September 29 veggies - and that's it!

Well, that's it for your regularly scheduled veggies, friends. I hope it's been a delicious summer for you all!

In your bag this week you will find these lovely treats.

Full share:
:: buttercup squash
:: spaghetti squash
:: zucchini or crookneck squash or Costenata Romesqua (ridged zucchini)
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes (green, orange, and red)
:: cucumber
:: basil
:: beans
:: corn
:: leeks

Half share:
:: smaller quantities of the above

Buttercup squash is one of the loveliest winter squashes. You can bake it like its squash-ly cousins (cut in half, scoop out seeds, roast cut-side-down on a sheet in a 350F oven until flesh is easily pierced with a knife) and use it for soups, or as mash, put it into a casserole, make souffle, make pasta sauce... really, it's very versitile and delicious. One thing about winter squash is that you can swap them with one another in pretty much any recipe, so if you have a favourite recipe for acorn or butternut or hubbard squash, you can use your happy Portugal Cove buttercup in its place. You can also use it as a stand-in for pumpkin puree, like in this cookie recipe here.

Happy eating, and thank you for all your organic veggie love!

September 22 veggies

Look at that: in order to get all the delicious veggies from this week's share into one photo, I had to stand on a chair. Yay harvest time!

Here's what you're looking at this week:

Full share
:: tomatoes
:: potatoes
:: head lettuce
:: spaghetti squash
:: zucchini or summer squash
:: cucumbers
:: turnip
:: beans
:: basil
:: broccoli or Brussels sprouts
:: corn
:: hot peppers (if you choose)

Half share
:: tomatoes
:: potatoes
:: head lettuce
:: cucumbers
:: green sweet pepper
:: beans
:: basil
:: corn
:: hot pepper (if you choose)

There were also a limited number of bags of kale and Swiss chard that went on a first-come, first-choose basis.

Looking at the vegetables in this bag, and the ones that I've picked up from other local farms over the past while, I think I may have enough produce to make this pickle recipe I've been wanting to do for ages. It's from Joy of Cooking's "All About Canning and Preserving" book, and is most aptly named for this time of year.

End-of-the-Garden Sweet Pickle Mix
(makes about six 1-pint jars)

4 medium ears corn - boil for 5 minutes, then remove kernels and discard cobs (or use for stock!)
1 pound young zucchini or cucumbers, in 1/4 inch thick slices
8 ounces tender snap beans, in 2-inch pieces
8 ounces tender carrots, in 1/4 inch thick slices
8 ounces cauliflower, in 1-inch florets
8 ounces bell peppers, both green and red, in 2" x 1/2" strips
8 ounces pearl onions, peeled

Make sure all vegetables are washed well.

Combine and stir until the salt has dissolved:
8 cups water
1/4 cup pickling salt

Pour over all the vegetables in a large bowl. Place a plate on the vegetables to keep them submerged and refrigerate 12 to 18 hours. Drain, but do not rinse. Combine in a large, deep skillet and boil gently for 3 minutes, stirring until the sugar is dissolved:
3 cups cider vinegar
3 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons celery seeds
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Add the vegetables along with:
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Bring to a simmer over high heat, stirring often, until the largest, thickest pieces are thoroughly hot. Use a slotted spoon to pack the vegetables into hot pint jars. Add the hot vinegar solution, stirring to mix the seeds and chopped herb. Leave 1/2 inch headspace, and process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Happy eating (and maybe happy pickling)!

September 15 veggies

That's some nice-looking fall veggie bounty, don't you think? Remember the early summer veggie bags that were nothing but shoots and leaves? Not that they weren't delicious, because of course they were, but now we're really getting into the good harvest stuff.

Here's what's in your bag this week:

Full share:
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes
:: spaghetti squash
:: garlic
:: onion
:: pablo (red) or chiagga (striped) beet
:: beans
:: cucumbers
:: kale
:: corn
:: zucchini

Half share:
:: potatoes
:: tomatoes
:: garlic & onion
:: beans
:: carrots (some of them are red and purple!)
:: zucchini
:: kale

If you don't know much about spaghetti squash, its claim to vegetable fame is its unusual flesh that separates out into strands when cooked. The best method for this is baking: cut your squash in half lengthwise, scrape out any seeds, then place the halves, cut-side-down, on an oiled baking sheet in a 350F oven for maybe 45 minutes, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Turn your halves over, let them cool a minute so you don't give yourself horrible steam burns, then use a fork to fluff the strand-y flesh out of the squash shells.

