EverGreen Farm Recipes

Zucchini Bites

A recipe from Martha, long time CSA member.

Zucchini Tomato Bites

5 small-medium size zucchini cut into 1/2 inch slices 

4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese crumbled and chilled.       

1 pint cherry tomatoes thinly sliced                           

Fresh basil                                                              

Fresh ground pepper to taste                                       

6 oz Parmesan finely grated.                                        

                                                                                                                   

Line baking sheet with parchment.  Scoop out the center of each zucchini slice carefully with melon baller, creating a shell that resembles a bowl.  Fill each with 1/2 tsp gorgonzola.  Top each with 1 tomato slice and basil (small leaf).  Sprinkle with parmensan.  Bake at 400 deg. for 5-7 minutes but do not let it brown, just melt cheese.  You may prepare several hours in advance and store, covered in refrig. Bake just before serving.

Makes 50-60 appetizers. Enjoy!

Creamy Zucchini Soup

A recipe from long time CSA member Martha which she got from one of her favorite recipe books.

Creamy Autum Zucchini Soup 

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

6 green onions, chopped                   

2 cloves garlic, minced                      

1/4 cup butter or margarine                   

 4 x 8 oz. zucchini, sliced                       

                               

4 medium carrots, sliced     

                 

(Optional) 2-3 sliced radishes

14 oz. chicken broth

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup half N half

salt and pepper

3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves.

Cook onions and garlic in butter in 4 quart saucepan over medium heat for 8 minutes or until tender.  Stir in zucchini, carrots and radishes.  Add broth and water and mix well.  Bring to boil then reduce heat.  Simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender.  Process soup in batches in food  processor or blender until chunky.  Return soup to saucepan and stir in half N half and salt and pepper. Cook until just heated through, stirring frequently.  Stir in the basil just before serving. Enjoy!

Beer Batter for Fish, Onion Rings, Squash or Zucchini

Originally posted August 15, 2007

The onions are so big and beautiful this week.  And sweet.  They were just calling out to be made into onion rings.  Then as Shain started cooking, I suggested we fry up some squash with the batter too.  Oh my!  These are certainly tasty enough to eat without any dipping sauce (although my kids still called out for ketchup and ranch dressing).  Now afterwards, I am thinking a nice dip made with the fresh dill would have been a very nice addition.

This makes enough batter for 2 large onions and 2 zucchini or squash.

2 cups flour
1 twelve ounce bottle of a darker stout beer
3 eggs
2 teaspoons melted lard or vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare fish, onions or squash for frying.  Cut the onions into 1 inch rings, separating layers.  Slice squash into 1/2 inch pieces.

Heat 4 cups of cooking oil or lard on a medium setting.

Beat the eggs and add beer, lard or oil, salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly.  Fold in flour.

Dip prepared onion rings, squash or fish into batter, covering completely.  Place into heated oil and fry until golden brown.  Remove from oil and place on a plate with a paper towel for the oil to drain. Sprinkle with more salt and/or pepper if desired.  Serve immediately.

Ministrone

A good recipe to use up all those veggies! 

1 lb. round steak, cut into 1/2 inch cubes                         
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. unsalted butter                                                         
5 tbsp. Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, chopped
4 – 6 cloves garlic, finely minced                                                                      
3 – 4 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch dice                              
2 tsp. dried (3tsp. fresh) oregano
1 onion cut into 1/4 inch dice                                                      
1 leek (white part and 1 inch green) rinsed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1/4 inch slices                  
1 1/2 tsp. dried (3-4 tsp. fresh) basil                  
3 C finely shredded cabbage                                             
1 tsp. coarsely ground
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices                      
black pepper & salt, to taste
2 – 3 potatoes washed and cut into 1/4 - in. dice                  
3/4 C dried red kidney beans, cooked and drained, or 2 C canned
1 1/2 C fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths                      
3 ribs celery, sliced                                                                        
4 C  beef stock                                                                                             
2 C  chicken stock 
4 plum tomatoes cut in ¼ in. dice (or 15 oz. can, diced)
1/2 - 3/4  C small pasta
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Brown the meat in the butter in a large soup pot, about 10 minutes.  Remove meat and add the garlic, carrots, onion, green beans and leek and raise the heat slightly.  Cover and wilt the vegetables for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add cabbage, zucchini, potato, both stocks and tomato paste.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and add 2 tbsp. of the parsley, the oregano, basil, pepper and salt.  Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Add the kidney beans, tomatoes and pasta.  Simmer until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes.  Adjust seasonings and heat through.  Stir in remaining parsley before serving.  Pass the Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Zucchini Bread/Muffins with Gingered Cream Cheese

3 large eggs                                        
1 tsp. salt
1 C oil                                                   
1 tsp. baking soda
2 C brown sugar                              
1 tsp. ground  ginger
2 C grated zucchini   
2 tsp. vanilla                                        
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 C chopped walnuts                     
1 ½  tsp. cinnamon
3 C whole wheat flour                   
1 tsp. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.   In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and spices.  Add roughly a third of the dry ingredients at a time to the zucchini mixture, blending well after each addition.  Pour the batter  into one large or two smaller, well – greased loaf pans, or  into approximately 24  greased (or vegetable sprayed) muffin tins.  Bake approximately 40 minutes, for large loaf, less for two small pans or 20 – 25 minutes for muffins.  They are done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

GINGERED CREAM CHEESE

3 – 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. ginger root, peeled and minced fine
2 – 3 tsp. honey

In a small bowl, blend the softened cream cheese, ginger root and honey.  Chill for at least 30 minutes to blend flavor.

Zucchini Recipes from the book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
(makes about two dozen)

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Combine in a large bowl.

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Combine in a separate, small bowl and blend into liquid mixture.

1 cup finely shredded zucchini
12 oz. chocolate chips

Stir these into other ingredients, mix well.  Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon.  Bake at 350', 10 to 15 minutes.

Disappearing Zucchini Orzo

3/4 lb. pkg. orzo pasta (multicolored is fun)

Bring 6 cups water or chicken stock to a boil and add pasta.  Cook 8 to 12 minutes.

1 chopped onion
garlic to taste
3 large zucchini
olive oil for saute

Use a cheese grater or mandoline to shred zucchini, saute briefly with chopped onion and garlic until lightly golden.

thyme
oregano
1/4 cup grated parmesan or any hard yellow cheese

Add spices to zucchini mixture, stir thoroughly, and then remove mixture from heat.  Combine with cheese and cooked orzo, salt to tast, serve cool or at room temperature.

Zucchini Recipes

Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks

Canola oil cooking spray
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
2 tbsp of cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds of zucchini (about 3 medium zucchini cut into 1/2 by 3 inch sticks)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine flours, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in the bag to coat, and arrange on a baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with cooking spray. Bake on the center rack for 7 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 5 minutes more.

Zucchini-Carrot Bread

3 eggs
1 cup of oil
1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
1 cup of grated zucchini
1 cup of grated carrots
2 tsp of vanilla
2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of all-bran
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking soda
3 tsp of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients, pour into a bread pan, and bake at 350 degrees for one hour.