Week #9 at Red Hill Farm, by Angela

This week is for full-share and bi-weekly Tuesday pickups.

Blue potatoes (source)

Well, last week was a sort of farmer strength and conditioning week as we harvested loads of onions for curing, then picked up sandbags from the field for two hours (not an exaggeration), hauled corn out the wazoo, and stacked cinder blocks in the barn for part of our curing station. Yeah, we're tough  :)  All in the name of good food.

Josh will be farmer in the shareroom this week. Joanne will be available on the farm from 1-5 pm on Tuesday and 1-3 pm on Friday this week.

In the thick of it now, I hope you are as excited as I am about the bounty of deliciousness coming out of the fields. This week for your menu planning you may anticipate:

• Blue potatoes (good for baking)
• Shallots (please remember the note from last week; these will not store long so use them up fast)
• Garlic
• Sweet white onions
• Heirloom tomatoes
• Summer squash
• And some other goodies....

Cheers!

Summer Squash Butter, by Melinda



(source)

This is adapted from "Jennie Cook's Zucchini Butter" on Food 52 Digest, one of the blogs we follow.

Summer Squash Butter--As the editors of Food 52 Digest comment, "It turns out zucchini [and other summer squash] want to be butter. Grated fine, it cooks down quickly, pooling into a soft, freckly green pile. Spread it on toast in place of actual butter. Cake a thick layer in a sandwich w/ salted tomatoes or soft cheese. Sauce a grilled pizza. Consider it a side dish. Or just eat a big heap of it, right out of the pan...!"  You get the idea.  It's green gold!

• 2 lbs zucchini or summer squash (use less or add extra--cooking times will vary)
• 1/4 cup olive oil or butter
• 2 minced shallots, garlic, or a combination of both
• salt & pepper

Coarsely grate the squash. Let it drain in colander for 3 to 4 min or until you're ready to start cooking. To hasten cooking time, squeeze water out of the squash by wringing it in a clean cloth towel.  In deep skillet, heat oil or butter. Saute shallots or garlic briefly. Add squash & toss w/ salt & pepper to taste. Cook & stir over medium to medium-high heat until squash reaches a spreadable consistency, ~15 min. If you scorch the bottom, turn heat down! (And scrape those delicious dark bits into the butter for added flavor--you can splash in a little water to help deglaze the pan.) The squash will hold its bright color and slowly caramelize into a nice vegetable jam. Enjoy on toast or as a side dish all summer long!  [Note from Melinda: this can be frozen for longer storage.]  (Recipe source from Food 52)

50 Ways to Prepare and Eat Sweet Corn! By Melinda

We're getting bountiful corn this week.  Brendan notes, correctly, that it's so tender and sweet that you can eat it raw from the cob!  Delicious.  But if you want to cook it, from the simplest boiling to more complex preparations, this is your key!  This comes to us courtesy of the Food Channel: click here!

Pesto Festo was Great, by Melinda, with thanks to Joanne!

Mingling... from left, Prince, Angela, Jeff....and a cast
of thousands!

We had a beautiful, "stilly" evening for the Pesto Festo, after what had been a hot day. Everyone was glad to chill a bit and relax, especially Brendan, who manned the Friday pickup that day.

Brendan chilling w/ Marianne, our off-farm coordinator,
and her husband

Prince provided some great music for the shindig, nice and bluesy, which complemented the laid-back atmosphere of the party.

Prince--fabulous musician

The pesto selections were all so delicious that it was really hard to judge them; mostly they were basil-based, but I believe there was one made from garlic scapes (yum). Tasting them was a tough job, but someone had to do it (!!!!!)

Judging--Marie, Joanne Rosenbaum, & others

Judging--Prince, Brendan, & Janet (I think)

The envelope please!  And the winners were Kathy Fuller and Janet Riddle!!!! So of course we had to toast to that--soft drinks, elderflower cordial (yum), and some thoughtful guest brought wine! And we continued to snack and chat into the early evening.  Joanne Rosenbaum did a great and energetic job organizing this fun event.  A toast to Joanne!

