Fresh Veggies!

I must smell like vegetables.  After my 2 farmers' market demos this past weekend, yesterday I set up at Blooming Glen Farm to cook while members were stopping by to pick up their shares.  It was a really good time--met a lot of nice people, used a bunch of wonderful produce and got to share some different ways to use their shares (pun intended). 

As I often do when using field-fresh veggies, I tried to make the preparation simple, not cover the flavors with strong sauces so the veggies can shine.  For example, I made one of my favorite dishes again (as I did at the markets)--Salad Caprese.  Tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella, salt, pepper, good extra-virgin olive oil.  So simple, but so delicious.  July on a plate.

One of the biggest hits was also incredibly easy.  If you have been reading recently, you know about our Attack of the Yellow Squash.  Well, after muffins and bakes and stir-fries and sautes, I had to come up with another way to use these golden monsters.  Pickles!  Easy refrigerator pickles using squash instead of cucumbers.  And they're really yummy.  Sweet to start with a little heat at the end.  Here's how you make them:

Zucchini Pickles (or Squash Pickles) (or Zucchini and Squash Pickles)

INGREDIENTS

4 cups zucchini or yellow squash, cut in 1/8" slices

1 cup sweet onion, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• Combine zucchini, onion and garlic in a bowl or jars.
• Bring vinegar, sugar, red pepper, mustard seeds and salt to a boil in a small saucepan.
• Pour liquid over veggies, cover and chill for 24 hours.

It's that simple.  Very tasty.

If you're into pickles, you might enjoy this article from the Boston Globe about how the pickles are getting more and more popular.