Sweet Pepper Relish

Recipe by Deborah Madison, The Greens Cookbook.

2 small bell peppers (ideally 2 different colors)
1/4 cup small red onion, finely diced
1/3 to 1/3 cup virgin olive oil
1-2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Dice the peppers into even pieces, smaller than 1/4-inch. Combine
with onions in a small bowl, add enough olive oil to cover and
season with vinegar, salt and pepper. Marinate for 2 hours. Before
using, strain off any excess oil if desired (you can use this to make a
great vinaigrette). You might try this with a frittata or on a burger.

Roast Pepper Spread with Walnuts and Garlic

Recipe by Mark Bittman, The Best Recipes in the World

3 or 4 red peppers, roasted and peeled
1 cup walnuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon cumin
hot red pepper flakes (optional) and salt, to taste

Remove stems and seeds from peppers and add to food processor
with walnuts, garlic and olive oil. Pulse to a paste with some texture.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in lemon juice, pepper flakes and
salt. Serve or cover and refrigerate for day or two. Delicious with
pita and cucumber slices!

Garden Tomato Sauce

Adapted from a recipe by Anne Willans, Good Food, No Fuss.

If you’ve got lots of tomatoes, this recipe also freezes well.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 lbs. tomatoes
4 sprigs thyme, chopped
2 Tablespoons basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a very large sauté pan or stock pot. Stir in garlic
onion, pepper and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft,
about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and stock, boil until reduced
by half. Meanwhile, score tomatoes and cover with hot water in
a large bowl. Allow them to soak for several minutes, then peel.
Halve tomatoes and squeeze over a mesh strainer to remove
seeds and reserve juices. Chop tomatoes and add with juice
and thyme to onion mixture. Simmer, uncover for -45 minutes,
stirring often until thick and concentrated. Stir in the basil and
adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Quinoa and Black Beans

This is a standard in my house. It’s a healthy twist on rice and beans
that leaves plenty of room for improvisation. Sometimes we add
spicy sausage and you could certainly include some diced bell peppers.
It makes a great cold salad the second day.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1-2 jalapeños, finely diced
3/4 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup corn kernels (from 2 ears, use more if you’d like)
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 handful choopped cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the
onion, garlic and jalapeño and sauté until golden brown. Stir in
the quinoa, spices, tomato, salt and pepper. Add vegetable broth
and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 20
minutes. Stir in corn and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes
more. Mix in black beans and cilantro stir until heated through,
Serve and enjoy!

Secret Chocolate Cake

Recipe from Simply in Season, by Mark Beach & Julie Kauffman –a children’s cookbook.

Submitted by member Rachel Green, who says, “It was FANTASTIC!!”

2 cups beets (about 3 beets)
½ cup applesauce
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup oil
½ cup plain yogurt
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 ¼ cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup baking cocoa
1 ½ teaspoon. baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Boil beets for 20 minutes. Drain, cool, peel
and chop. Puree with applesauce in a blender and set aside. In a
large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla, for
2 minutes. Mix into the beet mixture, the flours, cocoa, baking
soda and salt. Pour ½ of the mixture into a greased bundt pan.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter in the bundt
pan, and then pour the remaining batter on top. Bake for 45-50
minutes.

Crispy Fruit Crumble

Recipe by Akasha Richmond, Hollywood Dish

4 pounds medium peaches, nectarines or pears, peeled, pitted,
and cut into 1-inch slices
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon unbleached flour, plus 1 cup for the topping
zest of 1 lemon
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
6 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup crispy brown cereal*

Preheat oven to 375˚. In a large bowl, combine the fruit, sugar, 1
Tablespoon flour, lemon zest and lemon juice. Place the mixture
in a 9-inch pie pan or similar-sized dish. In another bowl,
combine the remaining 1 cup flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon
and salt. Add the cold butter and mix with your fingertips until
the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix in the brown rice cereal.
*Some finely chopped nuts would substitute nicely. Spread the
topping over the fruit. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the topping
is browned and the fruit begins to bubble. Let cool for 15
minutes, serve warm or at room temperature. The crumble is
great served with a good gelato or ice cream.

Summer Vinaigrettes

Recipes below for vinaigrettes by David Hirsch, from The
Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden.

Combine all the ingredients in a tightly sealed bottle or jar and
shake well before using. Vinaigrettes will keep refrigerated.

Basil-Shallot Vinaigrette
Wonderful on sliced ripe tomatoes.

