For some reason the saying “what grows together goes together” kept coming to mind while I was writing this packet. All the produce in this week’s share gets along swimmingly and you can mix and match ingredients in salads, simple sautes, sauces, etc. with ease: corn, poblanos, onion and eggplant would make a lovely succotash-like dish (in a very loose way!:) when all cut small and sauteed in some bacon fat or olive oil.

You might want to pick up some herbs (basil and mint in particular if you’re out and about and maybe some cilantro). Otherwise you should be set for lots of fabulous meals with the pinnacle of summer produce in your share. And while I don’t mention a recipe for this because you don’t need one, make tomato sandwiches while the tomatoes last. I eat them almost daily–sometimes I toast the bread and rub it with garlic, then slather on homemade or storebought mayo and then pile on thick slices of tomatoes, some basil and call it good. I never tire of it and this hot weather begs for them.

I just ran across this recipe for Fresh Corn Polenta with Eggplant Sauce  and don’t have the time to test it or write it up here but the link should do! I completely trust Yotam Ottlenghi and you’ve seen adaptations of his recipes here before.

Poblano Notes
Roasted Poblano and Onion Tacos
Pappa Al Pomodoro (Tuscan Tomato Bread Soup)
Eggplant, Tomato and Onion Gratin
Corn and Zucchini Fritters
Fennel Notes

Poblano Notes

Poblano peppers have a wide ranging heat level so taste a bit before you use so you know what to expect.

They need to be charred and blistered to remove their skins for most any preparation I’m familiar with. This is simple to do either under the broiler or right on the grate over a gas stop burner or over a hot grill. After they’re nicely blackened I put them in a bowl and cover them with a towel to steam and cool for a bit. Then you can easily peel and core them and remove all the seeds.  Now they can be stuffed with other vegetables (Sauteed onions, corn and tomatoes and a little feta or queso fresco would be delicious), ground meat, herbs, cheeses, etc.

They can be chopped up and added to salsas, sauces and soups or scrambles or frittatas. They add a lovely smoky sweet heat to a great variety of dishes.

Roasted Poblano and Onion Tacos

This is a variation on the Mexican dish Rajas.  It’s delicious, smoky and easily varied. I’ve included a meat (beef) and vegetarian (potato) option below. You could also add some corn sliced off the cob to this as well.

3 poblano peppers
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
olive oil
6 oz skirt or flank steak (optional), sliced thinly against the grain
3 potatoes (optional) cut into small dice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt & pepper,
1/3 cup of heavy cream (or sour cream)
8-10 small corn tortillas
Chopped cilantro and lime wedges for topping (optional)

Roast the peppers under the broiler or directly over the gas flame on the stove top, until they’re black and blistered all around. Set in a bowl to cool and cover with a plate or towel. They are easier to peel if you let them steam a bit like this. When cool, peel and seed the peppers and cut them into ½-inch wide strips.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot add the flank steak strips in a single layer, if using, sprinkle generously with salt and sear on both sides for about 1 minute each. It cooks really quickly and gets tough quickly so do not overcook. Remove from pan onto a plate.

Add the onions to the same skillet with a little more oil and the cumin. Sauté until beginning to brown and soften. If you are using potatoes (instead of or in addition to the beef) add the diced potato and cook on medium-high heat, stirring often until the potatoes are tender.

Add the poblano strips and heat them through, then add the meat back in (if using), and then add the cream and a few grinds of black pepper and quickly bring to a boil.

Serve the mixture on warmed tortillas with a little fresh cilantro and a squeeze of limejuice.

Eggplant, Tomato and Onion Gratin
–adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

Simple and delicious.

2 1/2 Cortland onions
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 ½ eggplants (more or less)
3 medium to large heirloom tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel and chop both the onions and garlic very finely and sauté them in half the butter and half the oil for about five minutes with the thyme leaves, bay leaf and salt and pepper.

Slice the eggplants into ¼-inch-thick slices. Slice the tomatoes slightly thicker.

Butter a shallow baking dish. Remove the bay leaf from the onions and spread them over the bottom of the dish. Cover with overlapping rows of alternate tomato and eggplant slices. Each slice should cover two thirds of the preceding one. Season generously with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until the eggplant is very soft. Uncover for the last 15 minutes or earlier if the tomatoes are giving up too much liquid. Brush or spoon the juices over the top occasionally to prevent the top layer form drying out.

This is a perfect accompaniment to grilled or roasted lamb or as is more common in my household with a simple frittata or green salad and a piece of bread.

Pappa al Pomodoro

This is a classic Tuscan soup. I realize you don’t have basil in your share this week but this soup is just too good so pick up some basil if you can and make it.

4 pounds tomatoes (combo of heirloom and slicers if fine)
1/3 cup good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt
½ pound stale 1-inch bread cubes (4 cups)
1 cup basil leaves, torn

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut a slit in the base of each tomato. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water and blanch just until the skins start to split, about 10 seconds. Transfer the blanched tomatoes to a bowl.

Peel and halve the tomatoes crosswise. Working over a mesh strainer set over a bowl, pry out the seeds and discard them. Now coarsely chop the tomatoes and add them to the juice in the bowl.

Wipe out the pot and heat the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and season with salt. Cover partially and simmer over moderately high heat until the tomatoes have cooked down, about 25 minutes.

Add the bread to the soup and cook, mashing the bread until fully incorporated, and season with salt. Stir in the basil leaves. Spoon the soup into shallow bowls, drizzle with a bit more of the best olive oil you have.  The soup should be quite thick and will continue to thicken as it sits. You can thin it with a bit of water or broth if you’d like it thinner.

