Week 23 of CSA and Farm Stand Pop-up Preview

We made a lot of progress last week in cleaning up the fields. All of the landscape fabric and black plastic mulch are up, and we took down one of our deer fences. There are still a few remaining field tasks, like taking down our second deer fence, mulching our garlic and strawberries, and putting up smaller fences around our tulips and strawberries. Mostly, though, we have high tunnel projects and maintenance work on our equipment and infrastructure.

In addition to clean-up and maintenance work, we are also prepping for a Thanksgiving pop-up sale on Saturday, November 23rd. We’ll likely have potatoes, sweet potatoes, our own butternut, Autumn Frost squash, pie pumpkins, onions, carrots, beets from Atlas Farm, turnips, radishes, cabbage and salanova

2025 CSA sign-ups are still open to new and returning members alike. CSA description are found here: https://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/csa. If you are a current member please see the email that was sent out a few weeks ago for your sign-up link. PYO Flower CSA sign-ups will open up later this fall, and Barrett’s Bucks sign-ups will open up this winter!

In the CSA this week:

• Popcorn - These are distributed on the cob. Kernels can be removed by rubbing them off the cob with your thumb.

• Garlic - We’ve planted all of our garlic for next year, and there was enough leftover for distribution in the CSA!

• Leeks

• Yellow potatoes - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Sweet potatoes - This week’s recipe theme is sweet potatoes. Check them out for ideas about what to do with some of our larger sweet potatoes!

• Autumn Frost squash

• Carrots

• Beets - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Brussels sprouts - These are distributed on the stalk.

• Mini Daikon

• Watermelon radishes - These have a similar level of heat as the daikon. The insides are magenta, so it’s visually stunning!

• Storage turnips

• Storage cabbage - green and purple.

• Lettuce

• Salanova

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Parsley

Available for sale during CSA pick-ups:

• Green tomatoes

• Colored peppers - likely available only on Wednesday.

• Broccoli - likely available only on Wednesday.

• Butternut squash - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Honey from Double B (from hives on the property). Not organic.

• Raspberry vinegar and jam from Silferleaf Farm in Concord. Certified Organic.

• Cranberries from Fresh Meadows in Carver, MA. Certified Organic.

Sweet Potato Fries

by Mark Bittman, from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 400.

2. Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks ¼ to ½ inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil.

3. Mix the spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Spread them out on 2 rimmed baking sheets.

4. Bake until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 15 minutes, then flip and cook until the other side is crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato-Garlic Soup With Chile Oil

By Nik Sharma from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

For the Soup

• 1 head of garlic

• 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1½pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

• Fine sea salt

For the Chile Oil

• ½ cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed

• 2 tablespoons red-pepper flakes, such as Aleppo

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove some of the excess paper from the head of garlic, leaving the bulb intact. Rub the bulb with 2 teaspoons oil and place it in the center of a rimmed baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, onion and cumin seeds with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Spread them in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast until the sweet potatoes are slightly caramelized and tender and the garlic has softened, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest until the vegetables are cool enough to handle, about 8 minutes.

3. While the vegetables roast, prepare the chile oil: In a small saucepan over medium, heat the neutral oil, taking care not to burn it. (Measure the oil’s temperature with a thermometer; it should read about 325 degrees. You could also test the temperature with a Sichuan peppercorn: It should sizzle when tossed in.)

4. Once the oil is hot, remove it from the heat, add the red-pepper flakes, garlic and Sichuan peppercorns. Cover with a lid and let steep for at least 20 minutes. (The oil can be prepared a day ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.)

5. Transfer the cooked sweet potato mixture to a blender. Squeeze the softened garlic pulp out of the cloves and add the pulp to the blender. Add ¼ cup stock to the baking sheet and scrape off any bits that have stuck to the pan. Add the stock and bits to the blender. Add the remaining stock, the black pepper and turmeric to the blender and purée on high speed until smooth and creamy. Taste and add salt as needed. Transfer the soup to a medium saucepan and rewarm over low as needed.

6. Divide the soup among bowls. Give the chile oil a stir and drizzle the soup with a generous tablespoon or two. Serve immediately.

