Squash – Grow. Cook. Eat.

July 19, 2010

Mystery Basket (Recipe: Roasted Pepper and Tomato Salad)

As I opened up the grocery bag of full of vegetables, I had flashbacks to culinary school – visions of my first practical exam. We were given a medley of ingredients and told to create an entrée in one hour. This was not unlike the show “Chopped” on the Food Network (though the ingredients were more user-friendly)

Matthew’s roommate was out of town and he was left alone to contend with the weekly CSA box of produce. He called me in a panic, “Can you do something with this?”

“Of course,” I calmly replied. “What do you have?”

“A bunch of green stuff, spring onions, summer squash and what not.”

What not? Could he be less specific? Now, I was in a panic.

Nonetheless, I agreed to cook dinner for him and his partner. I picked up a piece of swordfish, armed myself with "Even Star Farm CSA Cookbook” and prayed that the ingredients he brought would somehow come together into a cohesive meal.

I unpacked the bag to discover the “green stuff”: kale, basil, cilantro, lettuce and radicchio. There were plenty of spring onions – the bulbous, young onions as well as the more traditional-looking scallions. And the “what-not”: A kousa and yellow squash, 2 tomatoes, a tiny fennel bulb, a bunch of carrots, cucumber and a yellow bell pepper.

As an additional challenge, I didn’t want to supplement with anything beyond the fish and what I had on hand. I also didn’t want to use any vegetables that weren’t in the CSA box or in my garden.

This is what I came up with:

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup
From the CSA Box: carrots, kale, onions. From my garden: garlic, celery, thyme

Summer Squash Sautéed with Garlic Scapes
From the CSA Box: squash and basil. From the garden: scapes

Roasted Pepper and Tomato Salad
From the CSA Box: pepper, tomato and basil

Carrot and Fennel Slaw
From the CSA Box: carrot and fennel

Salad with the lettuce, cucumber and carrot
all from the CSA box, though I could have added cucumbers and lettuce from my garden

Quinoa with Kale and Tomato, seasoned with Soy and Lemon
Kale and Tomato from the CSA Box

Alas, I couldn’t figure out how to work cilantro into this, otherwise, European meal. That will get used later in the week.

Roasted Pepper and Tomato Salad
I only had one pepper and one tomato to use, but for a more generous serving, I'd recommend using at least 2 peppers (and maybe even two tomatoes)

2 bell peppers — red or yellow
2 ripe tomatoes
1 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs. fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Blacken the skin of the pepper over a gas burner (or under a broiler) until blackened on all sides. Put in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stem for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, dice the tomatoes.

3. When peppers are cool, peel away blackened skin. Cut in half; remove and discard the stem and seeds.

4. Cut the peppers into 1/2" wide strips. Mix with the tomatoes. Coarsely chop the basil and add to the peppers. Add the balsamic and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

November 29, 2009

Always the Bridesmaid (Recipe: Squash Gnocchi)

About 2 months into culinary school, my ego was convinced I should be a better cook. I began experimenting with recipes that I previously would never have dreamed about trying…. For Passover I decide to make a whole salmon stuffed with a trio of mousses: spinach, red pepper and potato. I imagined a most impressive presentation with spirals of tricolored mousses contrasting the orange salmon. I shed a few tears as my brother-in-law tried to encourage me through the process.

A few months later at my uncle’s house, I attempted squash gnocchi. They weren’t much better. Thankfully, the audience was equally supportive as I tried to fumble my way through dinner.

Though, I’ve mastered many complicated dishes since graduating from culinary school, I still harbor a little trepidation about squash gnocchi. These winter vegetables straddle into the “starch” classification, but don’t have the binding qualities that Idaho potatoes have, making them more challenging than regular potato for gnocchi and other dumplings. And like the spinach and bell peppers of the mousse fiasco, they have a high water content which requires extra flour as a binder, and can cause leaden dumplings.

A few weeks ago, I decided to tackle the squash gnocchi again. I figured that 20 years was enough time to get over the old wounds and develop a repertoire of skills to get me through.

