Cooking With This Week's Box
Italian Garlic: Roasted Garlic Custards; Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes; Garlic Butter Sauce; Roasted Garlic Ice Cream; Garlic Butter Mashed Cauliflower
Yellow Onions: Blonde French Onion Soup; Herbed Onion Salad Dressing
Peter Wilcox OR Purple Majesty Potatoes: Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes; Beef Roast with Potatoes
Broccoli Romanesco OR Cauliflower: Garlic Butter Mashed Cauliflower; Sweet & Spicy Baked Cauliflower; Keto Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Broccoli OR Purple Kohlrabi: Kohlrabi Custard; Ramen Noodle Salad with Romaine Lettuce & Broccoli
Orange Carrots: Carrot Salad with Lime & Cilantro; French Grated Carrot Salad; Carrot & Beet Morning Glory Muffins with Honey & Hazelnuts
Romaine and/or Red Oak OR Magenta Red Summercrisp Lettuce: Romaine and Radish Salad with Buttermilk Lemon Dressing; Ramen Noodle Salad with Romaine Lettuce & Broccoli; Beef & Radish Salad Sandwich
Cilantro: Carrot Salad with Lime & Cilantro; One Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice with Black Beans
Black Futsu Pumpkins: Baked Black Futsu Pumpkin with Cranberry-Orange Maple Butter (see below); Soy Glazed Black Futsu Pumpkin with Honey & Sesame (see below)
It’s really feeling more like fall and even winter this week with frosty mornings and snow flurries! Thanksgiving is right around the corner, soup season is officially here, and it’s time to really start getting serious about eating winter squash. So this week we’re kicking off our chat with this week’s featured vegetable, the unique Black Futsu Pumpkin. This vegetable originates in Japan where they use the terms “squash” and “pumpkin” interchangeably. This is our second year growing this beauty and it’s met all of our expectations this year for yield, flavor, ability to store and unique appearance! You can read more about this little pumpkin in this week’s vegetable feature, but lets talk about what you can do with it! This week I’m sharing two very simple recipes with you, and lets keep it simple because this tasty squash really doesn’t need much added to it. The first recipe is for Baked Black Futsu Pumpkin with Cranberry-Orange Maple Butter (see below). Baking the pumpkin is super easy and the butter comes together in just a few minutes, so if you’re short on prep time this is a good recipe to use. The second is for Soy Glazed Black Futsu Pumpkin with Honey & Sesame (see below). I wanted to use flavors that go back to the Japanese roots of this pumpkin, so that’s how this recipe unfolded. Again, this is pretty easy to make and this pumpkin is so delicious when roasted!
 |
| Roasted Garlic Ice Cream photo from saveur.com |
Our amazing crew is making the most of every moment and we’re finishing the season strong as we try to balance harvest with washing and packing vegetables while at the same time we’re preparing for 2021! We’re happy to report we finished planting garlic this week! This is a reason to celebrate, so lets do so with some garlic-centric recipes! Perhaps you’d like to make something delicate like these Roasted Garlic Custards to serve alongside roasted chicken or beef. If you want to celebrate in a more traditional way, stick to Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Potatoes. Either of this week’s potato varieties will work great in this recipe. I also like this post for Garlic Butter Sauce recipe. The author of this blog post tells you how to make garlic butter sauce, but then provides a list of various ways you can use it with steak, salmon, vegetables and more! You could also make this tasty Garlic Butter Mashed Cauliflower, or you could save the garlic for dessert. That’s right, I said dessert---Roasted Garlic Ice Cream! You may not believe me, but it’s really good! We were served garlic ice cream at one of Harvest Restaurant’s garlic dinners some time ago and I still remember how tasty it was served with a butter cookie and ligonberry jam. Try it—it could be fun!
 |
| Keto Cauliflower Mac & Cheese photo from healthyfitnessmeals.com |
It has been a great fall for cauliflower, so it’s time to get creative. I stumbled across the next two recipes on a new website, healthyfitnessmeals.com. They have a lot of great recipes, but these recipes for Sweet & Spicy Baked Cauliflower and Keto Cauliflower Mac & Cheese caught my attention. Sweet & Spicy Baked Cauliflower has a bit of an Asian flair featuring a sauce made with honey, garlic, and soy along with some red pepper heat. Just before serving you finish it off with toasted sesame seeds. It may be a vegetarian main dish or serve it as a side dish. The second recipe for Keto Cauliflower Mac & Cheese uses cauliflower in place of pasta. You get all the creamy goodness of mac & cheese, but without the pasta!
