Lots of kohlrabi info this week, as well as some very simple dishes like the Calabrian-style potatoes and peppers that is more than the sum of its parts. The savory chard pancakes are always a winner at my house or cooking classes and the fennel and kohlrabi salad with raisins and dill I adapted from the cookbook Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi is awfully good. Happy cooking!

Farcous (Savory Chard Pancakes)
Calabrian-style Peppers and Potatoes
Weeknight Veggie Curry (with Red Lentils and Coconut Milk)
Kohlrabi Notes
Kohlrabi and Fennel Salad with Dill
Chopped Salad of Fennel, Sweet Peppers and Carrots
Potato Leek Soup

Farçous (Savory Chard Pancakes)
–adapted from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

I just taught these at a recent cooking class and out of 6 things we made this was the favorite dish.
They are an absolute cinch to make if you have a food processor. It takes 5 minutes to make the batter and a bit longer to fry them but they are so addictive. These are made all over Southwest France and I’m sure with variations of herbs and greens, but most typically they are made with chard, parsley and chives.

They also keep and freeze well and make great snacks. You can also experiment with different flours and combinations of flours if you’d like. Half whole wheat flour works well and I imagine spelt flour would too.

This recipe makes a lot of pancakes so you can cut it in half or make the whole thing and just save some for lunch the next day. I promise you won’t have trouble eating them up.

2 cups whole milk
Scant 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or half all-purpose and half whole wheat)
3 large eggs
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chives, chopped (optional)
10 Swiss chard leaves, washed, shaken dry and center rib and stems removed (can save for other use)
Salt (these need a lot of salt! Start with 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt. Taste the first pancake and add more if they’re bland. They really need salt to lift up the flavors of the herbs and greens)
Freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil or olive oil for pan-frying
For optional topping: a little salt, lemon zest and juice stirred into plain Greek or whole milk yogurt or just plain yogurt.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and place a baking sheet in the oven.

Put milk, flour, eggs, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Add the chard leaves to the batter (little by little if you don’t have a lot of space) and blend, but don’t over blend. The mixture does not need to be homogenous and is better with a bit of variation in size of the chard leaf pieces.

You can make these pancakes large, like crepes (and use a crepe pan if you have one) or smaller, like regular pancakes. Pour about 1 tablespoon of oil into your pan (less if it’s a crepe/non-stick pan) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the batter to the pan for whatever size pancakes you’re making and cook until for a few minutes until the edges begin to brown and curl. Flip them over and cook them for a couple more minutes until evenly browned. Place in warm oven while you make the remainder of the pancakes.

These are wonderful with a dollop of yogurt (especially Greek yogurt) to which you can add a bit of lemon zest and little lemon juice. Make a green salad and you have a lovely dinner.

Chopped Salad of Fennel, Sweet Peppers and Carrots

Sweet, savory and crunchy and colorful. . . .adapt as you see fit.

1 large or 2 smaller bulbs fennel, trimmed
½ cup (or more) fennel fronds, roughly chopped
3-4 cups escarole (if you have some leftover) or any kind of lettuce or radicchio, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
2 sweet peppers, trimmed and very thinly sliced
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (if you per chance have some leftover from last week)
½ cup walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1 ½ tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey
Salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper

Cut the fennel in matchsticks or very thin slices. Cut the carrots into matchsticks. Toss all the vegetables and toasted nuts in a large bowl. Add dressing ingredients and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Calabrian-style Fried Peppers and Potatoes

This was one of my very favorite things to eat when I lived in Calabria (the toe of the Italian boot) more than 20 years ago. It doesn’t really get any simpler but you need to be brave with the heat and have good ventilation. And don’t skimp on the oil either.

4 sweet red peppers, washed, cored and seeded and cut into chunks about 1 ½ – 2 1/3 inches
3-4 medium firm fleshed yellow and/or red potatoes, well scrubbed (no need to peel) and cut into bite-sized chunks.
3 tablespoons olive oil (or a bit more if things dry out)
Sea salt

Heat the oil in the largest, heaviest skillet you have. When it’s hot but not smoking add the peppers and potatoes and toss well to coat with oil. Cook on high heat, stirring frequently until the both potatoes and peppers are tender and almost blackened around the edges. Season liberally with good sea salt. Serve hot.

Weeknight Veggie Curry (with Red Lentils and Coconut Milk)

This is at the top of my list for fairly quick, delicious and satisfying meals that use up most any vegetable you have on hand. You can use most any combination of vegetables from your share this week.

This recipe makes plenty so you can freeze half for dinner the following week or eat for lunches or just leftovers. You can make it more or less soupy so adjust amount of broth according to your taste.

If you have time briefly toast whole coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet, let cool and grind in a mortar and pestle. It only takes a couple of minutes and the results are worth it.

