Cantaloupe & Basil Granita

Recipe & Pic from Grab A Plate

A lovely antidote to this smoky weather and a great way to appreciate your melon!

~Rae

1 cantaloupe, seeds and rind removed, and cut into chunks

1/2 cup water

2-3 tablespoons honey (based on how sweet your fruit is)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 basil leaves, divided, plus extra for optional garnish

Add the water, honey, lemon juice, and two basil leaves to a saucepan over high heat. Use a spoon to press down on the basil leaves a few times to help release their flavor.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat, remove and discard the basil leaves, and allow the mixture to cool.

Add the cantaloupe and the liquid mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Add the two remaining basil leaves, and blend again until they’re incorporated into the mixture.

Place the mixture into a shallow glass pan and place in the freezer.

After an hour, remove the pan and use a fork to scrape the mixture around. It should have begun to freeze by this point, but may still be in a fairly liquid state. Place the pan back in the freezer.

Repeat this process after another hour, and repeat hourly, as needed, until you reach your desired consistency (you may want to leave yourself several hours of freezing time before you want to serve the granita).

Serve in individual bowls, and garnish with basil leaves if you’d like.

Caprese Sandwich

Recipe & Pic from Cookie & Kate

Why settle for a Caprese Salad when you can turn it into a sandwich? Pair with a side salad and you have the perfect lunch or dinner for a hot day.

1 baguette (16 ounces)

1 tablespoon thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze*

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 mozzarella ball (8 ounces)

2 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds

Lettuce

Flaky sea salt or kosher salt

1 small or ½ medium clove garlic, roughly chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

½ cup (1 ounce) lightly packed fresh basil

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the bread in half lengthwise, then stack it back together and slice it down the middle to form two large sandwiches, or again to make 4 small. Place the sliced bread on a baking sheet with the cut sides facing up. Bake for 5 minutes, or until warmed through and turning lightly golden around the edges.

In the meantime, prepare the creamy basil sauce*: In a food processor, blitz the roughly chopped garlic to chop it more finely. Scrape down the sides, then add the mayo, basil, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth, then set aside.

To assemble the sandwiches, lightly drizzle balsamic and olive oil over half of the cut sides of bread. Layer some arugula on top, then weigh it down with rounds of mozzarella. Top with the sliced tomato, then sprinkle the tomato lightly with flaky salt.

Spread the basil sauce generously over the cut side of the remaining slices of bread. Place them face down over the tomatoes. Enjoy.

Creamy Lemon Zucchini Pasta

Recipe & Pic from Bon Appetit

If you still have zukes leftover from last week and are having a ‘oh no, more zucchini, what do I do with all of this??’ moment, you might want to give this recipe a try!

2 lb. zucchini or summer squash (4–6)

1 large shallot or ½ small onion (try using one of your sweet onions!)

4 large garlic cloves

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

12 oz. spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, or other long pasta

1 lemon

½ oz. Parmesan, plus more for serving

½ cup (lightly packed) basil

½ cup heavy cream

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt heavily.

Meanwhile, place a clean kitchen towel in a large bowl (or on a large cutting board). Trim 2 lb. zucchini or summer squash (4–6), then grate on the large holes of a box grater directly into towel. Peel 1 large shallot and grate on the large holes of grater into towel. Peel 4 large garlic cloves and grate on the small holes of grater into towel.

Gather ends of towel together, then squeeze over bowl (or the sink) with all your might to extract water from the zucchini. Squeeze until it’s hard to get out any more liquid. You should have extracted about ⅔ cup zucchini liquid, just FYI; discard.

Heat 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium Dutch oven or very large skillet over medium-high. Add ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add zucchini mixture (unwrap the balled-up towel over the pot for easiest transfer) and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir to coat. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini mixture is jammy, thick, and starting to stick to bottom of pot, 15–20 minutes.

When the zucchini has been cooking 5–10 minutes, add 12 oz. spaghetti, linguine, bucatini, or other long pasta to pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. Scoop out 2 cups pasta cooking liquid and set aside.

Meanwhile, juice 1 lemon into a small bowl. Grate ½ oz. Parmesan on the small holes of grater (you should have about ¼ cup; you can also use ¼ cup pre-grated Parmesan). Very coarsely tear or chop ½ cup (lightly packed) basil or mint leaves.

Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with zucchini—it’s okay if some water clings to it. Reduce heat to medium-low, add ½ cup pasta cooking liquid and ½ cup heavy cream, and stir to combine. Add cheese, pour another ½ cup pasta cooking liquid over top, and cook, stirring vigorously with tongs or a wooden spoon and add more pasta cooking liquid if needed, until a creamy sauce that coats pasta forms, 2–3 minutes.

Remove pasta from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and black pepper and add more lemon juice (you may want to add an additional 1 Tbsp.). Stir in most of the herbs.

Serve pasta topped with more grated Parmesan and remaining herbs.

Hasselback Zucchini With Feta

2022 Week 5 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Peas & Crayons

You're likely familiar with potatoes getting the Hasselback treatment but here Zucchini gets a turn. This is a great way to use up a lot of zucchini at once (every gardener's summer connundrum)!

1 large zucchini squash

2-4 TBSP feta cheese (finely crumbled)

1-2 TBSP fresh chopped basil (try subbing in your cilantro!)

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

1-2 tsp lemon juice

olive oil to taste

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 450. Wash your zucchini and slice thinly but not all the way through.

Mix together feta, basil, paprika, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes- set aside.

Lay the zucchini on a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then smash the feta mixture in between each round. Add a little extra on top and fold up the foil into a pouch.

Bake for 35min for al dente or 45-60min for tender zucchini.

Recipe: Basil Fried Rice

2021 Week 14 Newsletter

Recipe and Pic from Seonkyoung Longest

I LOVE Basil, and when I get to that point in the summer when I have had just about enough pesto and caprese salad (I know, is that even possible?) this is where I turn! This type of recipe typically calls for Thai Basil, but Italian Basil works just as well. If you don't have a shallot try subbing in some of the yellow onion from your box! 

~Rae

3 to 5 garlic cloves

1 to 5 Thai chili to your taste

1 medium shallot

2 tbsp oyster sauce (you can substitute withvegetarian oyster sauce)

1tbsp fish sauce (you can substitute with Thai light soy sauce)

1 tbsp palm sugar or honey

1/4 tsp black or white pepper

2 tbsp unsalted butter

12 oz 16/20 extra jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups day old cold jasmine rice

handful basil

Pound garlic and thai chili together in a mortar and pestle. This way the natural oil form chili and garlic will be release and will make the fried rice more fragrance. You could carefully smash with knife and chop if you don’t have mortar and pestle. Set aside. Slice shallot and set aside along with garlic and chili.

Mix oyster sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar and pepper in a small mixing bowl, set aside.

Heat a large skillet or a wok over high heat until smoking. Add butter, garlic, chili shallot and shrimp. Stir fry everything and cook the shrimp 1 minute each side, then mix everything in the wok and push to a side of the wok.

Crack 2 eggs in the wok. Let the eggs cook a bit then scramble the eggs. When eggs are cooked but still silky, toss everything together.

Add cold rice and pour sauce mixture. Toss everything together until rice is coated evenly with the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Toss in basil and turn off the heat. Keep tossing until basil is well combined with the fried rice.

Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy when it’s hot!

Recipe: Blistered Green Beans & Tomatoes

From 2021 Week 11 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic From Dishing Up The Dirt

When most of us were growing up, charred bits on your food meant you had overcooked things and dinner was ruined, but we have since learned to love the slightly bitter, slightly smoky flavor of blistered veggies. This is a great way to use your crisp beans, succulent tomatoes, and pungent garlic all in one dish- it's the epitome of summer abundance! 

1/4 cup butter or cooking fat of choice

1 lb green beans, trimmed

fat pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup thinly sliced basil (optional)

Heat 2 Tablespoons of the butter in a large cast iron pan over medium-high until melted. Add the green beans (you may need to do this in batches) and cook, covering the pan as needed if the butter is spattering until browned underneath. About 3 minutes. Using tongs flip the beans and brown on the other side for a few more minutes. Continue to cook and turn beans until they are lightly blistered on all sides. Remove the beans to a plate and set aside. Add the remaining butter to the pan and toss in the tomatoes. Cook, undisturbed for about 2 minutes or until they blister up a bit on the bottom. Toss the tomatoes and cook for one more minute. Add the garlic and jalapeño and continue to cook, tossing every so often until the garlic is browned, the pepper is softened and the tomatoes are blistered. Add the green beans back to the pan and drizzle in the soy sauce. Toss everything together and throw in the basil. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed.

