Eggplant and Shrimp Stir-fry, Potato-Cucumber Salad, Yummy Grilled Steak and Zucchini

Lots of cucumbers, some potatoes, some Japanese eggplant, tomatoes, green pepper and more zucchini made up my share this week. Lots of possibilities!! I love the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce at the local Chinese restaurant, and wanted to make something like it. Okay, I'm not going to lie: it's really hot and as much as I like to cook, I had a craving for it and wanted to just eat it, not make it. But, I had the ingredients, so I fooled around with all the Asian spices and sauces in my kitchen, and after several tries, came up with this one, added some shrimp and had it over rice sprinkled with chopped scallions and peanuts. 

I also had a hankering for some traditional potato salad with a mayonnaise-based dressing, but felt a responsibility to all the cucumbers. Adding them to the potato salad gave the salad some crunch, and the cucumbers went well with the mustard and chives. to go with it, I grilled some zucchini and steak. I also made Chocolate Zucchini Cake- the zucchini does add nutrition, but mostly it keeps the cake really moist. 

Eggplant and Shrimp Stir Fry

Asian (Japanese) eggplant are best for this, but you can use Italian eggplants if you cut them into 1-inch cubes. I added some yellow beans from my share- green beans or broccoli would do just as well.

4 Japanese eggplants or 1 medium-large eggplant
1/4 pound beans or broccoli florets
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or smoked sharp paprika
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
4 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon Chinese black bean sauce*
1/2 teaspoon chili paste, or chili-garlic sauce*
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch

chopped peanuts, scallions, and/or cilantro as garnish
hot cooked brown or white rice

1. Wash the eggplant and cut into 1-inch pieces. Trim the beans and cut into 1-inch lengths. Mash the garlic.
2. Blend together the water, Aleppo pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl combine the garlic, black bean sauce, chili paste, sesame oil and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
4. Heat the oil in a wok to 350 degrees. Add the eggplant in batches and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown and soften. Remove to a plate while you finish with the rest of the eggplant, and then stir-fry the beans.
5. Remove the beans to the plate with the eggplant and add the shrimp. Stir fry until pink. Put on the plate with the vegetables.
6. Drain off any extra oil in the wok and add back the eggplant, beans and shrimp.
7. Stir to combine, and then add in the soy sauce mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickening.
8. Add the remaining sauce mixture and cook until sauce is of the desired consistency.
9. Serve over rice and garnish with peanuts, scallions or cilantro.
*available in the Asian section of the supermarket

Grilled Steak and Zucchini

You can do this on a barbecue or in a grill pan inside. Serve with Potato and Cucumber Salad.

sirloin steak
zucchini
1/2 cup vegetable oil (not olive oil)
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper

1. Heat your grill or grill pan. Combine the oil and pepper. Slice the zucchini crosswise on the diagonal.
2. Brush the steak with the oil mixture and place on the hot grill or grill pan, oiled side down. Brush the top with the oil.
3. Cook for 5 minutes and turn over. Brush the zucchini with the oil and place on the grill. Brush the top with the oil. Cook for 4 minutes and turn over. Turn the steak over again, if you like it medium-well, or remove to a plate to rest for medium-rare.
4. Cook the zucchini for another few minutes, until tender. Serve.

Potato and Cucumber Salad

Very traditional in flavor, but the cucumber adds some crunch and the mustard gives it a zing.

4 potatoes

3 pickling cucumbers

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard

2 Tablespoons chives

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into one-inch pieces. Fill a pot with cold water and place over high heat. Add the potato pieces and bring to a boil. Once the water begins to boil, set a timer for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, scrub the cucumbers and cut off the ends. Cut in half lengthwise and then slice into 1/4-inch slices.

3. Mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cucumbers.

4. When the potatoes are done, drain and run under cold water. Shake well to dry. Add to the bowl with the cucumbers and dressing and stir to coat. Chill.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

The end of the summer brings bumper crops of zucchini, often ungainly in size, resulting in recipes for zucchini pancakes, muffins, cookies, and cakes. The zucchini keeps this cake incredibly moist.

2-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cocoa

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon espresso powder or 2 teaspoons instant coffee

1 cup sugar 

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup apple sauce

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups grated zucchini

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Generously grease and flour a bundt or tube pan.