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced shallots or scallions
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Dill-Red Onion Vinaigrette
Perfect for cucumber salads and great as a marinade for potato
and other cooked vegetable salads.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced red onions
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Mexican Scrambled Egg Tacos

Recipe by Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday

3 garlic cloves
fresh hot green chilies, stemmed, seeded and cut into 3-4 pieces
1 medium white onion roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
8 eggs, salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into
1/4-inch pieces (optional)
12 warm corn tortillas
About 3/4 cup of your favorite (homemade?) salsa

In a food processor, chop garlic, chilies and onion. Pulse until
onion pieces are no larger than 1/4 inch. Heat oil in a very large
skillet over medium and add onion mixture. Cook stirring frequently
until starting to brown. Raise the heat to medium-high
and add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently until the liquid
evaporates and the oil separates out again. While the tomatoes
are cooking, whisk together eggs and salt with a fork to blend.
Pour the eggs in the skillet and cook, stirring slowly and scraping
the cooked eggs from the skillet until they are done as you like.
Scoop into a large bowl and sprinkle with cilantro and avocado if
you desire. Serve with warm tortillas and salsa to make soft tacos

Peach and Tomato Gazpacho

Recipe from Epicurious.com, as seen in Gourmet September 2005

(makes 4 first-course servings)
1 1/2 lb. tomatoes, chopped (4 cups)
1 lb. peaches, pitted and chopped (2 cups)
1/4 cup crushed ice
2 tablespoons chopped shallot (1 medium)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup water

Purée two thirds of tomatoes and half of peaches with ice, shallot,
1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons tarragon, 3/4
teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a blender until very
smooth, about 1 minute. Force through a medium-mesh sieve
into a large glass measure, discarding solids. Stir in water to
desired consistency and set soup aside. Toss together remaining
tomatoes and peaches with remaining tablespoon oil, remaining
1/2 tablespoon vinegar, remaining teaspoon tarragon, and
remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Serve
soup in bowls topped with this tomato peach salsa.

Summer Squash Soup with Curry Spices

Adapted from a recipe by Deborah Madison, The Greens Cookbook

I served this with some basmati rice and a simple salad of cucumber,
tomato and mint—it was like a celebration of summer.

3 Tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion
1 1/2 pound mixed summer squash, sliced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
4 cloves
1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated, fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
cilantro leaves for garnish

Heat the butter in a large pot. Add the onion and squash and
cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Gather the whole spices and grind them to a powder with a spice
mill. Add to the onions and squash along with the remaining
spices and 1/2 cup water or stock. Continue to cook for 5 minutes,
stirring often. Add the rest of the water or stock and coconut
milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue
to cook for 15 minutes. Puree the soup with a blender or pass
through a food mill and return to heat. Salt and pepper to taste.
Because some squash has more water than others you might need
to add water or cook down the soup a bit to achieve the desired
consistancy. Serve garnished with cilantro.

Cucumber & Yogurt Soup with Walnuts

Recipe from Farmer Ted

1 cucumber
4 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup walnut pieces,
1 1/2 oz. day-old bread
2 Tablespoon sunflower oil
1 2/3 cups plain yogurt,
1/2 cup cold water
1-2 teaspoon lemon juice

Cut the cucumber in half, peel and dice the flesh and set aside.
Using a large mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and salt, then
add the walnuts and bread. When smooth, gradually add the
sunflower oil. Transfer to a large bowl, beat in the cucumber
pieces and yogurt and add the water. Stir in the lemon juice to
taste. Pour the soup into chilled bowls and serve. Garnish with
chopped walnuts and sprigs of dill.

Blueberry Whole-Grain Pancakes

Recipe adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

In my house we believe this recipe makes the perfect pancake.
We also freeze the uneaten pancakes and warm them up in the
toaster oven for a quick breakfast.

(makes 20 small pancakes, serves 4-5)
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, separated*
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup blueberries
butter and good maple syrup for serving

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder,
and salt. In another bowl whisk together milk, egg yolks and oil.
Stir in flour mixture and allow to stand for 5 minutes so flour can
absorb liquid and batter will thicken. Meanwhile in a separate
bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed
until they hold peaks. Gently fold egg whites and blueberries into
batter. Brush a non-stick skillet with vegetable oil and heat over
moderately high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium and cook
the pancakes in batches, brushing skillet with oil in between and
using 2 tablespoons batter per pancake, for about 1 1/2 minutes
per side until fluffy and golden.