Corn and Zucchini Fritters

This is a variation of the recipe you got early in the season. The corn and zucchini combination is a winning one.

1 1/2 lbs zucchini or any summer squash
2-3 ears of corn
about 3 tablespoons finely diced onions
2 eggs
1/3 cup cold water
1/3 cup flour
Salt and Pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons oregano, parsley or basil, chopped (optional)
Olive or other oil for frying

Grate the zucchini/squash on the large holes of a grater onto a clean kitchen towel.  Sprinkle with some salt and let it rest while you gather and prep the remaining ingredients.

Wrap the zucchini in the towel and wring as much liquid out of it as possible, discarding the liquid.

Cook the ears of corn in boiling water for just a minute or two. Cut the kernels off the cob. If you do this in a large bowl the kernels will be pretty much contained and not fly all over the kitchen.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with the water and flour and then add the drained zucchini, onion, corn, cumin and freshly ground pepper. Add herbs if you’re using any. Mix well and taste and adjust seasoning.

Add a scant tablespoon of oil to a large skillet.  Place the pan over medium-high heat.  Spoon about 3 tablespoons (about a ¼ cup) of batter into the pan. Depending on the size of your pan you should be able to fry about 3-5 at once.  Flatten them a bit with the back of a spatula and cook until the fritters are golden brown on each side, 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve with a simple fresh salsa or tomato sauce or some Greek yogurt or just plain.

Fennel Notes

Fennel takes well to citrus (lemon and orange zest and juice), cured black olives, tomatoes, pork, etc.

Slice it very thinly and add it to a green salad with a lemony dressing. You could toss some chopped olives and capers and some shavings of a hard cheese in as well.

Or you could make the fennel soffrito I included a while back.

Two very different celery salads this week to take advantage of this new item in the share. And lots of favorites, from the Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart to the Calabrian Style Eggplant to the Zucchini Cake–one of my all time favorite cakes. And towards the end of summer squash season I inevitably circle back to my favorites—the summer squash pancakes (you could add minced jalapenos and cilantro this time around) and simply roasted in a hot oven (or broiled) and then dressed with a bit of olive oil, herbs and minced garlic.

Recipes

Celery and Chickpea Salad
Celery Salad with Anchovy Dressing
Tomato Goat Cheese Tart
Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad
Roasted Tomatoes (for freezing or using right away)
Roasted Salsa
Calabrian Style Eggplant
Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Zucchini Cake

Celery and Chickpea Salad
–adapted from 101cookbooks.com

8 large celery stalks, stripped of strings
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds and membranes removed if you don’t want much heat)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, heated (home-cooked is best if you have them)
3 tablespoons dried currants (or golden raisins)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, deeply toasted
Sea salt
½ cup chopped cilantro

Slice the celery stalks quite thinly – 1/8-inch or so. Then, in a small bowl, make a paste with the olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Set aside. In a large bowl toss the heated beans with the olive-Parmesan mixture. When well combined, add the celery, currants, and most of the almonds. Toss once more. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed. Serve in a bowl or platter topped with herb flowers and/or celery leaves.

Celery Salad with Anchovy Dressing
–adapted from Food and Wine

You can cut the celery in two ways. You can cut them all into thin strips as described below or you can do that for the larger ribs and just thinly slice the smaller ones on the bias. This is a fun, bright and strongly flavored salad.

16 large celery ribs—peeled, halved crosswise and sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch strips or 8-10 large ribs, cut this way and the 8 or so smaller, inside ones, cut thinly on the bias
½ -3/4 cup celery leaves (from the inside ribs), roughly chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 large anchovy fillets, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, quartered
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the celery strips (not the slices) in a large bowl of ice water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight, until the celery strips are curled and very crisp.

Pound the garlic and anchovies and some salt in a mortar until you’ve made a paste. Alternatively you can mince and then mash the garlic on a cutting board with some salt with the side of a chef’s knife, or use a garlic press. Mix the garlic with the finely chopped anchovy in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and white wine vinegar and mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the celery and pat thoroughly dry. Put the celery in a dry bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Transfer to a platter and serve at once.

Tomato Goat Cheese Tart
–adapted from davidlebovitz.com

One 9- or 10-inch tart

Because this is ‘country-style’ fare, this tart is open to lots of interpretation. For those of you who are leery of tart dough, this dough is easy to work with and less crumbly than some thanks to the egg in the dough. I don’t let the dough rest unless I happen to be making the dough ahead, but simply roll it out, transferred it into the tart ring, and run the rolling pin over the dough to neatly shear away the edges.

Tart Filling

One unbaked tart dough (see recipe, below)

Dijon or whole-grain mustard
2-3 large heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Two generous tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, basil and/or thyme
8 ounces fresh or slightly aged goat cheese, sliced into rounds (this can be hard to do as it crumbles but just do your best and reshape a bit- it’s easiest to cut if it’s really cold)

Tart Dough

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or half apf and half whole wheat)
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.

Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.

Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.

Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of the pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. (yes, this is a hot oven but it works well to set the crust and prevent the tomatoes from making it soggy.)

Spread an even layer of mustard over the bottom of the tart dough and let it sit a few minutes to dry out. Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over the mustard in a single, even layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh herbs, then arrange the slices of goat cheese on top. Add some more fresh herbs.

