Eatwell Recipe 38: Creamy Beet Salad

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Up until three years ago, I hated beets with a passion. As much as I wanted to like them, I could not quash the waves of revulsion that washed over me with each mouthful. Despite their beautiful, brilliant color and pleasing texture, the experience was just a little too close to eating dirt for me to "stomach."

But shortly after I moved to the Bay Area, I was introduced to golden beets. And to my complete surprise, I liked them. They are just as sweet as red beets but a lot milder (and less dirt-like) in flavor. Golden beets ended up serving as a sort of "gateway" beet for me, easing me into Chioggas and then finally on to the red beets that used to so offend my taste buds. Now I'm a total convert. So I was glad to see the first beets of the season -- red, with long trailing root ends and covered in dirt -- nestled in our produce box on Thursday afternoon.

Creamy Beet Salad by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog
Although I love pickled and roasted beets, I decided that I wanted to try something slightly different. So I tried to recreate a very tasty creamy beet salad I ate recently at Poulet, a local restaurant that serves delicious salads and roasted chickens.
Creamy Beet Salad by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog
It turned out quite well. I think you'll like it. A few other variations you may want to consider: adding some sliced cucumbers, substituting a little very finely minced garlic for the shallot/onion, and adding a jot of horseradish along with any number of other fresh herbs (though dill would be first on my list.)

Creamy Beet Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

* 4-6 large beets, tops removed
* 1 shallot or small onion, minced or finely sliced
* 3 Tbsps sour cream or plain yogurt
* 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
* 2-3 tsps white wine, sherry or champage vinegar (you can also use lemon juice if you prefer that to vinegar)
* 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
* 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
* Freshly ground black pepper to taste
* Sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Begin by cooking the beets. You can either boil them or roast them. Roasting will preserve more of the nutrients and concentrate the flavors better but boiling is super easy so that is usually the method I choose for simple convenience. To boil: Leave the skins on and boil for roughly 35-40 minutes (until tender when poked with a fork) then drain them and let them cool until you can handle them. Then slice or cube to your desired size and shape. To roast: preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the beets and cut them into cubes then drizzle or toss with olive oil to coat and bake in a single layer on a heavy cookie sheet for roughly 40 minutes or until tender.

2. While the beets cool, make the dressing. Simply combine all the ingredients and mix well. Then toss the sliced or cubed beets and stir to combine. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve. This salad tastes good right away but will also get even better in another day as the flavors have time to blossom.

A few more recipes you might like:

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.
The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Ratatouille & Sausage Potpie with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping (Eatwell Recipe 37)

Saturday, October 24, 2009

This recipe caught my eye as I was browsing the food and dining section of the NY Times web site recently. I'm a sucker for any kind of potpie and since I also like ratatouille and cornbread I figured I'd give it a try.


Eggplants

The weather here in Berkeley has suddenly turned autumnal and this dish feels very appropriate for fall -- it's hearty, comforting fare that uses up the last of the late summer vegetable bounty -- zucchini, eggplant, sweet peppers, tomatoes, basil...

Ratatouille with sausage and cornbread biscuit topping by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

The sausage in the ratatouille and the cornmeal in the biscuit topping give this dish a little extra substance and interest and the fresh basil, thyme and parsley add extra flavor.This is a perfect dinner for one of the brisk, early evenings we've been having lately.

Plan to spend roughly an hour and a half making this since you have to make the biscuit dough first and then there's a bunch of slicing, dicing, roasting and sautéeing involved. It's worth the effort, though.

Ratatouille with sausage and cornbread biscuit topping by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

-- print recipe --
Ratatouille and Sausage Potpie With Cornmeal Biscuit Topping
Serves 4

Ingredients

For the biscuits:
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup fine cornmeal
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 3/4 cup sour cream or plain whole milk yogurt
* Milk

For the ratatouille:
* 1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1-inch chunks
* 3 small zucchini ( 3/4 pound), cut into 1-inch chunks
* 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
* 1 red pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
* 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil.