Mimi and Joanne--American Gothic!

Joan & Janet

Jeff & Marie

More mingling...

Guess who partied down in these fabulous shoes...!

Deep conversation about the meaning of life, with Mimi
and Melinda

Update from Angela

Our new friends George & Wanda from Alaska helped
harvest onions--thanks!

Recently my Dad shared a profound statement applicable to both life and farming: rarely is a harvest in the same season as its seeding. As we pull massive quantities of onions out of the ground this week that were sown back in February, how much time has passed, and how the seasons have changed from their starting point.

Brendan & Molly set Torpedo onions out in the
greenhouse to cure.

The rains continue as well as the weeds, though I caught a trio of farm members weeding down in the hot peppers last Friday. What a blessing! Please feel free to weed while you harvest in the U-Pick field; we are doing our best and aiming to get on some weed crews, but in the meanwhile every tall grass pulled is helpful.

Members caught in the great act of weeding in the
U-Pick--thank you!

Okra, a World-Divider, by Melinda

The world is divided into people who love or who strongly dislike okra.  It's among our U-Pick choices, though, so it's probably worth giving it a try!--here are a few ideas for different methods of preparation.

(source of photo & recipe)

Peppery Grilled Okra with Lemon-Basil Dipping Sauce--serves 8

• Cheesecloth or coffee filter
• 1 qt plain, low fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper, divided
• 2 lbs fresh okra, trimmed (click here for how to trim & prepare okra)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Line a wire mesh strainer w/ 3 layers of cheesecloth or a largish coffee filter. Place strainer over bowl, dump yogurt into it, & cover & chill 24 hrs. Remove thick yogurt [save the liquid whey as a nice addition to soups & stews]. Preheat grill 400 to 450 [this could also be done on the grill pan in your oven or on a George-Foreman-type grill]. Combine yogurt, basil, lemon juice, garlic, & sugar with 1/2 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper. Cover & chill till ready to serve.

Toss together okra, olive oil, & remaining 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper in a large bowl. Grill okra, covered w/ grill lid, at 400-450 for 2-3 min. on each side or until tender. (You can thread them on skewers that have been soaked in water, as in photo above, to make it easier to handle them.) Cool okra 5 min. Transfer to serving dish & serve w/ dipping sauce.  (source)

Shrimp and Okra Hush Puppies--Okra is really a southern dish, and like so many dishes, it's often batter-dipped & fried.

(Source)

• 1 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal mix
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup medium-size raw shrimp, shelled & chopped
• 1 tsp Creole seasoning
• 1/2 cup diced onion, or combo of chopped onion & chopped sweet peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped okra
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup beer
• canola oil

Mix cornmeal & flour in bowl till combined. Sprinkle shrimp w/ Creole seasoning. Add shrimp, onion, & okra to cornmeal mix. Stir in egg and beer just until moistened. Let stand 5 to 7 minutes. Pour oil to depth of 4 inches in a Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot; heat to 350. Drop batter by level tbsps into hot oil & fry, in batches, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels; serve immediately (you can keep warm in 225 oven for up to 15 min, but no longer or they'll get mushy).  (source)

Okra and Sweet Corn Maque Choux--makes 8 servings

• 1/4 lb spicy smoked sausage, diced (VEGANS--substitute Tofurky Italian Sausage)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup diced sweet pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels
• 1 cup trimmed & sliced fresh okra
• 1 cup diced tomato
• salt & pepper to taste

Saute sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes, until browned. Add onion, sweet pepper, & garlic, & saute 5 min, or till tender. Add corn, okra, & tomato; cook, stirring often, 10 min. Season to taste.

(Photo & recipe source)

Week #8 on Red Hill Farm! By Angela

This is a full share and bi-weekly Friday pickup week.

You can see how onions enjoy the sun!

The blazing sun has done us well & our storage onion harvests have begun. We did pull shallots last Friday & will be distributing them over this week and next week. Please use these sooner than later. Because of the quantities of rain they endured, I do not anticipate them to store well--so, eat them while the eating is good!

The sweet corn is bountiful this week, so invite your friends over & enjoy this all-American taste of summer!

Brendan will be the farmer in the shareroom this week.  Joanne will be available on the farm this Tuesday from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Easy Zucchini (or Other Summer Squash) Tart, by Melinda

Zucchini Tart w/ Sausage & Dijon (source)

Zucchini Tart with Crumbled Sausage and Dijon--The Patty Pan summer squash we're getting, sliced, would make an equally nice tart.  Serves 4.

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed [or use hot sausage if you like it]
• about 1 lb summer squash (zucchini, Patty Pan, or other), sliced bite-size
• 1 sheet puff pastry (half a 17.3 oz package), thawed
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard (I strongly recommend NOT using Trader Joe's brand, as it tastes like an extremely hot Chinese mustard)
• green salad with halved cherry tomatoes, to go with the tart

Heat oven to 400. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage & cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until cooked partway through, 3 to 4 min. Transfer to a plate w/ a slotted spoon; reserve the skillet as is. Add sliced squash, 2 tbsp water, 1/2 tsp salt, & 1/4 tsp black pepper to the drippings in the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, 4 to 5 min. Unfold the pastry on a baking sheet & prick all over with a fork, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the dough. Spread the mustard on the pastry, avoiding the border; top w/ squash & sausage. Bake till the pastry is golden brown, ~20 to 25 min. Cut the tart into 8 pieces and serve with salad.

(Recipe source: Real Simple Magazine, August 2013)

Zucchini (or Other Summer Squash) Tots, by Melinda

A farm member requested the recipe for "Zucchini Tots" that Joanne posted in the shareroom as a "kid-friendly" recipe.  So here we go!

Zucchini Tots (source)

Zucchini Tots--makes 3 servings of 4 tots each. You can substitute shredded Patty Pan squash, yellow squash, or any other shredded summer squash. These are made in a mini-muffin pan.

• 1 cup zucchini or other summer squash, grated
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 medium onion, diced
• 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (full or low fat)
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• salt/pepper to taste
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray. Grate the squash into a clean (cloth) dish towel. Using the towel wrapped around the shredded squash, wring all excess fluid out of the squash. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients & season w/ salt/pepper to taste. Fill each muffin section to the top, pushing down on the filling w/ a spoon so it's nicely compacted (so they don't fall apart when you take them from the pan). Bake for 16-18 min., till tops are golden. Use a plastic knife or rubber spatula around the edges of each tot to remove them from muffin tin. Let's eat! For pictures of the steps in making this zucchini tots recipe, click here.

And for a list of 35 other zucchini or summer squash recipes, see "Two Peas and Their Pod," by clicking here.

Drexel Neumann Academy at the Farm, by Joanne

Hi, I've been working with Drexel Neumann Academy's 3rd-grade class, 23 children and their teacher Cindi O'Hanlin, since April. I am very fortunate that Mimi Hall, Red Hill Farm workshare, has been able to help out with the classes and their visits to the farm.

Class portrait!

Topics in the classroom have included how plants grow, planting seeds, making hummus, nutritional information on food groups, and the sugar content of drinks. Amazing--apple juice has about as much sugar as Coke! While apple juice has the added benefit of vitamin C, its sugar content suggests fruit juices should be limited to one cup a day.

The kids, w/ Mimi at back right and Cindi front right

At the farm, the students planted the plants they grew from seeds, learned about chickens, bees, and how we grow organic foods. They had a chance to look under the microscope at the soil and, of course, bugs! On their last visit, they planted and harvested beans!

Students with green beans!

Our relationship will continue with Drexel Neumann Academy in the fall, as well as schools in the Penn Delco school district, St. Francis de Sales School in Lenni (click here for more info), the Neumann Child Development Center (click here), and the Girl Scouts.

Another group shot--cool kids!

PLEASE NOTE:  in the shareroom we're selling bright, cheery grocery bags to help fund our educational outreach progams. They're only $6 and are made of 80& recycled materials. Your support would be *much* appreciated!

