Quasi-Ratatouille: Summertime Grilled Vegetables

Given the produce coming out of our garden, and our weekly produce deliveries, we’ve had an excess of eggplant, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. I’ve made this dish a few times over this past summer and just recently realized it is quite similar to ratatouille.

I won’t claim that this is anything authentic, but it’s a versatile, tasty dish of summertime bounty for the grill. There’s no exact recipe. Basically, just chop enough of the vegetables to fit in a skillet. This fits into a standard-size cast iron skillet (see photo), and we’ve been serving it with pasta and fresh basil, fresh oregano, more olive oil, and crumbled feta cheese.

2 ichiban eggplants, chopped (or 1 small Italian eggplant)
1 big zucchini, chopped (or a couple smaller ones)
1 pint cherry tomatoes (or a couple handfuls)
1-2 roma tomatoes, chopped (or a single larger tomato)
1-2 cloves of garlic (more/less as you’d like)
1/2 small onion
12 oz pasta (spaghetti or rotini; a full pound may be too much)
fresh basil, chopped
fresh oregano, chopped
olive oil
crumbled feta cheese (or parmesan or asiago)

Chop the vegetables. Drizzle olive oil generously into a cast iron skillet, add veggies, drizzle a little more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put this on a grill (or stovetop) on a medium heat. It will take about 20 minutes or so to cook into a stew. Stir it occasionally so nothing sticks or burns. It’s done when the veggies begin to caramelize and has the look and feel of a thick stew.

To serve with pasta, cook the pasta while the vegetables are cooking (or, keep veggies warm while the pasta cooks). Toss the vegetables, pasta, fresh basil, and fresh oregano. Top with selected cheese, drizzle with more olive oil, and serve.

This probably reheats well, but we’ve never had leftovers...

Here again, with Baked Feta, Chickpeas, and Kale

It’s been eight years — EIGHT! — since my last post. We’ve settled in Ohio and are hundreds of miles from our previous homes, but we have a longer growing season and loads of locally produced ingredients. Today, I felt the need to come back to this virtual place. I find myself returning to some of the recipes here (such as this, this, and this). And so, I'm back. Some things change but always seem to stay the same...

This dish is adapted from Mark Bittman’s Baked Feta with Chickpeas and Greens. As you can see, it does not photograph well... but it is delicious. We’ve tried this with rice (ok, but not great) and highly recommend grilled bread or toast with it. I buy feta in 16 oz. blocks, but it isn't always easy to find. Crumbled feta will work as a substitute.

The tomato sauce I use is this Simple Tomato Sauce (courtesy of Cookie & Kate) and make it exactly as she’s written it but for this particular dish, I omit the oregano. FYI, this tomato sauce can be easily made in a slow cooker too. You'll end up with more than you need and fortunately, it freezes well.

2 T olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large bunch of kale (chopped), or half of a 32 oz. bag of pre-chopped kale
3 cups tomato sauce
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained or 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
water
1 lemon, halved
Freshly ground black pepper
8 oz block feta, cut into ½-inch- thick slices (crumbled feta works ok if you can't find a block)
grilled or toasted bread for serving

Grab a large skillet with a lid. Drizzle with olive oil, heat it, and sprinkle the ground cumin into the skillet. Cook for about a minute. Add the chopped kale in handfuls, letting each cook down a little before adding more. After the kale has cooked down, add the chickpeas, tomato sauce, and juice from half of the lemon. Place the feta slices on top of everything and push them down just a little (if you're using crumbled feta, sprinkle over the tomato/kale/chickpea mixture). Give it a few grinds of black pepper. You could add salt at this point, but I've found the feta provides enough salt on its own.

Put the lid on the skillet and simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until the feta appears slightly melty. If it cooks longer and the feta looses shape, no worries, it will still taste good. Serve with the grilled or toasted bread and a glass of red.

This dish reheats well even though the feta pretty much melts into the sauce.

Szechuan Green Beans

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare (and of course, eat) green beans. We first met at Lao Sze Chuan in Chicago, and Szechuan Spice in Minneapolis has most recently filled that Chinatown void. I think they are traditionally deep fried; this version (adapted from here) calls for stir-frying them until they are brown and shriveled. They don't need to be solid brown or completely wrinkled up, just "browned" and "shriveled". You'll hopefully see what I mean if you try this dish... which you should!

1 to 1-1/2 lb fresh green beans

3 T oil (peanut oil works best, but others would be ok)

Sauce (combine the following in a small bowl)
I suggest you adapt this to your taste and heat preferences. Ingredients with a * next to them can be adjusted according to your needs.

2-3 cloves garlic, chopped*

1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated (or finely chopped)*

1/2 bunch green onions, chopped

1 T Sriracha or Asian chili sauce*

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes*

3 T soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Wash and trim the beans. Heat oil over medium heat in a wok (or large pan), add beans and stir-fry until they brown and shrivel. Using a splatter screen may be helpful. This can take a little while, from 5 to 15 minutes, so be patient. Sometimes adding a pinch or two of salt to them helps speed things up. As they brown (which most likely won't be all at the same time) remove from the pan and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil. 

After all beans have been cooked, you'll want about a tablespoon of oil left in the wok/pan—pour away or add more as needed. Add sauce to the wok/pan and stir-fry a few seconds. Add beans, mix together, and serve over rice. 

Spring Radish Quick Pickle

Lately, I've been thinking about pickles, fermentations, and other ways of preserving foods. In addition to a stack of library books on the subject, there's a ginger beer bug (culture) growing on the shelf, plans are in place to try making kimchi, and my growing curiosity on brewing mead. With some time off from classes over the summer, I'm almost living in the kitchen—trying things out, reading cookbooks, enjoying time in my little laboratory.

This morning we went to the St. Paul Farmer's Market in Lowertown and one of the things that made it back to our kitchen was spring radishes. Whenever I see them, I think of my grandparents slicing them and to add to salads; I don't know why this sticks in my mind, other than they must have eaten a lot of them. I enjoy them sliced with a sprinkle of sea salt, or chopped and mixed with butter to spread on crackers.

Given my recent obsession with all things pickled, however, I wanted to trying something a little different. Following this recipe exactly, I'm hooked; there's a sweetness to these, like candy, and they're addictive. I like where this is going, next time I might try a sea salt brine for a slightly more fermented version.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

I roasted a few pints of cherry tomatoes with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. It took about 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven, and they're fantastic tossed with pasta, more olive oil, and some goat cheese or parmesan.

Goodness Greens!

In our Fresh Picks deliveries, I was often faced with a few pounds of collard greens or kale. I really had no idea what to do with it, and all I could imagine was cooking them into a globby mess. How on earth could greens be cooked and still taste good?

Fortunately, I found this recipe and it's now one of our favorite things to eat along with brown rice. The greens retain their texture and the sweet/spicy seasoning is wonderful.

Collard Greens (adapted from Simply Recipes---also great for Kale)

2 lb collard greens of kale, washed well and chopped

2 T onion, finely chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or pressed

2 T olive oil

2 T sesame oil (optional--tastes great with or without)

chili pepper flakes (I like this on the spicy side, and use about 1 T)*

salt (1-2 tsp)*

sugar (1-2 tsp)*

cracked pepper

*The last three ingredients can be varied according to your taste. You'll find the right balance the more you make this dish.

In a big pot with a lid, heat the olive oil and saute onion and garlic for about a minute. Mix in the greens and remaining ingredients. Cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 8-10 minutes. Stir, and serve. 

Musings on a Rainy Night Salad

At times when my family gets together, we've played a what-if game titled "If you were stuck on a desert island for the rest of your life, what is the one food item you'd want to have with you?" (I guess we were short of other fun things to do that day.....)

My immediate answer was always potatoes, mashed with plenty of butter and seasoned with salt and pepper. French fries would also do if fat wasn't an issue. My dad, however, would promptly reply "a fresh green salad." I could never quite figure that out---if I was stuck on an island, I'd want something comforting. Like potatoes, obviously.

At any rate, I think my dad was on to something. When I was living in California, a friend of mine would mention the word "salad" as if she was dying and the only medicinal compound that would extend her life included greens and dressing. She apparently knew something too.

Well, folks, I just had my favorite fresh green salad (so far). It is (un)cleverly called Rainy Night Salad.

Vegetables
I purchased arugula salad mix in bulk, and balanced the bitterness with some grated carrot. Sliced some cucumbers.

Croutons
I had half a leftover baguette, and cut it into small cubes. Tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of Italian seasoning. I "toasted" them à la Julia and Jacques, by lightly frying/tossing in a pan (or wok), but you could probably bake them, instead, until crisp. I tend to like mine a little on the soft side, so that they can be pierced with a fork easily when eating.

Dressing
A simple vinaigrette.
Combine the following in a small jar:
6 T olive oil, 2 T apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, pinch of salt, and a twist of freshly ground pepper. Either put a lid on the jar and shake to combine, or whisk together. This will keep for about a week in the fridge.

The dressing soaks into the baguette croutons...and now I'm craving salad, too.

Beet Latkes

Our most recent CSA delivery included, oh yes, more beets. I swear, we have had the most varied diet this past summer by being exposed more veg like this. It helps that they are such a beautiful color! These latkes are best when eaten right away...don't let them get too cold.

4 c coarsely peeled & shredded beets (food processor works great)
1/4 c flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cracked black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
oil to fry

Press water out of the beets (note: if you do this with your hands, wear gloves!--I used a spatula and a colander) and set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper. Mix in beets and eggs.

Fry in 1/4 c amount, spread to about 3-4 inches round and cook 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve with sour cream and more cracked pepper.

A Beet Affair

I entered the world of savory tarts with this little gem, carrying in hand a bundle of perfect organic beets (again, from my Fresh Picks delivery). What does one do with beets? It was an adventurous journey, consisting of multiple steps and then misreading the actual baking time—we ended up eating far later than usual. I tend to steer away from intense recipes like this, but all in all it was a good time. John took a peek and (hopefully?) wondered if we were having cherry cheesecake for dinner. “Aw gee, newcomer to this foreign land,” I responded, “it's Beet Tart!”

It was surprisingly tasty, and we both went back for seconds. There was even enough for lunches the next day...and we licked the plates clean (nasty habit, I know). Beet tart, anyone?

Sweet Potato Fries

Oh, yeahhh....sweet potato fries. Sometimes there is just nothing better. Even if you don't like sweet potatoes, they're worth trying. A co-worker of mine suggests adding dried dillweed, but I think they are just fine on their own.

1-2 large sweet potatoes (or yams, if that's what is available)
olive oil (or butter)
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the sweet potato into strips or wedges; be sure to make them as uniform as possible for even cooking.

Spread on a baking sheet or 9” x 13” pan, and drizzle with olive oil (about 1-2 tablespoons; if using butter, dot the potatoes with bits of butter). Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and toss to make sure everything gets coated. Place in the oven.

They'll probably take 45-60 minutes to bake properly...seriously, though, this is one dish that I can easily forget about as long as the timer is on. I like them crispy, but take them out whenever they are easily pierced with a fork and done to your liking.

Leftovers rating: High. Delicious anytime.