Notes from Windward: #68

 

A Picnic by the Klickitat

Kerst engineers an afternoon"get away"


     Autumn seems to have arrived at Windward and yesterday we decided celebrate the change in seasons with a change in scenery-- a picnic lunch by the river. Earlier in the week we put in a request for Lay's potato chips, an American picnic staple, but balanced that by focusing on using Windward products throughout the rest of the menu. The night before had brought our first frost of the season, killing back a good portion of our potato plants so I dug up some potatoes and harvested turnip greens (which has tended to be an ignored crop because few of the 'terns are familiar with cooking with turnips) to make a salad.

  


[Walt: it's a matter of long-standing debate whether root crops such as turnips and parsnips are human food or animal food. We're investigating the use of root crops as a way to store up solar energy during the fall since they do better in the cooler weather. Another advantage is that they don't need to be dug out of the ground until ready for use, so they're "easy to store" in that sense. The smaller, more tender roots will make their way to the kitchen, while the larger, tougher roots will give the rabbits something to chew on during the winter months. Since rabbits are rodents, they need something to exercise their teeth on in order to stay healthy.

     I also made egg salad sandwiches using 18 eggs from our chickens and an upside down peach corn cake to use the overripe peaches we have an excess of. Windward is located in a great location when it comes to acquiring local produce, often at a cheaper price because we're willing to collect wind-fallen peaches or pears that don't pass the aesthetic standards of grocery stores. However, processing the fruit before it spoils is quite challenging so we try to incorporate fruit into a variety of baked goods as well as preserving in the form of jams and fruit butter.

  


     We found a great spot on the Klickitat River that was just at the base of our main hill and settled in for a few hours. Sitting next to the river felt like we were in an entirely different region of Washington. Before we left the riverside we took time to fill a 5-gallon bucket with elderberries, which Opalyn plans to use to make mead with. Looking forward to that adventure as well!

Turnip Green, Potato, and Onion Salad (found in Windward's recipe binder)

Salad:

  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 lbs potatoes
  • 1 lb turnip greens
  • 2 T olive oil

Dressing:

  • 2/3 c olive oil
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 3 T lemon juice
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 t paprika
  • salt and freshly ground pepper

    • *we would suggest adding an herb such as dill to balance the bitterness of the greens

         In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

         Place diced potatoes in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender and drain.

         Saute onions in a pan with olive oil. Once onions begin to become tender, add the turnip greens and continue to cook until onions begin to brown. Place warm greens and potatoes in a shallow mixing bowl, drizzle with the dressing and toss well to coat.


    Notes From Windward - Index - Vol. 68