Bow Tie Squash Boogie

Dear Friends,

I love my garden. I love the beauty, I love the freshness, and I love being able to experiment and create in my kitchen. Oh and I cannot forget that I love not having to go to the grocery store much, thus saving money and time.

I have been fortunate to have gardens all my life growing up with a dad who enjoyed gardening. Even when I lived in that tiny funky apartment after college, the landlady let me dig up a small corner of her lawn to let me grow a few veggies. I believe she got tired of me pestering her for permission.

July is my garden's peak and I have so much abundance that I need to be diligent and pick my produce young. That way I reap and benefit from most of my harvest. High on this list are the summer squash. I need to be right on top of them or else they explode into MONSTER squash.




The moment my summer squash arrives, I begin picking when they are babies. If a squash gets over six inches long, that is too big for me. I harvest them this small because they are a prolific vegetable that seem to " grow twice its size" whenever you turn your back. Also, they are tastier and sweeter.

Of course having so much squash, I have learned to make many outrageously delicious recipes, from squash Parmesan to curried squash relish. So be prepared for a few blogs on eating squash. Today I am going to share what I call Bow Tie Squash Boogie for lack of a better name. It is power packed with health.





Happy Squashing,

jude

PS

If you have any recipes for me, please forward.


The Main Ingredients

Cook two cups of Bow Tie Pasta according to directions and set aside to cool

4 to 5 small zucchini
4 to 5 small yellow squash
1/2 head of broccoli florettes
1 cup grape or small cherry tomatoes halved
3TBS EVOO

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Turn each half over and slice thinly crosswise. Saute the squash in EVOO on med/high heat until it is nicely browned but still firm. Chop the florettes very very fine. They should almost look like a seasoning that you are sprinkling on top. I do this because it adds flavor and vitamins without being overbearing. After squash is golden brown add the broccoli and halved tomatoes. Saute until tomatoes soften. Remove from heat and let cool.

The dressing

1/4 cup EVOO
1/3 cup really good balsamic vinegar
juice of one lemon
1 TBS of Dijon mustard
1 to 2 TBS of maple syrup ( Mead's syrup is the best:)

Mix this all together in a mason jar and shake shake shake.

The Assembly

Put  the veggies and pasta together in one bowl.  Drizzle the dressing over it stirring gently. Add to your taste.  You may not need all the dressing so save some for a green side salad. Then add on top for presentation.

1/2 cup kalamata pitted olives chopped

handful of fresh basil chopped 

handful of fresh parsley chopped

You can let set for several hours before eating to allow flavors to mingle. Enjoy.

Panzanella (Bread Salad)

Some of our wonderful friends were kind and generous enough to throw us a baby shower a few weekends ago.  Each of them made beautiful contributions, including a Pimm's cup inspired cocktail, potato salad, pickled cucumbers, home-made sausages, a candy-filled pinata, chocolate cupcakes, raspberry buttermilk cake, and bread salad.  Noah and I felt so loved and honored by all their hard work, and I've included a few snapshots of that day.

Self-portrait.  I'm happy to report all of my aprons still fit.

All the entrees were fantastic, but the bread salad, made by Noah's cousin and her husband who run Full Belly Kitchen, disappeared the fastest.  It's fairly simple to make and has become my new favorite dinner.  I made it last Thursday for friends, on Friday for my brother, and yesterday for just Noah and I.  At this time of year there is a farmer's market every day in downtown San Francisco, and most work days I find myself ducking out of my office building for a 20 minute stroll to the market, to pick up some fruit for snacking and vegetables for dinner.  These simple ingredients - tomatoes, basil, bread - are almost always available.

Ingredients
Half a loaf of bread (preferably at least one day old and wheat or something hearty)
1/4 cup + 2 TBL EVOO
2 TBL balsamic vinegar
2 pints cherry tomatoes
2 generous handfuls of basil, finely chopped.
1/4 cup crumbled feta or sliced mozzarella (or more to taste)
Sea salt
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Slice the bread into 1 inch cubes and toss with 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with sea salt and pepper.
3. Place bread into a tray and toast in the oven until dry and crunchy, about 30 minutes.
4. In the meantime, wash and chop the cherry tomatoes in half.  Add the tomatoes and basil into a large mixing bowl.  Incorporate the balsamic vinegar, remaining olive oil, and cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  
5. Mix everything together and let sit.  Some of the juices from the tomatoes will steep out and make a delicious dressing.
6. Once the bread is done, let cool and then add to the salad right before serving.  Mix well so the bread is covered with the juices.
7. Serve immediately.  

