Colcannon

For the past few weeks we have been harvesting green cabbage and red cabbage and our curious cone shaped cabbage that many people have been asking about (in case you too are wondering, it's an early season variety that has relatively sweet, tender leaves). This week we began harvesting our green savoy cabbage. So what to do with the summer bounty of cabbage? For lunch today on the farm, we made colcannon which is an Irish casserole made of mashed potatoes, cabbage, and onion. The milk and cheese in this recipe below from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book make this version quite non-traditional. But it does become a hearty main course and for the hardworking farm employees this is a valid exchange. Enjoy!

1 pound potatoes (I used a combination of russet and Yukon gold)

1 pound green cabbage, shredded (4 cups)

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

¼ cup milk

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

3 ounces sharp cheddar (or other hard cheese), coarsely grated, divided

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until they are very tender but not mushy. Drain them, reserving the cooking liquid, and set them aside to cool somewhat.Using the potato water (you may have to add more water), boil the cabbage and onion for about 5 minutes. Drain the vegetables and set them aside.When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin, place the potatoes in a bowl, add the milk and the butter or margarine, and mash them until they are smooth. Add the reserved boil cabbage and onion to the potato mixture. Mix two-thirds of the cheese with the potato mixture. Season the colcannon with pepper and salt, if desired, and transfer to a greased casserole or shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Before serving the colcannon, heat it through in a moderately hot oven (the temperature is not critical—it can be between 350 degrees and 425 degrees, depending on what else you are using the oven for). Let the cheese on top brown slightly. 

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!

Greens with Potatoes

4 yellow potatoes (about 1 lb) scrubbed

1-2 lbs greens, trimmed and coarsley chopped

2 TBSP olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/2 TSP red pepper flakes (a couple shakes)

2 tomatoes (if in season), peeled and diced

1. Cover potatoes with cold, salted water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and coarsley chop.

2. Simmer the greens in a large skillet until tender, then drain.

3. Return the skilleet to the stove, add oil and heat with garlic and red pepper flakes. When you can smell the garlic, add the greens, potatoes, and tomatoes (if using). Cook over medium heat, breaking up the potatoes with a fork and mashing them into greens to make a kind of hash. Taste for salt and serve with olive oil drizzeled over the top.

Potato Parsnip Latkes

1 large russet potato (8 to 12 oz)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 medium parsnips 1lb total, peeled and coarsley grates
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup oil for frying
Applesauce and/or sour cream for topping

Preheat oven to 250 degrees
Peel potato and coarsely grate into a bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to combine. Place potato on towel, then gather up corners to form a sack and twist lightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Stir potato together with parsnips, flour, eggs. chives, salt and pepper until combined well.

Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Fill a 1/4 measure three quarters full with latke mixture and careful spoon it into skillet, then falttern to 3 inches in diameter with a spatula. Form 2 more latkes in skillet, then cook until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer latkes with spatula to paper towls to drain. Keep warm on rack set in a shallow baking pan in the oven.

Penne with Potatoes and Asparagus

From the Rolling Prarie Cookbook

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, coarsley chopped (2 to 2 1/2 cups)
1 pound small waxy potatoes, cut in thick slices, then cut in half (4 cups)
1 tsp salt
several sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 pound penne pasta
1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces
several splashes balsamic vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup parsely, chopped (try basil when in season)
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Put in a large pot of water to cook the pasta. Pour oil in a 9x13 baking pan. Put the onions and potatoes in the pan, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, add the sprigs of thyme, and mix well to coat the vegetables with oil. Bake, uncovered, fora bout 15 minutes. Vegetables should be almost tender. While vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta until just tender, drain, and set aside. Remove vegetables from the oven. Add the asparagus and the cooked pasta. Season to taste with salt, several splashes balsamic vinegar, black pepper and the fresh parsely or basil. Toss carefully until vegetables and pasta are evenly mixed. Return to oven, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Bring steaming to the table with a bowl of parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top.

serves 6

Lentil Potato Salad with Sorrel

From the Rolling Prairie Cookbook by Nancy O'Connor

I cup dry lentils
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1 lb small potatoes
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup feat cheese, crumbled
1 cup finely shredded sorrel leaves
freshly ground pepper

Dressing:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp dijon mustard

Place the lentils, bay leaf, onion and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium sauce pan and cover with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until the lentils are just tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain, removing the bay leaf. While the lentils are cooking, boil unpeeled potatoes until just tender. Drain and cut into 1inch cubes. When the lentils and potatoes are cooled to room temperature, carefully toss together with salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Whisk remaining salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss to dress evenly. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Serves 8.

Creamy Potato Leek Soup

from Moosewood Restaurant's Low-Fat Cookbook

1 cup finely chopped onions
2/3 cup finely chopped leeks
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cups vegetable stock
4 cups coarsely chopped potatoes
1/4 tsp ground fennel
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 tbsp white wine
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp minced scallions
1 1/2 tbsp minced fresh basil
1/2 cup evaporated skimmed milk
4 cups loosely packed shredded kale
salt and ground pepper to taste
squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)

1. In a 3 or 4 quart covered soup pot, saute onions, leeks, and salt in the oil on very low heat for about 7 minutes until tender. Add the stock and bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes, fennel, celery, wine and dill. Simmer for about 20 minutes, covered, until potatoes are tender.
2. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the mustard, scallions, basil and evaporated skimmed milk.
3. In a seperate pot, gently boil the kale in just enough water to cover, When the kale is just tender, drain it and stir into the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste and lemon juice, if desired. Carefully reheat the soup until it is very hot but not boiling.