Quickles: Refrigerator Pickles

1 lb. pickling cucumbers 
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups cold water
1 T sugar
2 T kosher salt
1 t. mustard seed
1 t. whole peppercorns
1⁄2 t. red pepper flakes
1 cup fresh dill
5 cloves garlic, peeled

Evenly divide the garlic, dill and cucumbers among four wide-mouthed pint jars. You can cut up the pickling cukes however you want, from slices to halves, etc. (smaller slices soak up the flavor faster). You can pack as many cukes into the jars as possible, even more than the recipe calls for if there’s space.

In a bowl, mix together vinegar, water, red pepper flakes, salt, mustard seed and dill seed to make a flavored brine. Use a funnel to fill each jar with brining liquid. If the cukes aren’t mostly covered, you can add a little more cold water and shake it up. Cap tightly and refrigerate at least one week before eating (or eat some right away and every day after, to see what they’re like:).

Fresh Tomato-Corn Salsa

From the contributor, CSA member Anna: “Thanks for the wonderful veggies that are coming in so far. I’m enjoying them very much. I wanted to share two recipes that I recently tried and love. I hope others will try and enjoy eating them as well.”

3 tomatoes, chopped 
3 ears corn
1 onion, chopped
1 pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot pepper, minced, or 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1⁄4 cup lemon juice or vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt to taste
3 Tbs. cilantro

Chop tomatoes, salt and let sit in a colander for 30 min. to drain off extra juice. In the meantime, cut kernels from corn (yep, it’s delicious raw) and mix in the rest of the ingredients, adding the drained tomatoes last and salting to taste.

Roasted Corn and Peach Salsa

4 ears corn 
6 peaches
1 onion
1 pepper
5 tomatillos or 2 tomatoes (optional)
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup vinegar
1 hot pepper
salt to taste

Roast the corn under the broil in the oven or on a grill. Cut from cobs. Dice or food process peaches, mix with corn, minced onion, tomatillos or tomatoes if you’re using them, pepper, minced garlic and hot pepper. Add vinegar and salt to taste.

Let it sit for an hour to let the flavors blend.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

This salsa is awesome! Sweet and tangy. 

lb tomatillos (remove husks and cut in half)
3-6 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lime juice, fresh is sweeter
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
1-3 diced jalapeno
chopped fresh cilantro, up to one bunch
1 tbsp maple syrup, or to taste
salt to taste
water, to desired consistency
for an extra twist add halved husk/ground cherries at the end

Roast tomatillos cut side down in a thick skillet until they soften most of the way through, and brown/blacken on the bottom. Then flip to cook the rounded side. You can snuggle the garlic cloves in there, cut in half, to roast at the same time. It’s okay if things blacken a little. You can also roast your jalapeno if you like.

Blend roasted tomatillos, garlic, olive oil, and lime juice. Add a little water if you want a wetter salsa or your blender needs help. Add onion, cilantro, jalapeno and a little salt. Blend for a second to mix. Taste, add maple syrup if desired, more salt if needed, same with lime juice, and then husk cherries at the end if you want them. Serve with corn chips or burritos or on enchiladas etc.

Tip: if you want to make a big batch, you can roast everything in the oven instead.

Eggplant with Ginger and Garlic

1-3 eggplants sliced lengthwise in both directions to make very large match-sticks 
1 small head of garlic or 2/3 of a large head
½ inch chunk of fresh ginger
1 small hot pepper
oil for frying
soy sauce

Boil a couple inches of water (enough in your pot to mostly cover the sliced eggplant) with a splash of soy sauce and then add sliced eggplant. Cook until the eggplant becomes somewhat translucent but not fully cooked.  In a large cast iron pan, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan (about ¼ cup).
Mince garlic, ginger and hot pepper together and add to hot oil and stir for one minute over medium-high heat.  Add parboiled eggplant and turn quickly and often to coat.  Add another splash of soy sauce and continue cooking, stirring often until the toughest bits of eggplant have reached the yummy-soft stage.
Serve hot or cold, over rice, on a salad of lettuce or just by itself.

Green Beans Braised with Tomatoes and Basil

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1-2 tomatoes , finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup water

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and half the garlic and sauté until onion softens slightly, about 5 minutes. Add green beans, tomatoes, basil leaves, and 1/2 cup water.

Cook until beans are crisp-tender, stirring and tossing occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add the rest of the garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Garlic and Herb Rataouille

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 onion (opt.), chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 small eggplant, cubed
2-3 large tomatoes
3 to 4 small zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 Tbs. fresh, chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add eggplant and half the garlic; stir until coated with oil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep vegetables from sticking.

Add tomatoes, zucchini, and herbs; mix well. Cover and cook over low heat about 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender but not too soft. Add rest of garlic and cook one more minute.

Ratatouille Outside the Box

From Red Fire Farm Chef Kristen Schafenacker, 2007 

Yes! A recipe from your share that is so good it fools the most finicky kid into eating vegetables.

1 large eggplant, or 3 Asian eggplant, cut into 1 inch x ¼ in pieces (if using Italian eggplant, peel first)
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 bell peppers, seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1 summer squash, diced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
¾ cup chopped cilantro
1 t. cumin
½ t. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
avocado and lime slices

Saute eggplant in wok or skillet on high heat in all but 2 T vegetable oil (10 minutes). When browned, set aside on a paper towel. Add pepper and onions to wok and remaining olive oil if necessary. Cook until caramelized (10 minutes).

Add vinegar, summer squash, tomatoes, and spices and cook until a thick sauce forms (10 minutes). Serve with avocado and lime wedges.