Thanks from Joanne Rosenbaum, Farm Education Coordinator
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
610-558-6121

***A note on Drexel Neumann Academy:  St. Katharine Drexel School was the last Catholic school in Chester, PA, in 2005, yet it was scheduled to close due to declining enrollments that year. To remedy the situation, the Diocese of Philadelphia, Neumann University, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, and St. Katharine Drexel Parish decided to create Drexel Neumann Academy, an independent Catholic school run on Franciscan principles of love, peace, and caring for people and the environment. The new school opened in 2006, with no discrimination on religion, financial resources, or race--in fact, over 85% of the students are non-Catholic!  For more on the wonderful work done by Drexel Neumann Academy, click here.  If you're wondering who St. Katharine Drexel is, she is Philadelphia's first woman saint (1858-1955, canonized in 2000)! She came from a wealthy background (her father founded Drexel University) but was moved by the plights of poor Native Americans and African Americans, becoming a nun in 1889 (the Philadelphia papers proclaimed in large headlines, "Miss Drexel enters a Catholic Convent--Gives Up Seven Million!" (For more on St. Katharine Drexel, see here.)

Turkey & Zucchini Burgers with Green Onion & Cumin, by Melinda

I made these last night, and the burgers, together with the sour cream sauce--while neither low calorie nor low cholesterol--were absolutely spectacular!  This is my first foray into middle-eastern cooking (and spices!), so I was thrilled with the outcome. My inspiration was Jerusalem: a Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (I can't recommend the book highly enough--it's beautiful visually, the recipes are fabulous yet simple, and they have another cookbook called Plenty which is all vegetarian!)

(source)

Turkey Burgers--makes ~18 meatballs or about 10 small burgers. Vegetarians can substitute tofu for the turkey, while vegans can do that and also replace the egg and sour cream with vegan substitutes.

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 large zucchini, coarsely grated (a scant 2 cups)
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large, free-range egg
• 2 tbsp chopped mint (from the farm!)
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro (ditto!)
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed (I used a couple of our "fresh garlic" cloves)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• canola or sunflower oil for frying

Sour Cream & Sumac Sauce--While sumac powder may be unfamiliar to you, trust me--it lends a delightfully tart taste to the sauce. Many grocery stores now carry it; as well, you can purchase it online (e.g., click here).

• scant 1/2 cup sour cream
• scant 2/3 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• 1 & 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp sumac powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Make the sour-cream sauce first by putting all the ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Stir well & set aside or refrigerate. Ottolenghi makes his turkey mix into smallish meatballs which are seared first for ~4 minutes in a fry pan in canola oil, then baked in a 425 oven for 5 to 7 min. However, as noted above, I made mine into about 10 small burgers & then sauteed them on both sides in canola oil till they were browned and cooked through. So I'll give you those directions.

In a large bowl, mix together all the meat ingredients except the canola oil.  Mash it all together with your hands, mush, mush, mush. (If you use tofu, I'd recommend a soft tofu.) Store in fridge if you're not making the dish right away.

Pour enough oil into a large frying pan to make about 1/16th inch of oil. Heat on medium till hot, then add burgers that you've shaped with your hands from the mix (we got 10 from this recipe). Cook till  browned on one side, then flip with a spatula and brown the other side. To be certain the burgers are cooked through, cover the pan with a lid for ~5 min. Cut into a burger to be sure there's no pinkness left. Use a spatula to remove them from the pan and lay them on a few layers of toweling to soak off the extraneous oil. Serve warm or at room temp, with the sauce spooned over or on the side.  Bliss!!!!

Available in stores or online

Blog-a-Roo, by Angela

(Source)

I saw this little boy pretending to chomp down on the rays of sunshine that beamed through the church windows during the sermon. Ah, the sweet taste of long desired sunshine is what this week is all about. Hitting our first 100 degrees at 2pm on Monday, we stopped working early due to our newly adopted standard in accordance with OSHA precautions ("Occupational Safety and Health Administration"--click here for more).  Out of concern for the safety of farm employees, fieldwork will not extend beyond CSA harvests and critical farm tasks if the heat index exceeds 103 degrees or actual temperatures exceed 95 degrees. Share pickups will continue as usual because there is relief from the heat in the shade of the barn.

Brendan weed-whacking the walking paths
in the U-Pick

To help you see the U-Pick amongst the weeds, Brendan has been skillfully mowing down the aisles of the U-Pick field (see above) with the weed-whacker, making the produce and flowers far easier to identify alongside the intrusive weed invaders.

I'm learning a lot about the whole Three-Sisters application with the winter squash, popcorn, and dry beans. First off, it's a crazy zoo of stalks, vine, and weeds at this point, as the squash are climbing the corn among the weeds that blasted forth with the continuous rains. The zoo is not so bad, as all these items get harvested once they have dried back. Secondly, the location in which the experiment was planted gets a fair amount of morning shade due to the neighboring woodlot. So the squash has developed more vigorously closer to our main driveway, where it resides in the row; and I am afraid that the plants near the woods may truly be too far behind for good production, given the additional shade from the burgeoning corn stalks. All in all, it is a space saver, but when I glance over at the row of acorn squash (see below) all by itself next to the peppers in full sunlight, they are farther advanced than those winter squash competing with the corn and bean companions.

Exuberant acorn squash vines to the right of the peppers

Our "Two Sisters" corner (immediately to your left as you enter the farm), companion-planted with sweet corn and melons, lacks the vital addition of a nitrogen fixer like beans (for info on nitrogen fixing, click here). To assist these plants with all the nutrients they require, we have been "fertigating" (injecting fish emulsion into the irrigation lines). Fish emulsion is a time-honored, OMRI-approved (Organic Materials Review Institute) organic application of concentrated nitrogen. The plants feed on nitrogen much in the same way that we require carbohydrates for fuel. Corn is a heavy feeder of nitrogen and hence the reason Mid-Western mono-crops tend to result in a rotation of corn followed by soybeans (beans of all sorts help make nitrogen more readily available in the soil for the crops that follow the beans). If you were around the farm last year, you may have noted that the current location of the peas and green beans in the U-Pick field was the home of our sweet corn last season. We are following simple crop rotations in the same manner (but on a smaller scale) that benefits everything in the long run.

Molly fertigating the corn (injecting fish
emulsion into the drip-tape lines for nitrogen

Pesto Festo Postponed till the 19th

Due to The Deluge today (a few people actually thought they sighted Noah's Ark coming up the Schuykill River), the Pesto Festo is postponed till Friday, JULY 19th, 5:00 to 7:00-ish. In central Delaware County we had over 2 inches of rain in less than an hour!

Source

PESTO FESTO, by Joanne

Pesto Ideas, by Melinda

There's a world of pesto out there--the traditional Italian type made with Genovese basil and pine nuts is only the tip of the iceberg!

Saveur Magazine has published a number of articles on the history and variability of pesto sauces and their ingredients.  To start, check out this "all-pesto dinner" at http://www.saveur.com/article/Menu/celebration-pesto-dinner-party?cmpid=cb !!!  It includes Pesto Focaccia, made with sun-dried tomatoes (click here);

Pesto Focaccia

As well, the dinner includes Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pesto Pistou (click here), Pesto-Rubbed Chicken with Panzanella (see here), and for dessert, Pesto Panna Cotta (a type of Italian ice cream) with Tomato Sorbet and Candied Pine Nuts (click here)!

Pesto Panna Cotta w/ Tomato Sorbet (source)

The word "pesto" ("pestare") simply means to pound or crush (as in, to a paste), so as you can imagine there are many varieties of pesto around the world, some of which involve no basil at all! For a short summary of various pesto types, click here.