Bake the tart for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is cooked, the tomatoes are tender, and the cheese on top is nicely browned. Depending on the heat of your oven, if the cheese doesn’t brown as much as you’d like it, you might want to pass it under the broiler until it’s just right.

Roasted Salsa

This is a nice variation to the fresh pico de gallo like salsas. The roasted peppers and garlic add nice depth and smoky flavor.

2 jalapenos (or more)
3 cloves garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 ½ lbs tomatoes, diced (either heirloom or new girl slicers)
1/3 – ½ cup chopped cilantro
Salt
Fresh lime juice (about 2 tablespoons)

Dice the tomatoes and put them in a strainer over a bowl and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salsa.

In a dry, ungreased skillet over medium heat roast the garlic cloves (unpeeled!) and jalapenos. You want them to get brown, in spots here and there and to soften and do it fairly slowly. The garlic will take 12-15 minutes and the peppers about 10. You want to turn both frequently to evenly brown and soften them.

When the garlic and peppers are done, peel garlic and remove stems from jalapenos. If you’re very averse to spice you can remove seeds and membranes from peppers but they add lots of flavor and a nice warm heat so leave them in if you can. Now you can either chop them both very finely or process briefly in a food processor.

Shake the tomatoes around in the strainer a bit just to remove a little of the juice. Now either finely chop them or toss them briefly in a processor as well. Mix with the remainder of the ingredients and taste and adjust for seasoning with lime juice and salt.

Roasted Tomatoes

(to use immediately or to freeze)

I process about 30-40 lbs of tomatoes in this fashion each year. I use this method for slicers, heirlooms, sauce tomatoes and even cherry tomatoes (which turn out like candy). The heirlooms take longer since they have more moisture but they are delicious. It is a very low stress way of preserving lots of tomatoes if you have the freezer space. Small quantities are easy to make too. There’s no peeling, canning, or chopping. And the results are so tasty. I’ve been doing small batches so I can keep up with my garden the last several weeks.

Cut tomatoes in half (on the “equator”) and place them cut-side up on a sheet pan. Pack as many as you can onto a cookie sheet with sides. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast at 400 degrees about 2-3 hours until they are about half their original size, are still moist but a bit caramelized around the edges. It will depend on the size/kind of tomato how long this takes.

Now if you’re going to use them right away you can chop them or they may just fall apart and then you can use them as a sauce for pasta or rice or most anything. Add a bunch of fresh basil and a little fresh, minced garlic to offset the sweetness if you’d like. A dash of balsamic vinegar is good too.

If you are going to freeze them, let them cool on the sheet pans and then put the pans in the freezer. When tomatoes are firm remove, pick them off the tray and pack them in freezer bags or containers. Use as needed all winter long, chopped up in sandwiches (grilled cheese is wonderful with them), quesadillas, soups, sauces, finely chopped in a salad dressing, as a soup base, etc.

Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad

This time of year you can toss most any vegetable together with some fresh herbs and a good dressing and to make things even better in my bean-loving opinion, some cooked beans, and you’ve got a meal. This is a lovely, simple combo for this week’s bounty.

Toss 2-3 (or more) ears of corn in boiling water for just a minute. Remove and cut the kernels off the cob. If you do this in a large bowl you won’t be chasing the kernels all over the kitchen floor.
2 cups (or more) cooked and cooled (or canned and rinsed) black, cranberry or pinto beans (or another bean of your choice)
1-2 jalapenos, minced (seeded and membrane removed if you want to keep it mild but taste them first they may not be very hot and keeping the seeds and membranes adds a lot of flavor)
½ cup, roughly chopped cilantro
2 cups (more or less) diced tomatoes
Juice of one lime
Zest of one lime
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2-3 tablespoons good olive oi
Salt and pepper

Combine everything in a bowl. Mix gently, taste and adjust seasoning.

Calabrian-style Eggplant

Like a few other dishes you’ve seen here, I learned this in Calabria, the toe of the Italian “boot”.

This is served with good crusty bread (almost like a spread) and eaten with a green salad and a chunk of cheese or some cured meats as a simple supper on hot days. This is a very spicy dish that I make far tamer than they do in Calabria. So adjust the heat to your liking. You can start with ½ teaspoon of pepper flakes and move up from there.

Eggplant, diced (however much you have/want to use but it cooks down quite a bit so start with at least 4 cups of diced eggplant.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or Calabrian peperoncini flakes if you have them!)
Olive oil
Salt

Note: There’s no need to salt and drain the eggplant. With the fresh eggplants you’re getting in fact I don’t think there is ever a reason to do that. I find them perfectly sweet and wonderful without that step in most any preparation.

Heat a large skillet with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the eggplant, toss well to coat and add several generous pinches of salt and the red pepper flakes. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the eggplant begins to soften. Turn down to medium and cover and continue cooking until the eggplant pieces loose their shape. You can assist with this by mashing them with the back of a wooden spoon as you go. Ideally you don’t add any water but you can add a bit more olive oil if things start sticking too much. Browning is fine though. When the eggplant is soft add the minced garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Adjust for salt, drizzle generously with good-tasting olive oil and mash with the back of a wooden spoon again. Serve with good, crusty bread. You can use this as a sandwich spread as well or as a topping for pizza with some fresh tomatoes and lots of basil.

Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

This is a quick, hearty pasta dish. I seem to be incorrigibly drawn to Italian preparations this time of year. They’re so quick and easy and satisfying.

