Excerpt from the Market Newsletter originally published on 3 Aug 2011. View the full newsletter for all the photos and links.
In the belly
Garlic has a great reputation for being healthy, although some grumblers claim that it comes from the greater personal space granted to those with strong garlic breath. Although it's native to central Asia, it spread to other areas rapidly. It was known to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, who ate it to increase strength and endurance. It has traditionally been used for its anti-microbial properties, but modern research has found it useful against high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, worms, anemia, impotence, gastrointestinal inflammation, and infections (used topically in this last case). There is also some evidence that its anti-infammatory qualities benefit the musculoskeletal an respiratory systems, and may help against arthritis. It seems that the way to get the most benefit from garlic is to chop or crush it, then let it "rest" a little before cooking it; it develops enzymes that are not present in whole garlic.
Whole or crushed, raw or cooked, it supplies a host of valuable nutrients: vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D and E, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, copper, and beta carotene. It should be noted, however, that it thins the blood and should be eaten cautiously if at all by those taking anti-coagulants. Also, garlic supplements and in fact most extracts and preparations are significantly less amazing than your basic clove of garlic. In fact, so much of garlic's benefit comes from the allicin that gives it its distinctive smell that there's almost no reason to take odorless garlic supplements. The only thing to do is encourage all your friends to eat lots of it too, so you can all smell of garlic together and stop noticing it.
In the kitchen
Whether you have a zucchini surplus or are hoping to be a victim of zucchini-sneaking, you could probably use a few ideas for what to do with them. Zucchini bread is classic, of course; and why aren't there any recipes on the Market website for it? Well, I can fix that!
Whole wheat zucchini bread
3 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
1.5 c brown sugar
2 c grated zucchini
2 tsp vanilla
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
0.25 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c raisins (optional)
1 c chopped walnuts (optional)
0.25 c wheat germ
Thoroughly mix together eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Stir in flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, wheat germ, and cinnamon. Stir in raisins and nuts. Bake 1 hr at 350F, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Note: the zucchini can be grated in season and frozen for later use. Zucchini bread may taste better as a single loaf in January than as the fifteenth loaf in August.
Cheddar Zucchini Wedges
1 chopped onion
0.25 c butter
2.5 c biscuit or baking mix
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
0.5 tsp dried basil
0.5 tsp dried thyme
3 beaten eggs
0.25 c milk
1.52 c shredded zucchini
1 c shredded Cheddar cheese
0.75 c chopped almonds, toasted
Saute onion in butter until tender. Combine the biscuit mix, parsley, basil, thyme and onion mixture; stir in eggs and milk just until combined. Fold in zucchini, cheese and almonds. Transfer to a greased 9-in. round cake pan and bake at 400F for 25-30 min. or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into wedges to serve.
Panfried sage-scented zucchini pancakes
2 lb medium zucchini, julienned or coarsely grated
1.5 Tbsp coarse salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
9 finely chopped sage leaves
0.75 c flour, divided
6 Tbsp water
pepper to taste
3 Tbsp olive oil
Rub salt into zucchini until it dissolves; drain 30 min. in a colander. Combine the garlic, sage, and 6 Tbsp flour; stir in water and whisk into a smooth paste. Squeeze zucchini by fistfuls to extract as much water as posible; stir into flour mixture and season with pepper. Spread remaining flour on a work surface. Form zucchini mixture into patties 1/2 inch thick by 4 inches in diameter and gently flour on both sides. Fry in olive oil until golden brown, ca. 7 min.; gently turn over and fry another 5 min., gently flattening occasionally.
From: Vegetables / James Peterson. William Morrow and Co., c1998.
