Elegant sides for your holiday meal

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We’ve been so fortunate to have a mild fall so far but Mother Nature did a great job reminding us that its November in WI with the 3+inches of wet snow fall this morning. Thankfully, our greens are tucked into our high tunnels and still crunchy and crisp and ready to be showcased at your holiday meal. Here are a handful of tasty, full of fall flavor recipes for sides to be enjoyed at your Thanksgiving meal. Stop by our farm stand Friday (November 22) to enjoy samples of each.

Swiss Chard-Chard is a beatiful leafy green related to beets. The leaves are large and often come in different colors-pink, red, white, orange and yellow. They can be eaten raw or cooked and this gratin is by far one of our favorite ways to enjoy Swiss Chard, especially in the colder months.

Swiss Chard Gratin from “Serving up the Harvest” by Andrea Chesman

2 pounds (12-16 stems with leaves) Swiss chard, stems sliced and leaves cut into 1” ribbons

4 T butter

1 onion halved and sliced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (I’ve often just used cheddar)

salt and pepper

1/4 cup dried bread crumbs

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chard stems and cook for 2 minutes. Add the leaves and continue to cook for another minute. Drain well. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish or 9x13 inch baking pan. Melt the butter over the medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Whisk in flour to form a paste. Whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Fold in the chard. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake for 25-35 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the top is browned. Serve hot.

Kale- Winter kale is by far the tastiest kale you will ever eat. It is crisp, tender and slightly sweetened as its exposed to cold temperatures. Now is the time of year to eat your kale!

Kale and Wild Rice salad with honey-balsamic vinaigrette (adapted from www.iowagirleats.com)

1 cup wild rice blend prepared in 2 cups chicken broth OR 1 package of quinoa and brown rice mix from Aldi’s

4 cups of chopped kale

1 apple, chopped

2 oz of feta cheese or goat cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 T honey

1 clove garlic, finely minced

salt and pepper

Cook rice per package directions or lightly heat quinoa/rice packet. Combine vinaigrette ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the kale, apple, cheese, warm rice, dried cranberries and sliced almonds. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss and serve. May add cooked chicken breast to make a main meal.

May want to double recipe for holiday meal.

Kale Fall salad

2 bunches of kale, spines removed and torn or cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1/2 cup of pumpkin spiced pepitas (recipe follows)

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

Mix the kale, cranberries and pepitas in a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette and serve.

Pumpkin spice pepitas

1 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)

2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss all of the ingredients together until the seeds are coated. Turn out onto a lined cookie sheet and bake in a single layer for 8 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Leaf Lettuce or lettuce

Everytime of year is the perfect time to enjoy leaf lettuce, especially locally grown. Our leaf lettuce mixes contain a variety of different leaf lettuces-red and green, butterhead and crisp and frilly. They are a definte plus to any holiday table.

Fall Harvest Salad (adapted from www.cookincanuck.com)

Dressing:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup + 2 T olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together except olive oil. While continuing to whisk, slowly drizzle in olive oil to mix.

8 cups mixed salad greens

1 cup chopped apple

1/2 cup Maple Pecans (recipe to follow)

2 ounces feta or goat cheese

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

3 Tablespoons above dressing

Combine all salad ingredients in large bowl. Toss with dressing.

Maple Pecans:

1 T coconut oil

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 1/2 cups raw pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet wtih parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, salt, vanilla, and spices. Stir to combine. Add the pecans and stir to coat. Transfer to baking sheet and spread into single layer. Bake until lightly toasted, about 18 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool and store in airtight container.

There you have it. Here are some new recipes to try at your holiday meal or at anytime. Locally grown winter greens are by far some of the tastiest and make a great addition to any table, anytime.

Remember to stop by our farm stand Friday, November 22 between 12-4 to sample!

Warmly,

Farmer Jackie