Salad Martini

Want to serve gorgeous fresh salad vegetables in a new way? Make that salad something to toast! Obviously this is more about presentation than recipe, but isn't fun part of the objective?

Prep time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 8+ (depending on the size of your glasses!)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 of a small head fresh green cabbage (about 2 cups, shredded)
2 apples, cored and roughly sliced
5-6 radicchio leaves
2-3 carrots, scrubbed (peeled if necessary)
1 small sweet onion (about 1/2 cup when shredded
Vinaigrette (your favorite)

DIRECTIONS
Run all these ingredients through a food processor using the thin slice wheel. Toss with vinaigrette and serve as a toast to farm fresh produce.

Variations: Wow - limited only by your choice of processor-friendly vegetables. Or add chopped chicken, hard boiled egg, and/or bacon can call it a meal.

Photo & Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Grilled Vegetable Ratatouille

This recipe takes inspiration from Julia Child's classic recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but with ingredients separately grilled. Ratatouille incorporates two other recipes (oven dried tomatoes and tomato sauce), so the dish takes a bit of planning.  The result is wondrous flavor.  

Ratatouille can easily fly solo as a vegetarian entree, or serve as a memorable side dish.  

Prep time: 60 minutes total: 30 minutes unattended (Not including oven drying time for tomatoes)
Cook time: 90 minutes
Serves 8-10

INGREDIENTS
about 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges, and oven dried
2 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
2 large zucchini, scraped and cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
3 TB olive oil for the grilled vegetables
2-3 TB olive oil for the onions
1-2 onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 bell peppers, cored and cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
2 cups homemade tomato sauce
1-2 cups fresh basil and parsley, chopped (hard to have too much fresh basil)

DIRECTIONS
Layer the eggplant and zucchini in a large baking dish, salting each layer, and set aside minutes. After 30 minutes, rinse and dry the slices. Preheat the grill. In a large bowl, Turn the zucchini, eggplant, and pepper slices in the 3 TB olive oil. This may need to be done in stages unless you have a brobdignagian bowl.  Grill vegetable slices for 6-8 minutes, turning once, or until they are soft. Remove to cool on a platter, keeping the vegetables separate.  When the grilled vegetables have cooled enough to handle, slice them into pieces about 1x2".  Keep the vegetables separated by kind. (This step is optional, and will make the finished dish easier to serve.)


Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium low heat and saute the onion and garlic for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the onion is soft and translucent.  Remove from heat heat. (If you like the challenge of multitasking, the saute and grill steps can be done simultaneously.)

Preheat the oven to 300. Spread about 1/3 of the onion, 1/3 of the dried tomatoes, and 1/3 of the peppers on the bottom of a dutch oven/stock pot. Dress with 2/3 cup of the tomato sauce.  Cover with half of the zucchini, half of the eggplant, and half of the basil & parsley. Dress with another 2/3 cup sauce. Spread the remainder of the onions, tomatoes & peppers, the rest of the zucchini, eggplant, and the rest of the basil & parsley.  Top with the remaining sauce.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Top with the remainder of the onions, tomatoes & peppers. Cover and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until heated through.

Ratatouille can be served hot, warm or cold

Tip 1: Paste tomatoes have less water, and so take less time in the oven.
Tip 2: If the dish seems dry as you assemble it, add a little tomato sauce between the layers.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Fennel & Chicken Slaw

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










This crisp, cool, savory salad is perfect for summer weather.

INGREDIENTS
1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 fennel bulb, sectioned, rinsed, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup parsley, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup sweet onion, minced
1/4 cup dry toasted, sliced almonds
a handful fresh basil leaves, minced (about 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about half a lemon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh dill, minced
DIRECTIONS
Mix the chicken, fennel, parsley, onion, almonds, and basil in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix the garlic, mayo, lemon juice, olive oil, and dill. Scrape this dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to mix, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve with a dry rose' or dry white wine and enjoy this salad, as you survey the view from the shade of your Provencal farmhouse. Or, in our case, as you survey the tailgate lot outside of Gillette Stadium before a Revs game.

Tip: A food processor equipped with the thin slice disk is a good tool for preparing this salad.

Crustless Tomato & Herb Quiche

 
Fast and delicious. The water bath gives this cheesy dish a smooth, velvety texture.

Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 TB finely minced fresh herbs, such as sage, basil, oregano, and dill
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Salt to taste
1 large tomato, chopped into pieces about 1/2 inch across

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350F. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then whisk in the ricotta and mozarella cheeses, the parsley, herbs, pepper, and salt. Scrape the mixture into a pie plate, and arrange the tomato pieces across the top (they will sink in). Place the pie plate into a large baking dish. Carefully fill the baking dish with warm water to about 2/3 of the way up the side of the pie plate, and slide into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Can be served warm or cold.

Zucchini & Herb Fritters

Photo - Tod Dimmick










Fried foods are not often called "healthy". Delicious Zucchini Fritters help tilt the scales in that happy direction. The marigolds are optional - they add delicious spicy flavor.

