Gratin of Flageolet Beans
Here’s a twist on the classic cassoulet recipe from the New York Times. Serves 8. (more…)
Tagged: tomatoes
Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Basil
Here’s another great spaghetti squash recipe from steamykitchen.com. If you’re only feeding 4-6 people, I suggest cooking the spaghetti squash whole, then only using half of the squash when you’re ready to sauté with the tomatoes. I like my spaghetti squash not too hard, not too soft. It shouldn’t be mushy, you should be able to still separate the strands of squash. Serves 8-10. (more…)
BALT (Basil, Avocado, Lettuce, Tomato) Sandwich
From epicurious.com, here’s a take on a sandwich from a great little eatery in San Francisco called The Sentinel. It’s a BALT (basil, avocado, lettuce, and tomato) sandwich, with goat cheese slathered on it for some extra flavor. A delicious, healthy lunch! (more…)
Soupe au Pistou
From an old (2001!) Cuisine Magazine recipe, this French garden soup makes 10 cups and is perfect as we transition into Fall. Pistou is the French version of Italian pesto, which should be made a day ahead, chilled, and stirred into the soup before serving. Give it a try! (more…)
Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Summer in a bowl: salty and sweet, with a hint of acidity. Make it with the best tomatoes you can find, a cold watermelon, less dressing than you would think and, if you can find it, Bulgarian feta. A favorite from New York Times Magazine, featured in How To Make A Perfect Summer Feast. (more…)
Tomatoes
The tomato, like the eggplant, is a member of the Solanaceae, or Nightshade family. Tomatoes are native to western South America, but were cultivated in Mexico by Mexican Indians, who were intrigued by its resemblance to the tomatillo – a staple in their cuisine. With the discovery of the New World, tomato seeds were brought back to Spain, beginning the introduction of the fruit into Europe. Tomatoes made their way to North America with the colonists who first settled in Virginia. (more…)
Rustic Homemade Pizza Sauce
You can turn almost any of your extra CSA veggies into toppings on a homemade pizza. From the Cooking Close to Home cookbook, this simple, chunky, sauce yields about 3½ cups, enough for 3, 16-inch pizzas. It is also an excellent base for adding pasta sauce ingredients like ground meat, sausage, or other veggies later. You can also freeze it, in case you have more tomatoes than you know what to do with.
If you have fresh herbs, the conversion is one teaspoon dry equals one Tablespoon fresh (and fresh will taste so much better!).
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Stuffed Summer Squash
If you’re feeling like you have more squash than you know what to do with, here’s a great way to put them to use! Serves 4. (more…)
Bhindi Masala
Bhindi (okra) is a staple in Indian cuisine. This recipe for Bhindi Masala comes from Slate Magazine. If you were scarred by stewed okra as a child, you might be wary of overcooking your okra here. Don’t be. Counterintuitively, you want to cook it so long it’s just shy of burning. A long frying session will give the okra time to dry out as its liquid evaporates, and that dried out texture is what you want if you’re trying to avoid slime. Your okra’s not done until it looks wilted and deeply browned. (more…)
Gazpacho
At some point this summer, you will look in your crisper and realize you have all the ingredients for the perfect summer meal: Gazpacho. This recipe from the Joy of Cooking is easy to make and can be adapted depending on what vegetables you have available. Serve for lunch or add a side of thick crusty bread to make a light dinner. (more…)