Serving Up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables, by Andrea Chesman, published by Storey Publishing, distributed by Thomas Allen and Son, is serving up over 175 of the best recipes to take you through all the seasons. Recipes for everything from Spring Asparagus to Winter Squash and Pumpkins.
About the Book
Whether you are an avid gardener or an avid eater of the harvest, chances are you live to experience the fresh bounty Mother Nature provides every spring and summer, and with the instincts of a chipmunk love to put away a few savory items for use during the fall and winter.
“Cooks who garden are thrilled by the harvest. We believe every overflowing basket of vegetables is an opportunity for a crispy fresh salad, a fragrant harvest stew, a terrific new pasta sauce. On the other hand, gardeners who cook will spend hours in the garden, making everything look perfect, and then find themselves stricken with guilt. Oh no, they suddenly realize, someone has to cook all those vegetables.
Of course, not everyone who enjoys vegetables has the chance or the inclination to grow her own vegetables. Some of my very best friends buy all their vegetables. And why not, with farmers’ markets, produce stands, and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms distributing wonderful fresh produce to rural, suburban, and urban markets? Once these shoppers get their vegetables home, however, there is still the problem of what to do with them.”
Chesman shows you how by placing each recipe according to season, and also alphabetically. How much easier is that? She explains how to prepare a good pantry and all the things that should be there waiting to create masterpieces fit for vegetarians, omnivores and kings.
My Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I particularly enjoy the basic recipes section which seems cover all, such a basic white sauce or pie crust, chicken broth and especially the recipe for roasted peppers which is so very easy. Chesman goes further on in the book to explain in extreme detail the methods of cooking she prefers, so there really is no excuse to fail with any of her recipes such as braising, grilling and my favourite roasting.
A few recipes you can expect to find, which are some of Chesman’s numerous best recipes are Fettuccine Alfredo with Vegetables, which is a luxurious and rich with an abundance of vegetables, Greek-style Baked Spinach and Shrimp which you can prepare well in advance for those special pot-luck lunches, and Roasted Spiced Cauliflower which can be served as a side dish, hors d’oeuvre or snack. I can go on and on. This book has so many super ideas and special ways to prepare veggies, you will never be bored in the kitchen with this book.
Book Highlight
Choosing a recipe, one recipe from Serving Up the Harvest is quite the chore for me. They are all fabulous! I chose this zucchini recipe, as many of us have run out of ways to use this vegetable when the zucchini season is underway and an over abundance seems always inevitable. Chesman suggests peeling and seeding the zucchini and chopping it in small squares, and use it as you would apples in pies and muffins. She calls it “Zapple”
ZUCCHINI CHEESE SQUARES
“My kids love these “zucchini pillows”. The texture is softer than a bread and denser than a souffle, with just the trace of crunch from the onions. It makes a great side dish, especially on a picnic, where the squares can be eaten out of the hand. You can use slightly overgrown zucchini here.”
- 3 cups grated zucchini
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 onion diced,
- 2 cups grated cheddar
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or lemon pepper
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 large eggs, beaten
Combine the zucchini and salt in a colander and toss to mix. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 7- by 11- inch baking pan with butter
Stir together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add the onion, zucchini, cheese, thyme and pepper. Mx well with a fork, breaking up any clumps of zucchini. Whisk together the oil and eggs in a small bowl. Pour into the zucchini mixture and mix well. Spread evenly in the baking dish.
Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.
Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Contest Rules
Win your own copy of Serving Up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables, by Andrea Chesman, published by Storey Publishing, distributed by Thomas Allen and Son by leaving a comment at the end of this article, as well as what is your favourite veggie and what do you do with it to make it such a favourite?
Well…I grow them, I get them everyweek in my Triple Cord box and we’re always looking at new and inventive ways to use. Mmmmmm….veggies!
I would have to say my favourite veggie is not really a veggie, but everyone things of them that way and that is the tomato. This year I am growing 12 different heritage varieties and have been so excited to see those flowers on the vine! If pressed further to pick a true vegatable then I would have to go with aspargus…and potatoes, but they’re tubers so they don’t really count either!
Thanks Lady Locavore for all your hardwork in making local a reality for us.
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Hi Janet, I also grew tomato plants this year…15 as a mater of fact. Most were of the ‘heritage’ variety…however, I now have way to many tomatoes, in fact I have so many that I’m looking for new and creative ways to use them up. If you know of any good recipes or know of any other place where I may get recipes for ‘tomatoes’ I would love to hear of them. Thank you for sharing your story by the way…
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You may like this book Arleena, https://triplecordcsaorganicproduce.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/tomato-a-fresh-from-the-vine-cookbook-review-and-giveaway/, and as well check out my blog and do a search for tomato. My most recent one is amazing…https://triplecordcsaorganicproduce.wordpress.com/2011/08/24/pasta-with-red-and-golden-cherry-tomatoes/ and the roasted Tomato Soup is awesome, https://triplecordcsaorganicproduce.wordpress.com/2010/08/19/roasted-tomato-soup/
Happy Eating! L.L
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Anything to get me to choose veggies over cookies and ice cream! No seriously, I love veggies and am always looking for fresher and more mysetrious ways to serve them. Roasting beats most other methods, in my opinion, but you can’t roast everything, especially in the dead heat of summer! Thanks for all of this great fun!!
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Looks like a good book! I really need to learn to cook with veggies more, must expand on my skills, and this book looks like it’ll help! My current favourite biggie is zucchini, cut in quarters, BBQ’ed skin side down with parmesan chese sprinkled on the flesh! Yummmm! Summer at its best!
By the way, the zucchini looks amazing this week!
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Congratulations Chris! This is your Book this week! I know you love all the recipes inside.
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My husband’s favourite is grilled asparagus after it had been marinated in Balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
I love butternut squash soup, curried and served with a dollop of sour cream or creme fresh.
It seems I can always find something to do, or create in the kitchen. I’m forever prepping veggies for the next meal.
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The perfect companion to our weekly CSA harvest. Never again will I wonder how to prepare some new and wonderful vegetable.
My all time favorite vegetable is a throw back to my Italian childhood. Memories of shelling fresh peas and later the scent of sauted garlic, butter and mushrooms. It’s a staple even today.
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So many veggies – love most, but fresh picked sweet corn & field tomatoes – hard to beat
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This looks like a great read. I can never get enough of fresh spring greens. Lettuce, spinach, mesclus – it’s all just so delicious. I like making a dressing with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a touch of lemon juice and a teaspoon full of maple syrup to toss with the greens. Add strawberries and you’ve got the best early summer salad.
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