Zucchini Relish
This is a terrific recipe that a patron of the New Albany Farmer’s Market gave to me several years ago. Lynn, used to stop by and purchase the largest zucchini that we had available. One day I asked what she used all of them for, she told me she took the home to Terre Haute (Indiana) to a friend and that her friend made zucchini relish with them. She went on and on about how delicious it was and how she used it in her tuna and potato salad. I thought it was worth trying so I asked for the recipe, and in a few days she had e-mailed the recipe to me. Time passed by and I kinda forgot about that recipe, then one Saturday our customer showed up and handed me a jar of relish. What a pleasant surprise that was.
Kenny is the tuna salad maker so when we went home that afternoon he made tuna salad with the relish; he stuffed a few tomatoes and we have been making the relish every year since. I personally like it in my homemade egg salad the best, but we use it in everything. (My egg salad recipe will be posted next!)
Here is the recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as we do…
10 c. ground zucchini
4 1/2 c. ground onion
3 red peppers, diced fine
3 green peppers, diced fine
3/4 c. salt
Let stand overnight, wash twice and drain. Place zucchini, onion and peppers in pot and add:
6 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. vinegar
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. celery seed
Heat until comes to a boil, simmer for 15-20 minutes. Put in sterilized jars and seal.
Welcome Spring! Baby lettuce has arrived! We have begun cutting and selling our fresh loose leaf baby lettuce.
Loose leaf lettuce is a lettuce variety which does not form a compact head. There are numerous different types of loose leaf lettuce, with basic red and green being the most common. This lettuce variety is very easy to grow and it can be flexibly used in a wide variety of recipes.
You might want to try this recipe; it’s one of our favorites.
Baby Lettuce with Pears and Raspberries
Vinaigrette:
Baby Letttuce with Pears and Raspberries
2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon apple juice
1 tablespoon honey
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Salad:
4 cups mixed baby lettuce
1 cup sliced pears
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl, stir well and set aside. Place baby lettuce in a large bowl; toss gently with dressing. Divide salad among 4 individual plates and top with pears, raspberries and toasted walnuts.
Note: Loose leaf is rich in Vitamin A, folate (folic acid), and potassium. It is moderately rich in Vitamin C and calcium. It is naturally low in calories, fat and sodium.
Tags: Lettuce, pears, raspberries, Salads
Fresh from the farm
The hens have really started laying.. .once we started getting warmer weather and longer days the have really started producing. We have added a few new varieties to the coop and will have the traditional brown eggs available, but we also have the Easter Egger’s. Which if you are unfamiliar with these, they are called Araucana and Ameraucana, and are originally from Chile, South America.
They lay naturally colored eggs in various pastel hues, primarily a blue-green shade. The perfect Easter egg — no need for dyeing! The color will be unaffected by boiling these eggs. We only have a limited number of these eggs so you will need to contact us for availability.
We raise heritage-breed chickens, with a focus on breeds listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds conservancy. Our flock has free range of our farmstead. During the growing season, we feed them fresh naturally-grown vegetables from our garden; they forage in the grass year round. They are raised with completely natural methods, free of hormones, antibiotics, and other chemicals.
We will have eggs available for the Farmers’ Market this year, but if you need them before we open in May just e-mail or give us a call.
Araucana and Ameraucana eggs
My Quick 15 Bean Soup
It’s Thursday, January 20, 2011 and it’s snowing and cold outside; while driving home from work this afternoon I was trying to think of something easy, warm and yummy to have on this cold winter evening.
I remembered buying a bag of 15 bean soup mix so I called Kenny and asked him to put them in a pot of water and bring to a rapid boil and turn them off. I knew that that would expedite the cooking process when I got home.
I got home and threw the soup together… no recipe needed. All I did was rinse the beans in a colander; and got some frozen ham chunks from the freezer (leftovers from our honey glazed ham), chopped it up and added some fresh diced onion. I quick cooked the ham and onions added some ground chipotle pepper, salt and pepper. I then added the partially cooked beans and some water. Cooked them for about 40 minutes and then added a quart of our home canned tomatoes, brought back to a simmer and was ready to eat.
While the soup was cooking I decide to make some corn cakes to have with our soup, (I added that recipe to the website too) dinner was ready in a little more than an hour. It turned out to be excellent; I hope you enjoy it as well.
Tags: Beans, ham, onions chipotle peppers
Quick Corn Cakes
This is my quick corn cake recipe, we love it with a variety of our bean dish suppers. Sometimes we top with butter and sometimes we love to drizzle with honey. Try this it’s delicious!
We use local honey purchased from Hillview Farms in Depauw, Indiana. We carry their products at the New Albany Farmer’s Market. Watch for a future article on them in an upcoming post.
1 box corn muffin mix, prepared according to package directions for corn pancakes, such as Jiffy brand
2 ears fresh corn, kernels scraped from cob ( 1/2 cup of frozen corn can be used)
Zest of one orange or lemon
2 fresh green onions, whites and greens, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
Mix the corn muffin batter in a large bowl. Heat a griddle or cast iron pan over medium-low to medium heat.
Stir the corn kernels, orange zest and onions into the batter. Cut up 2 tablespoons butter into small bits and fold it into the batter. Use the remaining butter to lightly grease the griddle or cast iron skillet. Pile the batter into mounds 3 inches wide and cook the cakes until deep golden on each side. Repeat with remaining batter.
Tags: citrus zest, Corn, Vegetarian
Way back in September I asked my friends and patrons to check out our local newspaper, The New Albany Tribune and vote for their favorites on the Floyd County Reader’s Choice ballot. Well I guess everyone voted….because Russell Veggies was voted the BEST. Thanks for all those who voted. Here is what was printed back in October in The New Albany Tribune…
2010 Floyd County Reader's Choice
Russell Veggies
Best Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
Thank you for voting Russell Veggies the 2010 Reader’s Choice Winner for Best Fresh Fruit and Vegetables!
A family farm for more than 50 years, Russell’s started as a traditional farm located in Floyd County, Indiana growing vegetables primarily for personal consumption by the family. We then began growing pickles for the Paramount Pickle plant in Louisville, Kentucky as well as strawberries for the berry association in Floyds Knobs. Later we raised a variety of produce taken by truck to various markets in Louisville.
Over time, our family farm slowly dwindled back to its origin, farming for personal consumption. My husband, Kenny, is the last Russell to farm this land. We have retained our traditional farming roots by growing many varieties of fruits and vegetables offering fresh produce, including Heirloom tomatoes, yellow squash, berries, potatoes, onions, garlic, kale, apples, beans, cucumbers, pickles, several types of peppers (from the mildest to the hottest), and much more.
It’s been a long, hot, great summer for the New Albany Farmer’s Market. Thanks to everyone who attended the market and supported Russell Veggies. We look forward to seeing you again in May 2011. Please continue to check our website for additional information. I will continue to post recipes, helpful gardening tips, updates at the farm and available produce schedules. We will have fresh eggs available throughout the winter, if you need any please contact us.
We appreciate customers who support their local farm markets, and we strive to provide the best quality, selection and prices in Southern Indiana.
See you next season,
Val & Kenny Russell
Fresh garden pasta
This recipe makes the most of local farm-fresh ingredients such as cherry tomatoes and corn. Roasting the corn and tomatoes enhances their flavor, and the little ear-shaped pieces of pasta serve as perfect nests for the sauce. Serve with a salad for a quick, easy and light meal.
Ingredients:
2 ears corn, husked
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces dried farfalle pasta (bow-tie)
1 medium clove garlic, minced
pint cherry tomatoes (yellow cherry tomatoes can be uses)
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/3 cup chopped or torn basil, plus more for garnish
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the tomatoes and ears of corn in a large plastic food storage bag. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and massage lightly to coat evenly, then spread the tomatoes and corn on the baking sheet in a single layer. Use a sharp-pointed knife to poke a little slit in each tomato. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes expel some of their juice and begin to char. Transfer the baking sheet to the stovetop and let the vegetables cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the corn kernels from the cobs by holding the ears upright and gliding a sharp knife down the sides; discard the cobs.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat; cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium-high; add the corn, tomatoes and any accumulated juices from the baking sheet to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute to incorporate the flavors, then add the cooked pasta and toss to combine. Add 1/4 to 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, as needed, to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from the heat and add the cheese and basil, tossing to combine. Add the remaining pasta water as needed. Divide among individual plates; garnish with additional basil. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Tags: Basil, Cherry tomatoes, Corn, Garlic, Pasta, Vegetarian
Santa Whiskers
I found this recipe in a Better Home and Gardens cook book when I received an entire set from my sister after graduation in 1976. I started using them soon after, when my son was small I ran across this recipe again and tried it just because of the name. We made them together and left them out for Santa along with his glass of milk. My son is now thirty something and he and the family still love them; now that I have grandkids we share the same joy of baking them for Santa. I cannot begin to tell you how many friends and family members I have shared this recipe with over the years. This is an old time favorite so I thought I might share it with you
Refrigerator or “icebox” cookies with chopped cherries and pecans rolled in flaked coconut. Festive and easy!
Makes about 60
1 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-cup red candied cherries, finely chopped ( I often use both red and green candied cherries)
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 cup flaked coconut
In a large mixer bowl beat butter till softened. Add sugar and beat till fluffy. Add milk and vanilla and beat well. Add flour and beat until well mixed. Stir in cherries and pecans. Shape into three 7″ rolls. Roll in coconut to coat. Wrap and chill for several hours. Preheat oven to 375F. Cut into 1/4″ thick slices. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 12 minutes or until done. Remove and cool.
Note: Adapted from “Homemade Cookies Cook Book” (1975) by Better Homes and Gardens.
Tags: candied fruit, coconut, cookies
Confetti cornbread
I found this recipe a year or so ago in The Parade magazine which was inserted in our local newspaper. We tried it and loved it; I ran across it again the other day and decided to make again to have with Chili. I now remember why I saved the recipe. Try it; I think you will enjoy this as much as we do.
1 cup cornmeal
3 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp of baking powder
1 1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup finely diced mixed peppers ( sweet peppers and jalapeños)
Preheat the oven to 400°F and butter an 8- or 9-inch square pan. (I use a cast iron skillet)
Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the milk, butter, and egg together. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and gently stir until the batter is evenly moistened. Add the peppers and stir to combine.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out dry. Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Tags: Jalapeno, Vegetarian
Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese
My husband, Kenny loves homemade soups; he could eat them everyday. So I’ve been experimenting with some of my fresh home canned tomatoes trying to create a different tomato soup. Whatever kind of tomato soup I make Kenny always makes grilled cheese sandwiches to eat with it, so here is the newest creation I came up with…
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes (I use 2 quarts home canned)
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 drops hot pepper sauce
Salt to taste
Fresh basil for garnish
Directions
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onion and garlic until onion is tender. Add carrot and celery; cook 7 to 9 minutes until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. For added creaminess you can add heavy whipping cream. Puree before serving and garnish with fresh basil.
Braun Hand Blender
Note: Several years ago my sister gave me this wonderful kitchen tool, a Braun Hand blender, which is what I use for pureeing my soup. I think it is one of the best gifts I ever received and use frequently.
Tags: Soup, Tomatoes, Vegetarian
