- Peppers – Sweet and Red, some trouble with the heat, so some bad spots, please cut off those spots and enjoy the rest of the pepper
- Stuffing peppers – these are Anaheim’s! enjoy them stuffed or cut up in other dishes, they have very little heat.
- Hot peppers – finally they have come on. I made the mistake of putting them at the edge of a bed and they got squeezed out by the weeds, so these are from later planted beds in the field. More to come!
- Kale – lightly munched by those pesky flea beetles.
- Tomatillos – time to make salsa
- Eggplant – don’t forget to let it sit with salt, that really helps remove any bitter juices and gets it to cook until really soft
- Tomatoes – struggling with that blossom end rot, the heat and all has been killer
- Cherry tomatoes – up to two baskets, see recipes below and enjoy
- Beans – again a casualty of the heat L very few but delicious
- Zucchini – hopefully we got all those giants off the plants, they are slow to recouperate.
- Cucumbers – enjoy them while they last, the second bed has been hit by some illness and has stopped producing so we are counting on the greenhouse production only.
- Onions – most of the onions are harvested and out of the field curing upstairs. This is a huge variety called Ailsa Craig, somewhat sweet and not a great keeper.
- Garlic
- Basil – getting the whole plant now! Make pesto to store, it is great frozen in ice cube tray to add to dishes that call for basil throughout the year
- Parsley
- Plums or Asian pears
We are back from a great vacation in Vancouver, Victoria and the Olympic Peninsula. We had a super trip enjoying both city and a tiny taste of camping. I will try and upload some photos but have to rush off today so will do it later in the week.
The canning party is set for September 12 it promises to be a fun day. We start at 0900 and finish by 5:30. We have selected 115 recipes based on what extra produce we think we will have. I have attached the list of items to bring. This event is for farm members and is intended for those who have never canned and those who love to can. You do not need previous experience. We will guide you through the process and try to have all the additional supplies gathered and available. That being said, if you have a canner and a propane stove, please do bring them. Email me and let me know I can count on you to bring it. We have room for 20 participants and we will have a waiting list. You are welcome to bring older children who can help with the preparation, small ones will need an adult who can watch over them. There are a lot of hot pots and knives around so keep that in mind when you are planning.
Payments are due for the remainder of your share. If you have questions please email me and I will try and get back to you with your balance. The total cost of the subscription is $860. A half share costs $430. A deposit of $100 was paid on inscription and most of you paid half by May 1st, this should help you know your balance.
Dates to remember:
- Payment for the remainder of the season due August 1
- Helvetia Culture Fest August 16th 1-5, take a flyer from the barn
- Canning party – September 12 (sign-up today!)
- Harvest Festival, October 18
- Sign-up to help with the harvest, we can use your help
Becca’s favorite Thai Cumber salad with Roasted Peanuts
¼ cup fresh limejuice
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 ½ tablespoons minced seeded jalapeno chili (about 1 large)
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ English hothouse cucumbers, halved, seeded, thinly sliced
¾ cups sliced red onion
2 tablespoons fresh mint
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts
Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Place cucumbers, onion, and mint in large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on peanuts and serve.
Julia’s cherry tomato notes:
-I like these as a snack as is.
-Basic (cherry) tomato sauce: Wash several baskets worth, then put in a pot with onion, garlic and oregano and cook down for about 1/2 hour over medium heat. (olive oil can be added if you like). Then let it cool some, put through a food mill, and voila: tomato sauce!
-Add cherry tomatoes halved to a grain salad such as couscous, rice, orzo or other pasta. I find them to be an essential ingredient!
Here’s a recipe from a 35 year old cook book called America’s Best Vegetable Recipes from the editors of The Farm Journal:
“Try cooking cherry tomatoes. Saute them in a skillet in butter for only 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of sugar to make them shine. A bright and tasty addition to a dinner plate.”
Cherry Tomato and Olive Relish from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
1 or 2 yellow or other tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
24 nicoise olives, pitted and halved (I use the already pitted kalamata from trader joes, I chop them roughly for this recipe)
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped marjoram (I use oregano when I don’t have marjoram available)
5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
fresh lemon juice to taste
salt and pepper
Put the tomatoes in a bowl with the olives, capers, and herbs. Moisten with the oil, then season to taste with the S & P & lemon juice. Serve right away, or at least within the hour of making it.
Marinated Cherry Tomatoes 4 servings
2 baskets Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Finely chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon Finely chopped rosemary
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mix tomatoes, onions, parsley, rosemary, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a shallow bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the bowl and let tomatoes marinate at room temperature at least 1 hour, but preferably 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally. Enjoy with crostini or as a side dish.
Cherry Tomato & Avocado Salad
1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tablespoons chopped scallion or other mild onion
1 cup (approx.) chopped avocado
2 tablespoons chopped herb (such as parsley, cilantro, dill….)
optional vinaigrette to coat (whirl 2 T lemon juice or vinegar, 1 small clove garlic, 1 t mustard, pinch salt and pepper, with 1/2 cup olive oil in blender.) Gently mix all ingredients. Serve. (The avocado is optional but delicious)
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
- Maryanne’s ¾ cup or less shredded kasseri, gruyere or Swiss cheese,
- ¼ cup or less fruity extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- 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).
- 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
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.
Zucchini and Chickpeas
adapted from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright
2 T olive oil
1 pound young zucchinis, trimmed and sliced about ½ inch thick
16 oz can chickpeas, drained
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
S & P to taste
2 T finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the zucchini, chickpeas, garlic, salt and pepper until the zucchini are slightly soft, about 20 minutes. Toss with the parsley and serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings
Easy Zucchini Soufflé By Dave Holt (habanero_holt at yahoo.com)
Sauté:
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 zucchinis, 6-8″ in length, sliced ¼” width
3 cloves garlic, pressed 5 scallions, diced
Soufflé:
6 eggs, size large
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated monterey jack cheese
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon cardamom
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prepare a 9×9 ceramic or glass baking disk with a light coating of extra virgin olive oil.
Soufflé Preparation:
Beat eggs and sour cream with a medium sized whisk until thoroughly mixed (This aerates the soufflé and allows us to skip the step of separating whites & yolks – thereby making this an “easy” soufflé). Add cheeses and seasonings and mix well with whisk. Add processed sauté mixture and mix well with whisk. Pour soufflé mixture into baking dish and place in oven, center rack. Bake for one hour at 325 degrees, or for forty minutes using a convection oven (soufflé is done when middle of soufflé has risen to same height as the periphery). Let cool for 10 minutes to set up before cutting and serving.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top of each serving.
Aunt Joan’s Zucchini, as remembered by Julia
1.5 pounds summer squash, mixed or all one variety
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
some chopped fresh basil
grated fresh parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Thinly slice the summer squash. Heat oil over moderate heat in medium-large frying pan. Add the minced garlic, and let cook for just a few seconds, don’t let it brown. Then add the squash, spreading out in the pan so it can all cook evenly. Once the first layer is browned up a bit, stir it around the pan, letting the still-uncooked squash hit the oil below for a little browning. You can add a bit more oil at this point if you like. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Once it’s all cooked (7-12 minutes), remove to a serving dish and top with the fresh chopped basil and the parmesan. Serves 3-4
Pasta with Zucchini, Lemon, Pine Nuts, and Herb adapted from The Greens Cook Book
1 pound corkscrew pasta (gemelli, rotelli, etc.)
8 ounces small, firm green or golden zucchini
1/2 c. mixed fresh herbs: Italian parsley, marjoram, basil, chervil, hyssop, oregano, lemon thyme and others (I used basil and thyme, but oregano and marjoram are also good. Avoid tarragon in this dish.)
1 lemon
6 T. virgin olive oil
5 T. pine nuts
1onion or 3 shallots, thinly sliced then roughly chopped
4 t. tiny capers, rinsed in water
2 sun-dried tomatoes, cut into narrow strips (I used 8 halves)
Salt & Pepper
Parmesan (grated, fresh)
Slice the zucchini diagonally into pieces about the same thickness as the pasta (matchstick size, 1/8″ or so). Line up the slices and cut them into narrow matchsticks. Each one will be tipped with green or gold. Make a selection of fresh herbs from those suggested in the ingredients list. Pull the leaves off the stems and chop them, but not too finely. Include any flowers, such as the purple flowers of the basil or pink thyme blossoms. With a vegetable peeler, remove a thin strip of peel from the lemon and cut it into fine slivers. (I grated the peel.) Heat 2 T. olive oil in a small pan and add the pine nuts. Cook them until they begin to color; then add the shallots. Cook the two together over medium low heat until the shallots are soft and the pine nuts are brown. Transfer them to a wide bowl and add the rest of the oil, the capers, lemon peel, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon or so lemon juice to taste. Add salt to the boiling water, drop in the zucchini and cook it about 1 minute. Scoop it out, shake off the water, and add it to the bowl with the other ingredients. Next, cook the pasta, scoop it out and add it to the bowl as well. Toss with a pair of tongs, so that the noodles are coated with the oil and herbs. Serve with the cheese passed separately. For a wine, serve a sauvignon blanc. Serves 2-4.
Baked Summer Squash with Pesto Crumbs
from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd
This can be served as a whole meal, over wild rice and garnished with toasted pecans.
3 lbs. Mixed summer squash
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup half-and-half
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. mace
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
2 shallots, minced
4 scallions, finely chopped
½ cup Pesto Bread Crumbs Recipe(see below)
Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a 2 ½ to 3 quart casserole dish with cover. Trim squash and cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches). Arrange squash pieces in casserole and set aside. Melt butter and olive oil together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour sauce mixture over squash, tossing until squash is coated. Cover casserole and bake 40 minutes. Toss squash gently and spoon juices and seasonings from the bottom of dish over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer, until squashes are tender when pierced with a knife.
Calabrian Bruschetta
from Verdura by Viana La Place
4 small Asian eggplants
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces provolone or caciocavallo cheese
6 thick slices country bread
2 garlic cloves
3 red tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Trim the eggplants and slice them 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the eggplant slkices on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Bake the eggplant slices in a preheated 376 degree oven for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over, brush with oil, and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Using the large side of a four sided grater (or a potato peeler…), grate the cheese into long, thin strips.
Grill or lightly toast the bread. Rub with the cut side of the garlic cloves and drizzle with olive oil.
Place a few slices of eggplant on each bruschetta, top with some sliced tomato, and sprinkle a little shredded cheese over the top.
Place the bruschette under a preheated broiler and broil until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.
Our “easy” stuffed peppers
Poblanos or Anaheim peppers charred and peeled
Corn (fresh shaved off the cob or canned)
Onions (chopped)
Zucchini (cut into small chunks)
Garlic (diced)
Eggs separated
2 teaspoons flour
salt and pepper
canola oil
Shredded Jack, cheddar, Gruyer or a combination
Roast the peppers over open flame or in the oven. Place in a paper bag for 10 minutes to let them steam and loosen their skins then peel. To make stuffing put olive oil in pan, add onion and garlic, cook for a few minutes then add the zucchini and corn. Add slat and pepper to taste. Carefully make a slit in the pepper and remove the seeds (we leave the veins as it keeps the pepper in tact), stuff with filling and some cheese. To make the pepper coating, beat the egg whites until make nice peaks then add the flour. It depends on how many peppers you make the number of eggs you’ll need, for 4 peppers you need approx. 2 eggs. Then add the egg yolks. Heat some canola oil in a frying pan, when hot dip the stuffed pepper in the coating keeping the stuffed side facing up, put the pepper in the pan and repeat until the pan is full. Cook 2-4 minutes per side but don’t burn, turn gently and most of the stuffing will remain inside if you cook the closed side first. Enjoy! It is worth the effort.