Oil
1 onion, diced (can add a leek here too if you’d like)
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (or half a teaspoon whole seeds–see headnote)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (or half a teaspoon whole seeds–see headnote)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 fresh jalapeno or Serrano pepper, minced
3 potatoes, scrubbed and diced
2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
1-2 sweet peppers, sliced or diced
1-2 zucchini (if you have some leftover), diced
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped or sliced
½ – 1 bunch chard, washed and leaves chopped (you can add the stems, diced, to the onion at the beginning)
1 1/2 cups red lentils
6 cups water or veggie bouillon broth or vegetable stock or water (or a little less if you want it quite thick)
Salt, to taste (you need quite a bit to bring all the flavors out)
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/2 cup or more mint and/or cilantro
Lime or lemon  juice (optional)
White or brown rice or naan for serving (optional)

In a large soup pot heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and onions (and leeks, if using) and cook for about 5 minutes, turning the heat down to medium if the onion begins to color. Add the cumin and coriander and hot pepper and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often and be careful not to burn. Add a few tablespoons of the thickest part of the coconut milk and stir in well. Simmer for another minute or two and then add the potatoes, carrots, sweet peppers, zucchini (if using) and garlic. Cook for a 5 minutes.  Now add the lentils, broth, remainder of coconut milk, chard and a teaspoon or so of salt, depending on how salty your broth is. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.  Add the herbs and cook for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve hot over rice with a good squeeze of lime juice.

Kohlrabi Notes

Kohlrabi is a sweet, crunchy and versatile vegetable. It keeps very well (for weeks!) and is as good cooked as it is raw. It is also known as a German turnip and I can vouch for its ubiquity in Germany. I grew up enjoying it frequently in one of two preparations–braised and then finished with sour cream, dill and a splash of vinegar or just sautéed in olive oil. I have greatly diversified my repertoire now and love it just as much in slaws and other raw preparations.

Kohlrabi always needs peeling as the skin can be tough and fibrous. The flavor of the root is quite sweet with only a mild cabbage-y flavor.

One-line recipe from Chef Jenn Louis of Lincoln Restaurant and Sunshine Tavern: Slowly cook slivered garlic in butter. Add thinly sliced kohlrabi, lemon juice and salt. Finish with chopped parsley.

Kohlrabi and Fennel Salad
–inspired by Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

This salad is one of my favorite ways to use kohlrabi. The original calls for cabbage too but I’ve substituted fennel (albeit not as much) and while a different twist, is very good as well. The original recipe calls for dried sour cherries and I’ve always used golden raisins instead.

2 medium kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks about 2 inches long and 1/8 – ¼ inch wide
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved or quartered and sliced as thinly as you can
1/2 bunch dill, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped fennel fronds
1 cup golden raisins (see headnote)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced or mashed with some salt on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife into a paste
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all ingredients in the large mixing bowl and mix everything together really well. Use your hands if you’d like. Let sit for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. You need quite a bit of salt to counteract the lemon.

Potato Leek Soup

This is such a classic soup, and for good reason. It’s delicate yet complex and just lovely. I like it with croutons and drizzle of olive oil and a bit of chopped parsley. It’s also good with toasted bread with fresh goat cheese.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped (or 1-2 extra leeks)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, washed, and thinly sliced
2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
2 fresh sage leaves (optional), finely chopped
4 cups homemade veggie bouillon broth, chicken stock, or water
3 cups whole milk

Optional Toppings

Minced fresh parsley, sage, tarragon or a combination
Chopped fresh chives
Grated Parmesan or Gruyere
Croutons
Toasted Sunflower or Pumpkin Seeds

Melt the butter in a large pot over low to medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic, salt and pepper, cover cook and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft but not colored. Add the remaining ingredients, along with a little more salt unless your broth or bouillon is very salty, increase the heat, and bring to a boil. As soon as the soup bubbles, turn the heat to low, mostly cover the pot, and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, or until all the vegetables are mashably soft. Taste the soup and season generously with salt and pepper. You can serve the soup chunky or use an immersion blender to blend or transfer to a blender. The soup is good hot, at room temperature and even cold though I prefer hot. Garnish as you’d like.

It’s finally Ratatouille week. I look forward to this all year. Sweet peppers, the tail end of the summer squash, eggplants, onions and tomatoes. You’ll need a little garlic and handful of basil if you have it. It’s fun to have beets back and turnips and the beets and escarole make for a lovely, robust salad—a harbinger of shares to come. Happy Cooking!

Tomato Bread (Pa ambTomaquet)
Moussaka
Ratatouille
Beet Notes
Beet and Escarole Salad with Blue Cheese
Wilted Escarole
Choka—Roasted Eggplant and Tomato (from Trinidad)
Baked Eggplant Rounds with Tomato and Mozzarella
Turnip, Sweet Pepper and Chickpea Salad
Turnip Notes

Tomato Bread (Pa ambTomaquet)

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 good, crusty 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 clove(s) 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!

