Farmers’ Market Box July 20th, 2023
This week’s local produce and featured farms:
- Celebrity Tomatoes – Munak Ranch
- Gaviota Strawberries – JR Organics
- Zucchini Squash – Dacquisto Family Farms
- Alaskan Fingerling Potatoes – Weiser Family Farms
- Purplette Onions – Terra Madre Gardens
- Bonny Melon – Weiser Family Farms
- Chocolate Mint – Terra Madre Gardens
- Escarole – Dacquisto Family Farms
- White Corn – Tamai Family Farms
Farmers’ Market Box Recipes
Elotes Pasta Salad
Serves 6 One pound farfalle pasta, cooked 2 minutes short of al dente and drained 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 ½ to 2 cups fresh corn kernels salt and black pepper ½ cup finely chopped purplette onion 2/3 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup sour cream 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon Ancho chile powder (or to taste) ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley, plus more for garnish 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 cups crumbled Cotija cheese
- Put the pasta into a bowl to cool.
- In a skillet, heat the oil, and saute the corn until it begins to color. Season with salt and pepper and put into the bowl with the pasta and add the onion.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, chile powder, paprika, cilantro, and lime juice. Pour over the pasta and vegetables and toss to coat.
- Stir in the cheese, and season with additional chile powder, salt, or pepper to taste. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, remove from the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving.
Jalapeno Cornbread
Jalapeno Cornbread Makes one loaf 1 tablespoon olive oil ¼ cup finely chopped seeded jalapeños ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper ½ cup corn kernels ¾ cup sugar ½ cup water ½ cup vegetable oil 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 ¼ cups medium-grind cornmeal 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons salt 4 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
- Add jalapeños, red pepper and corn and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Scrape mixture onto a plate and let cool completely. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
- Stir together sugar and water in a large bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir in vegetable oil. Stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Beat dry ingredients into sugar mixture with an electric mixer. Add eggs and cooked vegetables and beat until just blended.
- Scrape batter into cast-iron skillet and bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes (if top browns too quickly, cover with foil).
- Serve cornbread warm.
Rustic Tomato Tart
Serves 6 One pie crust, either store bought or home made 4 eggs 1/2 cup milk 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard 1/4 cup chives chopped 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese (see note) Salt and pepper 3 celebrity tomatoes Extra virgin olive oil for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat the inside of a 10-inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Lay the pie crust into the pan and cut off any excess dough.
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard and 2 tablespoons of chives. Stir in the cheese, season with salt and pepper, and pour into the tart pan.
- Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over top of the custard. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 30 to 40 minutes till the custard is firm in the center.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing the tart pan. Drizzle the tart with olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining chives.
Pizza Pie Potatoes
Serves 6 1-pound Alaskan fingerling potatoes, scrubbed 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 2 teaspoons dried oregano Salt and pepper 2 to 3 thinly sliced celebrity tomatoes 1 ball fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Put the potatoes into water to cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until almost tender.
- Remove from the water and cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat the inside of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Thinly slice the potatoes and lay them into the baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine the oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Brush some of the garlic oil over the potatoes.
- Lay the tomatoes over the potatoes, drizzle with the remaining oil, and cover with the mozzarella and Parmigiano.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are crispy, and the cheeses are melted, and golden brown.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Greek Tomato Salad
Serves 6 1 pound celebrity tomatoes, thinly sliced ½ cup thinly sliced purplette onion 2 tablespoons roughly chopped chocolate mint ½ teaspoon dried oregano ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling 2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar Salt and pepper 4 ounces Greek feta cheese, crumbled
- Arrange the tomatoes, onion, mint, and oregano on a serving platter.
- Whisk together the olive oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the tomatoes.
- Crumble the feta over the salad and serve.
The Hugo Cocktail
Serves 2 2 sprigs chocolate mint 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 ounce elderflower cordial 8 ounces prosecco, chilled 2 ounces sparkling water, chilled Mint sprigs and lime slices for garnish
- In each of two wine glasses, muddle half the mint and lime juice in each glass.
- In a Pitcher, combine the elderflower cordial, prosecco and sparkling water, stirring to blend.
- Divide between each glass and fill with ice. Garnish with mint sprigs, and a lime slice if desired.
- Other variations on the theme add 2 ounces of gin to the mixture to offset the sweetness of the cocktail.
Fusilli Pasta Salad with Zucchini
Serves 6 1 pound fusilli pasta, cooked 2 minutes short of al dente 2 cups chopped zucchini ½ cup finely diced purplette onion 2 celebrity tomatoes, cored, and chopped 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar 2 garlic cloves, minced 15 fresh chocolate mint leaves, chopped Salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup cubed feta cheese
- Put the pasta, zucchini, onion, and tomato into a large salad bowl.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, and mint together. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour over the pasta and vegetables and toss to coat. Add the feta and toss again.
- The salad can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes before serving.
- You can certainly add protein to this salad: leftover cooked chicken, cooked seafood, or meats.
Stuffed Zucchini
Serves 10 to 12 Eight 6-inch-long zucchini or summer squash, ends trimmed, and cut in half lengthwise 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic minced ½ cup finely diced boiled ham 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, cut into strips 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1 1/4 cups shredded Gruyere
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or aluminum foil [or parchment paper?] or coat two 13 x 9-inch baking dishes with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring an inch of water to a boil in a large pot. Place the zucchini in a steamer insert, fit it into the pot, cover, and steam the zucchini until tender when pierced with a knife, but the skin is still crisp, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pot and let cool a bit. Then gently scoop out the insides of the zucchini with a small teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell. Dry the shells with paper towels. Chop the insides of the zucchini finely.