2. Combine the dry ingredients, through the espresso powder. 

3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in 2 stages. 

4. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 40 minutes.

I still have cabbage from last week, more eggplant, pepper, zucchini and tomatoes. The eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and pepper are screaming 'ratatouille'. But I'm not there yet. I'm thinking more of a Moroccan stew with grilled flatbread or Vegetarian chili with cheddar corn muffins. Stay tuned!

Picadilly Farm- Partnerships in the Community

Jenny and Bruce Wooster had a vision: they wanted to farm in partnership with the community. But the theme of partnership runs much deeper than CSA shares at Picadilly Farm in New Hampshire.
When the Woosters were looking for a farm, they met the Hudsons, dairy farmers thinking about retiring and selling the farm. Jenny and Bruce bought the farm from the Hudsons in 2006, but the relationship continued to flourish as the Hudsons helped the Woosters change the farm from a dairy farm to vegetable production. During my visit, Mr. Hudson dropped into the farmhouse to talk with Bruce- the friendship and trust was evident in their brief exchange in the kitchen (as Bruce bounced baby Jesse on his hip).
Picadilly Farm partners with 5 other farms to make the most of each farm's resources, each growing a crop to share with the other farms to round out their repertoire. In order to connect to more communities, there are five pick-up sites for CSA shares throughout southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  They offer a sliding scale for those who may not be able to afford the fresh, organic produce they grow, and provide food to several shelters and food pantries.

The feeling of community and family is evident in the way that Picadilly does CSA pick-up at the farm. Members have a broad choice of vegetables, choosing in a mix-and-match format in their charming picking room. AND they have a 'pick-your-own' plot of land, offering extra vegetables, berries, flowers and herbs that the members can gather themselves.
Bruce and his crew were picking melons the day I visited. The yellow watermelon is not just gorgeous but juicy and sweet. While melons are delicious on their own, they are great foils for spicy ingredients such as peppers, garlic and onion. Firmer melons, such as honeydew and cantaloupe, can be grilled or sauteed, alone or with a sprinkle of chili or curry powder. Add chunks of them to kebabs, or simply serve as a side course. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve them (other than just cutting and eating, of course!)

Shrimp and Melon Soup

This is good for leftover grilled or boiled shrimp. You can also use crab or lobster meat, or leave the shellfish out completely.

One small watermelon
1 small red onion
2-inch piece fresh ginger
1 fat clove garlic
1 hot chili, such as jalapeno
1 small lime
1 to 2 cups cooked shrimp, lobster or crabmeat
2 Tablespoons chopped mint
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
1. Cut the watermelon in half and remove from the rind. Cut into chunks, removing the seeds. Peel and cut the onion and cut into quarters. Peel the ginger and cut into several pieces. Peel the garlic. Cut the pepper in half and remove the seeds. Zest the lime with a rasp, zester, or smallest hole on a box grater and set aside. Juice the lime, and place the watermelon, onion, ginger, garlic, pepper and lime juice in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Combine the shrimp, mint and cilantro. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve, place a scoop of the seafood mixture in a bowl. Ladle the soup around the seafood, garnish with a sprinkle of lime zest, and serve cold.

Melon Salsa

1/2 melon- any kind
1 – 2 hot peppers (cherry, jalapeno)
2 – 3 Tablespoons fresh basil, mint or cilantro
1 small red onion or 2 scallions
1 lime
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Remove the melon fruit from the rind and dice into small pieces. If using watermelon, remove the seeds as you dice it. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and veins (wear gloves, or scoop out with a spoon- a grapefruit spoon is great for this). Cut into strips and then mince. Chop the fresh herbs. Peel the onion, if using, and cut into very small dice. If using scallions, trim and chop.
2. Zest the lime with a rasp, zester, or the smallest holes on a box grater. Toss together the melon, pepper, herbs, onion or scallions, and lime zest. Juice the lime and sprinkle over all. Toss again and season with salt and pepper

If you are choosing your own melons, choose ones that feel heavier than you'd think they'd be, and that have a fruity fragrance at their stem end. Avoid melons that are already soft, or cantaloupe that are still green. Store honeydews, cantaloupes and like melons in the refrigerator, but watermelon can be stored at room temperature until cut- then refrigerate.

Happy eating!