Cuke-a-palooza!

Whether you are a farm hand, a farmers' market frequenter, or simply have fecund gardens to enjoy, you may be finding yourself inundated with two veggies at this time -- squash and cucumbers.  Finding herself in this very position with the latter item, my friend, Jenn, e-mailed me to request some recipes.  So, Jenn, this post's for you -- thanks for motivating me to get these recipes posted!

Cucumber Farm Salad with Fennel Frond Dressing (GF, SF, V)

Salad
2 medium-size cucumbers (I used a Poona Kheera and a Green Finger)
1 apple, de-cored
1/2 beet, peeled
1 fennel bulb with fronds (cut off end and fronds, reserve fronds for dressing)
2 carrots (peeled or not...if organic; peel conventional)
1/4 c. pistachios, roughly chopped

Cut cucumber through carrots into 4 equal sections.  Each section will be approximately 1-2" (except for carrot pieces).  Using your mandoline, shave all sections of vegetables (so that you have multiple pieces of the 1-2" section...NOT the long side).  Put into a large bowl and add pistachios.

Dressing
(Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, "Fennel with Tarragon Vinaigrette", pg. 157)

2 hearty T. chopped fresh fennel fronds
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper

Whisk together; then add to salad.  Mix gently with your hands or a spoon to combine. Enjoy!

Picture quality does not do justice here -- such fantastic color, fresh clean flavor, and perfect dish to serve as a main ...

Or as a cooling accompaniment (as I did here with a Spicy Dal and Rice dish).

This is a Poona Kheera cucumber  -- a variety that we grew in our home garden this year.  Cool, huh?  Read more about this sweet, potato-looking heirloom vegetable here.

Cucumber Salsa Fresca (GF, SF, V)
Makes about 2 c. -- recommend doubling to serve as chip 'n dip app. at a BBQ!

1/2 c. finely diced cucumber (about half of a med. cuke, de-seeded)
1/2 c. finely diced green pepper
1/2 c. finely diced red onion
1 large clove garlic, finely diced
1/2 -3/4 c. finely diced tomatoes (of varying color)
1/2 lime, juiced (Mine was very juicy -- about 1-1.5 T. worth)
siracha to taste
salt and pepper
cilantro (preferably 1-2 T. chopped fresh or approx. 1 t. of dried)

1. Combine cuke through tomatoes in a bowl; stir gently to combine.  Then, add lime juice, siracha (we used 1-2 t. but add (or not) according to your heat preferences),  flashes of salt and pepper, and cilantro (I just dusted the top of the mix with cilantro).  Stir to combine again.

Fantastic solo with chips or with any other Mexican-inspired dish!

We enjoyed this salsa over a refried bean and corn mash (which looks oddly like a pancake, I know, but was delicious and great for using up some leftover corn on the cob...in a different way!).

 Cucumber and Watermelon-Tini (SF, V)

Perfectly cooling for a warm summer day!  I doubled this recipe, and it made about 3-4 c. of liquid once all  steps were completed.  You will have about 2-3 c. if you opt for a non-alcoholic version.  Follow all steps omitting alcohol addition and add 1-2 c. seltzer to juice after.  For either version, serve over ice and, if you want some extra fance, with a piece of watermelon on the side or thinly sliced cucumber on top of the beverage.

Did you know that the cucumber is actually part of the melon family?  I didn't until Iron Chef last night -- Thanks, Alton Brown!  How fortuitous that the challenge ingredient was, you guess it, CUCUMBER!

Next up in the cucumber use and exploration -- my attempt at Cucumber Sorbet.  Stay tuned!

"Zero to 400" Zucchini Lasagna

What I have lacked in blog presence, I have made up for in the spirit of this blog...with an emphasis on roots!

The unweeded, but very productive, back bed of our home garden -- yay beans, peas, squash, cukes, kohlrabi, and chard! Radishes -- we miss you already!

