This was an excellent combination of both flavors and textures. I used a standard chevre, but a ripened goat cheese would probably be nice, too. I sliced the potatoes very thin and put them on raw, but if you'd like to slice them thicker or pile them higher, steam them briefly before putting them on the pizza.
1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 lb new potatoes, sliced as thinly as possible (1/8-inch or less)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 oz. crumbled goat cheese
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Paint the crust with olive oil, then spread the tomato sauce over it. Place the potato slices on the pizza in a single layer, each slightly overlapping its neighbors. Sprinkle with basil, then scatter the goat cheese over everything.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are done.
Serves 3-4.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Mmm...Camembert
My happiest discovery at the farmers market this week was the Camembert cheese on offer from Chase Hill Farm. This has been one of my husband's favorite cheeses since he spent a year in Normandy as a teenager, and it has grown on me as well. We bought some and it did not disappoint! Excellent flavor, and a lovely, gooey interior. This cheese is also available at Green Fields Market.
If you're not familiar with Camembert, it looks a lot like Brie but has a stronger flavor. Try it on crackers or bread. It is also good with sauteed greens on pizza or in a crepe.
If you're not familiar with Camembert, it looks a lot like Brie but has a stronger flavor. Try it on crackers or bread. It is also good with sauteed greens on pizza or in a crepe.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Freezing Zucchini and Summer Squash
On the off chance that anyone ends up with an overabundance of zucchini... And, of course, even if you don't grow it, you can buy extra at the farmers market or stash away some of what comes in your CSA box for use later in the winter. Frozen zucchini is pretty versatile and can be tossed into a variety of different dishes. You can do this with other types of summer squash as well; ones without large seeds in the center do best.
1. Grated: best for baking, though also not bad with pasta. Grate the zucchini, then steam it for a minute or two and promptly cool. Pack into freezer bags or containers in amounts you will want to use later (e.g. 1 cup for zucchini bread).
2. Sliced: slice 1/4-inch thick, in rounds or half- or quarter-rounds. Pack directly into freezer bags without blanching, in amounts you will want at one shot later (e.g. for a stir-fry or stew). If you want to bread and fry zucchini later, tray freeze it first to ensure that it will not stick together.
You can also saute zucchini before freezing and then just thaw, warm, and serve, or add to pasta dishes or pizza or the like. Or take it one step further and saute with other vegetables such as onions, garlic, or tomatoes, and freeze the mixture.
1. Grated: best for baking, though also not bad with pasta. Grate the zucchini, then steam it for a minute or two and promptly cool. Pack into freezer bags or containers in amounts you will want to use later (e.g. 1 cup for zucchini bread).
2. Sliced: slice 1/4-inch thick, in rounds or half- or quarter-rounds. Pack directly into freezer bags without blanching, in amounts you will want at one shot later (e.g. for a stir-fry or stew). If you want to bread and fry zucchini later, tray freeze it first to ensure that it will not stick together.
You can also saute zucchini before freezing and then just thaw, warm, and serve, or add to pasta dishes or pizza or the like. Or take it one step further and saute with other vegetables such as onions, garlic, or tomatoes, and freeze the mixture.
Zesty Fried Zucchini Rounds
In this dish, slices of zucchini are coated with chickpea flour and Indian seasonings and fried in oil. You can use other types of summer squash in place of the zucchini, and if you don't have chickpea flour, it's okay to substitute white or whole-wheat flour. Leftovers don’t keep very well, but if you have some, they will do better reheated in the oven or toaster oven than the microwave. These are good eaten straight with a little salt, but are also nice with a little chutney or plain yogurt for dipping.
1 medium zucchini, in 1/4-inch rounds
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
Dash cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
Oil for frying
Mix the flour and spices together in a small bowl.
Dip each slice of zucchini into the beaten egg. Let the excess egg drip off. Coat with the flour mixture, then set aside on a plate. You may want to do this and then fry the slices in a couple batches, rather than coating them all first and then frying.
Generously oil a heavy skillet. Fry the squash rounds for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Place on a rack or paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Serve immediately. Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Serves 3-4.
1 medium zucchini, in 1/4-inch rounds
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
Dash cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
Oil for frying
Mix the flour and spices together in a small bowl.
Dip each slice of zucchini into the beaten egg. Let the excess egg drip off. Coat with the flour mixture, then set aside on a plate. You may want to do this and then fry the slices in a couple batches, rather than coating them all first and then frying.
Generously oil a heavy skillet. Fry the squash rounds for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Place on a rack or paper towels to drain off excess oil.
Serve immediately. Sprinkle with salt if desired.
Serves 3-4.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Pre-Ordering Bulk Blueberries
Two farms in Heath, The Benson Place and Burnt Hill Farm, are taking pre-orders for blueberries in 5-, 10-, and 20-pound boxes. The Benson place also offers u-pick options starting later this month. Call ahead if you want to pick on a weekday; on weekends you can start picking from 8:30am to 2:30pm. Both farms grow lowbush "wild" blueberries rather than the highbush varieties typically found in stores and farmers markets. Lowbush berries are smaller than highbush berries, and the flavor is slightly different.
