From Wellspring Charitable Gardens this Week - June 2, 2022

From the Garden this Week… Carrots, Beets, Chard, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Radish, Kale, Salad Medley, Sauteing Celery, Green Onions, Garlic Stalk, Lemon Grass, Lemon Verbena, Peppermint, Sage, Peaches & Apricots

Coming Soon… Cucumbers, Tomatoes & Basil

Using your Produce… by Julie Moreno

Summer squash is now in season, and soon we will have peppers and a handful of tomatoes available. I’m a believer in the fact that you can never have too many squash recipes, so when I came across this one last fall, I made a note to write it down. It’s similar to my fritters, but you bake it all together so it’s a hands-off recipe. Feel free to add in extra vegetables. This recipe came from Yotam Ottolenghi, in the cookbook Simple. I like the combination of eggs, basil, and squash. Speaking of summer squash, I am making a simple grilled squash salad with white beans, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and basil. I grilled the squash ahead of time and let it cool, then season it with salt and pepper, combining the beans, squash, and herbs after everything cools off.

Zucchini and Ciabatta Frittata

*Adapted from Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi

18 ounces ciabatta, hearty French, or

sourdough bread, torn into rough

cubes

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons cream

2 garlic cloves minced

6 eggs

¾ tsp ground cumin

3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

3-4 pieces summer squash, grated,

about 4-5 cups

1 & ¼ cups basil leaves, roughly

chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

*Preheat oven to 400 °F. Combine milk, cream, and bread, set aside for 30 minutes. Combine the garlic, eggs, cumin, cheese, zucchini, and basil, then add in the milk and bread mix. Place an 8x10 inch baking dish in the hot oven for 5 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven brush with the oil and then add in the mixture, bake for 20 minutes, top with cheese and bake another 20-25 minutes until it is cooked through.

Summer Squash is Here – Thyme 4 Pun in the Sun

A squash was injured running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

Witness accounts say it was gourd.

You know the Beach Boys cover band called Surfin’ Squash, right?

They play an awesome version of Gourd Vibrations!

Snoop Dog stomped out of an Italian Trattoria when he was served

spaghetti squash marinara. He refused to dine with an impasta.

More Summer Squash…

This is the best time to grow and harvest summer squash: zucchini, yellow squash, and the flying saucer shaped patty pan. Summer squash has the best flavor when cooked and eaten soon after harvest. Squash can live in your fridge for a week or more, but its flavor changes over time. To save squash, grate and freeze it. To use it, thaw and drain off any water. This fritter recipe is one of my favorites.

Squash Fritters

2-3 pieces summer squash grated, about 1 pound or 3 cups

¾ teaspoon salt

1 egg

¼ cup flour (a gluten free flour substitute will work here)

2 Tablespoons shredded cheese

1 Tablespoon of oil

Combine the grated squash and salt and leave in a colander for 20-30 minutes, to allow some of the water to drain. Squeeze the squash to remove any excess water. Place the drained squash in a mixing bowl and combine well with the egg, flour, and cheese. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat, add the oil, and drop 1/4 cup portions of the squash mixture into the pan. Help it to spread out a little, then repeat 2-3 more times, so you have 3-4 small pancakes. Cook for 4 minutes, then turn the fritters over and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove and cook another batch to use the remaining batter. Enjoy hot, but they are also great the next day.

Kitchen Tips… Preserving Your Produce, Part 4 by Julie Moreno

In the Refrigerator (Continued):

Remember, different vegetables need different storage conditions.

Summer Vegetables: Peppers, Eggplant, Summer Squash, Cucumber, Melons, Green Beans

These summer vegetables - zucchini, eggplant, and peppers - don’t love the refrigerator, but they won’t

last more than two days on the counter, so they should go to the cold if you won’t eat them in a day.

Other Summer vegetables – cucumber, melons, green beans - leave unwashed and store loosely wrapped in plastic bags in the refrigerator.

Summer Fruit: Berries

Berries will last the longest in the fridge, but they lose flavor quickly. To store them for a few days, dry them fully and they will keep. My recommendation is to eat them quickly, don’t store them.

Herbs – Fresh

The delicate herbs - cilantro, dill, parsley, chervil, chives, tarragon, fresh oregano - rot more quickly when wet. If you buy them bunched, unwrap them from their rubber band or twist tie and then wrap them in a moist paper towel before storing inside a loose-fitting plastic bag. You can also store them in the fridge with their stems in a water glass, like the basil method, but separating, drying, and storing them with a damp towel will keep them fresh for a while.

These herbs - rosemary, oregano, thyme - you can store in the fridge for a week, if you want to use fresh. I usually leave these on the counter to dry and then store in a dry glass jar for use later. You never want to waste thyme.

Basil – Remove the tie, trim the end of each stem, and store in a jar with water on the counter, just like a bouquet of flowers