Spicy Cucumber Salad

Farm Share Food – Cucumbers, Cilantro, Onions  
Spicy Cucumber Salad
adapted from the recipe in “From Asparagus to Zucchini” which is originally from Twinhawks/Clearview Family Farms
 
Printable Version
 
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and sliced into half moons
1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
1 T cilantro, roughly chopped
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T sesame oil
½ t salt
1 t soy sauce
1 T sugar
2 t hot sauce
 
Toss together the cucumber, onion, and cilantro.  Whisk together the vinegar, oil, salt, soy sauce, sugar, and hot sauce.  Toss the dressing with the cucumber mixture. 
 
NOTE: the printable version mentions a whole chile.  The above version uses hot sauce.  Either works!

Week Five of 2012

We got...  
Carrots, Chard, Cucumber, Green Beans, Head Lettuce, Salad Mix, Scallions, Spring Onions, Summer Squash, Zucchini, Basil, Parsley

My ideas...

Carrots – Here is a basic recipe for Perfectly CookedCarrots.  You could add any spices that would complement the rest of your menu.

Chard – Braising these greens will make for a great poolside dinner.  This dish can be eaten at any temperature. 

Cucumber – Food Network’s blog started Summerfest this week.  Here are a bunch of great Cucumber recipes.

Green Beans – With all this heat, cold salads are welcome dishes.  This Green Bean and ShallotSalad looks good.

Summer Squash and Zucchini – You can shred and freeze them or boil for 2 minutes, puree and freeze.  With frozen puree I’ve been making these muffins for my kids.  If I make them mini muffin size, they gobble them down.

Basil and Parsley – I love having this Salsa Verde around for just about anything – eggs, meat marinade, or mix with salad dressing, and so on.

Recipe Reviewed: Persian Rice Stuffed Zucchini

Thursday Menu – Persian Rice Stuffed Zucchini Farm Share Food – Zucchini, Cilantro
 
This recipe was a delightful aromatic preparation – the Zucchini roasting in the oven, and the cumin, cardamom, cinnamon smells from the rice while it cooked kept me happy while I moved around the kitchen.
 
I also loved it because each bite was so interesting.  Fruity bursts from the apricot, crunch from the pistachio, warmth from the zucchini and cheese.  Flavor explosions in every bite!
 
A few notes – The Zucchini from the farm is on the bigger side, like 15 oz. each when I weighed them.  The recipe calls for 6 oz. Zucchini, 6 of them.  I made only 2 Zucchini. 
 
We don’t particularly like dill, so I substituted in some of that great Cilantro we got in the CSA.  Also not big goat cheese fans, so the fresh mozzarella that needed used in the fridge got substituted for that.   These flavors worked well and the cheese did it’s job of holding together the rice mixture inside the Zucchini boats.
 
I had too much rice mixture for my 4 Zucchini boats.  It made for a nice side dish.

Chai Zucchini Bread

I was attracted to the original recipe because I enjoy a good Chai Tea and was sure those flavors would work great in a quick bread.  The original recipe is for Chai Banana Bread, but with the beautiful Zucchini coming from the farm I changed it up a bit – Success!

Chai Zucchini Bread
adapted from Chai Banana Bread

Printable Version

1 ½ cups shredded Zucchini
1/3 cup plain yogurt
5 T butter, melted
2 eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 ¼ cup AP flour
¾ t baking soda
½ t salt
½ t ground cardamom
¼ t ground cinnamon
¼ t ground ginger
¼ ground allspice
1 t vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine Zucchini, yogurt, butter, and eggs in a mixer on medium speed.  Add the sugar and beat until just blended.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, just until blended.

Combine the spices into a mixture.  Add the mixture and vanilla to the batter, and stir in.  Pour into a bread pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake for 65 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack for complete cooling.

NOTE: The original recipe does contain instructions to include a glaze.  Watch the amounts for spices and vanilla – they will vary if you include the glaze.

Readers Suggest: Chard and Zucchini

Aquacotta – a soup that will put to use the Chard, Onion, Parsley, and Basil from this week’s share.  You poach an egg in the soup right before serving – fascinating!
 
Zucchini Spice Bread Ice Cream – talk about fascinating!  I love funky ice cream flavors.

Week Four of 2012

We got...  
Chard, Cucumbers, Kale, Onions, Salad Mix, Scallions, Snow Peas, Summer Squash, Zucchini, Basil, Cilantro, Parsley
 
Fruit: Peaches
 
My plans...
 
Chard – This recipe is Grilled Pork Chops with Chard Salad, I think I’ll make just the salad.
 
Cucumbers and Onions – I think it’s time for some traditional Cucumber Salad.
 
Kale – I think I’ll take this Kale Sesame Salad to a potluck.
 
Scallions – I can’t wait to try this Sesame Rice withScallions.
 
Snow Peas – I was fresh out of ideas, but here is a list from All Recipes of their favorite Snow Peas recipes.  Let me know if you have some good ones.
 
Summer Squash – These Spicy Squash Pickles look yummy.  I also might freeze squash cubes for soups and muffins – blanch, puree, and freeze in ice cube trays.
 
Zucchini – I also can’t wait to have this Persian StuffedZucchini.
 
Herbs – they are getting a little ahead of me, think I’ll work on freezing some.

Cucumber Vichyssoise

It’s been hot!  We got four cucumbers in our CSA share!  The perfect idea was this cool cucumber soup.  Thanks to a reader for the suggestion and sending the recipe.

2-3 Cucumbers, cut lengthwise, seeded, roughly chopped
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 stick of butter
salt and pepper
½ cup of flour
3 cups broth
½ cup cream, sour cream or half and half ( I used half and half)
Garnish (cilantro, chives or scallions)
 
Melt butter and sauté cucumber and onion slowly with salt and pepper until soft, but not brown.  Add flour and create a roux.  Add broth and cook until thickened.  Allow to cool slightly.
 
Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup.  Refrigerate overnight.  Add cream before serving.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with cilantro, chives, or scallions.