Produce in the news

There were reports last week of a man who was arrested in a Giant Food Store in Manassas, Virginia and charged with indecent exposure and destruction of property. An employee spotted the guy (allegedly) rubbing produce against his bare buttocks and then putting the "tainted" items back on the shelf. According to the police report, the store had to destroy several pallets of produce to be safe, thus resulting in the destruction-of-property charge. My favorite part of the story is the note that authorities "haven’t determined a possible motive" for the perp to rub fruit against his bare ass, as if that would crack the case wide open (get it?).😄

Other than getting a good chuckle out of the story, there are two lessons to be had, in keeping with the theme of UaKS. First, next time you reach for that apple at the grocery store, make sure it doesn't have any obvious skid marks on it. Second, wash all your produce before you use it, even if it has a rind that you're cutting off to get to the fruit inside. I read all the time about people getting sick from eating contaminated melons, because the knife drags the nasty bacteria to the fruit inside once you slice through the rind.

No skid marks on this beautiful apple from the City Market

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A while back we all went on vacation to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. Dylan will remember that trip with special fondness. 😡 There's a famous pizza place there, Miguel's Pizza, where all of the climbers who inhabit the Red River Gorge in the summer congregate. We ate a few meals there, including a baked rice dish filled with cheese and vegetables. I recreated the dish when we got home, but we haven't had it in a while, maybe because it brought back traumatic memories for Dylan. Anyway, I resurrected it tonight, and Mom and I both liked it even more than we remembered, maybe because I swapped sauteed squash in for the potatoes and broccoli we made it with before, but I think other veggies would be good, too.

Baked Rice with Summer Squash and Herbs

Inspired by The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook (1997) by Jack Bishop and Miguel’s Pizza

Time: 48 minutes (for white rice; add 20 minutes for brown rice)

I used summer squash, but lots of other kinds of vegetables would work, too. I was actually going to use one squash and some new potatoes, but Mom threw the potatoes out before I could salvage them.

270 grams (1½ standard cups; 2 rice-cooker cups) white or brown rice
kosher salt
2 tablespoons (25 grams) extra-virgin olive oil
2 small summer squash and/or other vegetables (see note)
freshly ground black pepper
115 grams (~1 cup) fresh mozzarella cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater
20 grams (~⅓ cup) freshly grated pecorino Romano (preferably) or Parmesan cheese
¼ cup minced mixed fresh herbs (I used equal parts basil and oregano, but other herbs would be good, too)
2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

    1. Start cooking the rice, with a few big pinches of kosher salt. I do this in a rice cooker. If you don’t have a rice cooker, bring 2¼ cups (530 grams) water (use 2¾ cups [650 grams] water for brown rice) to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice and a few big pinches of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 18 to 20 minutes (about 40 minutes for brown rice).
    2. While the rice is cooking, split the squash in half lengthwise, then again to make four long pieces. Cut the four pieces crosswise into ¼-inch quarter moons. Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the squash. Season with a good pinch of salt and a few twists of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
    3. Meanwhile, combine the mozzarella, Romano or Parmesan, herbs, and butter in a small bowl.
    4. Place a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Spray a small-ish baking dish (I use a 2-liter Pyrex that looks a little like this) with nonstick cooking spray.
    5. When the rice is cooked, scrape it into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, including the squash. Stir until evenly combined. Scrape into the baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. This is plenty of time to make a salad to serve with the rice. Serve promptly with the salad. Serves 4.