This week your basket contains: summer squash, cucumbers, sweet corn, sweet peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, beets, potatoes, basil, kale, onions and garlic.

THE PUMPKIN PICK UP PARTY IS COMING UP SOON!  Mark your calendars for October 17^th & 18^th as the day(s) to come out and pick your jack-o-lantern, eat pizza (including pumpkin pie pizza!), press cider and have fun with other subscribers.

One of the effects of this summer’s higher than normal temperatures is that it was more difficult to germinate seeds in the garden. This week’s corn is mostly from plants that we transplanted to fill in areas of poor germination. Because they were a bit behind the direct seeded plants around them, they matured a bit later, are a touch smaller and may have more “share cropping” from corn earworm.  All in all, while we still enjoy the flavor of these ears, we think they would be best in stir fry or a recipe like this one.

FRESH CORN BREAD

1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Combine dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is crumbly. Add corn kernels, egg and milk and stir just until combined. Turn into a greased 8-inch round or square baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F. for about 30-35 minutes or until set and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

We harvested potatoes this week specifically so you would have everything you need to make this recipe (substituting kale for cabbage). At this time of year we use fresh tomatoes instead of puree.

RUSSIAN CABBAGE BORSCHT

2 Tbsp. butter

1 1/2 c. chopped onion or leek

4 c. stock or water

1 1/2 c. thinly sliced potato

2 tsp. salt

1 c. thinly sliced beets

black pepper

1 large sliced carrot

1/4 tsp. dill weed

1 stalk chopped celery (optional)

1 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar

3 c. chopped cabbage

1 c. tomato puree

1 scant tsp. caraway seeds

sour cream for topping

Begin cooking onions or leek in butter in a large kettle. Add caraway seeds and salt and cook until translucent. Add celery, carrots, potatoes, beets and cabbage. Add water and simmer slowly for 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before serving add pepper, dill weed, vinegar, and tomato puree. Taste to correct seasoning. Serve topped with sour cream.  From the Moosewood Cookbook.

A good way to use a lot of sweet peppers is to roast them.  This can be done on a grill or under a broiler.  Place the peppers close enough to thoroughly char the skins, turning so that they are pretty uniformly black.  Let them cool in a paper sack for about ten minutes.  At this point, the skin should come off fairly easily.  Remove the stem and seeds and slice thinly.  These are delicious in salads, on pizza, or as their own salad with a vinaigrette.  Peppers can also be chopped and frozen raw for later use.

BLACK BEAN SALAD WITH CORN, RED PEPPERS AND AVOCADO

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,

1 teaspoon lime zest

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 Hass avocados, chopped