Cantaloupe Salad in the Rind

This dish was one of those perfect food moments. It'd be perfect without the piggy too. You can't beat the combination of sweet, spicy, floral and lime

Ingredients:
Cantaloupe, fresh from the farm
Purple Basil
Red Pepper flakes
Lime zest and juice
Feta Cheese
Thinly cut Jamon Serrano
Ojai Mandarine Olive oil
Balsamic reduction drizzle
Salt and Pepper to taste

How to create perfection in a shell

Use a melon baller and carefully carve out the melon without damaging the rind. Scrape the remaining melon and save the shell of the rind for the last steps. Combine the melon balls in a large bowl with the thinly diced purple basil, red pepper flakes- until desired heat, lime zest and juice of the lime, mandarine olive oil, couple pinches of salt and pepper. Mix well until combined.  Add feta, mix lightly. Fill cantaloupe salad into shells, add jamon serrano and drizzle of balsamic reduction. Garnish with more basil.

Enjoy.

The Big Soup

I've been doing my minestrone research; minestrone means "the big soup" and comes from a style of cooking the Italians call "cucina povera"- the poor kitchen. Like most provincial food, it is based on what is abundant- so use what you got.

You might enjoy a Minestrone. You might not think you like minestrone, but you will. No soggy veggies in this one.

I've had a Minestrone Renaissance- I cook everything al dente, garnish it with plenty of fresh basil and freshly grated parmigiano reggiano from my great grandmother's Italian wooden cheese grater, and pair it with a hunk of delicious warm bread. Minestrone uses the vast majority of the ingredients in the summer harvest, and with some technique- it is a perfect light summer dinner. Give it another try.

How to make it:

Start with a base of sauteéd onions and garlic cooked in butter and olive oil until they are translucent. Add your herbs (rosemary, thyme, fresh oregano or marjoram). Add stock and water in ratio with the amount of soup you want. While the stock is coming to a boil, prepare your ingredients.

Potatoes- cubed

Zucchini- cut in thick rounds, half moon, or quarters

Tomatoes- quartered

Peppers- sliced

Chard- cut into strips

Basil- cut into thin strips

Cannellini Beans- cooked, rinsed

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Add the potatoes to the stock and boil until tender. Add the beans.

Meanwhile, sauté the chard with salt and butter. In a separate pan, sauté the zucchini and sweet peppers just until al dente with more fresh herbs and salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are ready, combine the zucchini, peppers, chard, fresh tomatoes, and 1/2 the basil . Let simmer for a minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a large flat bowl and garnish with fresh tomatoes, basil, fresh shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a dash of cream. (The secret to adding pasta shells is to pre cook them and add them at the end)

Stacking Dinner- Eggplant Cutlets and Raw Tomato Stacks

Eggplant Cutlets with Melted Mozzarella and Oregano

Ingredients:
1 Eggplant
1 Tomato
1 Large Zucchini
Basil

For the breading:
Bread crumbs, flour, red pepper, salt and pepper, eggs

Oil (coconut or vegetable oil for frying)
Mozzarella cheese sliced
Oregano for garnish  

Preheat the broiler.

Prepare your vegetables by slicing in rounds 1/4 in thick. Set aside

Prepare your breading by mixing ingredients in three bowls: one bowl flour, one bowl bread crumbs, salt, pepper and red pepper if you like, and the third bowl is your whisked eggs.

Prepare your frying pan with the oil- use a high temp oil like coconut or vegetable (about 1/4 cup). Heat  the oil to hot but not smoking. Test the pan by dipping a little piece of veggie in it. It is ready when it is sizzling.

Bread the eggplant and zucchini by dipping in this order:  flour, egg, bread crumbs. Place gently in the hot oil.  Cook till brown and tender. Remove from the heat and place them on a plate covered in paper towels to drain.

