Farm Fridays: Zucchini and Garlic Scape Latkes with Creamy Basil Sauce

I'm getting the impression that this is going to be a great year for cucumbers and summer squash. I have two enormous yellow squash plants in my garden (not producing yet, but huge and vigorous) and my cucumber vines have already started churning out some big ones. We've been getting large quantities of cucumbers and squash from the farm as well.

My favorite way to eat any summer squash is to grill it (just cut it into long planks, rub with oil and season with salt and pepper). Unfortunately, the weather hasn't been very cooperative for grilling lately. It seems like every time we so much as lift a corner of the grill cover, the skies open up.  I chose this recipe as an alternative to grilling my crisper drawer full of zucchini.

I was a little trepidatious because, while Jeff and I have made latkes several times, we never seem to get it right: either they're soggy or falling apart or more egg than potato. Yet I still persist in trying new recipes, hoping we'll figure it out eventually. Jeff raised his eyebrows when I proposed this recipe, but gamely went along with it. Good thing, too, because these are probably the most successful latkes we've ever made. Perhaps our problem is with starchy potatoes, because these zucchini latkes came together like a dream. I think our success came from squeezing a ton of water out of the zucchini (one of the pictures below shows how dry we were able to get it) before we mixed the batter. That ensured the latkes weren't soggy. While they didn't crisp up like potato latkes do (when done correctly, by people other than us, that is), the flavors and textures were delicious. The basil was a stand-out flavor in both the latkes and the sauce, complementing the zucchini and garlic beautifully. Isn't it great how seasonal flavors work so well together?

Zucchini and Garlic Scape Latkes with Creamy Basil Sauce
Adapted from Sassy Radish. 

1 1/2 lbs zucchini
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
scant 2/3 c flour
1/4 c basil, slivered
2 eggs, lightly beaten (the local eggs we used were very large and our latkes turned out just slightly too eggy - try not to overdo it on the egg)
2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced (about 3-4 tbsp)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
olive oil

1 c Greek yogurt
1/4 c basil, slivered
zest of 1 lemon
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Trim one end off of each zucchini then shred using a box grater (don't cut off the other end - use it as a handle and add it to the stock bag when you're done!). Transfer to a large colander and toss with salt. Position the colander over a large bowl and let sit 15 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, make the creamy basil sauce. Add the yogurt, basil, lemon zest and lemon juice to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, stirring to combine once more. Set aside to let the flavors meld.

After 15 minutes, transfer the shredded zucchini to a clean cheesecloth or kitchen towel. Twist and squeeze well to remove as much water as possible. 

Pour enough oil into a cast iron skillet (or other large, heavy pan) to cover the bottom completely. Heat over medium-high, until shimmering.

Meanwhile, add the zucchini to a medium bowl and combine with flour, basil, eggs, garlic scapes, baking powder and pepper. Mix to form a batter.

Reduce heat to medium and drop 1/4 cupfuls of batter into the skillet, arranging them into firm patties with a fork (we fit three large latkes at a time in our 9" skillet). Gently flatten the tops and tuck in any straggly bits on the sides.

Cook 3-4 minutes, then flip gently with a spatula and cook another 3-4 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a paper bag or paper towel-lined plate to drain while the next batches cook (this recipe made three batches for us - nine latkes in all).

Serve nice and hot with creamy basil sauce on the side!

Farm Fridays: Preserving Garlic Scapes

I don't know about you, but I've got too many garlic scapes sitting around.

Garlic scapes are one of my favorite springtime delicacies. They're awesomely smooth and curly and give a mellow garlic flavor to any dish. I've been using them in place of garlic cloves for the past few weeks (and I put garlic in nearly everything), but I still haven't diminished my stockpile. After picking a new batch up from the farm this afternoon, I noticed my old ones were beginning to yellow at the tip. Something had to be done.

One of my preserving books suggests preserving garlic scapes by sauteing them in oil for a few minutes and then freezing them in ice cube trays. I tried this last year with a small amount of scapes and it worked well (although it was nearly Christmas before I rediscovered them in the freezer). With a few minor tweaks, that recipe took care of today's scape problem, too.

