Cozy & Comforting Recipes

As perhaps more of us are cuddled up at home here (we sincerely hope you and yours are well!), now feels like just the time for a bowl of warm, comforting bowl soup, yes? Get cozy with our signature handcrafted tomato soup this week, perfectly complemented by fixings for a seriously-melty sandwich made from nutty Fontina and bread kissed with rich Gruyère cheese. Also included: Organic daffodils, a whimsical Swedish dish towel and Sauk Farm’s apple Verjus, which is sure to complement the box’s beautiful bevy of salad greens, too.

Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:

Double the Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Melty Fontina layered in between slices of Gruyère cheese bread? We say, yes please!

Honey-Roasted Pear Salad with Thyme-Apple Verjus Vinaigrette
This salad is a stunner!

Purple Sprouting Broccoli Salad
This room temperature salad from The Barefoot Contessa has just the right amount of crunch.

Bok Choy with Garlic & Ginger
Fresh ginger and fragrant garlic lend big flavor to sautéed bok choy greens.

Creamed Green Cabbage
This delectable cabbage is coated in a creamy béchamel sauce for extra flavor.

Baked Caramelized Onions
Whip up a batch at the beginning of the week, then enjoy these beauties tossed with roasted vegetables, incorporated into sandwiches or mixed into scrambled eggs all week long!

Double the Cheese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Melty Fontina layered in between slices of Gruyère cheese bread? We say, yes please!

Ingredients:
8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated
Sliced Gruyère cheese bread
Butter

Method:
1. Generously butter a slice of bread and lay butter-side down in a skillet. Add a generous amount of grated Fontina and top with another slice of buttered bread. Repeat with as many sammies as you please.

2. Cook over medium-high heat, flipping once the bottom side is golden brown and Gruyère cheese starts to soften. Toast for another 2-3 minutes until the other side is golden brown. Remove from the skillet and enjoy!

Variations: Triple the cheese, if you like (mozzarella or cheddar would both work well!); or, try layering caramelized onions and/or thinly-sliced apple inside the sandwich, too.

Creamy Smoked Salmon, Leek & Fingerling Potato Chowder

This luscious soup is sure to be a new fall favorite.

Ingredients:
8 ounces smoked salmon
2 leeks, halved and thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
1 bay leaf
4 cups fingerling potatoes, washed and diced
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
Small bunch fresh chives, snipped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Method:
1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the leeks and bay leaf. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes or until the leek is soft, then stir in the potatoes and mix until all the vegetables are coated in the butter.

2. Pour over the stock and cream and bring to the simmer, then gently bubble for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Add two-thirds of the smoked salmon, stir through and season with salt and pepper. Serve the soup in deep bowls with the remaining smoked salmon and snipped chives on the top.

Fall Favorites

With crunchy leaves underfoot and a distinct nip in the air, the wonderful season of autumn is one of our favorites, especially thanks to the beautiful bounty of produce that is now coming in from the Bella Luna gardens and orchards.

Crisp-crunchy apples. Mellow-sweet pears. Vibrant squash, foraged mushrooms and hearty kale. These colorful fall staples are re-inspiring us to get back in the kitchen, as we have been spending more and more of our hours at the stove experimenting with new recipes and rediscovering old favorites. We’re busy taking notes, too, as we plan ahead for a new series of classes and workshops here at the farm (more info soon!), but in the meantime, we invite you to cozy up, put on an apron and also get cookin’ with this round-up of beloved seasonal recipes. To fall!

Starters, Snacks & Salads
Beet, Cheddar & Apple Tarts
Thinly-sliced beets add beautiful color to these appetizer-sized tarts from Martha Stewart.

Kale Salad with Root Vegetables & Apple
Packed with crisp carrots, rutabagas and kale, this super-healthy salad from Food & Wine is incredibly refreshing.

Blue Cheese-Stuffed Roasted Pears with Arugula
Roasted and topped with cranberries, hazelnuts and blue cheese, these pears from the Barefoot Contessa are incredibly flavorful.

Veg Out!
Brown Butter Kale
This Tom Douglas recipe combines quality ingredients to bring out the inherently nutty flavor of this protein-rich green.

Savory Roasted Squash, Two Ways
After roasting, this side is topped with either fresh thyme, honey and walnuts, or hazelnuts and blue cheese, for a spectacular finish.

Stars of the Show
Butternut Squash Bisque
Creamy and supremely satisfying, this butternut squash-based soup is spiced with cinnamon, cayenne and thyme.

Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto
Creamy and delicious, this recipe is a favorite here at the farm—just remember to stir!

Sweet Dreams
Honey-Poached Pears with Crème Fraîche
This lovely, light dessert from Bon Appetit uses honey to draw out the mellow sweetness of fall pears.

Maple-Spiced Apples
These fragrant apples are wonderful served on top of pancakes or waffles.

this week's recipes
asian flavors

farm & garden notes
hello, may!

workshops & events
new classes!

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