away for the holidays - this recipe comes from my mother-in-law Jean. If you happen on some local spinach (scarce but not unheard of at this time of year, when it is being grown strictly in unheated greenhouses), try this.

Use quantities that please you.

Spinach
Sharp cheddar, in 1/2-inch cubes
Tart apple, in 1/2-inch chunks
Toasted walnuts (optional)
Hard-boiled egg, cubed (optional)

For the dressing, combine equal parts balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil. Really yummy.

Happy Holidays

I am headed to my in-laws' in Cincinnati for the next two weeks - so probably no new posts until January. My fridge is stuffed with carrots, rutabagas, and celeriac from our last garden harvest and last CSA box, so I expect I'll be looking for creative things to do with them on my return. In the meantime, happy holidays, everyone!

Winter CSAs and Farmers Markets

If you missed my post about this several weeks ago, CISA has a great resource page for winter CSAs, farm stands, and farmers markets. Check it out!

According to CISA, Red Fire Farm in Granby still has winter CSA shares available - pickup is at the farm every two weeks December-March. In addition to storage crops, Red Fire grows cold hardy crops in its greenhouses all winter long. Last year they had by far the biggest stand at Winter Fare in Greenfield and I was astounded by the array on offer.

Another exciting new addition to the local winter offerings is a weekly winter farmers market in Northampton. It is held Saturdays from 9-2 in the basement of Thornes marketplace. A list of other winter markets, mostly one-day events, can be found here.

Peach Chutney

I think this is my last batch of chutney for a while. I made this with some of the Clarkdale peaches stored away in the freezer. It's fine to leave the skin on the peaches if you didn't peel them before freezing. You can get star anise in the bulk section at Green Fields Market, and probably with spices in most well-stocked grocery stores. But if you can't find it, try substituting 1 tsp fennel seeds (you'll need to use the cheesecloth in that case) or for a somewhat different flavor, add some ground allspice.

3 star anise pods
1 tsp whole peppercorns
8 cups frozen sliced peaches (about 2 1/2 quart-sized freezer bags, well filled), thawed
2 medium onions, diced
1 Tbsp grated ginger root
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 - 1/2 cup sugar
2-3 whole dried chili peppers (or add minced frozen ones to taste)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
Lemon juice to taste
Salt to taste

Place the star anise and peppercorns in a tea infuser or tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth.

Combine all ingredients in a large, wide-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to desired consistency (probably an hour or more). Taste and adjust sugar, salt, and lemon juice if needed. Remove chilis and star anise and peppercorns.

Makes 5-6 cups. Can be canned, frozen, or refrigerated.

Polenta with Spinach, Leeks, and Blue Cheese

This weekend we are leaving for the holidays for two weeks, so my mission this week is to use up all perishable items in the fridge. Last night that meant the rest of the spinach and a lovely bunch of leeks, along with the last of some delicious Roquefort style cheese from Vermont.

olive oil
2-3 leeks
6-8 oz. spinach, stemmed and roughly torn
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup polenta or coarse corn meal
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1-2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
2-3 oz. shedded mozzarella

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the leeks and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach, in batches if necessary, and saute until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

While you cook the veggies, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the salt, then whisk in the polenta and quickly lower the heat to a simmer. Switch to a spoon and continue stirring frequently until it thickens nicely. (I always do this with the lid over the pot to prevent burns from spitting polenta.)

Oil a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or similar pan, then spread the polenta in the bottom in an even layer. Top with the tomato sauce, then spread the leek and spinach mixture over it. Sprinkle with the blue cheese, then the mozzarella. Place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, until cheese begins to brown.

Serve hot.

Serves 3-4.

Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Kale

Even with the snow and freezing temperatures, the kale in my garden is still going. And we got a big bunch of it in our last CSA box. It goes nicely here with the roasted garlic and a bit of sage.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
3 cups well chopped kale
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1 head roasted garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
1 generous pinch dried sage
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Heat a little more oil in a large skillet and saute the kale until just tender.

Spread the tomato sauce over the pizza crust. Top with the kale, then spread the garlic over it. Sprinkle with sage, salt, aand pepper. Top with mozzarella and bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is done and cheese just begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Pasta with Spinach Bacon Tomato Sauce

After this snow, we probably won't be getting any more spinach from our CSA. But the last box came with a big bag of it, and I still have more in the fridge.

I pulled a container of tomato sauce out of the freezer at lunchtime and left it on the counter; by late afternoon it had thawed enough to put it on the stove for this meal. If you are using unseasoned tomato sauce, add some basil and oregano.

1 lb pasta
3 cups tomato sauce
1/4 lb bacon, cooked (about 5 slices) and chopped
3 hardboiled eggs, chopped
1/2 lb spinach, stemmed and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan for topping

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water, then drain and toss with a little olive oil.

While the water boils and the pasta cooks, heat the tomato sauce in a large saucepan, then add the bacon, eggs, and spinach. When the spinach is thoroughly wilted, taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Sauce the pasta and serve.

Serves 4-6.