We’ve eaten summer salads for days. . . . → Read More: Cucurbit Risotto]]> Did you know there’s a name for the veggies overflowing your crisper/garden/CSA box right now? Cucurbitaceae! Zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, melons…we’re kind of drowning in them over here. Well, not melons, so much, and our little muffin (9 months tomorrow!) devours zucchini and summer squash, so we don’t really have a problem with that, but all the cucumbers are in our refrigerator right now. ALL! So. Many. Cucumbers.

We’ve eaten summer salads for days. I’ve blended them into smoothies. I’ve even baked them into pancakes with questionable success. Pickles? Done. And I don’t even love pickles.

What do I love? Warm smooshy things in bowls that don’t take forever to make. Bonus points if The Muffin likes it. Extra bonus points if he can feed it to himself. Super extra bonus points if leftovers are still tasty. What fits the bill? Cucumber risotto. “EWWWWWWWWWWWWW!”, you say? “Delicious!”, I counter. “EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!”, you still say. Well, everyone’s entitled to her opinion, but this risotto is sweet and subtle and creamy and lavender/green. If you still don’t trust me, substitute zucchini – I have and it’s great.

Apologies (once again) for the phone photos. We’ll figure out this technology thing, I promise!

Cucurbit Risotto

Adapted from Greene on Greens

Serves 4-6 as a main

Directions

1. Heat the chicken stock (on the stove or in the microwave). Prep your veggies. You don’t have to be too fussy with seeding and peeling the cucumbers. I think it’s easiest to seed cucumbers by cutting them in half the long way and scooping out the seedy middle with a spoon. (See picture above)
2. In a heavy skillet, melt half the butter (1 TBsp) over medium-low heat. Add the red onion and sweat (cook slowly without browning) for 2 minutes; add the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Thoroughly stir the rice into the onion mixture, so that each grain is coated with butter.
4. Add the cucumbers and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well, then use your spoon to smooth and level the rice mixture in the pan.
5. Gently pour a generous 1 cup of hot stock evenly over the rice mixture. Don’t stir. Just let the rice absorb the liquid, which should take about 15 minutes.
6. When all the liquid has been absorbed, stir and repeat with another generous cup of stock. Reduce the heat if the last batch was absorbed in less than 15 minutes.
7. Stir in the last 1/2 cup or so of stock. Keep your eye on the risotto this time. It’s done when the rice is tender, but not mushy. If it’s the right consistency, but there’s still liquid in the pan, raise the heat to boil it off. If the rice isn’t ready when all the liquid is gone, add a little hot water and keep cooking.
8. When the rice is perfect, stir in the remaining butter (1 TBsp) and salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.

We’ve posted before about how a frittata is our go-to dish for getting vegetables out of the refrigerator. In the late summer we have a second play out of that same playbook to use up vegetables that, quite frankly, aren’t our favorites.

I’m talking about eggplants, summer squash, and those bitter purple peppers. We have good recipes for all of them (maybe not the purple peppers), but sometimes out CSA just drops too . . . → Read More: How to Make Ratatouille: The Late Summer CSA Leftover Disposal]]>

We’ve posted before about how a frittata is our go-to dish for getting vegetables out of the refrigerator. In the late summer we have a second play out of that same playbook to use up vegetables that, quite frankly, aren’t our favorites.

I’m talking about eggplants, summer squash, and those bitter purple peppers. We have good recipes for all of them (maybe not the purple peppers), but sometimes out CSA just drops too many on us at one time, and by the end of the week the squash are getting rubbery and the eggplant feels leathery… you get the picture. Take a look at the picture about to see all that this recipe used up!

This ratatouille uses them up in quantity and although it doesn’t look like much that you’d be dying to eat (I asked Lindsay “are you sure you want me to take pictures?”), it’s actually pretty delicious and incredibly healthy to boot. Did I mention that it’s also easy?

There are a million variations on ratatouille, since it’s a common peasant stew that everybody’s mother makes in France. This one is very stew-like, and because the veggies are cut in thin strips, they take on a noodly quality. Other variations call for cubes, etc. Use your imagination. You can also control how watery you make it by adding fewer or more tomatoes. They provide most of the juice.

Rataouille

Makes 4 servings as a main or more as as side

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mash the garlic into a paste if you like (it distributes better throughout the dish), or just mince it. I used a mortar and pestle so that I didn’t have to clean the food processor for a single clove. Chop the onion and slice the eggplant. For this dish we don’t peel anything in order to make it as easy as possible.

