Dig It

This week was a hot one. I arrived at the farm earlier than usual on Wednesday to finish the morning’s harvest fast, but was forced to stay later than expected when I realized that a horde of harlequin bugs had started chomping up my tomatillos. I spotted the stinkbug relative and ladybug look-a-like earlier in the week, crawling up and down the winter greens, but left them alone since I no longer need those plants. But once they began to migrate and mate, I sprayed with pyrethrin, the same biological insecticide that rid me of flea beetles in the spring.

The contents of this week’s box: zucchini, summer squash, fennel, one Mars (red) and one Aisla Craig Exhibition (yellow) onion, basil, dill and a handful of cherry tomatoes. Just one of the larger tomato varieties has borne ripe fruit so far: garden peach, a pale yellow fruit that’s covered with fuzz. But the rows of heirloom plants are heavy with green tomatoes, so I hope that in another week or so I’ll be able to send them out as well. I’ve also begun to harvest okra, and on Friday noticed the first few eggplants of the season.

After the jump, the recipes that I sent out. Click images to enlarge.

Orzo Salad with Zucchini, Feta and Dill (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

8 ounces orzo (1/2 box)

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

kosher salt and black pepper

1 ¼ pounds zucchini, cut into thin half-moons

8 ounces Feta, crumbled (2 cups)

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Directions:

1. Cook the orzo according to the package directions. Drain and run under cold water to cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, red pepper, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the zucchini and let marinate, tossing occasionally, for 20 minutes.
3. Add the orzo, Feta, and dill to the zucchini mixture and toss to combine.

Serves 8.

Grilled Bread with Zucchini, Ricotta and Basil (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

4 ½-inch thick slices country bread

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 cup fresh basil, leaves torn

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

kosher salt

1 cup fresh ricotta

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium-high. Brush the bread with 1 tablespoon of the oil and grill until golden and crisp, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates.
2. Grill the zucchini until tender and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Toss in a large bowl with the basil, red pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and the remaining tablespoon of oil.
3. Top the bread with the zucchini and ricotta.

Serves 4.

Fennel Salad with Fresh Mozzarella (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced

½ small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced

1 red chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

½ pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch slices

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add the fennel, red onion, chili pepper and dill and toss well.
2. Divide the mozzarella sliced evenly among 4 plates and top with the dressed fennel.

Serves 4.

Rice Pilaf with Sauteed Onions and Dill (from realsimple.com)

Ingredients:

3 6- to 7-ounce boxes plain rice pilaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped

pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the pilaf according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat         and stir in the dill and ½ teaspoon pepper.
3. Transfer the pilaf to a large bowland fold in the onion mixture.

Serves 8.