Brown Butter Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

By Yossy Arefi from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, butternut squash or carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1 cup French green lentils or black lentils, rinsed

• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

For the Brown Butter Vinaigrette

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

• Kosher salt and black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and set a rack in the center.

2. Prepare the sweet potatoes: On a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

3. While the sweet potatoes cook, prepare the lentils: Add the lentils to a medium pot and cover with about 6 cups water. Salt the water generously and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the lentils until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain the lentils then return them to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

4. Prepare the vinaigrette: Add the sage to a small bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet set over medium heat. (Use a pan with a light interior so you can easily see the milk solids change color.) Cook the butter a few minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the milk solids off the bottom and sides of the pan as needed, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell toasty.

5. Pour the hot browned butter and all of the toasty bits over the sage; it will crackle and foam a bit. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute to let the foam subside, then whisk in the olive oil, followed by the red wine vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the pot with the warm lentils. Pour the dressing over the top and stir gently to combine. Add the parsley, season with more salt and pepper, if desired, and toss to combine.

7. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with goat cheese, if using. Serve warm.

Week 22 of Extended/Flex CSA and Farm Updates

We seem to be in a pattern of a cold weekend and Monday followed by warmer weather later in the week. We definitely utilized that warmer weather at the end of last week to roll up and put away all of our irrigation. Several years ago we didn’t get to irrigation pick-up until November and water had frozen in all of the lines that were on shady field edges, making them tough to drain. We eventually got them all drained by dragging them into sunnier areas, but since then we’ve made it a priority to get as much put away as possible before hard freezes!

This week we’re continuing the field clean-up. We’ll be taking down the rest of the field tomato trellising, rolling up landscape fabric, picking up plastic mulch and drip tape, and hopefully also taking down deer fences. The deer have recently begun hanging out in the fields in broad daylight, so we might as well take down the fences so the deer don’t start taking the fence’s presence as an invitation to hang out!

Finally, a reminder that we’ve now opened up 2025 CSA sign-ups to new members. You can find descriptions of our new CSA options here:

https://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/csa

To sign up, visit:

http://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/online-store

If you are a current member and never received an email from us with the link to the CSA renewal page, please email Melissa! PYO Flower CSA sign-ups will open up later this fall, and Barrett’s Bucks sign-ups will open up this winter!

In the CSA this week:

• Leeks

• Green tomatoes - The classic preparation is fried green tomatoes, but the firm texture and tart flavor lend itself to other recipes as well! They can be pickled, made into chutney, roasted with sweeter veggies like winter squash or sweet potato, or you could try out the green tomato salsa verde recipe below!

• Brussels sprouts - These are distributed on the stalk.

• Butternut squash - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Sweet potatoes

• Carrots

• Beets - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Peppers - Mostly green, but we may have some with streaks of color early in the week.

• Broccoli

• Mini Daikon

• Watermelon radishes - These have a similar level of heat as the daikon. The insides are magenta, so it’s visually stunning!

• Storage turnips

• Green storage cabbage

• Kale

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Parsley

Available for sale during CSA pick-ups:

• Honey from Double B (from hives on the property). Not organic.

• Raspberry vinegar and jam from Silferleaf Farm in Concord. Certified Organic.

• Cranberries from Fresh Meadows in Carver, MA. Certified Organic.

Sweet Potato Soup With Feta and Za’atar Oil

Recipe from "The Food 52 Cookbook", adapted by Tara Parker-Pope from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons za’atar (a spice blend that combines dried hyssop, thyme and sesame seeds and can be found at Middle Eastern grocers or other specialty stores)

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 onion, peeled and diced

• 1 carrot, peeled and diced

• 1 leek, white part only, rinsed thoroughly and diced

• 5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 6 cups water

• 2 cups vegetable stock

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

• ¼ cup feta cheese

Preparation

1. In a small pot, combine ¼ cup olive oil and the za’atar. Cook over medium heat until hot, but take care not to burn the za’atar. Set aside for at least one hour to cool and infuse.

