Farm Direct Coop Recipesor. . . what you can do with your share!

Wow!  What a great harvest this week!  This is what we did tonight.  NO-COOK, it was hot tonight.   Used all grape rather than beefsteak tomato.  Grilled corn in husk. found sa few years back on Cookinglight.com  .

• 1  tablespoon  grated lemon rind
• 5  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1  tablespoon  extravirgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  honey
• 1/2  teaspoon  Dijon mustard
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  cup  fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
• 1/4  cup  thinly sliced basil leaves
• 1/4  cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped red onion
• 1  pound  lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
• 8  (1/4-inch-thick) slices ripe beefsteak tomato
• 2  cups  cherry tomatoes, halved

1. Combine rind, 3 tablespoons juice, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons juice mixture. Add remaining 2 tablespoons juice, corn, and next 4 ingredients (through crab) to remaining juice mixture; toss gently to coat.

2. Arrange 2 tomato slices and 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes on each of 4 plates. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon reserved juice mixture over each serving. Top each serving with 1 cup corn and crab mixture

From FDC Newsletter 8 23, 07 by  Sandi Peaslee which she got from another Marblehead member, Judy Jacobi

• 8 ripe medium tomatoes
• ½ red onion, chopped
• 2 ripe peaches, cut into ½” pieces
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut into ½” pieces
• kernels from 2 ears of corn
• 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 ¼ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• freshly ground black
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves plus sprigs for garnish

1. Slice off tops of tomatoes (about ½ inch). Scoop out seeds and ribs and coarsely chop.
2. Stir together chopped tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers, corn oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in basil.
4. Season inside of tomato shells with salt and pepper. Fill tomatoes with tomato mixture and garnish with basil sprigs.
5. Serve immediately

By Karen Yates, Melrose Depot Member

Adapted from “The Complete Book of Soups and Stews,” by Bernard Clayton Jr.

I never knew how much flavor was lurking inside a corn cob until I tried this recipe. Cutting the kernels off of a corn cob can be a bit tricky, so try this: leave the stem on the corn after you shuck it. Holding the cob by the stem end, place the other end against the bottom of a deep bowl. Use a small, sharp knife to slice the down the cob, rotating as you go. Then turn the knife over and use the flat side to scrape the bits of remaining corn kernels and “milk” into the bowl.

• 5 ears corn
• 1 onion, cut in half
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 3 medium or 2 large potatoes (red-skinned or Yukon Gold), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 16-ounce can tomatoes or 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups milk or light cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• chopped fresh parsley or green onions to garnish

1.  Cut the kernels off of the corn cobs. There should be about 3 cups.
2.  Break the corn cobs in half and place them in a large pot. Add 1 of the onion halves, bay leaf, and enough water to just cover the cobs. Boil for about 20 minutes, then strain the broth. Measure and add water, if needed, to make 3 cups.
3.  Chop the other half of the onion into small pieces (~1/4″). Puree ~2 cups of the corn in a food processor or blender (add a little water if needed to make a rough puree).
4.  Melt the butter in a 3-4 quart pot and add the chopped onion. Cook until softened, then stir in the garlic. Add the corn cob stock, potatoes, tomatoes, and baking soda. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are almost tender – about 10 minutes.
5.  Add the pureed and whole-kernel corn and simmer another 10 minutes. Add the milk and heat gently until steam rises from the surface – do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley or green onions.

Thanks to Melrose Depot member Chris Vander Rhodes for sending along this fast and easy spinach recipe by M.E. Malone, Globe Correspondent. Chris says even her 2-year-old loves it! For variety (and only a few more calories), add a small handful of olives or sun-dried tomatoes to this 300-calorie salad.

Serves 1

• 2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• 2 slices (2 ounces) Canadian bacon, cut into strips (Chris has used precooked regular bacon.)
• 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (Chris notes it’s also good with bleu cheese)
• 4 small tomatoes on the vine or plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. On a microwave-safe plate, spread the spinach leaves. Scatter Canadian bacon and goat cheese on top.
2. Place a paper towel loosely over the plate and microwave on high for 1 1/2 minutes or until the spinach is warm and the cheese melts slightly.
3. Add tomatoes, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper and serve.