In Kim's Kitchen

The Broccoli crop continues to perform beyond all reasonable expectations, pumping out beautiful heads in a fantastic succession of crops. This doesn’t happen easily or by accident, and it certainly has nothing to do with anything that has happened in the last month. Instead, way back in early July, Kim oversaw the seeding of these broccoli plants in the greenhouse, week after week during the heat of summer, July’s spasm of weeding, planting, harvesting, chopping thistles, moving sheep, shuffling kids to camp and friends. With determination, foresight, and a fantastic marshalling of resources, broccoli seeds – no bigger than an individual broccoli bead – were dropped into little blocks of soil in the greenhouse in a small act of faith that this one-more-thing-on-summer’s-plate would somehow, magically, turn into something to love in the fall.

Broccoli with Roasted Red Peppers

1 or 2 large red bell peppers
1 pound broccoli, stems trimmed, crowns cut into small florets (6 Cups)
3 T olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Char peppers directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose peppers in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers, then cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips. Cook broccoli in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add broccoli and toss until coated with oil and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add bell pepper strips; toss to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter. Serve warm or at room temperature

Leaves having been frosted off days ago, the Sweet Pepper plants have definitely slowed down their production of fruits, but we are still quite happily picking away at them.

This week’s Red Onions were plucked from the soil the Saturday morning that the flooding rains started. Just in the nick of time.

Blue Acorn Squash and speckled Heart of Gold Squash make a great presentation pair, sharing a heart shape and great flavor. Next to Sugarloaf squash, Heart of Gold (know affectionately around the farm by its acronym, HOG) is a family favorite.

Squash Polenta

1 winter squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
3Cloves Garlic, unpeeled
3 Tbsp. Olive oil
3 Tbsp.Parsley, chopped
2 ¾ Cups Chicken or vegetable stock
1 ¾ Cups Water
1 Tsp. Salt
1 ½ Cups Polenta (coarse ground cornmeal)
1 Tbsp. Fresh sage, minced
1 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange squash, cut side up, in large roasting pan. Place garlic cloves in squash cavities. Drizzle olive oil over. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake until squash is tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Peel squash and garlic. Transfer to processor and puree. Combine broth, 1 ¾ Cups water and 1 ½ Tsp. salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil. Gradually whisk in polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture is very thick and creamy, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir in fresh sage and 2 Cups squash puree (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Stir over medium-low heat until heated through.)

In the fall, Italian Parsley leaves thicken and sweeten with the cooler nights. Use it liberally and let your inner great chef shine.

Ahh, Beets, with their sweet earthiness tasting ever-so-slightly of freshly-tilled soil. I can’t eat fall beets without thinking about the gathering in of the season. I imagine beets pulling in the sunshine, absorbing the earth, thickening, gathering in the rustle of leaves, the howls of coyotes, the calls of geese – then giving it all up in this sweet, rich flavor, bright red jeweled hues reflecting the outdoor color of falls. Could it be any better?

Beet Walnut Salad

2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 Tbsp olive oil
6 medium baked beets, cooled and peeled
1/4 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl, and serve with wedges of blue cheese.