Happy Monday! We hope your shift into autumn is full of warmth, abundance and a little bit of spice!
FARM NEWS
We are gearing up here for some autumn activities; namely harvesting our storage crops and planting garlic. We love getting those things done and storing delicious things away in our barn to feed us and all of our customers through the long Alberta winters. We've got a really great crew working on our farm this year, making those monumental tasks so much easier, thank goodness!
In addition to the warming crops of fall, we also are still going strong in the greens department, and are harvesting plenty of spinach, lettuces and chard among other more summery treats.
In other news, you are invited to our final farm tour of the season this coming Sunday from 10 to 11:30ish. We are doing it a bit earlier in the day because our son, Eli, has volleyball commitments. He made the senior team in his high school, and we absolutely love watching him play - his passion is contagious!
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Guys, I took this one right off the internet and made it last night with some of the delicious broccoli and sweet onions that we are harvesting right now. The kids loved it (my litmus test)! I did modify it by adding 1 celeriac because that is my favourite vegetable. I finely diced and sautéed the celeriac first and then added it to the soup along with the onions and garlic. I did wonder how I would make this soup dairy free, and I thought perhaps with canned coconut milk, shredded vegan cheese and some nutritional yeast you would be able to achieve the richness of flavour that the original recipe yields.
Here is the site that I got this hearty, warming recipe from:The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 1 small or medium sweet yellow onion diced small
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced finely
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock chicken stock may be substituted
- 2 cups half-and-half*
- 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets diced into bite-size pieces + 1 cups stems, optional (I used 3 cups florets and 1 cup stems
- 2 large carrots trimmed, peeled, and sliced into very thin rounds, about 1/16th-inch
- 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika optional and to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder optional and to taste
- pinch cayenne pepper optional and to taste (doesn’t make soup spicy and serves to enhance flavor)
- 8 ounces grated high quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese with a small amount reserved for garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS
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In a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter, the diced onion, and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and barely browned, about 4 minutes. Stir intermittently.
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Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and set pan aside.
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In a large heavy-bottom pot (I use this Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 6-3/4-Quart Oval French (Dutch) Oven) add 4 tablespoons butter, flour, and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until flour is thickened. You are making a roux and it’s very important the mixture is thick or soup will never thicken properly later.
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Slowly add the vegetable stock, whisking constantly.
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Slowly add the half-and-half, whisking constantly.
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Allow mixture to simmer over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some. Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
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While mixture is simmering, chop the broccoli and carrots. After simmering 15 to 20 minutes, add the broccoli, carrots, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
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Add the salt, pepper, optional paprika, optional dry mustard powder, and optional cayenne. If you don’t have these seasonings on hand, it’s okay, but they do add subtle depth of flavor. Stir to combine.
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Allow soup to simmer over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some. Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
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While soup simmers, grate the cheese. It’s important to use a high-quality cheese (not the cheapest thing you can find) because the flavor of the soup depends on it. Do not use pre-grated cheese in ziptop bags because that cheese is resistant to melting and won’t incorporate well. After simmering about 20 to 25 minutes, add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnishing bowls. Stir in the cheese until melted and incorporated fully, less than 1 minute.
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Transfer soup to bowls, garnish with reserved cheese, and serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Reheat gently in the microwave. I find the soup is less likely to ‘break’ or separate when reheated in the micro rather than on the stovetop, but do what you think is best. I don’t recommend freezing the soup because I feel like the cheese and half-and-half will not do well upon thawing and soup could break, but I haven’t actually tried freezing it.
REMINDERS AND GENERAL TIPS/INFORMATION
Have questions about your Harvie account and how to navigate Harvie? Here is a link to the many help documents that Harvie has compiled for you: https://harvie.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/115000048773-Harvie-University-Members
What To Do if You Are Away
You have three options:
1) BEST OPTION - Reschedule your share. This is our recommended option because it means you get your full value. What we suggest is that you reschedule your share to a week near the end when you will get more storage-friendly items that will last longer in your fridge, though you're welcome to reschedule to any date that works best for you. When you reschedule, you will get the scheduled share as well as the rescheduled share or shares, so be prepared for a lot of food.
2) Cancel your share for the week. This can be managed on your Harvie account page. It must be done before the Wednesday morning cutoff time of 6 a.m. The disadvantage here is that you lose whatever you have invested into that share. So if you've paid 50%, then you forfeit that amount.
3) Have someone else pick up for you. In our experience, friends assigned this job sometimes forget, so help them remember!
Location Options and Info
King's University (East Edmonton) Friday pickups, 12-4, some flex if you have to come a bit later. We will not retrieve any shares left here.
Breadlove Artisan Bakery (St. Albert) Saturday pickups, 10-2, no flex & closed on Sunday. We will not retrieve shares left here.
Awn Kitchen (Southwest Edmonton) Saturday pickups, 10-2, no flex.
Uproot Food Collective (Central Edmonton)
Saturday pickups, 10-2, some flex, but let's respect the hours as best we can.
Strathcona Farmer's Market (Edmonton) Saturday pickups, 8-3, no flex.
The Butcher Block (Sherwood Park) Saturday pickup, 9:30-4, some flex, open till 5.
Get Real Natural (Fort Saskatchewan) Saturday pickup, 10-5, no flex
Sundog Organic Farm (near Gibbons) Saturday, 9-2, flexible
A few more tips in case you haven't read them yet...
*When picking up your bin at King's, Awn, Breadlove, Butcher Block, Get Real Natural or the farm, please make sure that you are getting the bin with your name on the label. We want to make sure that everyone gets the correct bin.
*Make sure that you set your preferences on your Harvie account. This ensures that you receive boxes tailored to you. Save the 5 star rating for things that you really love and don't give everything 5 stars because that skews the algorithm that the software relies on.
*Take advantage of the swapping and adding extras to further customize your shares! Remember to do it before Wednesday morning, 5:00 a.m.(basically Tuesday night unless you are a very early riser).
*Let us know if you ever want help. You can send in a note via your Harvie account, or email us directly at jamesandjenny@sundogorganicfarm.ca. If it is a more urgent concern, call us at 587-409-1106. We are always here for you.
