Grilled Eggplant & Pesto Pizza

This pizza is one of those recipes that I think I've made at least 20 times.  Yet when we sat down to dig into this particular pizza we both realized that I didn't make it once last summer, making this our first eggplant-pesto pizza in nearly 2 years.  I don't know how that happened and I will have to be careful not to be so negligent with my eggplant pizza making this summer.

This pizza is one of my go-to recipes when eggplant shows up at our door.  Pizza dough can always be whipped up as I always have those basics on hand.  And then I almost always have pesto either fresh, frozen, or just in the form of some rapidly growing basil on the patio.  Dough.  Pesto.  Eggplant.  That's all you need.  Sure, a little extra parmesan to sprinkle on top is nice, but definitely not necessary.

Being the apartment dweller that I am, I grill the eggplant on a grill pan with just enough olive oil coating the pan to keep the eggplant from sticking, but not enough oil for the eggplant to get soggy and mushy.  If you are so lucky as to have a real grill, and perhaps less than 99 degree weather that you don't mind going outside in, then by all means use that.

One year ago:  Squash & Zucchini Tart

Grilled Eggplant & Pesto Pizza
ingredients:
pizza dough
3/4 cup pesto, homemade or storebought
3 japanese eggplant
1/4 cup grated parmesan
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Slice the eggplant into 1/4" coins.  Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and coat lightly with olive oil.  Grill the sliced eggplant in batches, several minutes on each side. Both sides should have light grill marks.

Roll the pizza dough out and place on a pizza pan.  Top with an even layer of the pesto and then arrange the eggplant on top.  Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Cook for 15-25 minutes or until the crust is golden.  Slice and enjoy.

Heirloom Tomatoes

This week we got 3 perfect heirloom tomatoes in our basket.  Our letter from Margie instructed us to "baby them til you eat them and then enjoy them like the fine treat that they are".  And that's just what I did.

A taxi tomato, a red zebra, and a brandywine. A drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add a few slices of fresh mozzarella and top with fresh basil. That's how 3 little tomatoes become dinner.

Squash & Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini and squash can sometimes be under appreciated vegetables. As the summer wears on, it can become difficult to think of new and different ways to cook them. While I'm definitely nowhere near that point yet, I imagine this would be a perfect recipe for when you do get to the stage of 'how many more ways can I cook zucchini?'.  I wouldn't say that it hides the vegetables per se, but it is so different that you almost forget what you're eating.

One year ago: Cabbage & Cucumber Slaw

Squash & Zucchini Fritters
ingredients:
2 medium squash or zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 of a sweet onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper

Place the grated squash and zucchini in a colander over a large mixing bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and let drain for at least 30 minutes.  In another large bowl combine the feta, onion, eggs, garlic, flour, mint and parsley.  When you're ready to cook the fritters take small handfuls of the squash and zucchini and squeeze to remove any remaining moisture then add to the other ingredients.  Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Once the oil is hot scoop spoonfuls of the fritter mixture into the skillet.  Do not overcrowd, cook only about 3-4 fritters at a time.  Press down with a spatula to flatten the fritters.  After about 4 minutes flip the fritters.  They should be golden brown.  After 4 more minutes or once the other side is browned remove the fritters and drain on paper towels.  Repeat with the remaining fritter mixture.

Serve warm or at room temperature topped with a few scoops of sour cream or even better, cucumber herb dip.

Summer

Be careful what you ask for.  This is what happens when your mother asks if she can send you a cooler with some beans, corn and tomatoes.  Despite knowing that we already had a refrigerator and kitchen full of things from our basket (beans, corn, blueberries, eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, and potatoes) I said "yes".  In addition to the bounty pictured above there is also a jar of fresh picked blueberries, several packages of strawberries, a bag of green beans and a loaf of zucchini bread.  If this what she sent me, I can only imagine the amount of fresh-from-the-garden summer produce she is trying to cook and put up. 

Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining.  This gorgeous bowl of tomatoes has been placed at the center of the dining table and is better-looking than any centerpiece of flowers.  Several of the ripest of these tomatoes have been chopped up and are currently marinating away in a mixture of olive oil, basil, garlic and their juices waiting to become dinner. 

In fact, this is what I love most about seasonal eating.  This pressure I feel to appreciate and prepare this food in ways that it deserves.  To not let any go to waste.  Because there is nothing better than sitting down with people you love to enjoy a meal made with ingredients like these.  And that is what I am looking forward to this weekend.  Thanks Mom.

Marinated Vegetable Kabobs

This is a dish I've already made several times this summer, both on the grill and in the oven. Of course I prefer the grill but when I've made these to be eaten at our apartment, the oven is really the more convenient option.

Having made this more than once I have discovered something about tomatoes. The first time I used cherry tomatoes, placed whole onto the skewers. Once grilled their skin is slightly blistered and just burst in your mouth with concentrated tomato flavor. Absolutely nothing to complain about there. But the next time I used a whole slicing tomato cut into wedges. While marinating these wedges were able to soak up all the lemon, garlic, and basil flavors of the marinade. Then, once cooked these tomatoes become something else altogether, soft and silky with that same concentrated tomato flavor, but even better. This might be worth making with only the tomato wedges, and forgoing the other vegetables entirely. Perhaps I'll try that next.

One year ago: Mixed Bean Salad and Tomato Pie

Marinated Vegetable Kabobs

ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 pint cherry tomatoes, or 1 large tomato sliced into wedges
1 lb potatoes, chopped into 1" pieces
marinade:
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper

Slice the zucchini and squash in half lengthwise then slice each half into 1/3" thick halfmoons. Or, if they are small, just slice into 1/3" coins. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until fork tender, drain and let cool. Once cooled place the zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes in a large shallow dish.

Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Every few hours toss the vegetables so that they are all evenly coated in the marinade. Once you're ready to cook the kabobs thread the vegetables onto skewers. Try to put at least 1 of each vegetable on each skewer. Grill, rotating the kabobs every few minutes, until the vegetables are lightly charred all over, about 10 minutes. Or, if you don't have a grill, cook the kabobs in a 350F oven 25-35 minutes. After 15 minutes in the oven take the kabobs out and spoon more of the marinade over the vegetables.

Wine-Basted Rabbit

This was our first foray into the world of eating rabbit.  We first heard the praises of raising and eating rabbits during our last trip to Nature's Harmony Farm and then when they showed up at our farmers market from Heritage Farm we thought we should give it a try.

Paired with a light cucumber salad and more of the white wine this made for a very elegant Sunday supper. The meat is savory, juicy and not gamey at all.  As Dominic described it, "it's like chicken without the chicken flavor".  That probably doesn't sound very descriptive until you've tried it. 

I'm hoping that we can still order a few more at the farmers market.

One year ago: Roasted Beet Salad, Squash Salad, and Swiss Chard & Green Onion Quiche

Wine-Basted Rabbit
ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 lb. rabbit
2 cloves garlic, split
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
salt and pepper
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Rinse the rabbit with cold water and pat dry.  Rub all over with the garlic then slather evenly with the softened butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides and place the rabbit in a shallow roasting pan.  Arrange the garlic and rosemary around the rabbit.  Roast for 30 minutes.  Then pour the white wine and lemon juice over the rabbit, cover loosely with tin foil and roast 45 minutes more.  Every 15 minutes take the rabbit out and baste the rabbit all over with the juices in the pan.  After 45 minutes remove the tin foil, baste with the juices again and turn the heat up to 450F.  Roast 15 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.

To serve, use poultry shears or a sharp knife to cut into serving pieces.  Arrange on a large platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary.

