Circle M Farm

Such a bittersweet week in the gardens as we say goodbye to most of the plants in anticipation of tonight’s frost. I felt like the bunny in “Goodnight Moon” as I went row-by-row touching the plants for the last time while harvesting the final fruits. “Goodbye eggplant. Goodbye peppers. Goodbye squash. Thank you all very very much and goodbye.” Soon we will actually be putting the garden to bed for winter as we mulch perennials and clear off debris.

Here at the beginning of flu season, we’re pleased to provide you with a box full of great cooking greens – packed with the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy – as well as crisp and colorful ingredients for a last taste of summer salad. Then it’s on to winter eating! Pumpkins and squash of big and small varieties to enjoy as decorations, and then as food.

French Filet Pole Beans – These very special long beans are such a great treat here at the end of the season!
Rainbow Swiss Chard – Cook both the greens and the stems.
Red Rosie Lettuce – I find this to be a most gorgeous lettuce – almost black on the outside, and green toward the center. Beautiful with our white turnips, red radishes and purple broccoli.
Pumpkins – You’ll choose either blue Jarrahdale or red-orange Rouge Vif d’Etempes this week. Both are stunning to look at and thick and meaty for cooking into curries, soups and pies.
Little Dumpling Winter Squash – We thought these colorful little squash would be a nice alternative to the common Acorn. Use them the same way.
Ghost Gourd - This little white gourd is a treat not to eat. Just for looks!
Broccoli Raab – These fresh healthy Italian cooking greens are one of the most useful greens we grow in the garden. Chop up everything – stems, flowers, leaves and stalks – and saute in olive oil and garlic. See recipe below. This vegetable, also known as Rapini is as popular in China as in Italy, and is the most eaten vegetable in Hong Kong.
Radishes - We’ve got a mix of red and white varieties: Hailstone, Red Meat and French Breakfast.
Fennel - These yummy licorice-y bulbs are bigger and sweeter then ever. Try them roasted.
Purple Broccoli - Just a few, the last in the garden. We thought these would be pretty in a salad.
Salad Turnips – A creamy texture like no other vegetable. These Asian turnips are terrific sliced into salad to used to top appetizer toasts. Where you see bug damage on the roots, just cut the bit part off. And use the greens in soup or stir fry!
Green Peppers – We wished these would get red, but they just never did.
Celery – Yum! Crisp and light, this Golden variety is so mild and tender.
Watermelon - That’s it, folks! The last of the huge watermelon harvest.
Lemon Balm and Parsley

Sauteed Broccoli Raab

Rinse and trim 1/4-inch from bottom of stems. Cut stalks crosswise into 2-inch pieces and drop them into salted boiling water.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and remove with slotted spoon. Saute the blanched broccoli raab/rapini in a little olive oil and as much garlic as you like for 3 to 5 minutes until tender. Add a few dried red pepper flakes or sprinkle with parmesan.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup
From Farm Member Cherie

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (you can grind the coriander seeds in a coffee grinder)
Pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin or 6 cups of chopped roasted pumpkin*
5 cups of chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more. Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan. With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle the top of each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds . Serves 8.

*To make pumpkin purée, cut a pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff, lie face down on a tin-foil lined baking pan. Bake at 350°F until soft, about 45 min to an hour. Or you can cut the pieces smaller and steam them for about the same amount of time. Cool, scoop out the flesh. Freeze whatever you don’t use for future use.

Pumpkin Bread

2 cups of fresh cooked pumpkin
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup raisons (also optional)
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and sugar. Add the eggs, water, oil and pumpkin. Stir until blended and add raisins and pecans if desired. Pour into two greased and floured 9 by 5 loaf pans. Bake approximately 1 hour at 350 F. Bread is finished when a clean knife can be stuck in and removed cleanly. Let cool on racks before cutting. This bread is even better if wrapped and left for a day before eating.