Fish and parsnip, turnip and potato chips

We were out at Kenneth's parents' place Friday and Saturday, so no CSA postings. Thursday we had German peasant food: sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut skillet. I come from Waterloo, Ontario, heart of German immigration in Ontario, so I spent my childhood avoiding German food - so Kenneth introduced me to this one. I'm a convert: homemade sauerkraut tastes so much better than canned, which was the only kind I knew. This week we got sauerkraut in the box, but Kenneth also makes his own, so this meal has become a standby.

We tried turkey sausages and they were fine, so we might be using those again in the future. Boil the potatoes until a fork can go into them relatively easily (don't overcook) while you cook the sausages in a cast-iron skillet. Cut up the sausages into bite-sized chunks, then return to heat with the potatoes and a good couple of handfuls of sauerkraut. I added a few leaves of sliced kale and it upped the nutrient (and colour!) content without changing the taste much - a good addition. I cooked the mixture on the stove for about 10 more minutes, until the potatoes had picked up the flavours of the sauerkraut and sausages. Kenneth says you're supposed to put it in the oven for 20 minutes or so, but we didn't have time!

Tonight the plan is healthy fish-and-chips: oven-baked balsamic salmon with Taproot parsnip, potato, and turnip chips. Slice the potatoes, parsnip and turnip into wedges or sticks, and toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Season with spices and a bit of salt if you want (they're good plain, too). Spread them out on a foil-lined baking tray or in a take-out-food tinfoil tray, making sure each chip is lying flat on the foil. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes (the parsnips will burn first, so keep an eye on them). Turn the chips so another side is on the foil, and bake for another 10 minutes; repeat if necessary until the chips are mostly crispy. Serve with ketchup or dijon mustard mixed with mayonnaise - hey, it doesn't hurt to be a little unhealthy!

This should use up the parsnip, some potatoes, and the turnip we have left from a few weeks ago which we haven't managed to foist off on Ria. Kenneth and I have come around to turnip once we started cooking it this way! Still left: squash, kale, carrots, leeks. Mmm, leeks.... I'll keep you posted.