Gardening is a long road, with many detours and way stations, and here we all are at one point or another. It’s not a question of superior or inferior taste, merely a question of which detour we are on at the moment. Getting there (as they say) is not important; the wandering about in the wilderness or in the olive groves or in the bayous is the whole point.
Henry Mitchell (1923-1993)
Crop list week 9
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Slicing tomatoes
- Summer squash
- Thai basil
- Sweet corn
- Eggplant
- Romaine lettuce
- Potatoes – full/single
- Radishes – full/half
- Sungold tomatoes – single
- Kale – full
Farmer notes
- Wow, again a stormy Thursday delivery
- We again have a very full, heavy and colorful box for you today
- Still no irrigation needed except beneath black plastic
- Blight (too much moisture) is taking over our tomato plants early and quickly
- Sweet corn should keep coming over the next month since we have 3 different plantings
- Try juicing cucumbers with ginger, lime, and apple for a refreshment
- Sweet corn can be soaked in water with husks on and then thrown on the grill or an open fire for 15 minutes
- Since we have Thai, Citrus, and Pesto basil I will write more in a separate article
- We will take a break from kale and radishes for awhile
- Some sort of pepper will be in every box for the next 6 weeks – they are great to eat with a sandwich, in a salad, in stir fry or sautéed with other vegetables, in soups and chili, stuffed or just roasted until blackened and frozen for later
- The red potatoes are about over now and we will begin on the harder, white baking potato Cascade
- Next week we have green beans and sugar snap peas
- Share cucumbers/squash with a neighbor or friend if you have too many
- Please return our ice packs and boxes
- Wash your produce before you eat it
Basil is certainly not a crop we grew in our garden as a kid, or one that I used or enjoyed growing up. Somehow it feels like a status food, not sure why, but one for the palette and not for sustenance I guess. I sure am making up for lost time now, though, as it seems an essential staple in the farmer’s summer diet. It pairs so nicely with tomatoes and corn and when made into pesto (blend basil leaves, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, parmesan cheese or pine nuts if desired, into a paste) can literally be used with anything and everything. Spreading pesto on some toasted, crusty bread with a sliced tomato is tasty, refreshing, nutritious, and nearly a meal in and of itself. Pesto can also be frozen in an ice cube tray and then put into a baggie in the freezer and used all winter long.
There are several different classifications of basil: pesto basil, Asian basil, citrus basil, fine leaf (Greek) basil, and purple basil, with many varieties of each class. We grow Genovese as a pesto basil variety, Thai basil in the Asian class, and Lime as our citrus basil. There are mild distinctions in the aroma and flavor of each, but they can be used similarly as a garnish, a flavor enhancer, or to blend into a pesto. We made a pesto out of our recent Thai basil and it was excellent, usually getting more flavorful as it sat in the refrigerator for a few days.
You will again receive Thai basil this week and in your box #10, and then we have one more planting of Genovese pesto basil slated for early September. I hope that you enjoy our basil selections and that you have acquired a love for this delicious and unique herb.
Roasted Eggplant
Although roasting a fresh vegetable with oil and salt (perhaps some garlic) brings enough flavor to a meal, a squeeze of lemon juice and thai basil adds a summery citrus twist.
At the end of a hot summer day, using the grill outside beats heating the kitchen roasting vegetables. Let the long strips of eggplant and squash sit in lemon juice before putting them on the grill. Add the thai basil as you plate.
Here is a more traditional recipe with eggplant and thai basil that can be done quickly and spice up any meal. Although it calls for eggplant, summer squash can be substituted.
Prep Time: 10 Minutes, Total Time: 15 Minutes
- 2 chili peppers
- 2 eggplants
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 cloves chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 bunch leaves picked from the stem Thai basil
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Slice the eggplants into irregular shapes for easy turning in the pan. When it is sliced into a small disk, it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan and makes it difficult to flip or turn.
Chop garlic and slice chili peppers. Pick the leaves from the stem of the Thai basil.
Heat a pan or wok over high or medium high. Add oil, chili peppers and garlic. Stir until the garlic turn golden brown. Add eggplant and stir. Add a cup of water and cover the pan or wok with a lid. Keep the lid close until the eggplant is cooked. It should take about 5-7 minutes before the eggplant is done. The eggplant turns from white to translucent when it is done. Almost all of the water should have been evaporated at this point. If the eggplant is still not cooked, add a little bit more water and keep lid closed until the eggplant is ready. Add fish sauce and sugar and stir. Add Thai basil and quickly stir to heat the basil, so that it retains it color. Turn off heat immediately.
Serve hot with rice.
Tips and Techniques
For a vegetarian dish, substitute soy sauce or salt for fish sauce.
Stuffed Peppers
This recipe can be cooked in the oven (preheat to 350 degrees) or on a grill (with indirect heat either in a cast iron pan or over a drip pan).
- 2-3 Bell peppers
- 2-3 Tomatoes
- 1 Onion
- Cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup uncooked rice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- Optional: Ground meat
First, prepare Spanish rice. Blend 2 tomatoes until smooth, and chop the onion into medium pieces. In a medium pot, Combine 1/2 cup uncooked rice with 1 1/4 cups water, blended tomatoes, chopped onion, and spices. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cover until cooked. This can also be easily prepared on the grill in a stainless steel pot.
(If you’d like to add meat, now is a great time to cook it.)
While the rice is cooking, cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove stems and seeds. Grate cheddar cheese for topping. Once rice is ready, mix in ground meat and shredded cheese if you’d like, then spoon into pepper halves.
Grilling: Place peppers over drip pan or in cast iron pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 20-30 minutes or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted.
Oven: Place peppers on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for 20-30 minutes or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese and continue to cook uncovered until cheese is melted.
