ASPARAGUS

Asparagus is one of the first crops available in the early spring, but the season is short - about 8-10 weeks - and then it is gone until next year.  This nutritious spear is a temporary but thoroughly enjoyable springtime treat.  To use, snap or cut off the bottommost woody part of the stem.  Tender, raw asparagus is great for dipping or chopping into salad.  To cook, arrange the spears in a skillet with an inch of lightly salted water and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until bright green and tender, but not mushy.  Remove from heat and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.  Warm asparagus can be topped with butter, lemon, and a sprinkle of Parmesan.  Cold asparagus is great with a vinaigrette, or olive oil, lemon, and salt.  Also works great in stir-fry and soups.

Simply Delicious Asparagus Soup Asparagus to Zucchini Cookbook

8 Tbs. butter

3 ½ - 4 cups chopped onions

8 cups chicken stock

2 lbs. asparagus

½ cup cream

salt and pepper to taste

fresh lemon thyme or dill to taste

Heat butter in soup pot, add onions, and cook until tender.  Add stock; bring to boil.  Cut tips off asparagus; reserve.  Chop stems and add to pot.  Simmer gently until asparagus is very tender, 15-20 minutes.  Puree in a food processor and return puree to pot.  Add tops; cook gently 5-10 minutes.  Stir in cream, salt, and pepper.  Add lemon thyme or dill; if you use dried herbs, add them to the onions as they cook.  Makes 8-10 servings.

Green Minestrone Basic Necessities Soup Cookbook

2 Tbs. butter

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

2 cups broccoli florets and top stems, chopped

½ cup scallions, chopped, white and green parts

¾ cup green peas, fresh or frozen

1 cup lima beans

1 cup green beans trimmed and chopped

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Heat butter in a soup pot over moderate heat and add asparagus, broccoli, scallions, and lima beans.  Cook and toss a few minutes until softened.  Add the broth and continue cooking gently until almost tender.  Add most of the green beans and peas and cook until tender.  Cool the soup and either puree it in batches in the blender or food processor or roughly blend it with an immersion blender.  Return the soup to the pot and add the rest of the beans and peas and cook for about five more minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with a garnish of fresh herbs, some bread croutons and a swirl of olive oil if desired.

BASIL

Few herbs are held in such high esteem as basil.  The aroma alone is enough to make it a top kitchen choice, but it is most famous for its flavor in tomato sauces, salad dressings, and of course, pesto.  It also makes a great addition to eggs, sautés, stir-fries, soups, tuna salad - the list is endless!  Basil should never, ever be refrigerated, as the cool temperatures will damage the leaves.  To keep fresh, place basil stems into a glass of water and keep on the kitchen counter out of direct sun.  Basil leaves can be frozen and used for cooking later.  Do not thaw before use.  Pesto can also be frozen and stored for the winter.  We freeze pesto in ice-cube trays and place the frozen cubes in zip-lock bags, and then we only thaw out as many cubes as we need.  Basil can also be dried.  Fresh basil, tomato, and mozzarella sandwiches are a true summer-time treat.

Basic Pesto

This is a basic pesto recipe from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  I rarely make pesto from a recipe, but they are a good starting place.  Once you have the basic ingredients down, you can try different amounts and even substitutions.  We often use walnuts instead of pine nuts because the latter are so expensive.  And we usually toss in various herbs in addition to basil - parsley, dill, arugula, rosemary, whatever suits your fancy.  Pesto is very versatile and is great not only on pasta, but spread on bread or mixed with rice.

2 to 3 plump garlic cloves

salt

3 Tbs. pine nuts

3 cups loosely packed basil leaves

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 to 3 Tbs. grated pecorino Romano to taste

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs. soft butter, optional

In a food processor: Process the garlic, salt, and pine nuts until fairly finely chopped, then add the basil and olive oil.  When smooth, add the cheeses and butter and process just to combine.

BEANS

We grow several varieties of fresh whole beans, including green beans, yellow wax beans, purple beans, and Flat Roma beans.  Purple beans actually lose their color when cooked and become green beans.  When they turn green they are fully cooked and should stop cooking.  This helps you retain proper flavor and nutrition.  We also occasionally grow some type of fresh shell bean, sometimes edamame, lima beans, or other shell bean.  Edamame beans are cooked in the shell with a bit of salt and butter.  To eat, simply pop the beans into your mouth and discard the shell.  Other shell beans must be shelled before cooking.  Dried beans must be soaked before cooking, but fresh shell beans do not require this step.

Italian Flat Green Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic

1 lb. Italian green beans or string beans, ends trimmed; cut on the diagonal into 2-3 inch pieces

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium cloves garlic, cut into very thin slices

1 medium tomato, preferably peeled, cored, an deseeded, then cut into ½-inch dice

Salt and Fresh ground pepper

6-8 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (stacked, then rolled tightly and cut into very thin strips) optional garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.  Add the green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender.  Drain immediately.

While beans are cooking, heat the oil in a medium sauté pan or skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic slices, distributing them evenly.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the slices become almost translucent and start to brown on the edges; be careful not to let the garlic burn.  Add the diced tomato and salt and pepper to taste, then reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, so that the tomato is heated through.  Add the cooked green beans and heat for 1-2 minutes; mix well.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with the basil, if desired.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Shell-Beans with Black Kale and Savoy Cabbage Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

I love this recipe because it is very versatile.  I’ve used lima beans, white beans, and navy beans and I’ve used various greens and even broccoli.

1 cup dried or fresh shell beans - cannellini, navy, or lima.  If dried, soak for 4 hours or overnight.

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 large onion, finely diced

2 leeks, white parts only, diced

1 bunch black (toscano) kale, leaves stripped from the stems and slivered

1 small Savoy cabbage, quartered, cored, and chopped

2 plump garlic cloves, minced or pounded with a pinch of salt

½ cup chopped parsley

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus extra to finish

Drain soaked beans, or put fresh beans in a pot and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, add ½ tsp. salt, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender, about 1 ½-hours (less for fresh beans).

While the beans are cooking, chop all the vegetables.  Rinse the leeks, kale, and cabbage, but don’t dry them.

Warm 2 Tbs. of the oil in a heavy wide skillet.  Add the onion and leeks and cook over medium-low heat until the onion is soft but not browned, about 12 minutes.  Add the kale, cabbage, garlic, parsley, and 2 tsp. salt.  Cook with the heat on low and the pan covered until the vegetables are soft and the volume greatly reduced, about 30 minutes.

When the beans are done, add them, along with a cup or two of their cooking liquid, to the pot.  Simmer until the greens are completely tender.  Taste for salt and season with pepper.  Serve with, or over, garlic-rubbed toast, drizzled wit olive oil.

BEETS

Beets are one of those vegetables that some people just don’t like, which always surprises me since I love them (but then, I don’t really understand not liking any vegetable - they are all delicious to me!).  But before you say “I don’t like beets” remember that farm fresh vegetables taste better then anything from the store and certainly beats anything from a can!  I have seen people who swear they don’t like beets try them and enjoy them when prepared well - and I have never seen anyone turn down a piece of beet chocolate cake!  For those of us who love beets, they are extremely versatile both raw and cooked.  I love to add grated raw beets to salad, or make a grated salad of carrots and beets in vinaigrette.  Beet soup, or borscht, is a favorite soup around here and nothing beats a simple dish of steamed beets with butter.  And don’t forget, the greens are also tasty and nutritious.  See “Greens” below for more beet green information.

Buttered Beets with Spring Herbs from CSA member Martha Thaler

10 medium beets, rinsed, tops trimmed

1 c. water

2 Tb. butter

1 t. minced garlic

¼ c chopped fresh chives

1 Tb. minced fresh parsley

2 t. minced fresh tarragon

2 Tb. red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 375.  Arrange beets in single layer in baking dish.  Add 1 cup of water.  Cover and bake until beets are tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.  Cool beets.  Peel and cut into ½” wedges.  Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté 1 min.  Add beets and stir until heated through.  Mix in chives, parsley and tarragon; then vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.

Beet Soup Dog Hollow Farm (From Asparagus to Zucchini)

4 large beets

1 large potato

Other veggies: celery, spinach, carrots, kale, chard, etc.

1 large onion

salt and pepper to taste

plain yogurt

Wash all the vegetables and cut into chunks.  Place in large steamer over boiling water; steam until very soft.  Using the water, from the steamer, and any other stock or water as needed, blend cooked vegetables until very smooth and thick.  Return to pot; heat gently to avoid sticking.  Add salt and pepper.  Serve each bowl with a generous portion of yogurt in center of soup.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Raw Beet Salad (Asparagus to Zucchini Cookbook)

Raw beets and carrots

Salad oil and vinegar (or your favorite vinaigrette dressing)

Chopped fresh parsley

Honey (optional)

Scrub the beets and carrots, and grate them in equal amounts.  Mix in oil and vinegar in equal amounts (or your vinaigrette dressing).  Sprinkle with parsley and add a touch of honey for additional sweetness if desired.  Make as much or as little as you need!

Beet Chocolate Cake Zephyr Community Farm (From Asparagus to Zucchini)

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

4 eggs

¼ cup oil

3 cups shredded beets

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease two 9-inch cake pans.  Whisk dry ingredients together.  Melt chocolate very slowly over low heat or in double boiler.  Cool chocolate; blend thoroughly with eggs and oil.  Combine flour mixture with chocolate mixture, alternating with the beets.  Pour into pans.  Bake until fork can be removed from center cleanly, 40-50 minutes.  Makes 10 servings.

BROCCOLI

Broccoli is generally a spring and fall crop as it does not hold up well in summer heat.  It packs a nutritional punch and when not overcooked it is loaded with vitamin A, C, calcium, potassium, and iron.  If you suspect any pests are lingering in the head, soak it upside down in cold, salted water.  Remove any tough, woody parts of the stem.  Lightly steamed broccoli (5-7 minutes) retains most of its nutrients, and is better digested than raw broccoli.  It is best used within a few days but you can store it in a plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator.  For long-term storage, broccoli freezes well.  Cut into florets and slice stems.  Blanch for 3-4 minutes, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process, drain, let dry, and place in an airtight container such as a zip-lock freezer bag.

CABBAGE and NAPA CABBAGE

Like its relative, broccoli, cabbage is generally found in the early summer and fall.  There are many different types of cabbage and we grow several on the farm.  In the early spring we grow Napa cabbage and Savoy.  In the fall we do more Savoy and also green storage varieties.  Storage cabbages grow into tight, dense heads, and given the appropriate root cellar conditions will store for months.  Even in the refrigerator hydrator drawer, cabbage can last 3 weeks - 2 months.  Though cabbage is 90% water, it also has significant quantities of vitamins and minerals.  It has been used medicinally for centuries and fermented cabbage (like sauerkraut and kimchi) was an early method of food preservation that still nourishes much of humanity today.  Raw uses of cabbage include slaw and some varieties make great salads.  Steamed cabbage with butter and pepper is one of my favorite comfort foods.  I also love to add cabbage to soups.

Napa Cabbage Salad with Peanuts and Parsley (adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison)

The salad:

½ cup skinned raw peanuts

1 tsp. peanut oil

1 large carrot

4 cups sliced Napa Cabbage

2 cups slivered lettuce leaves

3 thin scallions or garlic tops

¼ cup chopped parsley (or cilantro)

2 Tbs. chopped mint leaves

2 Tbs. chopped basil leaves

The Dressing:

½ jalapeno chili, finely diced

¼ cup rice vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. sea salt

¼ cup roasted peanut oil

1. Heat the peanuts in the oil over medium-low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly browned after a few minutes.  Blot with paper towel and set aside.

2. Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of the carrot until you’ve reached the core.  Discard the core.

3.  Combine the cabbage, lettuce, and carrot with everything except the nuts.  Whisk the dressing together and toss with the greens.  Add the peanuts just before serving.

Halushka Kapusta (Cabbage and Noodles) Rachel Bynum, Waterpenny Farm

Speaking of comfort food, this is the best!

