This dish is very quick to make and a savory favorite of ours!

Two summer squashes of medium to large size (could be pattypan, zucchini, etc)
1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh thyme (or other favorite herb from garden like marjoram or oregano)
1/2 tsp fresh, torn mint leaves
1 tbsp sour cream or chevre

Dice and saute squash. Saute in olive oil on high for one minute. Add salt. Stir and saute for three more minutes or until al dente. Add herbs to pan. Transfer squash and herbs into serving dish and mix in sour cream or crumbled chevre. Stir to distribute and eat it hot!

Shaved Fennel Salad:

-2 large fennel bulbs, green fronds trimmed and reserved
-About 1/3 c olive oil
-Juice from 1 good-sized lemon
-Wedge of Parmesan cheese
-Salt and Pepper

Clean and trim the fennel (remove any blemishes from the outside with a vegetable peeler, and cut a thin slice of the root end). Halve the bulbs, and place in a large bowl, covering them with water and a handful of ice. Let sit for a half an hour.

While fennel sits, finely chop some of the fronds to make about 1/4 cup.

Remove the fennel from water, place on a cutting board, flat (cut) side down and slice as thinly as you can with a knife or vegetable peeler (or if you have a mandoline, this is the sort of thing it’s ideal for). Place the fennel in a serving bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper and the chopped fronds and toss.

Using the mandoline or vegetable peeler, cut long curls from the wedge of Parmesan and let as much or as little as you like fall on top. I like a lot – about 1 part cheese to 3 parts fennel. The textures and flavors really mingle together nicely.

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This recipe lends itself to versatility. You can add anything with crunch in with the fennel, though it will make the licorice flavor less intense. I like to put a mild onion in the water with the fennel and slice it the same way. Anything crunchy you have around will probably work though – a cucumber (I would seed and peel it, then slice it into long slivers), an apple or a pear, even the kohlrabi or endive that came in this week’s box. Anything crunchy, sliced thin. Slivered almonds might be good, too.

Buen provecho!

Bake the crust in oven on a cookie sheet until golden brown. (About 5 min. at 400 degrees.)

Saute green garlic and rosemary in the olive oil.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Discussed at Sunday’s UP potluck. Hesitate to call it a “recipe,” but here’s the method.

Take whole okra pods and string them up with two skewers (like a ladder) so you can flip them. (Trust me on this.) You can butt them right up against each other on the “ladder”…I often get 10-12 on the pair of skewers. Brush liberally with sesame oil and shake a bunch of big sea salt on them. Grill for at least five minutes a side. We like them when they start turning really dark — nigh unto being burnt. They are SO GOOD. And Paige says: There will be okra, so mark this well!

20 medium radishes, scrubbed and trimmed
1 t kosher salt
1/2 c rice vinegar
3 T sugar
2 t toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small dried chile pepper, mild variety

1. Cut trimmed radishes into 1/4 inch thick circles. Toss the radishes and salt in a colander and set aside to drain, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. At least 1/4 of salty juices should drain out.

2. Bring the vinegar, garlic, sugar and chile to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temp. Whisk in sesame oil.

3. Transfer radishes to a bowl and pour vinegar mix over. Marinate, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Drain if desired (less messy to eat) and serve.