Fresh Peas with Green Garlic & Prosciutto

Migliorelli Farm joins the Woodstock Farm Festival this year. On opening day this past Wednesday they had a big bushel of fresh shell peas for sale and they also had bunches of green garlic. Here’s a recipe that uses both of them. It comes together pretty easily once the peas have been shelled.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Bulb Green Garlic – thinly sliced
• 1 Slice Prosciutto – thinly sliced
• 1 Cup of Shelled Fresh Peas
• 1/4 Cup Water
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a saute pan. Add the green garlic and prosciutto and cook until both are golden. Stir in the peas and add the water. Cook until the peas are tender but still bright green and the water has reduced to create a sauce, about 3-4 minutes. Add several grinds of fresh black pepper.

Recipe by: at the farmers market

NEW WORLD HOME COOKING'S VIETNAMESE SALAD

Thank you to Ric Orlando at New World Home Cooking for sharing this recipe with us!

This salad is refreshingly crunchy blend of summer sprouts, veggies and greens in a slightly sour dressing. You can be creative with the raw veggies. Use nice lanky sprigs of mint and cilantro
Makes 4 hearty servings with extra dressing

For the Salad:
4 cups julienne or shredded crunchy veggies
I suggest
Napa cabbage
Carrot
Beet
Summer squash
Cucumber
Leek or scallion
daikon radish, red or any other radish
2 cups fresh baby lettuces
1 cups mung bean sprouts
1 cup pea, broccoli or radish sprouts

1/2 cup chopped peanuts (unsalted, roasted)
12 medium-size basil leaves, torn into pieces
6 tender spearmint tops, torn into pieces
4 medium cilantro sprigs, torn into pieces

For the Sweet and Sour Rice Vinaigrette:
¼ cup hot water
¼ cup tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons tamarind paste (see Note)
1/4 cup peanut or sunflower oil (don’t use olive oil here—the flavor doesn’t work)
3 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, or substitute soy sauce
1/4 cup white sesame seeds

To make the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar warm water. Dissolve the sugar and tamarind in the vinegar-water mixture.
Whisk in the oil, fish sauce and sesame seeds.
Layer each of 4 large bowls with the baby greens, julienne and sheredded veggies, sprouts and herbs.
Shortly before serving, drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently. Top with chopped peanuts.
Serve with chopsticks.
Note: Tamarind concentrate paste is available at many Asian markets. Tamarind pulp, which contains seeds and skins, cannot be substituted for tamarind paste without considerable preparation.

http://www.new/

Photo by Annie McGrath

STRAWBERRY MINT LEMONADE

Recipe from Luc at Oriole 9

Ingredients:

4 Lemons, juiced

4 teaspoons Sugar

16 Strawberries (nice ripe ones) *

20 Mint Leaves *

Garnish:

4 Strawberries *

4 Mint Sprigs *

Directions:

Mush all the ingredients together and let it sit for a few minutes.

Meanwhile fill four 12-16 ounce glasses with ice.

Divide the mixture amoung the 4 glasses and top off with some water to fill up the rest of the glass (or to taste). Garnish each glass with a nice mint sprig and place a strawberry on the rim of the glass. ENJOY !!!

Serves 4

www.oriole9.com

Swiss Chard with Golden Raisins & Pine Nuts

This recipe comes to us from Richard Erickson, Chef & Owner of Blue Mountain Bistro, Woodstock, NY & Bistro To Go, Kingston, NY

Swiss Chard is one of the most popular leafy greens in Mediterranean countries. It is sturdy, stands up well to the heat of cooking, and is delicious. Spinach, kale or a mixture of leafy greens can also be used in place of chard in this recipe. This makes a great first course or side dish and could be served over grilled or fried bread as an appetizer.