Ratatouille

In my cook-with-what-you-have version or ratatouille, quantities are easily adapted and the ratios are not critical so scale up or down as needed. It is important to cook some of the vegetables separately so that you don’t crowd the pans and steam them rather than sautéing them. You want the browning and sweetness that comes with direct contact with the hot skillet.

This was a particularly squash heavy ratatouille, early in the season. Yours will look at little more red and purple and not so green! And it ideally is a bit softer than this photo conveys. You really want the vegetables to break down a bit.

It is a rich, stew-like dish in which the vegetables all break down a bit. It is not beautiful but it is good! Serve with some good crusty bread, another salad, fish or a frittata or some such. It’s even better the next day and delicious at room temperature as well.

Serves 4-6

4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 large eggplant, diced (no need to peel)
1 onion, cut into large dice
2-3 medium summer squash, sliced or diced
2 sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
Olive oil
Handful of torn basil leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt
Good olive oil for serving

Heat some olive oil in two large skillets over medium-high heat. Add the onions and peppers to one pan and the zucchini to the other. Sprinkle all with a bit of salt. Cook both on high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently and then turn down to medium high and continue sautéing until softened and browning just a bit. When the zucchini is just about tender remove it from the pan and reserve. Add a bit more oil and add the eggplant and a bit more salt. You can keep the peppers and onions sautéing on medium while the eggplant cooks. When the eggplant is tender and browning, add half of it to the pepper and onion pan and divide the zucchini between the pans–or if you have space put it all in one pan now. Now add the tomato to both (or just the one pan) and bring to a lively simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to marry the flavors and soften the tomatoes. Add the garlic and basil and cook for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm (but not hot) or at room temperature with a drizzle of good olive oil.

Moussaka

This recipe was handed down from a long passed family friend who used to make it in Greece with her Greek friends. My mother who made this when I was growing up, sometimes dipped the slices of eggplant in beaten egg before frying and sometimes didn’t. Both versions are delicious, the egg version a little heartier and crisper.

Serves 4-5

2 globe eggplants (medium to large is best), sliced into1/2-inch rounds or slices lengthwise
2 eggs, beaten (optional) and seasoned with a bit of salt
Oil for pan frying eggplant
Generous ½ cup pureed tomatoes (fresh or canned)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (can omit if you don’t have on hand)
1 batch béchamel (recipe below)
½ lb ground lamb or beef or a combination
½ an onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoon dried and crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees.

If you’re using the egg, dip the eggplant slices in the beaten egg and shake off any excess. Fry the eggplant slices in a hot skillet in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until golden on both sides and tender. Set aside.

In another skillet (or the same one you used for the eggplant) sauté the ground meat for a few minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Add the tomato paste (if using), pureed tomatoes and herbs and cook for 20 minutes or so until reduced a bit. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the béchamel, below.

Cover the bottom of a 8 x 13” baking dish with eggplant slices and then layer meat and eggplant with last layer being eggplant. Pour the bechamel sauce over the eggplant and meat mixture and cover with grated Parmesan and bake until golden brown and bubbling—about 30 minutes.

For Bechamel

4 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons flour
Generous 2 cups of whole milk (2% can work in a pinch)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bay leaf (optional)
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
A little grated nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Pinch of ground cloves

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over med/low heat. When melted, whisk in flour. Continue cooking the roux for 2 -3 min, whisking frequently. Meanwhile heat milk until it’s scalding. Whisk hot milk into roux and add several pinches of salt, grind in some pepper, add chili flakes (or omit if you’d like), add mustard and a bay leaf and a grating or two of nutmeg. Stir well and cook over med/low heat for about 10 minutes until thickened and bubbling.

Eggplant Tomato Stacks
–adapted from Martha Stewart Living

12 eggplant rounds (each 1/4 inch thick and at least 3 inches in diameter; about 2 medium eggplants)
Sea salt
olive oil
3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
4-5 tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced and torn into small pieces
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus shavings for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Season eggplant with salt. Heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, so as to not crowd the skillet, fry eggplant rounds, turning once, until soft and pale golden, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Add a bit of oil as needed.

Heat another 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook for just a few seconds. Add tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes break down and are soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in oregano and basil.

Place 6 slices of eggplant on a sheetpan. Top each slice with 1 tablespoon sauce and a few pieces of mozzarella, and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons Parmesan. Repeat layering twice.

Bake until heated through and cheese is bubbling, about 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with oregano and Parmesan shavings.

Beet Notes

When I get a bunch of beets I roast or boil them all at once. Then I have the perfect treat at the ready to add to salads, sandwiches, make it into spread, etc. If you’re going to bake them, scrub and trim but don’t peel them an put them in an oven proof dish with a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover with foil and place in a 374-400 degree oven. If my beets are big I halve them before baking to cut down on cooking time. Start checking after 35-40 minutes. They may take a bit longer still.

To boil, scrub and trim and put in a saucepan covered with cold water. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer and cook, covered for about 20-35 minutes.

Peel when cool enough to handle. Cooked/roasted beets keep in the fridge for about 5-6 days.

Beet and Escarole Salad with Blue Cheese

Pears or apples would be wonderful in this salad too. The sweetness is a nice balance to the assertiveness of the greens.

1 head escarole (or other type–see headnote), well washed and trimmed of any tough, outer leaves, and roughly torn
2-3 boiled or roasted beets, peeled and diced
1/3 cup walnuts (toasted at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes and then cooled)
3-4 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoons sherry or white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Whisk together the salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. Dress the greens with the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly. Add the nuts and cheese and gently toss again. Finally add the beets and toss gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Wilted Escarole

–adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables by Alice Waters

Escarole, crunchy and slightly bitter (in a pleasing way when dressed or cooked) can be cooked or grilled since it’s more substantial than other lettuces.

This is a very simple technique that just begs for a fried or poached egg or maybe some fish or a lovely bowl of beans and good olive oil as an accompaniment.

Wash and trim the escarole. Cut the leaves into wide strips. Saute in olive oil, covered, until wilted and bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add a splash of vinegar, and serve.

Choka—Roasted Eggplant and Tomato (from Trinidad)
–adapted from World Vegetarian by Madhur Jaffrey

This dish can be considered a side dish or a salsa and is excellent along grain or bean dishes or with pita bread.

1 medium-large eggplant (about 1 lb)
3 medium tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced (divided)
½ a small-medium onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon (or to taste) sea salt
Plenty of freshly ground pepper
1 small jalapeno (maybe you  have on leftover from last week), minced
2 tablespoons good olive oil
½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Spread the tomatoes and eggplant (all whole) on a sheet pan (baking sheet with sides) and roast for 25 minutes. At this point remove the tomatoes and set aside to cool in a bowl. Keep baking the eggplant for another 20-30 minutes until, turning it often, until is has collapsed and is quite soft.

Discard any liquid that has accumulated in the bottom of the bowl the tomatoes were cooling in. Peel the tomatoes and remove cores if they are prominent and roughly chop.

Once the eggplant is soft, peel it and chop coarsely as well and mix with the tomatoes. Add the garlic, onion, salt, pepper and hot pepper and mix well.

Heat the olive oil in a small skillet and then add the cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds. They will begin popping. Add the garlic and cook another few seconds. Remove from the heat and add the oil, garlic and cumin seeds to the choka and stir well. Enjoy warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Turnip Notes

The sweet crunchy Hakurei turnips are wonderful as a snack. pack wedges or slices of them in kids or grown up lunches. Spread rounds of raw turnips with a pesto made of their greens, basil and other typical pesto ingredients. Include the diced turnips in stir-fries, fried rice, salads (see below), etc. Use the greens in soups, stir fries, simply sautéed, combined with the turnips themselves, also sautéed and finished with a splash of sherry or red wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar. Stir the wilted greens into scrambled eggs. . ..

Turnip, Sweet Pepper and Chickpea Salad

This flash-pickling side/salsa comes together in minutes. So far I’ve mostly eaten it straight with a spoon, but I image it would be nice tossed with still-warm, lightly dressed new potatoes. Or maybe white fish, chicken or shrimp. Or perhaps to lend balance to pulled pork, or another rich, stewed meat. (Note: I ate this, a day old, tossed with some Israeli couscous, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a touch of leftover avocado and it was fantastic.)

Juice of 1/2 a small lime
1 ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon chili oil (or peanut oil and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (or another oil you have)
2 tablespoons diced red onion
3 turnips, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks or small dice
1-2 sweet peppers, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
3/4 cup cooked (or canned and rinsed) chickpeas
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Add the lime juice and the rice vinegar to a small bowl, giving them a quick whisk to combine. Add the honey, and then the oil. Whisk briskly until the oil and the vinegar come together. Add the onion to the dressing right away to give it a chance to mellow a bit.

In a bowl, toss together the dressing, the onion, peppers, turnips and the chickpeas. Give it a taste. It will likely need more salt. You can eat this right away, while all the vegetables are still crisp, or you can let it sit for a bit and they will soften the flavors will meld a bit more which is also lovely.

Lots of recipes this week for this late summer bounty. It’s going to be another hot week. And if you have children who like to help in the kitchen there are plenty of hands-on activites, from making kabobs to topping pizza and chopping or grating vegetables. Happy Cooking!

Corn and Summer Squash Fritters
Chickpea, Tomato, Egg and Wheat Berry Salad
Onion, Squash and Beef Kabobs (with Jalapeno Yogurt Sauce)
Pizza with Tomatoes and Red Onion
Green Salad with Corn and Cumin Lime Dressing
Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)
Bean and Salsa Salad
Cilantro Jalapeno Yogurt Sauce
Carrot and Harissa Salad
Tacos/Quesadillas with Corn and Squash

Corn and Summer Squash Fritters

This is quite similar to the plain summer squash pancake but the addition of corn, cumin and some herbs gives it a different and slightly heftier character.