Blueberries are super easy to freeze--just wash them and load them into freezer bags. They can be dried but it's probably not worth the bother (for me, anyway!) because they require pre-treatment ahead of time. And, of course, blueberry jam is always an option. Frozen berries can be used later in pies and crisps. They also work well in smoothies if you either tray freeze them first or manage to spread them out in their bag so that they don't all stick together in a big clump.
Snow's ice cream (part of Bart's) will also be offering blueberry ice cream made with berries from the Benson Place for a limited time--keep an eye out for it at local stores.
Update: Thanks to the reader who pointed out that the ice cream, which is called CISA Berry Local Ice Cream, has berries from Burnt Hill Farm as well as The Benson Place.
Blueberries are super easy to freeze--just wash them and load them into freezer bags. They can be dried but it's probably not worth the bother (for me, anyway!) because they require pre-treatment ahead of time. And, of course, blueberry jam is always an option. Frozen berries can be used later in pies and crisps. They also work well in smoothies if you either tray freeze them first or manage to spread them out in their bag so that they don't all stick together in a big clump.
Snow's ice cream (part of Bart's) will also be offering blueberry ice cream made with berries from the Benson Place for a limited time--keep an eye out for it at local stores.
Update: Thanks to the reader who pointed out that the ice cream, which is called CISA Berry Local Ice Cream, has berries from Burnt Hill Farm as well as The Benson Place.
Polenta with Chard and Feta
Those big bunches of rainbow chard are just too pretty not to buy now and then! And the garlic that is getting pulled now is just about mature, but it is fresh when you get it at the market, rather than dried and cured for storage, as it will be later in the season. The stalk is no longer edible, and the cloves will have to be peeled (the outsides are too tough) even though the skin is not papery yet. Chase Hill Farm is a good source of local feta.
3 cups water
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 cup polenta cornmeal
Olive oil
1 small head fresh garlic (or 4-5 cloves), minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch chard, coarsely chopped
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
Black pepper to taste
3/4 cup tomato sauce
3 oz. shredded mozzarella
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, and whisk in the polenta meal. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to stir with a spoon. Be careful, as the cooking polenta is viscous and can bubble up and burn you. Cooking time will vary with the type of polenta you are using. The kind I get at Green Fields Market, in the bulk section, thickens up very quickly. You want it to be pretty stiff for this application. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for now.
Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chard, in batches if necessary, and cook until wilted. Add freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Drain off all the excess liquid.
Preheat the broiler while you assemble the dish.
If you were using a cast iron skillet to cook the vegetables, clean it out and dry it. Otherwise, use a comparably sized pan (7x11-inch is good, 8x8 is a little small). Lightly oil your pan, then press the polenta into the bottom of it and smooth it into a relatively uniform layer. Top with the tomato sauce.
Spread the chard mixture over the tomato sauce, sprinkle with feta, then top with mozzarella.
Put the whole thing under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.
Serves about 4.
3 cups water
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 cup polenta cornmeal
Olive oil
1 small head fresh garlic (or 4-5 cloves), minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch chard, coarsely chopped
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
Black pepper to taste
3/4 cup tomato sauce
3 oz. shredded mozzarella
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, and whisk in the polenta meal. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to stir with a spoon. Be careful, as the cooking polenta is viscous and can bubble up and burn you. Cooking time will vary with the type of polenta you are using. The kind I get at Green Fields Market, in the bulk section, thickens up very quickly. You want it to be pretty stiff for this application. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for now.
Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and onion and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chard, in batches if necessary, and cook until wilted. Add freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. Drain off all the excess liquid.
Preheat the broiler while you assemble the dish.
If you were using a cast iron skillet to cook the vegetables, clean it out and dry it. Otherwise, use a comparably sized pan (7x11-inch is good, 8x8 is a little small). Lightly oil your pan, then press the polenta into the bottom of it and smooth it into a relatively uniform layer. Top with the tomato sauce.
Spread the chard mixture over the tomato sauce, sprinkle with feta, then top with mozzarella.
Put the whole thing under the broiler for a few minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.
Serves about 4.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Raspberries
Strawberry season is over and raspberries have taken their place. Upinngil Farm has u-pick raspberries available, and you can also get them at their farm stand or Green Fields Market.
Raspberries are best if you don't wash them at all, because washing makes them turn kind of mushy--so you definitely want to know where they come from and how they were grown. Once picked, they don't last long, so eat or cook them right away. They don't dry well, alas, but can be frozen. All fruits will be soft after thawing, but raspberries will be completely mushy, so you probably want to tray freeze them first so you can add them to pie filling or whatever without having to thaw them first in order to separate them. And, of course, raspberries make great jam.
Raspberries are best if you don't wash them at all, because washing makes them turn kind of mushy--so you definitely want to know where they come from and how they were grown. Once picked, they don't last long, so eat or cook them right away. They don't dry well, alas, but can be frozen. All fruits will be soft after thawing, but raspberries will be completely mushy, so you probably want to tray freeze them first so you can add them to pie filling or whatever without having to thaw them first in order to separate them. And, of course, raspberries make great jam.
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