These Greek-inspired zucchini fritters make great hors d’oeuvres or a light vegetarian dinner served with a green salad and tzatziki.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:220]
Category Archives: Vegetables & Whole Grains
Obscenely Good Eggplant-Ricotta Tartine
This grilled eggplant sandwich should come with a rating–and not because it’s topless (tartine is the French word for open-faced sandwich). Because it’s that good.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:47]
Grilled Onions with Chile-Nut Puree
These grilled onions make me think of Mexico and cebollitas (little onions), nestled in embers, turning buttery soft with a rich, smoky flavor. I like to wrap the charred tail around the bulb like wrapping string around a ball, then I scrape it through the flavorful paste and pop it in my mouth whole.
2 red bell peppers
1 tomato, halved lengthwise
1/2 onion
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 ancho chile, halved, stemmed and seeded
3 chile morro (or 2 dried chipotles), halved, stemmed and seeded
1/4 cinnamon stick
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
3/4 ounce peanuts, (about 3 tablespoons)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 pounds spring onions, cleaned, greens kept on
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
On a medium-high grill or over an open flame, roast bell pepper until flesh is completely charred, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a paper bag until cool enough to handle, then peel, stem and seed. Place roasted peppers in the bowl of a food processor.
Heat a large skillet to medium and toast tomato, onion and garlic. Turn every few minutes to char all surfaces, about 5 minutes total, and transfer to food processor. Flatten chiles onto the skillet and toast for 30 seconds on both sides, until shiny and fragrant (be careful not to scorch). Transfer to the bowl. Add cinnamon stick and pumpkin seeds to the skillet, and transfer to the bowl when toasted and fragrant. Add peanuts, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the mixture and process until a coarse paste.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and when oil is hot, add puree (be careful; puree may splatter at first). Fry sauce for 5 minutes, until darkened a shade and thickened. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar and transfer to a serving bowl.
Toss green onions with remaining teaspoon oil and salt and grill for 5-8 minutes, turning often, until charred but not burnt on all sides. Serve with Chile-Nut Puree.
Serves 4
South of the Border Melizansalata (Eggplant Dip)
I created this eggplant dip for a class I’m teaching at Rancho La Puerta spa in Tecate, Mexico, to take advantage of all the gorgeous vegetables in their organic gardens. It’s a spin on one of my favorites from Greece—melinzansalata — and makes a tasty summer appetizer.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:119]
Farro & Eggplant Stacks with Summer Pesto & Salsa Fresca
I know, I know; this recipe has a lot of layers to it. But think of it as four meals in one—farro, grilled eggplant, summer pesto and salsa fresca. Make a little extra of each one and you’ll have a week’s worth of meals . . . along with an impressive dish for dinner.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:121]
Sweet Pepper Confit
There are many versions of sweet pepper confit, from Sicilian peperonata to Basque piperade. Summer vegetable confits, like this one are exceptionally versatile in the kitchen; the ultimate summer convenience food. Serve them on grilled bread as an appetizer or as a side dish with our Spice-Rubbed Skirt Steak or Pesto-Rubbed Butterflied Grilled Chicken.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:122]
Honey-Ginger Roasted Carrots
A while ago I was profiling a group of moms who met through a CSA and was intrigued by their stories of how the CSA experience had shaped the way their kids eat. One veggie the kids unanimously preferred (demanded) fresh from the farm rather than from a grocery store bag was carrots: “They’re so much sweeter that way.” Well this way gilds the lily even further, by adding honey and ginger to the mix.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound carrots, peeled
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Mix together olive oil, ginger, honey, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Spread carrots in a heavy-duty roasting pan and toss to coat with honey mixture. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until carrots are tender and caramelized.
Serves 4
Green Beans with Frizzled Shallots
This simple side dish is our answer to that Thanksgiving classic: green bean casserole. But since it’s made with fresh green beans, it’s sooooo much better. The method may seem backwards, but adding the olive oil and shallot at the end makes the flavors even more intense.
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 pound medium green beans, topped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Bring broth to a simmer over medium heat and add beans. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, until beans are just pliable. Uncover and increase heat to high. Sauté beans until all liquid has evaporated. Add olive oil, shallot, salt and pepper and continue sautéing for 3-5 minutes, until shallots are crispy and beans are tender and browned in places.
Serves 4
Mushroom “Farrotto” with Roasted Butternut Squash & Shallots
Farro is an ancient strain of emmer wheat. You can find it in many specialty shops and also online at ChefShop.com. The hearty, nutty flavor of the farro pairs beautifully with butternut squash and mushrooms.
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
2 cups sliced shallots
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
3 thyme sprigs
3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
2 pounds cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 bay leaves
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 quart mushroom stock
1-1/2 cups farro
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Toss squash and shallots with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and thyme. Spread out in a heavy roasting pan and roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally after the first 10 minutes, until squash and shallots are tender and caramelized. Remove from the oven and discard thyme stems.
While the squash roasts, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until a good portion of the fat is rendered. Add mushrooms to pot and toss well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, until mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high. Add bay leaves, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper, and continue cooking for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are tinged golden-brown.
Stir in broth, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in farro and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is gone and the farro is tender. Stir in squash and shallots and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Serves 8
Radish and Goat Cheese Baguettes
Everything about this sandwich makes me happy. The radishes–so vibrant and colorful–come straight from our back yard, the bread from our local bakery, and the goat cheese from grazing goats just a few miles away. Even the olive oil comes from a local producer. The radish offers a peppery hit that’s lovely against the creamy, pungent cheese.
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:49]