2 lb swiss chard

4 T olive oil

2-3T chopped garlic

4 T golden raisins, soaked in warm water

4T toasted pine nuts

Salt & pepper

Optional: 2 anchovies, finely chopped

2 T sherry wine vinegar

1. Wash the greens and chop the stems into small pieces.
2. In a large straight sided skillet heat the oil. Add the stems and a few tablespoons of water, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the moisture has evaporated.
3. Add the garlic, greens, raisins and salt and pepper (and the anchovies and sherry wine vinegar at this point, if using). Cook, covered until the greens are tender, 3-4 minutes. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.

www.bluemountainbistro.com

RISOTTO with ASPARAGUS

Chef Gianni Scappin at the Woodstock Farm Festival

Photo by Cheryl Paff

The word risotto refers to rice that has been toasted briefly in a soffritto and then cooked by gradually adding boiling broth or water and mantecato (adding butter and Parmigiano). Remember that rice suitable for risotto absorbs a quantity of liquid three times the weight of the rice itself. To cook risotto it is preferable to use a medium-height, heavy saucepan with a rather large bottom so that the flame can spread underneath.

1 medium onion finely chopped
4 oz. butter
4 oz white wine, dry
12 oz. long-grain rice
1 lb asparagus, cut on a bias, reserving tips.
1 ½ qts. broth chicken or beef
6 tbs. Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

1. Sweat the onion in 1 oz. of the butter.
2. When the onion loses its crunchiness (do not let it brown) add the rice and toast gently over a medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the rice absorbs the fat and becomes flavored.
3. Add the asparagus (if necessary peel them, set the tips aside)
4. Add wine, let it slightly evaporate, and then pour a ladle of boiling broth into the pot.
5. Continue to stir - but not too frequently - and gradually add more broth as the rice absorbs the liquids. It is important to keep the rice simmering constantly, so dose the amount of broth wisely as you add it to the rice. When the rice is cooked al dente (about 12-14 minutes), add the asparagus tips and turn off the heat.
6. Add parsley, butter, grated Parmigiano and stir vigorously, let stand, covered, for a couple of minutes, so that the rice finishes cooking.
7. Serve immediately.
Note 1: Risotto should not be too dry but lightly creamy, and each grain of rice should be fluffy. The broth used for risotto should always be rather light and clear, most often made from chicken or veal. The ratio of broth to rice for risotto is 1 part rice to 3 parts broth, more broth or hot water for boiled rice. For risotto use only imported fine Italian rice (Superfino Carnaroli widely available in any grocery store), since it is less rich in starch and therefore more suitable for this preparation.

Serve 4

This recipe comes to us from Chef Gianni Scappin. Gianni is an instructor at the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park as well as the owner of Cucina in Woodstock.

ASPARAGUS with PARMESAN CHEESE & FRIED EGG

This recipe comes to us from Chef Gianni Scappin. Gianni is an instructor at the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park as well as the owner of Cucina in Woodstock.

Ingredients
Asparagus 1 lb
Egg 4 ea
Parmigiano Reggiano 3 oz
Butter or extra virgin olive oil 3 oz
Parsley, freshly chopped just before service 2 tsp

Mise en Place
1. Wash and trim the asparagus
2. Blanch the asparagus in salted water. Shock in iced-water and set aside (or proceed to step 8 if you are serving them immediately.)
3. If doing this in advance reserve asparagus water for later use
4. Grate Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, and shave some just before serving it.
5. Chop parsley.
6. When ready to serve or ready to eat, melt butter or olive oil in a pan (preferably non stick or well seasoned one), pour one egg per portion and slowly cook in the oven or right on the top of stove.
7. The egg yolk must be still liquid and the white must have no color.
8. While the egg is cooking remove asparagus from water or reheat them in cooking water as mention in step 3, dry the excess of water on a clean paper towel or clean napkin, and plate
9. Sprinkle the asparagus with grated Parmesan cheese, place egg over with the butter or olive oil). Garnish with few Parmesan shavings and chopped fresh parsley.
NOTE: you may also drizzle with few drops of aged balsamic vinegar on top of asparagus, before you place the egg over.

Yield: 4 Portions

Photo by Cheryl Paff

What’s Cooking

Tomato Ketchup
8 pounds ripe tomatoes, skins removed, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon, crushed
1 tablespoon celery seeds
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon salt

Combine the tomatoes, onions and cayenne in a large stock pot or kettle. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Combine the spices in a spice bag or tied up in a piece of cheesecloth and place in a small saucepan with the vinegar. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let stand for 20 minutes. Then, remove the spice bag and combine the vinegar with the tomato mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Put the mixture through a food mill. Add honey and salt, boil gently, and stir frequently until the volume is reduced by one-half or until mixture rounds up on a spoon. Fill pint jars, leaving 1/8 inch headspace, tighten the lids, and process in boiling water for 20 minutes.

