• Tomatoes – many early varieties; Celebrity, New girl, Valley Girl, Dafel, Applegate and Mountain Magic
• Zucchini – the yellow varieties are just more vigorous, Zephyr, Sunburst patty pan , and our new striped yellow version are beating green varieties like Noche, Raven, Jackpot hands down. Good thing they all taste similar and can be used interchangeably
• Cherry tomatoes – Sungold still the biggest, and the best, new comers Jasper and Golden Sweet are good as well
• Cucumbers – did we already mention that this is the year of the cucumber? Many varieties from Olympian (a green slicer) to Super Zagros and Beit Alpha (middle eastern varieties) and our new giant thin skinned beauty Pepinex.
• Hot peppers – the huge jalapeno is called Jalafuego and boy is she productive! We have quite a crop of really hot peppers on the way, but they need to change color before they add any heat at all.
• EGGPLANT – get ready to enjoy eggplant, we have a bumper crop! We made several dishes with eggplant last night once we realized that we have over 250 plants in the ground and many plants are setting up to 10 per plant – ouch! We have Asian varieties like; Orient Express, Dairyu, and Mangan as well as the giant of Spain and Dusky. Eggplant takes on the taste of it’s accompanying vegetables so mix it with herbs like basil and parsley. My favorite of all the recipes tried is an Italian salad made with BBQ eggplant and tomatoes.
• Parsley – a much needed accompaniment for the other summer veggies
• Basil – what ever!! It is such a hard year for basil, our old stand by is just unhappy and growing with little vigor. I guess you have to take what you can get.
• Potatoes – these are Yukon gold, grown in dry conditions, they should have good flavor
• Gravenstein apples – some of the oldest apples around with good flavor for pies and sauces, try an apple cake!
• Green beans – Fortex is the long twisted forever tender bean that is our family favorite. The over productive smaller bean is Blue Lake pole, have a bean with every meal
• Fresh onions – Ailsa Craig is her name and she is large and somewhat sweet as opposed to the heat you will get when Copra comes out of the ground.
• Garlic – small heads are a real disappointment and a painful reminder that weeding is paramount with the aliums. I think we already knew this .
• You pick black berries!! There are tons and they are at their peak.
Juvencio and I started to pull the onions and shallots and boy are we happy. All that laborious weeding paid off with large healthy looking onions and a bumper crop of shallots. We will quickly turn those beds around and get in our 10 or so varieties of overwintering cauliflower. We are almost completely out of space to plant the fall crops and the winter ones as well. We got over zealous with the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant and left little space for those crops that follow. I am busy squeezing in crops where I can.
We were out there surveying the winter squash. It seems to be hit or miss. Some fertility issues with poor fruit set in some areas and amazingly huge fruits in others. You will be pleased to know that the Pink Banana is alive and well, We have over 30 fruits and they are just getting started! It looks like we will have a lot of pie pumpkins, something I always strive for but often do not achieve. The cucumber beetles are voracious and really affecting production, but this year I finally just got that I have to plant past them( ie plant more!).
We are taking a break on the greens as they are just not quite as tasty at this time of year. They are better with cooler nights and days and will be back on the menu come September. The lettuce too is small and then goes to seed, so we will wait a week and hope we don’t miss it.
The canning party is just around the corner, September 7th from 9 – until we are done (5ish). We seem to have a good line up of recipes: Plum Chutney, Tomato Chutney with Indian spices, Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce, Zucchini relish, Zucchini marmalade, pickles and pickled green beans to name a few. For those that have not participated in the past it is a fun day. Everyone works on teams to complete all the recipes and then we divide up the product at the end. Last year we all went home with about 18 jars of different items to eat over the winter. Sign up early and mark your calendars!
Enjoy your week. Share your recipes! Send me them via email so I can add them to the website.
Allium Galette
This recipe may sound a bit complicated but after making it once I think you’ll find it quick, easy and versatile. Alliums – all those wonderful members of the onion family including spring onions, green garlic, leeks, whistles, ramps and shallots – are at the heart of this dish. I saute whatever alliums are in season, add a few other veggies and herbs, the egg and a bit of cheese to bind it together, and surround the whole thing with a giant free form pie crust. YUM!
3 cups alliums including some greens, chopped
8-10 Nicoise or Kalamata olives
butter/olive oil
2/3 cup parmesan
2-3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
1-2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup cream or crème fraiche
1/4 cup chopped parsley (or other herbs)
salt and pepper
1/2 to 1 cup soft goat cheese (about 4 oz)
Almost any greens and/or mushrooms are a great addition to this dish. Saute them separately, allow to cool for 10 min, then add in with the olives at the end.
Thinly slice and wash the alliums then saute them in butter or olive oil for 5-10 min. Add thyme and 1/2 cup of water. Stew over medium heat stirring frequently until alliums are tender- about 5-10 min more. Add the wine and continue cooking until it’s reduced, then add the cream and cook until it just coats the leeks and a little liquid remains. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add olives, parmesan, and lemon zest. Let cool 10 minutes, then stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the beaten egg and most of the parsley & herbs.
Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out the dough (see below) for one large or six individual galettes. Spread the leek mixture on top, leaving a 2-inch border around the edge. Crumble the cheese over the top then fold the dough over the filling. Brush with reserved egg and bake until the crust is browned, 25-30 minutes. Remove, scatter the remaining parsley over the top, and serve.
Galette Dough
Based on a recipe from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
2 cups all purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1/3-1/2 cup ice as water as needed
Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Cut in the butter by hand or using a mixer with a paddle attachment leaving some pea sized chunks. Sprinkle the ice water over the top by the tablespoon and toss it with the flour mixture until you can bring the dough together into a ball. Press it into a disk and refrigerate for 15 min if the butter feels too soft.
I always roll the dough out onto lightly floured parchment paper because it makes then it doesn’t stick! To form a galette, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 14-inch irregular circle about 1/8th inch thick. Fold it into quarters and transfer it to the back of a sheet pan or a cookie sheet without sides. Unfold it. It will be larger than the pan.
I usually make savory galettes, but this dough is also wonderful wrapped around sweet summer fruit for dessert.
Maryanne’s Tian of Basil
• 2 medium- small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 4 bunches basil, 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 3-4 ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
• ¾ cup or less shredded kasseri, gruyere or Swiss cheese,
• ¼ cup or less fruity extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a shallow (about 2 inches deep) ovenproof serving dish. Place the zucchini slices over the bottom and press chopped basil leaves firmly over the zucchini (the basil will cook down the way spinach does).
2. Arrange the tomato slices over the basil. Then scatter the cheese evenly over the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and back about 35 minutes, until hot through and cheeses are melted
CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING
2 cups mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives
6 medium cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 heads iceberg lettuce, cored and cut into 2-inch chunks
Whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste until smooth, then whisk in chives.
Put cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce into bowls and serve with dressing. Cooks’ note:
Buttermilk dressing (without chives) can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Whisk in chives before serving.
SOBA NOODLE SALAD WITH CUCUMBER AND MANGO
3/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 red jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
12 ounces green soba or chuka soba (Japanese-style) noodles
1 large English hothouse cucumber, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
1 large ripe mango, peeled, halved, pitted, thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup chopped fresh mint
1 cup chopped toasted salted peanuts
Lime wedges
Warm vinegar, sugar, and salt in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Stir in garlic and jalapeño. Cool. Mix in lime juice, sesame oil, and lime peel.
Jalapeno Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
20 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup minced onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 cup distilled white vinegar
In a medium glass or enamel lined sauce pan over high heat, combine oil, peppers, garlic, onion and salt; saute for 4 minutes. Add the water and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. With the processor running, slowly add the vinegar.
Pour into a sterilized jar with a tight lid. This sauce will keep for 6 months when stored in the refrigerator.
PEACH AND CUCUMBER SALSA
It’s hard to believe that this sweet, crunchy, and smoky
salsa has only six calories per serving.
2 cups diced peeled pitted peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup diced unpeeled English hothouse cucumber
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 teaspoon chopped canned chipotle chiles*
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover
and refrigerate. Stir to blend before serving.) *Chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes
called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
Makes about 3 cups.
Bon Appetit July 2003
Monsieur Henny’s Eggplant Gratin
(from Patricia Wells’ At Home in
Provence)
2 Tbs olive oil
3 small (approx. 5 oz each) eggplants, or 1-2 larger ones
3 Tbs finely minced herbs, preferably rosemary, sage, thyme, basil
pinch dried oregano
salt to taste
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
2 lbs fresh tomatoes, cored and halved cross-wise
Preheat oven to 450.
Drizzle 1 Tbs of oil over bottom of 2 Qt gratin dish.
Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise (or in thirds if larger),
lightly score cut surface with a sharp knife, and place skin side
down in dish in a single layer.
Sprinkle with the herbs, salt, then with 1/2 the cheese.
Place the tomatoes cutside down in a single layer on top, brush with
remaining oil, and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until veggies are very soft, almost falling apart, approx. 1
hour.
Short Term Cucumber-Onion Pickles
Local Flavors, Deborah Madison
These were great! We had them last week, easy and they taste super.
2/3 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 shiny fresh red or white onions (I used the really small ones and added as many as I wanted)
2 cups thinly sliced cucumbers, peeled only if the skins are tough (I used any and all, cut off the ends if bitter)
a few lovage leaves, fennel greens or dill sprigs
1 teaspoon mixed whole pepper corns
3 tablespoons olive oil
1. Mix the vinegar, sugar and slat and set aside, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
2. Thinly slice the onions into rounds, then toss them with the cucumbers, herb, and peppercorns in a non corrosive bowl.
3. Add the oil to the vinegar, stir well, then pour over the vegetables. Toss well, then cover and refrigerate. It’s best if the pickles can sit for a day before being used.
4. For sweet pickles, keep for up to 5 days in refrigerator.
GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC, LEMON, AND PARSLEY
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Place beans in bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well.
Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add beans; sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to platter.