Week six pick up, 1/2/14. Roast chicken and lentil soup.

SO. MUCH. FOOD. I know, most people over-eat over the holidays. But this year seemed exceptionally gluttonous. I wouldn't change a thing, it was so nice sharing so much wonderful, (mostly) local food with our friends and family.



The goat gouda was eaten around the holidays, ok...but not great.

It was difficult to think of cooking again so soon, but our next Fresh Fork delivery was the day after New Years.

Week 6:

1 whole chicken
3# purple potatoes
1-2 bulbs shallots
1 candy onion
2# mixed parsnips and carrots
1 bag kale
1 head napa cabbage
1# brussels sprouts
1 dozen eggs
2 winter squash
apple cider

Remember that smoked Berkshire ham I made for Christmas Eve? Thankfully I was smart enough to freeze the bone for lentil soup. This is a hearty, simple, delicious meal perfect for the sub zero January we had. 

Lentil soup:

1 ham bone
3-4 quarts water
12 oz dried lentils
1 medium sweet onion, diced
5 stalks celery, diced
5 carrots, diced
a few handfuls of kale
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf

1 tsp whole telicherry peppercorns
salt, to taste

Place hambone in stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and skim surface for first 10 minutes.
While ham is simmering, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add kale and cook until wilted. Set aside.
After ham has simmered 10 minutes, add rest of ingredients (including kale). Simmer about 3 hours.

You can see in the photo below the varied color of the Fresh Fork heirloom carrots. 

I roasted the chicken using the Thomas Keller recipe from week 1. (This recipe also used some of the potatoes, parsnips, carrots and onion.)  The Napa cabbage was again grilled, and again was delicious. Unless otherwise noted, the eggs are cooked over easy on the weekends. These are THE BEST eggs we have ever had. I cannot even go back to buying grocery store eggs ever again!
Apple cider replaces OJ in the mornings whenever we get it. My kids can't get enough.

Sadly, I got to the brussels sprouts too late. They were wilted and a little rotted on the inside. I kept them on the stalk this time instead of removing and cleaning them right away. Lesson learned.

Ingredients I still need to use:

2# brewers grain mix
2# sauerkraut
pizza dough
turtle beans
ground beef
shallots
winter squash
approximately 2# purple potatoes

I'm pretty proud that we made it to week six before actually letting an ingredient go to waste! (Now, if only I can find someone to take that last two pounds of sauerkraut off my hands.)