2. In a large pot, heat the butter and remaining olive oil over medium high heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion, carrot and leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potato cubes and sauté for another minute. Add the water, stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once the soup begins to boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check to make sure the sweet potatoes are completely soft. If not, continue cooking until they are.

3. Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup using a regular or immersion blender. Check the seasoning and add the salt (you may need more or less depending on the stock you used). Ladle out the soup into individual bowls. Crumble some feta into each bowl, and drizzle each bowl with some of the za’atar oil.

Green Tomato Salsa Verde

from Yup, it’s Vegan

Ingredients

• 1 lb green tomatoes (green = unripe)

• 1/2 medium white onion diced

• 1 or 2 serrano peppers thinly sliced (mine were super hot, so I only used 1)

• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

• 1 tbsp lime juice or to taste

Instructions

1. Halve the green tomatoes and slice out the interior section around the stem (see the instructional image in my post), then cut in half again to make quarters. Lay out the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil.

2. Turn on the broiler in your oven and set the baking sheet on a top rack a few inches from the flames. Broil for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. (If your oven does not have a broiler, use the hottest temperature your oven can reach and roast for 10 minutes or until lightly browned).

3. Meanwhile, add the diced onions to a bowl and fill with cold water to soak for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Add the broiled green tomatoes to your food processor and pulse a few times to break them into pieces. Drain the water from the onion and add it along with the peppers, salt, cilantro, and lime juice. Pulse a few more times, until the desired texture is reached. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and lime juice if desired. The green tomato salsa can be served immediately, but it's even better after an hour or more in the fridge for the flavors to meld.

2025 CSA Sign-ups Now Open to New Members!

In spite of the fact that it feels like we are experiencing a second summer, we are in fact approaching the end of the 2024 CSA, which means we are beginning to plan for the 2025 season! The CSA program is hugely important in our planning process, so we always open sign-ups at this time of year to help us figure out our crop plan, order seeds and begin our hiring for the next season. We’ve made a few changes to our CSA program for next year, the biggest of which is the addition of a new Small CSA offering! We think the Small size option will make the CSA more accessible for smaller households who have felt like our Regular sized CSA was too big. This size is also designed for folks who have been sharing a membership but wish they didn’t have to split up the limited items and pick-your-own.

The Small CSA is about 70% of the volume of the regular size. This option will still have the same crops available in the CSA distribution area and the same inside-the-bag limits, but the PYO and outside-the-bag offerings (like watermelon and Brussels sprouts) may sometimes differ in a given week. PYO strawberries won’t be included in the Small CSA memberships, but otherwise the available PYO crops will be similar. Small memberships will be available either as Extended memberships and Flex memberships. For more information as well as pictures visit our CSA options page:

https://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/csa

Or visit the online store:

http://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/online-store

The other big change is that there will no longer be a Main Season CSA offering. However, we still have a 20 week option with the Flex memberships, and with the addition of the smaller options we still have lower price point memberships.

Most of the essentials remain the same, though. The regular-sized Flex and Extended CSAs are the same as they were in 2024. We will also be open the same CSA pick-up days and times: Wednesdays 11am-6:30pm and Saturdays 9am-3pm.

If you are a 2024 CSA member, you should have received an email last week with sign-up information. If you did not receive this renewal email please reach out to Melissa.

Week 21 of the Extended/Flex CSA and Other Farm Updates!

Saturday was the last day for the Main Season CSA, as well as the last regular day in the farm stand! Extended and Flex CSA members have 4 weeks left to the season, with the last pick-up on Novmber 23rd. While the farm store is officially closed for the season, we do expect to hold a pop-up on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, as well possibly a second one in December. We have been working on quickly turning over our high tunnels in order to plant winter hardy greens like spinach and kale mix for just that purpose, so stay tuned!

In addition to turning over our tomato high tunnel (which involves taking down trellising, pulling out plants, rolling up landscape fabric, prepping beds by hand and transplanting spinach), we dug up all of our dahlia tubers and planted our 2025 tulips and daffodils last week. In anticipation of a harder freeze Sunday and Monday nights, we also laid out row cover on many crops that we’ll be relying on this fall and next spring. This week we plan to turn over the pepper tunnel for kale mix, plant out all of our 2025 garlic and take down our CSA tent. We’d also love to get out all of the trellising stakes, landscape fabric, drip tape and plastic mulch from our field tomatoes and peppers, but that may be a bit ambitious!

