Author: Joe Behn

Roasted Asparagus with Feta on a Bed of Arugula with Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

White or Green Asparagus
Lemon
Feta Cheese
Arugula Salad
Tomato 
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Salt

Wash the asparagus and peel the skin from 2” below the top, down to the bottom. Cook the asparagus in boiling water with salt and a piece of lemon for 5 minutes. Place the asparagus, 3-5 per person, on an oven tray and spread feta cheese across the center. Bake at 375º F 10-15 minutes or until the feta is light brown on the top.

Tomato Vinaigrette:
Bring water to a boil in a pot. Wash the tomatoes, cut out the stem and slice a cross over the top. Put them in the boiling water for 15 seconds or until the skin starts to peel. Strain them out of the boiling water and put them in cold water then peel and cut them across the middle in two pieces.  Scrape out the seeds with a spoon, then chop the tomato halves. Place them in a tall vessle, then mix them with an immersion blender until smooth.  Add some vinegar, olive oil and salt to the tomato coulis.

 

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jerry.

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Ratatouille

Bowl of Ratatouile on a cutting board surrounded by vegetables

Is there such a thing as growing just a little zuccini? Probably not. Once it gets started it seems like there is no stopping it. Here’s way to put your zuccini harvest to good use.

Ratatouille Recipe
Serves 4 to 6 people

Zucchini 2
Eggplant 1
Tomato 2
Red Pepper 1
Green Pepper 1
Onion 2 medium
Garlic 4 cloves
Herbs:  Thyme, Rosemary, Herbe de Provence or Italian Seasoning.

(You can alter the amount of each vegetable.)

Peel and finely slice the onions. Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Wash and cut all of the other vegetables into big pieces (2” square). Saute the onions with olive oil (do not color), add the crushed garlic, cook for one minute, add the tomatos, peppers, zuchinis, eggplant and the herbs. Mix and cook for 3 minutes than put the pan in the oven at 350º F for 30 minutes. Check and mix the ratatouille every 10 minutes while the pot is in the oven. The ratatouille is ready when the vegetables are tender.

Thanks to our local French chef Jerry Mohr for this recipe.

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Marinara sauce

It won’t be long before you are harvesting fresh tomatoes from your garden if you’re planning to grow them this year. Nothing beats cooking with your own homegrown varieties over using canned tomatoes. Last year we had an abundant crop of heirloom, mushroom basket tomatoes – large, juicy, pink and sweet tasting. Amazing in salads, also great for pasta sauce. Enjoy the recipe below.

Ingredients:

Olive oil
Onion, medium 1
Garlic cloves, 8 – 12
White wine, 1/4 cup
Crushed tomatos, 2 x 28 oz. can + 3 – 5 chopped fresh tomatos
Basil 5 – 8 leaves
Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon
Herbs:  Thyme, Rosemary, Herbe de Provence or Italian Seasoning, Parsley, Bay Leaves, Oregano…
Salt & pepper

Peel the onion and the garlic. Chop the onion finely and crush the garlic cloves. Sauté the onion in a pan of hot olive oil for 2 minutes (do not color).  Add the crushed garlic and cook slowly for two more minutes (light gold color), then pour the white wine to “deglace.” Bring wine to a boil, add the tomatoes tomato, Italian seasoning, chopped basil, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and let cook slowly while mixing sometime until the sauce thickens, 20 to 30 minutes. 

To Use Fresh Tomatos: 
Bring water to a boil in a pot. Wash the tomatoes, cut out the stem and slice a cross over the top. Put the tomatos in the boiling water for 15 seconds or until the skin starts to peel. Strain the tomatoes out of the boiling water and put them in cold water, then peel and chop the tomatoes. Proceed with the recipe as directed above, but cook for at least 45 minutes.

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