Cabbage

Butter

Noodles

Salt and pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese

Boil water for your favorite kind of noodles.

Wash cabbage and remove the core and the thick central veins from the outer leaves.  Slice into ¼-inch strips.

Sauté cabbage in plenty of butter, until cabbage is completely soft and wilted.

Add buttery cabbage to cooked noodles and add salt and pepper to taste.

Top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Chinese Cabbage Stir-Fry (New Basics Cookbook)

1 Tbs. sesame seeds

1 head Chinese cabbage

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

2-3 chopped garlic tops or cloves

1 tsp. minced fresh ginger

2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp. sesame oil

*Throw in some other veggies too!

Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet or hot oven several minutes, tossing occasionally; set aside.  Rinse cabbage, drain and pat dry.  Cut leaves crosswise into 1/2-ince slices.  Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until it ripples.  Add garlic tops and ginger.  Cook one minute, stirring.  Add cabbage and stir-fry until wilted and dark green.  Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil.  Cook 1 minute.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

CHARD

Chard is a relative of beets, and the leaves are similar.  It is a colorful addition to any recipe and can be used to replace spinach or other cooking greens.  In fact, chard rivals spinach as far as vitamins and minerals go and has the added bonus of being low in oxalic acid.  Oxalic acid is an element present in spinach that binds to minerals and keeps them from being absorbed by the body.  It is the extremely high levels of oxalic acid in rhubarb leaves that make them toxic.  The levels in spinach are much lower, but chard has even less, making the minerals in chard more easily digested.  Baby chard leaves can be added to salad mix, but the larger leaves must be cooked.  Stems are also edible, but need to cook longer.  You can use chard to replace spinach in lasagna, quiche, or omelets.  Leaves and stems can be steamed, sautéed, added to stir-fries, or soups.  See “Greens” section for more recipes that can be substituted with chard.

Sautéed Swiss Chard

1 bunch Swiss chard

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium diced onion

1 glove minced garlic

2 medium diced tomatoes

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. sugar or honey

1/8 tsp. Tobasco sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup sour cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Trim and chop chard, discarding tough stems.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil and add diced onions and garlic until softened.  Add and toss chard to coat the leaves.  Cover pan with a lid for 3-5 minutes until chard is wilted and tender.  Add tomatoes, red wine vinegar, sugar or honey, Tobasco sauce, and basil.  Heat for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add sour cream.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Swiss Chard and Chick-Pea Soup Asparagus to Zucchini

3 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 cup red onion, diced

1 sprig rosemary, leaves removed from stem and chopped

1½ tbs. crushed garlic

6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups chopped tomatoes

1 can (15 oz.) chick-peas, drained and rinsed

1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and greens roughly chopped

salt and pepper

Combine carrots, celery, red onion, rosemary, garlic, and stock in a saucepan.  Bring to a low boil and cook about 10 minutes.  Add tomatoes, chick-peas, and chard greens.  Simmer another 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 6 servings.

Asian-Style Chard Asparagus to Zucchini

1 bunch chard, cleaned

1 Tbs. peanut oil

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 Tbs. soy sauce

2 Tbs. hoisin sauce

Fresh ground black pepper

Cut off and discard thick stem ends of chard.  Cut out ribs; chop ribs into 2-inch pieces; set aside in a pile.  Stack the leaves in small piles; coarsely chop them.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ribs; toss and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add leaves and garlic; continue to cook, tossing often, until chard begins to wilt, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in soy sauce and hoisin sauce; cook until chard is tender, 1-3 minutes longer.  Add pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.  Makes 2-4 servings.

CUCUMBERS

Cucumbers are available from mid-summer until cool weather sets in.  Each planting is fairly short lived, so we plant several times from late spring until mid-summer to have them for most of the season.  Cucumbers are 95% water and a small amount of vitamins and minerals, including large amounts of vitamin E - which makes is an effective skin conditioner (hence the cucumber slices over the eyes thing) so try rubbing some on your skin for its refreshing benefits.  Cucumbers are a great way to be “cool as a cucumber” on hot days.  Cold cucumber salad is a favorite summertime treat at our house.  They make a great addition to garden salads and a great sandwich topper.  (Side note:  When I was in Scotland on a study abroad program, my host family loved cucumber and mayonnaise sandwiches.  I was not a fan, but give it a try if you want!  I think with homemade mayo I would like it better!)  Chilled cucumber soup is also a great cooler on a hot day.

Rachel’s Favorite Cucumber Salad Waterpenny Farm

3-4 medium cucumbers, sliced thinly.  If the skin is blemished, peel in stripes before slicing.

1 small sweet onion, sliced thinly

1 Tbs. canola oil

2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs. honey

Chopped basil leaves (and/or parsley, dill)

Tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, chopped

A liberal sprinkling of sea salt

Pepper to taste

Toss together and serve immediately.

Pickle Recipes both of these recipes come from CSA member Martha Thaler

Pickled Fresh Cucumber

1 medium size cucumber

¼ c. white vinegar

1Tb. water

1/8 c. sugar

¼ t. salt

dash pepper

1Tb. chopped parsley

Slice cucumber very thin.  Place in deep bowl.  Mix

vinegar, water, sugar, salt, pepper, and parsley.

Pour over cucumber.  Cover with plate resting directly

on cucumbers in bowl.  Refrigerate for 3 hours before

serving.

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Freezer Pickles

4 c. cucumbers, sliced

2 c. onions, sliced

4 t. salt

2 Tbs. water

¾ c. sugar

½ c. vinegar

1 t. dry dill or celery seed

Combine first 4 ingredients in a glass bowl and let

stand for two hours.  Drain and rinse well.  Add last

3 ingredients to cucumbers and onions, and let stand

until sugar is dissolved and liquids cover cucumbers.

Put in plastic containers and freeze.

Yogurt and Cucumber Soup with Mint Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

1 quart yogurt, drained for 25 minutes

1 ½ cups milk or buttermilk

2 garlic cloves

Salt and freshly milled white pepper

2 cucumbers

¼ cup chopped parsley

3 Tbs. chopped mint

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Few drops fresh lemon juice

4 to 6 mint sprigs for garnish

Combine the yogurt and buttermilk in a bowl.  Pound the garlic with ½ tsp. salt in a mortar until smooth.  Halve the cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, then grate them using the large holes of a grater.  Stir the garlic, cucumber, herbs, and oil into the yogurt.  Taste for salt and season with pepper and lemon juice.  Chill well and serve garnished with mint sprigs.

You can also add scallions and substitute 3 Tbs. of finely chopped dill for the mint.

DILL

At Appalachia Star Farm, dill is an early-mid summer herb.  Eventually, the dill goes to flower and dies and that is it.  It is possible to plant multiple plantings and have dill all season, but with a small farm, we tend to go easy on some things, so one dill planting is it - enjoy it while it lasts!  I love fresh dill snipped into salads of all types and I can’t imagine having cucumber salad without fresh dill.  Of course, dill is widely recognized as a pickling herb and almost the entire plant has culinary uses - stems, leaves, flower, and seed.  Fresh or dried, dill makes a great topper to almost any dish.  Because of its unique flavor, dill is usually used alone, but I sometimes blend it with parsley or basil.

Dill makes an excellent salad dressing ingredient either in a yogurt/mayonnaise base or an oil and lemon base.  Dill also blends well into soft cheeses and is great to sprinkle on potatoes, vegetables, or fish.

Garlic Dill Butter:  Melt butter over a low flame.  Sauté garlic, being careful not to burn.  Add finely chopped dill, fresh or dried, and continue to sauté for another couple minutes.  Pour over potatoes or other cooked vegetables.  With a splash of lemon it makes an excellent sauce for broiled or baked fish.

Fresh dill is best used as soon as possible, but it can be kept upright in the refrigerator in a container with an inch of water.  Dill can also be dried - see “Parsley” section for drying tips.

Tomato Dill Bisque From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

Serves 8-10

2 medium onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 Tbs. butter

4 large tomatoes, peeled, scalded, and cubed or 1 (28 oz.) can peeled whole tomatoes

½ cup of your choice of stock

¾ tsp. dried dill or basil (or 2 tsp. fresh dill or basil, chopped)

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup sour cream

Cook onion and garlic in butter for 3 minutes in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the rest of the ingredients except sour cream.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Allow the mixture to cool.

Puree ½ quart at a time in blender until smooth.  Add sour cream to the last batch.  Remove to a serving bowl, stir well and chill.  Serve with a few seasoned croutons on top.

This is delicious hot or cold.

EGGPLANT

Eggplant is in the same family as potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers.  There are many varieties of various shapes, sizes, and colors and they are all interchangeable in recipes.  However, they are bit different in flavor and tenderness.  We grow a couple of types of Italian eggplant, which is probably what you are most familiar with.  However, in addition to the traditional dark purple types, we have light purple, neon, and even striped varieties.  We also grow Asian eggplants, which are longer and thinner than the Italian types.  In general, the Asian eggplants are more tender and don’t tend to store as long as the Italian.  I like them in stir-fries and curries.  For grilling and for Eggplant Parmesan I usually choose the Italian types.  Eggplant is low in calories and high in fiber with only very small amounts of vitamins and minerals.  It is traditionally eaten with other, more nutritious foods.  Eggplant can be peeled, and some recipes call for it, but I find that eggplant fresh from the farm does not need to be peeled.  Also, many recipes call for salting eggplant to remove excess moisture and remove any acrid flavors.  Again, I find this usually unnecessary, but it depends on preference and the recipe.  If you want to do it, lightly salt slices of eggplant and allow to sit in a colander for 10-15 minutes.  Gently squeeze out any liquid.  The other benefit of salting is that the eggplant will soak up less oil when cooking and need less salt in preparation.

Always cook eggplant.  Like potatoes, it has a toxic substance called solanine when raw.

Cooking tips:

To bake: Prick eggplant all over with a fork and bake at 400 degrees until flesh is tender, about 30-40 minutes.  Flesh can then be pureed if desired.

To stuff:  Bake 20 minutes, scoop out seeds, replace with stuffing, and return to oven for 15 minutes.

To sauté: Try dipping slices or chunks in flour or eggs and bread crumbs before sautéing.  Sauté in hot oil until light brown.  Season with herbs, garlic, grated cheese, etc.  You can also make a batter and lightly fry slices in oil.

To grill:  Grill slices or rounds along with other vegetables, such as peppers, or skewer and grill along with other shish kabob ingredients.

You can blend cooked eggplant with lemon juice and seasonings of choice for a dip or spread.

Eggplant is best when fresh.  You can store un-refrigerated at a cool room temperature, or in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  For long-term storage, dishes like baba ghanouj and ratatouille freeze well in airtight containers.

Hearty Eggplant-Zucchini Toss Dog Hollow Farm, Asparagus to Zucchini

1 small eggplant

3 medium zucchini

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

3 medium tomatoes

1-2 stalks celery (optional)

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. tomato sauce (optional)

2 Tbs. oregano

salt and pepper

Peel eggplant and cut into chunks.  Cut zucchini into ¾-inch rounds.  Chop onion coarsely.  Mince the garlic.  Quarter or halve the tomatoes.  Chop the celery, if using.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium flame and add all the chopped vegetables, the tomato sauce, plus the oregano and salt and pepper to taste.  Toss well, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally.  You must keep watch over this dish - it will form a watery sauce at first, and the vegetables should be stirred in it until they are all somewhat cooked, about 10-15 minutes.  Then remove the cover and cook a few more minutes until the sauce is reduced.  Serve as a sauce for rice or pasta.  Meat may be added but is not necessary for a hearty meal.  Makes 4-6 servings.

GRILLED EGGPLANT & CHERRY TOMATO TOSS Asparagus to Zucchin

1 Tsp. minced garlic                             Black pepper

Salt                                                        1 lb. eggplant

2 Tbs. chopped basil                             1 large Romaine head

2 Tbs. red wine vinegar                        12 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 egg white                                           ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

About 5 Tbs. olive oi

Dressing:  Mash garlic with ¼ tsp. salt to make a paste.  Combine with basil, vinegar and egg white.  Whisk in 4 Tbs. olive oil and season with pepper.