*If you want you can skip separating and add entire egg to milk
and oil, but the fluffy pancakes are worth the added effort.

Summer Bean Salad with Lemony Dressing

Adapted from a recipe by Tyler Florence, Eat This Book

1 lb. mixed summer beans (sugar snap, green beans, etc.)
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnut pieces toasted
1 handful flat leaf parsley and/or mint
dressing
1 Tablespoon grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup plain yogurt
salt and fresh ground pepper

Heat a pot of salted water to a boil and cook beans 3-5 minutes
until crisp tender. Strain and quickly place in a bowl of cold water.
Drain well. Transfer beans to a mixing bowl and add shallots,
walnuts and parsley. Whisk together dressing ingredients and
toss with bean mixture to coat.

Farm Trip: August 25-26, 2007

Open house at Windflower Farm

We’d like to invite you to our open house at the farm. Each August, during the last weekend of the Washington County Fair, we open our doors to our shareholders. This year, the open house will take place on August 25th and 26th. Shareholders are invited to visit our farm, and to tour our greenhouses, visit the chicken coop, walk in the production fields and explore the surrounding woods and fields.

Come up for the day, or spend the weekend. We cannot offer beds, but we do have numerous tent sites (bring your own tents and sleeping bags), and there are B&Bs in nearby Cambridge and Greenwich (ten minutes away), hotels in Saratoga Springs, and B&Bs and motels in Arlington (30 minutes away) and Manchester, VT (45 minutes away). For campers, we can offer access to bathrooms, a shower, kitchens and an outdoor grill.

We keep the schedule fairly loose, but here are some ideas about how you might spend your time here. Upon your arrival mid-day on Saturday, you might head off with us to the Battenkill River (a twenty minute drive) where you can take a dip in its clean, cool waters, or just enjoy relaxing on the lawn next to the old covered bridge. Those of you who stay behind might visit the fields where we grow your food, explore the surrounding woods and fields, help feed and water our small flock of chickens and collect their eggs, or just relax. (There will also be time for touring the farm on Sunday morning.) Before the evening meal we might visit Ellihu Farm (a neighboring farm that produces sheep and provides our egg share).

You are invited to join us for a potluck dinner on Saturday night (if you do, please bring a dish to pass; we’ll provide beverages and table settings). Later, we might take a tractor-drawn wagon ride to the top of the bluff that overlooks our farm and the mountains beyond, and watch the sunset. We’ll then retreat to the barn for a gathering of your fellow shareholders and the folks who work with us on the farm. Bring wine or beer if you’d like. We’ll wrap up the day with a bonfire.

On Sunday, I’ll make breakfast (juice, coffee, pancakes with real, local maple syrup, and our own fresh eggs), after which we’ll tour the farm or relax a bit, and then head off to the Washington County Fair, where they have excellent livestock exhibits, 4-H shows, tractor pulls, a riding arena, draft animals, an agricultural museum, and carnival rides. The fairgrounds are a good place from which to head toward home...

Directions to our farm are below. We’re 3 to 4 hours north of the George Washington Bridge. Information about the fair can be found at their website: www.washingtoncountyfair.com. I hope you can join us.

Ted Blomgren

Directions to the farm. Take Interstate 87 (NY Thruway) north to the Albany/787 exit. Take 787 north toward Troy. Exit onto Route 7 eastbound toward Troy. Turn left onto Route 40 north at the second light after crossing the Hudson River. Follow Route 40 for about 15 miles. Turn right onto Meeting House Road about six miles north of the village of Schagticoke. Meeting House Rd. forks in about 2 miles. Take the left fork (leave the paved road and follow the gravel road). Travel another mile or so until you reach a stop sign. Continue straight for another 1/4 mile. Our house is light blue, and it’s the first house you’ll come to on the left side of the road. It’s #585 Meeting House Rd. Our phone number is 518-692-3188.

Zucchini Bread

Recipe from Heather Thomason

This is my grandmother’s recipe and I make it every summer. It is
pretty much foolproof and freezes wonderfully so you can enjoy
it when the zucchini is long gone.

(makes 3 loaves)
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325º. Grease loaf pans (I use butter). Mix all
ingredients in a large bowl. Fill each pan ½ full with batter and
bake 1 hour until golden brown. Tooth pick inserted in center
should come out clean. Serve warm with butter and enjoy!

Roasted Corn Salsa

Recipe by Sarah Foster, from Fresh Every Day, More Great Recipes
from Foster’s Market

(makes 2 cups)
3 ears corn, in the husk
1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced, or 1
chipotle in adobo, minced (you’ll find these canned)
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small red onion, minced
4 basil leaves cut into this strips, or 2 Tbls chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450˚. Soak the corn for 15-20 minutes in a
bowl or sinkful of water. Place the corn on a baking sheet with
sides and pour 1 cup of water over it. Roast 20-25 minutes, until
the kernels are tender to touch, then remove the husks and silks
and cut the kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Add the remaining
ingredients and stir gently to mix. This is best served same
day but will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3.

Tomato Salsas!

Recipes from San Francisco’s Mission District, as seen in Chile
Pepper Magazine, August 2007

Pancho Villa’s Pico de Gallo

(makes 6-8 servings)
3 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
1.2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
3-4 jalapeños, minced

In a serving bowl, toss together all ingredients. Taste, and add
more salt if needed. This salsa can be served with ships, alongside
meat or seafood dishes, or even eaten as a salad.

Chava’s Fiery Tomato Salsa

(makes 6-8 servings)
6 medium tomatoes
10 chiles de arbol
1/2 white onion
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 cup white vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper

Bring a pot of boiling water to boil and blanch the tomatoes,
chiles and onion for 30 seconds. Drain. In a blender, combine all
ingredients and blend until smooth. This salsa will keep, refrigerated
for up to 5 days.

Corn Chowder with Roasted Jalapeno and Parsley Puree

Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com, July 1992

This is a huge hit in my house. Easy to make and absolutely
delicious. You can add the puree according to each persons
liking of heat - and it’s fantastic!

(makes about 8 cups, serving 4 to 6)
For the puree:
5 fresh jalapeño chilies
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves (and or cilantro)

For the chowder:
1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, chopped fine
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/8-inch cubes
4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 6 ears of corn)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/4 cup sour cream *optional

Make the puree:
Broil the jalapeños on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat, turning them every 5 minutes, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred. Transfer the jalapeños to a bowl and let them stand, covered tightly, until they are cool enough to handle. Wearing rubber gloves, peel the jalapeños, cut off the tops, and discard all but 1 teaspoon of the seeds. In a blender puree the jalapeños with the seeds, the oil, the lime juice, the water, the garlic, the parsley, and salt to taste. The puree may be made 3 days in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Make the chowder:
In a kettle cook the onion and the carrots in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until the celery is softened, add the broth, water, potatoes, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and the thyme and simmer the chowder for 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. In a blender or food processor puree 2 cups of the chowder and stir the puree into the remaining chowder. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve the chowder with a small dollop of the jalapeño and parsley puree swirled into it.

Zucchini Slaw Two Ways

Recipe by Sarah Foster, from Fresh Every Day, More Great Recipes from Foster’s Market

(makes 4-6 servings)
2 medium zucchinis, cut into 2-inch julienne
2 yellow summer squash, cut into 2-inch julienne
2 carrots, cut into 2-inch julienne
4 scallions, julienne (white and green parts)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and julienne (optional)
*kohlrabi would be a great addition
1/4 cup chopped parsley or other herb
Creamy Slaw Dressing or Sweet and Tart Slaw Dressing
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Combine the veggies and parsley in a large bowl as you cut them. Drizzle with the dressing, salt and pepper, and toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container. With the creamy dressing the slaw will keep nicely for up to 3 days. With the sweet and tart dressing the slaw should be served immediately.

Creamy Slaw Dressing (makes about 3/4 cup)
1/2 mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.

Sweet and Tart Slaw Dressing (makes about 1 cup)
*This dressing is also nice with the addition of poppy seeds
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a jar and shake until the sugar dissolves. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week.

Arugula and Peach Salad with Creamy Chive Vinaigrette

Recipe by Molly Stevens from, Bon Appétit, August 2007

2 large ripe peaches
*I might add some cucumber slices as well
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives
12 cups (loosely packed) arugula (about 6 ounces)

Wash peaches, rubbing to remove fuzz. Cut in half; remove pits. Thinly slice peaches. Place peach slices in large bowl. Add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice; toss. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and olive oil in small bowl. Whisk in cream, then chives. Season with salt and pepper. Add arugula to bowl with peaches. Add dressing, toss serve.