My first attempt was a mediocre at best… based on my research, I thought I’d be able to roll out the gnocchi by hand as I do with regular potato. The dough was so wet that I kept adding flour and more flour… to the point that I knew I’d have dense dumplings (and based on the comments from my matzah ball post, I know that a loud minority actually prefer this).

Attempt #2: I got the brilliant idea to pipe the dough into the boiling water. This allowed for a wetter, lighter dough, and worked much better. I served these with roast duck, but the duck skin cracklings stole the show.

Since I wanted to blog about these, I recreated this recipe for Thanksgiving. And as delicious as they were, they were upstaged a second time. This time, I tossed them with Brussels sprouts from the garden which were roasted with bacon.

The dumplings are great, but are easily upstaged.

Squash Gnocchi
1 butternut squash
1 acorn squash
1 ½ cup flour
2 eggs
½ tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder (optional)
1 cup chicken broth or 2 tbs. butter
1. Cut squash in half. Put on a baking sheet, cut side down. Add water to the pan, and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until squash are tender. It may be necessary to add more water to the pan if it all evaporates.
2. Let squash cool. Scoop out seeds and discard.
3. Scoop out pulp into a food processor and blend until smooth. Measure out one cup of puree (set aside the remainder for soup or another favorite recipe). Add flour, eggs, curry powder, salt and baking powder. Blend in food processor minimally, just until smooth.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.
5. Fill a piping bag with a large plain tip. Fill with gnocchi filling. Gently pipe out ¾” logs, and then cut off into the water with a butter knife. Boil for 2 minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon into a dish with either the butter or chicken broth (this will keep the dumplings from sticking together before serving.
6. It may be necessary to cook the dumplings in batches.
Serve with Brussels sprouts, duck or turkey.

November 18, 2009

Show Stealer (Recipe: Duck Cracklings)

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Let’s face it: the best part of duck is the crispy skin. When done right, the skin crackles and the duck breast is still juicy and medium rare. And if you’re really good, you manage to render all the fat from under the skin without overcooking the meat.

I’m not that good. I’ve cooked hundreds of duck breasts, and I honestly don’t believe it’s possible to render all the fat out and still have a medium rare breast. I always start with cold meat and a cold pan. I score the skin as to better release the fat. I cook over low heat. I drain the excess fat as it pools in the bottom of the pan. But as soon as the meat starts to tighten in the pan, I know I'm well on my way to medium.

The solution: cook the breast and the skin separately! It’s easy enough to peel the skin off with a paring knife and small, gentle strokes along the membrane that attaches the skin to the meat. I slice the skin into thin strips; put them in a pan and into the oven at 325F. They take about 20 – 30 minutes to render all their fat… but it’s a good idea to check every 10 minutes and stir them around.

When they are golden brown, drain them on a paper towel and season with salt. There will be a lot of fat leftover in the bottom of the pan. Whatever you do, don’t pour it down the skin. I usually let the pan sit until the fat sets up and then pour it in the trash. This fat has a slightly burnt taste to it, so I don’t want to save it for confit.

You can cook the duck breast according to your favorite recipe. A personal favorite is this one from Thomas Keller. But since we’re in the height of autumn, I, instead, seasoned the breasts with a little allspice, in addition to the de rigueur salt and pepper, sautéed them in a pan for 7 minutes on each side and served them alongside butternut squash gnocchi. The duck cracklings were a wonderful textural contrast to the soft textures of the meat and dumplings. And for as much as I love my vegetables, you just don’t get that kind of crisp.

When I started out cooking this dinner, I had thought I would post about the gnocchi. But I couldn’t stop thinking about the duck cracklings. The Brussels sprouts are ready to be harvested, so I will make the gnocchi again to serve with them (and a little bacon). I will give you that recipe then… Stay tuned…

From the garden: sage leaves.

July 17, 2009

Boys and Girls

Last year, I planted 20 zucchini seeds hoping for a bountiful squash blossom harvest. Any less would not yield enough blossoms for more than just a taste. Part of me was scared with this strategy because of the plants bountiful nature. I envisioned myself peddling zucchini up and down my street. It turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

I did not harvest a single zucchini.