Directions

1. For the biscuits: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the sour cream. Gently knead mixture until it comes together in a ball, adding a drop or two of milk if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. For the ratatouille: In a bowl, toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer on one or two large baking sheets (do not crowd vegetables). Transfer to oven and roast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep, preferably oven-proof sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Crumble sausage into pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Return pan to medium heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in the onion, pepper, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and thyme sprigs; simmer gently until tomatoes are cooked and mixture is stew-like, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sausage, roasted vegetables and parsley. If you are not using an oven-safe pan, transfer mixture to a 2-quart gratin dish or baking pan.

5. Divide biscuit dough into six equal balls. Use your palm to flatten each ball into a 1/2 -inch-thick disk. Arrange on top of ratatouille mixture. Brush biscuits lightly with milk.

6. Transfer skillet or pan to oven and cook until biscuits are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

A few more recipes you might like:
Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.
The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Pasta Autunnale

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Pasta autunnale with roasted eggplant and zucchini, tomatoes and basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Fall has snuck up on me once again. All of a sudden, the days are noticeably shorter, the nights are cooler and our most recent produce box included a big bag of sweet potatoes. The box also contained a lot of other veggies that epitomize the bounty of this harvest time, including yellow cherry tomatoes, eggplant, zucchinis and basil.

Zucchini by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2009

This simple but delicious dish was inspired by pasta primavera but I've changed the name to pasta autunnale (at least that is how I think one would say "autumn" in Italian) in honor of the late summer/early fall veggies in it.

Roasting the eggplant slices by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

While you could certainly sautee the veggies, I recommend grilling them if you have the means -- the flavors are really delightful that way. And don't skimp on the olive oil, Parmesan cheese or basil!

Pasta autunnale with roasted eggplant and zucchini, tomatoes and basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Happy Fall to you and yours.

-- print recipe --Pasta Autunnale
Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1 lb of pasta, preferably spaghetti, linguine or cappellini
* 1 large or 2 small eggplants
* 2-3 medium-sized zucchinis
* 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed and dried
* 1 cup basil leaves, washed and dried
* Parmesan (or Romano) cheese
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil

Directions

1. Wash and dry the eggplant and zucchinis and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, keeping the thickness as uniform as possible. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and the garlic. Add enough oil to coat all the slices.

2. Put on a pot of water to boil for the pasta and then fire up the grill. Grill the veggies (most likely you'll have to do this in batches unless you have a really big grill) over medium heat until soft all the way through. Cook the pasta while you're grilling the veggies.

3. When the pasta is al dente, drain, rinse briefly with cold water and toss with olive oil. Then chop the basil and halve the cherry tomatoes.

4. Place the pasta in a wide, shallow bowl and add the roasted veggies, tomatoes and basil then toss until everything seems evenly distributed. Grate the Parmesan cheese over everything (be liberal with it!), add a few grinds of black pepper and serve.

A few more recipes you might like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Grilled Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil (Eatwell Recipe 35)

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Roasted Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

I found this simple yet ingenious recipe in an old Gourmet magazine (August 2005) and was drawn to the Leaning Tower of Pisa aspect of these stacks. I was also thrilled by the way they taste - layers of sweet, nutty roasted eggplant, juicy tomato, salty feta cheese and aromatic basil - num num...

It seems that we've been lucky enough to dodge the blight bullet, judging by the beautiful tomatoes we've been receiving in our CSA box and that I see at all the local farmers markets.

Ulster Germaid tomato from our garden by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2012

The eggplants my husband and I have been receiving from Eatwell in each produce box are also incredible -- even the big ones are very sweet and flavorful.

Roasting the eggplant slices by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

It's also been a good year for basil -- the sprigs we've received are tender and flavorful.

Happy basil plants need to be harvested by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2013

These grilled stacks are a wonderful marriage of flavors. If you don't have a grill, you could also make them by roasting in the oven. Try to find the sweetest tomatoes you can!