   

3. Heat 2 TBsp of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme. Once the onions are translucent, add the eggplant and cook for about 5-8 minutes until the eggplant has thoroughly changed color.
4. As the eggplant cooks in the pan, start slicing the rest of the vegetables. It’s OK if you have to turn off the burner and let the eggplant sit for a bit; it will be cooked more. I you like it watery, add more tomatoes. If you want it dryer, add fewer.
5. Add everything to a large roasting pan and mix around with 1 TBsp of olive oil. We usually use a big Pyrex (pictured), but it’s probably best to use something ceramic because at the end it needs to go under the broiler and Pyrex is not rated for that and could fracture. We always forge tab out the broiler with this one until it’s already almost done. Don’t be like us!

   

6. Cover the roasting pan with tented tin foil or a sheet of parchment paper. Try to prevent it from sitting directly on the vegetables. Bake for 1 hour.
7. Remove it from the oven. Turn on the broiler (to high, if your oven has the option). Remove the foil / parchment paper. Add the pinch of sugar and salt to your tasting. Stir thoroughly. Place it directly under the broiler, uncovered, for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, check to see if the top is starting to singe. If so, you’re done. If not, put it back for 2 minutes at a time until the top is as caramelized as you can get it without burning.



]]> http://eatlocal365.com/2013/08/28/how-to-make-ratatouille-the-late-summer-csa-leftover-disposal/feed/ 0 http://eatlocal365.com/2012/08/18/corn-and-zucchini-stir-fry-with-cashews/ http://eatlocal365.com/2012/08/18/corn-and-zucchini-stir-fry-with-cashews/#comments Sat, 18 Aug 2012 17:21:18 +0000 Lindsay http://eatlocal365.com/?p=5947 More zucchini!! This is a recipe I first made while babysitting for my niece, who was not yet two at the time. She sat at the counter jabbering away, while I chopped and cooked, close enough to catch her and far enough away to keep her hands a safe distance from the stove. That night we made up an awesome call-and-response scatting game. She would blab something that obviously made sense to her, but sounded . . . → Read More: Corn and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Cashews]]> More zucchini!! This is a recipe I first made while babysitting for my niece, who was not yet two at the time. She sat at the counter jabbering away, while I chopped and cooked, close enough to catch her and far enough away to keep her hands a safe distance from the stove. That night we made up an awesome call-and-response scatting game. She would blab something that obviously made sense to her, but sounded like nonsense to me, so I’d sing it back to her like Ella Fitzgerald. Pretty soon, we were taking turns making up silly little songs and giggling like crazy people. Then, in a flash, dinner was ready. Bipidy do da wah!



The next time we made this, we were visiting my parents in Minnesota and cooking for them and some friends. One of the friends is vegetarian and the other is a trained chef. No pressure, though. We had also just gone to the State Fair, so we were in dire need of vegetables. Luckily, my parents have a CSA and they had plenty of fresh stuff hanging around. Everyone loved this, even the skeptical meat-eaters of the group.



When we made this last time, there wasn’t any scatting or anyone to impress. Just a hungry Erik and Lindsay and TONS of corn and zucchini to use up. Much less of a story. If you want to make it more “Food Network”, add rice, steamed buns, and dessert. It doesn’t need any of that stuff, but sometimes it’s fun to go nuts.




Corn and Zucchini Stir-Fry with Cashews
Adapted from Fast, Fresh & Green
Serves 2 generously

Amount	Ingredient	Preparation	Where we bought it (USM = Somerville’s Union Square Market)
1 pound	Zucchini	Large ones are a little easier to deal with; substitute summer squash	Red Fire Farm
4 ears	Corn		Red Fire Farm
6 large	Scallions		USM
2 tsp	Hoisin sauce
1 tsp	Fish sauce
1 tsp	Lime juice	Substitute lemon juice
1 TBsp	Fresh ginger	Grated
1-2 cloves	Garlic		Keith’s Farm
1/4 tsp	Chili-garlic sauce	We used sriracha
2 TBsp	Sunflower oil		Stolor Organics
1/3 cup	Cashews
1 tsp	Kosher salt
1 1/2 TBsp	Fresh mint		USM
1 1/2 TBsp	Fresh cilantro

Directions

1. This method of dicing zucchini is a little unorthodox, but it gives you the “meat” of the zucchini without the seeds. Cut both ends off the zucchini. Cut panels off of all four sides, leaving a brick of seeds, which you can discard. Dice the panels into about 1/2-inch pieces. Repeat with the remaining zucchini.

   

2. Slice the corn off of the cobs. If you go too close to the cob, you’ll dull your knife, so it’s okay to leave a little of the kernel behind. I find it easiest to cut right in a big bowl, so that the kernels don’t fly all over the kitchen. Add the corn to the zucchini.