Butternut Squash Butter
6 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash
3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Place all the ingredients in a 3-quart pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer, stirring occasionally and mashing the pieces of squash, until mixture is thick enough to leave a path on the bottom of the pot when a wooden spoon is dragged through it.

For a smooth butter, place the mixture in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until smooth. This can be store in the refrigerator until used or you can place the butter in an oven-proof container and heat in a 300F oven. When hot, spoon it into hot, sterilized canning jars and process for 10 minutes in a hot water bath.
Makes 2 1/2 cups

© Betty Levine, An Endless Harvest (Manorville Publishing)

Hey Kids!

Great Frozen Grapes
A very cool snack.
Seedless green grapes

Wash the grapes, remove them from the stem and lay them in a metal pan in a single layer. Place the pan in the freezer.

In a few hours, when the grapes are frozen, take them out of the pan and put them into a freezer container or plastic bag. Put them back in the freezer.

When you need a snack, you have a storehouse of great frozen grapes on hand.

© Steve Charney & David Goldbeck, The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables & Beyond (Ceres Press)

What’s Cooking

Smashed Spud Soup
Spud is another name for potato. This recipe is enough for 4 on a chilly day.
1 pound potatoes
1 1/2 cups water
3 1/2 cups lowfat milk
2 teaspoons grated onion
1/4 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup ketchup
salt
pepper

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch pieces.

Put the potatoes and the water in a pot. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very soft.

Mash the potatoes in the pot with a potato masher until they are completely smashed.

Stir the milk, onion, peanut butter, and butter into the potatoes. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the mixture starts to boil. Cook a little longer, until it is thick and creamy.

Stir in the ketchup. Add a little salt and pepper until the soup tastes just the way you like it.
© Steve Charney & David Goldbeck, The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables & Beyond (Ceres Press)

Hey Kids!

Q: How do you know that an elephant has been in your refrigerator?
A: There are footprints in the applesauce

ABC Applesauce
Apples
1/4 cup water
Honey or maple syrup
Cinnamon

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the apple skins.

Cut the apples into pieces. Throw away the seeds and the core.

Place the apples in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the apples are soft enough to mash with a potato masher.

Remove the pot from the heat. Mash the apples.

Leave the applesauce as it is, or sweeten to taste with a little honey or maple syrup and cinnamon. Serve warm or cold.
© Steve Charney & David Goldbeck, The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables & Beyond (Ceres Press)

What’s Cooking

Broccoli Bread and Cheese Soup
A hearty soup featuring cheese that is designed to be the main dish at a meal.
6 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound broccoli
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups water
6 thin slices whole grain bread, cut in half
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Saute onion and garlic in oil until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop broccoli quite small, including buds, stems and leaves.

Add broccoli and soy sauce to onion, cover and let stew over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Add salt and water and bring to a boil; cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.

Put 1 1/2 slices bread in each serving bowl, top with 1/2 cup of the combined cheeses, and pour in the hot soup. Sprinkle some of the remaining cheese on top of each bowl.

Serves 4
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, American Wholefoods Cuisine (Ceres Press)

Hey Kids!

For a quick breakfast you can make ahead and eat on the way to school, try an Applewich. Core and slice an apple into rounds. Dip slices into orange juice to keep them from turning brown. Form apple rings into sandwiches with a slice of cheddar cheese in the middle. You can eat them right away, or wrap them in foil and put them in the refrigerator for breakfast or an afternoon snack the next day.
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, The Good Breakfast Book (Ceres Press)

What’s Cooking

Tabouli
The classic tabouli is actually mostly parsley and mint, rather than the mostly grain dish Americans are used to seeing.
1/4 cup cracked wheat
3/4 cup hot water
2 cups chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
1 tomato, diced
2 scallions, sliced thin
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Soak cracked wheat in water for about 15 minutes to soften. Drain well, squeezing out all of the moisture.