In the CSA this week:

• Brussels sprouts - These are distributed on the stalk.

• Butternut - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Sweet potatoes

• Carrots

• Beets - from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Green peppers

• Colored peppers - We picked out the high tunnel right before the frost, so this will be the last colored peppers for the season!

• Broccoli

• Mini Daikon

• Watermelon radishes - These have a similar level of heat as the daikon. The insides are magenta, so it’s visually stunning!

• Storage turnips

• Cabbage - Green storage cabbage, plus there might be a few of savoy sprinkled in on Wednesday.

• Kale

• Lettuce or Salanova

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

• Parsley

Available for sale during CSA pick-ups:

• Leeks

• Keepsake Apples from Long Run Orchard in Boxborough, MA. These versatile apples are suitable for cooking or fresh eating. They have great storage qualities and are crisp and sweet. Certified Organic.

• Honey from Double B (from hives on the property). Not organic.

• Raspberry vinegar and jam from Silferleaf Farm in Concord. Certified Organic.

Bean Soup With Cabbage, Winter Squash and Farro

By Martha Rose Shulman from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• ½ pound borlotti or pinto beans, soaked overnight or for six hours in 1 quart water

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 medium carrot, chopped

• 1 small celery stalk, with leaves, chopped

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

• 4 large garlic cloves, minced

• 1 pound green cabbage, cored and shredded

• Salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced (about 2 cups)

• A bouquet garni made with a few sprigs each thyme and parsley, 2 sage leaves and a Parmesan rind

• Generous ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

• 1(14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid

• ½cup farro (spelt), cooked

• Freshly grated Parmesan for serving

Preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Cook the onion until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the carrot, celery and sage, and continue to cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about five minutes. Add half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about one minute. Add the cabbage and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, until the cabbage is limp, about 10 minutes. Drain the soaked beans, and add them to the pot, along with the squash, bouquet garni and 2 quarts water, or enough to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, add salt to taste and simmer 1½ to 2 hours until the beans are tender. Remove the bouquet garni, and discard.

2. While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in a medium-size nonstick skillet. Add the remaining garlic and the rosemary. Cook for a half-minute to a minute until fragrant, and stir in the tomatoes. Add salt. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is thick, beginning to stick to the pan and delicious. Stir into the soup along with the cooked farro. Continue to simmer for another 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, and add lots of freshly ground pepper. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.

Tip: Advance preparation: The farro can be cooked three days ahead. The finished soup keeps well and gets even better over two or three days.

CSA Week 20 and last week of the farm store!

We all may be feeling a sense of whiplash from the swings in temperature in the past week. You wouldn’t know it from the summery weather of the past couple of days, but we had multiple frosts last week that finished off our tomato and pepper plants for the year. We cleared fruit off the plants right before the hardest frost, so we’ll still have peppers as well as green tomatoes this week, but the versatile fall crops are the real stars of the show now! I’m looking forward to more roasted vegetables, soups, stir fries and pickled radishes to garnish some of my favorite staples!

This is the last week for the Main Season CSA (Extended and Flex members still have 4 more weeks after this one). This is also the final week for regular store hours, but we do hope to have a couple of pop-ups before the end of the year. We have a couple of spots left in the Extended Season Add-on CSA if you want a more weekly veggie fix: http://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/online-store/2024-extended-season-add-on-4-weeks

We are finalizing our CSA plans for 2025 right now and current members should get an email within the next couple of days with information about sign-ups. We’ll open up sign-ups to everyone else soon as well! The biggest update this year is that we’ll be offering a smaller CSA option (in addition to the large CSA membership size we currently offer).

In the CSA this week:

If you usually collect your CSA on Wednesdays between 6 and 6:30, please email the Shopkeeper (shopkeeper@barrettsmillfarm.com) to arrange a pre-packed bag this week. It is getting too dark to see under the CSA tent after 6pm. We will move CSA pick-up into the lit greenhouse once we have room in there (hopefully next week!).