- In a 10-inch skillet, heat the butter and oil together over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion, and chopped zucchini and cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ham, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a medium-size bowl. Stir in the basil, breadcrumbs, and mayonnaise until blended.
- Stuff the zucchini shells with the mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet or in the baking dishes.
- [Do-Ahead: At this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before continuing.]
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the zucchini evenly with the cheese and bake until the cheese is golden, and the filling is puffed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Zucchini Corn Saute
Serves 4 to 6 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 purple spring onions, finely chopped, using the bulb, and tender green leaves 4 cup zucchini, scrubbed and cut into julienne 2 ears white corn, cut from the cob Salt and pepper
- In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil, saute the onions until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and corn, and saute until the zucchini begins to color. Season with salt and pepper.
- This dish makes a nice base for grilled seafood, poultry, or meats.
- Nice add-ins: diced tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, spinach, or fresh peas.
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Mint Ganache
Serves 6 This cake is adapted from Alice Medrich’s signature chocolate cake, I’ve tweaked the recipe a bit to my liking. 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed) 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and warm 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla paste or extract 1/2 cup hot water 1 cup warm Ganache
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat the bottom of an 8×2- or 9×2-inch round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Sift only if the cocoa remains lumpy after whisking.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar, until blended.
- Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended.
- Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until all the flour is moistened.
- Pour the hot water over the batter; stir just until it’s incorporated, and the batter is smooth.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for a 9-inch pan; 35 to 40 min. for an 8-inch pan. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min. Run a thin knife around the edge and invert the cake to peel off the parchment if necessary. Invert it again onto the rack and let cool completely.
- Once cool, set the rack over a baking sheet or foil. Pour the warm ganache over the cake and use an icing spatula to spread it over the top of the cake and down the sides. Let set for about an hour before serving.
For the Chocolate Mint Ganache 1/4 cup chopped chocolate mint 1 cup heavy cream; more as needed 8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate finely chopped Granulated sugar (optional)
- Put the chocolate mint and the cream into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow the chocolate mint to steep for 30 minutes.
- Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Strain the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk gently until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. (If using a 70% bittersweet chocolate, the ganache might be a bit thick; add more cream, a tablespoon at a time, to thin it. You might also want to add a couple of teaspoons of sugar when you add the hot cream, depending on the chocolate that you used.
- Pour the warm ganache over the cake.
Bruschetta with Herbed Ricotta, Melon, and Prosciutto
Serves 4 to 6 For the Bruschetta 1 baguette, sliced 1/2-inch thick Olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with silicone, aluminum foil or parchment.
- Lay the slices onto the baking sheet and brush with oil.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crunchy.
To Assemble 1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta ¼ cup finely chopped chocolate mint Salt and pepper ¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma or Prosciutto San Danielle Thinly sliced Bonny melon
- Whisk together the ricotta, mint, salt, and pepper.
- Spread onto the bruschetta, top with a ½ slice of prosciutto, a slice of melon and serve.
Strawberry Bread
Makes 1 loaf 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 large egg, at room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries, tossed in 1 Tablespoon of flour
- Preheat oven to 350°F Coat an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and buttermilk together until combined. Make sure there are no brown sugar lumps remaining. Whisk in the oil and vanilla.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until there are no more lumps. Gently fold in the strawberries. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 55–60 minutes, making sure to loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil halfway through to prevent the top from getting too brown. The bread is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with only a few small moist crumbs.
- Remove bread from the oven and allow the bread to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove bread from the pan and place the loaf directly on the wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Drizzle 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted 1 Tablespoon heavy cream or milk 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Whisk the ingredients together. Drizzle over bread before slicing.
- Cover and store bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Strawberries with Amaretto Fondue
Serves 2 to 4 Amaretto Custard 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 cups whole milk 6 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons Amaretto di Saronno+ additional 2 cups heavy cream, whipped stiffly Fresh fruit (strawberries) for dipping
- In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, milk, and egg yolks until smooth. Place over medium-high heat and whisk until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the Amaretto.
- Transfer to a glass bowl and press plastic wrap against the surface, to keep a skin from forming.
- Do-Ahead: At this point, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or and up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.
- When ready to serve, whisk in the whipped cream and add additional Amaretto to taste.
- Serve with fresh fruits for dipping.
Cantaloupe, Tomato and Mint Salad
Serves 6 2 celebrity tomatoes, cut into wedges 1-1/2 cups melon, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks 1/4 tightly packed cup chocolate mint leaves, torn 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped chives 1 garlic clove, minced ¼ cup white wine vinegar 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1/4 cup crumbled Ricotta Salata, or feta
- Put the tomatoes, melon, and mint into a serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, chives, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Pour over the tomatoes and melon and toss to coat.
- When ready to serve, sprinkle with the ricotta salata.
Stracciatella alla Nonna
Serves 6 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 head escarole, cored, washed spun dry and chopped 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth 4 large eggs 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano Freshly ground black pepper
- In a Dutch oven, heat the oil, saute the garlic for 1 minute, add the escarole, and saute until the escarole has wilted.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmigiano, and pepper.
- Just before serving, slowly stir into the simmering soup, until the eggs are scrambled. Serve the soup garnished with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Escarole and White Bean Stew
Serves 6 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary ½ cup finely chopped purplette onion 1 head escarole, cored, washed, spun dry and chopped One 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes One 14.5-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth Rind from Parmigiano Reggiano Salt and pepper
- In a Dutch oven, heat the oil, saute the garlic, rosemary and onion until the onion is softened.
- Add the escarole and saute until the escarole is wilted.
- Add the tomatoes, cannellini beans, broth, and rind from Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, season with salt and pepper and serve.
@Diane Phillips Diane Phillips Blog: Cucina Divina
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