The basket items are as follows:
1 Dz Farm fresh eggs
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Potatoes
Cucumbers
Onion
Garlic
Thyme
Basil
Fresh Flowers
Rhubarb Sage Kombucha
Ratatouille
Ingredients
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium zucchini (about 1 lb), cut into ⅓-inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes (1¾ lbs), cut into ⅓-inch cubes, with their juices
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme, plus more for serving
¾ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Directions
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until tender-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and transfer to a plate; set aside.
Add two more tablespoons of oil to the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about 3 minutes more. Do not brown. Add the tomatoes and their juices, tomato paste, thyme, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down into a sauce, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, or until just warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Sprinkle with fresh basil and thyme, drizzle with a little olive oil if desired, and serve warm or chilled.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Hope you have enjoyed and found our blog useful.
Labor Day is next weekend. Cheers!
What's Happening on the Farm
-penned by Brittni
It is hard to believe that August has already come to a close and that summer is winding down. In just a matter of days we will close out summer and welcome a new school year and many new adventures at Henrieka Farm Center. On the farm we have entered a season unique to upstate NY farmstead....the season of busy and full kitchens. Each day the children and I harvest 3-4 baskets of goodies from the garden and my to-do list of items to put away for winter grows and grows. So far we have a nice batch of pickles and salsa canned but I have an ambitious todo list which is much, much longer! While busy, it is an incredible feeling to know that I have honored the Earth by putting to use each and every thing given to me. In honor of that, I wanted to share with you a small trick that I have been using for the last few years to lessen my waste and further use each item.
As I am cooking and preserving, I keep in my freezer a (or many) zip lock bag labeled "SOUP". In this goes all the veggie scraps used each night. Things that I often include:
Onion and garlic peels (if very dirty I compost them, but the inner ones are often perfect)
Carrot Peels and ends
Herb stems
Veggie ends (tomatoes, zucchini, potato)
Greens stems (kale, spinach, etc)
When your bag is full, it's time to make stock. I like to add to the stock animal bones (poultry carcass, steak or roast bones, ham bone, etc) but you can certainly do only veggies to make a rich vegetable stock. The actual making of the stock is too simple- put your scraps in a large pot (stove top stock pot or even the instant pot), cover with water and cook. The longer you cook it, the more nutrients are extracted. I like to add some extra nutrients/flavors but always customize it to the situation. Some things I often add include: ginger, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, turmeric, bay leaf, salt. Once it has cooked, you will see that it has turned a nice amber color. Simply strain out all the scraps with a colander or cheese cloth and you will be left with a nourishing and delicious stock that can be consumed on its own, used as soup base or added into everyday cooking (use to cook your rice or pasta in).
Enjoy this small tip that will change your philosophy of reusing and cooking! Feel free to message me for any tips or questions.
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