This week your basket contains: lettuce, cucumbers, summer squash, beans, garlic, SWEET CORN, carrots, onions, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and basil

It is time to plan for our PUMPKIN PICK-UP WEEKEND.  October 19^th and 20^th are set aside for you to come out to the farm to choose your carving pumpkin (included as part of your subscription), tour the gardens, press apples for cider, have a potluck lunch and socialize with other subscribers.  We will be making pizza including our signature PUMPKIN PIE PIZZA (a perennial favorite).  We look forward to seeing you then.

This recipe comes from Diana Kennedy’s “The Cuisines of Mexico”. Diana writes: “There are hundreds of ways of cooking squash in Mexico, and every cook has her own method and seasoning. This was our maid Godileva’s way of preparing them, and the dish frequently appeared on our dinner table. It has an exotic flavor and is quite unlike any other squash dish I have come across.”

CALABACITAS CON CREMA

1 ½ lb. diced zucchini

2 medium tomatoes, diced
6 whole peppercorns

4 sprigs fresh coriander
2 sprigs fresh mint
1/2″ stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
2 whole chiles serranos
1/2 cup light cream
Salt to taste

Combine everything in a pot and cook over a very low flame, stirring occasionally so it does not stick. Add a little water if it looks like it is getting too dry. It will take about 30 minutes to cook, the zucchini should be very soft, the milk or cream should be absorbed with no liquid remaining in the pan. The chilies should remain whole and just flavor the squash — it should not be picante. It is even better reheated the next day.

After a slow start (late seeding, cool weather, etc.), we finally have SWEET CORN! While I expect most people to eat it on the cob, the weather this week has made a nice soup sound good, and this is a very nice recipe:

FRESH CORN CHOWDER

4 slices bacon

1 small onion, chopped

2 med celery stalks, diced

6 small ears of corn

4 1/2 Cups of milk

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Place bacon in a soup pot and cook over med low heat until it releases all of its fat and is beginning to crisp, 10-15 min.  Leaving the bacon in the pan, spoon off all but 2 Tablespoons of the fat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until tender and slightly browned, 10-15 min.  Remove the kernels from the corn.  Reserve the kernels and add the cobs to the soup pot along with the milk and potatoes.  Push the corn cobs into the milk to fully submerge them. Bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes. Remove the cobs. Stir in the reserved corn kernels along with the salt and pepper. Simmer gently until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups solids from soup and puree until smooth. Return to the soup and add the butter.  Let stand until the butter is melted, then stir.  Serve!

FETTUCCINE WITH SMOKED SALMON AND DILL

12 oz. fettuccine or linguine

1 c. bottled clam juice

1 c. whipping cream

4 green onions, diced

2 tsp. dried dill

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 c. cucumbers, diced

4-6 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon

freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Cut the smoked salmon crosswise into 1-inch strips.  Remove the seeds from any large cucumbers and dice.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tsp. salt.  Add fettuccine and cook about 10 minutes.  While the pasta cooks, heat the clam juice and cream to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the green onions (you can substitute a small onion).  Crush the dill between your fingers before sprinkling into the mixture.  Lower the heat and simmer until reduced and starting to thicken.  Just before serving, add the lemon juice, diced cucumbers and sliced salmon.  Heat mixture, but do not cook it.  Drain the cooked fettuccine and toss with the salmon cream mixture.  Season to taste with pepper and grated cheese. Sprinkle with minced parsley before serving.  Serves 4.  From Food day.