Roasted Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

-- print recipe --Grilled Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil
Serves 4 as a light lunch or first course

Ingredients

* 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 medium eggplants (1 3/4 to 2 lb total)
* 1 large tomato (about 4 inches in diameter) and 2 medium tomatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
* 3 oz feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
* Finely shredded fresh basil leaves for garnish
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Sea salt

Directions

1. Blend basil with oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in blender until finely chopped. Pour into a paper-towel- or coffee-filter-lined sieve set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes. Gather together sides of towel or filter and press gently on it to extract more oil. (You will have a generous 1/3 cup oil.) Reserve 1 tablespoon basil oil separately for serving. Scrape basil solids into a small bowl and reserve.

2. Prepare grill for cooking over medium-heat. While grill heats, cut off bottoms of eggplants, then cut 6 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise rounds from each, starting from cut end. Reserve remaining eggplant for another use. Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from large tomato and 2 center slices (1/3 inch thick) from each medium tomato, reserving remaining tomato for another use.

3. Lightly brush eggplant rounds on both sides with basil oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, lightly brushing eggplant with more basil oil occasionally if it looks dry, until eggplant is very tender, 6 to 10 minutes. (Leave gas grill on.)

4. Make the stacks -- on a baking pan, arrange the 4 largest eggplant rounds side by side and spread each with a generous 1/2 teaspoon of reserved basil solids, then top each with 1 of the 4 largest tomato rounds. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and top each with about 1 tablespoon feta. Make another layer with medium-size eggplant rounds, basil solids, medium tomato rounds, salt, pepper, and feta, then top with remaining eggplant and feta.

5. Set baking pan on grill and cook stacks, with grill cover closed, until heated through and cheese on top is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to 4 plates and drizzle plates with reserved basil oil.

A few more recipes you might like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Savory Zucchini Fritters (Eatwell Recipe 34)

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Zucchini Fritters by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog

My mom is a big fan of fritters. When my brother and I were growing up, she used to make us the most delicious corn fritters and Scottish-inspired oatcakes for breakfast in the mornings. So I had her in mind when I decided to whip up a batch of zucchini fritters for dinner this evening. These fritters are pretty easy to make and very tasty. They'd make a good side dish for dinner or a nice lunch with a salad.

Summer squash by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I recommend serving them with sour cream or plain yogurt as well as something sweet. When my sister-in-law, Julie, makes these fritters, she serves hers with her delicious homemade loquat chutney (click here for the recipe.)

Grated Zucchini by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog

One other suggestion is to add some fresh corn off the cob to the batter -- the kernels add a nice touch of crunch and sweetness and go beautifully with the herbs, onion and Parmesan.

Frying the Zucchini Fritters by EveFox, the Garden of Eating blog

Although autumn has officially begun, it seems no one has informed the zucchini plants 'cause they are still acting like it's summer. Since there's still a ton of summer squash available, I figured that y'all (just experimenting with being Southern) could do with yet another recipe to help you use it up. Happy Fall!

-- print recipe --
Zucchini Fritters
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients
* 1 lb of zucchini (about 2 medium-sized or 4 small), coarsely grated
* 1 large egg or 2 small
* 2 scallions or 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
* 2 tsps chopped fresh parsley, dill or basil
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional, but very tasty...)
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup canola or peanut oil

Directions

1. Salt the zucchini with about 1 teaspoon of salt and set it in a colander to drain. After about 10 minutes, press down on the mixture with your hands to remove more of the liquid.

2. Beat the egg in a large bowl then add the zucchini, flour, scallions, herbs, cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well to ensure that there are no clumps of flour.

3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over medium heat. Drop six large spoonfuls of batter (they should be roughly 2 Tbsp each) into the skillet and press down slightly with the spoon to flatten them. Cook, turning once, until browned, 4-6 minutes on each side. Transfer them to a plate lined with a used brown paper bag to absorb the excess oil. As you remove the finished fritters from the skillet, replace them with new batter and start the process again.

4. Serve hot with the sour cream or yogurt and chutney or applesauce on the side.

A few more recipes you might like:
Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Eatwell Recipe 38: Creamy Beet Salad

Up until three years ago, I hated beets with a passion. As much as I wanted to like them, I could not quash the waves of revulsion that washed over me with each mouthful. Despite their beautiful, brilliant color and pleasing texture, the experience was just a little too close to eating dirt for me to "stomach."

