There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.
– Winston Churchill
YOUR HORSES OR MINE? photo by Julie Clark
horse·pow·er
/ˈhôrsˌpou(ə)r/
noun
1.a unit of power equal to 550 foot-pounds per second (745.7 watts).
I’m not sure who came up with horsepower as a unit of measurement. I’m not sure what size horse it is based on, or if it is just a term to define power.
What I know is that horses have been around for a long time.
My mother tells me I was born loving horses. I wonder if there is something ancient in my memory that connects me to these amazing creatures. We are all descendants of horse power. They built our bridges, went into battle, plowed our fields. We are all indebted to them throughout history.
So, enough with the pontificating. Curtis mowed one of our hay fields this week. The girls and I got to rake, which was just a big bunch of fun!! And good for us all to get out of the garden:)
What’s in the bucket? Field peas or October beans, sunchokes, pie pumpkins or butternut squash, peppers, parsley, okra, spinach or baby kale.
What’s at market: sunchokes, okra, field peas, parsley, turnip greens, mustard greens, heirloom apples. Circle S Beef: ground beef, steaks, roasts.
If you are super tired of okra, it freezes great. Just chop it how you want it, and put it in freezer bags. It makes a wonderful addition to winter soups, and is always great baked or fried.
I grew up on a version of artichoke pickle. I always thought it was the other artichoke- until I started farming and growing the tubers. These pickles are great alongside greens, with a piece of fish or chicken.
Jerusalem Artichoke Pickles
Ingredients
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS
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1/2 cup coarse kosher salt
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1 pound Jerusalem artichokes (also called sunchokes)*
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2 tablespoons dry mustard
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1 tablespoon all purpose flour
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1 1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
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1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
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1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
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1 1/2 teaspoons celery seeds
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1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
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1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
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1 1/3 cups chopped red bell pepper
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2/3 cup chopped onion
Preparation
Bring 2 cups water and 1/2 cup coarse salt to simmer in medium saucepan, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat and add 2 cups water. Cool brine.
Working with 1 Jerusalem artichoke at a time, peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in brine. Cover; chill overnight.
Whisk mustard, flour, and 1 tablespoon water in small bowl to paste. Bring vinegar and next 5 ingredients to boil in large saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Whisk in mustard paste. Simmer until thickened, whisking often, about 2 minutes. Add drained Jerusalem artichokes, bell pepper, and onion to pan; cook until artichokes are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Cool.
*Tubers of a variety of sunflower; available in the produce section of some supermarkets and at farmers’ markets.
Warning: Sunchokes are great for your gut flora – but can cause some belly ache in certain individuals. Proceed with caution.
Happy Eating and thanks for buying local food from Circle S Farm!