Rooted on the farm

Fresh batches of potatoes and onions hit the plate
Summer time brings new batches of two staple vegetables in most
peoples’ diets: potatoes and onions.
Many people don’t realize that these crop mainstays are
harvested all at once and can be kept for months in storage. Now
knowing this, I find myself eager for the fresh ones to come in
while getting by during the winter months on last season’s
crop.
Fresh batches of potatoes and onions hit the plate

Summer time brings new batches of two staple vegetables in most peoples’ diets: potatoes and onions.

Many people don’t realize that these crop mainstays are harvested all at once and can be kept for months in storage. Now knowing this, I find myself eager for the fresh ones to come in while getting by during the winter months on last season’s crop.

New potatoes are particularly delicate, making you want to boil them lightly in a warm bath and then eat them with a simple dressing to enjoy their flavor to the fullest. These days there are several hybrid breeds of potatoes in the marketplace, but my two favorites remain Yukon gold and red potatoes – traditional and their savory flavors do stand up above in the crowd.

Don’t get me wrong – the purple hues and German butterballs, to name a couple, are fun, too, but you can’t beat a few red potatoes as the base of the perfect potato salad or a mound of boiled Yukon mashed together with a little milk and seasoning to create an ideal side dish that can be had alongside any meal.

As with potatoes, there are several varieties of onions available today. There are your standard red, yellow, and white onions and also several delicious sweeter varieties such as cipollinis, torpedoes, and shallots. It is difficult to pick a favorite!

For as long as I can remember Dad has been growing red and yellow onions and nothing smells like summer as much as the onion harvest. Its earthy, dry, sweet smell looms over our farm right now, accentuating the summer heat and making me want to eat a lot of sauteed onions and bell peppers together.

It was my first job when I was 9 and very eager to work for Dad. I was very jealous of my older sister who was 11 at the time and went along with Dad after lunch every day to the ranch where she would sort onions for him for the afternoon.

One day I begged him to let me come, and he finally gave in. He offered me $1 an hour, and I couldn’t have been happier. The dust that whipped through the air by the high winds didn’t bother me.

Nor did the smell of onions clinging to my clothes by the end of my 2-hour shift (after all, that was all a girl could take!) I was excited to have a job. I felt grown up, and eager to save enough money to buy some fancy school supplies at the Hello Kitty store for the new school year.

Hearing the bumps and grinds in the packing shed right now makes me nostalgic for those days, and it also makes me truly appreciate the ability to be working alongside the operation still.

Even more joyous is when customers of mine compliment us on the delicious onions we have. I am proud because I know how hard Dad worked to grow them, and how hard the task of getting them sorted and boxed up for the supermarkets can wear you out by the end of the day.

The wonderful aspect of producing these crops is that, unlike other summer vegetables, such as zucchini or cucumbers or lettuce, you can store them for months so that come winter when the cold weather makes you want to cook more, they are there for you to enjoy.

Potato salad

5 large Yukon potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 cucumber, chopped

5 stalks celery, chopped

1 large red onion, chopped

¼ c. olive oil

½ c. red wine vinegar

¼ tsp. garlic powder

fresh black pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 min. Drain and cool. Combine the potatoes, cucumber, celery, and onions in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and garlic powder. Pour the dressing over the potato salad and mix well. Season with pepper to taste, then chill in the refrigerator. Stir again just before serving.

Balsamic roasted onions

3 large sweet onions (about 1 3/4 pounds)

Cooking spray

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel onions, leaving roots intact; cut each onion into 6 wedges.

Place onion wedges in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; pour vinegar mixture over onion wedges, tossing gently to coat. Cover and bake at 450 degrees for 25 min. Uncover and bake an additional 45 min. or until tender.