October 28th
Our Vibrant Friends!
Oooooooo, it’s the spooky season! Do you have your Halloween costumes ready?!
Good. Neither do I. It will all come together. Moving on.
This week, and for many weeks following, we celebrate CHICORIES.
The chicory family is beautifully vast, and grows in a wide variety of colors, from the purest of whites to pale, buttercup yellows, to bright greens, to deep blood red maroons and plummy purples.
First grown in the Nile River Valley, Egyptians were recorded to have been harvesting the blue flowering chicory plant some 5,000 years ago, flooding the Nile to support their irrigation practices. This type of chicory still exists today, and in fact grows as a weed that you’ve no doubt seen many times growing by the side of the road, though it is not native to North America, having been imported.
The roots of the blue flowering chicory plant have long been used as a coffee addition or alternative caffeine stimulant. Rich in vitamins A, C, K, and folate, chicories have also been noted to be used in various medicinal remedies, shown in many studies to be an apt treatment for loss of appetite, digestive issues in general, and liver and gallbladder issues. According to Pliny (AD 23-79) chicory juice was mixed with rose oil and vinegar as a remedy for headache.
There are 5 main types of leafing chicory, a close relative to the blue flowering plant.
The first, Endive, includes the frilly leafed frisee variety. Like mustard greens, endive has a beautifully bitter taste, which becomes milder with cooking.
The second, Escarole, is sometimes referred to as broad-leafed endive. Slow growing, the leaves of escarole are structured and hearty, making them an excellent choice for chopping and braising.
The third, Radicchio, grows in round heads or elongated ones in brilliant red tones. Chopped and eaten raw, radicchio has a similar texture to cabbage, and has a brilliant bitter bite. Insects rarely are tempted to nibble on radicchio so it is a strong garden crop.
The fourth, Belgian Endive, also called the French Endive or witloof chicory, is grown in the summer, and is first harvested in late fall by the digging of the root stock, which is then stored until midwinter and then replanted. Soon after, the chilled root produces an elegant bud.
The fifth, Forage Chicories, are mostly used as greens for livestock, and are known to prevent certain intestinal worms when eaten regularly.
We love growing chicories as they are a bright light in our Autumn turning to Winter tunnel. Hearty, beautiful, and delicious, they hold up excellently to cold weather in the field. We have been loving making crisp leafy salads with sharp cheeses, apple slivers, toasted nuts, and honey and/or lemony dressings, braising or grilling them with bacon fat or anchovy dressing, and adding them to fall soups.
We would love to share with you an ahhhhhmazing October 24th, 2020 Live Stream from our friends at the Culinary Breeding Network entitled RAD TV: Sagra del Radicchio 2020. It takes a few minutes to get going, so feel free to skip a bit ahead until you get to the introduction, following some lovely Italiano musical magic. A post pandemic answer to their annual hosted Radicchio festival out of Seattle, the CBN has put together a whopping 9 hour virtual festival for you, featuring everything from further history of the Chicory plant, to tours of farms in Italy, to interviews and recipes with chefs and more. Suuuuuper RAD. Check it out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbzTuIn3u1E or search RAD TV: Sagra del Radicchio 2020
Lucky CSA members, we hope you enjoy your Indigo radicchio heads in your VVF larder this week.
There will be much more chicory bounty to come as the season unfolds, and we couldn’t be more delighted to have obsessively seeded, planted, weeded, harvested, and selected the very best of the best of them to share with love for you.
Until next week, with love and gratitude to you and yours,
-- Rosemary Stafford for Vibrant Valley Farm
ROSE’S RECIPE IDEAS OF THE WEEK:
GRILLED RADICCHIO SALAD WITH ANCHOVY VINAIGRETTE
Amended from https://www.tastingtable.com/cook/recipes/how-to-make-grilled-radicchio-anchovy-vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 head radicchio
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
1 tablespoon toasted bread crumbs for garnish
parsley leaves for garnish
Dressing Ingredients
8 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
garlic to taste
1/8 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preparation
Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium hot grilling or heat a grill pan over medium high heat.
Meanwhile, make the anchovy vinaigrette: in a blender or small food processor, combine the anchovy fillets, lemon juice and zest, and garlic, then pulse until the anchovies are roughly chopped. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until well combined and the vinaigrette has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside. If the vinaigrette seems too thick, add more oil.
Make the grilled radicchio: trim a ¼ inch off the ends of the radicchio head, making sure the head is still intact. Halve the radicchio lengthwise and brush each half with olive oil on both sides.
Using a pastry brush or spray olive oil, lightly coat the grill grates or grill pan. Grill the radicchio halves, turning once, until charred on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes total. The radicchio should be nicely charred and soft on the outside and just tender on the inside. You can test this by piercing the core with the tip of a knife.
Transfer the radicchio halves to a serving platter and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the greens with the anchovy vinaigrette and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parsley leaves to garnish. Serve.
LEMONY CHICKEN SOUP WITH FENNEL, DILL, AND DRIED CHILIS
Amended from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020049-lemony-chicken-soup-with-fennel-and-dill
Ingredients:
2-3 lbs. bone in, skin on chicken legs, thighs, drumsticks, or a mix
salt and black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large fennel bulb
4 garlic cloves, or to taste
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 lb. potatoes, sliced into ¼ inch thick cubes
1 lemon, coarsely chopped (discard the seeds) plus an additional lemon for zesting and juicing
1-4 dried chilies, to taste.
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 cup dill, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
sour cream, crème fraiche, full fat Greek yogurt, or feta (optional)
sumac (optional)
Preparation
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.
Working in batches, add chicken, skin side down, and cook until skin is well browned and fat has started to render, 5-8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and continue to cook until well browned, another 3-5 minutes. Leaving all the fat and drippings behind, transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet, a large plate, or a cutting board and let rest.
Coarsely chop the fennel bulb and add to the pot along with the garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened but not yet browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes, chopped lemon and chopped chilies, stir to coat.
Return chicken to the pot and add broth, seasoning with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and place the lid on the pot. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook at a strong simmer until chicken is cooked through and nearly falling off the bone, about 20 to 25 minutes. Using tongs, remove the chicken and let rest until it’s cool enough to handle. Pick the meat from the chicken, removing any cartilage, skin, and bones. Alternatively, leave the chicken pieces in tact and serve as a side.
Return meat to the pot. Season the soup with salt and pepper, turn the heat to medium low and continue to gently simmer while you make the toasted fennel seed topping.
Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a small pot or skillet over medium. Add fennel seed and half of the fresh dill, and swirl until the fennel seeds are toasted and the dill is sizzling and crispy, about 2 minutes.
Divide soup among bowls, and spoon fennel seed topping over it, followed by scallions and remaining fresh dill. Add a dollop of yogurt, crème fraiche, sour cream, or feta and sprinkle with sumac if you so desire. Zest the remaining lemon over the bowls, then cut lemon in half to squeeze juice over as well, to taste. Serve immediately.
VEGETARIAN STUFFED ACORN SQUASH
Amended from https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-stuffed-acorn-squash-recipe/
Ingredients
Medium sized acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt to taste
¼ cup quinoa, rinsed
½ cup water
1/8 cup dried cranberries
1/8 cup raw pepitas
1/8 cup chopped green onion
1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus some for garnish
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
To prepare the squash, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice through it from the tip to the stem. For ease, pierce the squash in the center along the depression line, then cut through the tip, and finish by slicing through the top portion just next to the stem. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside, and discard those pieces, or set seeds and seedy bits aside for roasting and salting.
Place the squash halves cut side up on a parchment-lined pan. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Rub the oil into the cut sides of the squash, then turn them over so the cut sides are against the pan. Bake until the squash flesh is easily pierced through by a fork, about 30-45 minutes. Remove. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa: in a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat as a necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Cover, and let the mixture steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
In a medium skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Pour the fluffed quinoa mixture into a medium small mixing bowl. Add the toasted pepitas, chipped green onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Drizzle in the olive oil. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary.
If the mixture is very hot, let it cool for a few minutes before adding the parmesan and goat cheese. Gently stir the mixture to combine.
Turn the cooked squash halves over so the cut sides are facing up. Divide the mixture evenly between the squash halves with a large spoon. Return the squash to the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cheesy quinoa is turning golden on the top.
Sprinkle the stuffed squash with the remaining chopped parsley and serve warm.