Summer squash frittata

6 eggs

grated cheese

salt + pepper + red pepper flakes

butter or oil for pan

1 tbsp olive oil

salt

1 onion

1 - 2 yellow squash / zucchini, sliced thinly

3 - 4 small potatoes, sliced thinly

4 cherry tomatoes

handful or two of basil, chopped

more grated cheese

balsamic reduction, if you're feeling fancy

I don't have a cast iron skillet (yet), so I make frittatas by baking them - without starting them on the stovetop. Bear with me.

Preheat oven to 450 and grease a small baking dish or pie dish. Beat the eggs, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and mix in some grated cheese. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add onions and salt. Saute until tender, 5 minutes or so. Add yellow squash / zucchini, potatoes and tomatoes (and whatever else you want to use up, of course). Cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender. 

Pour eggs and veggie mixture into baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, top with basil and grated cheese. Return to oven and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic reduction, and serve. 

Eggplant

Eggplant is one of the heartiest vegetables out there, and makes Meatless Monday that much easier every week since it's so easy to make into a filling, satisfying main course. The first thing most people think of when they have eggplant on the brain is, of course, Eggplant Parmesan. I'm sure that many of you already have your favorite Eggplant Parm recipe, so I won't add my own today. Instead, I have a few recipes that try to veer away from frying and sauteing. Eggplants soak up much more fat than other vegetables when cooking in the aforementioned ways, so if you're trying to eat on the healthier side you should stick to baking, broiling, or grilling it. Believe me, I love fried food as much as the next person, and these other options are equally delicious and easy to make - you won't be disappointed.

Roasted Eggplant with Basil and Lemon

1 large eggplant
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil, thyme, and/or Italian seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions: Cut the eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Place slices on a paper towel and salt each one. Let sit for 30 minutes to drain excess moisture, then pat with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Add the garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper to the oil and mix thoroughly. Then, brush each eggplant with the oil and herb mixture. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve.

Honey Glazed Roasted Vegetables
courtesy of eggplantrecipes.net

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt, pepper, dried thyme, to taste
4-6 cups mixed halved red potatoes, sliced zucchini, thickly sliced onions, red peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, sliced eggplant (any vegetables you have on hand, really)

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Arrange the cut vegetables in a roasting pan and brush the honey mixture over the vegetables, incorporating well. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Eggplant "Steaks"
courtesy of Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup thick steak sauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
8 (1/2 inch) eggplant slices, purged with salt (see first recipe for directions)
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, optional

Directions: In a small bowl whisk together the teriyaki sauce, steak sauce, olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Pat your eggplant dry with paper towels. With a pastry brush apply the sauce to both sides of the eggplant. Place eggplant rounds onto a sheet tray fitted with a rack. Place the tray under the broiler for until eggplant is nicely browned, approximately 2 minutes. Turn slices over and place back under broiler to brown the other side. Generously sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over all of the slices. Place back under the broiler for 1 minute to nicely brown the cheese. Serve plain or sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs. (Not everyone has a tray with a fitted rack and/or a broiler option in their oven, so feel free to grill the eggplant slices instead of the above option. )

It's Tomato Time!

Nothing excites me more than tomato season, and all of the delicious possibilities this time of year implies. Whether they are cherry, grape, roma, heirloom, or any other type of tomato, there are thousands of simple, elegant, and mouth-watering recipes available to you. I normally turn right to the Food Network during my recipe hunt, and lucky for us their current in-season feature this week is none other but the tomato! Below are some of my personal favorites that have both tomatoes and other in-season vegetables for you to enjoy.

Ratatouille

courtesy of Julia Child, in 'The Way to Cook'

1 lb. fresh shiny firm eggplant

salt, as needed

1 lb. zucchini

1/4-1/3 cup olive oil, as needed

Thyme, oregano, or a bottled herb blend

1 lb. onions (about 3 1/2 cups sliced)

2-3 large green bell peppers

3 large cloves garlic, minced

3 cups tomato pulp (fresh tomatoes peeled, seeded, juiced)

Directions: Cut the eggplant into crosswise slices 3/8 inch thick. Salt lightly on each side and spread on paper towels. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 2-inch slices 3/8 inch thick. Salt the zucchini. Let both vegetables stand 20 minutes; pat dry in paper towels.