When cool to touch, assemble your stacks on a baking sheet. Bottom layer eggplant, next tomato and basil, top layer zucchini. Cover with sliced mozzarella and put under the broiler to brown and bubble. Watch it carefully, remove and garnish with oregano.

side note: sometimes I add a fourth layer of fried polenta on the bottom. 
Enjoy


or try

Raw Tomato Stacks
recipe by Renee Loux Underkoffler


Serving Size : 6

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes
1 1/4 cups raw macadamia nuts, soaked for 30 minutes -- (whole raw cashews can be substituted)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 small garlic clove
1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped basil
1 ear corn
2 green onions, finely chopped to the top
1 Tablespoon dill

Cut the tomatoes across the width into half-inch slices. Drain the macadamia nuts. In a food processor, chop the macadamia nuts, pine nuts, and garlic into a fine meal. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and sea salt and blend until smooth. Add more lemon juice if necessary to blend into a smooth paste. Mix in parsley and basil gently or by hand. The chopped herbs should remain fairly intact so the spread does not turn green.

Cut the corn from the cob. Mix with green onions and dill.

Spread 3-4 Tbsp. of the spread on a slice of tomato. Generously top with fresh corn mixture, pressing it a bit into the spread.

Easy Caprese Sandwiches

Our Heirloom tomatoes are taking forever to ripen. When they finally do here's a super quick way to use them. This 100 degree weather all week should help. Sandwiches are a perfect food for hot nights.

You need:
Sliced bread (I used sheep herders)
Garlic (minced)
Olive oil
Italian parsley (chopped fine)

Purple basil
Fresh mozzarella
Tomatoes


Combine olive oil, garlic, parsley and spread on bread. Toast it or
broil it for a minute, then layer basil & tomatoes on top. Drizzle
with balsalmic & sprinkle salt like e-40. Slice mozzarella and place
on top. One more pass with the balsamic & you're good to go!

Posted by Mister Gardner

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Basil (Ocimum basilicum)

Edible: Leaves, Stem

Post Harvest Handling: Do not wash, store in a bag or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Keep in a cool place (not the coldest part of the refrigerator) or store in a vase on the counter or windowsill. Freezing works better than drying (it may turn black unless you dry with heat). Rinse and spin dry when ready to process. 

• Breakfast- Omelette with basil and goat cheese, Polenta with tomato basil marinara, 
• Lunch- Pesto spread for sandwiches, Basil vinaigrette for salads, Pizza
• Dinner- Any Thai food, Basil Pesto, Tomato Basil Marinara, Chopped into salads
• Desert- Basil Icecream, Barbecued Peaches with basil and vanilla ice cream, Basil infused vodka

This is an excerpt from our Vegetable ID page at riogozofarm.com

See more ideas for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner on the blog here:  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

A Minestrone for Fall

While it is foggy in Ventura, you might enjoy a Minestrone. You might not think you like minestrone. This soup can evoke memories of trying to choke down soggy tomatoes and zucchini. Who would do that to a vegetable?
I've had a Minestrone Renaissance- I cook everything al dente, garnish it with plenty of fresh basil and freshly grated parmigiano reggiano from my great grandmother's Italian wooden cheese grater, and pair it with a hunk of Kate Pepper's delicious bread. Minestrone uses the vast majority of the ingredients in the summer harvest, and with some technique- it is a perfect light summer dinner. Give it another try.

I've been doing my minestrone research; minestrone means "the big soup" and comes from a style of cooking the Italians call "cucina povera"- the poor kitchen. Like most provincial food, it is based on what is abundant- so use what you got.

Start with a base of sauteéd onions and garlic cooked in butter and olive oil until they are translucent. Add your herbs (rosemary, thyme, fresh oregano or marjoram). Add stock and water in ratio with the amount of soup you want. While the stock is coming to a boil, prepare your ingredients.

