Hilltown Families 
Q&A: How to Serve Up a Surplus of Garden Veggies
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Basil on top of fresh heirloom tomatoes with a touch of olive oil and sea salt! (Photo credit: Sienna Wildfield)
Is your garden or CSA loading you up with fresh veggies? Are the heirloom tomatoes coming in yet? What’s your families favorite summer dish made with fresh local produce?
- Marianne Bullock responds: Caprese salad – mozzarella basil tomatoes & salt and pepper!
- Nancy Cavillones responds: Farro salad with mozzarella and tomatoes, or feta and zucchini!
- Swansea Benham Bleicher responds: Braised kale (with tamari, garlic, and olive oil).
- Laura LeClair Grace responds: Bermuda salad with green beans and Cipollini onions.
- Sienna Wildfield responds: We have so much kale! Swansea’s recipe is just what we need! – Other than pesto, what to do with a bumper crop of basil?
- Alisa Blanchard responds: We throw it on top of a dough with some olive oil and a little cheese and call it pizza.
- Nancy Cavillones responds: You can also freeze basil to use later!
- Meggin Thwing Eastman responds: Check out my blog for loads of recipes using local, seasonal produce: happyvalleylocavore.blogspot.com.
- Alison Platek Webster responds: Zucchini bread… especially when you find one of those giant baseball bat ones hidden in the garden!
- Shoshona King responds: Tonight we’re having Ratatouille.
- Dana Pilson responds: Charred corn/zucchini/scallion/garlic scapes/tomato/whatever else is around salad! Put some oil in the pan, let the corn and zucchini cook (covered) for 5-8 minutes. The sugars will caramelize! Then add all other veggies and saute til done and delicious.
- Swansea Benham Bleicher responds: Love basil on top of fresh tomatoes with a little mild dressing (say Newman’s Own style…)
- Share your suggestion below.
These are all great suggestions! We should make our favorite summer veggie dishes and have a community potluck! Anyone up for organizing?
This sounds delicious, Christa! Thanks for sharing this. A great way to use up all those eggs from our backyard chickens too!
Veggie stir fry is always a crowd pleaser and so yummy with fresh veggies. I cook brown rice in chicken stock first, take it out, add some olive or peanut oil and quick fry the veggies. Remove them and fry up one or two scrambled eggs and throw everything back in the pan. Toss in some low sodium soy and a little more oil if needed. Mmmmm!
Zach, your suggestion sounds delicious! Being a big fan of Thai food, I’m going to try some basil a few dishes soon!
Basil’s terrific also in homestyle Thai-style food, such as stirfried veggies, or chicken or noodle dishes, too. It compliments these whether they be curry-style ones or smokier dishes using garlic, hot pepper, soy and/or fish sauce.