Olive oil
1 medium globe eggplant or several smaller ones, cut into ½ -inch dice (no need to peel, salt or soak)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped (optional)
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley (or basil or a combination)
½ cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
1lb fusilli, penne or other stout pasta
½ cup pasta cooking water, reserved before draining

Sauté the eggplant in a heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high, then medium-high heat stirring frequently. When the eggplant is soft, add the tomatoes, capers, if using, and the garlic and several generous pinches of salt. Cook on high heat until the tomatoes break down just a bit and some of their liquid evaporates so you have a nice thick, chunky sauce—about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and/or basil.

Meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente. Right before you drain the pasta scoop out about ½ cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, toss with the sauce, add the reserved cooking water to loosen it up a bit and serve immediately with the cheese.

Zucchini Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze
–Adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma via David Lebovitz

Serves 12-16

This is hands down the best zucchini cake I’ve ever had. I’ve mad it many times with zucchini or yellow crookneck squash. It’s a bit of work but it’s worth it.

I grate the zucchini by hand; ½ on the finer holes of my box grater and half on the larger ones but the Kitchen Aid fine disk would work too.

The best way to invert the cake is to lay the cooling rack over the top of the cake pan, then grasping both the cake pan and the rack simultaneously (if it’s too hot, wear oven mitts), flip them both over at once. Lift off the cake pan, then liberally brush the glaze over the warm cake

For the cake:

1 cup almonds, pecans, or walnuts
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
Grated zest of one lemon
1 cup (250ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (300g) finely grated zucchini or other summer squash

For the lemon glaze:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Grease a 10 cup (2.5l) bundt or tube cake pan* with butter, dust with flour, then tap out any excess.

Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, 1 ¼ cups sugar, lemon zest and olive oil for 3 minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixer, then add the vanilla.

Mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl to make sure everything is mixed in well, and then beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, or continue by hand. I’ve always done this by hand and it’s been great.

Stir in the chopped nuts and zucchini. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, smooth the top, then bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.

During the last few minutes of the cake baking, make the glaze by whisking together the lemon juice, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and powdered sugar.

Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack. Brush the glaze over the cake with a pastry brush and let the cake cool completely.

*If you don’t have a bundt or tube pan you can use a regular round cake pan with good results. This cake batter could also be baked in two loaf pans.

Lots of simple ideas and quick dishes this week. It’s going to be hot again so having a few of these room temperature or chilled sides/dips like the baba ganoush (I’ve included a version for summer squash which is delicious as well!) and the beets with mint and yogurt might be useful. The kale bruschetta is worth a try as is the Roasted eggplant–beautiful and addictive. Enjoy!

Corn Ideas
Tomato Bread Gratin
Simple Fresh Tomato Sauce
Roasted Eggplant with Simple Tomato Sauce and Basil
Kale Notes
Eggplant or Summer Squash “Baba Ganoush”
Beets with Mint and Yogurt

Corn Ideas

• Corn is an unorthodox pizza topping but it’s delicious. Try sautéing lots of onions sliced into 1/4 –inch half rounds, add the kernels from a few ears of corn and a bit of diced bacon (optional) and top a very thinly rolled out pizza dough with it over a good slick of olive oil. Top with lots of sliced fresh basil when it comes out of the oven. You could add a bit of grated cheese towards the end of the cooking time if you’d like. And lots of freshly ground pepper and sea salt.

• Sauté a bunch of diced onion, diced zucchini and corn to make a scramble or a frittata—again basil would be a delicious addition.

Tomato Bread Gratin
–Adapted from Ina Garten

You can poach or fry an egg to serve on top of this or just have it with a salad for dinner. We had it for dinner this week with beautiful, steamed artichokes and that was dinner. Leftovers are as good or better than the first round—if you can keep from eating it all.

Serves 4

3-4 cups bread from a good crusty loaf with a fairly open crumb (if you’re in Portland Grand Central Como or Levain is perfect or other French/Italian style bread—not sandwich bread), cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 – 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
or if supplementing with cherry tomatoes just cut those in half
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup thinly slivered basil leaves, lightly packed
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other hard cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add the bread cubes and stir so that they are evenly coated with oil. Cook cubes, tossing frequently, until toasty on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are toasted, add the tomato mixture and cook them together, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the basil. Pour into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish and top with Parmesan cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm with a big green salad, a bean salad and/or a poached egg.

Simple Tomato Sauce

This time of year is really too good to be true. I don’t have enough stomach space and meals in the day to make and eat everything I want to right now. This sauce is so versatile and makes good use of the bounty of tomatoes right now. It also freezes well so make lots if you want. It’s perfect on pizzas, with pasta of course, or layered with rounds of eggplant and baked (see below) or a dozen other ways.

1 medium onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons olive oil (or 1 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter)
6 cups (more or less) coarsely chopped tomatoes (mix of new girls and heirlooms or just one or the other is fine. The heirlooms will be juicier and will take longer to cook down.)
Salt
2 tablespoons butter (optional but highly recommended)

In a large skillet heat the oil or oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently for about 8-10 minutes until softened but not brown. Turn down if they begin to brown. Add the tomatoes and bring to a rapid boil and then turn down to medium. Add a few generous pinches of salt and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and any watery juices have cooked off. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the optional butter at the very end. It really rounds things out but is by no means essential.

Roasted Eggplant with Simple Tomato Sauce and Basil
–adapted from teaandcookiesblog.com

This is so simple and so delicious. It takes a bit of time to bake but if you have some sauce already made it just takes a few minutes to assemble. Make a big green salad to accompany it and fry or poach eggs to go on top of the stacks if you’d like and you’ve got dinner.

1 large eggplant
¾ cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
2 – 2 ½ cups tomato sauce (recipe above)
2-3 tablespoons chopped basil

Preheat oven to 350.

Slice the eggplant across the width into slices roughly 1/3 of an inch (don’t go bigger than 1/2 inch or it will take too long to bake) and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Let sit in a bowl for 30 minutes to an hour and discard any liquid in the bottom of the bowl. Pat the slices dry and set aside. You can skip this step if you’re in a hurry. It speeds up the cooking process a bit but your eggplants are so fresh there will be no bitterness that you need to remove with this process.

Grease the bottom of a glass or metal baking dish with vegetable or canola oil. Place the largest slices on the bottom and spoon 1/4 cup of sauce over and sprinkle with a little bit of grated cheese. Top with next largest slices and repeat with the sauce and cheese. Continue until you have three layers of eggplant. Make sure to top with a good amount of sauce and just a little cheese.

If you have any awkward ends to the eggplant, score them and top with extra sauce and bake in the pan with the stacks. They make a good snack.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until the eggplant is soft all the way through. If your sauce is beginning to brown on top, use some foil to tent over the eggplant.

Kale Notes

• Simply sauté the kale with a bunch of sliced onions and a clove or two of minced garlic in a generous glug of olive oil. Let cook slowly for about 20-30 minutes for the most luscious side dish. You could add ½ or more cup of diced tomatoes to the mix towards the beginning and they will create a luscious tomatoe-y coating. Don’t forget to season well with sea salt.

• I love bruschetta piled high with slowly cooked kale. Toast or grill good crusty slices of bread. Rub them with a clove of garlic and then pile on the kale that you’ve cooked for about 20-25 minutes in a bit of olive oil with nothing but salt. Drizzle the whole thing with the best olive oil you have and another sprinkling of good sea salt. Fry and egg and put that on top and call it dinner.

Eggplant or Summer Squash “Baba Ganoush”
–adapted from davidlebovitz.com

Baba ganoush is the smoky eggplant puree that I find terribly addictive. You can also use the same technique and seasonings with zucchini or other summer squash. This week you could use either eggplant or summer squash or a combo. If you by chance of smoked salt in your pantry (I do not but have been meaning to get some) use it in this dish.

You can add a pinch of ground cumin if you’d like. It’s a nice addition as long as it’s very subtle.

2 medium-sized eggplants or 3 medium to large summer squash
¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/8 teaspoon chile powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup of mint leaves or cilantro, chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400F

Prick each eggplant a few times, then char the outside of the eggplants by placing them directly on the flame of a gas burner and as the skin chars, turn them until the eggplants are uniformly-charred on the outside. (If you don’t have a gas stove, you can char them under the broiler. If not, skip to the next step.) If you are using squash you can skip this step too.

Place the eggplants and/or summer squash on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until they’re completely soft; you should be able to easily poke a paring knife into them and meet no resistance. Remove from oven and let cool a bit.

Split the eggplant and scrape out the pulp. No need to do this for squash if that’s what you’re using. Puree the pulp in a blender or food processor with the other ingredients until smooth.

Taste, and season with additional salt and lemon juice, if necessary. Serve drizzle with olive oil, perhaps some herbs and with crackers, sliced baguette, or toasted pita chips for dipping.

Baba Ganoush can be made and refrigerated for up to five days prior to serving.

Beets with Mint and Yogurt
–adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian

This is a bit like an Indian tzatziki, the Greek dish of cucumbers, yogurt, dill and garlic. It’s a crazy color—much like the beet pesto you might have a made a few weeks ago. Don’t be put off by the color—it’s very good. Serve it with good bread, with hardboiled eggs or boiled potatoes, rice, etc.

And you might as well roast or boil all your beets at once and then use some for this dish, some diced in a salad or tossed with some goat or blue cheese and toasted nuts and a simple vinaigrette.

2 medium boiled or roasted beets, peeled and cooled
2 cups whole milk plain or Greek yogurt
½ teaspoon or more sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (more or less to taste) (optional)
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 small garlic cloves, sliced (not terribly thin)

Grate the beets on the large holes of a box grater. Put the yogurt in a bowl and whisk it briefly to until it is smooth and creamy. Add the salt, pepper and cayenne, if using. Mix well. Add the beets and mint and mix gently.

Put the oil and garlic slices in a small skillet and set over medium-high heat. The garlic will begin to sizzle and then press down on it with a spatula and let it sizzle some more, turning the pieces once or twice, until they turn just golden brown. Now our the flavored oil and the garlic into the bowl with the yogurt and mix.

Make the tomato paella and sweet corn pesto if you make any of these recipes this week. And then let me know how they turned out. The bounty is so luxurious right now and cooking with fresh produce this time of year is just pure joy. Oh and make tomato sandwiches, everyday, if you’d like. A little mayo (or homemade aoili), 1/3-inch slices of tomato, some thinly sliced red onion, a few basil leaves and drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of sea salt. Heaven!

Recipes

Carrot, Dill and White Bean Salad
Tomato Bread
Tomato “Paella”
Sweet Corn Pesto
Hot and Sour Eggplant
Grilled Veggies
Potatoes, Dill and Red Onion

Carrot, Dill and White Bean Salad
–slightly adapted from 101cookbooks.com

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions
more olive oil for cooking
2 cups sliced carrots, cut 1/4-inch thick on deep bias
3 cups cooked white beans (great northern, navy, cannellini or even chickpeas if you don’t have white beans)
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and onions in a small bowl. Stir and set aside.