Toss parsley, mint, cucumber, tomato, scallion, and soaked wheat together in a serving dish. Coat with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Mix well. Chill salad if it is not served soon.

Serves 4
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, American Wholefoods Cuisine (Ceres Press)

Chickpea Pesto
This twist on the classic Italian pesto is dairy-free and much lower in fat. It can be used on pasta, but is also an excellent topping for sliced grilled zucchini or eggplant, or tossed with warm boiled new potatoes.
1/2 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 cups lightly packed basil leaves, or a mixture of basil and parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chickpea cooking liquid or water
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

Combine the chickpeas and pine nuts in a food processor, and process until well ground. Add the herbs and garlic and purée to a thick paste. Add the chickpea liquid or water and process until evenly blended. Add the oil and process until completely incorporated.

Adjust salt to taste and serve, or store for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Makes just under 1 cup
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, Enemy of the Steak (Square One)

What’s Cooking

Blender Salad Soup
Similar to a classic gazpacho. Prepare in advance and chill or make and serve right away.
4 medium ripe tomatoes
1/2 large green pepper
1/2 small onion
1 small cucumber
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
6 ice cubes

Quarter tomatoes; seed and slice green pepper; peel and slice onion and cucumber; peel garlic.

Place vegetables and remaining ingredients except ice in a blender or food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for about 3 seconds, until vegetables are finely chopped but not reduced to a puree.

Chill if prepared in advance. At serving time, divide soup into serving bowls and place an ice cube in each so it becomes very cold.

Serves 6

Fresh Corn Pudding
4 good-sized ears corn
4 eggs
2 cups dairy or nondairy milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
paprika

Preheat oven to 3500F.

Scrape corn from cob into a large bowl, retaining both kernels and milk. Break up kernels gently with a fork to release more milk. You should have at least 2 cups corn mixture.

Beat in eggs, then milk, butter, salt, and honey. Pour into a greased, shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish and sprinkle paprika over the top. Place in a larger baking pan and surround with 1/2 inch hot water.

Bake about 45 minutes or until set. Remove from the water bath and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, American Wholefoods Cuisine (Ceres Press)

Hey Kids!

Q. Why shouldn’t you tell secrets in the garden?
A. Because the corn has ears and the potatoes have eyes.

Double Corn Muffins
Here is a recipe to make with some help from a grown up.
2 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups dairy or nondairy milk
1/2 cup corn

Preheat oven to 3750F.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a hole in the center and add oil, honey and milk. Stir gently until batter is smooth. Stir in corn.

Spoon batter into an oiled muffin tin, filling almost to the top. Bake or 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, American Wholefoods Cuisine (Ceres Press)

What’s Cooking

If your garden is like mine, zucchini and cucumbers are everywhere.

Grilled Zucchini
You can make this with the big zucchini that you forgot to pick when it was small and manageable.

Slice zucchini on a slant to make oblongs. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill until just golden. Brush uncooked side with oil, flip and cook again until nicely colored. Transfer to a plate as the pieces are done and season with a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar. Turn several times so the vinegar penetrates. Eat warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Quick Pickles
2 cucumbers
1 small onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dill weed
1 cup hot water
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Slice each cucumber lengthwise into 8 sticks. Slice onion into rings. Alternate layers of cucumber and onion in a broad nonmetal dish. Scatter garlic and dill on top.

Mix water with honey and salt to dissolve. Add vinegar. Pour this brine over the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before using.

When the pickles are all eaten, you can make more by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 rounded teaspoon honey to the brine, then adding the cucumbers and onion as needed. Prepare a fresh solution after 2 or 3 batches of pickles have been made.
© Nikki & David Goldbeck, American Wholefoods Cuisine(Ceres Press)

What's Cooking

KARINE HRECHDAKIAN’S BAKLAWA (Arabic) PAKLAVA (Armenian), BAKLAVA(Greek)
Adapted from her aunt Penny’s Paklava recipe, Anissa Helou's “Lebanese Cuisine” (St. Martin's Press), and Chef Ramzi N. Choueiri's “Le patrimoine culinaire du Liban.”
You can freeze Baklawa once assembled and bake it without defrosting days later. Aunt Penny finds that her Baklawa is best baked the day before being served. She likes to give the sugar syrup a chance to meld into the layers. However, if you experiment with the bite sized Lebanese morsels, I highly recommend making them the same day. They are heavenly when crisp. This Baklawa will keep for a few days if stored in an airtight container. Do not store in the refrigerator.

