This Week's Delivery Saturday July 3, 2010

"How should melon be eaten? Not with a spoon, as is usual in restaurants.....The back of the spoon anaesthetizes the taste buds! In this way, it loses half of its flavor. Melon should be eaten with a fork."
From article 'Propos de table'
by J. De Coquet in June 1982 'Figaro'

Store In The Fridge

Canteloupe- Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Corn- Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Swiss Chard- Landisdale Farm
Zucchini- Hare Valley Growers
Apricots-Papa's Orchard

Store On the Counter, In A Hanging Basket, At Your Bedside, Just NOT In The Fridge:

Vine Ripe Tomato- Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Recipes

Summer Zucchini Pasta

		5 qt. salted water in a 6-quart pot
		1 lb. small zucchini (about 4 or 5)
		1 lb. imported penne
		4 Tbsp. good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
		1/4 tsp. red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
		4 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
		2 cups grape tomatoes, halved, or 2 cups other fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
		1-1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled
		1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped Bring the salted water to a boil. Trim off the ends of the zucchini. Cut the squash into sticks about the size of the penne. Drop the pasta into the boiling water. In the last 3 minutes of boiling (check pasta package for timing), drop the zucchini into the pot. Boil, stirring often, until the penne are tender but still have a little bite. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and reserve it. Immediately drain the pasta and zucchini in a colander. Return the pasta pot to the heat, turning it down to low. Film the bottom of the pot with the olive oil. Add the red-pepper flakes and garlic, and gently sauté just until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat, and add the drained pasta and zucchini, the tomatoes, feta, basil, and as much of the reserved pasta water as necessary to lightly coat the pasta. Toss gently, taste for seasoning, and serve. Fried Egg Sandwiches with Garlicky Swiss Chard and Cheddar From the Matthew Card collection serves 4 If you prefer, kale may be substituted. Cheddar cheese is just a suggestion; feel free to substitute what you find at the market or happen to have in the refrigerator. It should be assertive; mild cheeses won’t stand up to the garlicky greens.Introduction Ingredients Salt 1 large bunch Swiss chard, leaves trimmed from stems and rinsed; stems trimmed, rinsed, and chopped into ¼-inch-long pieces 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes 1 lemon 1 small to medium red onion, sliced thinly 1/2 tsp. sugar 4 large eggs 2 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, sliced thin or grated 4 crusty rolls (such as ciabatta or Kaiser), split and lightly toasted if desired Bring large saucepan filled with water to boil. Season generously with salt and add chard leaves. Simmer until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and cool under running water. Squeeze dry, chop coarsely and set aside. Combine 2 tablespoons of oil, garlic, and crushed pepper flakes in large, nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic just begins to color, about 2 minutes. Add greens and cook until glossy and covered in oil and garlic, about 2 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice to taste; transfer to bowl and set aside. Return pan to burner and reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan along with chard stems, onion, sugar, and large pinch salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have softened and are beginning to brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Push onion and chard mixture to ring around outside of pan; add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to center of pan and crack eggs evenly around center of pan. Season eggs with salt and pepper and cover pan. Cook until eggs are just set but yolks are still runny, 2 to 4 minutes. Top with cheese, recover, and cook until cheese has just melted, about 2 minutes longer. Divide greens evenly amongst rolls, top each roll with an egg, and spread onion mixture over top. Serve immediately. with thanks, christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday June 26, 2010

"Weather means more when you have a garden. There's nothing like listening to a shower and thinking how it is soaking in around your green beans."

Store In The Fridge:

Apricots - Papa's Orchard
Fennel - Help From Above Farm
Sour Cherries - Papa's Orchard
Gold Zucchini - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Sugar Snap Peas - Sunny Ridge Farm
Green Beans Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables
Green Tomatoes - Sunny Ridge Farm

Recipes:

Fried Green Tomatoes

(you knew we'd have to send you this one)

1 cup stone-ground cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Pinch cayenne

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large unripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices, ends removed

1/2 cup frying oil of choice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Hot pepper sauce, for serving

Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, and cayenne together. Pour the buttermilk into a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dip the tomatoes in the buttermilk and then dredge them in the cornmeal mixture, coating both sides well.

Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, pan-fry the tomatoes (in batches if necessary) until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Carefully remove the tomatoes and drain on paper towels. Serve with hot pepper sauce and lemon.

Easy Apricot Crisp

8 cups halved apricots (or sliced peaches)

1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup quick oats
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks melted butter

Toss 8 cups of apricots with 1/2 cup white sugar. Spread sugar/apricot mixture in a 9×12 casserole dish. Melt butter in a bowl in the microwave. In a medium bowl combine oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add melted butter and combine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the apricot mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. (Add 15 minutes cooking time if you are using fresh fruit instead of canned.) Serve warm or cool. Wonderful with ice cream or whipped cream.

