FamilyandForks

Thinly Sliced Turnip, Kohlrabi and Red Cabbage with a Ginger-Lime Vinaigrette

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Fresh, bright and bracing. This might describe the weather today or, in our case, the flavors of the beautiful turnips and kohlrabi dotting the farmers markets, as well as tables full of fresh ginger root.  I’ve combined it all into a Sliced Turnip, Kohlrabi and Red Cabbage Salad with a Ginger-Lime Vinaigrette, inspired by my favorite green papaya salad found in Thai cuisine….

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Chil-Spiced Roasted Carrots with a Carrot Green Salsa

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Carrots and their beautiful greens are looking spectacular in the farmers market right now.  Too often the greens are cut off and discarded but don’t make this mistake, especially now.  Fresh carrot greens should always be a keeper but fall carrot greens in particular are tender and bright with a bracing, slightly citrusy flavor.

Chile Roasted Carrots with a Carrot Green Salsa makes great use of your entire bunch of autumn carrots and is easy to prepare for a quick weeknight dinner….

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Autumn Minestrone Soup

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Autumn Minestrone Soup is a collection of autumn’s finest.  Super ripe tomatoes, green beans, garlic, onion, swiss chard and cranberry beans combine with basil and thyme to create a sustaining soup that celebrates the best of the farmers market during the fall season.

Shopping at the farmers market, particularly these days when everything looks so colorful and tempting, can be overwhelming.  You arrive home with bags full of vegetables then question what to do next.  If you do not have a plan, you could end up tossing it out at the end of the week, which is devastating.  Worst case, it could also impact your decision to go to the farmers market the next week.

Learning how to make soup is perhaps the most useful strategy for clearing out your vegetable drawer at any time of year, but particularly now when the farmers market is still at its peak and most alluring.

Minestrone Soup is a classic Italian vegetable soup eaten hot, warm or at room temperature, depending on your mood and the day.  Romans have been preparing Minestrone Soup since ancient times to make use of leftover vegetables and grains.  Today, Italians make Minestrone Soup throughout the year to feature seasonal vegetables but particularly in the fall when Borlotti beans are in season.

Borlotti, more commonly known in the U.S. as Cranberry or October beans, can be found at farmers markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, sometimes already shelled but, if so, they are usually tucked away a bit.  However, if they are still in their pod, their spectacular bright pink and white pods are hard to miss.  They are almost glamorous….especially in contrast to the humble beans they contain that sadly lose their pink hue once cooked.

I was surprised how easy it is to prepare fresh beans as, unlike dried beans that need to be soaked overnight, fresh beans need no preparation (other than possibly shelling, which is quick and easy). After 30 minutes simmering in a pot of water with a halved garlic head and a bay leaf, I have a pot full of soft beans with a delicate earthy flavor that is completely lost once they are canned.  Also unlike canned beans, they hold their shape, but easily relent to the press of a fork.  They are wonderful served alone in a bowl with an extra drizzle of olive oil but their addition to Minestrone Soup is a Italian tradition.

Adding pasta also is traditional, usually ditatlini or small shells, as are potatoes.  The starch from any of these additions will help thicken the soup and provide heft…making it hardy enough for a meal.

A drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of parmesan cheese complete this Autumn Minestrone Soup and helps make this simple dish look almost elegant.   Brimming with vegetables and easily accomodating, Autumn Minestrone Soup celebrates the season beautifully.