Real Potato Chips & Cucumber Herb Dip

This might just be the perfect snack for the long holiday weekend. It's almost misleading to label these 'potato chips' since they bear so little resemblance to the greasy snack. Maybe a better name would be 'crisp potato slices'. These have so much potato flavor and even though sliced very thin they're still substantial enough to stand up to a good dip loaded with vegetables.

We have been getting a steady supply of potatoes each week from Full Moon Farm. I've been enjoying them on vegetable kabobs, there have been several potato pizzas, and I even sliced one very thinly to be the crust of a swiss chard quiche.

Cucumbers from Jenny Jack Sun Farm have also been in steady supply. I've already made several jars of pickles and still have a bag full of assorted cucumbers. Several cucumbers finely chopped along with some fresh mint and parsley from the patio make for a very refreshing dip. A dip that I could practically eat with a spoon by itself.

Real Potato Chips & Cucumber Herb Dip

Potato Chip ingredients:
1 potato
Salt

Slice the potato as thin as possible, preferably with a mandoline. I used the 1/8" setting on my mandoline. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a clean dish towel on top of a microwave safe plate. Do not let the slices touch, you will probably need to do the chips in several batches.

Microwave the potato slices on high for 3 minutes. Carefully peel each slice off the dish towel if they seem stuck. Sprinkle the slices lightly with salt. Microwave on high for 3 minutes more. Check the slices and peel them off the towel again if stuck. Smaller slices may be done at this point. They are done when they are browned and crisp and no longer stick to the towel. Microwave up to 3 more minutes keeping watch on the slices. They can go from crisp to burned very quickly. Repeat these steps with the remaining potato slices. Try to refrain from eating them while waiting for the second batch!

Cucumber Herb Dip ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers,finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup loosely packed mint, chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
salt and pepper

Combine the cucumbers, mint, parsley, yogurt and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Summer Vegetable Pasta

It's funny how quickly the transition from spring vegetables and leafy greens to the bounty of summer vegetables can happen. Just two weeks ago we had the usual spring basket that always seems to be practically overflowing with big hearty greens. Then this week I got home after Dominic and saw what I thought must be our half empty basket sitting on the kitchen counter. There was nothing spilling out over the top, in fact the basket itself was only about two-thirds full. It wasn't until I began to put things away that I realized I was officially welcoming the first of many of my favorite summer vegetables. So yes, the baskets may be getting smaller (but definitely not lighter: this one had about 2 pounds of assorted squash), but this is not something I will be complaining about.

I had originally planned to make a pasta dish using only the green beans. But I remembered that we had the first two tomatoes of the season and decided to throw them in as well. Then as I was getting everything out of the refrigerator I realized I should try to make a dent in that huge bag of yellow squash. My point is that really this is just a pasta with a light creamy sauce and any summer vegetables you choose. But this particular combination makes for a very colorful dinner.

One year ago: Roasted Beet Salad

Summer Vegetable Pasta

ingredients:
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
2 yellow squash, cut into 1" pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 lb. whole wheat pasta

Mix together the cheeses, lemon zest and juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.  Drain the pasta then mix with the cheese mixture in a large serving dish.  Toss well to soften the cheeses and evenly coat the pasta.

Cook the onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened, 5 minutes.  Add the beans and squash and more olive oil if necessary.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss well to coat the vegetables in the olive oil then cook 3 minutes without stirring.  Toss again then cook another 3 minutes with stirring.  The vegetables should be browned in spots. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes more before adding the tomatoes and their juices.  Toss well to combine then cook several more minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Pour the vegetables over the pasta and toss to combine.  Serve topped with the chopped basil.

Basil Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Last weekend at the farmers market when I picked up our usual dozen eggs from Abundant Harvest Gardens I saw a small sign off to the side advertising squash blossoms. Since I saw only the sign and no actual squash blossoms, I assumed that they were already sold out. Instead the blossoms were being stored in a cooler behind the table to protect against the already muggy even at 8:30 am Georgia heat and I happily came home with a little bag of freshly picked squash blossoms.