In your largest skillet over medium high heat, toss the carrots with a splash of olive oil. Let them cook in a single layer – they’ll give off a bit of water at first. Keep cooking, tossing gently every three or four minutes until the carrots are deeply browned. All told, about twelve minutes.

Add the beans and dill to the skillet and cook for another five minutes, or until the beans are well heated through. If you are using beans that weren’t canned you can allow them to brown a bit as well (just cook a bit longer, and stir less frequently) – they can handle this in a way that most canned beans can’t. If you need to add a bit more olive oil to the pan – do so.

Place the contents of the skillet in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour the 3/4 of the lemon-olive oil mixture over the top. Toss gently. Let sit for ten minutes. Toss gently once again, taste and adjust with more salt or sugar or lemon juice if needed to balance the flavors. Serve warm or at room temperature and finish by sprinkling with the almonds just before serving.

Tomato Bread

The Spanish (and Basque) and Italian and probably many other cultures have versions of this. I have been eating it for breakfast though I realize that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But it’s a wonderful snack or appetizer or a part of an informal dinner as well.

However many slices of bread to want to use
However many tomatoes you want to use – you need about half a medium tomato for one large slice of good, crusty bread.
Whole cloves of peeled garlic
Good sea salt
The best olive oil you have

Toast or grill the bread. Rub with garlic (little or lot or not at all, in fact). Cut the tomatoes in half on the equator and then rub the cut side of the tomato onto the toasted bread pressing as much juice and flesh into the bread as you can. You’ll be left holding the skin and a little pulp. Salt generously and drizzle with oil. The bread may fall part a bit and will get quite soggy—just as it should! Eat immediately, then make another!:)

Tomato Paella
–adapted from Mark Bittman

This is a delicious, quick, and inexpensive (and vegetarian) twist on a classic paella. It’s perfect this time of year with beautiful, juicy tomatoes. You can see photos of it on my blog, if you’re curious. And you don’t want to undersalt this so be generous as it really brings out the sweetness in the tomatoes.

3 1/2 cups stock or water
1 1/2 pounds heirloom or slicer tomatoes, cored and cut into thick wedges (about 4 medium to large tomatoes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Large pinch saffron threads (optional)
2 teaspoons Spanish pimentón (smoked paprika), or other paprika
2 cups Spanish or other short-grain rice
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (if the stock isn’t very salty or you’re using water)

Warm stock or water in a saucepan. If using water, add a teaspoon of salt to the water. Put tomatoes in a medium bowl, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, and drizzle them with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss to coat. Put remaining oil in a 10- or 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in saffron if you are using it and pimentón and cook for a minute more. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is shiny, another two to three minutes. Add hot stock or water and stir until just combined.

Put tomato wedges on top of rice and drizzle with juices that accumulated in bottom of bowl. Cook over medium heat undisturbed, for 15 -20 minutes. Check to see if rice is dry and just tender. If not, keep cooking for another 5 minutes. If rice looks too dry but still is not quite done, add a small amount of stock or water (or wine). When rice is ready, turn off oven and let pan sit for 5 to 15 minutes. If you like, put pan over high heat for a few minutes to develop a bit of a bottom crust before serving. If you have time you should definitely do this last part. The crust is fabulous.

Hot and Sour Eggplant

This is quick and delicious. Serve this over rice and if you have time make the baked brown rice below. It’s converted the most ardent brown-rice haters.

2 large eggplant or several smaller ones, cubed (skin on)
1 medium onion, diced
1 sweet red pepper (optional), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or fresh, minced jalapeno or other hot pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
3-4 tablespoons olive or sunflower or other oil

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes (or minced hot pepper), and cornstarch in a small bowel.

In a large skillet or work heat the oil and sauté onions and pepper (if using) over medium-high heat for about 5-7 minutes until they soften. Add eggplant and cook until softens and browns a bit, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sauce and sir well to mix and coat veggies. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until sauce thickens and veggies are tender.

Serve hot over rice.

Baked Brown Rice
–from Alton Brown

I often make a double batch and freeze the other half.

1 1/2 cups brown rice medium or short grain
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
heaping 1 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

Pasta with Sweet Corn Pest0
–adapted from Bon Appétit

To make this vegetarian, instead of the bacon you can sauté the corn in butter or olive oil and add 1-2 teaspoons of pimenton (smoked Spanish Paprika) and then add a few squeezes of lime juice at the very end.

3 bacon slices, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
3-4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from about 5 large ears)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/3 cup almonds or pine nuts (I always use Almonds because that’s what I have on hand)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 ounces tagliatelle or fettuccine or penne
3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh basil leaves, divided

Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet (and reserve for future use or toss). Add corn, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, red pepper flakes, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper to drippings in skillet. Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups corn kernels to small bowl and reserve. Pulse almonds until finely ground, add cheese, whiz again, then scrape remaining corn mixture into processor. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, bacon (if using) and 1/2 cup basil leaves. Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup basil leaves. Serve pasta, passing additional grated Parmesan alongside.

Grilled Veggies

I don’t talk so much about grilled vegetables because we don’t have a gas grill and rarely light up our old charcoal one. I imagine you all probably grill vegetables frequently. If you don’t and do have a grill, you should. All the veggies need is a quick brush of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and some time on a hot grill. Eggplant, squash, onions (and of course corn—in the husk minus the salt and oil) are all wonderful. You can eat them as is as a wonderful side or layer them on sandwiches or burgers or chop them up and dress with lots of herbs and a vinaigrette.

