Week of 9/5

This week's vegetables: salad mix, lettuce (for half shares), garlic, basil, cucumbers, tomatoes, roma tomatoes (for full shares), cherry tomatoes, leeks, cilantro, peppers, sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupe, beets, zucchini, yellow squash (for full shares), swiss chard (for full shares), spinach

Next week: salad mix, scallions, bok choi?, sweet corn, tomatoes, carrots, cukes, cantaloupe, peppers/eggplant

NOTE: The watermelons and cantaloupe did not fit into the full share boxes, so the full shares should take one watermelon and one cantaloupe from the black crates situated close to your boxes. No kale (as promised) this week. You will receive it next week.


FALL FARM DAYS: Join us on Saturday, Sept. 27th, and/or Saturday, Oct. 25th, at the farm to see where your produce is coming from. We'll probably be harvesting something on both of those days, perhaps even planting garlic on the October date, amidst sharing a potluck meal, and touring around our fields and buildings. (Unfortunately, no chickens this year!) Come anytime between 9:30 and 4, and we'll have the potluck meal at 12:30.

St. Germain Soup from subscriber Alicia Hitzler Burke
The name is in honor of a group vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. My friend Jill created this using fresh veggies from her garden and froze it and shared it with friends in St. Germain.


3-4 pounds of medium sized zucchini chopped into approx 1" pieces.
1 very large onion chopped (any kind but red)
3-4 Tbl. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on your taste) of fresh basil chopped.
salt and pepper to taste
1 large can of tomato juice

Heat oil in large frying pan, add chopped onion and zucchini, cook on med-hi heat until soft and breaking down about 10-15 minutes, add salt and pepper, stir as needed, add garlic and basil. Cook for a few additional minutes. Mixture should appear soft/loose but semi firm.
Add 1/2 of this mixture into the blender and add 1/2 the can of tomato juice, puree.
Do the same with the remaining mixture and juice, combine all of it in a large sauce pan, heat on med-low, when gently simmering, add 1 cup heavy whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2. FYI, do not boil or simmer once cream is added.Turn off and serve, garnish with basil ribbons, croûtons, hard cheese shavings( Fontina, Parmesan, Romano,)

To make ahead and freeze follow all of the instructions, but omit the cream, when ready to defrost and heat, simmer until heated through then add the cream and serve.

HOMEMADE ZUCCHINI RELISH sent in by subscriber Edel Logan

Hands-on time: 60 minutes up front, an hour or so to can
Time to table: 6 hours
Makes 8 or so pints but can be canned in half pints if preferred

VEGETABLES
15 cups grated zucchini, from about 4 + pounds of fresh zucchini
1 pound carrots, grated
6 cups chopped onion, from about 5 onions
8 sweet peppers, a mix of red and green, chopped (I used 2 red, 6 green)
1/3 cup table salt (Linda's sister suggests using pickling salt)

Mix these together in a very large bowl. Let stand at least three hours. (This batch stood overnight.) Drain in a colander or wrap in cheesecloth so the excess liquid can be squeezed out.

LIQUID & SPICES
3 cups vinegar (cider is preferred because it's gentler and more fruity but I used plain white vinegar and it was fine)
6 cups sugar
3 teaspoon celery seed
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch stirred into a little cold water to make a paste

Mix ingredients in a very large kettle, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add drained vegetables and bring to a boil. Let cook just a few minutes, until liquid is mostly gone. Transfer relish into sterilized jars and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

KITCHEN NOTES
Large zucchini can be seedy and spongy in the centers -- cut this out before grating. If large pieces of skin get through the grater, pull these out, they'll likely be tough. The small slivers cook fine, however.
Grate the zucchini and carrots in the food processor. Onion and peppers get mushy in the food processor so should be chopped by hand.

Mexican Vegetable Medley (Colache) from Rolling Prairie Cookbook

2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 small onion, chopped
3 or 4 small summer squash (any variety or color), cut in 1/4 inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, cut in matchsticks
2 cups corn kernels (fresh is best)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup (or more to taste) chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash and bell pepper. Saute for another minute or two. Add corn and chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer vegetables until just tender - approximately 5 minutes. If vegetables begin to stick, or mixture seems too dry, add a small amount of water. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the cilantro. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Cheese and Leek Quiche from subscriber Marsha Christensen

3 eggs
1 8-oz container whipping cream
9 inch deep pie crust
6-oz cheddar cheese
1 leek, finely chopped
chives, optional
dash of salt, pepper, garlic pwd, garlic salt

If you like things spicy, I usually add Louisiana hot sauce and crushed red peppers. Add everything together and stir, pour into crust and bake at 425 for approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Have a great week!

The Seelys