But shortly after I moved to the Bay Area, I was introduced to golden beets. And to my complete surprise, I liked them. They are just as sweet as red beets but a lot milder (and less dirt-like) in flavor. Golden beets ended up serving as a sort of "gateway" beet for me, easing me into Chioggas and then finally on to the red beets that used to so offend my taste buds. Now I'm a total convert. So I was glad to see the first beets of the season -- red, with long trailing root ends and covered in dirt -- nestled in our produce box on Thursday afternoon.

Creamy Beet Salad by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog
Although I love pickled and roasted beets, I decided that I wanted to try something slightly different. So I tried to recreate a very tasty creamy beet salad I ate recently at Poulet, a local restaurant that serves delicious salads and roasted chickens.
Creamy Beet Salad by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog
It turned out quite well. I think you'll like it. A few other variations you may want to consider: adding some sliced cucumbers, substituting a little very finely minced garlic for the shallot/onion, and adding a jot of horseradish along with any number of other fresh herbs (though dill would be first on my list.)

Creamy Beet Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients

* 4-6 large beets, tops removed
* 1 shallot or small onion, minced or finely sliced
* 3 Tbsps sour cream or plain yogurt
* 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
* 2-3 tsps white wine, sherry or champage vinegar (you can also use lemon juice if you prefer that to vinegar)
* 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
* 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
* Freshly ground black pepper to taste
* Sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Begin by cooking the beets. You can either boil them or roast them. Roasting will preserve more of the nutrients and concentrate the flavors better but boiling is super easy so that is usually the method I choose for simple convenience. To boil: Leave the skins on and boil for roughly 35-40 minutes (until tender when poked with a fork) then drain them and let them cool until you can handle them. Then slice or cube to your desired size and shape. To roast: preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel the beets and cut them into cubes then drizzle or toss with olive oil to coat and bake in a single layer on a heavy cookie sheet for roughly 40 minutes or until tender.

2. While the beets cool, make the dressing. Simply combine all the ingredients and mix well. Then toss the sliced or cubed beets and stir to combine. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve. This salad tastes good right away but will also get even better in another day as the flavors have time to blossom.

A few more recipes you might like:

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.
The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Ratatouille & Sausage Potpie with Cornmeal Biscuit Topping (Eatwell Recipe 37)

This recipe caught my eye as I was browsing the food and dining section of the NY Times web site recently. I'm a sucker for any kind of potpie and since I also like ratatouille and cornbread I figured I'd give it a try.


Eggplants

The weather here in Berkeley has suddenly turned autumnal and this dish feels very appropriate for fall -- it's hearty, comforting fare that uses up the last of the late summer vegetable bounty -- zucchini, eggplant, sweet peppers, tomatoes, basil...

Ratatouille with sausage and cornbread biscuit topping by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

The sausage in the ratatouille and the cornmeal in the biscuit topping give this dish a little extra substance and interest and the fresh basil, thyme and parsley add extra flavor.This is a perfect dinner for one of the brisk, early evenings we've been having lately.

Plan to spend roughly an hour and a half making this since you have to make the biscuit dough first and then there's a bunch of slicing, dicing, roasting and sautéeing involved. It's worth the effort, though.

Ratatouille with sausage and cornbread biscuit topping by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

-- print recipe --
Ratatouille and Sausage Potpie With Cornmeal Biscuit Topping
Serves 4

Ingredients

For the biscuits:
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup fine cornmeal
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
* 3/4 cup sour cream or plain whole milk yogurt
* Milk

For the ratatouille:
* 1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1-inch chunks
* 3 small zucchini ( 3/4 pound), cut into 1-inch chunks
* 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
* 1 red pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
* 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil.