Dominic and I were first introduced to squash blossoms, or fiore di zucca, during our honeymoon in Italy. Our late May trip coincided with the brief season when fiore di zucca show up on practically every dinner table. Our first dinner in Rome after ordering what was already to be a huge meal, one of the waiters passed by our table and very unceremoniously dropped off a small plate. No description, no explanation, and definitely no presentation, this plate contained only 2 unidentified fried objects. Being a true southern girl, I'm not one to ask too many questions regarding fried foods and I quickly discovered the deliciousness of stuffed and fried squash blossoms. Over the next 2 weeks we sampled all types and forms of squash blossoms, sometimes they showed up on menus, but more often than not they showed up without request as a small antipasti.

For these particular squash blossoms I wanted to try to recreate those first ones we tasted at Al Pompiere in Rome. The resulting recipe is sort of combination of the 2 recipes in Chez Panisse Vegetables. I recommend going after this recipe with two people. I'm sure it's possible to stuff the blossoms with only one person, but four hands make this task much much easier.

 

One year ago: Yellow Squash Pizza

Basil Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Ingredients:
6-9 squash blossoms
1/4 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 egg
flour
olive oil

Combine the ricotta, parmesan, butter, and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Lightly beat the egg then add about 1/3 of the egg to the cheese mixture.

Check the blossom for any bugs. If they were picked early in the morning there is much less of a chance of bugs. Place the cheese mixture in a small ziplock bag and cut out a small corner of the bag. Carefully pipe the cheese mixture into each squash blossom then close the petals around the stuffing.

Lightly coat each blossom in the remaining egg and then in flour. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet and fry the blossoms until well browned. Drain on paper towels and serve with a light sprinkling of salt.

Summer Squash Quesadillas

I knew that I was coming home to a 'suprise dinner' Sunday night when Dominic picked me up from the airport.  And while I hate to say that I underestimated his culinary skills (he is afterall the breakfast chef in our house) I admit that I assumed it would be dinner at one of the many restaurants around town on our must try list.   The 'suprise dinner' definitely lived up to its name when I was told that there was a homemade meal waiting for me using several items from our basket this week.

Not only was this absolutely delicious, it was also extremely creative. I don't know that I ever would have made squash quesadillas, but thanks to Dominic they now have a definite spot in our summer rotation of meals.  We already discussed several ways to switch up the flavors here and are eagerly awaiting more squash to give them a try.  An obvious addition would be cilantro: either added to the vegetables themselves or chopped into some sour cream to serve alongside.

Dominic also had a great tip that again I never would have thought of for making the quesadillas. I would normally do the obvious of assembling the quessadilla in the pan, cooking it on one side, then potentially very awkwardly flipping it to cook on the other side.  Instead he microwaved the quesadilla for 1 minute before putting it in a very hot pan to crisp up both sides of the tortillas.  This way the cheese was already melted and the whole flipping process caused much less mess than my typical method.

One year ago: Green Bean Salad with Chanterelles

Summer Squash Quesadillas

ingredients:

assortment of summer squash and/or zucchini, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 red chile, finely diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

olive oil

8 oz. monterey jack cheese, grated (preferably the monterey with jalapenos)

flour tortillas (we used red pepper flavored tortillas)

Heat a little olive in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the squash, pepper, onion and chile and cook about 15 minutes stirring frequently.  The vegetables should be very soft.  Add the tomatoes, stir to combine and cook about 5 minutes more or until the tomatoes have begun to soften.  Remove from the heat and place the vegetable mixture in a large mixing bowl. 

Assemble the quesadillas: place 1 tortilla on a microwave safe plate, then top with a layer of vegetable mixture and a layer of cheese.  Microwave for 1 minute.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan the vegetables were cooked in over high heat.  Add the quesadilla and cook about 1 minute on each side or until the tortillas are crisp and browned.  Cut into quarters and serve.