Where I live it is very hot during the summer months and vegetables to do not grow well during July and August – in fact, they burn up. So what the north gets in July and August, we get in April and May and, then again, in October and November. If you are a reader of this blog, you know I belong to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).
Jeta Farms is part of the Slow Food USA movement that aims to rediscover and catalog forgotten flavors by documenting excellent food products that are in danger of disappearing. Since the international initiative began in 1996, more than 800 products from over 50 countries have been added to the list. The movement serves as a resource to those interested in reviving rare breeds and learning about endangered foods, with the goal of encouraging the continued production and consumption of these foods.
In the past, I have shared with you recipes I made with some of my share produce:
http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2015/06/29/fresh-from-the-farm/
http://jovinacooksitalian.com/2014/06/26/cooking-from-my-csa-share/
This is the first year my CSA farm has offered a share in the fall and here are some of the recipes I made.
Cheesy Patty Pan Squash
Serves 3
Ingredients
- 3 medium patty pan squashes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 12 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the squash in half, place in an oiled baking dish and brush the tops with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes. Place 2 tablespoons cheese on top of each squash half and return the pan to the oven for five more minutes. Serve immediately
Stuffed Squash
Serves 4 as a side dish; 2 for a main course
Ingredients
- 2 Gialla Nostrale squash (short, fat zucchini)
- 1/4 of a medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped pickled (spicy cherry or banana) peppers
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper
Directions
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh leaving about a 1/4 inch shell. Dice the squash pulp.
Sprinkle the squash shells lightly with salt and pepper and place them in an oiled baking dish.
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet and add the onion, celery, garlic, diced squash pulp and the chopped peppers. Cook until all the liquid evaporates.
Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the bread crumbs and allow the mixture to cool.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Stuff the zucchini shells with the bread crumb mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until the stuffing is crispy and the squash shells are tender.
Both squash recipes above can be grilled on an outdoor grill instead of baked in the oven, if you prefer.
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes, washed and patted dry
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
Peel the potatoes. Cut each potato into 8 wedges and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with the salt, pepper and the rosemary.
Roast for 15 minutes; toss and continue to roast until the potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Southern Field Peas
Field peas or cowpeas, aren’t really peas at all. They are beans that grow very well in the South because they are heat and drought tolerant and grow in just about any soil. They’re categorized generally in four groups – crowder, cream, black-eyed and field peas and there are many varieties to be found in each of those categories.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of freshly shelled southern field peas
- 2 ounces bacon
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth, plus extra if needed
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
Directions
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel plate and reserve for later.
Add the onion and celery to the hot bacon fat and cook until tender. Add the peas and saute for a minute or two.
Add the thyme and 2 cups of chicken broth or just enough to cover the peas by about 1 inch. Add more if the peas are not covered.
Bring to a low boil and add the sugar and stir well.
Scoop off any foam that forms and discard it.
Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low, let simmer for about 25 minutes.
Add the pepper and salt, stir well and continue to cook for 10 more minutes.
Taste the peas for tenderness, they should be tender after this amount of time but not mushy. Drain.
Top with the crumbled bacon and serve.
Pasta with Grilled Sausage and Vegetables
I often cook a pound of Italian sausage on the grill and reserve half for another meal, such as pizza with grilled sausage and banana peppers from the garden.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage, divided
- Half an onion
- 1 large zucchini squash
- 1 large yellow squash
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing the sausage and vegetables
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly grated black pepper
Directions
Heat an outdoor grill and oil the grates. Brush the sausage onion and the squashed with olive oil. Turn off the burners on one side of the grill and place the sausage over the indirect heat. Grill 15 minutes, turn the sausage over and grill another 15 minutes. During the last 15 minutes place the squash and onion over the direct side of the grill and cook until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the sausage and vegetables to a plate to cool. Slice half of the sausage into thin slices and reserve half for another use. Dice the vegetables; set aside the sliced sausage and diced vegetables.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta in a colander. Set aside.
In the pasta pot heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the garlic, parsley and oregano. Cook until the garlic is lightly browned and add the diced vegetables and sliced sausage. Cook until hot.
Add the drained pasta and the pasta cooking water. Stir until evenly combined. Add the Parmesan and black pepper. Serve immediately.