Potatoes- cubed

Zucchini- cut in thick rounds, half moon, or quarters

Tomatoes- quartered

Peppers- sliced

Chard- cut into strips

Basil- cut into thin strips

Cannellini Beans- cooked, rinsed

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Add the potatoes to the stock and boil until tender. Add the beans.

Meanwhile, sauté the chard with salt and butter. In a separate pan, sauté the zucchini and sweet peppers just until al dente with more fresh herbs and salt and pepper.

When the potatoes are ready, combine the zucchini, peppers, chard, fresh tomatoes, and 1/2 the basil . Let simmer for a minute. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve in a large flat bowl and garnish with fresh tomatoes, basil, fresh shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a dash of cream. (You may like to add pasta shells at the end)

Tomato Almond Pesto

When I saw this recipe, I wanted to slap my forehead. Yes, THIS is what to do with those leftover tomatoes. Of Course.

I've stolen this from SmittenKitchen - you should follow the link to see her amazing and inspirational photos.

Linguine with Tomato-Almond Pesto [Pesto Trapenese]
Adapted from Gourmet

3/4 cup slivered almonds
1 large handful fresh basil leaves
1 to 2 large garlic cloves
Several sprinkles of sea salt
6 ripe plum tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
1 pound linguine

In a large skillet, sauté the almonds in a little olive oil until toasted. Let cool, then blend them in a food processor or blender until they are in coarse pieces. (“The size of orzo,” the original recipe suggests.) Scoop them out of the processor and set them aside.

Put the basil, garlic and a few pinches of sea salt into the food processor and chop. Add the almonds back to the food processor (keeping them separate will keep them from getting too finely chopped as you get the basil and garlic to the right texture) with the tomatoes, cheese and olive oil and whirl briefly. Season it with freshly ground black pepper.

Cook your linguine until it is al dente and could use another minute of cooking time. Reserve one cup of pasta cooking water and drain the rest. Immediately toss the hot linguine with the pesto and mix quickly so that it drinks the sauce up a bit. Add more pasta water if needed. Serve this lukewarm, or at room temperature, with a glass of wine, after you get the baby to bed.

Zucchini Basil Soup

So, yesterday I was complaining to Christiana about zucchini and basil. Can you even imagine? It hasn't been very long since we were practically drowning in winter greens. In so many ways, CSA life is just an embarrassment of riches. With that said, there is the weekly share to manage. Everything needs to be prepared or preserved before the twin deadlines of spoilage and the arrival of the new box. So, there I was: complaining.

She dutifully repressed her shock at my being so openly and unapologetically spoiled, then helpfully suggested this terrific recipe from the very sadly defunct Gourmet magazine for Zucchini and Basil soup: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Zucchini-Basil-Soup-242831 . It was the perfect fix for both the share and my attitude. This recipe is beautiful, delicious, quick, easy, AND uses three items from our current share. Very few recipes take less than 30 minutes start to finish and only a tiny subset of those are accurately described as beautiful and delicious. Don't skip the step with julienned zucchini skin. It really makes the dish and is less work than it sounds like it would be. You can shock it in a salted icewater bath, then drain it in a strainer to have it ready while the soup is cooking. Also, this preparation provided me with the first opportunity to truly love my julienne peeler. Clearly, zucchini skin is it's highest and best use.

Garlic Basil Shrimp

Ellie Krieger is one of my favorite Food Network folks. She's a nutritionist, so she gets how to keep things healthy, and she's a mom, so she gets how to make healthy food easy. These factors make her recipes an indispensable part of my library. Also, the results taste great.

How much do garlic and basil want to be together? It's like they grew up together in the fields and now are dying to get together on your plate. Krieger's recipe calls for grape tomatoes, but I don't see why you wouldn't use zucchini instead.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds large shrimp (20 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini, cut into rounds
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute shrimp, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Add garlic and red pepper flakes to the oil remaining in skillet and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add wine and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Stir in basil and zucchini and season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Return the shrimp to pan and cook just until heated through.