Summer Share Fourteen August 27th/29th 2019
Important information:
- We are very short on fruit boxes; please remember to return boxes and sign out your shares at each distribution.
- There will be a U-pick tomato event coming; please watch for email with details.
Farm News from Jane
Well, I know that I have been encouraging everyone to remember that we are still in the summer season (at least by the Julian calendar) but I feel like I am more tied to the Celtic calendar in which autumn begins August 1st. That’s because it was when the fullest part of the harvest began and the sun which dictates heat and daylength has gone past the mid-point of the solstice. Summer begins in late June at the solstice which is the most direct sunlight and the most hours of sunlight. Combined with the cool weather we’re having and is coming autumn feels like it is in the air… No worries! Who doesn’t enjoy the cool nights and pleasant warm days mixed with the new fragrances of whatever is in bloom? Perhaps not the ragweed for some! There were lots of sneezes and sniffles last week when we were out in the fields harvesting; ragweed I suspect. Charles Dickens wrote; it was the best of times – it was the worst of times… A Tale of Two Cities, 1859. Summer indeed continues although without summer squash and cucumbers. We realize that there may be a bit of rejoicing over that. But that just opens the door for the next vegetable family of the season: crucifers; aka kales, broccoli, etc. So, a break from beans and beets this week but a unique green surprise…
We haven’t put green tomatoes in the share for a few years but I just couldn’t resist this season. They are plentiful and with the cold evenings, a little slow to ripen. There are lots of options to prepare them: fried green tomatoes, green tomato relish or even a substitute for tomatillos in Salsa Verde! I do hope that you will enjoy trying them, if not, you can allow them to ripen…
Swiss chard may not make another showing in the share as it has begun to show the dreaded “black spot”. The field is located close to the woods on the south side of the farm so it is shaded more of the day now. There is still enough heat for growth but a bit too much moisture and not enough sunlight which equals perfect disease conditions to exist. The basil I grow has already succumbed to this disease problem. Ahh, for the solution to diseases without the use of chemicals. We continue to build soil health so the plants have all the necessary nutrients to keep healthy “under attack” but it seems it is not enough at this time of the year. But the Crucifers are growing very quickly. We weeded a few of the rows today. Get ready for heartier fare.
Enjoy those last days with the kids before the bus comes! Jane
Produce: Sweet corn Tomatoes Garlic red Cippolini onions Bell peppers
Poblano pepper Keuka Gold potatoes Green tomatoes
Fruit Share: Peaches Plums Donut peaches
Produce tips:
– Peppers; If you are overwhelmed with peppers try freezing them for winter recipes like chili, soups and spaghetti sauce. Also, halving and then roasting them stuffed with fun things like cheese or cornbread/sausage may make them more appealing and digestible!
– Keuka Gold potatoes; you can’t beat Keuka Gold’s tasty butter flavor and appearance. It is an all-round use potato loved for its versatility and the “already buttered” look.
– Green tomatoes; Please check out the recipes for lots of ideas…
– Red Cippolini onions; In their raw state, the heirloom Red Cipollini onions has a mild aroma, are crisp, and are semi-sweet with a pungent flavor, but once cooked, they sweeten and soften into a tender, almost melting, texture. The name Cipollini also translates from Italian to mean “little onion,” and is valued by chefs and home cooks for its tender texture, small size, and caramelized, sweet flavor when cooked. The small bulbs are traditionally braised in a sweet and sour tomato sauce, consisting of tomatoes, salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil.
Recipes
ROASTED CIPPOLINI ONIONS AND TOMATOES
16 cipollini onions, 1 pint grape tomatoes, 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp. butter, Salt and freshly ground peppers, to taste, Pinch of smoked paprika (sweet), 4 sprigs thyme
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Add cipollini to boiling salted water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to ice bath. (Blanching the onions will make it easier to peel the skins.) Trim and peel cipollini. Pat dry. Add cipollini, grape tomatoes, olive oil, smoked paprika, thyme sprigs, and salt and pepper to baking tray. Toss to combine. Dot with butter. Roast in oven until tomatoes and cipollini onions are golden and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. If tomatoes finish cooking before the onions, remove from pan and keep warm.