Heat coals on grill.  Cut eggplant lengthwise into 4 thick wedges.  Brush each with olive oil and grill until tender, 3-5 minutes per side.  Cool to room temperature and slice into 3-inch strips.  Chop, clean, and dry lettuce.  Toss lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes, cheese, and dressing in a large bowl.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Four servings

Eggplant Grati

1 ¼ lb. eggplant

Sea salt and pepper

¼ cup olive oil

1 onion, sliced

2 eggs

½ cup milk or light cream

½ cup grated Parmesan

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

5 large basil leaves, torn into small piece

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil a 2-quart gratin dish.  Cut the eggplants into rounds a ½ inch thick.  Heat 1 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet, add the onions and cook over medium heat until soft.  Scrape into a bowl.  While the onions cool, beat the eggs with the milk; add the cheese, vinegar, and some salt and pepper.  Heat remaining oil in the skillet.  Add eggplant and immediately turn it in the pan so all the pieces are coated with oil.  Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until eggplant is golden, about 25 minutes.  You don’t need to stand over the pan, though.  Take this time to make a quick tomato sauce for the dish or another part of the meal.

Season eggplant with salt and pepper to taste, then toss with onions and basil.  Put it in an oiled dish and pour the custard over the top.  Bake until golden, firm, and puffed, 30-40 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Eggplant Curry

1 large or 2 small eggplants, chopped

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove minced garlic

1 Tbs. grated ginger

1 Tbs. curry powder

1 diced tomato

½ cup plain yogurt (or coconut milk)

1 finely chopped jalapeno pepper

1 tsp. salt

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add cumin seeds and onion.  Cook and stir until onion is tender.  Add eggplant and cook until mostly done.  Mix ginger, garlic, curry powder, and tomato into saucepan, and cook about 1 minute.  Stir in yogurt and jalapeno, and season with salt.  Cover, and cook 10 minutes over high heat.  Remove cover, reduce heat to low and continue cooking about 5 minutes.  Serve hot over rice.

FENNEL

For centuries fennel has been utilized as a food, medicine, herb, and even insect repellent!  Fennel is believed to be an aid in digestion and the seed is used as both a breath freshener and digestive aid after meals.  Fennel is low in calories and offers significant amounts of vitamin A, calcium, potassium, and iron.  Fennel, which is in the same family as carrots, celery, parsley, and dill, is similar in flavor to anise (which is also in the same family).  Fennel is warm weather crop and is available locally from mid-summer into early fall.

To use, wash fennel bulb, trimming off any damaged areas or woody stalk.  The bulb, stalks, and feathery leaves are all edible and can be used raw or cooked.  Fennel can be baked, steamed, or sautéed.  Ray fennel can be sliced and used for dipping.  For baking, cut fennel into quarters, drizzle with olive oil, and bake until tender, about 35 minutes.  Steam fennel and chill it along with other vegetables; dress with a spoonful of lemon juice, olive oil, chopped chives or green onion, and salt and pepper.  Fennel stalks and bulb can be used as a flavorful replacement for celery and the leaves can be used in place of dill.  Fennel leaves are excellent on baked or broiled fish with butter and lemon.

Fennel bulbs can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  The delicate leaves go limp quickly, however, so wrap them in a moist towel and refrigerate.

Penne, Roasted Tofu, and Veggies

1 ½ cups firm tofu, cubed

5 Asian eggplants, cubed

1 fennel bulb, sliced

½ lb. fresh mushrooms

1 bell pepper, sliced in 1 inch pieces

1 sweet onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, peeled

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. dried basil (or 1 tsp. fresh, chopped)

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

3 cups whole wheat penne

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine tofu, veggies, oil, basil, and salt in a large roasting pan.  Bake uncovered until tender, stirring every 10 minutes.

Cook pasta until al dente, drain and toss in a bowl with the vegetable mixture.

Serve warm.  6 servings

Fennel Orange Muffins From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 medium seedless orange, peeled

2 eggs

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups grated fennel bulbs

2 ¼ cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Oil muffin cups.  Puree orange in blender, then combine with eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and fennel in a bowl.  Sift flour, baking powder, and salt, then gently fold into wet ingredients.  Do not over mix.  Spoon into muffin cups; bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Makes 8-12 muffins.

Tangerine and Fennel Salad with Mixed Greens (From Asparagus to Zucchini)

6-7 small tangerines (oranges also work well in this recipe)

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup dry sherry or flat champagne

½ cup thinly sliced fennel bulb

2 Tbs. minced fresh fennel leaves

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

4-5 cups mixed salad greens

Cut 1 of the tangerines in half and squeeze the juice into a medium bowl.  Mix in olive oil, sherry, both kinds of fennel, salt, and pepper.  Peel remaining tangerines; divide into segments.  Pierce each segment with a sharp fork a couple of times (to absorb dressing).  Add tangerines to dressing; toss well.  Chill thoroughly.  Divide greens onto 4 salad plates.  Arrange tangerine mixture over greens, drizzling some dressing directly onto greens.  Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper.  Makes 4 servings.

GARLIC

Garlic is a highly esteemed herb and medicine used in culinary cultures around the world.  The first recorded writings on garlic come from around 5000 B.C!  Besides its culinary history, garlic is believed to hold many medicinal properties.  Among its believed therapeutic benefits are cancer prevention, immune system stimulation, infection fighting, blood pressure and triglyceride reduction, and decongestant.  To get more medicinal benefit, remember to eat your garlic raw!  To fight off the notorious “garlic breath” simply chew a little raw parsley.

The first taste of garlic you will receive from out farm are garlic scapes in early June.  These are the flower stalks of garlic and we remove them from the plant to encourage bigger bulb growth.  Luckily, they are delicious and a wonderful herb in their own right, with a nice garlic flavor and beautiful appearance.  They can be chopped and used raw in salads, sprinkled on pizza, or sautéed.  They can replace garlic in almost any recipe and you can also make garlic scape pesto.  Scapes can also be cut into 1-inch strips and sautéed in a little butter or olive oil for a great side dish all on their own.

In late June or early July we pull fresh garlic bulbs.  These still have their green stems and leaves attached.  Their flavor is slightly milder than cured garlic.  It can be eaten fresh or you can cure it yourself.  Simply hang the garlic, stem and all, in a dry, shady place in your house, garage, or shed.  Make sure it gets plenty of air flow.  When the stem is completely dried out the garlic it cured.  You can then clip the bulb off the stem and the bulb will store for many months.  For best storage, keep garlic in a cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated place.  Do not refrigerate.  Garlic can be frozen if blended into pesto or minced and covered with olive oil in airtight containers.

For stronger flavor, use garlic raw or with minimal cooking.  To mellow the flavor, opt for longer cooking - such as roasting.  Sauté garlic only until translucent, as it will burn quickly.  Often it is best to add garlic when you add liquid to the dish.

Roasted Garlic

Cut tops off garlic bulbs to expose cloves.  Brush or dab with olive oil, and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Squeeze garlic out of its skins and spread on a good crusty bread.

GREENS, COOKED

There are so many wonderful greens that come from the garden and they are useful in so many ways.  We have recipes here and also recipes in individual greens sections, like chard and kale.  Almost any cooking green can be used interchangeably in recipes, but some greens are stronger in flavor than others.  Some common ones are arugula, collards, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, chard, and spinach.  Some of these greens, when very young and tender, can be used as salad greens (see next section).  Most greens are generally adapted to cool weather and they are some of the first and last items in the CSA box.  They are packed with nutrition, high in fiber, low in calories, all full of anti-oxidants.  Be careful not to overcook as greens will lose much of their taste and nutrition if allowed to cook until mushy.  Properly cooked greens need only cook for 3-8 minutes depending on maturity and toughness.  Their color should brighten when properly cooked.

Greens are an excellent addition to sautés and stir-fries.  Add them toward the end and only cook for 2-5 minutes.  Greens also add great flavor and texture to soups and stews.  Again, add toward the end of cooking.

Raw tender greens make a great addition to sandwiches or burritos.  Try arugula or mustard for a spicy crunch, or spinach or beet greens for milder flavor.

Steamed or boiled greens can be tossed with vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Toss with sesame oil and soy sauce or simply a pat of butter.

Chopped greens make a great addition to omelets, quiches, lasagna, and casseroles.

Tender stems, like beet and chard stems can also be eaten, but they generally need to cook a few minutes longer than leaves.

If storing turnip or beet greens, remove them from the bulb for longer storage.  Wrap leaves in a damp towel or plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator.  Greens are best fresh, but may last up to a week if properly stored and kept moist.  For long-term storage greens freeze well.  Blanch washed greens for 2-3 minutes.  Rinse in cold water, drain, and pack into airtight containers such as zip-lock freezer bags.

For my favorite kale and cabbage recipe, see the BEANS section.

Will’s Collard Greens From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 bunch collard greens, stems cut and discarded

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. minced garlic (optional)

Wash the collard leaves and stack them (5-10 leaves at a time).  Roll them up tightly, then slice thinly so you have a chiffonade of greens.  Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat with salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic.  When the oil is hot, add collards and stir often for 15-20 minutes, until collards are tender, taking care not to burn the greens.  Add more oil if necessary.  Makes 4 servings.

Asian-Style Sauté From Asparagus to Zucchini

2 Tbs. sesame oil

3-4 garlic cloves, chopped

½ lb. mixed greens, coarsely chopped

1 Tbs. vinegar

2 Tbs. tamari

fresh ground pepper

Heat oil in wok or large skillet to moderate heat.  Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Remove garlic and set aside.  Sauté the greens until just wilted.  Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar, tamari, pepper, and garlic.  Serve immediately.  Great as a side dish or with rice.  Makes 2-4 servings.

Spanish Greens MACSAC

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, flattened or smashed with the flat of a knife

1 lb. spinach, chard, collards, or other greens, stemmed and well washed

salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup golden raisins

3 Tbs. toasted pine nuts

Heat oil over high flame in a very large skillet.  Add garlic cloves and stir-fry until golden, about 20 seconds.  Discard garlic.  Toss in greens.  Season with salt and pepper.   Cover; wilt greens 203 minutes.  Add raisins and pine nuts.  Check for seasoning and serve.  Makes 2-4 servings.

Greens with Potatoes Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison

4 boiling or Yellow Finn potatoes, about 1 lb.

Salt

1-2 lbs. greens, trimmed and coarsely chopped

2 Tbs. olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced

½ tsp. red pepper flakes

2 tomatoes, if in season, peeled and diced

Cover the potatoes with cold water, add salt to taste, and bring to a boil.  Cook until tender, about 25 minutes.  Drain, and then coarsely chop.  Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a skillet, then add 1 tsp. salt and the greens.  Simmer, uncovered, turning the leaves until all are tender, 5-20 minutes, and then drain.  You may need to do this in two batches.  Return skillet to the stove, add oil, and heat with the garlic and pepper flakes.  When you can smell the garlic, add the greens, potatoes, and tomatoes.  Cook over medium heat, breaking up the potatoes with a fork and mashing them into the greens to make a kind of rough hash.  Taste for salt and serve with olive oil drizzled over the top.

GREENS,SALAD

When greens are young and tender they are fantastic as salad greens.  What a great way to add color, variety, and nutrition to plain lettuce salads!  Some types of greens common in salad, or mesclun, mix are arugula, mache, chicory, escarole, watercress, mizuna, tat soi, mustard, sorrel, baby kale, baby beet greens, baby spinach, baby chard, baby turnip greens, etc.  Some are mild while others add strong bitter or mustard flavors.  Remember; don’t neglect the bitter taste buds on your tongue!  In a society that enjoys large amounts of sweets we often show distaste for bitter things, but don’t forget that there is tons of nutrition to go along with that “bitter” flavor!  Wild greens, like dandelion, can be especially bitter, but also especially healthful.  Try adding small amounts of bitter greens into your salads and enjoy the added flavor, depth, and texture they add.

Wash greens well in cool water to remove any grit from the leaves.  Salad greens can be added to lettuce or eaten alone.  Toss with dressing at the last minute to avoid sogginess.  Also don’t forget to add fresh herbs to your salad - basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, and fennel leaves are excellent additions to salads.  Salad greens are also a great addition to sandwiches, tacos, burritos, or omelets.  Salad greens are best used within a few days.  Wrap in a damp towel or place in a plastic bag in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator.

KALE

Kale is, in terms of nutrition, vastly superior to most vegetables.  It is very rich in vitamins A, C, and calcium.  B vitamins and other minerals are also in excellent supply.  Kale is also the highest in protein content of all the cultivated vegetables.  If that isn’t enough to make you love kale, its flavor and versatility surely will.  Kale is in the same family as broccoli and cabbage, and is interchangeable with those and other greens in recipes.  To top off its list of great qualities, kale is quite cold tolerant and can often be harvested well into the winter.  In fact, freezes tend to sweeten kale and make it a more tender, delicious treat.  We typically harvest leaves from our kale most of the winter and into the spring.  We grow several types of kale - green curly, red Russian, and dark green Toscano kale (also called lacinato or dino kale).

Wash kale leaves well and check each leaf for soil or pests - aphids are a common kale pest and they are easily removed by washing well or rubbing off.  Remove stems from mature kale leaves by folding the leaf in half lengthwise and stripping or slicing away thick stems.  Baby or tender young leaves may be cooked stem and all.

Steam mature kale about 4-5 minutes and remove when limp but still retaining some texture and bright color.  Toss steamed kale with olive oil or butter, lemon juice, and a dash of salt and pepper.

Sauté kale in butter with garlic and onions.  Add chopped sautéed kale to omelets, quiches, scrambled eggs, casseroles, or mashed potatoes.

Add chopped or sliced raw kale to hearty soups and stews toward the end of cooking.

Refer to the Greens, Cooked section or other greens sections for more recipes.

Kale and Potato Tarragon Salad From Asparagus to Zucchini

2 lbs. small yellow potatoes, scrubbed

7 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 medium onion (yellow, sweet, or white), diced

1 bunch kale, large stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbs. white vinegar

2 Tbs. lemon juice

¼-1/2 tsp. tarragon divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Steam or boil potatoes until fork-tender.  Drain, cut into large bit-sized pieces, place in large bowl, and cover to keep warm.  Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat.  Add onions; sauté until translucent.  Add kale and garlic; cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes more (you can cover pan to help wilt kale).  Combine vinegar, lemon juice, ¼ tsp. dried tarragon, remaining 6 Tbs. of olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Add kale mixture to potatoes and pour dressing over everything.  (It’s important to toss the dressing while the mixture is hot, to soak in the flavors.)  Add more salt, pepper, or tarragon if necessary.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Makes 6 servings.

Easy Kale and Tomatoes From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 large bunch kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

Water or tomato juice

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Place kale, tomatoes, and onions in pot with just enough water or tomato juice to keep them from burning while it cooks.  Cook over medium heat until kale is tender, about 20 minutes.  Add a little olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste, before serving.  This is also great with chopped dried tomatoes or home-canned tomatoes instead of fresh.  Makes 2 servings.

Wonderfully Easy Pasta with Kale From Asparagus to Zucchini

1/3 pound penne or farfalle pasta

2-3 Tbs. olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 of 3 garlic cloves, minced

½ lb. chopped kale leaves

Salt and pepper

Bring 6-8 cups salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook until tender.  Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and cook until tender.  Add the kale and sauté until wilted.  Drain the pasta and combine it with the onions, garlic, and kale.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.  Makes 2 servings.

Chopped, steamed kale also makes a great addition to any pasta sauce.

KOHLRABI

Perhaps the most unusual vegetable we grow (maybe in the world!), kohlrabi is in the same family as more familiar vegetables: broccoli, kale, cabbage, etc.  The globe part of kohlrabi is a swollen stem and the attached leaves are also edible.  Kohlrabi thrives in cool weather and we grow it in the fall.  We grow both purple and green varieties.

Kohlrabi does not need to be peeled, however, after washing, trim away any woody or tough portions of the skin.  Try kohlrabi both raw and cooked to familiarize yourself with its flavors.  Raw, sliced kohlrabi can be eaten alone or with a dip on a vegetable platter.

Steam kohlrabi while 25-30 minutes or thinly sliced 5-10 minutes.  Dress slices simply with oil, lemon juice, and fresh dill.  Or dip in flour and briefly fry.  Kohlrabi can also be grated and sautéed in butter; add herbs or curry for enhanced flavor.

Kohlrabi can also be added to soups, stews, or stir-fries.  Chilled and marinated kohlrabi make a great summer salad.

Kohlrabi leaves can be used like other greens.

Store kohlrabi globe and leaves separately.  The globe will last about a month in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.  Wrap leaves in a damp towel or place in a bag and keep in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator.  Use greens as soon as possible.

Sautéed Kohlrabi From Asparagus to Zucchini

2 kohlrabi bulbs (3 if small)

4 Tbs. butter or oil

1 medium onion

1 Tbs. fresh herbs (thyme, chives, sage, etc.)

1 tsp. salt

Grate kohlrabi, place in colander, and sprinkle with salt.  Let stand 30 minutes to drain.  Heat butter over medium heat, add onions, and sauté for a few minutes.  Stir in kohlrabi, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes.  Increase heat to medium and cook 2 more minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs.  Makes 2-4 servings.

Other Kohlrabi Suggestions from Asparagus to Zucchini

Braise diced or sliced kohlrabi in just enough chicken or beef broth to cover it.  Add a little butter and some caraway seeds to the stock and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley. (From The New Foods by Camille Cusumano)

Sauté kohlrabi Chinese-style in a little peanut oil with shiitake mushrooms, sweet red peppers, shallots, minced gingerroot, and cashew or pine nuts.  Season with rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of sugar.  You can also thicken this with a little cornstarch mixed with water.  (From Farmacopeia by Pete Napolitano)

LOVAGE AND SORREL

These are two perennial herbs we grow a little of and we occasionally put them in the CSA shares.  They are very different, but in one recipe below they blend together nicely.  Sorrel is a green with a very tart, lemony flavor.  It can be snipped into salad, but use sparingly as it is quite strong raw.  Where sorrel really shines is added to soups and sauces.  When cooked, sorrel just breaks down and adds a lovely lemon flavor to dishes.  Sometimes we wrap fish in sorrel leaves and bake it - the sorrel pretty much melts away into the fish and infuses it with lemon.

Lovage looks a bit like parsley, but it has a strong, celery-like flavor.  As we don’t grow celery we use lovage as a replacement in many recipes.  It makes a great addition to tuna salad and soups.  Again, it is strong, so you won’t need to use much to add a lot of flavor.  Lovage has hollow stems so is also works great as a straw in Bloody Mary’s!

Sorrel Soup From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

Serves 8

2 medium onions

4 Tbs. butter

4 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced

½ cup sorrel leaves, packed

½ cup spinach leaves, packed

½ cup parsley, packed

2 cups of your choice of stock heated

½ cup white wine

1 tsp. salt

2 cups half-and-half

Sauté onions in butter in large saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add potatoes, lower heat, and cook until tender.  Add sorrel, spinach, and parsley.  Add hot stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and add wine and salt.  Puree in blender until smooth.  Add half-and-half and reheat to serve.  If serving soup chilled, add half-and-half just before serving.

Beet/Lovage Soup From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

Serves 8-10

4 medium beets

1 ½ cups chopped onion

3 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. wine vinegar

4 cups of your choice of stock

½ cup chopped fresh lovage leaves and tender stems

1 ½ tsp. fresh thyme

2 Tbs. sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream and chives

Boil whole beets until tender.  Drain, rinse in cold water and rub off skin.  Cut beets into 1-inch chunks.

Cook onions in butter and oil in heavy saucepan until lightly browned, stirring.  Then add cooked beets to onions along with stock and vinegar and sugar.  Put top on saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add thyme and lovage, salt and pepper to taste, and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Cool thoroughly.

Transfer soup in batches to blender and purée until smooth.  Chill at least 6 hours.

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and chives.

Green Herb Soup with Sorrel and Lovage Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

Serves 4-6

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2 small potatoes, thinly sliced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

3-4 cups sorrel, stems removed

4 cups chard leaves

1 cup lovage leaves, finely chopped

Sea salt and pepper

4-6 cups stock or water

lemon juice or white wine vinegar

1/3 cup crème fraîche

Warm the butter and oil in a soup pot.  Add the onion, potatoes, carrot, sorrel, and chard, along with the water clinging to its leaves.  Add two thirds of the lovage and sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons salt over all.  Cover and cook over low heat until the greens have collapsed and the potatoes are partially cooked, about 15 minutes.  If the pan seems too dry at any point, add water in small increments so that nothing burns.

Add the stock or water, bring to boil, and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.  Puree or leave the soup with some texture.  Stir in the remaining lovage.  Taste for salt and season with pepper and lemon juice or vinegar to taste to bring out the flavors.  Sometimes several adjustments are necessary to get it right.  Stir in the crème fraîche and serve.

MINT

Mint is well known for its aromatic, medicinal, and culinary uses; from its use as a remedy for indigestion to its inclusion in jellies, juleps, and teas.  There are many varieties of mint and they can be easily identified by their square stem and serrated leaves.  Spearmint and peppermint are the most common, but other popular mints are chocolate mint and apple mint.  Mint does not grow true to seed, so if you plant mint seeds you don’t know what variety you’ll get.  The only way to grow a specific variety is to take a cutting or root stock from a mother plant.  Mint is a prolific grower and spreads easily.  Insects and other pests find it offensive so it makes a good companion plant, but be careful not to let it take over!  We gave our mint patch ample space to take over as much as it wants.  My absolute favorite use of mint is to make mint iced tea.  There is nothing like it to cool you down on a hot day.  My method is simple.  I pick a bunch of mint, rinse it in cool water, and toss it in a pot with plenty of water.  Boil it, covered, for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and remove the mint.  This tisane can then be cooled and used in a variety of ways.  You can dilute it and drink it as straight mint tea or mix with lemon and honey for minty lemonade.  Mint also blends well with other herbs like lavender, lemon balm, and bee balm.  Hot mint tea is also well known as a great remedy for indigestion and upset tummies.  Chewing on mint leaves is also a great way to freshen breath.

Fresh Mint Salsa

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely diced

½ cup finely diced red onion

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. lemon juice

3-4 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients; chill 1 hour.  Makes a great topping for lamb chops or pork tenderloin.

Fresh Pea Soup with Mint Basic Necessities Soup Cookbook

1 and ½ cups chopped onion

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

6 cups fresh shelled or frozen peas

5 cups low salt chicken broth

1 Tbs. chopped fresh mint leaves (more if desired)

Salt to taste and fresh ground white pepper

2/3 cup whole milk buttermilk

In a large pot cook the onion in the butter covered until softened and tender but not brown.  Add the broth and peas and simmer five minutes or until peas are tender but not mushy.  Stir in the mint.

In a blender puree the soup or put it through a coarse food mill and pour it back into the pot.  Heat over moderate heat until hot.  Remove from heat and stir in all but a little bit of the buttermilk.  Pour into soup bowls and garnish with a teaspoon or two of the buttermilk and some mint leaves.

Minted Pea Salad From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup onions, chopped

1 Tbs. fresh mint, minced

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, chopped onion and fresh mint and stir briskly to mix well.

Add peas and toss.  Cover and refrigerate until cold.  Serve chilled on a bed of greens.