Autumn Minestrone Soup
 
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Ingredients
  • 1½ lbs. fresh cranberry/October/Borlotti beans, about 2 cups shelled beans (OR 2 14.5-oz cans pinto, kidney or white beans, drained and rinsed.)
  • 1 small head garlic, sliced in half, separating top and bottom. Rinse the bottom half with the root to remove any grit. Remove any loose outer leaves.
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2-4 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery spears, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 2 zucchini, chopped into ½-inch cubes
  • 2 cups green beans (about ½ lb.), chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup red or other thin-skinned potatoes, chopped (optional)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water (preferably filtered)
  • *Parmesan rind, if you have one (optional.)
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (OR 1 Tablespoon dried basil)
  • 4 sprigs thyme (OR 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
  • 4 large swiss chard leaves (about 1½ cups), spinach (not baby) or dinosaur kale, cores removed and chopped
  • ½ cup cooked pasta, ditalini or small shells. (optional) Save 1 cup of cooking liquid to add to soup, if desired.
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste **
  • 5-6 grinds black pepper
  • Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat, add onions, carrots, celery, zucchini. Sauté over medium-low heat and cover until softened and vegetables exude their juices, about 7-10 minutes. Check under lid occasionally to make sure they are gently simmering, not vigorously boiling.
  2. Remove lid and add broth, tomatoes, green beans, thyme sprigs, Borlotti beans, garlic halves, bay leaf and/or dried seasonings, if using. Add additional water to completely cover the vegetables.
  3. Bring to a boil then simmer over medium heat (soup should bubble slowly and gently) until vegetables are cooked to desired consistency and beans are soft. (less time and vegetables will be well formed and soup broth thinner, cook longer and vegetables dissolve but broth will be slightly thicker.)
  4. About 10 minutes prior to serving, stir in canned beans (if using), and swiss chard leaves, simmer until greens are softened and beans are warmed through.
  5. Remove garlic halves, thyme stems and bay leaf, discard.
  6. Add chopped basil and stir through the soup, saving a small handful of chopped leaves to top soup bowls before serving.
  7. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you would like more broth, add some of the reserved pasta water.
  8. To serve, ladle into a bowl then add cooked pasta, if using, an extra drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of basil leaves and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
It is important to note that this soup is meant to be adapted to your weekly farmers market haul. Feel free to substitute vegetables according to what is available each week. Turnips, potatoes, canned tomatoes are all great substitutions. The more you make this soup, the more familiar you will become with flavors you like best.

*Parmesan rind is the end of a piece of Parmesan cheese when bought whole. It is worthwhile to buy a wedge of Parmesan just for this soup. Grate the cheese to serve on the side and put the rind into the broth to simmer.

**Beans cook best with less salt. Season the soup generously with salt after the beans are cooked through.
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Apple and Pear Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

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Sweltering heat from earlier this week is finally replaced by cooler, more seasonably Fall weather. A crisp breeze and bright sun set against deep blue skies and dashes of color in the trees confirm the season’s arrival at last.

Apples and pears now dominate the farmers market but dinner can still be close at hand. This Apple and Pear Salad with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette can go straight from market to plate using all the different ingredients you can find at a farmers market….

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Za’atar Roasted Mushrooms and Eggplant with Barley and Tomatoes

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Unseasonably warm temperatures suggest summer while the calendar and market options are becoming decidedly autumn.  Blending the seasons seems to be the best strategy this week.  Za’atar Roasted Mushrooms and Eggplant with Barley and Tomatoes marries summer and autumn for a filling meal that straddles the seasons with ease….

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Eggplant Caponata

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Eggplant is everywhere in beautiful shades of…. well, aubergine.  I found these purple and white striped beauties at the farmers market this week but I also admire the exotic white varieties.  However, it is the shades of deep purple that make eggplants swoon worthy this time of year both for their beauty and their deep earthy flavors that can only be appreciated in season.

If I am honest (and indeed, I am), eggplant is not a family favorite.  I’m the only one who seeks it out and am alone when I order it sliced on a pizza.  However, an Eggplant Caponata is a game changer in our house.  Cubes of slightly burnished eggplant are mixed with the freshest tomatoes, salty capers and olives, and a sprinkling of toasted pine nuts.  Salty, earthy and slightly acidic, it is such a lovely and satisfying combination.

I make a large batch and keep in the fridge for several days to top pizzas, pasta or a slice of toasted bread topped with fresh mozzarella for a tartine.  It is so very adaptable and makes weekday meals easy.  I also sometimes make it with very small cubes and serve on top of sliced toasted baguette as a bruschetta appetizer.  Paired with an Aperol Spritz, Eggplant Caponata is a elegant start to a late-summer evening.

I believe that eating eggplant in season fresh from the farm eliminates the bitterness some associate with eggplant and that might be, in large part, due to the travel time it is forced to endure if you are eating it out of season.  Fruit and vegetables were not meant to sit around for weeks.  Picked fresh and on your plate within days, you will not be disappointed in eggplant and likely surprised at its tender, soulful pull on any dish.

Unlike Ratatouille, Eggplant Caponata maintains the structure and identity of each vegetable.  Eggplant remains in cubes as do tomatoes, and, celery, ( if you have any at the market, which I sadly haven’t seen near us).  The salty and briny addition of capers and olives also add a zing to the palate.

Eggplant Caponata is on our plates this weekend and hopefully on yours, as well.  It has become a family favorite… honestly.

 
Eggplant Caponata
 
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Eggplant Caponata Author: Lisa Colburn Stewart Slightly burnished cubes of eggplant tossed with fresh tomatoes, capers and olives, make Eggplant Caponata a beautiful addition to the late-summer table.
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Ingredients
  • 4 or more Tablespoons olive oil
  • (2) medium eggplants (4-6 cups cubes), ends removed and chopped into cubes
  • (1) medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2-3 medium tomatoes (I like plum or San Marzano as they have a firmer flesh) peeled, cored and chopped
  • ½ teaspoon granulated cane sugar (or more depending on your tomatoes and your desire for sweetness)
  • (4) celery spears from the heart (not the tough outer spears) optional
  • (2) Tablespoons capers*, rinsed and drained
  • ¼ cup chopped green olives
  • 2 Tablespoons red wine or dry sherry
  • 2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted **
  • Basil leaves, chopped, optional
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Put cubed eggplant into a large bowl and coat lightly but evenly with olive oil, about 2 tablespoons.
  2. Lightly oil a large stainless steel fry pan (do not use non-stick, teflon or cast iron) and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the eggplant and toss over the heat. The eggplant will absorb all of the oil and will start to lightly stick to the pan. That is ok! Keep tossing and the eggplant will brown.
  3. Once the eggplant is browned and softened, remove to a plate. Sprinkle lightly with salt.
  4. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, or more to coat your pan, and add onion and celery (if using). Stir until softened, about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar, capers and olives. Cook over medium heat until tomatoes are cooked through and celery is softened, about 10 minutes. Scrape the pan to loosen any stuck-on bits and continue to stir occasionally. (Do not boil rapidly, rather gently simmer)
  6. Add the eggplant and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes until completely combined and gently softened.
  7. Remove from heat, add vinegar, pine nuts and basil (if using). Stir to combine and taste. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Drizzle with olive oil.
  8. While you can serve immediately. It is probably best served after a night in the fridge and let to sit out at least 20 minutes.
  9. Serve as a dip for toasted pita triangles, atop pizza dough with slices of fresh mozzarella for a pizza, on top of pasta with fresh parmesan or on large slices of toasted bread for a tartine.
  10. To make this as an appetizer bruschetta, cut vegetables into a small dice and spoon atop toasted baguette slices.
Notes
*Capers are usually available in brine or salted. Regardless, they should be rinsed to remove excess salt. Be mindful when seasoning that the capers and olives can add a lot of salt so you may want to under-salt while cooking and add more at the end before serving, if needed.
**Toast pine nuts in a dry stainless steel fry pan. Toss in a hot pan until lightly browned. Do not look away! It takes just a moment to go from brown to burnt. i have also put into a toaster oven but again, keep a close eye.
3.5.3226
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Corn Summer Salad

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Corn is everywhere at the farmers market these days.  This is probably my favorite time of year.  While we enjoy corn on the cob roasted on the grill, we always cook more than we can eat.  It is all part of the master plan.  What we enjoy the most is our Corn Summer Salad.

My friend, who doesn’t consider herself a cook, introduced me to this perfect summer salad that can keep in the fridge during the week (add tomatoes just before serving), and adapt according to your taste that day.  She makes a large batch for the week.  Somedays she adds avocados and black beans and other days it is served simply with just corn, red onion and peppers but always with a generous squeeze of lime and dousing of fruity olive oil.

The season for fresh corn coincides with the abundance of all different varieties of peppers.   My favorite are poblano.  With their dark forest shade of green and crimped body, poblanos vary in intensity from mild to those with a bit of a kick. Younger poblanos are milder and later in the season they kick up the heat.  It is impossible for me to know based on sight alone so I take my chances and enjoy them either way.  Regardless of the heat level, poblanos have a depth of flavor minus the bitterness of green bell peppers that many people dislike.  (Although, I like green bell peppers, too).

I also love the small, narrow serrano peppers that pack much more of a punch and become my favorite breakfast when sautéed with diced potatoes and mixed with scrambled eggs.  Beautiful habanero peppers are something I admire from afar for their heat is beyond my ability to tolerate.

Corn Summer Salad is a thirst-quenching salad that highlights the best of summer. It’s casual like a summer day and we don’t know what we would do without it in August.

Corn Summer Salad
 
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Ingredients
  • (4) ears white or yellow corn
  • Grapeseed oil or sunflower oil to season corn to prepare for the grill.
  • (3) poblano and/or green, red or yellow bell peppers (about 2 cups, chopped)
  • (1 ) jalapeno or serrano pepper (optional)
  • (1) medium red onion or 2 small spring red onions
  • (1) large handful cilantro (or basil for non-cilantro people), stems removed and chopped
  • 2 limes
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 15.5-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (optional)
  • 1 avocado, cubed (optional)
  • 1 large handful cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
Instructions
  1. Cook the corn on the cob either by cooking in boiling water for a few minutes, or on the grill. To grill, lightly brush with oil and place on a hot grill only for a few minutes until the kernels are lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
  2. Core peppers and dice into ¼-inch pieces. Place into a large bowl.
  3. Dice onion and put into a strainer. Rinse with cold water and drain. (This mellows out the flavor so not as pungent.) Add to the peppers.
  4. Using a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels and add to the bowl.*
  5. Add the salt, pepper and cumin.
  6. Using a microplane grater over the pepper and onion bowl, grate the zest of the limes (just the green skin, not the white pith). Juice one lime and taste. Depending on the juiciness of your lime, you will likely need the juice of the second lime, too.
  7. Add the olive oil. Add black beans, if using, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
  8. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge. Add optional tomatoes and/or avocado just before serving.
Notes
*Removing corn kernels can make a mess. I place the cob on a small bowl inside of a larger bowl, or use a bundt pan and place the cob in the center hole. Using a sharp knife, slide just along the bottom edge of the kernels and they will fall into the bowl. Be careful not to cut off the cob. If you find it difficult to cut, you are likely cutting too deeply.
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One-Pan Ratatouille

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I always find myself this time of year appreciating Shakespeare’s phrasing of a “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  There is indeed something magical about the midpoint of summer that can be particularly appreciated as night falls and the symphony of cicadas is illuminated by fireflies sparkling through the trees.  Nature is truly at its peak.

This midsummer magic is also seen during the day at the farmers market when tables literally overflow with summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant, which is a bonanza for shoppers but only if you know what to do with it all when you get home.

Ratatouille originates from southern France and roughly translates from a verb meaning, “to stir up,”  which is what this dish entails.  Although very easy to make, Ratatouille accommodates many vegetables and therefore requires some prep, although only a rough chop of vegetables into cubes.  A traditional Ratatouille recipe states that each vegetable is sautéed in its own pan, which is too fussy for me on most days.  I find that this One-Pot Ratatouille is simply delicious when the vegetables simmer together.

That bottle of herbs de Provence you have in your pantry works very well in Ratatouille, as do fresh herbs, of course.  The vegetables simmer until they soften and gently meld together.

Ratatouille can handle all of your summer vegetables and gladly accepts any duty you impose…whether it is a side dish for grilled meats or seafood, a main dish served over pasta, rice or couscous, or mixed with a drained can of white beans.  I often enjoy it served as a salad atop mixed greens.  Regardless, it is always served with an extra glug of great olive oil.  Just like almost all of our dishes this summer, Ratatouille holds up to the heat and tastes best at room temperature but is just as satisfying warm as it is cold.

Versatile and easy, One-Pot Ratatouille manages to make something special out of simple ingredients.  It is the true magic of the season.


One-Pan Ratatouille
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1½ lbs. zucchini and/or summer squash, peeled with ends removed
  • 3 medium tomatoes (about 1 lb.), peeled, seeds and core removed
  • 1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.), peeled with ends removed
  • 1 lb. green and/or red peppers, cored
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 handful basil (1 cup leaves), roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste.
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 2-3 thyme sprigs OR 1½ teaspoons herbs de Provence (dried herb blend available in the spice aisle)
Instructions
  1. Prep all of the vegetables in advance by cutting into ½" cubes.
  2. Heat the oil in a large casserole pot or fry pan over medium heat.
  3. Add onion. Once onion begins to soften, add the peppers.
  4. Lower heat to medium low and cover (you should hear a slow sizzling)
  5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes
  6. Add the eggplant, stir to coat with oil. (add more oil if pan drys out)
  7. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure they gently simmer. (You do not want to vegetables to sizzle in a dry pan. The pan should always have oil and, soon, juices from the vegetables.)
  8. Once the eggplant begins to soften, add the squash and/or zucchini
  9. Stir and cook until squash begins to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
  10. Add the tomatoes, stir and add salt, pepper, thyme sprigs or herbs de provence
  11. Drizzle with another glug of olive oil and stir to combine. Let simmer gently uncovered until vegetables are tender and sauce starts to thicken. About 20-25 minutes.
  12. Set a large ceramic or other heatproof bowl next to the stove top and remove the vegetables to the bowl using a slotted spoon.* Remove and discard thyme sprigs, if using.
  13. Leave all of the juices in the pan and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 5- 7 minutes until liquid reduces by half and begins to thicken.
  14. Return vegetables to the pan, add basil, and stir to combine. Let sit until almost room temperature to allow flavors to meld, then serve.
  15. If not serving immediately, refrigerate and when serving, allow time for ratatouille to warm almost to room temperature, about 35-40 minutes should do it.
Notes
*Removing the vegetables may seem like a precious step and you could certainly serve without doing this. However, it does make a big difference in preventing the ratatouille from becoming watery and also intensifies the flavor of the sauce.

Serving ideas:
*Top with crumbled feta, goat or fresh cubed mozzarella atop of greens for a salad.
*Traditionally, ratatouille is often served rolled up inside plain crêpes and topped with parmesan or gruyere cheese then heated until bubbly under a broiler.
*Top with a fried or poached egg and a tossed salad on the side for brunch.
*Serve as a sauce atop pasta, rice or couscous
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Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce with Basil Oil

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I am almost in full swoon with the selection and abundance in the market these days. I adore the beautiful tomatoes still clinging to their vine, but removing the vine is an extra step that is sometimes more effort than I’m willing to expend on a hot day.  I also want to keep basil fresh all week.

This Fresh Tomato Sauce with Basil Oil is a strategy to bottle up the best of the market and help it last all week.  So very versatile, I’ve used these sauces to top pasta, homemade pizzas using toasted bread, basil oil drizzled on tomatoes and tomato sauce over fresh mozzarella.

A good blender does all of the work this week.  As soon as I arrive home from the market, I address the basil, dousing it with hot water and then dumping into ice water.  Squeezed dry in a towel, it is placed in the blender with olive oil and blitzed until smooth.  I could add salt but I don’t as I’m never sure how I will use the sauce later in the week.  If I decide to add crushed garlic and parmesan cheese for a pesto, the salty parm may be too much.  I can always add salt later.

Cherry or other smallish tomatoes still on their vine have a remarkable sweetness and are wonderful raw.  However, the sweetness captured makes this sauce taste special.  The tomatoes with their stems still attached are placed in a hot oven until they blister and burst.  Garlic cloves are also scattered on the same pan and roast in their skins.  Roasted garlic loses all its sharpness and becomes soft and buttery.  The blistered tomato skins and stems are now easy to pluck off and discard.  All of the juices and tomato flesh are poured into a blender with the roasted garlic and some olive oil to blitz into a sauce.  I add some sugar and salt, to taste, then bottle it all for use during the week.

It is simple eating all week long….and it’s always the taste of summer.

Fresh Roasted Tomato Sauce with Basil Oil
 
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Ingredients
For the Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce
  • 2 lbs cherry or Campari or other smallish tomatoes
  • 6 large garlic cloves
  • ¼ cup mild olive oil (not extra virgin), plus more for drizzling before roasting
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon granulated can sugar, or more to taste
For the Basil Oil
  • 1 Large bunch basil (about 4 cups basil leaves)
  • ½ cup mild olive oil (not extra virgin)
Instructions
For the Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce
  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Place the tomatoes (still on their stems if attached) and garlic cloves on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil until lightly coated.
  3. Place into the oven and roast for about 10-15 minutes until skin begins to split and burst.
  4. When cool enough to handle, pluck off tomato skins and stems and discard. Gently squeeze softened garlic from its papery skin and discard the skins.
  5. Pour tomatoes and their juice into a blender with the garlic. Add salt and sugar. Blitz until pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste with salt and sugar, if necessary.
For the Basil Oil
  1. Set a kettle of water to boil.
  2. Remove basil leaves from stems and discard stems. Place leaves in a heat proof bowl. Prepare another bowl filled with ice water.
  3. Pour boiling water over basil leaves for about 4 seconds, then drain and place basil leaves into ice water, drain.
  4. Place drained basil leaves on a double layer of paper towels, roll up and gently squeeze out remaining water.
  5. Place basil leaves in the blender with the olive oil. Blitz until smooth. Add more oil if a thinner sauce is desired. I often leave it thick then thin with olive oil as needed depending on how I am serving it.
  6. Both sauces will keep in a jar all week in the fridge.
Notes
Serving Ideas
-Use tomato sauce or blend sauces for a very fresh pasta topping.
-For a pesto sauce, place the Basil Oil in a blender again with a garlic clove and a handful of walnuts or pine nuts, adding a thin stream of additional ¼-cup olive oil, or until desired consistency. Remove to a bowl and stir in ½ cup parmesan.
-Drizzle Basil Oil over sliced raw tomatoes and mozzarella for a Caprese Salad, or over very thinly sliced zucchini.
-Serve the Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce as a soup with an extra drizzle of olive oil and topped with toasted baguette slices.
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