Recipe: Linguini With Roasted Fennel

2021 Week 9 Newsletter

Recipe From Platings & Pairings

This recipe makes the most of fennel's delicate anise-flavored sweetness while also satisfying all of your cravings for something indulgently rich and creamy! You might also try tossing the pasta with a basil (or fennel frond) pesto.

10 Ounces Fresh Linguine

1 Fennel Bulb

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Butter

⅓ cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese

3 cloves Garlic (minced)

1 Lemon (zested and quartered)

¼ cup chopped basil

1 Shallot (minced)

¼ Cup Breadcrumbs

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the over to 450.

Slice fennel bulb into ½in strips, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, and roast 18-20min, or until tender and golden. While the fennel roasts combine the ricotta with the juice of two lemon wedges and season with salt and pepper to taste. Melt butter in a large skillet and cook garlic and shallot until fragrant and browned. Add breadcrumbs and toast until browned. Transfer to a small bowl and wipe out the pan.

Combine lemon zest, juice from the remaining two lemon wedges, ½ cup water, and 2 tbs olive oil in the skillet- heat to boiling, stir to combine, and remove from heat.

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain, and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Add fennel and cook, stirring occasionally until pasta is well coated in the sauce.

Remove from heat, toss with basil, and top with breadcrumbs and ricotta. 

Recipe: Chopped Caprese Salad

2021 Week 9 Newsletter

A Farm Favorite

his classic salad is so easy to make you can throw it together in your sleep, but there is just nothing to beat that rush of flavor that comes from combining tomatoes with basil, cheese, and a tangy dressing! Try serving it along with some crusty bread to help sop up the delicious juices.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered, or 2 slicing tomatoes cut into hearty chunks

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

1 garlic clove, minced

8oz fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into ½in cubes and patted dry

2 tbs olive oil

1 handful of fresh basil, chopped

Toss all ingredients together in one bowl and let sit for 15-30min before serving to allow the flavors to combine (if you can even wait that long). 

Recipe: Chicken & Collard Greens Spring Rolls

Image from Eating Well

from Eating Well

10 collard leaves (about 8 ounces)

½ cup rice vinegar

3 ½ cups water, divided

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

¼ cup smooth natural peanut butter

¼ cup reduced-sodium tamari

1 large clove garlic, minced

3 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 ounces thin rice noodles or rice sticks

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided

1 cup grated beet

1 cup grated carrot

¾ cup fresh basil leaves

¾ cup fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Set a large bowl of ice water next to the stove. Lay a collard green flat, with the thicker part of the stem that runs down the middle of the leaf facing up and the shiny, bright green side down. Using a sharp knife, shave off the thick stem so it's almost flush with the leaf. Trim any of the remaining stem from the base of the leaf, reserving all shaved and trimmed pieces. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Cut all the stem pieces into 2- to 3-inch lengths.

Step 2

Cook the leaves in the boiling water in 3 batches until soft but still pliable, 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice water until cool. Drain and pat dry.

Step 3

Bring vinegar, 1/2 cup water and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the collard stems and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the stems from the pickling liquid and set aside.

Step 4

Transfer 1/4 cup of the pickling liquid to a small bowl (discard the remaining liquid). Whisk in peanut butter, tamari and garlic. Set aside.

Step 5

Combine the remaining 3 cups water, scallions, lemongrass and ginger in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add chicken and reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer; cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board. Shred and season with salt.

Step 6

Using a slotted spoon, remove the solids from the chicken-poaching liquid and discard. Return the liquid to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon sesame oil.

Step 7

To assemble spring rolls: Lay a collard leaf on a clean cutting board. Place 2 tablespoons chicken in the center and top with about 1 tablespoon each of the noodles, beet, carrot, basil, mint and pickled stems. Fold both sides of the leaf over the filling and, starting with the open end closest to you, roll into a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. Brush the rolls with the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with the reserved peanut sauce.

Recipe: Tomato Zucchini Focaccia

from A Family Feast

5 cups bread flour plus up to 2 cups more

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 cups room temperature water

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more to mist over dough

1 pound zucchini, sliced thin using a mandoline

1 large or two medium eating tomatoes such as beefsteak, sliced thin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup oil cured Italian olives, pitted

1 cup Romano cheese, freshly grated

Herbed oil

1 ¼ cups extra virgin olive oil

½ cup fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon large grind black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, place 5 cups of the flour along with salt and yeast and mix to combine.