Yield 4-6 servings Recipe from In the Kitchen with Stephano Faita
ROASTED CIPPOLINI ONIONS IN THYME
Cipollini Onions; outer layer removed, Olive Oil , enough to liberally coat onions, fresh thyme, sea salt, fresh cracked Black Pepper
Preheat oven to 400º Roast. Toss onions and thyme with olive oil and place on a baking sheet or other oven safe dish. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste. Roast in oven for about 35 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to brown sides evenly. Remove when tender and golden.
Recipe from Whiteonricecouple.com
CIPOLLINI ONION HUMMUS
1⁄3 cup plus 2 Tbs olive oil, divided, 3 small cipollini onions (about half a pound), thinly sliced or chopped, 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, juice of 1 lemon (approx. 1/4 cup), 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped, 4 tbsp. tahini, 1⁄2 tsp. salt
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 12-15 minutes. Remove onions from heat. In the bowl of a food processor, combine chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt, remaining 1⁄3 cup olive oil, and 2⁄3 of the browned onions. Process until smooth and creamy. (If the hummus seems dry, add additional tahini one teaspoon at a time, reprocessing between teaspoons.) Taste and season with additional salt, if desired. Serve topped with remaining browned onions and drizzled with additional olive oil. Recipe from https://www.saveur.com
HONEYDEW AND RED ONION SALAD WITH FRESH MINT AND BLUE CHEESE
1 large red onion, cut in half through the root end, then cut into 1/4-inch half-moon slices; 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil; 1 ripe honeydew melon, seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes; Juice of 1 lime; 6 fresh mint sprigs, stems removed, leaves cut into thin ribbons; 2 T. fresh basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons; 4 to 8 T. crumbled Saga or other Danish blue cheese; Dash of salt; Cracked pepper to taste
In a sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil just until it begins to soften. The onion is not being cooked but simply “sweated” to remove its bitterness. Toss the honeydew with the lime juice. Add the onion and remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Serves 4. From The Café Pongo Cookbook.
HOW SWEET IT IS CORN AND PEPPER SALAD
4 ears sweet com; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1/4 cup diced red onion; 2 tablespoons slivered basil; 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/2 cup olive oil; salt and pepper
Husk com and boil or grill until crisp-tender. Cool and slice off the kernels. Place com in bowl with sweet peppers, onions; and basil. Whisk balsamic vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, then slowly whisk in olive oil a little at a time. Toss with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.
CORN CHOWDER
10 medium ears fresh yellow com, husked; 3 ounces salt pork, trimmed of rind and cut in half; 1 tablespoon butter; 1 large onion, preferably Spanish, chopped fine; 2 medium garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 3 cups chicken broth; 2 medium red potatoes (about 12 ounces), scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; bay leaf; 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage; 2 cups whole milk; 1 cup heavy cream; 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves; 1/8 teaspoons salt; Ground black pepper
Use a chef’s knife to cut the kernels from 4 ears of com. Transfer the kernels to a medium bowl and set aside. (You should have about 3 cups.) Grate the kernels from the remaining 6 ears on the large holes of a box grater, then firmly scrape any pulp remaining on the cobs with the back of a: butter knife. (You should have 2 generous cups of kernels and pulp.) Transfer the grated com and pulp to a separate bowl and set aside. Sauté the salt pork in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, turning with tongs and pressing down on the pieces to render the fat, until the cubes are crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the butter and onion, cover the pot, and cook until softened, about 12 minutes. Remove the salt pork and reserve. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add the broth. Add the potatoes, bay leaf, sage, milk, reserved grated com and pulp, and reserved salt pork; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the potatoes are almost tender’ 8 to 10 minutes; Add the reserved com kernels and heavy cream and return to a simmer; simmer until the com kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaf and salt pork. (The chowder can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Warm over low heat until hot; do not boil.) Stir in the parsley, salt, and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Serves 6
BAKED CORN WITH ONIONS
2 cups fresh corn kernels; 1 cup thinly sliced onions; 1/2 tsp curry powder; salt and pepper to taste; 1/2 stick butter; 1/4 cup heavy cream. Alternate corn and onions in layers in a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with curry powder and salt and pepper. Cut butter in slices over the top. Pour on cream. Bake at 3750 for 35-45 minutes, or until top is browned. Serves 2-3
CORN BEAN SALSA * a family favorite
This recipe makes enough to feed a large family, so feel free to pare it down.2 cups chopped peppers; ½ cup chopped onion; ¾ cup lime juice; 1 cup chopped cilantro; 4-5 cups cooked corn; 1 can black olives, sliced; 2 tsp cumin; 1 cup dried apricots, chopped; 1 28 oz can vegetarian baked beans, extra liquid drained off; 1 15.5 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed; 1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate. Serve as a salad, as a salsa with chips or as taco filling.
