Pomodori Al Forno

I’m not sure what happened to tomato season around here. It seems like it passed in the blink of an eye, before I’d had my chance to fill up on caprese salads and tomato sandwiches. The unusually hot, dry weather may have had something to do with it; our tomatoes seemed less prolific and less flavorful than usual this summer.

In July I did manage to can quite a bit of tomato sauce with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. In the past I have canned whole tomatoes to cook with in the winter but I decided forgo that this year in favor of experimenting with new tomato recipes. I’ve never much cared for plum tomatoes; they seem like the less flavorful cousin to the meaty beefsteak or juicy standard tomato. But I decided to give them another chance in a recipe I’d been saving for a while.

Molly Wizenberg, who blogs here, also writes one of my favorite columns in Bon Appetit. Her poetic storytelling can always draw me in, even when the recipe is for something I will never make (country pate anyone?) Two years ago she wrote about a recipe for pomodori al forno, or oven-roasted tomatoes. Her description of their silky, rich flavor – paired with a crusty piece of bread and some bright, creamy goat cheese – made me swoon. This year I finally got to make them and they were every bit as good as I imagined.

We ate these pomodori on a caprese pizza of sorts.  I folded slivers of fresh basil into my whole wheat deep dish dough and kept the toppings simple – nothing but fresh mozzarella and the tomatoes. (Ok, so the pizzas in the background of this photo also had some kalamata olives on them. You caught me.) The oil from the tomatoes melded with the mozzarella in the oven, making for one of the most flavorful pizzas I’ve ever had. The experts always say that using fewer toppings on a pizza makes for a better final product and though it’s hard to restrain from adding a touch of this or that, it’s well worth it in the end.

Zucchini Pancakes

This is the time of year when people seem to have zucchini coming out of their ears. There are only so many times you can eat it steamed, grilled, or roasted.  Zucchini bread is always a popular option for spare zucchini, but this year I was looking for a new savory way to enjoy it. One day I happened to watch Ina Garten make zucchini into pancakes on Barefoot Contessa and thought they’d fit the bill perfectly. These warm, gooey cakes are utterly delicious and have quickly become one of our favorite summer sides. The zucchini taste is subtle and the texture is very similar to latkes. They are best straight out of the pan. I hope this recipe helps rekindle your love for zucchini in the final days of its season.

Roasted Potatoes

It’s a little strange to post a recipe for roasted potatoes. I’ve made them dozens of times and never once consulted a recipe. But when Cook’s Illustrated proclaimed this method the best way to make the “crispiest, creamiest roasted potatoes ever,” I was intrigued. Typically I toss chunked potatoes with olive oil and seasonings, throw them on a sheet pan, stick them in the oven, and call it a day. The method here is a bit more involved, requiring a parboil of the potatoes and a two-minute toss with olive oil and coarse salt to roughen up the exterior. But any extra steps are 100% worth it; these are by far the best roasted potatoes I’ve ever made.

Yukon golds are definitely best here, as they have the creamiest flesh. However, I’ve also enjoyed this recipe with small red potatoes, carola potatoes, and even purple potatoes.  Sometimes I toss some minced fresh rosemary and a couple cloves of minced garlic while tossing the potatoes to amp up the flavor, although they are delicious with simply salt and pepper.

Butternut Squash, Shiitake, and Leek Galette

I made some beautiful butternut squash turnovers for a Halloween party this year. They were delicious but a total pain. Folding and crimping dozens of puff pastry squares just isn’t something that’s practical often. After the party I had tons of leftover filling (I think the proportions of the original recipe are rather out of whack) and rather than make more appetizer sized portions, I decided to fold it into a pie crust to make a free-form pie, or galette, for dinner one night. I made this galette again a few weeks ago, serving it with a lentil soup and a salad for a well-rounded vegetarian meal. This is a great way to eat butternut squash; its sweetness pairs nicely with tangy goat cheese, meaty mushrooms, and mellow leeks. You can enjoy it on its own as a main course or pair it with a protein or soup for a heartier meal. Enjoy!

Cabbage & Potato Gratin

 

Some of you may be here looking for a Thanksgiving recipe. I have one that would be a welcome addition to any holiday meal. The first time I flipped through Local Flavors I was immediately drawn to this recipe.  I almost never cook gratins (though they are delicious) because of the amount of dairy they contain. This recipe, however, looked heavy on the veggies and light on the milk & cheese. I put it aside several months ago, waiting for our winter CSA to begin. Cabbage is almost always on our CSA list in the winter months and though I like it, I have to admit I usually don’t know what to do with it unless I’m incorporating it into some other dish. It was awesome with the potatoes here, adding  sweet kick to their starchiness. This dish is relatively easy to put together and could be prepared ahead of time. Enjoy!

End of Summer Tomatoes

It’s the official first day of autumn. My favorite season is slowly creeping in. I anticipate this moment all year long and am looking forward to welcoming fall flavors in addition to fall temperatures. With the humidity today, it looks like I’ll have to wait a bit longer, which means I can still savor some summer recipes.

Here in the South this is a transitional culinary period for us. The farmer’s market is beginning to fill up with radishes, greens, beets, green beans, and pumpkins. However, they also have the last of the corn, peppers, and tomatoes. Tomato pie has been all the rage this summer, showing up in magazines and food blogs alike. My first inspiration for it came from Aunt Anne, who was gifted with a beautiful lime green pie dish for her birthday. Grammie gave her the present one night when we were all at the beach. She exclaimed that it would be perfect for Uncle Glenn’s favorite green tomato pie. This immediately piqued my interest. I never got a chance to ask her what the green tomato pie consisted of (Anne? Are you reading this?) but I began searching for recipes when I returned home. I quickly learned that green tomato pie is traditionally made with the same spices as apple pie, and probably has a quite similar taste. Though that thought was intriguing, I decided to put it on hold for the early fall. I then did some searching for a more savory tomato pie.

Broccoli Two Ways

Broccoli shows up on our plates frequently at our house; it’s one of the veggies J & I both love. Though we usually eat it unadorned – simply steamed with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, I do sometimes need to spice it up, especially out of season when the broccoli available is a little limp. These are two recipes that I love. They take a little extra effort but make the broccoli the star of the meal.

The herb flavor of this recipe is pronounced and somewhat unexpected. I don’t find the garlic flavor overwhelming, but I am a garlic lover. Whenever I make fresh breadcrumbs I make extra and stick them in a bag in the freezer. That way I can pull them out the next few times I need them without digging out the food processor.

Market in the Fall

After last night’s last minute novel.. whew, that’s a tongue twister!, I feel the need to keep this short and sweet. Luckily I have the perfect photo of a dish that needs no recipe.

Hopefully this inspires you to grab some of your favorite root vegetables (fingerling potatoes, butternut squash, and turnips in our case) from a farmer’s market near you, toss them with some olive oil, chopped rosemary & garlic, and coarse salt & pepper, and roast them at high heat until tender. You won’t be sorry!