   

3. Slice the scallions into 1/2-inch pieces. Use both the white and green parts. Add the scallions to the corn and zucchini.
4. Chop up the mint and cilantro and set aside.
5. Finely chop the garlic. You could also grate it, if you’re feeling fancy. Add it to a small bowl with the grated ginger and chili-garlic sauce.
6. Whisk the hoisin sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and 1 tsp of water together in a small bowl.
7. Heat 1 TBsp of the sunflower oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. When the oil is hot (hold your hand an inch or so above it to test), add the cashews and stir them around until they’re browned in spots (about 3 minutes). Don’t walk away, because they’ll go from perfect to burned rather quickly. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
8. Heat the remaining 1 TBsp of oil and let it heat up over a high flame. Add the zucchini, corn, scallions, and salt. This part will take about 5 minutes. Leave it alone at first, but stir more toward the end. The veggies should be browned in spots and the zucchini should be soft and translucent.
9. Stir in the ginger-garlic mixture and fry for about 30 seconds (you’ll be able to smell it).
10. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the hoisin sauce mixture.
11. Stir in the cashews, mint, and cilantro and serve. If you’re not serving it right away, transfer the stir-fry to a plate so that it doesn’t continue to cook and get mushy.



]]> http://eatlocal365.com/2012/08/18/corn-and-zucchini-stir-fry-with-cashews/feed/ 0 http://eatlocal365.com/2012/07/30/moms-chocolate-zucchini-cake/ http://eatlocal365.com/2012/07/30/moms-chocolate-zucchini-cake/#comments Mon, 30 Jul 2012 17:26:22 +0000 Lindsay http://eatlocal365.com/?p=5880 On Saturday, one of my good friends had a BBQ, so I offered to bring dessert. Now, this is one of the most pulled together, awesome people I know, so it had to be something amazing. I also wanted something casual enough for a kid-friendly BBQ and easy to transport, since there was a good chance we were going to bike there. I also really really wanted it to be something that fit in my . . . → Read More: Mom’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake]]> On Saturday, one of my good friends had a BBQ, so I offered to bring dessert. Now, this is one of the most pulled together, awesome people I know, so it had to be something amazing. I also wanted something casual enough for a kid-friendly BBQ and easy to transport, since there was a good chance we were going to bike there. I also really really wanted it to be something that fit in my migraine diet, but eventually gave up on that one, and realized that I had to make my mom’s chocolate zucchini cake. It’s always a hit and travels really well, since it’s more of a snack cake than a fancy layer cake. Another bonus is that it’s ready to go right out of the oven, served out of the pan. I never seem to have enough time to cool and frost a cake without being late to the party. That’ll have to be a goal for 2013, I guess. Since I couldn’t eat it, I obscenely sniffed its spiced chocolaty goodness every chance I got. Sorry for behaving like a weirdo!

The recipe calls for “sour milk”. When my mom makes it, she sours the milk by adding about 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the measuring cup, then topping it off with enough milk to make 1/2 cup. After sitting for a few minutes, it’s “sour”. I had creme fraiche to use up this time, so I used that instead, with great success. I think any sour or cultured dairy product will work, since what the recipe needs is something acidic to react with the baking soda. So use whatever you have on hand – “soured” milk, yogurt, sour cream, creme fraiche, or cultured buttermilk should all work.

Another no-photo post. I hadn’t planned on putting this one up, but then remembered how awesome it is.


Mom’s Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Makes one 9-by-13-inch cake

Amount	Ingredient	Preparation	Where we bought it (USM = Somerville’s Union Square Market)
1/2 cup	Butter	1 stick; at room temperature
1 3/4 cups	Sugar
1/2 cup	Vegetable oil		Stolor Organics
2	Eggs		Red Fire Farm CSA
1 tsp	Vanilla		Homemade by our friends Therese and Alex
2 1/2 cups	Flour	We used whole wheat.	Wild Hive Farm
1/4 cup	Cocoa powder
1 tsp	Baking powder
1 tsp	Baking soda
1/2 tsp	Ground cloves
1/2 tsp	Ground cinnamon
1/2 cup	Sour milk or cultured dairy	See notes in post above	Homemade creme fraiche from Shaw Farm milk
2 cups	Grated zucchini	We used summer squash instead.	Red Fire Farm CSA
1/2 cup	Chocolate chips
1/4 cup	Nuts	Roughly chopped; I usually use walnuts or pecans.
1/4 cup	Brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch “brownie” pan.
2. Cream the butter and sugar: Basically, just smash the butter and sugar together until they’re well combined and a bit lighter in color, which is much easier to do with room-temperature butter. This adds some air to the mixture, which will help the other ingredients mix with the butter later. These air pockets are also what eventually makes the cake rise evenly without sinking in the middle, according to Alton Brown.
3. Add the oil, eggs, and vanilla to the creamed mixture and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, and cinnamon. I don’t have a real sifter, so I dump the ingredients into a mesh strainer and tap it with the heel of my hand until it all passes through. If you have neither, just give it a good whisking to mix it together and break up any big lumps.
5. Add the dry mixture and dairy to the wet mixture in alternating batches – dry, dairy, dry, dairy, dry.
6. Fold the grated zucchini into the batter.
7. Prepare the topping: Combine the chocolate chips, nuts, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle it evenly with the topping, and pop it into the oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Try not to open the oven door for the first 50 minutes (another Alton Brown rule). The cake is done when the edges are pulling away from the pan a bit and the top springs back when you touch it (no finger prints).

