Week 12 Newsletter 2015

Hello Everyone,

 It is time for eggplant!

We’re growing three different varieties of eggplant on the farm this season. The first variety is a Black Beauty, it is cylindrical shape and a blackish purple color. We will try our best to get the other varieties to you, but each week’s harvest will differ and some of the varieties are more plentiful than others.

The way it looks out there now, there are enough eggplants for many weeks to come. There are fruits that are mature now, some that are still growing, and some that are only beginning.We sure hope you like eggplant! No worries if you don't’ know what to do with it! Over the next few weeks we’ll provide you with the resources to have an eggplant party in your kitchen! For starters, see this week’s recipes.

What to expect to find in you bin this week:

Watermelon

Tomatoes

Mixed Greens

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Summer Squash/ Zucchini

Onions

Peppers

Basil

Here are a couple of recipes that include items from your bin this week.

Broiled Eggplant With Parmesan

PIERRE FRANEY  Time 30 minutes  Yield 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 eggplants about 3 inches in diameter, total weight 1 1/4 pounds
 Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to broil.
Trim eggplants and cut into 16 slices of equal thickness.
Arrange eggplant slices in one layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush both sides with olive oil.
Place eggplant under broiler about 4 inches from heat source. Broil about 3 minutes, and turn slices and broil for 3 minutes more.
In a small dish, blend garlic with Parmesan, and sprinkle mixture evenly over eggplant. Place under broiler until bubbling. Serve immediately.

Pan-Cooked Summer Squash With Tomatoes and Basil

  MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN  Time 15 minutes  Yield 4 to 6 servings

This Provençal summer dish is delightful as a starter or as a side dish with fish, chicken or cooked grains.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ pounds medium or small zucchini or other summer squash, thinly sliced or diced depending on what shape squash you use
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater, or peeled, seeded and diced
 Salt
 freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped or slivered fresh basil (to taste)

PREPARATION

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy skillet. Add the zucchini. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan, until the zucchini is lightly seared and beginning to soften, three to five minutes. Remove from the pan, and set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, then the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant -- less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have begun to cook down, about five minutes. Return the zucchini to the pan, add salt and pepper to taste, and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is tender and translucent and the tomatoes have cooked down to a fragrant sauce. Stir in the basil, and taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from the heat and serve hot, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature.

Advance preparation: You can make this a day or two ahead of time. Keep refrigerated, and reheat gently on top of the stove. The dish is also good cold, doused with a little lemon juice.