These were baby pictures of (mostly) me and a few of Noah.

The drink table

Going after the pinata.

The captive audience.

The papa-to-be.

Successfully decapitated.

Summer Salads 4 Ways and the Women Who Grew Them

My blog today is not as much about food as it is about the women who grow it. I want to pay homage to Jude Mead, Priscilla Morse  and Deloris Perotti who keep me and my family in affordable and healthy home grown vegetables. They are gardeners of the first order. The dedication it takes to be an organic gardner, (although none of them like that word) passed me by. These women are botanist,  soil engineers, meteorologist and bug experts. Their craft requires unending work; they prepare, plant, maintain, harvest and preserve the fruits of their labors. Combined they have over 100 years of gardening experience. I am wowed as I listen to Deloris, Jude and Pricilla talk about stink bugs, cut worms, fungus and how next year it might be worth trying....... Their wealth of knowledge is amazing.                            

 Summer Salads 4 Ways, was my thank you to these women who have shared their bounties with me and with our community. I made Asian Slaw, Beet Salad, Quinoa with Chopped Vegetables and Marinated Kale, Broccoli and Beans. The quinoa was dressed with lemon zest and juice (add any finely chopped herbs and vegies you have on hand). To the kale salad I added lime juice, tarmari, a few drops of sesame oil and grated garlic and ginger. (I haven't included amounts because they vary depending on the size of the salads.)

It was such fun delivering these colorful and delicious salads to these women who give so much to others. Their eyes danced with delight as they received the fruits of their labors.

LWC

Grilled Eggplant cubes and capers

Dear Friends,

I am in the thick of summer and yearn for foods that are simple and sumptuous. This recipe that follows is just that. It is easy and yummy and gives eggplant a royal boost.  Even though I grilled the eggplant first, I still had to  turn my oven on for 25 minutes in this oppressive heat. But the outcome was worth the sweltering. I did have to force myself from nibbling the grilled eggplant because it was delicious on its own. But what makes this meal majestic is the caper parsley sauce that I made from Malu Simoes cookbook Vegeterranean.

enjoy
Jude



Grilled Eggplant

2 eggplant peeled and cubed
1 egg
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
salt/pepper


Cube the eggplant and put in bowl.  Add one egg, the breadcrumbs and s/p.  Mix gently but thoroughly. Set on grill on medium heat for about ten minutes or until browned or you can spread on cookie sheet and bake in oven on high heat about 400.


The mix - preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4 oz of mild cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan
1 egg
1TBS chopped oregano
2TBS chopped parsley
1 garlic clove mashed



Mix this all together and then add grilled eggplant.  Grease a spring form pan and spoon mixture into the pan. Even it out with the back of a spoon. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until it is heated through and cheese melts.



Caper Parsley Sauce

1 TBS capers drained
2 TBS finely chopped parsley
1/3 cup olive oil

When the eggplant is cooked and lightly browned, remove from oven and top with caper sauce. Whip up a salad or tomato and basil for the side and you are good to go. And do not be surprised if someone spies you eating this dish and suddenly refers to you as "Your Majesty".

Yuba River and Watermelon Salad

Yuba

After my one week back in the fog belt of San Francisco, I wanted out.  I wanted sunshine and hot weather, swimming and tank tops, a couple of evenings spent outside in the balmy night air while nursing a beer and swatting the mosquitos, or at least watching other people sip beer while I swat the bugs and take the occasional nip from Noah's bottle while ignoring his disapproving stare.  For a taste of what most of the country is experiencing right now, we headed up to the Yuba River with some friends from LA.

Yuba is a fantastic river located in the Sierra foothills.  It's far enough off the beaten path that it's not a big tourist destination or favorite with day-trippers.  The clothing optional and somewhat intense vibe of the place may also keep some people away.  One of the most memorable things I've ever seen was after a day on the river - it was a completely naked woman with hair down to her waist and a huge python wrapped around her neck and body.   I briefly wondered if it was some sort of heatstroke induced mirage but I'm pretty sure it was the real deal.  Personally though, I've always  enjoyed the anything goes feel of Yuba, and really love the several miles of aquamarine swimming holes.  

We squatted on BLM land Friday night.  Being seven months pregnant, I was a little concerned that camping might not be too comfortable but with a couple of pillows, I slept like a baby - only waking up once every couple of hours or so.  After spending a day on the river, we headed to Full Belly farm to stay with some family on Saturday night.  While Noah went boar hunting, I hung out on the porch, listening to the crickets, peeking at the stars, and talking with friends.  On Sunday we went swimming again, this time in Cache Creek.  The river really flows during the summer months because of all the water released for irrigation so we walked up to a launch point and let the currents take us downstream for about 1/2 a mile or so.  