WAVE’S RAVE SWEET CORN RISOTTO
4 ears sweet com; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 cup diced onion; 1/4 cup diced pepper; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 1/2 cup Arborio rice; 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; salt and pepper
Cut kernels off com cobs. Place cobs in a heavy saucepan with 6 cups water; bring to simmer and cook cobs 20-25 minutes. Strain; return water to pan. Add com kernels; return to simmer. After 2 minutes, remove half the kernels and set them aside. Continue cooking remaining kernels until tender, about 10 minutes. Puree water-com mixture in a blender, and then strain it through a fine-meshed sieve. Heat oil in the same pan. Add onion, sweet pepper, garlic, and rice; sauté 1 minute. Reduce heat to low; add pureed mixture 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue to add pureed mixture only until rice is barely tender-you may or may not need to add all of it. Add reserved com, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until cheese melts. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 small servings.
Recipe from Chef Wove Kasprzak, The Dining Room at Monticello
POBLANO PEPPER AND CORN STEW
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large Spanish onion, minced; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 2 fresh poblano peppers, chopped; 8 ounces good-quality cured chorizo, sliced and chopped in quarters; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 8 cups chicken stock, homemade or canned; 4 cups fresh corn kernels; Salt and cracked pepper to taste; 1/4 bunch cilantro, stems trimmed, minced; 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and sliced; Queso fresco, crème fraiche, or sour cream
In a heavy stockpot over medium to low heat, cook the chicken breasts on both sides in half the olive oil. Remove the chicken and allow to cool. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot and heat it. Add the onion, garlic, poblanos, chorizo, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Shred the chicken and add it to the boiling stock. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the corn, cook for about 2 minutes, and turn off the heat. Season the stew to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with the cilantro, radishes, and queso fresco. Serves 6.
Recipe from The Café Pongo Cookbook.
WARM BAVARIAN-STYLE POTATO SALAD WITH SAUSAGE
2 pounds Yukon Gold or large fingerling potatoes, scrubbed; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar; 1 tablespoon prepared hot mustard; 3/4 cup chopped onion; salt and pepper to taste; 1/2 cup apple cider or chicken stock; 3/4 pound pork sausage links; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
Cook potatoes in salted water until barely tender. Drain, cool slightly, peel, and slice 1/3-inch thick. Meanwhile, make sauce: Combine remaining ingredients (except parsley) in saucepan, bring to simmer, and cook 5-7 minutes. Gently toss with potatoes. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange sausages on baking sheet; bake 8-10 minutes. Cut each link into 4 pieces. Add sausages and parsley to potatoes; mix gently. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings. Recipe from MACSAC
SMASHED YUKON GOLD POTATOES WITH BLUE CHEESE AND TOASTED NUTS
2 pounds young Yukon Gold potatoes (unpeeled); 4 tablespoons butter, softened; 1/2 cup milk or cream; salt and pepper; 1/2-pound blue cheese, crumbled; 1/4-pound (about 1 cup) nuts
Cook potatoes and place in large bowl. Add butter, milk, and a pinch of salt and pepper (or to taste). Smash with fork, leaving some large pieces. Lightly toss in blue cheese. Sprinkle with nuts. Makes 6 servings.