You can always make skewers with our without meat or fish and with or without fancier marinades of spices, ginger and oils and vinegars or soy sauce, etc.

Potatoes, Dill and Red Onion

This is a lovely combination of flavors and your potatoes this week would be perfect here. You can either dress these with a creamy (yogurt or sour cream) dressing or a vinaigrette—both good.

½ medium red onion (or more), sliced in half and then sliced into thin, half rounds
1.5 lb (or more or less), potatoes, scrubbed well
½ bunch dill, well washed and chopped
½ cup Greek or plain whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar (or more to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons good olive oil

If you’re going the vinaigrette route, use the same vinegar, a scant tablespoon of Dijon-style mustard and about 4-5 tablespoons olive oil in addition to salt and pepper and mix well.

Soak the onions slices in a bowl of ice water for 20 minutes (this removes some of their bite) or longer.

Cook the whole potatoes in plenty of water until just tender. It’s easy to overcook them so test regularly and take smaller potatoes out first. Let the potatoes cool—you can speed up this process but slicing them into rounds while they’re still hot and spreading them out on a board. You just don’t want to dress them when they’re really hot.

When the potatoes have cooled, drain the onions well and toss them with whatever dressing you made. Adjust for seasoning with salt, pepper and vinegar.

Summer is in full swing–tomatoes, basil, corn squash. . .it’s heaven really. By all means try the bruschetta with basil, goat cheese and grilled peaches and make Julia Child’s summer squash tian–it’s a lovely affair and a wonderful technique. And I doubt you need much in the way of advice on the sweet corn. Enjoy!

Recipes

Pesto
Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Basil and Grilled Peaches
Corn Ideas
Zucchini/Summer Squash Pickles
Summer Squash Tian (from Julia Child)
Chicken Salad with Green Beans and Creamy Basil Dressing
Stewed Green Beans, Tomato and Bacon
Chard Tart

Pesto

I used to be a purist about pesto and I’m not anymore. I use almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts since I never have pine nuts. I use aged, Asiago Stella (available at Pastaworks and City Market) because it’s much cheaper than Parmesan and still very good. I also use the food processor. And you can scale this up or down very easily. It keeps well in the fridge, topped of with a thin layer of good olive oil, for at least a week or more. And you can put it on so many things—use it as a sandwich spread; stir it into deviled eggs or a frittata thin it out for a salad dressing . . . .

1 bunch basil, leaves picked (between 2 and 3 cups leaves, packed)
2-3 smallish cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
Generous handful of almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts or pine nuts
About 2 ounces of Parmesan or aged asiago (Asiago Stella available at Pastaworks/City Market)
1/3 – 1/2 cup of good-tasting extra virgin olive oil (or more)
Salt and freshly ground peper

If you have a mortar and pestle, a strong arm and some time, by all means make the pesto by hand. I almost always now make it in a food processor and it’s very good that way too.

Put the nuts and cheese in the processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the basil, garlic and salt and process until well chopped. Then slowly add the oil. Don’t over process. Adjust for salt and oil. Then store in the fridge until ready to use.

Bruschetta with Fresh Goat Cheese, Basil and Grilled Peaches

Another idea for your beautiful basil this week—gorgeous and delicious!

Serves 5 as a side/starter

5 good crusty slices of bread, toasted or grilled
3-4 ounces fresh goat’s cheese (or fresh ricotta or some other mild, spreadable cheese)
Handful or two of whole basil leaves
1-2 large peaches, washed but not peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Good olive oil
A little lime juice or balsamic vinegar

Set your oven to broil or turn on/light your grill. Slice the peaches into 1/4-inch thick slices, working your way around the peach vertically. Spread the peach slices on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with olive oil and broil for a few minutes on each side until just browning in a few spots. You don’t want them to fall apart so watch closely. Alternatively grill on foil on a grill.

Cut your slices of toasted bread in halves or thirds. Spread generously with goat cheese and cover cheese with basil leaves. Salt and pepper the bruschettta at this point and drizzle with a little good olive oil. Then top with the broiled peach slices, more freshly ground pepper and a very light drizzle of either lime juice or balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!

Corn Ideas

• On the cob: butter, salt
• Cooked and then sliced off the cob, mixed with diced tomato, red onion, basil and olive oil and red wine vinegar, s & p for a wonderful salad/side
• Quick succotash: sliced off the cob and then cooked in butter or with some diced bacon, finely chopped green beans, onion and diced summer squash

Zucchini/Summer Squash Pickles
–from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook  by Judy Rodgers

These are very similar to the bread and butter (cucumber) pickles my mother has made for decades. They’re quick to make, wonderful with burgers or anywhere else that calls for a little zip. They are nicely balanced, sweet and savory.

1 pound zucchini (medium-smallish) or other summer squash
1 red torpedo onion
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed yellow and/or brown mustard seeds
scant 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Wash and trim the zucchini or other summer squash, then slice 1/16-inch think on a mandolin. Slice the onion as thinly as possible as well. Place together in a large but shallow bowl, add the salt and toss to distribute. Add a few ice cubes and cold water to cover, then stir to dissolve the salt.

After about 1 hour, taste and feel a piece of zucchini- it should be faintly salty and softened. Drain, making sure to remove any reaming ice cubes. Dry very thoroughly between towels, or use a salad spinner. The zucchini needs to be very dry- otherwise it will not be crisp. Rinse and dry the bowl you were using.

Combine the vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, mustard seeds, and turmeric in a saucepan and simmer for 3 minutes. Set aside and cool until room temperature.

Put the zucchini back in the bowl and add the cooled brine. Stir to distribute the spices.

Transfer the pickles to jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least a day before serving to allow the flavors to mellow and permeate the zucchini. Rogers says these will keep indefinitely in the fridge.

Summer Squash Tian
–adapted from by Julia Child via Food52

This is a brilliant dish—it really is. I made it in honor of Julia Child’s 100th birthday earlier this week. It takes a little bit of time but is well worth it and uses a little over 2 lbs of summer squash. We had this for dinner with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, basil and feta. Perfect summer food.

Serves 6

2 to 2 1/2 pounds zucchini, well washed (about 4 medium to large-ish squash)
1/2 cup long grain white rice
1 cup minced onions
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, mashed or finely minced
2 tablespoons flour (all purpose, rye, spelt. . .)
About 2 1/2 cups warm liquid: zucchini juices plus whole milk, heated in a pan (watch this closely so that it doesn’t curdle)
About 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese (save 2 tablespoons for later)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425.

If squash are large, halve or quarter them. Grate the squash on the large holes of a box grater into a large bowl that you’ve lined with a clean, cotton dish towel.  Toss the grated squash with about 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons of sea salt and let sit while you continue with the dish.

In a large (11-inch) ideally ovenproof (cast iron or All-clad) frying pan, cook the onions and rice slowly in the oil for 8 to 10 minutes until tender and translucent. The rice may brown a bit which is just fine. Raise heat slightly and stir several more minutes until lightly browned.

Now bring the ends of the towel together and twist and squeeze all the liquid you can out of the squash and into the bowl it’s been resting in. You will get about 1- ½ cups of salted liquid. Add milk to make 2 ¼ – 2 ½ cups liquid and warm gently in a saucepan. Don’t boil.

Now stir the grated and dried zucchini and garlic into the onion and rice mixture. Toss and turn for 5 to 6 minutes until the zucchini is almost tender. Sprinkle in the flour, stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes, and remove from heat. Gradually stir in the hot liquid, being sure the flour is well blended and smooth. Return over moderately high heat and bring to the simmer, stirring. Remove from the heat again, stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese.

Taste very carefully for seasoning. Now if you’re skillet isn’t oven proof turn the mixture into a buttered baking dish, top with remaining cheese and drizzle the olive oil over the cheese.

Bake in preheated 425-degree F oven until tian is bubbling and top has browned nicely. The rice should absorb all the liquid. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Chicken Salad with Green Beans and Creamy Basil Dressing
–adapted from Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon

A different twist on chicken salad and lovely for a summer meal on a bed of lettuce and some good bread.

1 lb cooked chicken, diced
1/2 a torpedo onion, white(red) and green parts thinly sliced
¾ – 1 lb fresh beans, cooked in salted boiling water for about minutes, drained and run under cold water and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 – 1½ cups diced tomato

Dressing:
¾ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup homemade or store bought mayonnaise
1 tablespoon good olive oil
¾ cup (packed) thinly sliced basil
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Dress chicken, scallions, beans, onions and tomatoes gently and serve on bed of torn lettuce dressed lightly with a little olive oil and lemon juice and salt.

Stewed Green Beans, Tomato and Bacon

This is so simple and so good. Made it last night and had the leftovers for breakfast at room temperature. Heated up with a fried egg it would have been even better this morning.

Wash and trim as many green/wax beans as you want to use. Cut the beans into about 3-inch lengths. I would suggest making a lot of this since it keeps well and is so good.
2-3 sliced bacon, diced
½ a large onion, roughly chopped
2-3 tomatoes, diced (no need to skin or seed)
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

In the largest skillet you have, heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onions and bacon and sauté, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Add the beans and several generous pinches of salt and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes over high heat. Then add the diced tomatoes, stir well again and bring everything to a brisk simmer. Then turn the heat down and cover the pan and cook gently for about 20 minutes until everything is tender, the tomato is broken down and coating the beans. Taste for seasoning and serve drizzled with more olive oil.

Swiss Chard Tart

Serves 6

Don’t be put off by the tart dough. It’s really pretty straightforward and the result is a gorgeous and delicious dish that keeps well, is a good at room temp and is good with any leafy geen.

1 recipe Tart Dough (recipe follows)
1 large bunch of chard, leaves only, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. butter
1 large or two smaller onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
Zest of 1/2 a small lemon  (optional)
3 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan
A few pinches of ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

Preheat the oven to 425ºF

Heat the butter in a wide skillet; add the onion and cook it over medium heat until it is translucent and soft.  Add the garlic, and the chard leaves by handfuls, if necessary, until they all fit.  Sprinkle in a large pinch of salt.  Turn the leaves over repeatedly so that they are all exposed to the heat of the pan, and cook until they are tender, 5 minutes or more.

Make the custard.  Beat the eggs; then stir in the milk, lemon peel (if using), grated Parmesan, and a few scrapings of nutmeg. Stir in the chard and onion mixture. Taste and season with salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Pour the filling into the prepared tart shell and bake until the top is golden and firm, about 40 minutes.

Tart Dough

–adapted from David Lebovitz

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
(or ¾ cup apf and ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour)
4 1/2 ounces, about 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.

Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.

Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.

Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of the pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations