Well, in truth, with all this unseasonal (and freaky but beautiful) warmth, we’re sort of simultaneously in hunger moon and sap moon right now. A little tired of the same root veggies perhaps, but when I think about the fact that usually this was the starving time – when winter supplies have run low, but no veggies or wild edibles are really available yet, I don’t feel too sorry for myself.
We got our last share from our winter veggie CSA last week, which means I have my last stash of fresh celeriac, beets, potatoes, onions, cabbages, parsnips, rutubagas, turnips, and carrots. We won’t get another CSA share until The Kitchen Garden’s begins the first week of June – three months! It was time to eat some chocolate, take a deep breath, and take stock of what was left in our late winter kitchen. Amazingly, I found a ridiculous abundance. (Due, in no small part, to the amazing canning efforts of last year’s WOOFer, Jeanine.) Not to mention that soon, thanks to Ben, we’ll have fresh greens out in our newly built cold frame! Wow.
I unearthed everything from the deep freezer, set aside what didn’t seem to have made it (some kale, some tomatoes) to feed to the chickens, and counted it up, then put it back in. Neatly. (Crazy, huh? In the mad rush at harvest time, it seems a miracle anything gets preserved at all.) Then I counted all the canned food we had left. It was thrilling to see how much we have, and also to see what I need to start using. My favorite discovery, which I had no idea was hiding in the deep freeze: 3 quart jars of raspberries from our garden. Three quarts! This feels shamefully lucky.
So, without further ado – our menu this week. I’ll be back tomorrow to share a yummy Barley-Carrot Kugel recipe.
Notes from last week:
I made this sourdough pasta, which Kelley recommended (thank you!). I’d never even heard of sourdough pasta before, but had to try it of course! This is a great way to use your starter, keeping it fresh and happy. I only made half the recipe, and it still made two meals worth for us – one with pesto, the other with the Swedish Meatballs. It was super delicious, and I’ll definitely do it again. Especially with those meatballs. Yum!
*Granola (from Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass)
* Enchiladas with Mole Sauce (found in the freezer!) ans swiss chard
* Straciatella (Roman Egg Drop Soup) with Kale (from Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice)
* Rye Grits with Sausage and Potatoes (from Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way by Lorna Sass)
* Leek, Celeriac, and Beet Soup (from Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson; I’ll be using onions not leeks)
* Maple-Glazed Carrots and Parsnips roasted in the oven
* Carrot-Beet Muffins (from Farmer John’s Cookbook by John Peterson; using leftover Disappearing Carrot Salad from last week, and substituting a small amount of maple syrup for the sugar)
* Boston Brown Bread (from The New Laurel’s Kitchen by Laurel Robertson, Carol L. Flinders, and Brian Ruppenthal )
* Kale or Green Beans with Tangy Cheese Sauce (from The New Laurel’s Kitchen by Laurel Robertson, Carol L. Flinders, and Brian Ruppenthal )
* Ben’s Simple Emmer – recipe below
* Goat Chops (so surprised when these showed up in our meat share!)
* Porterhouse Steak
* The Lady Killigrew’s Brown Rice Salad, with wheatberries instead of brown rice – their recipe is kindly shared here
* Jambalaya (I use the recipe from the incredible Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine by John Folse)
Ben’s Simple Emmer
1/2 cup emmer
1 cup water
pinch salt
2 tbsp butter
Parmesan cheese
Bring water to a boil in a 2 qt pot. Add emmer and a pinch of salt, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender but not mushy to taste. (You can also cut open a grain to test – the interior should all be one color). Let rest off the heat for ten minutes, then drain off any excess water. Stir in butter, add more salt to taste, and grate some Parmesan cheese on top. Bon Appetit!