This Week's Delivery Saturday August 28, 2010

Store In the Fridge:

Bell Peppers- Hot Pepper Bob

Japanese Eggplant- Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Store In a Cool Dry Place:

Pluots -Papas Orchard

Nectarines-Papas Orchard

Shallots- Hares Valley Growers

Brandywine Tomatoes-Locust Brook Farm

Recipes and Information

Pluots:

The strangely named pluot is a hybrid of the plum and the apricot.The actual ratio works out at about 70% plum and 30% apricot. The pluot is extremely sweet; this is because it has a very high sugar level. Although pluots are a cross breed they mainly look like plums.

Pluots are sometimes sold by the name of Dinosaur egg due to the strange dappled coloring on some types of the fruit. The name Dinosaur egg has actually been trademarked by a California pluot grower.

Japanese Eggplant:

Have thinner skins and a more delicate flavor than American eggplants, and not as many of the seeds that tend to make eggplants bitter. They're usually more slender than American eggplants, but they vary in size and shape. They range in color from lavender to pink, green, and white.

Bourbon nectarine Ice Cream Sundaes with POundcake Croutons

• 1. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  2. 8 ounces all-butter pound cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  3. 6 firm, ripe yellow nectarines, cut into thin wedges
  4. 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  5. 1/3 cup bourbon
  6. 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  7. 2 pints vanilla ice cream
  8. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the pound cake and toss to coat. Spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until toasted.
     2. Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the nectarines and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the nectarines are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and stir to melt. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the bourbon and lemon juice. Tilt the pan slightly and carefully ignite the alcohol. Cook over moderate heat until the nectarines are softened and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
     3. Scoop the ice cream into bowls and spoon the nectarines and sauce on top. Garnish with the croutons and serve right away.
     
     
     
     
     Salad of Shrimp and Roasted Peppers

     1 large red bell pepper
     16 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and steamed
     2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
     2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
     2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
     1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
     Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     

     1. Preheat oven to 500˚. Put pepper in a small pan, and place in oven to roast until the skin is charred and the flesh has softened, 15–20 minutes. Set aside pepper, and when cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin, stem, and seeds, then cut flesh lengthwise into 1/4"-wide strips.
     

     2. Mix together peppers, shrimp, parsley, mint, oil, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes before serving at room temperature.