Directions

1. For the biscuits: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the sour cream. Gently knead mixture until it comes together in a ball, adding a drop or two of milk if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. For the ratatouille: In a bowl, toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer on one or two large baking sheets (do not crowd vegetables). Transfer to oven and roast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep, preferably oven-proof sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Crumble sausage into pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Return pan to medium heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in the onion, pepper, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and thyme sprigs; simmer gently until tomatoes are cooked and mixture is stew-like, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sausage, roasted vegetables and parsley. If you are not using an oven-safe pan, transfer mixture to a 2-quart gratin dish or baking pan.

5. Divide biscuit dough into six equal balls. Use your palm to flatten each ball into a 1/2 -inch-thick disk. Arrange on top of ratatouille mixture. Brush biscuits lightly with milk.

6. Transfer skillet or pan to oven and cook until biscuits are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

A few more recipes you might like:
Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.
The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Pasta Autunnale

Pasta autunnale with roasted eggplant and zucchini, tomatoes and basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Fall has snuck up on me once again. All of a sudden, the days are noticeably shorter, the nights are cooler and our most recent produce box included a big bag of sweet potatoes. The box also contained a lot of other veggies that epitomize the bounty of this harvest time, including yellow cherry tomatoes, eggplant, zucchinis and basil.

Zucchini by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2009

This simple but delicious dish was inspired by pasta primavera but I've changed the name to pasta autunnale (at least that is how I think one would say "autumn" in Italian) in honor of the late summer/early fall veggies in it.

Roasting the eggplant slices by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

While you could certainly sautee the veggies, I recommend grilling them if you have the means -- the flavors are really delightful that way. And don't skimp on the olive oil, Parmesan cheese or basil!

Pasta autunnale with roasted eggplant and zucchini, tomatoes and basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

Happy Fall to you and yours.

-- print recipe --Pasta Autunnale
Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1 lb of pasta, preferably spaghetti, linguine or cappellini
* 1 large or 2 small eggplants
* 2-3 medium-sized zucchinis
* 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed and dried
* 1 cup basil leaves, washed and dried
* Parmesan (or Romano) cheese
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Olive oil

Directions

1. Wash and dry the eggplant and zucchinis and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices, keeping the thickness as uniform as possible. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and the garlic. Add enough oil to coat all the slices.

2. Put on a pot of water to boil for the pasta and then fire up the grill. Grill the veggies (most likely you'll have to do this in batches unless you have a really big grill) over medium heat until soft all the way through. Cook the pasta while you're grilling the veggies.

3. When the pasta is al dente, drain, rinse briefly with cold water and toss with olive oil. Then chop the basil and halve the cherry tomatoes.

4. Place the pasta in a wide, shallow bowl and add the roasted veggies, tomatoes and basil then toss until everything seems evenly distributed. Grate the Parmesan cheese over everything (be liberal with it!), add a few grinds of black pepper and serve.

A few more recipes you might like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Grilled Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil (Eatwell Recipe 35)

Roasted Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

I found this simple yet ingenious recipe in an old Gourmet magazine (August 2005) and was drawn to the Leaning Tower of Pisa aspect of these stacks. I was also thrilled by the way they taste - layers of sweet, nutty roasted eggplant, juicy tomato, salty feta cheese and aromatic basil - num num...

It seems that we've been lucky enough to dodge the blight bullet, judging by the beautiful tomatoes we've been receiving in our CSA box and that I see at all the local farmers markets.

Ulster Germaid tomato from our garden by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2012

The eggplants my husband and I have been receiving from Eatwell in each produce box are also incredible -- even the big ones are very sweet and flavorful.

Roasting the eggplant slices by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

It's also been a good year for basil -- the sprigs we've received are tender and flavorful.

Happy basil plants need to be harvested by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog, copyright 2013

These grilled stacks are a wonderful marriage of flavors. If you don't have a grill, you could also make them by roasting in the oven. Try to find the sweetest tomatoes you can!

