Summer squash recipes

Grilled Potatoes

Grilled

Potatoes

 

 

YIELD

Serves 4
 

This recipe works best with small potatoes that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. If using medium potatoes, 2 to 3 inches in diameter, cut potatoes into quarters. If potatoes are larger than 3 inches in diameter, cut each potato into eighths. Since potatoes are cooked in microwave, use wooden skewers.

Ingredients
     Vegetable oil for grill rack  
4 tablespoons   olive oil  
9     medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)  
1 teaspoon    chopped fresh rosemary  
    Kosher salt  
2 pounds    Red Bliss potatoes (about 18), scrubbed, halved, and skewered according to illustration below (see note above)  
     Ground black pepper  
2 tablespoons    chopped fresh chives  

Instructions

1. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use grill brush to scrape grill clean; oil cooking grate. Leave primary burner on high and reduce other burner(s) to medium.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in small skillet over medium heat until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until garlic is light blond, about 3 minutes. Pour mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl; press on solids. Measure 1 tablespoon solids and 1 tablespoon oil into large bowl and set aside. Discard remaining solids but reserve remaining oil. 

3. Place skewered potatoes in single layer on large microwave-safe plate and poke each potato several times with skewer. Brush with 1 tablespoon strained oil and season liberally with salt. Microwave on high power until potatoes offer slight resistance when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 8 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking time. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet coated with 1 tablespoon strained oil. Brush with remaining tablespoon strained oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place potatoes on hotter part of grill. Cook, with lid down, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. Move potatoes to cooler part of grill; and continue to cook with lid down until paring knife slips in and out of potatoes easily, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove potatoes from skewers and transfer to bowl with reserved garlic/oil mixture; add chives and toss until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately.

 

 

Technique

Skewering Potatoes For the Grill
 
Place potato half cut-side down on work surface and pierce through center with skewer. Repeat, holding already-skewered potatoes for better leverage.

 

 

 

 

Why this recipe works:
For potent garlic flavor in our grilled potato recipe, without bitterness or charring, we needed to introduce the potatoes to the garlic-oil mixture not once but three times. So in our final grilled potato recipe we brushed on the garlic mixture before cooking, after parcooking in the microwave, and after grilling.

 

Pea, Spring Onion and Lettuce Soup
serves 4

2 heads baby gem lettuce
1 cup shelled fresh peas
4 spring onions
3 cups water
50 g/ 3 T butter
1 cup cream
salt and  pepper
pea shoots to garnish

Start by cutting the lettuces in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into thirds, also lengthwise. Try to keep a bit of the root intact on each piece, so the leaves hold together. Cut the spring onions into 1/2 inch long pieces.
Put the lettuce, peas, and onions into a saucepan, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with the water, add the butter and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the peas and lettuce are completely tender. You don’t really want any crunch left in the veggies for this soup.

Strain the vegetables from the broth, reserving both. Divide the vegetables equally among four bowls. Mix the cream into the broth and then ladle into the bowls. Garnish with pea shoots and serve.

 

Boiled Peanuts Recipe

• Prep time: 5 minutes
• Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

You can easily double or triple or quadruple the recipe ingredients. The longer the peanuts cook, or sit in the salty water, the saltier they will become. Also the longer the peanuts cook, the softer the shells will become. Some people prefer their peanut shells soft and almost chewy, some prefer a little firm so you can pry open the shells.
If you are making boiled peanuts for the first time, work with a small batch (like the one pound recipe that follows). If they end up too salty, use less salt the next time. If you like them softer, cook them longer. The inside nuts themselves should be completely soft. If crunchy or crisp, they need to cook longer.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound of raw "green" peanuts (not the color green, but fresh raw peanuts which are called green peanuts)
• 1/4 cup kosher salt (or 2 Tbsp table salt)
• 4 cups water

Optional seasoning

• 2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning, smoked paprika, shrimp boil mix, or even star anise

Method

1 Thoroughly rinse raw unshelled peanuts in water.

2 Put water, salt, seasoning, peanuts in a large stockpot. Bring to a low boil. Cover and reduce the heat just enough to maintain a low boil. Boil for 2 to 3 hours or longer (some boil their peanuts all day), until peanuts reach desired level of softness.
3 Drain. Eat up within a couple of days. Boiled peanuts don't save as well as dry.

Strawberries!!!

It is that time again!  Come out to the farm on Sundays 4pm-7pm and pick some yummy strawberries that have not been sprayed and are Certified Naturally Grown.  Call ahead for availability ~~Mr Neil's cell is 404.862.0827 or leave a message on the farm phone at 770.981.0827.  We never know what Mother Nature is going to give us.  Pricing will be $3.50/lb Please dress appropriate with closed toed shoes.  We are a working farm with lots of ants and other critters.  While you are here you can pick up some of our great jarred items and farm fresh eggs.  Other available produce can be purchased at market prices below.

 

Mustard Glazed Chicken with Arugula and Bok Choy

Mustardy Kale with Butternut Squash

Click here for a great pasta and kale recipe

Click her for this week's newsletter and a recipe for Sausage, Kale and Sweet Potato Hash