2 medium zucchini or any summer squash
2 ears of corn
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 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 2 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.

Chickpea, Tomato, Egg and Wheat Berry Salad

This is a meal-in-one and can be adapted and scaled as you see fit. Use barley or frikeh or any other grain you have.

2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked wheat berries or barley or frikeh
2 hardboiled eggs, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons basil or parsley or a combination, chopped
A bit of onion diced or sliced
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2-3 tablespoons good olive oil

Combine the mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. In a large bowl gently toss the salad ingredients with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Onion, Squash and Beef Kabobs (with Jalapeno Yogurt Sauce)

This is a simple a lovely combination. If you don’t have a grill you can also broil these, with our without skewering the veggies, turning often to ensure somewhat even cooking.

The below jalapeno yogurt cilantro sauce is a lovely accompaniment to the sweet, smoky vegetables.

1-2 Red Cabernet onions, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2 inch squares/chunks, more or less
2 summer squash, cut into bite-sized pieces
Cubed beef (however much you want- ½ lb is probably about right for 4 people)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Finely chopped parsley and oregano or other herbs of your choice
Juice of one lime

In a small bowl mix the olive oil with the herbs, lime juice and plenty of salt and pepper. Taste the marinade. It should be bright and salty.

Toss the vegetables and meat in the marinade and let sit for 15 minutes, if you can. Thread the vegetables onto skewers and grill, turning occasionally, until beginning to char and the vegetables are tender but not soft.

Serve with jalapeno yogurt cilantro sauce and good, crusty bread or a bean or grain salad.

Pizza with Tomatoes and Red Onion

You can either make a super quick sauce with your tomatoes or just slice them and use them raw on this pizza. I generally like sauce but I occasionally like the combination of fresh tomatoes, red onion rings, a little oregano or basil and feta or mozzarella for a pizza too.

If you have read made pizza dough (Grand Central, Hot Lips, New Seasons, Pastaworks, etc. ) this takes no time to make. You could add thinly slice rounds of summer squash as well.

1 ball pizza dough (14oz more or less)
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly into rounds on the equator
½ an onion, thinly sliced into rounds
1 tablespoon chopped basil or combination of basil and oregano
Olive oil
Salt
Cheese of choice (feta, mozzarella, Parmesan. . . )

Baking on a baking sheet:

Stretch out your pizza dough into a large round. If you don’t have a pizza stone on which you can bake the pizza directly, place the dough on a large cookie sheet, arrange the tomatoes evenly, top with onions, generous drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt, herbs and cheese and bake at 425 degrees until browning in spots and cooked through.

Baking directly on a pizza stone:

If you have a stone preheat your oven to 500 (probably the highest your oven will go) with your pizza stone in it. Let it heat up for 20-30 minutes if you have the time.  Remove the top wrack in the oven to give yourself more room to maneuver later. 

And if you don’t have a pizza peel (the long-handled wooden tool with which you slide the pizza onto the hot stone) then flour the back (or front if it’s flat with no rims) cookie sheet and spread your stretched out pizza dough on the floured sheet.

You can dust the back of the cookie sheet with a mix of cornmeal and flour which will help the pizza slide off onto the stone. Then top it evenly with tomatoes, onions, generous drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of salt cheese and herbs. Now with your oven and stone hot, and pizza on a well-floured cookie sheet, open the oven.  Place the far end of the cookie sheet towards the back of the pizza stone at a 25 degree angle (or thereabouts) and then with a quick jerk of the wrist pull the cookie sheet back and let the pizza slide onto the hot stone in the oven. It should come off very easily at this point. And be very sure not to have any topping pieces or even drips of oil or sauce come between the baking sheet and the bottom of the pizza. The slightest bit of this will make the pizza stick.

Bake until the edges are dark brown and the topping is bubbling and add the basil just before it’s done.

Pizza Dough

–adapted from Jim Lahey

Pizza dough freezes beautifully. So if you’re only going to use half of it or want to make a double batch and save some for future use, just lightly oil a 1 qt freezer bag and put ½ a recipe worth of pizza dough in. Thaw it thoroughly and bring it to room temperature before using. Then handle exactly the same as fresh dough.

In Jim Lahey’s original recipe he has you bake the pizzas on a sheet pan. I do that sometimes, especially for his potato pizza because there’s so much topping, but usually I bake them right on a pizza stone which makes them wonderfully crisp. If you’re using a pizza stone you don’t need any oil and just place the stretched out piece of dough onto a well-floured pizza peel (or the back of a cookie shit if you don’t have a peel) and after you’ve added the toppings you slide it right onto the hot stone.

I have tried this recipe with half whole wheat flour and half white. It turns out fine but is a bit of a different animal—not as crisp a bit nuttier and chewier—as you might expect.

