Meatless Monday - Ratatouille

I've made this before but my recent harvests rather demand it. One keen eyed observer even predicted it! But with tomatoes, peppers, onions, eggplant, crooked neck squash, basil and parsley all from the garden it would be harder to justify not making it rather than repeating from a year ago.

I follow the suggestion from the  Gourmet cookbook and cook the components separately before combining them for a final simmer. The results are worth it!

Ratatouille
Ingredients:
2-3 pounds of tomatoes roughly chopped - If you want you can peel them first, but I don't bother
2 big onions sliced thinly
2 lbs each of zucchini and eggplant cut into bite size chunks - I used crooked neck squash instead of zucchini
3 bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1" chunks
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 handful of basil leaves torn in half - about 20
6-10 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1+ cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon  fresh ground pepper
salt

Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, parsley and basil and 1/3 cup of olive oil. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer about 30 minutes until the tomatoes break down.

Meanwhile.... put the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Place over a pan or in the sink while it drains.

In a big saute pan heat 3 tbs olive oil. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, cook until soft - about 10 minutes  - remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Repeat procedure with peppers, crooked neck squash (or zucchini) adding olive oil and salt each time.

Finally, blot dry the eggplant, add another 3 tbs of olive oil (no salt) and the eggplant - cook until soft about 10-12 minutes.

Add all the cooked vegetables and black pepper to the simmering tomatoes. Simmer for another hour or so until the vegetables are very tender.

Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Serve hot, warm or room temperature with some crusty bread. It's like summer in a bowl!

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging! 

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @gastrogardener
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email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Meatless Monday - "Ratatouille" Panini

This time of year is great with all the produce in the garden or farmers market. One of my favorite things to make is ratatouille, that delicious vegetable stew featuring eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes.

I had picked up some nice bread at the market, and thought, why not use those same flavors and make a sandwich, a toasted sandwich. A Ratatouille Panini!

Here in the States panini is used to denote a grilled sandwich, but the word comes from the Italian panino, meaning little roll. Panini is the plural form. So while the word is bastardized here in North America, it conjures an image of toasty crusty crunchy deliciousness. And when the stars of the sandwich come from your own garden? Well, it is only so much the better! I won't give exact measurements since I don't know how big you want your sandwich, and, being a sandwich it is a highly flexible "recipe." See what's fresh and take it from there!

Here's what I did.


Ingredients:
Good bread
2-3 Tomatoes sliced 1/3" thick
Eggplant sliced into rounds
Zucchini sliced into rounds
Bell pepper, preferably red or yellow sliced into sections
2 Garlic bulbs, separated into cloves and peeled
olive oil
Herbs de Provence
salt
softened goat cheese (optional)
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Directions:
In a small sauce pan add garlic cloves and rosemary. Add enough olive oil to cover. Cook over very low heat, don't boil. Simmer for about an hour. When the garlic cloves are very tender, remove from heat and let cool.

While garlic poaches, prepare the vegetables.

Preheat oven to 225-250F.

Put cut vegetables on cooling rack over a cookie sheet, sprinkle eggplant and zucchini with salt to draw out moisture. Allow to sit for 30 minutes, blot moisture with paper towel. Turn the vegetables over and repeat the process.

Sprinkle the vegetables with the Herbs de Provence.

Put vegetables in slow oven until tender and slightly dry. Check at 1 hour, then every 30 minutes after that.

Here's what I had after the slow roasting.

I have and used a panini press but you could use a ribbed skillet or even a grill outdoors. Work with what you have.

Remove the garlic cloves from the oil.

Grill the vegetables (except the tomatoes, they will bee too delicate) brushing with the garlic infused oil.

Assemble the sandwich.  Smear the tender garlic onto one side of one of the pieces of bread.  Smear the other piece with the goat cheese. These are the inside part of the sandwich.

Layer the vegetables onto one of the pieces of bread.

Put the other piece of bread on top. Brush the top with a generous amount of the garlic infused oil. Put the  sandwich oiled side down on the panini press or skillet or whatever you are using. Oil the other side.

Grill until toasty and starting to char in spots.  Remove from press and allow to cool slightly before cutting in two. This  served two.

It was absolutely delicous, crunchy bread, tender vegetables, the garlic mellowed by poaching. A perfect summer dinner.

What vegetables do you have on hand?

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!


The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - @gastrogardener
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Meatless Monday - Summer Squash Soup

I am one of the fortunate ones. I only planted one each of Crooked Neck Squash and Zucchini. I have only slightly more than I can use and haven't resorted to dastardly ditch and dash tactics on my neighbors. Yet.  But I have to stay on top of it, checking them for size everyday, and harvesting them before they resemble a weapon of mass gustation.

I've made winter squash soup many times, but not summer squash soup. How will it turn out?  It was great, and I used the squash, shallots, carrots and fresh herbs from the garden.

An immersion blender purees this soup nicely, but you could use a standard blender as well. Be careful when blending hot liquids!