And in case you’re wondering, it’s not because I harvested all the blossoms before they had a chance to metamorphose into zucchini. Early in the squash blossoms life, it reveals its destiny.

As the blossom grows, look at the stem. If the stem remains a stem: no zucchini.

Might as well harvest the blossom and enjoy them in one of these recipes:
Summer Vegetable Quiche
Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms

For tips on when to pick squash blossom, read this post.

If the stem thickens to resemble a petite courgette, then you have the option to enjoy the blossom or leave it be to let the squash mature.

This year, I planted only 3 zucchini. I had my fill of blossoms last year, and now I just want squash. As these photos were taken today, I’m hopeful.

I’m curious to know what’s different this year. Already, the plants show signs of squash. Last year, there were none. I have a few theories:

1. The soil seems to be in better condition as witnessed by all the earth worms squirming around.
2. Last year, I planted a single seed every few inches, unlike the recommend 3 seeds per mound. I wonder if the seeds “mate” to produce the vegetables.

What do you think happened?

March 12, 2009

Reverse the Curse

As I contemplate “Cook. Eat. Grow.” and how I’d like to reverse that trend, I consider my worst eating habit… snacking.

Now there’s nothing wrong with snacking. In fact, some diet experts suggest that regular snacks prevent excessive hunger and binge eating. My challenge is what I’m snacking on. The other day, I decided to prepare some healthy options. I roasted a spaghetti squash and made a batch of Fred Flintstone tomato sauce. I packed individual containers topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan. When the snack pangs hit, I could microwave a portion.

I was amazed at its high satisfaction quotient. A small serving – 1 cup of spaghetti squash and ½ cup of sauce – sated me for 2 hours…. Enough time to last me to the next proper meal. And the nutritional value is quite high.

Cooking Spaghetti Squash

The microwave method:
Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds and inner soft pulp with a large metal spoon. Place face down on a plate and microwave about 2 minutes per half (multiple batches should be necessary) until BARELY soft. Let cool, then plunge a fork longitudinally through the inside flesh and work it from end to end to make the “spaghetti”. Use a metal spoon to get out the last strands.

The oven method:
Cut spaghetti squash in half and put cut side down on a baking sheet. Put into a 375F oven with enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from oven and let cool. With a metal spoon, scoop out and discard the seeds and inner soft pulp. Then plunge a fork longitudinally through the inside flesh and work it from end to end to make the “spaghetti”. Use a metal spoon to get out the last strands.

Season squash however you like, here are two options:

1. Salt, butter and parmesan cheese.
2. Capers, toasted garlic and olive oil

October 7, 2008

All Purpose Autumn – Squash Puree

Acorn and butternut squashes are quintessential autumn. Not only are they delicious and nutritious, the burnt orange color beckons the crisp autumn air. My favorite preparation: pureed. In this form it is so versatile:
– Served as a side dish with pork, skate or duck.
– Thickened with parmesan and bread crumbs for a ravioli or cannelloni filling
– Thinned with chicken stock for a soup

Above, I served the squash puree with fried sage, seared skate, port wine sauce and the first of the season arugula and mizuna from the garden. As a soup, this recipe won second place at the locavore banquet last month. And it couldn’t be easier.

Squash puree
1 acorn squash
1 butternut squash
1 tablespoon butter
1 royal gala apple, cored and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

1. Slice squash in half from the root to the stem. Put cut side down on a baking sheet with about ½ cup of water. Bake at 375F for 1 hour, or until squash are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the apples and onions. Saute until they start to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for 2 minutes more.
3. Remove squash from oven, scoop out the seeds and discard. Scoop out the squash flesh and combine with apple/onion mix.
4. Puree in a food processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
5. Adapt as desired.

That Extra Loving Touch:

If making soup, thin with 1 quart chicken stock
If making a filling, thicken with ¼ cup parmesan cheese and ¼ cup bread crumbs
Either way, garnish with Fried Sage

August 8, 2008

When Life Gives You Lemons … OR squash blossoms.

… Make Tempura!

I know that the zucchini plants yield about 1 fruit for every 8 flowers, or so. Given those odds, I planted about 20 plants hoping to optimize my potential for zucchini. So far, no luck, but I have plenty of blossoms.