Add all of the water and 6 tablespoons of the oil and mix on medium speed to form a sticky dough. After 3-4 minutes of mixing, the dough should be pulling away from the sides but still be stuck to the bottom. If the dough is still sticking to the sides, add a little more flour until just the bottom sticks. Mix for a total of four more minutes on medium.

Pour out a cup of bread flour onto your counter and spread out to about a 6×6-inch square and using a bowl scraper, scrape the dough into the center of the flour.

Shape the dough by stretching into a small neat rectangle about 10×4. Does not have to be exact. Dust the top with flour and let this sit for five minutes.

Grab the left and right sides, stretch and fold towards the center making the same rectangle size only now three layers thick. Spray the top with olive oil from a mister, then dust with more bread flour. Cover with plastic and let sit 30 minutes.

Repeat the same method by stretching, folding, misting and dusting and again let rest covered 30 more minutes.

Repeat one last time but after you cover it, let it sit for 90 minutes.

During the time the dough rests, you will dry roast the vegetables and make the herbed oil.

Set oven to 250 degrees F.

Line three sheet pans with parchment and spray with pan spray.

Lay out the sliced zucchini on two pans and the tomato on the third, sprinkle with salt and bake for about an hour or so flipping the vegetables half way through. Bake until the slices are dried and slightly shriveled and just starting to brown. I rotated the three pans in my oven so each had a turn one each rack since the bottom rack cooked the quickest. Once done, cool, cover and refrigerate until next day.

To make the herbed oil, microwave the oil to 110 degrees F and add all of the other herbed oil ingredients. Set this aside.

Once the dough has rested the final 90 minutes, line a sheet tray with parchment paper and using a brush dipped into the herbed oil, brush the parchment paper liberally. (the herbs should have settled, let them stay that way and just dip the brush into the top oil)

Place the dough onto the oiled pan and press to fit the dough to the pan. Don’t worry about getting it into the corners. When it proofs the next day, it will fill up the pan.

Once the dough is pressed into the pan, use your finger tips to press dimples into the dough all over the top then spoon some of the herbed oil over the top (this time stir first and use the herbs). Cover with plastic and refrigerate for the next day and up to three days.

Three hours before baking, remove the dough from the refrigerator and lay out the tomato slices and zucchini slices all over the top to about a half inch from the edges. Pit the olives and flatten with your fingers and scatter over the top. Spread the rest of the herbed oil all over the top. It will seem like a lot but as the bread bakes, it absorbs the oil.

Cover with plastic and a dish towel and let sit on your counter for three hours.

15 minutes before the three hours is up, preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the pan in the oven on the center rack, lower the temperature to 450 degrees F and bake for 10 minutes.

Rotate pan 180 degrees and bake for 7-10 more minutes or until it is just starting to brown.

Sprinkle on the Romano cheese and bake for five more minutes or until golden brown then remove from the oven.

Immediately slide the now baked focaccia off of the pan and onto a cooling rack. If the parchment paper slides out with it, slip it out from beneath the bread and let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes.

Slide the bread from the cooling rack onto a cutting board and cut 4X4 (16 pieces) or if you want smaller pieces, cut four the short way and five the long way for 20 pieces.

Store leftover bread in the refrigerator.

Recipe: Cucumber Tomato Salad

Image from Love & Lemons

from Love & Lemons

2 Persian cucumbers

3 cups cherry tomatoes

6 to 8 ounces halloumi cheese

Extra-virgin olive oil

Scant ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion

Homemade Croutons (grilled option), from 2 large slices of bread

Greek Salad Dressing

⅓ cup fresh basil

Flaky sea salt, optional

Thinly slice the cucumbers, halve the tomatoes, and set aside.

Slice the halloumi into ½-inch thick planks. Rub both sides with olive oil and grill 2 to 3 minutes per side, until well-charred. Remove from the grill and slice the planks into cubes.

Assemble the salad with the sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, halloumi, red onions, and croutons. Drizzle with the dressing and top with fresh basil. Season to taste with flaky sea salt, if desired.

Recipe: Princess Diana's Stuffed Peppers

From food.com

4 medium bell peppers

1⁄4 cup olive oil

FOR THE FILLING

1⁄2 cup chopped onion

1cup thinly sliced mushroom

1 zucchini, diced

1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt & freshly ground black pepper

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup rice, cooked al dente and cooled

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄chicken or 1/2 vegetable bouillon cube

4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped

1 tablespoon fresh basil, shredded

4 ounces mozzarella cheese, diced

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Pre heat oven to 350°F.

Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out the seeds and membranes. If the peppers won't stand up, cut a little piece off the bottom to level them. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with the oil.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until they start to soften. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Pour the oil from the peppers into a frying pan and add the onions, mushrooms, zucchini and oregano. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste, and saute over high heat until they start to soften.

Add the tomatoes, rice, water and bouillon cube to the vegetables in the frying pan, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Fold in the bacon, basil and mozzarella cheese.

Divide the filling among the peppers. Sprinkle the Parmesan on top of the peppers.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the filling is hot.

Recipe: Roasted Eggplant & Zucchini Salad With Basil Vinaigrette

from Kale & Caramel

Roasted Eggplant & Zucchini

1-2 small-medium zucchini

1-2 small-medium eggplants

1/4 cup + olive oil

1 teaspoon + sea salt

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Basil Vinaigrette & Toppings

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tomato sliced (or few cherry tomatoes)

Preheat oven to 400ºWash and trim the ends off zucchini and eggplant. Slice lengthwise, about 1/4″ width. Lay slices on two baking sheets.

Sprinkle a few pinches of salt over eggplant only, and rub in. Let sit 5-10 minutes, then gently squeeze water from eggplant with paper towel. Replace on baking sheet.

Drizzle veggies with olive oil, sprinkle zucchini only with sea salt, crack pepper over all.

Roast veggies for 10 minutes, then remove eggplant that is done and let zucchini roast 3-5 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the dressing, add basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt to a blender and blend until the basil is in small flecks.

Assemble salad by tossing roasted veggies with slices of tomato. Drizzle with 

Recipe: Fresh White Beans With Garlic & Basil Sauce

from The Splendid Table

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

10 plump cloves garlic, peeled, halved, green germs removed

2 pounds fresh small white beans in the pod, shelled (or substitute 1 pound dried white beans)

4 fresh or dried bay leaves

1-1/2 quarts homemade chicken stock or cold water

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

1 recipe Light Basil Sauce (recipe follows)

Light Basil Sauce:

4 plump cloves garlic, peeled, halved, green germs removed, minced

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves and flowers

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a saucepan, combine the olive oil and garlic and stir to coat the garlic with the oil. Place over moderate heat and cook until the garlic is fragrant and soft, about 2 minutes. Do not let it brown. Add the beans, stir to coat with the oil, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the bay leaves and the stock and stir. Cover, bring to a simmer over moderate heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt. Continue cooking at a gentle simmer until the beans are tender, about 15 minutes more. Stir from time to time to make sure the beans are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add additional stock or water if necessary. Taste for seasoning. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Recipe: Cucumber Salad With Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

adapted from A Simple Pantry

For The Dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped

kosher salt to taste

cracked pepper to taste

For The Salad

1 cup dried pearl couscous

1  cucumber sliced thin

4 cups lettuce

1 cup feta

In a small jar add the dressing ingredients, cover with a tight lid and shake vigorously. Adjust seasonings as desired and set aside.

Prepare couscous according to package instructions. While still warm, add 1/2-3/4 of the dressing and toss gently to coat.

Add the cucumbers, arugula, and feta to a large bowl and toss with the remaining dressing. Stir in the couscous, then divide between 6 plates and serve immediately.

Recipe: Summer Harvest Ratatouille

adapted from Dishing Up The Dirt

This recipe is the perfect way to use up FIVE of the items in your box this week all in one classic dish!

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch of scallions, diced, white and light green parts only

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 cup)

1 small summer squash or zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 anaheim pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

1 pint cherry tomatoes, some sliced in half others left whole or

2 heirloom tomatoes, coarsely chopped, about 3/4 of a cup worth

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

8 ounces rigatoni pasta

fresh parmesan for serving

Salt + pepper for serving

Over medium-low heat add the olive oil to a large skillet with the scallions, garlic and bay leaf. Stir often until the vegetables soften a bit and become fragrant. About 3 minutes.

Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally until the eggplant has softened. About 5 minutes. Stir in the summer squash/zucchini, Anaheim pepper, cherry tomatoes or heirloom tomatoes and salt. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for about 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil.