3 POTATO SALAD
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes; 3 medium red potatoes; 1 large sweet potato; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 cup mayo; 2 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp white vinegar; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1/2 tsp dill weed
Cube potatoes and sweet potato. Boil until tender; drain and cool. Mix remaining ingredients together. Toss with potatoes. Refrigerate overnight
STUFFED PEPPER CASSEROLE
1 lb. extra-lean (at least 90%) ground beef, ½ cup diced yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped, 2cups diced bell peppers, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained, 2 cups beef broth, 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 C uncooked white basmati rice, 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese, or Cheddar blend (6 oz)
In 4-quart saucepan, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, breaking into small pieces as beef browns. Add bell peppers, salt and pepper. Cook 5 to 7 minutes longer or until peppers have started to soften. (If you didn’t use extra-lean beef, drain off some of the fat at this point.) Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, soy sauce and Italian seasoning. Stir until well combined. Heat to boiling. Add uncooked rice. Return to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer about 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from heat; sprinkle with shredded cheese. Recipe from Bettycrocker.com
SOUTHWEST STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS
4 poblano peppers halved and seeds/membranes removed, 1# lean ground beef, or chorizo, 1 tsp each ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, 1 C cooked long grain white rice, 1/2 C canned black beans, drained; 1/2 C frozen or canned corn (drained); 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained; 1 4-oz can diced green chiles; ½ C -1 C grated mozzarella or Mexican-blend cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Arrange halved poblano peppers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that they aren’t overlapping. Bake for 10-15 minutes while you move on to the next step. Add ground beef (or preferred meat choice, see Note 2) and rice to a large skillet, and season with the cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Sauté over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until meat is browned and cooked through. Stir in the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Cook another 1-2 minutes. Spoon mixture into the peppers, sprinkle with cheese, and return to oven for another 10 minutes or so until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Recipe form www.cremedelacrumb.com
SWEET PEPPERS WITH HERBED RICE
4 green peppers, broiled and peeled; 1/2 cup brown rice; one 2-inch strip of lemon peel; 1 tbsp. virgin olive oil; 1/2 onion, chopped; 1/4 cup raisins, soaked in ¼ cup dry white wine; 2 tbsp unsalted chicken or vegetable stock; juice of 1/2 lemon; 3 tbsp. chopped parsley; 1 tsp. fresh thyme, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves; 1/8 tsp. ground coriander
Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the rice and the lemon peel. Simmer for 25 minutes over medium heat. Remove the stems, ribs and seeds from the peeled peppers. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Set four of the pepper halves aside as a garnish. Coarsely chop the remaining pepper halves and set them aside too. Preheat the oven to 4000 F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy- bottomed skillet. Add the onion, and cook until it is translucent – about five minutes. Add the raisins and wine, stock, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and add the rice. Stir in the parsley, thyme, coriander and the chopped peppers. Transfer the rice mixture to a 1-quart gratin dish. Mound up the rice slightly and arrange the pepper halves on top. Bake the dish for 20 minutes. Brush the peppers with the remaining tablespoon of oil before serving. Serves 4
STUFFED PEPPER SOUP
2 pounds ground beef, 6 cups water, 1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce, 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained, 2 cups chopped green peppers, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules, 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 cups cooked long grain rice, Chopped fresh parsley, optional In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook and stir beef until no longer pink; drain. Stir in next 8 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until peppers are tender, about 30 minutes. Add cooked rice; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes longer. If desired, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Recipe from TasteofHome.com
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
Firm green tomatoes, egg, ½-1 C cornmeal, bacon drippings /lard or oil, salt, pepper and paprika, 1 T of sugar
Season your cornmeal with salt, pepper, paprika and sugar to taste. Slice tomatoes into ¾ inch slices. Beat egg with a ½ T. water. Heat your bacon drippings or oil to medium heat in a large fry pan. Dip the tomato slices one by one in the well beaten egg. Using a plate, spread your seasoned cornmeal so that you can dip the tomato slices one at a time on both sides. Fry tomatoes on both sides until brown.
