CSA Newsletter – November 6

Last week’s CSA share

The Weekly Share

This week is the last week of our CSA season Here’s what to expect in this final share:

  • Carrots
  • Collard greens
  • Garlic
  • Glass Gem Popcorn
  • Herbs
  • Hot peppers
  • Kale
  • Onion
  • Potatoes
  • Scallions
  • Sweet peppers
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Swiss chard
  • Sunchokes (Jerusalem artichoke)

*Due to the unpredictability of weather, pest problems, and other factors produce in the weekly shares are subject to last minute changes.

Compound Herb Butter

Thyme, sage, and rosemary

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away!  An easy way to season a turkey, roasted vegetables, grilled steak, baked potatoes or even biscuits is with compound butters. Compound butters are easy to make and can be made in any flavor combination you can think of – a great way to get creative in the kitchen.  A compound butter is just a mixture of butter and seasoning, such as your CSA herbs, citrus zest, or other aromatics. Here’s a basic compound butter that I love spreading on and under turkey or chicken skin before roasting.

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 T chopped rosemary

1/2 T chopped sage

1/2 T chopped thyme

1 T chopped garlic

Use a food processor to finely chop the herbs and garlic then add the butter until all the ingredients are blended evenly. Spread the mixture onto plastic wrap and roll into a log and chill. I recommend letting it set overnight before using it but it can be left in a sealed container in your fridge for a few weeks, making it an easy Thanksgiving treat to make ahead of time.

Other flavor combination ideas:

  • Orange/Honey/Lavendar
  • Cilantro/Lime
  • Scallion/Ginger/Orange
  • Lemon/Parsley
  • Roasted red pepper
  • Lemon/Basil
  • Cinnamon/Honey
  • Roasted garlic
  • Cilantro/Jalapeno
  • Cranberry/Orange

Glass Gem Popcorn

Glass gem corn is a colorful variety of popcorn. Glass gem corn is stunning in the variety of colors and beauty but its also quite delicious as everyone’s favorite movie night snack.  Popcorn is easy to make and you can do it a variety of ways. In the microwave place 1/4C of kernels in a brown paper bag (those ones we used to carry lunches to school in) roll and fold several times to close securely and cook on high for 1-2 minutes, season once its finished. On the stove-top – place one part vegetable oil to two parts popcorn kernels in a pot, cover with a lid and heat, shaking the pot frequently until it’s just a few seconds between pops, add your favorite seasoning and enjoy. As for seasoning – try a compound butter, or melted butter and your favorite seasoning mix, or your favorite cheese.

Connect and Share

What is your favorite part of your CSA share? Are you having trouble figuring out what to do with something in your share? If you have a recipe or picture you want to share, a trick you learned, or a question about your CSA produce please let us know at csa@hornfarmcenter.org.  Share on social media with the hashtag #HornFarmCSA.