Summer Squash Soup

Ingredients:
4-6 cups rough diced  summer squash - crooked neck, zucchini, whatever you have on hand.
2 small shallots chopped
2 small carrots (or 1 large) chopped
1 small hot chili (optional)
1-2 tbs olive oil
4 cups or more of vegetable stock (enough to barely cover the squash in the pot)
1 tbs basil chopped
1 tsp oregano chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Sour cream (optional)

Directions:
Prep all the vegetables.

Put a soup pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil.

Add shallots, carrots (and chili)  to oil, cook stirring often for about 3 minutes, until shallots are translucent but not browned. Add a generous pinch of salt.

Add squash and continue to cook about 5 minutes.

Add enough vegetable broth to just cover the  squash.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1/2 hour or until the carrots are very tender.

Remove from heat, add basil and oregano.

Using the immersion blender, blend the squash/broth mixture until smooth. If using a regular blender work in batches, moving blended soup to another pot.

Check and adjust seasonings. It took a bit of salt.

Serve with crusty bread, a dollop of sour cream (or plain yogurt), garnish with basil leaves.

This was quite delicious! I'm pretty sure it would be good chilled as well. It is surprisingly thick without the use of any extra starches. Next time I think a little lemon zest, and a squeeze of lemon will be added. My second (!) bowl I added a dash of vinegar, and it was a wise addition.

Give this a try!

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener
email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Meatless Monday - Veggie Saute and Pasta

This time of year there is no excuse not to go meatless at least once a week. The produce is popping and whether at the farmers market or in your own garden, NOW is the time to take advantage of the bounty of the season.

With such pristine ingredients, I want to do as little as possible to them, and present them simply. In this case simple is good.

Crooked neck squash, zucchini, chilies, shallots, tomatoes and basil from the garden.

Garlic, olive oil, pasta, pecorino romano, salt and pepper from the larder.

A little boiled water, some hot oil and dinner is ready in 18 minutes. Feels good doesn't it?

Quick, light and delicious. Perfect for a weekday meal.

Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
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email: thegastronomicgardener at gmail dot com

Zucchini cakes for Meatless Monday

It's that time of year when the zucchini can start to come on at a furious rate. I've only got one plant and it is keeping me happy with zucchinis. Checking them every day keeps them from become as big as tree trunks. But what to do with them?

I've made zucchini cakes before so thought I'd share them with you today. Simply put they are grated zucchini with a few add-ins, pan fried in a little olive oil.

Ingredients:
Zucchini - from garden
2 cloves garlic minced
Shallot
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 TBS flour
1/4 tsp baking  powder
Salt
Crushed red pepper
olive oil for cooking

Trim up the Zucchini

Line a bowl with a cotton dish towel (not terry cloth). Grate zucchini into the bowl.

Wring out the zucchini. Keep the zucchini juice for soup or, drink it as I did. Refreshing!

To the grated drained zucchini  add the cheese, shallot, garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt, pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Heat 2 TBS  oilive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Spoon about 1/4 cup for each cake, flatten with a fork.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fry until brown, flip and brown other side.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Remove and drain on paper towel.
 
Plate, garnish with some chopped parsley and serve with dressing of your choice. I used Bleu cheese. Ranch would be good too.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Until next time, Eat Well and Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Meatless Monday Zucchini and Black bean Quesadillas

After last night's porky fiasco, I was looking forward to Meatless Monday, and some simple fare that didn't involve the likely ingestion of carpet fibers.

This is a super simple meal, yet it was surprisingly filling and delicious. It was fast too, perfect for a busy weeknight.

There isn't a ton of cheese, just enough to hold everything together. Feel free to jazz this up as you see fit. Wringing the water out of the zucchini is key to the success of this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 lb zucchini grated - about 2 medium (7")
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced fine
1 15 oz can blackbeans drained and rinsed
1/2 medium onion sliced very thin
8 oz grated cheese
6-8 flour tortillas 8" diameter
olive oil
salt

Grate the zucchini

Add a generous pinch of salt and put zucchini into a colandar.

Grate the cheese, drain and rinse the beans.

Dice the jalapeno and slice the onion.

Put the zucchini in a non terry cloth dish towel.

Wrap the loose ends of the towel and (over a sink or a bowl) wring out the moisture, I easily got a cup. See how much the squash compresses?

Add squash, beans, onions, jalapeno and cheese to a big bowl. Mix together thoroughly.

Preheat large griddle or pan. Brush oil on one side of a tortilla, place in heated pan oiled side down, add a generous amount of the bean zucchini mixture.

Oil another tortilla and place it over the filling, oiled side up. Cook until bottom tortilla is golden brown, flip and cook other side.

Cut into quarters and served with homemade salsa, and yogurt.

Crispy, flaky tortilla, dense and satisfying filling. And just one was enough for dinner. Be sure to give this one a try!


Until next time, Eat Well & Keep Digging!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener