The theme of this week is zucchinis: our cooler is full to bursting, so it’s time to grill, stuff, sautee and make zucchini bread! Around this time of year we start to dread the back-breaking combined harvest of zucchini, summer squash and cucumbers, as well as all the dirty harvest buckets they create. I start to especially resent the prolific zucchini plants, but by the time they’re gone in September I wish I had appreciated them more in the height of the summer. I may not have tons of energy for cooking zucchini in the summer (especially when it involves turning on a stove in a heat wave), but I do like to shred batches of raw zucchini, measure out 1 cup patties (or whatever amount your go-to zucchini bread recipe calls for), and then freeze them on a baking sheet. Once they’re frozen, I throw them into a freezer bag and then I can thaw some out in the fall and winter when I’m sick of winter squash and craving a taste of summer’s bounty. Of course, there are plenty of wonderful dishes to be made right now from fresh zucchini (see below for some examples), so we encourage everyone to do a little of both!
We’re also excited that the flower field is fully open to the public during regular farm store hours. The field looks amazing, but if PYO is not your thing, many days (especially at the end of the week) we have Sarah’s beautiful arrangements available in the farm stand.
In the CSA this week:
Watermelon - Our first succession of the season is a variety called Blacktail Mountain. It has red flesh and seeds and a really nice sweet flavor.
Celery - Our celery is a bit less watery than what you’d find in the store, so has a stronger celery flavor.
Tomato - Tomato yields in the high tunnel are picking up, and soon we’ll also begin harvesting them in the field!
Green/purple pepper
Fresh Onions - This week we’ll have some of the Red Long of Tropea variety, which is a red fresh onion with a milder flavor.
Carrots
Slicing cucumbers
Thin-skinned cucumbers
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Mini Cabbage
Frisée/Endive- These are slightly bitter leafy greens that can add nice crunch to salads. They can also stand up to some wilting or sautéeing if you want to mellow the flavor.
Lettuce
Arugula
CSA Pick-Your-Own:
Green Beans or Cherry tomatoes
Sunflowers
Herbs: basil, dill, parsley, mint, oregano, chives and sage
In the farm store:
In addition to the items listed in the CSA, we will have:
Sweet Corn from Verrill Farm. Not organic.
Pickling Cucumbers
Potatoes
Flowers
Mushrooms from Fat Moon Farm - Farmer’s Mix and Shiitake. Certified organic.
Baer’s Best Beans - Black Turtle variety is organic, the other varieties are not.
PYO Flower Field
Starting this week the flower field is open to both PYO Flower CSA members and the general public. We still have a few PYO Flower CSA memberships available - visit http://www.barrettsmillfarm.com/online-store/pyo-flower-csa if you would like to sign up!
Flowers available for picking this week include: sunflowers, zinnias, snapdragons, gomphrena, ageratum, celosia, ammi, rudbeckia, verbena, amaranth, cosmos, decorative grasses, decorative basil and strawflower.
Zucchini Carpaccio Salad
from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 pound arugula, stems discarded and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips (6 cups), or baby arugula
1 ounce parmesan, coarsely grated (on large holes of a box grater; about 1/2 cup) or shaved with a vegetable peeler
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
You can either cut zucchini crosswise into paper-thin slices with an adjustable-blade slicer, or use a vegetable peeler (this works best if zucchini are thin, thinner than the length of the peeler blade) to shave the zucchini lenghtwise into long ribbons. Toss zucchini slices or ribbons with 1 teaspoon salt in a large colander set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes.
Rinse zucchini slices well, then drain, pressing gently on slices to extract any excess liquid. Pat zucchini slices dry with a kitchen towel.
[Do ahead: I often prepare these up to this point. Once drained well, they keep in the fridge for a few days in a container so you can use them here or elsewhere.]
Put arugula in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over greens and toss. Arrange zucchini over arugula greens, then drizzle with remaining oil, lemon juice and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and black pepper.
Zucchini Muffins with Chocolate Chips
By Jenn Segal
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 medium (9 oz) zucchini, grated (about 2 packed cups/no need to wring dry)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
⅔ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F and set rack in the middle position. Generously coat a muffin pan generously with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Stir in the zucchini.
Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in ½ cup of the chocolate chips and all of the nuts (if using).
Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, divide the batter into the muffin wells, filling each almost completely. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips onto the muffins, pressing them in lightly so they adhere. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling. Serve warm or room temperature.
The muffins are best served on the same day they are made, but will keep, wrapped in foil, at room temperature for 2 days.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.
Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients:
Olive oil or cooking spray
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound total)
1 to 2 egg whites
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup plain, dry breadcrumbs, such as panko
A couple pinches sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Coat two baking sheets lightly with cooking spray or thinly with olive oil. Slice zucchini into slightly-less-than 1/4-inch thick rounds; if they feel especially wet, spread them on a towel while you prepare the other ingredients. In a small bowl, lightly beat first egg white with 1 teaspoon water to loosen it. Combine cheese, crumbs, salt and pepper in a separate bowl. Dip each zucchini coin in egg white, letting excess run off before gently dipping them in parmesan mixture. Arrange in single layer on baking sheets. If additional egg white is needed, prepare it the same way, with 1 teaspoon of water. If additional crumb mixture is needed, make a few spoonfuls at a time, matching the volume of crumbs and cheese.
Bake zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping each over halfway through. Please keep an eye on them; they may need to be moved around on the tray so the ones at the edges don’t bake more quickly than the ones in the center. Take them out only when they’re golden all over and let them cool on the tray on a cooling rack or a plate.
Keep at room temperature until needed. Crisps are best on the first day.