Exhibit A: A harvest share that I brought home one week from the Colchester.
(Want all this yum?  Join a CSA near you. Why?  See Exhibit A.)

At Colchester Neighborhood Farm -- bringing in the first fennel harvest.

Early shot of the Rye Tavern Chef's Garden which I maintain
in conjunction with the Maribett Family (operators of Colchester Neighborhood Farm)

And many, many, many seeded flats, planted acreage, pounds of produce, and farm-based dishes later...

"Zero to 400" Zucchini Lasagna

No, the lasagna does not look like a racecar.  Rather, you have the option here to be as raw as you want to be :).  This dish was inspired by a raw zucchini lasagna that I've made in summers past, but in this, its most recent form, it is not a raw dish.  It is, however, a gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, and low-fuss dish.  Did I mention the summery scrumptiousness of it all?

Time: Variable
Tools: Mandoline (expedites the process, but not necessary); baking pan/cookie tray, parchment paper, rectangular pyrex baking dish ( mine was  8 x 11, but use whatever you have -- noodles can be made to fit :)).

1 large zucchini
2 c. veggies (I used a gingered summer squash, carrot mix (equal amt. yellow squash and carrots, diced) that I had leftover from a previous dish.)
1 fennel bulb
1 kohlrabi
1 bulb of garlic (elephant) or 2 regular bulbs of garlic
6-8 tomatoes (enough for a hearty 4 c. chopped)
fresh basil (I probably used about 20 leaves)
salt and pepper

1. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper; heat oven to 400.

2. Clean and thinly slice fennel bulb; peel kohlrabi and dice it.  Chop another 2 c. of veggies -- I suggest yellow summer squash and carrots.  Add to 2 c. of veggies.  I may have also added 1 onion, but you can go either way.  In total, you'll have about 4 c. of veggies. Peel away all but the last layer of skin from garlic and cut off top.  Lightly coat the 4 c. veggies with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Mix with your hands; then rub hands all over garlic.  Wrap garlic in single-layer of foil.    Spread veggies evenly in pan.  Put pan and wrapped garlic in oven.  Garlic will take about 30-40 min.  Check on veggies after about 25 min. to make sure they aren't burning; you may need to remove them earlier than garlic, but that's ok!

3.  While the vegetables are cooking,
a) mandoline zucchini into long "wide noodles" (like those lasagna ones...but with green instead curly edges) down to seed core (compost core)).  Cover with plate or wax paper and leave to the side of your cutting board or somewhere that is out of your way, as there is more cutting to come!
b) Roughly chop tomatoes and basil.  Add flashes of salt and pepper to your taste.  Blend with immersion blender to desired consistency.  I like it a bit chunky but still a consistent sauce texture. Set aside until vegetables and garlic are done.

4. Once veg. mix and garlic are cooked, turn off oven. Put veggies in a mixing bowl.  Let garlic cool for a few minutes once it is cooked.  Then, either squeeze or peel goodness from the bulb into bowl.  Blend with immersion blender -- texture will be ricotta-esque!

5. Put a drop of oil in your baking dish and rub over bottom and sides... put a single layer of zucchini strips on bottom, then add a layer of veg-cotta, then lightly cover with sauce; repeat.  Add final layer of zucchini and additional sauce, or adapt to whatever items you have remaining.  You will probably have quite a bit of extra sauce; reserve it to freeze for later use or to make thicker cooked pasta sauce (as I did!).

6. Choose your own ending: I put dish in cooling oven for approximately 15-20 min. to warm it slightly.  You could also turn oven to 300 and heat to a higher temperature for the same amount of time or serve as is, right after you finish assembly! Another freshly picked green is a lovely accompaniment to this light dish.

Yes, this really is low fuss.  All you really have to do is chop, slice, and blend.  Roasting is the most time consuming option, but you could also break this recipe up.  Grill those veggies in foil packet the night before...or do sauce whenever!  Lots of flexibility here! Fresh Italian flavor without the heaviness -- perfect for summer (and all that squash)!