Spicy Squash Cakes

This recipe works well with a combination of zucchini and pattypan or yellow squash. Temper the fieriness of the jalapenos by adjusting the amount or by removing the seeds and white membrane. Prepare small cakes for an appetizer or larger ones as a side dish or serve with crusty bread and tomato salsa for a full meal.

1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites or use 3 eggs
4 cups grated summer squash
1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from 2 ears
1/4 cup chopped green onions, tops included
1 large jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or black pepper
Canola oil for sauteing
Low-fat sour cream (optional)
Fresh tomato salsa (optional)

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in squash, corn, green onions, jalapeno, the cheeses, flour, olive oil and ground pepper.
2. Heat two tablespoons canola oil in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. For small cakes, spoon one tablespoon squash mixture per cake into the hot oil and flatten to uniform thickness. For large cakes, use two tablespoons of squash mixture per cake. Do not over crowd the skillet. Leave about an inch between cakes.
3. Cook until edges turn golden brown, turn and cook the other side until golden brown, about three minutes total cooking time per cake. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Place in a warm oven and continue cooking the remaining cakes.
4. To serve, arrange two or more cakes on individual plates. Serve with some of the salsa and a dollop of low-fat sour cream. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Serves 6.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS BUNDLES

1 pound fresh asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed and discarded  
4 scallions, root end trimmed  
1 tablespoon olive oil  
1/2 teaspoon salt  
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place asparagus and scallions on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 25 to 30 minutes, until tender. Wrap individual portions of asparagus with scallion to tie into bundles. 

Brush large grill pan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat.

Before grilling, toss veggies with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Grill vegetables in batches until nicely colored and soft, about 6 to 8 minutes per batch.

Cut bread into 6-inch pieces. Cut pieces lengthwise but don't go all the way through.  
Spread a thick layer of ricotta on the bottom half of the bread. Sprinkle with salt.

Toss arugula with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Place dressed arugula on top of ricotta layer. Then add the generous amounts of the different grilled vegetables.  

1 (3 to 3 1/2-pound) whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry  
1 tablespoon kosher salt  
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper  
6 tablespoons honey  
1 lemon, zested  
1 tablespoon lemon juice  
1 tablespoon room temperature unsalted butter  
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves  
Mashed Sweet Potatoes, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange a rack inside a large roasting pan and set aside.

Season the chicken both inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon zest and juice and butter. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan breast side up and roast until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Using a pastry brush, brush half of the honey mixture over the chicken, as well as sprinkling half the thyme over the chicken and return the chicken to the oven. Continue to cook another 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the oven and brush the remaining honey blend and sprinkle the remainder of the thyme over the chicken.  
 
Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

To serve, spoon the sweet potatoes into the center of 4 large plates and arrange the chicken on top. Drizzle the chicken with any remaining pan juices and serve immediately with the sweet potatoes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes:  
2 pounds sweet potatoes  
1/2 cup heavy cream  
3 tablespoons light brown sugar  
3 tablespoons butter  
2 tablespoons cane or maple syrup  
Pinch salt and pepper  
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, optional  
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and bake until tender and begins to ooze sugary syrup, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle.

Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh with a spoon into a large bowl. Add the cream, sugar, butter, syrup, salt and pepper, and thyme, if using and mix, mashing until the potato mixture is smooth. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

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SHOPPING TIPS

• IT PAYS TO GET UP EARLY – Get to the Market when it opens to find the best selection and the freshest produce.
• BRING YOUR OWN BAG – Bring your own canvas shopping bag or basket from home.
• TRY SOMETHING NEW – Buy something you haven’t tried before. The Farmers’ Market is the perfect place to learn about new foods. Vendors will be happy to advise you on how to select and prepare it.
• BRING A COOLER – Put a cooler in your car to keep food items cool when you buy at the market. They’ll stay fresh while you visit the unique shops and restaurants on the Woodstock Square.
• ASK QUESTIONS – Make sure to ask questions of the vendors when you see unfamiliar produce. Vendors and farmers love to share their knowledge and can even give you recipes and cooking tips.
• DRESS COMFORTABLY – Wear walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather.

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MARKET GLOSSARY    

Organic:  Organic farming relies on developing biological diversity in the field to disrupt habitat for pest organisms, and to maintain and replenish the soil.  Organic farmers are not allowed to use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

Certified Organic:  The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responsible for managing the National Organic Program, which was implemented in October 2002.  Organic farming avoids the use of most artificial inputs, like synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and bans the use of animal by-products, antibiotics and sewage sludge among other practices.  Any food product (except fish) using the word organic must be certified as such by an official USDA accredited certifier.

Hormone-Free:  There is no government or official definition for this term except on meat and poultry products as defined by the US Department of Agriculture.  Use of the term “hormone free” is considered “unapprovable” by USDA on any meat products.  Meat and poultry products carrying the “no hormones administered” claim imply that the animal must not have received any added hormones during the course of its lifetime.

Free-range:  Free range (or free roaming) implies that a meat or poultry product comes from an animal that was raised in the open air or was free to roam.  Its use on beef is unregulated, and there is no standard definition of this term.  The term “free range” is only regulated by the USDA for use on meat poultry products.  USDA requires that birds have been given access to the outdoors but for an undetermined period each day.  “Free range” claims on eggs are not regulated.  To learn more about what is meant by this term, customers should ask the farmer about their specific practices.  Free range (or free roaming) is a general claim that implies that a meat or poultry product, including eggs, comes from an animal that was raised in the open air or was free to roam. 

Heirloom:  Heirloom varieties, also called farmers’ varieties, traditional varieties or landraces, have been selected and developed by farmers through years of cultivation and seed saving for the next season.  Farmers hand them down through generations.  These varieties are often specifically suited to a certain climate and soil type, and have been selected for flavor, pest resistance, productivity, and even beauty.  Heirlooms are typically very genetically diverse and variable. 

Transitional:  Farmers need to practice organic methods for three years on a given piece of land before the products grown there can be certified organic.  “Transitional” means that the farmland is in the midst of that transition period towards organic certification.

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