Pesto de Prezzemolo (Parsley Pesto w/ Anchovies)--makes ~1 1/4 cups

Pesto de Prezzemolo on toasted bread (source)

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup packed parsley leaves
• 2/3 cup capers, drained
• 1 tbsp packed fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed red chile flakes
• 2 anchovy filets in oil, drained [or sub 6 or 7 pitted Kalamata olives if you don't like anchovies]
• 2 cloves garlic
• kosher salt/fresh-ground pepper to taste

Process oil, parsley, capers, oregano, vinegar, chile flakes, anchovies, & garlic in food processor till smooth sauce forms; season if needed w/ salt & pepper.  (source)

Pepita & Cilantro Pesto--makes about a cup; pepitas are pumpkin (or other winter-squash) seeds

• 2 cups packed cilantro [you can use the tender stems & flowers of the plant too]
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup toasted pepitas
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper to taste

Pulse cilantro, oil, pepitas, parmesan, lime juice, & garlic in food processor till finely chopped. Season w/ salt/pepper.  (source)

Pesto Calabrese--makes ~1 1/2 cups

Pesto Calabrese (source)

• 1 small eggplant, peeled & cut in 1/2-in. cubes
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper [or sweet Italian frying pepper], stemmed, seeded, & minced
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 2 plum tomatoes, cored & minced
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup packed basil
• fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

Put eggplant in colander & toss w/ 2 tbsp salt; let sit for 20 min. Drain eggplant & dry on paper towels. Set aside. Heat oil in 10" skillet on medium-high heat; add red pepper & onion & cook, stirring often, till soft & lightly caramelized, ~10 min. Add eggplant & cook, stirring occasionally, till soft, ~8 min. Add tomatoes & cook, stirring, till soft, ~5 min. Transfer to food processor & add ricotta & basil; puree till smooth. Season w/ salt/pepper.  (source)

Broccoli Pesto Puree--makes ~2 cups

• 1 small head broccoli (~2 cups florets)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts or chopped blanched almonds
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp chile flakes
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• pinch of sea salt

Cut broccoli into florets, rinse, & cook (boil or steam) till tender, ~3-5 min. Rinse immediately in cold water to stop cooking process. Put cooked florets in food processor with all other ingredients except salt. Whiz till smooth, taste, & add salt if desired. Puree will keep in fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.   (source)

Broccoli Pesto Puree (source)

For about 80 more pesto recipes, check out this archival list from Saveur magazine (a wonderful journal, btw):  http://www.saveur.com/solrSearchResults.jsp?q=pesto.

MANGIA!!!!!!

Pesto Festo Contest & Party, Fri. 12 July, 5:30-7:00, by Joanne

SAVE THE DATE!!!!  Friday July 12th, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.  Music by PRINCE (country and R & R)!

Joanne

Hi all you Red Hill Farm chefs!  Start perusing those cook books, or refining your favorite pesto recipe to enter into the contest. Be creative--e.g., try a non-basil pesto!

Prizes will be awarded for the most creative and best-tasting.  Bring your favorite beverage or snack to complement the various pesto contest entries.

See the post above, "Pesto Ideas," for some unusual types of pesto, as well as for the history of this wonderful sauce of ground herbs and other ingredients.

Pesto with Green Beans & Potatoes, by Melinda

Trenette al Pesto with green beans and potatoes (source)

Trenette al Pesto (Trenette or Linguine with Pesto, Green Beans, and Potatoes--This is a traditional Italian pesto sauce over a mix of pasta, green beans, and potatoes. Trenette is a regional pasta but you can use linguine or fettucine instead.

• 3 cups packed basil
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp finely grated parmesan
• 2 tbsp finely grated pecorino
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• kosher salt & fresh-ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lb trenette or linguine pasta
• kosher salt to taste
• 8 oz. green beans, trimmed 
• 8 oz. baby red potatoes (or other small potatoes), roasted & halved

Make the pesto:  process basil, oil, cheeses, nuts, & garlic in a food processor until finely ground. Season w/ salt/pepper & set aside.  Bring 6-qt. saucepan of salted water to boil on high heat; add pasta & cook, stirring, till half-cooked, ~5min. Add green beans & cook, stirring, till pasta is al dente and veggies are tender, ~3 min. longer. Drain pasta & veggies, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water, & transfer to large bowl along w/ potatoes and pesto; toss to combine, adding a couple tbsp of reserved cooking water, if needed, to make a smooth sauce.  MMMWAH!!!!

Week #5 Ruminations, by Angela

Week 5 share

Fret as I may about the rain and overall wetness on the farm, things are looking pretty good.

Week 4 share

Sure the weeds are a bit unruly, as well as the tomato plants that need far more trellising than they have received, but the zucchini is coming in steady, and the corn is growing like bamboo.

Heirloom Tomatoes

I count my silver linings throughout the farm as the corn starts to tassle, the winter squash vines begin to creep, wee bitty eggplants emerge, and so forth. We're going to be fine.

Sugar Pearl sweet corn

Torpedo Onions, Zucchini, and Such-Like, by Melinda

According to "Specialty Produce" (click here), Torpedo onions are an Italian heirloom onion, usually picked in spring and early summer and used "uncured."  Another site notes that they originated in the Italian town of Tropea in Calabria; they were brought there over 2000 years ago by the Phoenicians! Now *that's* an heirloom!

Torpedo Onions (source)

In appearance, they're slender and longish, with a swelled middle that makes them resemble small footballs or torpedoes. Usually their thin skin is pale violet or reddish, occasionally white. If the onions look shiny & are not "cured" (our torpedo onions are uncured), they should be kept in fridge and used within a week.

Roasted Summer Squash with Torpedo Onions--This recipe doesn't specify amounts of certain ingredients because it's supposed to be a kind of laissez-faire dish; roasted veggie dishes are often that way.

• 2 lbs smallish summer squash--i.e., zucchini
• 1 globe eggplant (or substitute turnips to equal about the same amount)
• one lb torpedo onions, trimmed of roots & any papery skin
• fresh basil
• dried Italian seasoning to taste (or chopped fresh oregano, thyme, sage, etc)
• garlic, peeled & chopped in largish chunks
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Chop the veggies, onions, garlic, and basil (and any other fresh herbs you may be using). Coat the bottom of a baking pan lightly with olive oil. Put all veggies into pan & drizzle with more olive oil & balsamic vinegar (to taste) and sprinkle seasonings & salt atop. Toss & roast till veggies are tender and a bit browned. Yum city! Serve as a side, or as a main course over rice or other grains, or pasta. Adapted from the Agricultural Institute (click here).

Easy Grilled Torpedo Onions

• 6 to 8 (1 bunch) torpedo onions
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Trim onion stems to within a half-inch of the onion; remove any skin & root. If small, leave whole. If largish, halve the onions vertically (the half inch of stem should help hold it together). Mix together oil, vinegar, salt, & pepper and brush the onions with this mixture. Grill over low, slow heat, brushing onions from time to time with the mix. (Alternatively, you can roast them in a pan in the oven at a low temp like 250-275, likewise brushing them occasionally with the mix.) The onions should have a chance to caramelize & be tender through; this normally will take 30-40 min. on a slow grill or slow oven.  (Recipe source)

Should you happen to like squid, click here for Grilled Squid and Torpedo Onions with Sorrel!

Concia Zucchini with Mint and Vinegar (from Cucina Ebraica by Joyce Goldstein)

(source)

• 4-6 small zucchini, ~1.5 lbs
• salt
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh mint or basil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp red-wine or white-wine vinegar

Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch thick rounds, or to prepare it Veneto style, cut the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices (see above). Sprinkle with salt & let stand in a colander for 30 min. to drain off any bitter juices. Rinse & pat dry. In small bowl, combine mint (or basil), parsley, & garlic. Warm olive oil in frying pan on medium-high heat. In batches, add the zucchini & cook, turning as needed, till golden on both sides, 4-5 min. Transfer to shallow serving dish & sprinkle with some of the mint mix & some of the vinegar. Repeat w/ the rest of the zucchini, mint mix, & vinegar. Leave at room temp for 1 to 2 hrs, basting occasionally w/ vinegar in the dish, before serving.

Concia Zucchini (source)

Not enough for you???  For 577 zucchini recipes, see here from RecipeSource!

If for some reason we end up being flooded with zucchini and other summer squashes, see this issue of the Red Hill Root (page 2) for how to deal with zucchini in quantity!