The blooms need to be picked at about 5pm the day before they bloom. This will yield the largest flower – the better for stuffing. The flowers open up first thing in the morning, and close after about 2 hours. Once they’ve opened, they rot pretty quickly. But if you catch them before they open, they will last about 3 days in the refrigerator.

Given that, I started harvesting 3 days out for a dinner party on Tuesday. I yielded about 18 blooms, enough for a generous appetizer.

Stuffed-Fried Squash Blossoms with Roasted Tomatoes

18 squash blossoms, stamen removed
¾ cup fresh ricotta cheese
¼ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 tbs. fresh basil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ carrot, peeled and diced
½ celery stalk, diced
½ onion, diced
1 tbs. butter
2 cups chopped tomatoes
½ cup white wine
½ cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup flour
½ cup corn starch
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
½ cup ice cold soda water
1 cup plain oil

Mix ricotta, parmesan and basil together. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Gently stuff each squash blossom with about 1 tbs. of filling.

Meanwhile, sauté carrots, onions and celery in butter. After 5 minutes, add wine and tomatoes. Simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree with parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the tempura batter: Mix together the flour, corn starch and salt. Add the egg and soda water. Whisk just to combine.

Heat a large skillet with oil over medium heat. Dip each squash blossom in the batter and add to the pan. Cook until lightly golden on both sides, about 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel and serve immediately with sauce.

July 14, 2008

Recipes for the Impatient Gardener

I’ve always known my garden is a few weeks behind everyone else. As I spy the neighbors’ yards in early spring when the crocuses start to burst, mine are still under a mound of snow. And when I go to the farmers markets, they already have mounds of zucchini, while I only have flowers. Their kohlrabi is just winding down, and mine still has a few weeks to go before harvest. Nonetheless, I’m eager to push the garden along.

Two weeks ago, I reported that the tomatoes had flowered, but not produced fruit. A little on-line research yielded a useful tip… Cut the leaves below the first flower. This enables to the plant to focus its energies on producing fruit as opposed to maintaining the foliage. Sure enough, two days later the first bump of a tomato emerged. Now all tomato plants show fruit, though still several weeks away from ripeness.

At dinner Thursday night at Garden at the Cellar, we munched on Fried Green Tomatoes with Smoked Paprika Aioli. One friend opined that the origins of this dish come from resourceful gardeners using up end-of-the-season tomatoes before the first frost hit. Knowing the tomatoes wouldn’t have a chance to ripen, they picked and fried them.

To offer this dish seasonally, it should only appear on menus in the fall. I would counter that fried green tomatoes are also a great option for the impatient gardener looking to cook something before the crops are truly ripe. Should you go this route, be sure to pick the tomatoes when the green has a “matte” finish. Once they become shiny, they’ve reached a different level of maturity and will get mushy when cooked.

Zucchini is the ideal crop for the impatient gardener. The plant produces flowers at a prolific rate. Most flowers are male and will not produce a vegetable, so there’s no harm in harvesting them. If the flower is attached to a thick stem, likely it will produce a squash. For me, I’m happy to just eat the flowers. I know in a few weeks, I’ll be up to my eyeballs in squash and peddling them the way I did sage.

Fried Green Tomatoes with a Squash Blossom Relish.
3 green tomatoes
½ cup buttermilk
1/2 cup fine corn meal
½ cup flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Pinch cayenne
2 slices bacon
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp. capers
12 squash blossoms, stamen removed
2 tbs. canola oil

Slice tomatoes about ¼ inch thick. Soak in buttermilk.

Season cornmeal with salt, pepper and cayenne.

Dice bacon, and cook in a skillet until the bacon starts to render fat, and the bacon just starts to look crispy. Add garlic and cook for until the garlic is lightly golden. Pour off any excess bacon fat and set aside. Add capers and squash blossoms and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil with leftover bacon fat.

Dust tomatoes slices in the cornmeal dredge. Add to oil, and cook on the first side until golden brown, about 5 minutes on medium high heat. Flip and cook for 3 minutes more. Drain tomato slices on a paper towel and serve with chutney.