Recipes

With the flux of summer squash in everybody’s baskets (and the farm’s kitchen) this time of year, it’s good to know how to best use this vegetable and use it with variety! Summer squash, a child of the Cucurbitaceae family, was first cultivated in the Americas thousands of years ago and was a staple food crop then, as it often is now. Unlike winter squash, a child of the same family, summer squash is harvested as an immature fruit while the seeds and the outer skin have not yet hardened, and therefore does not have the long storage life of the winter squash.

These brightly and varied colored gourds brag of high nutritional value, being high in Vitamin C,  a number of antioxidants, and other balancing nutrients. Not to mention some studies linking it to combating diabetes and regulating insulin levels in the body. It’s important to note most of the antioxidants in this fruit are in the skin, so when thinking about cooking your summer squash consider this important tid-bit! Additionally, while a lot of people grill, fry, boil, or (God forbid it!) microwave summer squash, steaming it or, even better, eating it raw conserves most of the nutrients in the vegetable.

A good way to try this raw is to eat it in a salad with other summer vegetables. Cucumbers, radishes, carrots, beets, and peppers are good compliments, but try experimenting with a number of different vegetables. Slice your vegetables for the salad thin and mix in your favorite vinegars, oils, herbs (basil, perhaps?), squeeze in some lemon, and a little salt and pepper, all to your taste.  Here’s a recipe that a member used last year for her raw summer vegetable salad:

3-4 small summer squash

4-5 radishes

1 medium kohlrabi

1 regular bell pepper or 6 mini peppers

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil

Lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste

As with anything, keep it simple! But of course, do what you like doing, make it your own, and give thanks to this beautiful (and highly nutritious) summer delight!

Excerpted from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Supported Farm by Farmer John Peterson & Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith Publisher).

It seems that all over the world, at some point along the way, many cultures met and fell in love with the lovely appearance and creamy-smooth flesh of this surprisingly versatile vegetable. Eggplant does not require a great deal of preparation in order to be delicious, but it does require the right preparation; otherwise it can be unpleasantly bitter, rubbery, or watery.

Storage

Eggplant prefers to be kept at about 50° F, which is warmer than most refrigerators and cooler than most kitchen counters. Wrap unwashed eggplant in a towel (not in plastic) to absorb any moisture and keep it in the vegetable bin of your refrigerator. Used within a week, it should still be fresh and mild.

Handling

Rinse eggplant in cool water and cut off the stem. Many people like to peel, salt, and drain their eggplant to draw out any bitter flavor; however, bitterness develops only in eggplant that has been stored for a while, so with farm-fresh specimens this is generally not necessary. Many recipes call for salting in order to make the vegetable less watery and more absorbent—much like draining tofu. Salting is not an essential step, but it can greatly enhance the taste and texture of your dish and is well worth the extra effort.

The shape of an eggplant determines how it is best prepared. Slice a straight, narrow eggplant into rounds for grilling or broiling, and cut a rounded, bulbous eggplant into cubes for stews and stir-fries.

Baba Ghanouj

This is a traditional Middle Eastern recipe for baba ghanouj, a thick but light spread that is delicious as a dip for pita bread or vegetables or as a filling in a sandwich. Its distinct, nutty flavor comes from tahini, a sesame paste that is widely available in specialty stores and many supermarkets. Angelic Organics Kitchen (adapted from Fields of Greens).

Serves 4

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/4–1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1–1 1/2 large lemons)

1/3 cup tahini

1–2 cloves garlic, minced (1/2–1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2. Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil over both whole eggplants and place them on a baking sheet. Roast, turning once or twice, until very soft, 30 to 45 minutes depending on size. Let cool.

3. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a dry, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until they start to brown in spots and become fragrant. (Be careful not to overtoast them, as they will burn very quickly once toasted.) Immediately transfer the nuts to a dish to cool.

4. Cut the eggplants in half and scoop out the flesh. Purée the eggplant flesh in a food processor or finely chop it on a cutting board. Transfer to a bowl.

5. Add the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, cumin, salt, cayenne, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix until well combined.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro or parsley and toasted pine nuts.