We’re coming into the home stretch for broccoli this season. We do have a bit more remaining, but it’s still on the small side so this week we decided to move forward on harvesting some of the kohlrabi in our late planting. Whether you get kohlrabi or broccoli, you can use it to make the Kohlrabi Custard recipe we featured earlier this year. Of course, you could also use either in one of my favorite kohlrabi salads—this Kohlrabi & Herbed Yogurt Salad from DishingUpTheDirt.com.
 |
| Marinated Beet & Bread Salad photo from dishingupthedirt.com |
I’ve been trying to hold off purchasing another cookbook, but darn it—I’m going to have to buy Andrea Bemis’s new book, Local Dirt. Last week on her blog she shared a recipe from her book for Marinated Beet & Bread Salad. This is a fall twist on the classic Panzanella which traditionally is a tomato and bread salad. Of course, you could also use your beets to make Andrea’s recipe for Carrot & Beet Morning Glory Muffins with Honey & Hazelnuts. This is a great way to eat your vegetables in the form of a treat and these muffins are healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast or an afternoon snack!
As I looked at my list of recipes curated for this week’s box, I realized I selected a lot of vegetable salad recipes! While we have options for green lettuce salads this week, don’t forget there are lots of salads you can enjoy throughout the winter months such as carrot salads! This week take advantage of some of the last fresh cilantro of the season and make this Carrot Salad with Lime & Cilantro or keep it simple with this French Grated Carrot Salad featuring a Dijon dressing. If you’re looking for ways to enjoy the last few weeks of our fall lettuce selections, I have a few ideas for you. Make a simple Romaine and Radish Salad with Buttermilk Lemon Dressing which would be a nice accompaniment to a traditional Beef Pot Roast with Potatoes. You could also make a tasty Herbed Onion Salad Dressing to serve with a simple lettuce salad. Or, make the salad the main dish with this Ramen Noodle Salad with Romaine Lettuce & Broccoli. This recipe makes 8 servings, so you might want to scale it back if that’s too large for your household. By the way, if you do make that Beef Pot Roast you can use the leftovers along with this week’s radishes and lettuce to make this Beef & Radish Salad Sandwich. I love leftovers!
 |
| One Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice with Black Beans, photo from cookingclassy.com |
We’re getting closer to the bottom of the box, but I wanted to share this recipe for One Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice with Black Beans. This is a simple main dish dinner and would go great served with any of the salad selections we’ve mentioned earlier in this article. Lastly, since we are in soup season, I want to share this recipe for Blonde French Onion Soup. This is a great way to use those onions piling up on your counter and it’s a great way to boost your immune system.
Ok friends, we’re at the bottom of the box! Have you ever stopped to reflect on all the wonderful things you’ve created with your vegetables this year! I bet you’ll be surprised by the variety of food you’ve created and the amount of vegetables you’ve eaten this season already! But we’re not done yet. We still have Brussels sprouts (which look quite nice) and sweet potatoes yet to come. The sweet potatoes are officially finished curing, so it’s time to cook some and see how they taste. According to Richard’s refractometer measurements, the sugars have developed. Get your recipes ready, we still have a lot more cooking to do! See you next week—Chef Andrea
Vegetable Feature: Black Futsu Pumpkins
By Chef Andrea
This week I’m excited to introduce you to the beautiful, unique Black Futsu Pumpkin! This is a heirloom Japanese squash variety that caught my attention in the High Mowing Seed catalog two winters ago. What was this odd looking pumpkin shaped vegetable with skin that was a grayish, charcoal color mixed with tan? After a little research indicating it had good flavor and is revered by chefs, I convinced Richard we needed to try it. Our trial last year was a success so we planted more this year and, once again, we’re very impressed with this unique little pumpkin! In case you’re wondering if this is a pumpkin or a squash, it’s a squash. In Japan they use the terms “pumpkin” and “squash” interchangeably. |
| Maple-Sage Roasted Black Futsu Pumpkin |
When we first harvest these, their skin is more of a charcoal gray to green and some are just starting to show some signs of changing to a buff tan color. They continue to ripen in storage until they are entirely buff colored. I mention this because you may never see that charcoal gray stage, which I suspect is the reason they are called “Black Futsu.” One of the other qualities we really like about the Black Futsu is that they store very well. So, eat them now or keep them on your counter and enjoy their beauty for a bit before you eat them.
Now that you know a little bit about the background on these, lets talk about the eating quality. The flesh is dense and holds up well to roasting and pan-frying. When baked, either whole or cut in half, the flesh is moist, smooth, creamy and sweet. The other unique attribute is that the skin is edible. It does have a very thin skin and given the bumpiness of the exterior, I would not suggest you attempt to peel it. When pan-fried or roasted the skin gets nice and crispy and offers a contrast to the soft, smooth flesh. When baked, I do not find the skin as delectable, however it’s easier to scrape the flesh out of the skin if you bake it whole. If you don’t care to eat the skin, simply discard it.
 |
| Creamy Cider & Black Futsu Pumpkin Soup |
So what are you going to do with these cute things? As I mentioned before, this variety is delicious when roasted. You can either cut them into wedges or chunks, toss them with oil, then roast them on a sheet tray. I’m not usually a fan of pan-frying squash, however this one is a candidate for this method. I would recommend cutting thin slices about ⅛ - ¼ inch thick. Cooking them on a griddle or in a cast iron pan in butter yields a nice crispy, golden final product. You can also cut them in half and bake them in the oven. Honestly, if you don’t want to mess with anything else, just bake them and eat the flesh seasoned with a touch of salt and pepper and a pat of butter. It’s delicious just like that, however you could also stuff the pumpkin halves with a filling of your choosing. Of course, you can scrape the cooked flesh out of the shell and use it to make a wide variety of things. In addition to the two recipes we’re featuring this week, you might also want to check out last year’s recipes for Maple-Sage Roasted Black Futsu Pumpkin and Creamy Cider & Black Futsu Pumpkin Soup. Both received positive member feedback last year!
Store your black futsu pumpkins at room temperature and use them as a decoration until you’re ready to use them. I forgot to mention that the seeds are also edible. Before cooking, extract them from the flesh, rinse them and lay them out on a tea towel (the seeds will stick to the towel, so don’t use paper or anything fuzzy) or a plate to dry. Once dry you can toss them with a little oil and season them with salt and pepper or seasonings of your choosing before toasting them in a 350°F oven. These seeds really are tasty and, in my opinion, worth the effort to extract them. One more tidbit of information you may find useful is that one medium sized black futsu pumpkin will yield about ¾-1 cup of cooked flesh. Enjoy!
Baked Black Futsu Pumpkin with Cranberry-Orange Maple Butter
Yield: 3-4 servings
1 large or 2 medium Black Futsu Pumpkins
1 stick unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
¼ cup fresh cranberries
Zest from one orange, finely chopped
1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup
Salt, to taste
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the pumpkins in half and scrape out the seed cavity. Save the pumpkin seeds to clean and toast. If you choose to do so they are a nice garnish to add to this dish! Place the pumpkin pieces in a baking dish, cut side down. Add enough water to the pan so it’s about ½ inch deep.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender when poked with a knife or fork. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and carefully turn the pieces over. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow the pumpkin to release steam before serving.
- While the pumpkin is baking, prepare the butter. Using a food processor, finely chop the cranberries. Add the softened butter, orange zest and maple syrup. Blend to combine well, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically. If you do not have a food processor, you can also just chop the cranberries finely with a knife and blend all the ingredients in a bowl using a spoon.
- When you’re ready to serve the pumpkin, you can either use one half of the pumpkin as a serving, or you may choose to cut them in quarters if they are large. Serve the pumpkin with a generous serving of butter and a little salt if desired. Make sure the pumpkin is still warm so the butter will melt. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds if you wish.
Note: If you have extra butter remaining, either freeze it for use later or use it within a few days of making it. You could spread it on toast or a biscuit. You could also melt it over other vegetables such as sweet potatoes or Brussels sprouts!
Soy-Glazed Black Futsu Pumpkin wiht Sesame & Honey
Yield: 4-6 servings
2-3# Black Futsu Pumpkin (1 large or 2 medium)
1 ½ Tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
2 tsp mirin
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Salt, to taste
Honey, just a drizzle
2 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the black futsu pumpkins in half and scrape out the seed cavity. Reserve the seeds to toast and enjoy as a snack! Cut the pumpkin halves into slices about ½ inch thick, or into larger bite-sized chunks. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine sunflower oil, mirin, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Stir or whisk to combine well so the oil is fully incorporated with the other ingredients. Pour over the pumpkin slices/chunks. Using a spoon or your hands, mix or toss the pumpkin to ensure all pieces are well coated with the soy mixture.
- Spread the pumpkin pieces on a large baking pan or cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little salt. Roast for 45-50 minutes, stirring to turn all the pieces about halfway through the cooking time. Once tender and lightly golden, remove the pan from the oven.
- Drizzle lightly with a little honey and sprinkle the sesame seeds over all the pieces. Put the pan back in the oven and roast for an additional 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve while still warm.