While the vegetables simmer for the last 10 minutes bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 5-7 minutes (cooking times will vary depending on your specific pasta so look at the suggested cooking time on the label)

Drain the pasta and add it to the simmering vegetables. Stir well and divide the pasta between plates. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a few pinches of salt + pepper.

Recipe: Turnip Salad With Yogurt & Basil

adapted from Dishing Up The Dirt

1 bunch of Japanese turnips, with their tops if they're nice and fresh, trimmed so there's just a nice 1/4 inch of green stems left

1 lemon, halved

1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not greek yogurt)

about 1/2 cup lightly packed basil, finely chopped

4 scallions, trimmed (including 1/2 inch of the green tops) sliced on a sharp angle, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and then drained well (use your tropea onions instead!)

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup poppy seeds

Slice the turnips lengthwise as thin as you can. If you have a mandolin, use it; otherwise a sharp knife and steady hand will do just fine. Soak the sliced turnips in ice water for 15 minutes then drain them very well.

Rinse, dry and roughly chop the turnip greens. Put the turnips in a large bowl and squeeze half of the lemon. Add the chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of black pepper and toss to blend. Add the yogurt and toss again.  Add the basil, scallions, and 1/4 cup olive oil and toss again. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Scatter about half of the poppy seeds on the bottom of the platter or individual serving plates, top with the turnip salad, and finish the the rest of the poppy seeds. Serve right away.

Recipe: Spaghetti With No-Cook Sauce

adapted from  101 Cookbooks

This recipe calls for creating a quick sauce with larger tomatoes, but if you have cherry tomatoes we suggest skipping the sauce, roasting your cherries in olive oil and garlic until they burst, and then tossing those into your pasta.

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

scant teaspoon fine grain sea salt

2 lemons

1 pound whole grain spaghetti

1 pound green beans

2/3 cup torn Kalamata olives

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 cup torn mozzarella

Slivered fresh basil to serve

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In the meantime, slice the tomatoes  into bite-sized chunks and place in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the garlic, salt, and zest of one of the lemons. Squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice into the mixture, and use a hand blender to pulse a few times, into a chunky sauce.

Salt the pasta water well, and cook the pasta per package instructions. Add the green beans  to the pasta water in the last minute of cooking. Drain the pasta and vegetables and transfer to the bowl with the tomato sauce. Toss well. Add half the olives and half the pine nuts. Add all of the mozzarella. Toss well, and top with the zest of the second lemon, and the remaining olives and pine nuts.

Top with basil, serve immediately.

Recipe: Roasted Peppers with Capers and Mozzarella

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

3 bell peppers 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
1/2 pound ball of mozzarella, sliced (this is a great place to use the really fresh stuff, if you can get it)

Roast the peppers: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line peppers on a large baking sheet and roast them for 45 minutes to 1 hour, using tongs to rotate them 1/4 of the way, rotisserie-style, every 15 minutes. It’s safer to extend the cooking time than shorten it, as the skins will only come off easily if they’re fully cooked.

Once they’re fully roasted, cover the pepper tray with another piece of foil and let the peppers cool. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the skins. Remove seeds and slice sections of pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips.

Toss peppers with red wine vinegar, garlic and a few pinches of salt. Cover and let marinate for an hour or overnight (and up to 4 days) in the fridge.

To serve, arrange peppers on a plate. Adjust seasonings, adding salt, freshly ground black pepper or additional vinegar, to taste. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with capers and basil and arrange mozzarella over salad.

Eat with some crusty bread and a glass of wine, preferably al fresco.

Recipe: Green Beans With Pesto

From Garlic & Zest

1 pound green beanstrimmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons Basil pesto sauce
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
sprinkle shaved Parmesan

Toast The Almonds: Preheat the oven to 400°. Lay the almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5-7 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. (I start watching the almonds at the 5 minute point to make sure they don't burn).

For Warm Beans: Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the kosher salt and green beans. Cook the beans until they are crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes. Drain the beans well and add the pesto. Use tongs to toss the beans in the pesto until well coated. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted almonds and shaved parmesan.

For Chilled/Room Temperature Beans: Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the kosher salt and green beans. Cook the beans until they are crisp tender, about 3-5 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the ice water to shock them and stop the cooking. When the beans are cold, drain the water and pat them dry with paper towels.

Add the pesto to the beans. Use tongs to toss the beans in the pesto until well coated. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and sprinkle with toasted almonds and shaved parmesan. Can be covered and kept refrigerated for a few hours until ready to serve.