This week your basket contains: red onions, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, broccoli, basil, RED CABBAGE, FLORENCE FENNEL, cauliflower, and sweet peppers.

This is the last of the sweet corn for the year.  This late season harvest is probably best used in a dish rather than on the cob.  For us, fall is cornbread time, and this is a recipe we’ve used for years.

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.

FENNEL TIPS

Here is how you prepare Florence fennel: wash and trim fennel stalks to the point where they meet the top and sides of bulbs.  Save the stalks and leaves for flavoring and garnishes. Fennel can be eaten raw, but our favorite way to prepare it simply is to slice it in half through the root end so that the resulting halves are wider than they are thick.  We then throw it on the grill or under the broiler with a brushing of olive oil. Cook until crisp-tender and slightly browned.   It is great with fish, very low-calorie, and has an anise flavor.  This recipe is the very first thing we make with fennel every year:

FENNEL, ORANGE, AND PARSLEY SALAD

2 medium fennel bulbs

5 medium oranges

2/3 cup parsley leaves

2 Tbs. slivered black olives

1 tsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

Quarter, core and thinly slice fennel bulbs crosswise.  Separate oranges into segments over a large bowl (to catch the juices), then add segments to bowl.  Add fennel, parsley leaves, olives and olive oil.  Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.  Gently toss and serve.  Serves 4. From Everyday Food  October 2003.

We’ve made a variation on this salad by eliminating the apple and starting the whole process by cooking a few strips of bacon in the pan before sautéing the onion.  We have also used basil instead of parsley.  We add the vinegar at the end.

WARM RED CABBAGE SALAD

¾ cup walnuts

2 tsp. walnut oil

salt

pepper

1 small red cabbage

1 crisp red apple

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

1 red onion, thinly sliced

3-4 oz. goat cheese, broken into large pieces

1 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

½ tsp. marjoram, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix walnut pieces with walnut oil, some salt and freshly-ground pepper,  Toast them in oven for 5-7 minutes, or until they begin to smell nutty.  Let them cool.  Quarter the cabbage, core, and slice thinly crosswise.  Cut the apple into sixths, core, then slice thinly crosswise.  Put the garlic, vinegar, and oil in a wide saute pan over medium-high heat.  As soon as they are hot, add onion and saute for 30 seconds.  Add cabbage and continue to cook, stirring, for approximately 2 minutes, until just wilted.  Season with salt, plenty of pepper, and more vinegar, if necessary, to sharpen the flavors.  Add the goat cheese, apple, herbs, and walnuts.  Toss briefly and serve.  Serves four to six.  From The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison with Edward Espe Brown