For the Baklawa, you will need 1 1/2 inch deep baking dishes, rectangular or round, not jelly roll pans. Pyrex baking dishes will do.
Clarified butter (see below)
Sugar or honey syrup, (see below)
Stuffing:
3 cups walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, unsalted pistachio nuts or unsalted cashew nuts
Scant 1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz ) fine sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional if using orange blossom and rose water)
1 tablespoon orange blossom water (omit for Greek honey version)
1 tablespoon rose water (omit for Greek honey version)
A chunk of butter to grease the baking dish
Pastry:
2 packages of phyllo pastry (40 sheets), measuring 13 x 18 inches
1 pound clarified butter

The day before, prepare the sugar or honey syrup and clarified butter as described below. If frozen, thaw the phyllo dough in the fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 4000F.

Chop the nuts as finely as possible, but resist the urge to use a food processor as they release more oil and it makes them pasty. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon (if using) and/or orange blossom and rose water, and mix well.

Grease a deep baking dish, measuring about 13 x 18 x 1 1/2 inches with a chunk of butter. Spread one sheet of phyllo pastry on the bottom of the baking dish. (Keep the other sheets covered with a damp cloth as they dry up very quickly.) Brush with melted clarified butter, lay another sheet over it, brush with more clarified butter and continue until you have 18 layers of phyllo pastry for the bottom half.

Spread the nut filling evenly over the pastry and cover with 22 more layers of phyllo, making sure you brush each with melted clarified butter. Pour any leftover clarified butter over the pastry. Cut into diamonds with sides measuring 2 inches or into thin rectangles about 2 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. You can stop at this point, tightly wrap the pan with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to bake.

Bake in a preheated 4000F. oven for 10 minutes, reduce temperature to 3500F. and bake another 45 to 50 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove from oven and very carefully, with someone to help you, pour off any excess clarified butter.

Let Baklawa cool a few minutes, then pour the warmed sugar/honey syrup all over the pastry. Serve at room temperature.

Clarified Butter, Samneh (Lebanese), Ghee (Indian)
Clarified butter will keep in fridge at least 2 weeks. Try to make it a day or two before assembling pastry.
4 sticks sweet unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

Bring butter to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Once foam completely covers butter, reduce heat to very low. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until a thin crust begins to form on the surface and milky white solids fall to bottom of pan, about 8 minutes. Continue to cook, watching constantly and stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until solids turn light brown and butter deepens to golden and becomes translucent, 16 to 18 minutes. (The Lebanese wait until it is as transparent as a tear.) Remove clarified butter from heat and pour through a sieve lined with a triple layer of cheesecloth into a jar.

Microwave option: Place butter pieces in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high 2 minutes. Remove and let stand 1 minute. Spoon off foamy top layer or pour through a fine mesh sieve lined with a triple layer of cheesecloth into a jar or bowl. Spoon clear clarified buttter into small bowl. Discard any milky liquid at bottom of measuring cup.

Sugar Syrup
You can store this syrup in a glass jar and keep it in the refrigerator for about two weeks or more. Try to make a day or two before assembling pastry. Warm before pouring on the Baklawa.
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey (to prevent crystallizing)
1 tablespoon rose water
1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Put the sugar, water, lemon juice and honey in a saucepan. Bring to boil, simmer 1 minute, then stir in the rose and orange blossom waters and boil for a few seconds.

Take off the heat and leave to cool before using.

Honey Syrup for Greek Baklava
2 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 stick cinnamon
2/3 cup honey
Combine sugar, water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved, then simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir in honey and return to boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Pour through a sieve into a large measuring cup. Chill, uncovered, until cold, about 1 hour. Warm before pouring on Baklava.

What's Cooking

Zucchini with Linguini
Dinner for 4.

