THIS WEEK YOUR BASKET CONTAINS: snow peas, snap peas, broccoli, onions, lettuce, turnips, beets, carrots, and summer squash

We came across the recipe below while we were considering the contents of this week’s basket, and it just sealed the deal!

MOROCCAN ROASTED BEETS, CARROTS & TURNIPS

1 bunch medium beets

2 branches thyme

3 unpeeled cloves of garlic

3 pods cardamom

1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns

¹/₂ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 bunch carrots

1 bunch medium white turnips

Salt and pepper, for seasoning

1 lime

¹/₄ cup fresh lime juice (roughly, the juice of 1 lime)

1 tablespoon harissa

¹/₄ cup roughly chopped cilantro

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the whole beets in a roasting pan with the thyme sprigs, garlic cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the beets and add 1/3 cup of water to the pan. Cover with tin foil and roast in the oven until tender and the skins slip easily off the beets, approximately 1 hour. While the beets are cooking, cut the turnips into quarters and slice the carrots into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Toss the vegetables with 3 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil and salt and pepper. When the beets are done, remove them from the oven, and turn up the heat: You want a temp in the 450° to 500° F range. Place the carrots and turnips in the hot oven on a roasting pan (go ahead and use the beet pan if you don’t want to wash too many pans). Meanwhile, peel the beets and cut into quarters. Whisk the rest of the olive oil with the lime juice and harissa. When the carrots and turnips are roasted and browned (about 20 to 30 minutes), toss with the beets. Dress with the harissa-lime juice mixture, toss with the cilantro, and taste and adjust for salt. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature.

This recipe is excellent.  We thought it was even better the next day.

GREEK TAVERNA ZUCCHINI WITH LEMON

4 zucchini

3 garlic cloves

large pinch of salt

large pinch dried oregano

juice of ½ lemon

4 Tbs. olive oil

freshly ground pepper

15 olives

Slice zucchinis in half lengthwise then cut into large chunks.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add zucchini and cook 10-15 minutes or until quite soft.  Drain.  Crush the garlic in a mortar in pestle with the salt, then rub it into the cut surfaces of the zucchini.  Sprinkle with oregano, lemon juice and olive oil.  Season with pepper.  Garnish with the olives and serve at room temperature.  Serves 4.  From The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook vol. 2

Chocolate and zucchini may be a combination you never thought would work, but it does! 

LONNIE’S CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI CAKE

½ cup soft butter

½ cup cooking oil

2 eggs

1 ½ cup sugar (can be reduced)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup buttermilk

4 Tbs. cocoa

2 cups grated zucchini

¼ cup chopped nuts

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix oil, butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk together.  Add cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Mix well. Add flour and mix well.  Add zucchini, chocolate chips and nuts and mix. Divide the batter into 2 well-greased loaf pans or one well-greased 13 x 9 in baking dish. Bake at 350⁰ for 45 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT AND POSITIVE COMMENTS WE’VE RECEIVED REGARDING THE HOT WEATHER! Stay safe, hydrated, & cool. We all need it.