This week:
- 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes – PF
- 2 Salad Cucumber – PF
- 1 bunch Swiss Chard – CO
- 1 bunch Mint – CO
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce – CO
- 1 pound Nectarines – PF
- 1 bunch Alto Beets – CO
- 1.5 pounds Summer Squash – CO
- 1 pound Sugar Snap Peas – CO
CO – Certified Organic
PF – Pesticide Free
Week 5
It is a good week to like peas! Our crisp, devourable sugar snap peas are in. They took their sweet, sweet time getting here and it was time well spent. The pods are crisp and juicy, the peas are sweet and firm. A pound might last the car ride home, but there’s more at the farmstand, at least for the next couple weeks. Peas aren’t the only new thing in your box this week—half the items in your box are first-of-the-season harvests. Peas, beets, nectarines, summer squash (okay, we’ve been picking the summer squash for a bit, but they’re new to your boxes!)
We’re putting water on everything that will hold still, which, since we’re growing vegetables, is everything. We’re running sets through the celery, onions, and dahlias with our little Bauer water bird reel, affectionately nicknamed the pajaro. We’re hand watering cabbage seed transplants 8-10 hours a day in the greenhouse holding area—which is where I’m headed as soon as I knock out this little note.
We’re irrigating off a hydrant (for a pretty penny) on one of our far fields down by the channel to water up a new carrot planting, and giving the crucifers out at the Thein farm all they can take so that cabbage and broccoli come in full and lush and happy. We’ve given all the veggies on the home farm a drink and now we’re running sets through the grass so the late summer and fall hay cuttings come in strong. I seem to remember that there were other things we did before the sun came out, but sometimes it feels like you could work twice as hard doing nine other things right, and none of it would make as much of a difference as giving crops a drink when they need it.
Today’s recipe combines three things that nearly everyone enjoys – fire, fruit, and balsamic glazes – and one thing that nearly everyone can stomach if it is surrounded by the first three – summer squash. I kid! There is nothing not to love in this charming little warm summer salad recipe
Grilled Nectarines and Summer Squash with Balsamic Glaze
Adapted from:http://goodmotherdiet.com
Link: http://goodmotherdiet.com/2014/06/02/meatless-monday-grilled-nectarines-and-summer-squash-with-balsamic-glaze/
Marinade:
- 1/4 C olive oil
- 1 clove minced garlic
- 1 T lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. fresh herbs (oregano, thyme, parsley or marjoram)
Ingredients:
- 4-6 summer squash (any variety)
- 1 large fresh sweet onion
- 2 T avocado oil, or other high heat oil
- 6 nectarines
- 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
- 2 oz. feta (optional)
- 1/2 C blueberries (optional, but not very)
Balsamic glaze:
- 1/4 C basamic vinegar
- 1 T honey
- pinch of salt
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Place all marinade ingredients into a large ziploc bag or container. Slice squash into rounds and put into marinade until ready to grill.
- Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan until reduced by about half. Stir in honey and add a pinch of salt. Remove from heat.
- Slice onion into thick rounds.
- Saute the onion slices on high heat, keeping the sections together, turning with a spatula to brown both sides. Then break apart and saute a few more minutes. Alternately, you can marinate and grill the onions until they are softened and browned. Remove to a platter.
- Grill the zucchini rounds until brown on both sides. Remove to platter with onions.
- Halve and pit the nectarines and place on a hot oiled grill, a few minutes per side until grill marks appear. Remove to platter with veggies.
- Sprinkle with feta and blueberries, if using. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Season with coarse-ground salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm or room temperature with reserved balsamic glaze on the side.
Enjoy!
-the chardmonger