OKRA

In Africa, okra is called gombo, recalling okra’s best-known role in the dish of the same name, gumbo.  By any name, okra is slimy, and rather than try to ignore this fact, perhaps it’s best just to admit it and use it as a virtue: It thickens gumbos and stews and binds vegetable juices into a sauce.  Also the mix of textures when you bread and fry okra - the crisp outer shell with the chewy center - is a great virtue, I think.  Love it or hate it, we grow okra on the farm so you’ll be seeing at least a little of it in your boxes.  If you have never tried farm fresh okra, we encourage you to give it a try before you say you don’t like it.  We pick our okra small and tender and it is not as tough as some of the okra you see at the store.

Okra doesn’t keep well for more than a few days.  Keep it wrapped in paper or a plastic bag in the refrigerator; don’t let it get wet, and use as soon as possible.  Okra can be pickled, steamed, stewed, deep-fried, and even grilled.  It can also be canned for wintertime use.  To keep it’s gumminess to a minimum, avoid cutting into the pods.

Steamed Okra: Rinse 1 lb. okra, leave them whole, and steam them for 4-6 minutes.  Arrange them on a plate and serve warm with butter and lemon wedges to squeeze over, or cold with a vinaigrette or flavored mayonnaise.  Serves 4-8.

Fried Okra:  Slice 1 lb. small okra into rounds about ¼-inch thick and toss with 1 cup fine cornmeal or crushed cracker crumbs mixed with 1 tsp. salt.  Heat ½ inch peanut oil in a heavy skillet until it’s just short of smoking.  Toss the okra in a large sieve to shake off the excess cornmeal, and then fry in small batches until golden.  Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly, but serve hot.  You can also fry whole pods.  Serve with a flavored mayonnaise or honey mustard dressing.  Serves 4 to 6 people.

Grilled Okra:  For ease of handling, skewer four or five pods onto two parallel skewers, like a ladder.  Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Grill on both sides until lightly marked.  Eat hot off the grill with a squeeze of lemon or a dash of salt.  Or add it to a sauté of corn and tomatoes, or use to garnish a plate of black-eyed peas and rice.

Okra with Corn and Tomatoes

¼ cup olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 bay leaves

½ tsp. each thyme, red pepper flakes, and basil

1 green pepper, diced

3 large tomatoes, seeded, and chopped

2 cups sliced okra

½ cup water

¾ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper

Kernels from 4 ears of corn (2 cups)

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil and add onions, bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes, and basil.  Cook and stir until onions are limp.  Add green pepper and cook until onions are translucent.  Add tomatoes, okra, water, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add corn and cook 5 minutes.  Serve hot.  Makes 6 servings.

Sautéed Okra or Simple Gumbo

½ lb. okra, cut off stem and slice crosswise

1 Tbs. butter

¼ cup chopped green peppers

¼ cup chopped onion

1 cup skinned, seeded, and chopped tomatoes

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. fresh basil

Melt butter and add the okra.  Cover and simmer gently about 5 minutes.  Stir frequently.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer covered for about 20 minutes longer.  Remove the cover and continue cooking until tender.  Makes about 3 servings.

For a simple gumbo, put this recipe in a soup pot with some stock or water and a ¼ cup of rice, ½ cup of corn and spices to your taste.  Some gumbos also call for a thickener, such as tapioca or corn starch.

PARSLEY

Parsley is not just a garnish!  It has a wonderful flavor, rich color, and is packed with nutrition.  It has more vitamin C than oranges!  It is also high in minerals, especially iron.  The parsley we grow on the farm is Italian flat-leaf parsley.  Curly parsley is also popular.  Parsley makes a great addition to salads - green salads, potato salads, pasta or vegetable salads.  Add parsley to stir-fries and soups at the end of cooking to retain color, flavor, and nutrition.  We also like to add parsley to basil pesto or you can make parsley pesto on its own.

Parsley can be stored upright in the refrigerator in a container of water.  For long term storage, parsley can be dried.  Hang upside-down in a well ventilated, dry area until leaves dry out completely.  Parsley can also be chopped up and dried on a screen.  The faster it dries the more color it will retain.  After drying, place parsley in an airtight container and store in the cupboard.

Garlic Parsley Pesto with Pasta From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 cup low-fat cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta

5 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup boiling water

½ cup loose packed fresh parsley

½ cup fresh basil

2 large cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups tender-cooked pasta

Have cheeses at room temperature.  Blend with remaining ingredients (except pasta) until smooth in blender or food processor.  Toss with pasta.  This is also good on baked potatoes, cooked rice, or steamed vegetables.  Makes 3 servings.

Carrot Salad with Parsley, Lovage, and Mint Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

1 lb carrots

2 Tbs. chopped parsley

2 Tbs. chopped lovage

2 Tbs. chopped mint

sea salt and pepper

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1-2 Tbs. olive oil

Peel, then grate the carrots using the large hole of a box grater.  Toss with the chopped herbs and ½ tsp. salt.  Add 1 Tbs. lemon juice, the zest, and just enough oil to coat the carrots lightly.  Season with pepper and chill before serving if time allows.

Lemon Pecan Sauce From the Kitchen at Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

¾ cup butter

½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 Tbs. lemon juice

¼ cup parsley, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in saucepan.  Add pecans, salt and pepper.  Heat thoroughly on very low heat.

Just before serving, add lemon juice and parsley.

Serve over chicken breasts or roasted vegetables.

PEPPERS

Most of the peppers you get in your box will be sweet bell peppers, but we also grow a couple of sweet specialty peppers and one or two hot peppers like Jalapenos and Serrano peppers.  The sweet bells we grow come in a variety of shades like red, yellow, and orange.  Did you know all green peppers ripen into some other color?  Green peppers are simply unripe peppers - which is why colored peppers taste so much sweeter and also are more expensive since some varieties take a really long time to ripen.  Sometimes we’ll give you peppers that are part green and part colored.  They are perfectly fine to use as is or you can set them in a window to ripen fully in a day or two.  After ripening, peppers can be stored in the refrigerator.

Enjoy peppers raw to retain maximum nutrition - they are high in vitamins A, C, and E and also iron and potassium.  They are great for dipping and make a great sandwich or salad topping.  And don’t forget hot peppers medicinal effects of clearing nasal passages and lung congestion and cleansing trough sweat!

Take care when preparing hot peppers.  Most of the intensity of hot peppers resides in the seeds and inner ribs.  Remove these to reduce heat, but retain them in cooking for the full blast.  Remember the substance responsible for heat is capsaicin and it is soluble in alcohol and milk but not water!  If you are feeling the burn drink milk or beer - water won’t do anything.  Some people wear rubber gloves when handling hot peppers but whether you do or not remember DO NOT TOUCH your eyes, nose, or face.  Wash your hands thoroughly when finished.

Roasted peppers are a culinary delight.  Their smoky sweetness is irresistible to me and roasted red pepper pesto is a summertime favorite around here (and wintertime time since we freeze a lot of it).  I simply make pesto (see “Basil” section) and toss some roasted peppers into the food processor.  Read below for instructions on roasting.

Peppers are also easily frozen.  Simply cut into bite-sized pieces and place in airtight containers or zip-lock bags.  They will soften when thawed, so take out only what you need and keep the rest in the freeze.

Roasting and Peeling Peppers

These instructions come from Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors.

Choose peppers with thick walls if you want to char the skins.  Thin-walled peppers need to be watched very carefully and roasted only long enough to loosen the skins, not char them, or the flesh will be consumed along with the skins.

On the burner: Place whole peppers directly on a gas burner or gas or charcoal grill.  Those with electric burners can use an asador (or its equivalent), a small-mesh grill that sits right over the element.  Roast the peppers until the skin becomes wrinkled and loose, turning them frequently with tongs.  For peppers that will end up soft and slightly smoke, roast them until the skins are completely charred.  Put the peppers in a bowl, put a plate on top, and set aside to steam for at least 15 minutes to loosen the skins.

In the oven: If you want to peel the peppers without cooking them too much, the oven is a better way to go: Cut off the tops of the peppers, then slice them in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and veins, and press down on each half to flatten.  Brush the skins with oil, then set them skin side up on a sheet pan.  Bake at 400°F or broil 5 or 6 inches under the heating element until the skins are wrinkled but not charred, 10-20 minutes.  Remove and stack the peppers on top of each other to steam for 15 minutes.  (Use any of the delicious juice that collects from the steaming peppers in the finished dish or use it in a vinaigrette.)

Next, slip off the skins with you hand or a paper towel.  Don’t worry about getting every little fleck of skin.  Now they’re ready to use.

Roasted peppers make a great addition to pesto or salsa or simply eaten by themselves!

Stuffed Peppers Zephyr Community Farm, From Asparagus to Zucchini

Makes 9 servings

A little oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 onions, chopped

3 cups raw brown rice

6 cups water, chicken or vegetable stock, or tomato juice

½ tsp. allspice

½ cup almonds, chopped

1 cup chopped tomatoes

¾ lb. cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper

9 large peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

Heat oil in large skillet; add and sauté garlic and onions.  Add rice and brown about 5 minutes.  Add desired liquid and allspice.  Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes.  Toast almonds in a dry skillet or hot oven several minutes, tossing often.  Stir in tomatoes, cheese, almonds, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook peppers in boiling water 2 minutes.  Drain and stuff peppers with rice mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes.

Spanish Rice from Mollie Katzen’s Enchanted Broccoli Forest

4-6 servings

You’ll need about 6 cups cooked rice for this recipe.

To peel and seed a tomato: Drop it into simmering water for 10 to 20 seconds.  Retrieve it and pull off the skin.  Cut it open and squeeze out the seeds.

1-2 Tbs. olive oil

1 ½ cups minced onion

¾ tsp. salt

1 large bell pepper, minced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried basil

about 6 cups cooked rice

3 mdium-sized ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and minced (or 1 cup canned tomatoes, drained, and chopped)

½ cup sliced, pitted green olives

Fresh ground pepper

Cayenne

Minced fresh parsley for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven.  Add the onion and half the salt, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften.

Add bell pepper, garlic, and herbs.  Sauté over medium heat for another 5 minutes, or until the pepper is just tender.

Stir in the cooked rice, tomatoes, remaining salt, and olives.  Season to taste with fresh ground pepper and cayenne.  Serve hot, topped with minced fresh parsley.

Corn and Pepper Salad From Asparagus to Zucchini

4 ears sweet corn

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

¼ cup diced red onion

2 Tbs. slivered basil

3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

1 Tsp. Dijon mustard

½ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

Husk corn and boil or grill until crisp-tender.  Cook and slice off kernels.  Place corn in bowl with sweet peppers, onions, and basil.  Whisk balsamic vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in olive oil a little at a time.  Toss with the vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 4 servings.

POTATOES

There are a huge number of potato varieties in the world and we grow several varieties, including blue potatoes, red potatoes, and yellow potatoes.  A native of the Andean mountain regions of South America, the potato has been cultivated since 3000 B.C.  It has been a popular food worldwide since the Spanish brought it to Europe largely because of its ability to store for long periods of time in cold storage or even just in the ground.  Potatoes have a bit of a bad rap considering most people only consume them in the form of french fries and potato chips, but they are actually pretty nutritious.  They are high in complex carbohydrates and minerals, like potassium, provided the skin is eaten, and also a good form of vegetable protein.  They form a complete protein when eaten with meat or dairy.  The choice is yours, but I never, ever, ever peel a potato.  (In fact, I hardly ever peel anything for any reason - why waste a perfectly good and nutritious food product?)  However, do remove any green or sprouting areas and give them a good scrubbing to remove grit.

Boil or steam average-size potatoes in water for 20-30 minutes, or until tender.  Stop the cooking process while potato is still firm if intended for a chilled salad.  Save water for soup stock.

For hash browns:  Fry shredded or thinly sliced potatoes in butter or oil over low heat, covered, for 10 minutes until tender.  Increase heat, remove cover, and flip potatoes until brown and crispy.  Sprinkle with salt.

Add potato chunks to soups, stews, or chowders 20-30 minutes before cooking is finished.

New potatoes are best enjoyed when boiled and topped with butter, salt, and pepper.  Dill, Parmesan, garlic, and chopped green onion are also good additions.

Brush potato wedges with oil, sprinkle with spiced, and gill 5 minutes per side until tender

Thicken soups with grated or pureed potatoes.

New potatoes should be used within 1-2 weeks and can be refrigerated.  Most other potatoes will also store up to 2 weeks at room temperature if kept away from light.  For long term storage, potatoes keep best at 45-50 degrees, high humidity, and in darkness.

Peruvian Potatoes with Chiles and Cheese From Asparagus to Zucchini

2 lbs. red potatoes

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 cup finely chopped red onion

2 minced jalapenos

1 Tbs. minced garlic

1 cup milk

6 oz. feta, crumbled

3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes in salted water until nearly tender.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low flame.  Add onions; cook 5 minutes.  Add jalapenos and garlic; cook until tender, about 2 minutes.  Drain potatoes; cut into cubes.  Add potatoes and milk to onions.  Simmer until potatoes absorb some liquid.  Stir in feta and eggs; heat briefly.  Stir in cilantro, salt, and pepper.  Makes 6 servings.

Cabbage and Potato Soup From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

Serves 8-10

1 large onion, sliced

3 Tbs. butter

5 medium potatoes, sliced or cubed

3 cups cabbage, finely chopped

1 tsp. dill seed or 1 Tbs. chopped fresh dill

1 tsp. caraway seed

Salt and pepper to taste

5 cups stock

Sauté onion in butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned.  Add potatoes, stock, 2 cups of the cabbage and seasonings.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Transfer in batches to blender.  Puree until very smooth, then return to the saucepan and reheat slowly, adding remaining cup of finely chopped cabbage.  Cook until cabbage is tender, 15-20 minutes.

Garnish each serving with a Tbs. of sour cream and pinch of paprika.

Scalloped Potatoes Wood Prairie Farm

Thinly slice one potato per person.  For each 3-4 potatoes, thinly slice one medium onion.  In a saucepan of cold water, bring the potatoes and onions to a boil and simmer 3 minutes (not quite cooked).

Now make your cream sauce.  For each 2 potatoes melt over medium heat:

1 Tbs. butter and stir in thoroughly 1 Tbs. flour or 2 tsp. cornstarch.

Slowly add 1 cup milk, whisking continuously until it thickens.

Arrange the potatoes and onions in an appropriate casserole dish (shallow is best).  Top with cream sauce.  Optional:  Add leftover diced ham to the layers or cooked peas, or diced cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, until thick, golden and bubbly.

RADISH

Radishes make a crisp addition to salads, but they also have many other uses.  There are many different varieties from small round ones, to slender long ones, and big storage radishes like the Japanese daikon.  They also come in many colors: red, white, pink, purple, and bi-colors.  We typically grow Easter Egg Mix, a mix of red, white, purple, and pink round radishes and a French slender variety called D’Avignon.  Radishes also vary in pungency.  They are typically milder in the early spring and get hotter as temperatures warm.

Radish roots, which is what most people eat, are 94% water with a little bit of minerals.  However, their greens are also edible when cooked and they are very nutritious, like other leafy greens.  Again, greens and roots must be separated to store properly.  Store the greens wrapped in a damp towel in the hydrator drawer and use them as soon as possible.  The radish roots can be stored in a bag in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  For long-term storage, daikon and winter radishes can be packed in moist sand and kept in a cool but not freezing location (like a root cellar).

Scrub radishes to remove garden soil, but there is no need to peel.  Raw radishes are nice sliced or grated into salads and slaws, or sliced into sticks for dipping.  Cooking radishes will tone down the pungency.  Steam for 8-12 minutes until tender but not mushy.  They can be used in soups and stews as you would a turnip, or added to stir-fries.  Small radishes can be added whole, or sliced if large.  They cook quickly, so add them close to the end of cooking.  Sliced radishes also make a great sandwich topper.

Radish Bulbs and Greens Sautéed with Green Garlic and Chives from Asparagus to Zucchini

2 bunches radishes

1 ½ Tbs. butter

1 ½ Tbs. chopped green garlic

1 ½ Tbs. chopped fresh chives

Salt and pepper

Clean radishes well under running water to remove all traces of dirt.  Cut off the upper leaves and coarsely chop them.  Cut off the remaining greens and stalks and discard them.  Trim and quarter the bulbs.  Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high flame.  Add quartered radishes and cook, stirring often, 2 minutes.  Stir in greens, green garlic, and chives and cook until wilted, another 1-2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  This a great side dish with poached, steamed, or grilled fish.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Beet and Daikon Slaw From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 yellow beet, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch julienne (matchsticks)

1 red beet, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch julienne

1 6-inch daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch julienne

1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 tsp. canola oil

1 tsp. unsalted rice vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, cover, and let stand at least ½ hour.  Season to taste and serve.  Makes 2 servings.

Israeli Salad and Moroccan Orange-Walnut Salad

Here are two salads from Mollie Katzen’s Enchanted Broccoli Forest

Israeli Salad

Ingredients and their amounts are flexible.

6 ripe medium-sized tomatoes

½ cup minced red onion

2 small cucumbers: peeled if necessary, seeded, and diced

6 radishes, sliced

2 scallions, minced (including greens)

1 small bell pepper, any color, diced

1 large dill or sour pickle, minced

½ cup sliced green olives (optional)

A handful of minced fresh parsley

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup firm yogurt (optional)

Cut the tomatoes in half.  Squeeze out and discard the seeds.  Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch chunks, and transfer to a medium-large bowl.  Add everything else, and toss gently until well mingled.  Taste to adjust seasonings.  Serve at room temperature or chill until cold.

Moroccan Orange-Walnut Salad

4-6 servings

6 large oranges

1 Tbs. honey

½ tsp. cinnamon

1 lb. mixed salad greens - cleaned, dried, and chilled

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

10 radishes, thinly sliced

6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Peel and section the oranges, using a sharp paring knife or a serrated knife.  To do this, first cut off the polar ends of the peel, then slice the peel off the sides.  With a gently sawing motion, but in one side of the membrane and out the other, releasing each orange section into a bowl.  Squeeze all excess juice from the remaining membrane into the bowl as well, and pick out the seeds, if necessary.  Discard the membrane.

Drizzle honey and sprinkle cinnamon into the orange slices.  Stir gently to  mix, cover, and set aside until serving time.

Shortly before serving, toss the greens in a large bowl with the onion, radishes, and olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  To serve, bring the orange sections, the tossed greens, and the walnuts to the table in separate containers.  Let each person assemble his or her own salad, by piling some greens on a plate, spooning over some oranges-au-jus, and sprinkling a few walnuts on top.

ROSEMARY

Rosemary is an evergreen perennial herb used in many cuisines around the world.  It is a common ingredient in chicken and lamb dishes and is also added to bread dough for extra flavor.  Besides its culinary uses, it is also a common ingredient in soups, perfumes, shampoos, and aromatherapy oils.  Rosemary tea is often used as a headache remedy.

Rosemary can be used fresh or dried.  Place a sprig in the cavity of a chicken before cooking or roasting, or crushed leaves can be rubbed into meat before cooking.

Rosemary flowers are also edible and have a sweet taste.  They are lovely on salads.  Leaves can be added to marinades for vegetables or meat, especially lamb.  You can also add a sprig of rosemary to enhance hot apple cider or make rosemary butter.

Use fresh rosemary as soon as possible, but is can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.  To dry, hang by bundles in paper bags and store the dried herb in amber bottles or out of the light.

Fresh Rosemary Biscuits From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 ¾ cups flour

1 scant Tbs. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

4 Tbs. cold butter, cut into small pieces

2 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary

¾ cup milk

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  Cut in butter until the size of small sunflower seeds.  (Alternatively, mix dry ingredients in food processor, cut in butter using machine, then dump the mixture into separate bowl.)  Sprinkle rosemary over flour mixture.  Pour in milk and stir briefly, just until a sticky dough forms.  Turn onto floured surface.  Knead lightly and briefly, 4 to 6 turns.  Roll or pat to a thickness of 1 inch.  Cut into rounds with floured biscuit cutter.  Gather dough scraps and cut again.  Place on an un-greased baking sheet.  Bake until high and golden, 11-13 minutes.  Makes 6 large biscuits.

Rosemary Infused Winter Squash Kathryn Bertoni

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  When baking a winter squash, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and pulp.  Place 2 sprigs of rosemary on a baking sheet and place each half of the squash over a sprig.  Add a little bit of water to the pan to keep everything moist when baking.  Place in an oven and cook for 40 minutes to and hour depending on the size of the squash, until very tender.  You can flip the squashes over for the last 5 minutes of cooking and baste with butter.  Scoop out the flesh and eat.

SAGE

Sage is a very flavorful herb often used in stuffing, breads, and with meats.  In fact, sage is a digestive aid when served with meats.  Sage also has other medicinal uses and was used by Native Americans in a salve to cure skin sores and also the leaves were used as a sort of disposable toothbrush.  Dried sage makes a great tea, and with the addition of honey helps ease sore throats and colds.

To dry, pinch leaves from the stem and place on a cloth or paper in the shade.   Or hang leaves in a bunch on the stem.  When dry, store them in an airtight colored glass or solid container.

Fresh sage leaves can be eaten in salads, soups, omelets, marinades, sausages, meat pies, bread, rolls and stuffing.  Fresh leaves are also delicious dipped in batter and fried.

Sage Biscuits Kathryn Bertoni

Make your favorite biscuit (or see “Rosemary” section for a biscuit recipe and replace rosemary with sage) and add chopped sage after you mix in the butter and before you add the milk.  Sometimes, if I am low on butter, I make oil drop biscuits, which tend to be less flavorful than butter biscuits.  So I like to add herbs to oil biscuits, like sage or rosemary.  These biscuits are wonderful served with soup.

Potato and Corn Chowder with Fresh Sage Chef Jeff Evans at Lavender Fields Herb Farm in Glen Allen, VA

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup diced sweet onion (can sub white or red)

1 cup diced celery

1 ½ cup diced sweet potato

1 ½ cup diced Russet potato

1 cup gold potato

3 cups water and 2 ½ Tbs. vegetable base (or 3 cups stock)

1 Tbs. dried thyme

2 tsp. onion powder

4 Tbs. fresh chopped sage

1 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1 tsp. pepper

1 16oz. bag frozen corn

2 cans cream corn (or make fresh cream corn)

1 pint half & half (or milk)

Heat large soup pot on medium temperature.  Add olive oil and increase heat to medium high.  Add onions and celery.  Sauté until lightly caramelized, stirring frequently (about 10 minutes).  Add water, vegetable base (or stock), and dry thyme.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.  Add onion powder, sage, salt, pepper, and frozen corn.

Continue cooking for a bout 10  minutes stirring occasionally.  Add cream corn and half & half and cook until potatoes are tender.  Enjoy!

*Chicken, shrimp or crab can be added to the recipe - add with the potatoes.

Ravioli in Butter Sage Sauce From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 large package (20 oz.) cheese or meat filled ravioli

½ cup butter

1/8-1/4 cup fresh chopped sage

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

½ cup grated asiago cheese

Boil ravioli according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan over low heat.  Add chopped sage.  Drain ravioli, return to pot, and stir in butter sage sauce.  Top with toasted pine nuts and asiago.  Makes 4 servings.

SPINACH

Spinach is the most widely used dark leafy green in the U.S., popular for cooking and raw salads.  It prefers and thrives in cool, moist soil, so we generally only have it in the spring.  It won’t germinate at all in hot weather and so is difficult to grow in the summer, although it is possible if you invest in shade cloths and choose more heat tolerant varieties.  Spinach comes in flat-leafed and savoy (crinkly) leafed varieties.  It is related to beets and chard.

Spinach, like most dark, leafy, greens is very nutritious, high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and chlorophyll - all best retained by no or minimal cooking.  It is also high in minerals, however, our bodies do not readily absorb these minerals because spinach contains oxalic acid which binds to minerals and prevents its absorption.  You can read more about this in the “Chard” section (as chard does not contain oxalic acid).

Spinach is very versatile because of its tender quality and mild flavor.  Rinse leaves well in cool water and pat or spin dry.  Toss raw spinach greens into a salad or use by itself as a salad green.  For dressing try olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Fresh basil leaves and feta cheese are nice additions, too.  Raw spinach also makes a great sandwich or wrap stuffer and can be raw leaves can be added to hot pasta where they will wilt just a bit.

When cooking, remember spinach cooks very quickly and loses much of its nutrition if over-cooked.  Watch that is retains its bright green color then remove from heat.  Two to three lbs. of fresh spinach reduced to 2 cups cooked.  Half a cup of cooked spinach is about a serving.  Add spinach at the last minute to soups, stir fries, and sautés.  Sauté onions, garlic, and curry spices, then add spinach leaves.  Cook until thoroughly blended and creamy in consistency.  Add spinach to crepes, quiches, lasagna, and other baked dishes.  Puree cooked spinach for soup.  You can also add spinach leaves to pesto to replace some of the basil and/or parsley.

Store spinach in a damp towel or plastic bag in the refrigerator up to 1 week.  For long-term storage, spinach may be frozen.  Blanch for 1-2 minutes, rinse in cold water, drain well, and pack into airtight containers.

Spinach Salad with Orange Honey Vinaigrette From Asparagus to Zucchini

1 Tbs. honey

2 Tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate, softened

1 tsp. minced shallot

1 Tbs. red wine vinegar

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

½ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 bunch spinach, large stems removed

1 small red onion, sliced as thinly as possible

2 oranges, sectioned

1/3 cup roasted almonds

Whisk honey, orange juice concentrate, shallots, and vinegars in a bowl.  Gradually whisk in oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Thoroughly clean the spinach and dry it in a salad spinner or kitchen towels.  Toss spinach with onions, oranges, almonds, and just enough dressing to lightly coat.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Spinach Casserole with Basil From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

Serves 12

4 Tbs. butter, divided

2 lbs. fresh spinach

1 medium onion, finely chopped

32 oz. ricotta cheese

1 cup dried bread crumbs or croutons

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350°.  Put 2 Tbs. of butter in a 9×13-inch casserole dish and place in oven while preheating.

Cook spinach and squeeze out excess water.  Sauté onion in 2 Tbs. butter over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Combine onion with spinach, ricotta cheese, bread crumbs, and basil.  Pour into casserole dish and gently fold in the beaten eggs.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until firm.

SUMMER SQUASH AND ZUCCHINI

We grow several different types of summer squash: yellow squash, green zucchini, yellow zucchini, and patty pan or scalloped squash.  They are all interchangeable in recipes, although patty pans tend to be a bit firmer and may take 3-5 more minutes to cook.  Patty pans are great for grilling because you can slice them into rounds and they hold up a bit better on the grill.  Summer squashes are in the same family as winter squashes but they lack the tough skin and storability of their pumpkin and acorn squash cousins.  They are quite perishable and so are best enjoyed quite fresh.  Damaged or bruised squash will deteriorate quickly and they also dehydrate quickly as well.  Store in a plastic bag or in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator for up to a week.  For long-term storage cooked, pureed summer squash may be frozen for an addition or base for winter soups.  I have tried freezing cut up chunks of cooked summer squash, but they always come out rubbery, so I mostly add the squash to soups and freeze the soups for the winter months.

To maintain our squash patches we harvest squash daily as they grow prolifically and will quickly go from young, tender squashes to oversized clubs!  You may feel overwhelmed with squash at times.  When that happens to me I try to make lots of zucchini bread (you can use any squash in zucchini bread, not just zucchini) or soup and freeze extras for the winter months.

Squashes are low in calories, easily digested, and cooling since they are mostly water.  They are also a great source of vitamins, potassium, and calcium.  Rinse or wipe them as needed, but there is no need to peel.

Try raw squash cut into sticks or rounds with dip.  Grate or thinly slice raw squash into salads or shred into slaw.  To steam, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces for 10-15 minutes or until tender.  Top with butter alone, or with a squeeze of lemon, sprinkle with herbs, grated Parmesan cheese, or a pinch of pepper.

Cut squash into chunks or think slices and add to soups and stews.  Add toward the end of cooking to retain texture.  Squash also makes a great addition to stir-fries.

Grill summer squash halves about 3-4 minutes on the hottest part of the gill and then 8-10 minutes on the side.  Baste with oil or marinade first.  They are also great for shish kabobs.

Squash also makes a great casserole: Layer blanched squash slices alternately with chopped onion cooked with bread crumbs.  Repeat 2 or 3 times and top with butter.  Heat at 350° in oven until hot and bubbly.

Creamy Zucchini-Cumin Dip From CSA member Brad Worrall who got it from a cookbook from Angelic Organics CSA

Makes 1 ½ to 2 cups

4 small or 2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated

2 tsp. salt

1 cup sour cream

2 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. cumin seeds or ½ tsp. ground cumin

Fresh ground pepper

Paprika

Place the zucchini in a medium bowl; add the salt and mix well.  Transfer to a colander and set in the skink to drain for at least 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the sour cream, onion, lime juice, and cumin in a large serving bowl; stir until well combined.  Season with pepper and paprika to taste.

Squeeze as much moisture as you can from the zucchini with your hands; add the zucchini to the sour cream mixture.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Squash Gazpacho From our fellow intern at Waterpenny Farm, Marie

The dictionary says that gazpacho has to have tomatoes in it, but I’m invoking poetic license here.

4 garlic tops, or a few cloves of garlic

6-7 scallions

Olive oil

5-7 small squashes (zucchini or squash)

1-2 potatoes

1 cup milk

4 cups water or stock

Salt, pepper, and fresh parsley

Plain yogurt

Sauté the garlic and the white parts of the scallions in a large heavy pot.  Add chopped zucchini and cook until slightly tender, 6-8 minutes.  Cube potatoes and cook in coiling water until just done, then add to zucchini.  Add water or stock and stir well.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, adding the milk, salt, pepper, and parsley to taste.  Add the soup in small batches to a food processor (or use submersible blender) and blend until creamy.  Transfer back to pot or serving dish.  Once the consistency is to your liking, cover the soup and refrigerate it until it is ready to be served.  Use the green parts of the scallions and the yogurt as garnish, and serve the soup with bread or crackers and a leafy, herby salad for a cool summer meal.

Soup can also be served hot if desired.

Zucchini Bread This recipe also comes from Waterpenny Farm, from owner Rachel Bynum.

Makes 2 large or 4 small loaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl, beat together:

6 eggs

1 ½ cups canola oil

2 cups brown sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

In another bowl combine:

2 ½ cups unbleached white flour

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

(you can substitute up to half of the flour with spelt or other grains if you’d like)

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. sea salt

1 Tbs. cinnamon

1 ½ tsp. nutmeg

In a third bowl, prepare:

4 cups grated summer squash/zucchini

(optional: 1 ½ cups raisins, soaked for several hours until plump, or 1 ½ cups chopped nuts)

Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and stir until uniform.  Then add about half of the grated squash and stir.  Alternate until all of the squash and flour have been added.  (If adding raisins and nuts, add them last.)

Grease and flour loaf pans and fill them to about half full with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees.  Large loaves will take 1 hour to and hour and a half; small loaves will take about 40 minutes.  Test if the bread is done by poking the center with a fork-it’s done when the fork comes out clean.  Remove finished loaves from the oven, let set for 5-10 minutes, then take out of pans and let cool on a rack.

Sage-Roasted Squash From Asparagus to Zucchini

2 medium zucchini

2 medium yellow squash

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

1 Tbs. minced garlic

Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut squash and zucchini into 1-inch dice, toss with other ingredients, and roast until tender, 15-20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 4 servings.

Oven-Fried Zucchini Spears From Asparagus to Zucchini

2 medium-sized zucchini or yellow squash

3 Tbs. dried bread crumbs

1 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried summer savory

¼ tsp. garlic powder

1/8 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. corn oil

Prepared marinara sauce (Italian tomato and herb sauce) optional

Heat oven to 475 degrees.  Lightly oil a baking sheet.  Wash zucchini and pat dry.  Do not peel.  Cut into eighths lengthwise, then halves crosswise.  On a sheet of wax paper, toss bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, garlic powder, and pepper.  Whisk oil and 2 Tbs. water in a small bowl.  Moisten zucchini spears in this mixture, then roll them in crumb mixture, covering all sides.  Arrange on baking sheet.  Bake 7 minutes, or until spears are lightly browned.  Turn spears over; bake 3 minutes more.  Serve immediately with hot marinara sauce, if desired.  Makes 4 servings.

THYME

Thyme is one of my favorite herbs.  For such a small sprig, it really packs a lot of flavor and has a distinctive taste.  It blends well with other herbs and is used in many different cooking styles, but is native to the Mediterranean.  Thyme can be used to enhance the flavor of vegetables, meat, poultry, and fish.  I also love to blend thyme with eggs, either in scrambled eggs, in omelets, or in quiches.  Thyme is a digestive aid and helps break down fatty foods.  Here are some other thyme ideas:

Strip thyme leaves from the stem and sauté with mushrooms.  Use 1-2 Tbs. per pound of mushrooms or to taste; the resulting mixture can be used in omelets, added to quickes, or used in stir-fries.

Chop thyme and add to flour, 1 Tbs. per cup of flour; use for dredging chicken for frying.

Thyme is also a great herb to add to biscuits and breads.

Potato Salad with Rosemary-Thyme Vinaigrette From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm.  Serves 10-12

SALAD:

10 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ½-inch pieces

½ cup red onion, finely chopped

3 celery stalks, sliced thin

1 medium carrot, grated

VINAIGRETTE:

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. chive blossom vinegar

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs. fresh thyme

1 Tbs. fresh rosemary

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until slightly tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cool water.  Combine with onion, celery, and carrot.

Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a jar with a tight lid and shake vigorously.  Toss into vegetables and chill before serving.

Garnish with fresh parsley and thyme blossoms.

TOMATOES

Few vegetables evoke such adoration from people as the tomato.  All spring and early summer people at market ask “When are the tomatoes coming in?”  Come July, they practically begin salivating.  But with such a plethora of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors who can blame them?  When tomato season is in full swing, there is an amazing array of them.  One of our favorite things at market is to set up a beautiful tomato table with all the different colors and sizes neatly laid out in multi-colored rows.

We grow about 20 kinds of tomatoes, including heirloom varieties, cherries, and hybrids.  For just a quick botany lesson, heirlooms are varieties that have been passed down true to seed over several generations.  If given proper pollination spacing away from other varieties, you can plant heirloom tomato seeds and get the same variety again next season.  Hybrids are just that: crosses of two types of tomatoes.  Because their genes are mixed, if you plant a second generation of hybrid seeds, you will not necessarily get the same plant again.  Many hybrids have been bred to ripen early, hold their color, and ship easily.  They are not necessarily the best tasting, but they hold up well and are typically pretty uniform.  Heirlooms are where things get a little crazy - purple, green, orange, yellow, striped, etc.  Some heirlooms are called “ugly” because they are sometimes bumpy and strange.  But most heirlooms have fantastic flavor and are meant to be picked ripe and eaten right away - not shipped for days in a truck.  You can try all of our varieties at our annual Tomato Tasting.

Of course, tomatoes are extremely versatile - eat raw, sautéed, baked, broiled, or grilled.  Or use them in sauce, soups, stews, stir-fries, or casseroles.  I’m not sure there is anything a tomato can’t do including be frozen or canned for winter use.  Make sure you don’t refrigerate your tomatoes!  They will lose flavor and taste bland.  Hold them at room temperature for up to 1 week or even longer if they are still ripening.  However, damaged or cut tomatoes will deteriorate quickly.  If you need to save cut tomatoes, put them in a container in the fridge.

Tomatoes can be frozen whole or cored.  Core tomatoes, place in a cookie sheet, and freeze.  When solid, place in a zip-lock freezer bag and replace in freezer.  Remove only as many tomatoes as you need at a time.  Thawed tomatoes are appropriate only for cooking or purees.  Tomato sauce and tomato soup can also be frozen.

Some recipes call for removing the skin.  To do this, dunk whole tomatoes in boiling water for 15-30 seconds, lift out with slotted spoon, and remove skins.  Skinned tomatoes can be pureed for a great soup base or sauce.

My two favorite summertime lunches are Grilled Cheese with Tomato and Broiled Tomato Baguettes.  For the first, make a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato, mayonnaise (homemade is the best), and bacon if you want.  Avocado also makes a great addition.  For the Baguettes, slice a Baguette in half and cover with sliced mozzarella, tomato and basil.  Broil or bake in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Delicious.

Also, fresh tomato salsa and chips is a super easy way to have a great side dish or appetizer for a picnic or potluck.  Just chop up tomatoes with whatever other ingredients you want: onions, peppers, jalapenos, avocados, etc.  Serve with chips and/or sour cream.  Or it makes a great topper for tacos and burritos.

Basic Blender Tomato Sauce From Asparagus to Zucchini

Lots of tomatoes

Small amount of basil and parsley, dried or fresh

A large amount of oregano

Minced garlic cloves

1 or 2 carrots, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

For quantities, use your imagination or whatever you have.  Do not underestimate the amount of garlic; when in doubt, put in lots.  Also, carrots are often the sweetener in Italian tomato sauce.  Blend or process the tomatoes to an almost pureed texture.  Gradually add herbs, garlic, and carrots.  Slowly cook the mixture in a deep skillet (cast-iron is best).  When sauce has reduced about halfway to the texture you want, add salt and pepper.  Add several Tbs. olive oil before reheating to serve.  Makes any quantity.

Tomato Soup with Basil Basic Necessities Cookbook

This soup may be served hot or chilled.

3 Tbs. butter

1 large onion chopped

1 ½ lbs. tomatoes peeled and chopped or 1 large good quality canned tomatoes

2 ½ cups chicken broth

3 Tbs. chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp. dried basil

Pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper

½ to 1 cup heavy cream (optional)

In a large soup pot, melt butter and sauté the onion on low heat until soft and just beginning to color, about 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and continue cooking, stirring constantly for about five more minutes.  Add the broth and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer, add the salt, pepper, and sugar and simmer for about twenty minutes.  Cool.  Blend half the soup in a blender and return to the pot.  Adjust the seasonings.  Add the basil.  If you are using cream, add it now and mix well.  To serve, heat just until hot but not boiling, ladle into soup bowls, add an additional swirl of cream and a fresh basil sprig or some parsley for garnish.  Alternately, if you are serving the soup chilled, chill it well and then proceed as above.

Cherry Tomato and Cucumber Salad

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 small cucumber

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Pinch of sugar or a bit of honey

Salt to taste

1 Tbs. minced cilantro, parsley, or basil

Optional: feta cheese

Stem the cherry tomatoes, slice in half.  Cut cucumber in half crosswise, quarter the halves, and slice.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or so.  Serve at room temperature.  Makes 4 servings.

Cherry Tomato Pasta from Appalachia Star Farm

Cook your favorite pasta.

Meanwhile, slice a pint of cherry tomatoes in half and chop some fresh basil.  Place tomatoes and basil in the bottom of a bowl.  When pasta is done, drain, and put hot pasta immediately on top of the cherry tomatoes and basil.  Add a few Tbs. of olive oil and mix well.  Top with grated Parmesan or other hard cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

TURNIPS

Turnips have often fallen out of favor in times past, but I think they are making a comeback.  They are an important and reliable storage crop in wintertime and perhaps that is why it has a bad reputation at times - if it is the only thing left in the garden, you might get sick of it after a while!  Nevertheless, it is a versatile and nutritious root crop and certainly has its place in any seasonal kitchen

Raw turnips are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and calcium.  Their greens are also highly nutritious.  Store turnip roots unwashed in a plastic bag in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.  Greens should be stored separately, wrapped in a damp towel or plastic bag in the hydrator drawer.  Use as soon as possible.  For long-term storage, turnips may be packed in moist sand and kept in a cool but not freezing location.

Scrub turnips and trim away damaged area, but there is no need to peel.  Slice or make turnip sticks and add to a veggie platter with your favorite dip.  Grate raw into salads or slaws.

To boil, cut into ½- to 1-inch slices or cubes and boil 8-10 minutes.  Boil small whole turnips 15-20 minutes.  Steam ½- to 1-inch slices or cubes about 12-15 minutes or steam small whole turnips 20-25 minutes.

Bake turnips alone for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees, basted with butter or oil, or bake along with other seasonal roots.  Place turnips alongside roasting meats.

Dice or cube into soups or stews, and thinly slice into stir-fries.

Mash or scallop turnips, just as you would potatoes.  Or you can make a potato/turnip mash mix.

Turnip and Onion Gratin From the Kitchen of Buffalo Springs Herb Farm

Serves 8

4 medium turnips

4 medium onions

3 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. flour

1 cup hot milk

¾ cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

Salt and pepper

Slice turnips and parboil until tender (six minutes).  Drain and set aside.

Sauté sliced onions in butter (do not brown).  Add flour.  Stir gently until thickened.  Pour in hot milk and stir (mixture will thicken).  Season with ¼ cup of cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Stir in turnips.

Pour into buttered pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Top with dots of butter.  Bake for 35-40 minutes at 325°.

Rough and Ready Turnip Potage or Refined Turnip Bisque From Deborah Madison’s Local Flavors

Serves 3-4

6 slender leeks

3 small potatoes

6 small turnips

1 ½ Tbs. unsalted butter

A few thyme springs

Sea salt and pepper

Cream

Chopped parsley or thyme

Slice the white parts of the leeks crosswise and wash them well.  Scrub the potatoes, quarter them lengthwise, and chop.  If the turnips are tender looking, quarter and chop them without peeling.

Melt the butter in a soup pot.  Add the vegetables, give them a toss, then add ½ cup water and the thyme.  Simmer for 5  minutes, then add 5 cups water and 1 ½ tsp. salt.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.  Taste for salt, season with pepper, and stir in a few spoonfuls of cream.  Garnish with chopped parsley or thyme.

Bisque Variation:  A more refined bisque can be made with the same ingredients and a few minor changes: Use a good vegetable stock or chicken stock to enrich the flavor; don’t let it cook down so much, puree it, and add a cup of light cream.  If you have the greens, simmer them until they are completely tender, then chop them up and add them to the soup.  Garnish with fresh thyme and its blossoms.

WINTER SQUASH

Winter squashes include pumpkins, butternuts, acorns, and many other varieties.  While the look very different on the outside, they are very similar inside (with the exception of spaghetti squash) - yellow to orange in color and mild and sweet in flavor.  Most winter squashes are interchangeable in recipes.  Its excellent storability and nutritive value makes winter squash an important fall and winter vegetable for the seasonal eater.

Winter squash will store at room temperature for at least a month.  Store for several months in a dry and cool (50-55 degrees) but not cold location.  Bruised or damaged squash will deteriorate more quickly.

Cooking tips:

Boil or steam 1 ½- to 2-inch chunks for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  You may peel the squash before or after; it’s easier to peel after cooking, but it must cool first.

Baking is the easiest way to cook winter squash.  Slice in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and place face down on a cookie sheet.  Water may be added to the pan around the squashes to avoid drying out and hasten cooking.  Squash flesh may also be basted with oil or butter.  Squash will need 40 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on size.  Cook until very tender, but not charred.  I usually turn the squashes over for the last 5 or 10 minutes and baste with butter and/or honey or maple syrup.  You can also use lavender, rosemary, thyme, or other fresh herb to flavor the squashes.  Put a sprig of the herb under each half when you begin cooking.

Mash cooked squash and top with butter.  Serve hot.  Puree cooked squash for a creamy soup, or add uncooked to hearty soups and stews.

Butternut squash makes an excellent “pumpkin” pie.

Roast chunks of squash alongside meats or other root vegetables.

Small amounts of cooked squash can be added to breads, muffins, cookies, pancake or waffle batter to add color, moisture, and sweetness.

We also like to add winter squash to tomato sauce for pasta.  Sometimes we add it in chunks and leave it chunky or we use our immersion blender to puree it for a smooth sauce.

Curried Winter Squash Soup Rachel Bynum, Waterpenny Farm

Serves 4

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ lb. mushrooms

¼ tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. coriander

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ground ginger

Dash of cayenne

Olive oil or butter

4-6 cups cooked butternut squash

1 cup orange juice

1 ½ cups water or stock

In large sauce pan, sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms, and spices in oil.  Add squash, juice, and water or stock.  Simmer for 15 minutes, and adjust seasoning.

Butternut Squash Bread Waterpenny Farm

Makes 2 large or 4 small loaves

6 eggs

1 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1 Tbs. vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

1 Tbs. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. allspice

3 ½ cups cooked butternut squash, mashed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla.  In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients except squash.

Add 1/3 of dry ingredients to wet mixture and combine well.  Add 1/3 of squash to this mixture and combine well.  Repeat, stirring with each addition.

Fill each loaf pan about half full with batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour.  Test with a fork to tell it it’s done.  Cook for 5 minutes in pan and then flip out onto cooling rack.

Roasted Butternut Squash Polenta with Fried Sage A Harvest of Pumpkins and Squash by Lou Pappas

Serves 6

1 lb. butternut squash or sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½-inch dice

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 cup polenta

1 ½ cups cold water

2 cups homemade or canned chicken or vegetable broth

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper

2 Tbs. butter

12 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a bowl, toss the squash with 2 Tbs. of the oil and spread on the prepared pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Stir and turn the squash, and continue baking until tender when pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, soak the polenta in the cold water for 10 minutes.  In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over high heat.  Stir in the polenta and any remaining water, the salt, pepper, and remaining 1 Tbs. oil.  Return to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Stir the squash into the polenta and cook until heated through.  Spoon into a hot bowl for serving.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook until it sizzles and browns lightly, then add the sage and sauté until crisp.  Scatter of the polenta.  Sprinkle with the cheese and serve at once.

Dave’s Thai Squash From Asparagus to Zucchini

Serves 12

I’ve made this without the galangal and it turned out great, but if you want to get some you can probably find it at Foods of All Nations in Charlottesville or at an Asian Grocery Store.

Oil or butter

3 cups diced onions

¼ cup grated gingerroot

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1-2 hot peppers (fresh or dried), minced

1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk

2-3 Tbs. minced fresh basil

1 Tbs. dried galangal

6 cups butternut squash, in ¾-inch cubes

Heat oil in a large skillet; add onions, gingerroot, garlic, and peppers.  Cook over low heat until tender.  Add coconut milk and basil; cook until thickened.  Meanwhile, boil galangal in 4 cups water for 20 minutes.  Add squash and boil another 12-15 minutes.  Drain and remove galangal.  Combine with other ingredients and serve.

The Bertoni’s Comfort Food Winter Squash Pasta

This is my favorite wintertime comfort food.  It doesn’t look like much, but it is easy and very tasty.

Pasta - whatever type you like

1 large or 2 small winter squashes

Butter

Parmesan or other hard cheese

Salt (or sometimes we use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)

Bake the winter squash on a cookie sheet in the oven with a little bit of water until tender.  When they are done begin to cook the pasta.  Remove the squash from the oven and let cool until they are easy to handle.  Remove the filling and put in a bowl.  When pasta is ready, drain, and dump it over winter squash.  Add butter, grated hard cheese, and salt to taste.  Mash it all together.  Eat and enjoy!  Sometimes we also add some chopped greens to this, like steamed kale, collards, or chard.