I love it when I have a two-day weekend that feels longer than a 5-day work week.  I love it when I get to spend days with some of my dearest family and friends.  These weekend trips are all the more precious to me now, because I know in a two months they won't be as easy.  Still possible, but they will require a bit more planning, a little more packing, and balancing the needs and wants of three people instead of two.

The recipe I'll leave you with this week is really simple - I'm almost embarrassed to call it a recipe.  It's a classic combination of three ingredients - watermelon, feta, and mint.  Simply chop the melon and mint, and mix together.  Crumble feta on top right before serving.  It's the perfect warm weather salad.   

Yuba

Purdon Crossing at Yuba

Full Belly farm

Watermelon salad (feta not yet added)

Full Belly Farm

Breaking down camp on Saturday morning

Family Portrait

Summer Lemon Zest Lasagna - Is that an oxymoron??

Dear Friends,

I am hot, tired, and non-stop busy.  My gardens need constant loving care, the syrup business is growing, and I am putting in a new kitchen. Does anyone know how to put the brake on summer. I could certainly use a few more months, say about eight.

But even though I am spinning wildly with work, I always find time to eat well. As I harvested my tiny squash ( I always pick them little and tender), I thought about what to make. I recalled a recipe I saw in my favorite new cookbook Vegeterranean  titled, Cannelloni de Ricotta con Sugo di Pomodoro. Quite a mouthful to say but is a deliciously light and easy to make meal .  What I liked most though was the ingredient LEMON ZEST!!!!!! What says summer more than that.

However because of my hectic schedule I needed to rush even this quick recipe along so I bought some fresh  homemade pasta sheets and decided to make a summer lasagna instead of the individual cannelloni. My creation worked.  I hope my successful shortcuts convince you to try this delectable dish.


Summer Lasagna


Three sheets of fresh homemade lasagna pasta
1 9x13 inch baking dish
Oven 350 degrees


Filling

8oz of ricotta                   1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg                               1/8 cup Romano cheese or Pecorino
a pinch of nutmeg            Lots and lots of Lemon Zest - I used two lemons
Salt and pepper


Mix this all together gently


Tomato Sauce

3 TBS of EVOO
A handful of parsley well chopped
a handful of basil well chopped
2 cloves garlic  - peeled and kept whole
1 small onion - well chopped
1 carrot -  shave with a peeler to get very thin slices
2 small zucchini squash  - shave as you did the carrot
Salt and pepper


Saute in a large pan on low to med heat until herbs and vegetables are soft and garlic browns slightly.
Add either six large fresh tomatoes peeled or 1 28 oz can peeled plum tomatoes

Cook sauce for another 10 to 15 minutes.


Assembly

You will need 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 4 oz of fresh mozzarella cut into cubes

Put some sauce in bottom of baking dish
Add a sheet of pasta
Add half of ricotta mixture and spread about with back of spoon
add 1/8 cup Parmesan cheese and half of  the mozzarella
Top with sauce and spread about covering all edges of pasta
Add another layer of pasta and repeat.

Leave enough sauce for top layer and sprinkle some Parmesan and a few cubes of mozzarella on top

Bake for twenty to thirty minutes and walla it is done.  The grated lemon zest gives this its Summer flair.

Enjoy,

Jude

Blueberry Pie

The blueberry bushes in the evening sun.

I can't believe it's already been a week since I returned from CT.  I'm already homesick for the farm, our pets, my parents and friends, and of course, the amazing blueberries that were already ripening at the end of June.  For the non-agrarian folk, that is three weeks ahead of schedule!  Which reminds me of an article I saw yesterday making its way through facebook and the blogosphere, stating that the odds of the freakishly hot weather across the United States being a completely random event are somewhere between 1 in 100,000, or 1 in 1,600,000, depending on which source you rely on.  (And it goes without saying that I would of course prefer no climate change to my premature enjoyment of blueberries.)

But since they were there, I refused to waste nature's bounty and each day would pick the bushes clean of the early ripening fruit.  And on our last full day in CT, I set out to make a pie.  After harvesting a couple of blueberry pints, I began researching various crust recipes.  I found some links to the Cooks Illustrated Foolproof Pie Dough, with the very surprising (to me at least) ingredient of vodka - a 1/4 cup.  I'm not sure what role the alcohol played in the pie crust but if anyone knows offhand and wants to save me the search, that would be great.

Barefoot, pregnant, and working away in the kitchen.  