1/2 pound linguini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1 pound zucchini
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring a large pot of water to boil for the linguini. Cook it while you prepare the sauce.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add garlic, scallions and red pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly colored.
Shred the zucchini using a box grater or food processor. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, basil, and parsley to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the zucchini is soft and the sauce is hot.
When the linguini is cooked to taste, put it in a serving bowl. Spoon the zucchini sauce over the linguini and serve.
Add some grated parmesan cheese at the table.
© Steve Charney & David Goldbeck, The ABC’s of Fruits and Vegetables & Beyond (Ceres Press)

What’s Cooking

If you are looking for refreshing summer drinks, give these a try.

Cold Mint ‘Tea”

Fill a heat proof-jar with fresh mint sprigs, loosely packed. Pour on boiling water to cover. Place in the refrigerator for several hours, until very cold. (Remove the mint after 24 hours.) Pour the cold mint into a glass, adding a few ice cubes if desired. For added flavor and a hint of sweetness, put some diced fresh peaches or nectarines into each glass.

Fresh Melon Juice

Dice cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon, remove seeds/pits, and puree in blender. Add a slice of fresh lemon or lime and thin with ice, if desired.

© Nikki & David Goldbeck, The Good Breakfast Book (Ceres Press)

CHEFS' CHALLENGE FULFILLED

Richard Erickson and Jonathan Sheridan of Bistro-To-Go teamed up to create the winning entry in the first annual Woodstock Farm Festival Chefs' Challenge. Their delectable summer bruschetta was made from fresh ingredients purchased at the Wednesday Farm Festival, as were all the entries. Keep in mind that part of the excitement and “challenge” is discovering what’s in the market and preparing something without a recipe.

That said, here is how they all went about it.

Woodstock Farm Festival Bruschettas from Richard Erickson and Jonathan Sheridan
As the chefs noted, “the proportions don't really matter all that much. Everything is fresh and local.”

Italian Sausage from Veritas Farms
Shallots from RSK
Summer Savory
Cremini Mushrooms from Bulich Mushroom Co.
Gold Bar Squash from Liberty View Farm
Sweet Corn from Davenport Farm
Lacinato or Tuscan Kale
Orange cherry tomatoes

Take the sausage out of the casing and slowly render in olive oil.

Grill the sweet corn until done.

Add shallots and mushrooms.

Add pinch of Bistro Blend Porcini rub with red pepper flakes.

Remove center stem from kale and finely chiffonade (roll up, then finely slice). Add to sausage mix.

Dice the squash into 1/3” cubes and add to sausage mix. Add chopped savory. Slowly cook all until done, but the vegetables still hold their shape

Remove corn from cobs.

Toss everything together with more olive oil and a suggestion of red wine vinegar. Check seasoning, ie. salt and pepper.

Serve over Bruschettas (You can get the bread for this at the Farm Market from Wild Hive Bakery.) Top with a slice of the cherry tomatoes. Enjoy.

The competition was fierce from Pierre-Luc Moeys of Oriole 9 and Ric Orlando and Justin Sedlak of New World Home Cooking. The unusual and tantalizing combination of peaches with polenta and vegetables from the New World team, and chicken slices on goat cheese over toast from Oriole-9 also received high praise from all the tasters.

Crostinis with Peaches, Goat Cheese and Grilled Chicken from Pierre-Luc Moeys
Slice up the bread and drizzle it with a little olive oil, then grill it so it becomes crusty.

Meanwhile unpit the peaches and grill them until they have nice black griddle stripes on them, take them off and peel, then chop them up.

Mix peaches with goat cheese, some salt and pepper, and add some thyme for a nice aroma.

Grill the chicken breast and when cooked, cut in thin strips.
Take a crostini and add some peach/goat cheese mixture. Then on top lay a piece of chicken, add some fleur de sel (French sea salt)and enjoy.

Grilled Eggplant from Pierre-Luc Moeys
Slice and salt the eggplant then grill until FULLY cooked. Meanwhile, chop up parsley, garlic and chili until really fine. When the eggplant is cooked, sprinkle with the parsley mix and drizzle red wine vinegar over it. Finish with a few drips of olive oil . ENJOY.