Double (or Triple) Corn Cornbread

This is adapted from a recipe in Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook--I love the texture of cornbread made with yogurt. Fresh corn kernels are a marvelous addition at this time of year. I made this as triple corn cornbread by using ground dried sweet corn for the cornmeal in addition to standard cornmeal. I got the dried sweet corn from Crabapple Farm at the Greenfield Farmers Market earlier this season. Not something all that easy to come by, but if you do happen on it at some point, try some. (You can also cook it as you would dried beans--perhaps with dried beans, something I have done with tasty results.)

1 cup cornmeal (sweet, standard, or combination)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar or honey
3 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x8-inch baking pan.

Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the yogurt, vinegar, sugar or honey, and canola oil in a small bowl.

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter will be thick and sticky. Stir in the corn kernels.

Spread the batter into the baking pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until done in the center and lightly golden on top.

Serves about 4.

Variations: You can add other things along with the fresh corn if you like. Try chopped scallions, a minced chipotle pepper, or a chopped fresh jalapeno.

Spicy Corn Chowder with Cilantro

I adore corn chowder and at this time of year, the only question is which variation to make each time. The bolting cilantro in the garden inspired this one.

2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 lbs new potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup white flour
4 cups corn kernels (from around 5 ears; scrape the cobs to get all the juice)
1-2 hot peppers, seeded and minced
2 cups whole milk
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. At the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the potatoes. Saute for another few minutes, then add the flour and stir to form a roux. Continue to cook over reduced heat for a couple minutes, stirring frequently, then add enough water to just cover the potatoes. Stir to blend the roux into the liquid, then partially cover and cook over medium-high heat until potatoes are tender (15 minutes or so).

When the potatoes are tender, add the corn and hot pepper and cook another few minutes. Add the milk, cilantro, salt, and pepper and remove from heat.

Serves 4-6.

Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes, Chicken, and Edam

This was a hit with Nate and one of his friends on Friday night. And the grownups liked it, too. I used Dutch Gold cheese from Chase Hill Farm, which is an Edam. Gouda would work fairly well here, too, though it is not as strongly flavored. The tomatoes were Romas from my garden.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
4-5 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup cooked shredded chicken
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup small cubes of Edam
2-3 oz. shredded mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Paint the crust with olive oil, then prebake for about 7 minutes.

Spread the chopped tomatoes and chicken oven the crust, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add the Edam and mozzarella, then bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

40 Pounds of Tomatoes

Saturday Donovan and I processed 40 pounds of tomatoes for the freezer. These were the tomatoes he and Nate picked up at Atlas Farm--40 lbs of organic tomatoes for $24. We got seconds, but as far as I could tell, most of what made them seconds was cosmetic blemishes on the skin. A fantastic deal.

Last year I froze a load of tomatoes by the easiest method possible--sticking them straight into the freezer. This method works great and is a fantastic time saver on this end. The down side is that it requires more time on the other end, when you're ready to cook with them. So this year I decided to experiment with some greater processing before freezing--definitely more time required on this end, but hopefully lots of time saved when cooking. We cored, blanched, peeled, and seeded, then packed into freezer bags. To do 40 pounds took a whole afternoon, though it would have been faster with two people working at once (we had to take shifts). This amount of tomatoes resulted in packages for 18 meals--a good quantity, but still less than we would need at our typical rate of usage. So we may yet do some more. Time is always the limiting factor.

Apricots and Tomatoes

No, not together, though who knows, maybe they would be good.

Apex Orchards in Shelburne is advertising apricots available at its farm stand. Locally grown apricots are hard to come by around here, because apricot trees flower early and are vulnerable to spring frosts. Apex seems to have a sheltered spot where it can produce them, so get on over there for a treat!

Also, Atlas Farm in Deerfield has been advertising bulk organic tomatoes, both standard field varieties and mixed heirlooms, at very reasonable prices. They have seconds for even less, if you are planning to can or make sauce. They are available in 10- or 20-pound quantities (or more with special arrangements). If your own garden has been producing less than expected this year, this is a great way to stock up on local tomatoes. Donovan and Nate are headed over there today to get some for us to freeze.

Lamb and Eggplant Stew

Last weekend I cooked up a bunch of eggplant from the garden with some tomatoes, garlic, and onion, figuring I'd add other things to it later--it just needed to be used. Last night I turned it into this delicious stew. Directions below are from scratch, though. I used ground lamb because it is easier for my little guy to eat, but stew lamb would work well, too--perhaps even better.

Olive oil
5-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb ground lamb or stew lamb
3 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
Several tomatoes, seeded and chopped (around 3 cups)
1 - 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 Tbsp minced fresh sage
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled feta for topping (optional)

Heat a little olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Add the lamb and brown thoroughly. Pour off excess fat, then add the eggplant and tomatoes. Simmer until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oregano, sage, lemon juice, and salt and pepper, then simmer an addition few minutes (or longer).

Serve hot, topped with feta at the table if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Blueberry Salsa

I had a hankering to do something savory with blueberries--something that could go with chicken, perhaps--and this is what I came up with. I've had fruit salsas before, but never with blueberries. They work well, though! Try this with grilled chicken or pork, or even as a dip for tortilla chips. You can use fresh or frozen berries.

1 1/2 cups blueberries (whole if low-bush, halved or quartered if high-bush)
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 hot pepper, such as jalapeno, minced (or more to taste)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mash the blueberries a bit with the back of a spoon. Let sit for an hour or more for the flavors to mingle.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough to serve with meat for 4-6 people.