Sauteed Green Beans with Coconut

Gourmet| January 2006; originally published 1981

If you're tired of serving the same old green bean dishes, here's a way to give them a South Indian spin. The coconut augments the sweetness of the beans and, along with the crunchy mustard seeds, lends texture as well. Yield: Makes 4 servings 2 cup finely grated unsweetened coconut* (1 1/2 oz) 1/3 cup water 1 lb green beans, trimmed 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds* 1 (1 1/2-inch) dried hot red chile, seeded and crumbled 1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Stir together coconut and water in a bowl. Let soak at room temperature until water is absorbed, about 1 hour. Cook beans in a 6-quart heavy pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer beans to a colander set in a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking, then drain well. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add mustard seeds, chile, and bay leaf and sauté, stirring, until mustard seeds make popping sounds, about 1 minute. Add beans and stir until coated with oil. Add coconut mixture and cook, stirring, until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. With Thanks, christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday June 19, 2010

"The fennel is beyond every other vegetable, delicious. It greatly resembles in appearance the largest size celery, perfectly white, and there is no vegetable equals it is flavour. It is eaten at dessert, crude, and with, or without dry salt, indeed I preferred it to every other vegetable, or to any fruit."

Thomas Jefferson

Store In the Fridge:

Fennel - Help From Above Farm

Lacinto Kale - Help From Above Farm

Romaine Lettuce – Wholesome Living Acres

Slicing Cucumber – Northern Neck Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Green Beans – Northern Neck Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

French Breakfast Radish - Path Valley Farms

Scallions - Greenbriar Produce

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Tuscan Kale Chips Bon Appétit | February 2009

by Dan Barber

The tall, crisped "chips" look striking when bunched in a tumbler, and they're terrific with cocktails. Roasting the leaves coaxes out a nutty, briny flavor that's kind of addictive.

Yield: Makes 24

Ingredients:

12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 250°F. Toss kale with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves. Transfer leaves to rack to cool.

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Cucumber Dill Salad

Chef Tom Przystawik

1 Cucumber

Juice of 1-2 Limes

2T Fresh Chopped Dill

Salt and Pepper

Peel the cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape seeds out with a spoon.

Cut cucumber into half moons about 1/4 inch thick.

Toss with lime juice and dill.

Season with salt and pepper. Now, as I tell me cooks, add a little more salt.

Let sit for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.

Enjoy!

With thanks,

christy and tom

This Week's Delivery Saturday June 12, 2010

He who likes cherries soon learns to climb.

German Proverb

Store In The Fridge:

Chard - Tuscarora Organic Coop

Romaine - Help from Above Farm

Cherries - Papa's Orchard -Some are split from the rain but still taste great!

Slicing Cucumber - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Wax Beans - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Yellow Squash - Northern Neck Fruits and Vegetables

Broccoli - Mountain View Organics

Recipes:

Wax Beans with Mint

• 1/2 pound wax beans

• Several mint leaves

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Salt

METHOD

1 A little bit ahead of time, crush a few mint leaves (reserve some for garnish) with a mortar and pestle. (or just chop them) Put the crushed mint leaves into a small jar and add a couple tablespoons of high quality olive oil to cover. Let sit for at least an hour if you can. The longer the mint is in the olive oil, the better the infusion.

2 Prepare the beans by cutting off and discarding the tips and ends. Snap the beans in half, if necessary, to have pieces about 2 inches in length.

3 15 minutes before serving bring an inch of water in a saucepan to a boil. Place the beans in a steamer basket in the saucepan. Cover and cook, until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness after about 8 minutes or so. If a fork easily goes through them, they're done.

4 Remove beans from pan and place them into a serving bowl. Use a strainer to drizzle the mint-infused olive oil over the beans. Sprinkle salt over the beans to taste. (Fleur de sel would work really well with this dish.) Chop up a few more mint leaves to add as garnish.

Serves 3-4.

Alice Waters' Long-Cooked Broccoli (yum!)

Adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.

- serves 4 as a side dish -

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds broccoli
1/4 cup olive oil
6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Pinch of dried chili flakes
A few good pinches of salt
1 cup water
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 to 4 tablespoons grated parmesan or pecorino cheese, optional

Procedure

1. To prepare the broccoli, cut the florets into small pieces. Trim the ends off the stems. Peel the stems with a paring knife and thinly slice.

2. In a medium pot with a heavy bottom, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli, garlic, chili flakes and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes, until the garlic is very fragrant. Add the water and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer, cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally until the broccoli is very tender and falling apart, about an hour. You may need to add more water if the broccoli starts to dry out. After an hour or so, stir vigorously with a spoon to create the texture of a coarse purée. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and the cheese if using. Serve as a bed for grilled fish, shellfish or chicken, as a side dish, mixed with brown rice or pasta, or as a topping for crostini.

with thanks,

christy and tom

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