500 grams bread flour (3 3/4 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast (10 grams)
3/4 teaspoons table salt (5 grams)
3/4 teaspoon sugar, plus a pinch (about 3 grams)
1 1/3 – 1 1/2 cups room temperature water
extra-virgin olive oil for pans

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the water and, using a wooden spoon or your hand, mix until blended, at least 30 seconds. The dough should be able to contain all of the flour, if it seems dry or if there is excess flour at the bottom of the bowl, add water a tablespoon at a time.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit at room temperature until the dough has doubled in volume, about 2-3 hours.

Punch down the dough and cut in half to make two balls.

Green Salad with Corn and Cumin Lime Dressing

6 cups lettuce, washed, dried and torn or chopped
1 medium tomato, diced or ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons thinly sliced or diced onion
1-2 sweet red peppers, seeded, quartered or halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (optional)
Kernels from one two ears corn (briefly cooked)
½ cup roughly chopped fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil, dill, mint or chives (in any combination)
1/3 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Sea Salt

Put all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing in a small bowl and pour over salad or just add dressing ingredients to the vegetables. Toss, taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice, oil or salt or pepper. Serve immediately.

Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

You have all the ingredients for the sweetest, freshest and most savory salsa in your share this week.

1 – 11/2 lbs tomatoes (4 medium more or less), washed, cored and finely chopped or diced
½ – 1 jalapeno, finely minced (de-seed the pepper if you’re unsure of your comfort with the heat level—my guess is that you can leave the seeds in, for at least part of it)
2 tablespoons, finely chopped onion
¼ cup cilantro, well washed and dried and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced and then mashed with some coarse salt and the side of a chef’s knife into a paste (or just mince)
Sea salt

Mix everything together well and adjust seasoning with salt. Serve with chips or with fish tacos or any kind of tacos or with quesadillas or as a side for grilled fish or vegetables or pretty much anything.

Bean and Salsa Salad

This is so delicious, hearty and fresh. I could eat it daily. You could add shredded cooked chicken to this for more heft too.

3 cups cooked and cooled black beans (or pinto or cranberry or pretty much any kind of bean)
1 ½ cups (or more) of the fresh salsa above
More chopped cilantro
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
½ cup of crumbled feta (optional)

Mix everything well and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or lime juice/zest. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Cilantro Jalapeno Yogurt Sauce

I’ve given you this idea before but minus the jalapeno. Adding some of the pepper gives it even more depth and of course heat.

Toss ½ a bunch or so of cilantro into a food processor (or chopping finally) with a 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt (or plain, whole milk yogurt), a minced jalapeno (with or without seeds and membranes depending on how much heat you like) some minced garlic, some lemon zest, salt, pepper and a little olive oil. This is delicious on any grains or fish or with steamed or roasted veggies. It would be delicious over roasted or boiled potatoes. You could put it in fish tacos or pita sandwiches, etc.

Carrot and Harissa Salad

–adapted from smittenkitchen.com

This salad is addictive. And if you don’t have harissa in your pantry it will likely be a worthwhile addition. It’s a wonderful addition to dressing and rubs and soups, etc. You can also use cilantro instead of the mint and parsley below or any combination of the three.

4-5 medium carrots, scrubbed, trimmed and grated on the large holes of a box grater
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or about half as much, ground (I used seeds but ground them first)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or about half as much, ground (I used the seed but ground them first, again)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
¾ – 1 teaspoon harissa (for a solid kick of heat; adjust yours to taste, and to the heat level of your harissa)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
2 ounces feta, crumbled 

In a small sauté pan, cook the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix. Leave to infuse for an hour and add the feta before eating.

Tacos/Quesadillas with Corn and Squash

I made this on the fly for dinner last week and it was devoured. Alas it was devoured so quickly that I forgot to take pictures. Hardly a recipe but a good idea for this time of year. . .scale up or down as you see fit, and adapt away with herbs and/or spices.

Oil
¼ onion, cut into small dice
Kernels from 2-3 ears corn
1 medium summer squash, cut into small dice
1 clove garlic, minced
½ jalapeno, minced (seeds and all) or more
Salt and pepper
Chopped cilantro
Corn tortillas (or whatever you have)
Grated cheese or sour cream or Greek yogurt
Salsa/hot sauce (optional)

Saute onion, jalapeno and squash in a bit of oil for about 5 minutes until softening. Add corn and garlic and good for another 5 minutes. Add a little water or oil if too dry. Salt and pepper to taste

Now you have several options. You can warm up your tortillas and then spread with a little sour cream or Greek yogurt and top with the corn sauté and then top with a little grated cheese and cilantro, or you can omit the cream/yogurt and make quesadillas, filled with the corn mixture.

Either way dress up with salsa and cilantro or enjoy as is.

I’ll begin the week’s note but talking about last week’s celery. I still have plenty and luckily it keeps well so I’ve included a few recipes that I turned to thanks to the celery, including poaching a whole chicken. It served me well all last week. Plenty of other quick and easy things to do with the tomatoes and eggplant and a corn chowder recipe that uses this week’s green peppers as well. Happy cooking!

Poaching a Chicken (for Chicken Salad with lots of Celery, etc.)
Eggplant and Summer Squash Green Curry
Corn, Cucumber Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Corn Chowder with Leeks and Green Pepper
Simplest Tomato Sauce and its Many Uses
Pasta with Eggplant and Tomato
Fennel and Onion Soffrito

Poaching a Whole Chicken

When you poach a chicken, you’re doing two things: You’re making a delicious poached chicken, and you’re making a savory chicken broth that you can use in many ways.

The reason I’m including this recipe in the packet this week is that I was inspired to poach a chicken last week because of all the celery. You use it to poach and in many of the recipes you might make to use the cooked chicken—chicken salad, chicken noodle soup, etc.

• Rinse the chicken and giblets/neck (if there were any) under cold running water and shake off any water.
• Put the chicken in a large pot with ½ an onion, chopped up a bit, 2 carrots, quartered, 3-4 stalks celery and any attached celery leaves, chopped up a bit.
• Add 2 teaspoons whole peppercorns; a clove of garlic (peeled and crushed); 2-3 bay leaves and a sprig or two of thyme and parsley if you have them.
• Cover the chicken with water, add 2 teaspoons sea or Kosher salt and bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer, cover and cook for about an hour and 10 minutes.
• If you’re making soup, after about an hour, you can add some diced potatoes, turnips, peeled and diced, etc.
• After the full hour and 10 minutes, turn off the heat, remove the chicken and transfer it to pan or a rimmed baking sheet to cool for about twenty minutes. Check to see if the chicken is fully cooked and the meat comes off of the bones easily and the juices run clear. Strain and use broth immediately for soup or strain into quart or pint jars and refrigerate or freeze for future use. Use it for soup, risotto, sauces, etc.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle pull off all the meat. The juicy poached chicken meat is wonderful in chicken noodle soup, chicken salad, enchiladas, moles, curries (like the one below) tacos, chicken pot pie, pasta dishes, etc.
• Alternately, you could let the poached chicken cool for about five minutes and then just pull it apart into the main eight pieces (two each of breast, thigh, drumstick and wing) and serve with the broth and vegetables.

Green Curry with Eggplant and Summer Squash

I have made variations of this Thai-inspired curry for 15 years. It is not an authentic green curry but a tasty, quick adaptation. You can easily add chicken (if you poached a chicken—see above—this is a great place for some of the meat) or tofu to it for an even heartier dish though it’s wonderfully rich and satisfying without as well.

The curry is even better if you have kaffir lime leaves–Whole Foods and New Seasons and many Asian grocery stores typically have them. They freeze perfectly so if you see some but plenty and freeze for future curries. But don’t worry if you don’t have any.

This version has green beans rather than summer squash in it but is otherwise identical.

Serves 4 (generously)

About 2 cups summer squash, cut into half-rounds or ½-inch dice
1 medium Japanese eggplant or smallish globe eggplant, halved and sliced into half rounds or diced
3-4 kaffir lime leaves (optional–see headnote)
1 – 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 heaping teaspoon (or to taste) green curry paste (Thai & True is a great local Oregon brand)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2-3 teaspoons fish sauce (can omit to make it vegetarian/vegan)
1 can coconut milk (full fat preferably but light will work too)
3 tablespoons basil, packed and roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Juice of half a lemon or lime (optional but excellent especially if you don’t have kaffir lime leaves)

White or brown cooked Jasmine or other long grain rice

Heat wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup of coconut milk (use the thickest, part usually at the top of the can) and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the curry paste, garlic and ginger and fry it for about 3-4 minutes until it’s fragrant. Then add the remainder of the coconut milk plus ½ can’s worth of water, lime leaves, if using, soy sauce and fish sauce. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and add the eggplant and squash and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the basil and cook for another minute or two. Adjust seasoning with a bit of salt or more soy sauce and/or fish sauce or salt if needed and finish with a generous squeeze of lime or lemon juice, if using. Serve hot over rice.

Corn, Cucumber Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

This is a cook-with-what-you-have salad—add leftover diced celery if you have it or whatever else you want/need to use up. You can add 2 cups of thinly sliced lettuce to lighten up this salad if you’d like but it’d good as a denser salad too. The dressing will be more than you need for this salad but it’s a great on boiled potatoes or other vegetables or salads.

Serves 4-5

Corn kernels from 3-4 ears of cooked corn, cut off with a sharp knife
2 cups cucumber, well-scrubbed but no need to peel, cut into small dice (deseed them if you are going to need to let the salad sit for a while–it will get watery if it sits and you leave the seeds in)
1/3-½ cup of diced sweet or torpedo onion
½ cup diced or thinly sliced fennel
A little diced green pepper (optional)
2 cups, thinly sliced lettuce (optional –see headnote)
Couple of tablespoons chopped fennel fronds

Dressing:

1/4 cup buttermilk (or heavy cream or just use a bit more yogurt but you’ll need to thin it with more oil or a little water if you just use yogurt as it will be pretty thick)
1/2 cup Greek or plain whole milk yogurt
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar or lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 small clove garlic, minced and mashed with a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons good-tasting olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped parsley or 1½ tablespoons chopped dill or parsley (optional)

Mix the dressing in a small bowl until emulsified. Toss the vegetables with the dressing and serve with wedges of hardboiled eggs and some boiled new potatoes for a light supper.

Corn Chowder with Leeks and Green Pepper

I love corn chowder, with or without bacon. This week’s green peppers will make for a beautiful and delicious chowder.

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ onion, finely diced
1-2 leeks, trimmed (though I use a fair amount of the green parts) washed well, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch half rounds
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices bacon, diced (optional) or 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or dried thyme (optional but very good)
1 large or 2 small green peppers, seeds and membranes removed and diced
Kernels from 4 ears of corn (or more if you have it), sliced off the cob
2 cups (or more) potatoes, well scrubbed but not peeled and cut into 1/2 –inch dice
3 cups whole milk (or part milk, part cream)
3 cups homemade veggie bouillon broth (if you have it) or stock or broth of your choice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A little chopped parsley or basil (optional) for serving
Drizzle of good olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and leeks and bacon (if using) and thyme (if using) and sauté for about 5 minutes. If you’re not using bacon and have smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton) add a teaspoon of it at this stage. Add the garlic and the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and all the milk (or milk and cream) and stock or broth. Add salt if your stock is not very salty. Bring to a boil and let simmer briskly for about 8 minutes. Add the corn and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes until everything is tender. The potatoes should be falling apart and will help thicken the chowder. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with chopped parsley (if you have it) and a good drizzle of olive oil.

Simplest Tomato Sauce and its Many Uses

Tomatoes, olive oil, salt. That’s it. When the tomatoes are good it’s honestly all you need. And I make sauce with slicer and heirloom tomatoes all the time. It takes longer to cook down because they’re so juicy but with a little patience and high heat it’s perfect. You can of course add a diced onion or a clove or two of garlic and it will be wonderful but it’s also good just as is. And you can blanch the tomatoes—toss the whole tomatoes in boiling water for 10 seconds, remove peel and proceed—or skip that step.

I made this the other day, in about 15 minutes and I topped pizza dough with it and some mozzarella and basil and had the perfect dinner. 

Dice as many tomatoes as you want to use. Add them to a wide skillet to which you’ve added a generous splash of olive oil. Cook at a lively simmer until it’s thickened to your liking. Salt to taste. If the sauce seems too acidic or not quite perfect add a tablespoon or two of butter. Butter is THE perfecter of tomato sauce. 

More suggestions for use:

• Fill crepes with a few tablespoons, some grated cheese and fresh basil; roll up and bake, topped with a bit more sauce, until hot.
• Layer the sauce with thick, eggy herb crepes (add 4-5 tablespoons of chopped parsley, chives and/or basil to the crepe batter of 4 eggs, 1 3/4 cups milk and scant 1 cup of flour, salt and pepper) and grated Parmesan or other cheese. Layer the crepes and sauce in a cake pan or other round or oval dish and bake until heated through and the cheese is melted and browning on top. This is a perfectly sublime dish and beautiful cut into wedges.
• Make eggplant parmesan by layering pan-fried or broiled slices of eggplant with the sauce and grated parmesan and baking until bubbly and browning.

Pasta with Eggplant and Tomato

This is a quick, hearty pasta dish.

Olive oil
1 medium globe eggplant or several smaller ones, cut into ½ -inch dice (no need to peel, salt or soak)
2-3 medium tomatoes, diced (depending how saucy/tomato-y you want it)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped (optional)
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley (or basil or a combination)
½ cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
3/4 lb fusilli, penne or other stout pasta
1/3 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.

Fennel and Onion Soffrito

This is a delicious garnish/condiment/side for fish, roasted vegetables, or simply on toast. 

Olive oil
1 ½ cups thinly sliced fennel (or more—you can use a lot of fennel in this dish, just add a bit more tomato)
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onion
1 cup diced tomatoes (or more if you’re using more fennel)
2 cloves garlic
Red wine vinegar to taste
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley (optional but very good)

In the largest skillet you have heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and fennel all at once and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until starting to brown and quite soft. Add the garlic and the tomatoes, a couple of generous pinches of salt and some pepper and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Finally add a little vinegar, you’ll probably want at least 2 teaspoons and plenty of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

This is delicious with a bunch of chopped parsley and black olives too.