Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Last week for brussels sprouts here at the farm! Don't shy away from them because of a few less than perfect outer leaves, simply peel them away and continue to prepare as desired. They are really quite good this time of year, after the frosts.

Many people have grown up thinking they hated brussels sprouts, but brussels sprouts that have been previously frozen or that are simply boiled hardly highlight this brassica's potential. Check out the recipe below for a simple yet delicious way to change even the most convinced brussels sprouts loathing personality that they are worth another try.

24 small brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and toss with olive oil.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into a brussel sprout to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Celeriac Gets Smashed

Celeriac takes the cake for me as far as the most odd-looking of the root veggies. I've heard kohlrabi described as "extraterrestrial" in the farm store, but with celeriac's knotted outer layer it looks far more out of this world.

Other notable qualities of celeriac include that it has far less starch then other root veggies, and is good cooked or raw. It is a type of celery that is grown for the root and because it takes on the flavor of celery it is great for adding to soups and stews.

Below is an excellent recipe for smashed celeriac from Jamie Oliver. I added some of the German Butterball potatoes we had in the share to it and made a delicious and comforting Saturday lunch!

1 celeriac, peeled

olive oil

1 handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3-4 tablespoons water or stock

Slice about 1/2 inch off the bottom of your celeriac and roll it on to that flat edges, so it's nice and safe to slice. Slice and dice it into 1/2 inch cubes. Put a casserole-type pot on a high heat, add 3 good lugs of olive oil, then add the celeriac, thyme and garlic, with a little seasoning. Stir around to coat and fry quite fast, giving a little color, for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to a simmer, add the water or stock, place a lid on top and cook for around 25 minutes, until tender. Season carefully to taste and stir around with a spoon to smash up the celeriac.

I served this with butter over wilted greens! Yum!

Hearty Potato Soup

It's been so cold around here and so I've been in search of recipes that are going to stick to my ribs while I'm out playing or working in the snow! Here is a classic potato soup recipe that I helped make at a friend's house a couple days ago. It is a delicious and easy way to use the heirloom German Butterball potatoes we had in our farm share this week. My friends and I added bacon, but that is optional.

2 lbs potatoes

1/2 lb of bacon

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

Milk or cream to taste

1 stick of butter

herbs to your liking (we used a bit of rosemary on top!)

Peel the potatoes if you like, boil in a soup pot. Brown bacon with the onion and garlic. Add milk/cream and butter, salt and pepper, herbs, bacon, onion, and garlic to the potatoes. Let cook and mash together. Add a bit of shredded parmesan cheese and chopped herbs to top!

Stay warm and eat well!

Sauteed Sunchokes with Sunflower Seeds

What to do with all these knobby roots this time of year? Here is a new recipe for sunchokes that Terry tried out just a few nights ago, and was generous enough to share some with me! No need to peel the sunchokes, just scrub them well and slice them thinly. Terry chose to use peanut oil, a great decision! And I loved it so much I just had to let you all in on this amazing recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.

Sauteed Sunchokes with Sunflower Seeds

1 1/2 pounds sunchokes (also called Jerusalem artichokes), sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil, or other high heat oil such as peanut to taste

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Saute the sunchokes in the oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly browned and tender, but still a bit crisp. Taste them as they cook; they can be done in 5 minutes or as many as 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the sunflower seeds, parsley, and thyme, and toss well. Serves 4-6.

Kohlrabi Tzatziki

Kohlrabi is a "stout' member of the brassica family along with cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli...some of our favorite veggies here in the Pacific Northwest! Visually it is the most distinctive of it's family, although it's taste is familiar, crisp, sweet, and similar to cabbage. I still get questions everyday at the farm store about this delightful vegetable. While it can be cooked, at Terry's Berries we really prefer it raw.

Grated fresh over salads, or in a winter veggie slaw, with a bit of vinegar, salt, and pepper, it's just delicious. Around this time of year the green or purple skin on the outside gets very thick, so be sure to peel the kohlrabi before use. Also be sure to slice the bottom of it off because where it attaches to the stalk can be a bit tough and woody. After that the kohlrabi can then be thinly cut (excellent for a veggie party platter or for veggie sticks for a school lunch bag) or grated. Or check out this super easy recipe from New York Magazine, where it is used as a substitute for cucumber in a cooler season tzatziki.

Charles Brassards Kohlrabi Tzatziki

4 medium kohlrabi
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbs. salt
1 qt. Greek yogurt
2 oz. lemon juice
1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

(1) Cut the leaves off the kohlrabi, and save them for another use. (2) Peel away tough outer skin.(3) Cut bulbs into large pieces, and coarsely grate them. In a bowl, combine grated kohlrabi, chopped garlic, and tablespoon of salt and let sit for 15 minutes to draw out liquid. Strain or squeeze out liquid, and discard. Toss kohlrabi with yogurt, lemon juice, mint, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve as a side with grilled fish or meats.

Terry's Favorite Winter Vegetable Soup

This is an absolute favorite lunch for us on these very cold days here at the farm! The key to this soup is cutting everything into very small pieces so that the veggies and their flavors all melt together while cooking. If you prefer, you can add bits of ham or bacon, chicken, herbs, cooked dried beans to add more substance to the soup, or bits of kale for color! Top with shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley or cilantro!

I won't keep you waiting any longer, here's Terry's Favorite Winter Vegetable Soup!
From the recipes in Terry's kitchen.

6 cups of water or stock
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium yukon gold potatoes or fingerlings, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 leeks, white and pale green parts, finely chopped
3 to 4 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch dice
3 medium parsnips (or about 1 large) cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 medium turnips or a rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, and cut into (oh you guessed it!), 1/4 inch dice
2 garlic cloves or more
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy saucepan, bring the water 2 tbsp olive oil, and salt to a boil. Add the vegetables and garlic and simmer, half covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. They will almost melt in your mouth! Pepper liberally. Ladle into bowls and drizzle a small amount of the remaining olive oil over each serving. Top with shredded cheese. This soup will keep for up to four days covered in the refrigerator.

The Best Winter Veggie Coleslaw

Are you sick of roasted root vegetables, stews, mashes, and bakes by now? Well here's a great recipe for raw winter roots!

We're not kidding, this is The Best Winter Veggie Coleslaw
From Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life by Jamie Oliver

2 carrots, peeled (different colors if you can find them
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed
Use at least 2 of the following (in italics)
3-4 radishes
1 light colored beet
1 turnip, peeled
1/2 a small celeriac, peeled (or 1/4 of the large)
14 ounces red and green cabbage, outer leaves removed
1/2 a red onion, peeled
1 shallot, peeled
1 lemon
olive oil
a handful of fresh soft herbs, mint, fennel, dill, parsley, or chervil
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp mustard
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Shred the carrots, fennel, and your choice of the other four veggies on a mandolin, or use the julienne slicer in your food processor. Put the veggies into a mixing bowl. Slice the cabbage, onion, and shallot as finely as you can and add to the bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix half the lemon juice, a glug of extra virgin olive oil, the chopped herbs, yogurt, and mustard. Pour this dressing over the veggies and mix well to coat everything. Season to taste with salt and pepper and the rest of the lemon juice if you like.

Eat well and stay warm everyone!