I'll be honest - I'm inordinately proud of how my pie crust came out.  Maybe it was beginner's luck.  Maybe I infused it with a lot of love.  Maybe it was the humidity.  Who knows.  Whatever it was, it worked.  Rich, buttery, crisp outside and chewy inside.....Anyhow, here is the recipe.

Crust
1 and 3/4 cup flour (I used bread flour but I imagine white or whole wheat pastry flour would be fine)
3/4 cup rye flour
1 tsp table salt
2 TBL brown sugar
2 1/2 sticks of cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 TBL vodka (I used Smuggler's Notch, my cousin's company!)
6 TBL water
1 egg, beaten
brown sugar for sprinkling on crust

Pie
5 cups of blueberries
1 1/2 TBL lemon juice
2 TBL flour
1 TBL vanilla
1/4 cup maple syrup

Right before it went into the oven

The finished pie

1. Preheat the oven to 425.
2. In a food processor combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, salt and sugar and pulse until just blended.  Add the butter and process until there is no uncoated flour.  (This took me about 30 seconds but our food processor was on the fritz - if yours is shiny and new it may be less.)
3. Add remaining cup of flour and pulse until mixture is incorporated and your dough has been broken up, about another 15-30 seconds.
4. Move the dough mixture into a mixing bowl and sprinkle the vodka and water over the top.  Fold the water and vodka into the dough until mixed.  It will be a little wet and tacky.  
5. Break the dough into two balls, wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, combine the blueberries, lemon juice, flour, vanilla and maple syrup in a bowl and mix well.  Make sure there are no flour clumps.
7. Butter your pie dish.  I used a standard 9-inch pie dish.
8. Once the dough is chilled, roll out the first dough ball with a rolling pin on a well floured surface.  Otherwise, your dough will stick to the rolling pin and surface.  Place the rolled out dough into the pie dish and make sure the edges are covered.  I used a fork to press them down around the pie dish.
9. Roll out the second dough ball.  Add the blueberry mixture to the pie, and then cover with the second dough ball.  Again, I used a fork to press down the edges of the top of my pie crust, to ensure the pie was sealed.  I also poked the top of the pie with a fork in several places.
10. Brush the top of the pie with the egg and sprinkle with brown sugar.
11. Place in oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until crust is toasty and brown.  You can poke a few extra holes in the pie when you think it is done and wait for juices to bubble up.  That's one way to tell for sure the inside is cooked.  Also, if you are worried about the pie crust browning too much, cover it for the last few minutes of baking with aluminum foil.

Kath's Amazing Clam and Mussel Chowder

For me summer time is the time I get to enjoy with my family and friends. As a result I get to share extraordinary culinary delights, many of which I look forward to sharing with you. This past week was spent on the coast of  Rhode Island with girlfriends and my sister Kathy. Kathy is an exceptional cook of  the first order, she is inventive, can blend flavors and loves to recreate dishes she's eaten at restaurants. Wow did I luck out! The following is a chowder that Kath made for me and is a must make if you're a seafood lover-

                              Clam and Mussel Chowder                                serves 4

• Saute 1 cup of chopped celery, a large chopped onion and 3 or 4 minced garlic cloves, in olive oil, in a large pot 
• Add 1 cup of white wine and 1 cup of chicken stock 
• Add 3 lbs. of mussels and 1 or 2 lbs. of Littleneck Clams (that have been soaked and cleaned to rid them of any sand)
• Add a can of drained and rinsed white beans
• Cover and boil until the clams and mussels open up (it took ours between 5 and 10 minuets) 
• Stir in a palm full of chopped parsley (we added a cup or so of sliced kale just for the health of it)

Serve it up in large soup bowls and don't forget the discard bowl for the shells.

 The white beans not only add nutrition to the recipe, they make to broth oh so creamy and delicious. Add some crusty bread for dipping and you will have a meal that friends and family will remember.
Enjoy,

LWC

lobster, veggie crepes, salad and beer bread - by the sea

 Sometimes life feels just so good  I could explode with happiness. This often happens when I am with good friends and family and everyone pitches in to help create the most delightful meal. Tonight was one of those nights. Enjoy the fruits of our labor in the kitchen.

lobster salad - just add a bit of mayo and finely chopped celery and top with paprika/lime

any green salad will do

Noah making beer bread  - it stays fresh days later

 

crepes stuffed with crunchy mixed vegetables

Rotolo di Crespelle from my new cookbook,Vegeterranean by Malu Simones Da Cunha and Alberto Musacchio  -

Meghan enjoying dinner