• Sweet potatoes - We have some monster-sized ones that could feed a family of 10 (which means less peeling)!

• Leeks - The variety were now harvesting is larger than the type we harvested earlier in the season.

• Watermelon radishes - These have a similar level of heat as the daikon. The insides are magenta, so it’s visually stunning!

• Storage turnips

• Autumn Frost Squash - This is a type of butternut that has the appearance of a decorative squash. It has ribbing similar to an acorn squash. Very sweet flavor and the skins are edible

• Beets from Atlas Farm in Deerfield, MA. Certified Organic.

• Fennel

• Green peppers

• Colored peppers - We picked out the high tunnel right before the frost, so this will be the last colored peppers for the season!

• Broccoli

• Mini Daikon

• Savoy cabbage

• Kale

• Bok Choi

• Mustard greens

• Lettuce

CSA Pick-Your-Own:

Please note that its getting dark earlier and earlier, so we will close the PYO at 6pm.

• Parsley

• Possibly also some sage

In the farm store:

In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have:

• Asian Pears (Korean Giant variety) from Long Run Orchard in Boxborough, MA. We got a delivery at the end of the day on Friday and they had all sold out by the end of the day on Saturday, so we got some more! Certified Organic.

• Keepsake Apples from Long Run Orchard in Boxborough, MA. These versatile apples are suitable for cooking or fresh eating. They have great storage qualities and are crisp and sweet. Certified Organic.

• Spinach

• Arugula

• Salanova

• Green tomatoes

• Butternut

• Pie pumpkins

• Potatoes

• Carrots

• Salad turnips

• Cranberries from Fresh Meadows in Carver, MA. Certified Organic.

• Honeycrisp Apples from Westward Orchard in Harvard, MA and Cortland Apples from Autumn Hills Orchard in Groton, MA. Not organic.

• Honey from Double B (from hives on the property). Not organic.

• Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm - Farmer’s Mix and Shiitake. Certified Organic.

• Raspberry vinegar and jam from Silferleaf Farm in Concord. Certified Organic.

Mushroom CSA:

It is the final week of the 8-week Fall Mushroom CSA. This week is Lion’s Mane!

Best Buddha Bowl

from Love & Lemons

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, cubed

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

• 1 watermelon radish

• 2 medium carrots

• 1 cup shredded cabbage

• Lemon wedge, for squeezing

• 8 kale leaves, chopped

• 2 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa

• 1 cup cooked chickpeas or cooked lentils

• ¾ cup sauerkraut or other fermented veggie

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds or hemp seeds

• Turmeric Tahini Sauce, for serving

• Microgreens, optional

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread onto the baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

3. Thinly slice the radish into rounds (this is best done on a mandoline), and use a vegetable peeler to peel the carrots into ribbons.

4. Toss the radish slices, carrots, and shredded cabbage with a squeeze of lemon. Set aside.

5. Place the kale leaves into a large bowl and toss with a squeeze of lemon and a few pinches of salt. Use your hands to massage the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half.

6. Assemble individual bowls with the brown rice, chickpeas, kale, carrots, radishes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, sauerkraut, sesame seeds, and microgreens, if using. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the Turmeric Tahini Sauce.

Sweet Potato Soup With Ginger, Leek and Apple

by Martha Rose Shulman, from NY Times Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil or butter

• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced

• 4t easpoons minced fresh ginger

• 2¼ pounds orange sweet potatoes (like jewel yams or garnet yams), peeled and diced

• ½ pound Yukon gold or russet potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 to 1¼ pounds tart apples, like Braeburn or Granny Smith, peeled, cored and diced

• 2 quarts water

• Salt to taste

• Fresh lime juice and medium-hot chili powder or chipotle chili powder for garnish

Preparation

1. Heat the oil or butter in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir together until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, regular potato, apples and water and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour, until all of the ingredients are thoroughly tender.

2. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup (or you can use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing) until very smooth. Return to the pot, heat through and adjust salt. Ladle into bowls, squeeze a little lime juice and sprinkle a little chili powder over each serving and serve.

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead, but it's best freshly made.