Week 9 Newsletter 2015

First there are blossoms

....then there are cucumbers!

Hello Everyone,

We can see light at the end of the tunnel! If all goes as planned, we will be wrapping up the cherry harvest very soon. The hot and dry weather was  perfect for the fresh sweet cherries this year. You may have noticed how beautiful the tart cherries were in your bin last week. Luckily we harvested the tarts before the "big" storm.

The main garden has transformed and the sunflowers are beginning to bloom as well as a few zinnias. The finches have discovered the Swiss chard in the hoophouse and I am continually shooing them out. Do have any tried and true tactics for theses persistent little birds?




Here are the items to expect to find in your bin this week:

Flowers

Sweet cherries

Zucchini

Cucumbers

Yellow beans

Dragon Tongue or Roma Beans

Basil & Dill

Lettuce

Onions

The yellow beans have arrived

Here are a couple of recipes that include some of the items you will find in your bin.

Pan-Roasted Green Beans With Golden Almonds

TARA PARKER-POPE  Time 30 minutes  Yield 4 servings


This simple almond-shallot topping goes with just about any simply cooked vegetable, but it tastes best with green beans. Instead of simply blanching the beans, they can be charred until they develop a smoky richness.


INGREDIENTS

 Kosher salt
8 ounces green and/or wax beans, trimmed
¼ cup blanched whole almonds, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, thinly sliced
1 lemon
 Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add salt (a teaspoon or so, or to taste). Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green but still firm, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water. When cool, drain again. Pat dry with paper towels until completely dry.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the almonds and the oil, adding more oil if needed to just cover the almonds. Cook over medium heat until the almonds are golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the shallot. It will cook in the residual heat.
Coat a large skillet with oil. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the beans and season with salt. Cook, tossing frequently, until charred dark brown in spots and tender-crisp, about 7 minutes.
Top with the almond mixture, then the parsley. Grate the zest from a quarter of the lemon directly over the beans, then cut the lemon into wedges for serving. Season with pepper and serve.

Summer Pasta With Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil

  DAVID TANIS  Time 30 minutes  Yield 4 to 6 servings


A summer pasta should be simple and fresh, ideally made with vegetables straight from the garden or market. 


INGREDIENTS

 Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick pieces (for larger zucchini, cut in half lengthwise before slicing)
 Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced, or 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic
1 ounce basil, about 2 cups loose leaves
1 pound ziti or other dry pasta
8 ounces ricotta, about 1 cup (see recipe)
 Pinch of crushed red pepper
 Zest of 1 lemon
2 ounces grated Parmesan, pecorino or a mixture, about 1 cup, plus more for serving

PREPARATION

Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.

Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.