Roasted Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil by Eve Fox, Garden of Eating blog

-- print recipe --Grilled Eggplant Stacks With Tomato, Feta & Basil
Serves 4 as a light lunch or first course

Ingredients

* 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
* 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 medium eggplants (1 3/4 to 2 lb total)
* 1 large tomato (about 4 inches in diameter) and 2 medium tomatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
* 3 oz feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
* Finely shredded fresh basil leaves for garnish
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Sea salt

Directions

1. Blend basil with oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in blender until finely chopped. Pour into a paper-towel- or coffee-filter-lined sieve set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes. Gather together sides of towel or filter and press gently on it to extract more oil. (You will have a generous 1/3 cup oil.) Reserve 1 tablespoon basil oil separately for serving. Scrape basil solids into a small bowl and reserve.

2. Prepare grill for cooking over medium-heat. While grill heats, cut off bottoms of eggplants, then cut 6 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise rounds from each, starting from cut end. Reserve remaining eggplant for another use. Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from large tomato and 2 center slices (1/3 inch thick) from each medium tomato, reserving remaining tomato for another use.

3. Lightly brush eggplant rounds on both sides with basil oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, lightly brushing eggplant with more basil oil occasionally if it looks dry, until eggplant is very tender, 6 to 10 minutes. (Leave gas grill on.)

4. Make the stacks -- on a baking pan, arrange the 4 largest eggplant rounds side by side and spread each with a generous 1/2 teaspoon of reserved basil solids, then top each with 1 of the 4 largest tomato rounds. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and top each with about 1 tablespoon feta. Make another layer with medium-size eggplant rounds, basil solids, medium tomato rounds, salt, pepper, and feta, then top with remaining eggplant and feta.

5. Set baking pan on grill and cook stacks, with grill cover closed, until heated through and cheese on top is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to 4 plates and drizzle plates with reserved basil oil.

A few more recipes you might like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Savory Zucchini Fritters (Eatwell Recipe 34)

Zucchini Fritters by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog

My mom is a big fan of fritters. When my brother and I were growing up, she used to make us the most delicious corn fritters and Scottish-inspired oatcakes for breakfast in the mornings. So I had her in mind when I decided to whip up a batch of zucchini fritters for dinner this evening. These fritters are pretty easy to make and very tasty. They'd make a good side dish for dinner or a nice lunch with a salad.

Summer squash by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

I recommend serving them with sour cream or plain yogurt as well as something sweet. When my sister-in-law, Julie, makes these fritters, she serves hers with her delicious homemade loquat chutney (click here for the recipe.)

Grated Zucchini by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating blog

One other suggestion is to add some fresh corn off the cob to the batter -- the kernels add a nice touch of crunch and sweetness and go beautifully with the herbs, onion and Parmesan.

Frying the Zucchini Fritters by EveFox, the Garden of Eating blog

Although autumn has officially begun, it seems no one has informed the zucchini plants 'cause they are still acting like it's summer. Since there's still a ton of summer squash available, I figured that y'all (just experimenting with being Southern) could do with yet another recipe to help you use it up. Happy Fall!

-- print recipe --
Zucchini Fritters
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients
* 1 lb of zucchini (about 2 medium-sized or 4 small), coarsely grated
* 1 large egg or 2 small
* 2 scallions or 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
* 2 tsps chopped fresh parsley, dill or basil
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional, but very tasty...)
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup canola or peanut oil

Directions

1. Salt the zucchini with about 1 teaspoon of salt and set it in a colander to drain. After about 10 minutes, press down on the mixture with your hands to remove more of the liquid.

2. Beat the egg in a large bowl then add the zucchini, flour, scallions, herbs, cheese and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Mix well to ensure that there are no clumps of flour.

3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over medium heat. Drop six large spoonfuls of batter (they should be roughly 2 Tbsp each) into the skillet and press down slightly with the spoon to flatten them. Cook, turning once, until browned, 4-6 minutes on each side. Transfer them to a plate lined with a used brown paper bag to absorb the excess oil. As you remove the finished fritters from the skillet, replace them with new batter and start the process again.

4. Serve hot with the sour cream or yogurt and chutney or applesauce on the side.

A few more recipes you might like:
Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

The Eatwell Project: a year of seasonal recipes -- logo by Eve Fox
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.