Bread & Butter Zucchini Pickles
Yield: 2-2 ½ pints
8 c. thinly sliced zucchini (approx. 3 medium)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbl. pickling salt
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. mustard seeds
½ tsp. curry powder (or turmeric)
½ tsp. black peppercorns
½ tsp. allspice berries
1 ½ c. apple cider vinegar
1 c. lightly packed light brown sugar
½ c. granulated sugar
Place the zucchini and garlic in a large bowl and toss with the salt. Cover generously with ice and let sit at room temperature for 1 ½ hours to draw water from vegetables. Drain, rinse thoroughly, and drain well again. *If processing, prepare jars and water-bath canner according to guidelines. Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive medium pot and bring to a boil. Add the zucchini and garlic to the brine and bring mixture back to a boil, simmering for 5 minutes. Pack hot vegetables into hot jars, covering vegetables completely with brine and leaving ¼” headspace. Wipe rims clean, top with lids and cool completely before refrigerating. Refrigerate pickles up to 2 weeks.
*If processing jars be sure to remove air bubbles before placing lids on and process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove from the canner and let stand overnight without disturbing.
Stewed Summer Beans with Basil & Tomatoes
Yield: Approx. 4 servings as a side dish
2-3 Tbl. Olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. green beans, cut into 1” pieces…..personal favorite is ‘Northeaster’ variety pole bean from Johnny’s Seeds….easy to grow and produce lots of wide, 8”long beans! (any variety of bush or pole bean will be delicious though)
1 pint ripe tomatoes (cherry tomatoes halved or large tomatoes chopped)
Kosher salt, cracked black pepper to taste
Handful chopped fresh basil leaves (1 small bunch)
Heat a large skillet over medium. Add the oil and garlic and cook gently for one minute to soften. Add the beans and toss with the garlic and oil before adding the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and half of the basil leaves. Cover and simmer over low heat until the beans are completely tender, approx. 20-25 minutes. Taste for seasoning and finish with more fresh basil.
Sweet Corn, Chile, & Cheddar Spoonbread
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
3 Tbl. unsalted butter
4 ears fresh corn cut off the cob and corn milk scraped (about 2 ½ cups kernels)
½ onion, diced
1-2 jalapenos or other variety of chile, finely minced
½ c. cornmeal
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. cracked black pepper
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
1c. grated sharp white cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 400. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan and cook the corn and onion over medium-high heat just until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the minced chiles and cook another minute. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit. In a large bowl combine the cornmeal, salt, black pepper, baking powder, and baking soda and blend thoroughly. Separately, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk and add this to the dry ingredients stirring just until blended. Add the corn and onion mixture to the batter along with the cheddar cheese, and blend gently. Transfer the mixture to a greased shallow baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set and top golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Variations: Many other ingredients can be added to this including herbs, sweet peppers, chipotle peppers, and different cheeses.