Some people use the cooked squash the way you would use pasta, under any spaghetti-type sauce (how about some of those tomatoes, roasted with some olive oil and stirred together with some minced garlic?). It's a pretty cool, grain-free substitute for noodles if you have a problem with wheat or rice.

Spaghetti squash frittata is also delicious. There are loads of variations, but here's a basic recipe. I like to stir the "noodles" with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan, then pour the eggs and milk over and cook it for a couple minutes to get the eggs close to setting. Then I cover the top with halved cherry tomatoes and a nice layer of mozzarella cheese, and put the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to get the cheese nice and bubbly. Delicious.

Happy eating!

Awww, look at those peek-a-boo tomatoes!

September 8 veggies

Look at those cucumbers! Aren't they great? And there was no joking around when the tomato plants were referred to as a "herd." That's a lot of tomatoes!

Here's what should be in your bag this week:

Full share:

:: tomatoes

:: zucchini or crookneck summer squash

:: cucumbers

:: beans

:: basil

:: corn

:: onions and leeks

:: potatoes

Half share

:: half portions of the above

:: broccoli

:: peas

If you're hoping to get in a couple more barbecues before the weather turns, why not do some chicken or pork skewers and eat them Greek-style, with tomato salad and feta cheese and some olives, all dollopped in tzatziki from your very own Seed to Spoon cucumbers? There are plenty of recipes online, but they are all basically composed of thick yogurt, cucumber, and garlic. What's not to love? One thing you need is good, plain yogurt; best to go for full-fat stuff if you can find it (like Astro Balkan style). If you do use lower-fat yogurt, check to make sure it doesn't have gelatin or any thickeners in it, because then it won't drain well.

Tzatziki

(makes 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1 tub (750 mL) plain yogurt

1 medium or 2 small cucumbers, grated

2 crushed cloves garlic (or more, to taste)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

salt and pepper, and chopped fresh mint, if desired

Empty yogurt into a colander lined with cheesecloth or with a clean tea towel. Place colander over a large bowl. Allow yogurt to drain for an hour or two, until it has thickened to your liking (you can leave it overnight for really thick tzatziki).

Salt grated cucumber and allow to sit for ten minutes. Pat off any extra moisture with another clean tea towel.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring well to combine. Refrigerate and serve cold as a dip for grilled meats, vegetables, or pita bread, or use as a sauce for souvlaki.

Happy eating!

September 1 veggies

Those tomatoes are coming fast and furious now! Lovely, aren't they? Their colours, with the yellow squash, the carrots, and the beautiful brown onion make a lovely late-summer tableau, don't you think?

Here's what's in the bag this week.

Full share:

:: cucumber
:: pole beans
:: jalapeno pepper
:: tomatoes
:: carrots
:: peas
:: onion
:: zucchini/summer squash
:: kale
:: garlic
:: broccoli/Guy Lan florets
:: lettuce mix
:: turnip

Half share:

:: cucumber
:: jalapeno pepper
:: tomatoes
:: onion
:: carrots
:: broccoli
:: leek
:: radish

If you have a yellow squash in your bag and aren't sure what to do with it, just think of it as a zucchini in disguise. You can use the two almost interchangeably. The skin of a yellow squash is a little thicker, but you don't have to peel it. Some people feel that they don't freeze as well as zucchini, but other than that they work pretty much the same. They are excellent in casseroles or grilled on the barbecue (or just in a pan), and I know people who use them, very thinly sliced, in the place of noodles for a lasagna-like dinner. I also found this recipe for kid-friendly squash chips, but I'm not sure exctly how those would go over. Worth a try, though (and, if you have leftover zucchini accumulating in your fridge, this could use them up nicely).

One problem I've had is that I haven't been able to keep on top of my jalapeno peppers - my youngsters don't have the same appreciation for spicy food that I do, so I tend to keep dinner on the mild side. I was thinking I might make a half-recipe of these pickled jalapeno peppers to have on hand - something I can eat on the side while the kiddoes enjoy their un-zippy meals.

Happy eating!