RED FRIED RICE
1/4 cup basmati rice; 2 tablespoons peanut oil; 1 small red onion, chopped; 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped; 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved; 2 eggs, beaten; salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wash the rice several times under cold running water. Drain well. Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Add the rice and cook for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Add the onion and pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and continue stir-frying for 2 minutes more. Pour in the beaten eggs all at once. Cook for 30 seconds without stirring, then stir to break up the egg as it sets. Drain the cooked rice thoroughly. Add to the wok and toss it over the heat with the vegetable and egg mixture for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 2; Recipe from Vegetarian the best ever recipe collection
PICACALLILI OR GREEN TOMATO RELISH
2 qts. chopped, cored green tomatoes; 1 qt. chopped cabbage; 1 c. chopped sweet pepper; ½ c. chopped onion; ¼ c. salt; ¾ c. brown sugar; 1 T. mustard seed; 1/2T. celery seed; ½ T. prepared horseradish; 21/4 c. vinegar
Combine vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and mix thoroughly; let stand 3-4 hours. Drain; rinse and drain thoroughly. Combine sugar, spices, horseradish, and vinegar in a large saucepot. Simmer 15 minutes. Add vegetables and bring to a boil. Pack hot relish into jars, leaving ½ in. headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece cap. Process 10 min. in a boiling water canner. About 3-4 pints
GREEN TOMATO SALSA
1 medium green pepper, 1 serrano pepper, 5 medium green tomatoes or 5 large tomatillos, husks removed, 1 medium onion, chopped, 2 garlic cloves, minced, 1/3 C lime juice, 2 T olive oil, 4 tsp. agave nectar, 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 T fresh cilantro leaves, 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and quartered, Tortilla chips
Preheat broiler. Place peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 3-4 in. from heat until skins blister, about 5 minutes. With tongs, rotate peppers a quarter turn. Broil and rotate until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place in a bowl; let stand, covered, 20 minutes. Using tongs, place tomatoes, a few at a time, in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove tomatoes; cool slightly. Peel and finely chop tomatoes; place in a large bowl. Remove skin, stems and seeds from charred peppers. Finely chop peppers; add to tomatoes. Stir in onion and garlic. Place all remaining ingredients except chips in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Add to tomato mixture, stirring to combine. Serve with chips. Recipe from TasteofHome.com
PEACH DUMP CAKE FROM SCRATCH
3 pounds fresh or frozen fruit (like berries, sliced peaches, sliced apples, sliced plums, etc.), 1/2 cup sugar, plus more to taste, 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup sugar, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 cup melted unsalted butter, Vanilla ice cream, to serve
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Prepare the fruit: Combine the fruit, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 9-x-13 baking dish, stirring to coat the fruit in the sugar and cornstarch. Add up to an extra 1/4 cup sugar, as needed, if using very tart fruits. (Frozen fruit is fine; it doesn’t not need to be thawed before baking.) Spread the mixture into an even layer. Add the cake topping: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt for the cake layer in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the fruit. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top. Bake the cake: Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling through the center and the top is golden (frozen fruit might take an extra 10 minutes or so). If you notice a few dry pockets of flour toward the end of cooking, push them down into the fruit with a spoon so they cook. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Leftover cake can be covered and refrigerated for a few days. Recipe from simplyrecipes.com
FRESH PEACH GELATO
Prep: 25 min. + chilling Process: 20 min. + freezing
3 cups sliced peeled peaches or apricots, 1tbs vanilla, 1/2 tbs almond flavoring, 2 tablespoons water, 2 cups whole milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 4 egg yolks, beaten, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, red and yellow food coloring, optional, 1 tablespoon peach schnapps liqueur, optional
Shock the peaches so that the skins fall off easily, Place peaches and water in a large skillet; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until tender. Place in a food processor with vanilla and almond; cover and process until blended. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat milk to 175°; stir in sugar until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. It will curdle up if you do! Remove from heat immediately. Quickly transfer to a large bowl; place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in cream, peaches and liqueur if desired. Plastic wrap onto bowl of the custard. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. (Refrigerate any remaining mixture until ready to freeze.) Transfer ice cream to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. Freeze 2-4 hours or until firm. Repeat with any remaining gelato mixture. Yield: 1 quart.
GINGER PLUM GELATO
3 cups whole, unpeeled, pitted plums, ground fresh ginger to taste, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tablespoons water, 2 cups whole milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar, 4 egg yolks, beaten, 1 cup heavy whipping cream. Place plums, ginger and water in a large skillet; cook, uncovered, over medium heat until tender. Place in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat milk to 175°; stir in sugar until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately. Quickly transfer to a large bowl; place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally for 2 minutes. Stir in cream. Pour plums into the mixture by straining through a colander to catch the skins. Add cinnamon and liqueur if desired. Press plastic wrap onto bowl of custard. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer two-thirds full; freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions. Refrigerate any remaining mixture until ready to freeze.) Transfer ice cream to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. Freeze 2-4 hours or until firm. Repeat with any remaining gelato mixture. Yield: 1 quart. 8 Servings Prep: 25 min. + chilling Process: 20 min. + freezing