Prep time: 10 Minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes for this full batch
Yield: 9-12 large fritters, feeding 4-6 as a side dish or appetizer

1 medium zucchini, about 10" long
1 small onion
5-7 fresh sage leaves, finely minced
1/2 cup finely minced basil leaves
1/2 cup finely minced parsley with stems
1/4 cup fresh signet marigolds (about 15 flowers), finely minced (optional)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Salt to taste
2 eggs
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat bran (or use more flour)
Olive oil for cooking

Run the zucchini and onion through the food processor using the fine shredding wheel. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the zucchini and onion mixture, the basil, parsley, marigolds, flour, bran, salt and pepper and stir with a rubber spatula to form a thick batter. If it's too runny to scoop like batter into a skillet, stir in a little more flour.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. When a drop of water dances on the oil, carefully scoop in several fritters and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until each side is browned and slightly crisp. Drain on paper towels while cooking the rest. Serve warm with sour cream or yogurt.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
Editor of TastingTimes

Summer Squash Casserole

Grilled Eggplant with Fresh Basil

Eggplant might be considered a vegetable, but its texture and mouthfeel is more substantial, more rich, than your average green bean. No wonder it's often treated as a main course.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4 as a side dish

1 large eggplant, washed, ends cut off, and sliced into pieces into pieces 1/2 inch thick
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TB balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Lay the eggplant slices in a baking pan. Mix the garlic, oil, and vinegar, pour over, and turn the slices to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Ideally marinate for an hour or more.

Preheat the grill. Grill the slices for 4 minutes per side or until eggplant is tender.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Grilled Everything

Grill vegetables along with any grilled main course. This recipe suggests broccoli, eggplant, squash, and peppers, but don't stop there. One surface for everything, minimum cleaning. Guys like that. Er, everyone likes that.

(This particular method appeared in my Cooking For Guys, reprinted with permission.)

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

1/4 cup olive oil
2 TB chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 head broccoli, broken into florets about 1 1/2 inches wide
2 large bell peppers, seeds and stems removed, quartered lengthwise
2 small (10-inch) fresh zucchini, washed, ends cut off, and quartered lengthwise
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into lengthwise strips about 3/4 inch wide
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Hot pepper sauce (optional)

Start the grill. In a small cup, mix the olive oil, garlic and Italian seasoning. Place the veggies in a large bowl. Pour the oil mixture over the vegetables and turn to thoroughly coat. Lay the vegetables on the grill in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until softened. Distribute to serving plates, and season to taste with salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and hot sauce (if using).

Serve on the porch on a late summer evening, and keep those warm days in mind.

Refrigerator Pickles

This recipe is from Organic Gardening Magazine. I am now tinkering aggressively with to reduce or eliminate the need for sugar. Stay tuned!

1 lb medium cucumbers
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fresh dill weed
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 ½ TB white distilled vinegar
6 ½ TB white wine vinegar
¾ cup water

Cut cukes into spears and put in container or jar with a lid. Add the herbs. Stir together sugar, vinegar and water, pour over cukes and cover and shake. Cover and chill for 24 hours plus. Will keep for up to 3 months in the fridge.

Grilled Corn

Grilled corn is a summer classic – and when cooked with your main course, this dish enables the whole meal to come right off the grill. Mexican-style corn ("Elote") includes lime juice, mayonnaise, cheese, and chili powder. The method below doesn't go quite that far, but takes inspiration from the tradition and uses fresh lemon juice and a spinkling of Parmesan
 

Prep time: 5 Min
Cook time: 10 min
Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS
4 ears corn, shucked
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
4 lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the grill.  Drizzle the corn with olive oil and turn to coat.

Grill corn, turning several times, for 8-10 minutes, or until you accomplish those great grill marks. Sprinkle with Parmesan and salt, and drizzle with lemon juice.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Eggplant Burger!

Grilled eggplant is delicious all by itself. But the logical next step for curious minds is to think outside of the bun. Er, inside of the bun...

Ricotta Stuffed Zucchini

Photo:
Tod Dimmick















Stuffed Zucchini is easy to make, it just takes some planning for the oven time. For a little commentary on Zucchini, click below.


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30-45 minutes
Serves: 4

2 large zucchini, washed and sliced lengthwise
2 cups chopped arugula or spinach
1 container (16 oz) ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 onions, sliced thin and sauteed until caramelized
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup sliced fresh mozzarella, or 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Set up the oven with two racks, and preheat to 400.

Scoop out the seeds of the zucchini and some of the flesh, leaving a hollow space to hold the cheese mixture. Save the scooped out flesh and seeds.

Process the the greens, ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, onions, and Italian seasoning in a food processor equipped with a cutting blade. Add about half of the zucchini flesh and seeds, and process again to a chunky consistency. Fill each zucchini half with 1/4 of the mixture .

Place the zucchini halves, filling size up, in a large baking dish (or two baking dishes). Add water around the squash to a depth of about 1". Carefully slide the baking dishes into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese mixture is set and the squash is tender. Top with mozzarella and cook for another few minutes until the cheese has melted.

Note: The round stuffed squash will take longer to cook than the long skinny shape.

Alternatives: This can be cooked without the water bath. Cook time will be quicker, but the squash will end up more brown. You can also omit the eggs, which will make the filling more fluid.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Snow Peas in Milk

My mom used to serve snow peas this way. I remember eating a lot of them.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5-8 minutes
Serves: 2 as a side dish

1/2 cup milk
1 pint snow peas
1 TB butter (optional)
Salt to taste

Bring the milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat Add the peas and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender-crisp. Distribute to plates, dress as you like with butter and/or salt, and eat 'em quick.


Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Sesame-Soy Napa Cabbage

Photo:
Tod Dimmick













A fast, tasty treatment of crunchy Napa cabbage.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 3-4 as a side dish

2 TB canola oil
2 TB sesame oil
1/2 head Napa Cabbage, coarsely chopped
3 TB soy sauce
2 TB sesame seeds

Heat the canola and sesame oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the Napa cabbage and the soy sauce and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the cabbage is tender-crisp.

Distribute to serving plates or bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes