This Week's Delivery Saturday June 5, 2010

“Fatherhood is telling your daughter that Michael Jackson loves all his fans, but has special feelings for the ones who eat broccoli.”
Bill Cosby, Fatherhood (1986)

Store In the Fridge:

yellow squash -Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
spring onion - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
broccoli - Mountain View Organics
boston lettuce - Help From Above Farm
strawberries - Papa's Orchard
tender young spinach - Hares Valley Produce
cilantro - Landisdale Farm

Recipes

Squash and Cauliflower Soup with Shrimp

SERVES 4

Zucchini or other summer squash may be substituted for pattypan squash.

2 tbsp. butter
1/2 small white onion, peeled and chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 lb. small yellow pattypan squash, trimmed and quartered
1/2 lb. cauliflower, trimmed and coarsely chopped
3 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp. olive oil
12 medium shrimp, peeled, tail shells
intact, and deveined
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and half the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add squash and cauliflower, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 6–8 minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer soup until vegetables are very soft, 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat cream in a small pot over medium heat until warm.

2. Season soup to taste with salt, then, working in batches, purée in a blender until smooth. Return soup to pot over lowest heat. Whisk in warm cream. Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt.

3. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add oil, then shrimp, and saute until lightly colored on each side and just cooked through, 20-30 seconds per side. Sprinkle remaining garlic and parsley over shrimp and toss quickly. Remove skillet from heat and season shrimp with salt and pepper.

4.Divide soup between 4 shallow soup bowls and add3 shrimp to each bowl of soup with a sprig of parsleyand an edible flower or two, if you like.

Spinach and Zucchini Soup Recipe

(from one of our favorite blogs)

I prefer to use a light tasting vegetable stock here, nothing too overpowering. If you'd like a richer version of this soup feel free to finish the soup with a splash of cream, or a dollop of creme fraiche or plain yogurt in place of the finishing drizzle of olive oil.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

big pinch of salt

2 1/2 cups potatoes (2 medium) cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 1/2 cups zucchini (2 medium), loosely chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

4 cups fresh spinach leaves, loosely packed

1 cup cilantro, loosely chopped

one lemon

In a large, thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) add the garlic and onions and saute for a few minutes along with pinch of salt - just until they soften up a bit. Stir in the potatoes and zucchini. Add the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft throughout, roughly 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the spinach, and wait for it to wilt, just ten seconds or so. Now stir in the cilantro. Puree with a hand blender until smooth. Whisk in a big squeeze of lemon juice. Now taste, and add more salt if needed. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Serves about 6.

Strawberry Sauce

Bon Appétit | June 1998

Yield: Makes about 2 cups 1 16-ounce basket strawberries, hulled, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice Stir strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Transfer strawberry sauce to bowl. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

With thanks,

christy and tom