My new garlic scapes came with a moderate pile of other produce (not as generous as the previous few pick-ups): four heads of lettuce (ok, that was generous - I took one large green one and three tiny red ones), a head of broccoli, two zucchini, dandelion greens, a Chinese cabbage and a bunch of chard. The Chinese cabbage looks particularly good. I don't know about the dandelions - I'm not into bitter greens. I'll try them anyway, but I'm doubtful I'll like them. I'm hoping to contain the lettuce mania this week - most of it will be pawned off on brought up to my parents, so we should actually have a few lettuce-free days before our next pickup. At least I have a variety of salad veggies to put on it this week, like that gorgeous broccoli head.

Frozen Garlic Scapes in Oil
From Put 'Em Up!

any amount garlic scapes
1 tbsp olive oil per cup of scapes
salt to taste

Chop the scapes into relatively even slices.

Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat. Add the scapes, season with salt, and saute about 5 minutes, until softened.

Turn off the heat and transfer to a freezer-safe container. (The original recipe said ice cube trays, but I tried that last year and, when it came time to transfer my cubes to a bag, they broke apart into individual scapes again. That suggests to me that just tossing them all in the same container from the beginning will be fine. It's probably the oil that keeps them from adhering to one another.) Make sure you label it with the date. The scapes will be good for up to six months in the freezer.

Yes, it's that easy.

Farm Fridays: Barbecue Turkey Burger with Garlic Scapes

Having a weekly blog feature seems a little silly if that's the only day of the week I ever post. My schedule has filled up, so posting more than once a week may be more difficult than it sounds. This was the first week of my summer course - Monday to Thursday for six weeks - and I'm already exhausted. Past experience has shown me that I love to teach, but this course has taken it to a new level. I left my first lecture with a giddy grin across my face that stuck around through most of my drive home. I enjoyed teaching US history, and I enjoyed teaching writing, but teaching something I'm truly passionate about is a new experience. Hopefully the excitement and happiness will help me overcome the fatigue - especially as the summer harvest really begins to kick in. Being too tired to cook when I get home is not an option!

Greens are still dominating my CSA share this week, but non-greens are beginning to slip into my basket too. This week I got three heads of lettuce and two of bok choy (all a bit holey from last week's hailstorm, but I don't think I'd have noticed if I didn't know to look for it). There was also another pound of spinach, another quarter pound of arugula, a bunch of French breakfast radishes, a pint of strawberries and a pile of ropey garlic scapes.

Garlic scapes were probably the most exciting discovery I made as a first-time CSA member last year. The scape, sometimes known as green garlic, is the stem of the garlic blossom, plucked before it has a chance to flower. Scapes are smooth and pretty, last a long time in the fridge, and have a delicious garlic flavor - all virtues in my book. When I thought about doing something special with these scapes, the delicious turkey burgers Jeff made a few weeks ago came to mind. The day we made those, I had made a pint of chive blossom vinegar. After I cut off the blossoms, I sliced up the chive blossom stems (essentially the same as scapes) and tossed them in with the burger meat, imparting a nice little chivey flavor. I figured garlic scapes would pack an even more flavorful punch, and I was not disappointed.

Ground turkey has a reputation for being dry (due to its low fat content), but a healthy helping of barbecue sauce takes care of that. We used some charred chile barbecue sauce we canned last summer. It's a little hot for my taste, but mixing it into a burger tones it down. I felt the heat building after I'd finished about half the burger, but it never got overwhelming. The scapes, which we sauteed in a bit of olive oil before adding, were more than able to hold up to the strong flavors of the barbecue sauce. I tasted garlic in every bite. Add some crunchy fresh kale, fancy roasted red pepper ketchup, and a fresh French roll, and you've got one delicious burger. You should try this. Soon.

Barbecue Turkey Burgers with Garlic Scapes
Makes two delicious burgers.

1 1/2 tbsp garlic scapes, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
8 oz ground turkey
2-3 tsp barbecue sauce (we used home-canned charred chile sauce)
3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (we used oregano and parsley)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat a grill to 400°F. 

Back on the stove, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic scapes and saute 3-4 minutes, until softened.

In a medium bowl, combine the turkey, barbecue sauce, herbs, sauteed garlic scapes and salt and pepper. Mix well, then divide in half and form into burger patties.

Gently place the patties on the grill (be careful - the patties will be moist and will want to ooze down into the grill). Cook about 5 minutes on one side. Turn the heat down to 325°F and grill another 3-4 minutes, until cooked through.

Serve on fresh buns with your choice of greens and fancy ketchup!