- Baking the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange the eggplant on a cookie tray, paint lightly with oil, and sprinkle with herbs. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 15-20 minutes, until just tender.

-The rest of the vegetables: preheat olive oil in large skillet. Lightly brown zucchini on both sides; remove to paper towels. Add more oil if necessary, and saute the onions until tender but not browned. Stir in the peppers and garlic; fold and toss over moderately high heat for several minutes, until fairly tender. Set aside 1/2 cup of the tomatoes, and fold the rest into the onions and peppers; toss, adding salt and herbs to taste, until the tomatoes have rendered their juice; continue for several minutes until the juices have almost boiled off.

-Finishing the ratatouille - about 30 minutes - Set aside best looking eggplant for the top. Arrange the vegetables in a casserole, starting and ending with the onion-pepper-tomato mixture. Arrange the reserved tomato and eggplant decoratively over the top. C

over and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, either on top of the stove or in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. When bubbling gently, uncover, tip the casserole, and baste with the juices rendered; repeat several times until the juices have almost evaporated. Serve hot, warm, or cold.

(this may look like a lot of steps, but it is very easy and definitely worth the effort!)

Homemade Tomato Soup

courtesy of Michael Chiarello

1 lb. fresh tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 stalk celery, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Strain the chopped tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, vegetable broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.

Summer Time means Summer Squash

Well folks, we are in the peak of summer, and many of you have probably noticed that summer squash is also peaking as they pile up in your weekly CSA share or at your local farmers' market. It is easy to turn to the usual steamed or sauteed squash dish each night with dinner, but it can be equally easy to use them in a completely new and unique way with nearly the same ingredients and time. Because squash are so plentiful and popular in the US, a quick internet search of "summer squash recipes" will yield thousands of results. I personally use the Food Network site as my go-to recipe finder, but there are many other websites out there, and I highly suggest searching around for your own favorite. Here are a few squash and zucchini recipes that I love to get you started. Happy hunting!

Summer Squash Soup with Basil
courtesy of Food Network's Curtis Aikens

fresh basil, julienned

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/4 pounds summer squash of any variety, roughly chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 cups vegetable stock*
1/2 cup basil, julienned
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Sour cream or plain yogurt, optional
*I sometimes add a 1/2 cup or so of cream in place of that same amount of stock to help give it a thicker, creamier texture

Directions: Heat the oil in a large saucepan or stockpot, add zucchini and onion. Saute for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent and zucchini is crisp tender. Then add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat and partially cover and cook for 25 minutes. Add basil during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Mix the butter and flour together into a paste. Remove 1 cup of simmering stock and whisk in butter mixture until smooth. Add back into soup, stir until thickened. Remove soup from heat to a blender and puree until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt. Serve with toasted sourdough bread, if desired.

Summer Squash Pancakes
courtesy of About.com's Diana Rattray

3 cups grated summer squash
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 cup biscuit mix
Pepper, just a dash or to taste
milk as needed

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add enough milk as necessary to make a thin pancake-like batter. Drop by spoonfuls onto hot oiled griddle or skillet. Turn over when bottom is golden and cook until browned on both sides. Serve with butter, sour cream, or any desired topping.

Zucchini "Pizza"
courtesy of About.com's Diana Rattray

3 cups zucchini, grated
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup flour
salt, to taste
2 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1/2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 artichoke hearts or pickled peppers, finely chopped
jalapeno peppers, optional
1 tablespoon fresh oregano (1 teaspoon if using dried)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil (1/2 teaspoon if using dried)
3 to 4 tomatoes, thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Generously butter a 9x13-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 450°. Put grated zucchini in a colander and press out as much excess liquid as possible. Put zucchini in a mixing bowl. Add well-beaten eggs, flour and salt. Mix well and spread in buttered pan. Bake in a 450° oven for 8 minutes. Remove pan and reduce oven temperature to 350°. Cover the zucchini base with cheese. Combine ripe olives, onion, and chopped pickled peppers. Spread over cheese. Arrange jalapeno pepper rings over top. Sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs. Arrange tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 350°, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

Leftover CSA Produce?

I'm sure there are some of you out there that, like me, can't always keep up with the produce items that you receive every week in your shares. From my own experience, the most common leftovers in the fridge by the end of the week are greens and cabbage. I am sharing with you some very easy recipes that I have come up with that will hopefully both taste great and help empty out your fridge before tomorrow's veggies arrive. The cabbage soup, a variation of a soup that my mom would always make for my family, can use up to a half a head of cabbage at a time and requires almost no effort past chopping a bunch of vegetables (and has almost no calories!). The other two recipes can use collards, kale, chard, or any hearty green you have lying around. I often add extra veggies, or change up the herbs and spices I put in when I get bored. Have some fun, and happy cooking!


Quick and Easy Cabbage Soup

3 cups vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15-oz. cans of pre-seasoned diced tomatoes (Italian or Mexican)
½ - 1 head cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
½ cup zucchini, chopped (optional)
Basil and oregano, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Add all ingredients to a large dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat until all ingredients are cooked thoroughly and cabbage is transparent. Season to taste. For a spicier soup, add some diced chilies or jalapeno salt.

Sautéed Collard Greens and Cabbage

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tsp crushed chili flakes, optional
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ - ½ a head of cabbage (depending on the size of the head), sliced
1 bunch (about ½ a pound) of collard greens, center stem removed, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional

Directions: Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet or wok. Add the sliced onion and crushed chili flakes if using, and sauté for a few minutes until they begin to soften and lose color. Add the minced garlic, salt and pepper, and continue to sauté until the garlic becomes fragrant. Stir frequently so the garlic does not burn. Once the onions are translucent and the garlic fragrant, add the sliced cabbage and greens. Frequently toss with tongs to coat cabbage and greens in oil, and to thoroughly cook all ingredients. The greens will first turn a fluorescent green, and then become steadily darker as they cook. Add more salt and pepper to taste. The dish is complete when cabbage is transparent, collard greens are a dark green color, and both are fully wilted. If using, add lemon juice right before removing from pan and serving – if added too early on, it can make the greens lose their vibrant green color.

Sautéed Greens and Mushrooms with Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
2 portabella mushroom caps, cleaned* and cut into ¼ inch slices, OR 1 cup button mushrooms, cleaned* and sliced
½ tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bunch (approx. ½ a pound) of collard greens, kale, chard, or any other dark leafy green that holds up well to cooking and heat (not spinach), thick center stem removed, sliced or coarsely chopped
2 tsp sea salt
Pepper, to taste
¼ cup balsamic vinegar or Marsala cooking wine

Directions: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion, and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften and lose color. Add the garlic and cook about a minute more, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms, rosemary and cayenne pepper. Continue cooking until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. De-glaze the skillet with the balsamic vinegar or Marsala wine, and cook about a minute more. Add the greens, sea salt** and pepper to taste. Toss the greens frequently to cook thoroughly. The dish is done when the greens are fully wilted and darker in color.

*To clean mushrooms, do not rinse in water. Take a dry, clean paper towel and gently rub any remaining dirt off of the caps and stems.

**As a general rule, do not add salt to mushrooms until they are almost fully cooked, as salt will promote dryness and much faster cooking when added to raw mushrooms.

new way to work the zucchini crop!

long live the season of zucchini and tomatoes!! i struck upon a brilliant recipe through the ny times that makes great use of both: zucchini "pasta" and fresh tomato sauce. i made the tomato sauce last week with a bunch of the yellow tomatoes and ended up with this stunning orange colored sauce. grate some fresh parm on top and you have a fantastic meal.

Zucchini (or squash) Fries

sorry everyone (Anne in particular!). i meant to post this weeks ago when we first got zucchini. this is a great way to eat your veggies and feel like you're splurging on junk food! i recommend seasoning the bread crumbs with something more than just salt and pepper. also, i didn't make the tomato coulis. i just used regular old ketchup for dipping. enjoy! http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/BAKED-ZUCCHINI-FRIES-WITH-TOMATO-COULIS-DIPPING-SAUCE-239163

Zucchini, squash & broccoli with tomato crab meat sauce over whole wheat penne pasta

Here's something I made last night after getting home at 9pm (not from work, don't worry, but from tennis). It was late, we were hungry and I wanted something light and quick. So here it is. It'll probably take me longer to post this than it took me to make this dish, but then, I'm a slow typist and I do have a way with the chef knife.

While the salted water for pasta gets to a boil, heat up some vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and hot red pepper flakes , cook until the garlic starts to become fragrant or to color a bit then add the chopped veggies. If you're not ready with the veggies, add some white wine, to cool down the cooking process a bit. The veggies do not need much cooking (as they are perfectly good raw), so 5 minutes after adding the veggies, add the chopped tomato and the crab meat (you don't need a lot, though the more the better) and turn off the heat. Sprinkle herbs on top of the veggies and in the cooked pasta and serve hot.


The best thing about this dish is that it can be done really quickly and is really versatile. In the winter I make a white wine cream sauce , and I usually add whatever veggies I have in the fridge. Crab meat is pricey and hard to come by, but one can easily use shrimp or fish or mushrooms. The leftovers are great too (even cold, as I had today for lunch). I omitted any quantities from this recipe because I really like the freedom to add as much of something as I like or have, and as I need. Enjoy!

Parmesan-Crusted Squash recipe from Whole Foods

We used up all our yellow squash last night with this recipe. The result is a crunchy, salty exterior with a delightful sweet, burst in the middle! We added extra olive oil to the pesto so that it stuck more easily to the squash.
-Johanna

Parmesan-Crusted Squash with Fresh Tomato Sauce

Vegetarian

Fresh and sundried tomatoes blend together for a simply delicious tomato sauce that perfectly complements the herbed topping in this recipe. This breading method is also delicious for chicken and fish.
Serves 6

* 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
* 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
* 1/4 cup chopped parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 1/2 cup prepared basil pesto
* 2 pounds zucchini or yellow squash, cut on an angle into ½-inch thick rounds
* 4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
* 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Put breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley and red pepper flakes into a wide, shallow dish and mix well. Spread a bit of the pesto on both sides of each piece of squash, then transfer to dish and press gently to coat on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. Transfer squash to prepared baking sheet and bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, put sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, orange juice, salt and pepper into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve squash hot or at room temperature with tomato sauce on the side.
Nutrition Info

Per serving (about 10oz/291g-wt.): 220 calories (130 from fat), 14g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 8g protein, 17g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 10mg cholesterol, 540mg sodium

Frittata

Found this frittata recipe on epicurious.com. great for our csa veggies. you could probably subsitute (and add even more of) any greens. the chard really goes to nothing, especially when it's finely chopped. i did not use prosciutto or zucchini blossoms, and it was perfect without them. used a tiny bit of feta to make up for the saltiness lost with the prosciutto, but it was probably not even necessary. the parmesan is perfect. as this was my first frittata experience, i was afraid to be aggressive when it was cooking on the stove before the oven (recipe says to lift cooked egg to let raw egg go to bottom), but don't be afraid to shake it up a lot. it'll come out fine in the end. just watch carefully when it's in the oven so that it doesn't dry out!

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 40 min
Servings: Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients

6 large eggs

6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 oz prosciutto, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb medium zucchini (about 3), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

5 medium Swiss chard leaves, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

12 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped

5 zucchini blossoms*

2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup)

Preparation

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together eggs, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl.

Cook prosciutto in oil in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until edges begin to crisp, about 2 minutes. Add zucchini and chard and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, about 8 minutes. Add scallions and zucchini blossoms and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook, lifting up cooked egg around edge using a spatula to let as much raw egg as possible flow underneath, until edge is set, about 2 minutes (top and center will still be very loose). Sprinkle cheese evenly over top.

Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set, slightly puffed, and golden, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
Cool frittata 5 minutes, then loosen edge with a clean spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges.

*Available at many farmers markets and specialty produce markets.

You can see the recipe/reviews at http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/SUMMER-VEGETABLE-FRITTATA-109668