December 30th

Our Vibrant Friends!

Did you enjoy your holiday time? We hope you did. Maybe you shared some roast turkey with your cat. Maybe you took a solo walk in some snow. Regardless, we hope you stayed safe and were well fed. 

In the weeks leading up to our time off, talk was of what meals we were planning on. There was word of fillet mignon, uni, and sheet pan nachos. Can you tell we love food? Myself, I had Nopales PDX tamales from Vibrant Valley’s own Les Rendon! Les makes a mean tamale. Her enchiladas sold out before I had my clicking finger ready, so I plan to be more diligent next time. Maybe you should check her out: @nopalespdx.

Now, this is your last CSA box of 2020 (two more to come in 2021!). What will you do with it? Perhaps you can use our shallots in the mignonette you’ll need for oysters-on-the-half shell on New Year’s Eve. Tired of eating beige? How about a carrot and butternut squash soup garnished with espelette peppers and parsley for New Year’s Day lunch (we assume you’re planning for waffles that morning). Or maybe you’re starting 2021 afresh and would prefer to juice those carrots with something sweet or tangy. The carrots in this week’s box will be best juiced or in a soup. Winter sometimes has that effect on vegetables. 

Finally, please join us in saying goodbye and good riddance to this year. Our dear friend Rosemary Stafford came to call pre-covid times The Great Before. Might we suggest that in 2021 we’ll begin to live in The Great After? See you on the other side.

Until next week, with love and gratitude to you and yours,

-- Clea Partridge for Vibrant Valley Farm

RECIPE IDEAS OF THE WEEK:

CLASSIC MIGNONETTE (for a dozen oysters)

Recipe amended from https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/classic-mignonette

Ingredients

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Stir vinegar, shallot, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over oysters.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARROT SOUP

Recipe amended from https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegan-butternut-squash-and-carrot-soup-3377922

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion (diced)

• 4 cloves garlic (minced)

• 4 carrots (sliced)

• 3 ribs celery (diced)

• 2 small or 1 large butternut squash (peeled and chopped)

• 5 cups vegetable broth

• 2 tablespoons fresh sage (chopped)

• 1/2 cup soy milk or oat milk

• Salt to taste (sea salt or kosher salt)

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Parsley (chopped, to garnish)

• Espelette pepper (skins and seeds finely chopped or pulverized in a spice grinder, to garnish)

Preparation

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2. Saute the diced onion and minced garlic in the olive oil until the onions turn soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Add the sliced carrots and celery and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the chopped butternut squash and stir just to coat the butternut squash with the oil. Pour in the vegetable broth and chopped fresh sage.

5. Cover, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a slow simmer and allow the soup to cook for at least 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

6. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender, or use an immersion blender.

7. Stir in the soy or oat milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and whatever other garnishes you like!

CELERY ROOT AND BEET SALAD

Recipe amended from https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/celery-root-and-beet-salad-109101

Ingredients

• 6 medium beets (2 1/4 lb with greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached

• 1 (1-lb) celery root (sometimes called celeriac)

• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus additional to taste

• 2 tablespoons minced shallot

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (2 oz), toasted and cooled

Preparation

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

1. Wrap beets tightly in foil to make 2 packages (3 beets in each) and roast until tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

2. While beets roast, peel celery root with a sharp knife and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks. Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, oil, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl until combined well, then add celery root and toss until coated. Keep at room temperature, covered, until ready to add beets.

3. Carefully unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks and toss with celery root.

4. Let salad stand, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour. Taste salad and season with more lemon juice and salt if necessary, then toss with walnuts.