It’s great on it’s own, but absolutely heavenly with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

]]> http://eatlocal365.com/2012/07/30/moms-chocolate-zucchini-cake/feed/ 1 http://eatlocal365.com/2012/07/26/smashed-zucchini-on-toast-or-what-to-do-with-all-that-zucchini/ http://eatlocal365.com/2012/07/26/smashed-zucchini-on-toast-or-what-to-do-with-all-that-zucchini/#comments Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:49:06 +0000 Lindsay http://eatlocal365.com/?p=5775 Hello all! After a fantastic wedding and honeymoon, we’re back to cooking like ourselves again. It was a few crazy weeks of delicious restaurant meals (and crackers shoved into my face when time got away from me), but now it’s time to settle into some better eating habits. Luckily, it’s summer, so healthy eating is (relatively) easy, especially for those of us with a CSA or you lucky, hard-working folks with a garden. Just keeping . . . → Read More: Smashed Zucchini on Toast (or What to Do With All That Zucchini??)]]> Hello all! After a fantastic wedding and honeymoon, we’re back to cooking like ourselves again. It was a few crazy weeks of delicious restaurant meals (and crackers shoved into my face when time got away from me), but now it’s time to settle into some better eating habits. Luckily, it’s summer, so healthy eating is (relatively) easy, especially for those of us with a CSA or you lucky, hard-working folks with a garden. Just keeping up with the flood of produce forces it.

This is our first summer with a CSA and we’ve never had a garden, so we knew about the summer zucchini attack only second hand. We’ve seen piles and piles of them at the farmers’ market, of course, but could choose whether or not to take buy any. Now, we don’t have that choice. On Wednesdays, we dutifully take them home and figure out what to do with them. I have to be honest, though…I don’t love zucchini in it’s pure form. I could eat truckloads of it in my mom’s chocolate zucchini cake, but I was kind of at a loss for other, less indulgent uses. So we’re experimenting. I like this recipe, because it tastes bright and tangy from the lemon juice and mint. I also love smooshy things on toast – poached eggs, avocado, overly ripe peaches, whatever!

Feel free to play around with the ingredients. The recipe is from a Jamie Oliver cookbook, which uses measurements like a “glug” of olive oil, so you can’t take it too seriously. I think basil would be nice instead of mint. I love garlic and chiles, so I will probably add more of each next time. This would also make a good pasta sauce or cracker topping. It would probably be amazing in a grilled cheese sandwich, too.

In the wedding rush, we didn’t take any pictures of this. Sorry!! Honestly, it’s not that photogenic, so you’re not missing much.


Smashed Zucchini with Lemon and Mint
Serves 4 (or so)

Amount	Ingredient	Preparation	Where we bought it (USM = Somerville’s Union Square Market)
1/4 cup	Sunflower oil	Divided; substitute olive oil or another neutral oil	Stolor Organics
2-3 cloves	Garlic	Finely chopped	Keith’s Farm
2	Dried chiles	Crumbled with your fingers	Home-dried
About 2 pounds	Summer squash	We used all zucchini, but the yellow ones would work just fine.	Red Fire Farm CSA
To taste	Salt and pepper
About 1/4 cup	Mint	Loosely packed	USM
2 TBsp	Lemon juice	About 1 lemon’s worth

Directions

1. Wash the summer squash then chop it into roughly 1-inch pieces. Don’t worry about being too precise. It’s going to cook down to mostly mush anyway.
2. Mince the garlic and crumble the chiles.
3. Heat half the oil (2 TBsp) in a large pan with a lid (12-inches or so) until a drop of water sizzles a bit when you drop it in. Cook the garlic and chiles uncovered on medium heat for a few minutes until they start to brown and you can smell them.
4. Add in the summer squash and stir to coat it in the garlicy, spicy oil. Put the lid on and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan every 5 minutes. The lid should keep enough moisture in to prevent serious sticking, but if the mixture starts to burn, add a little water. It’s done when you like the texture, so give it a taste.
5. Once you decide it’s cooked enough, add in the salt and pepper, mint, and lemon juice to taste. You can always add more, so start slow and stop when you like it.
6. Finally, add enough of the remaining oil to make it smooth and spreadable. Toast some bread and pile it on.
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