GREEN FARMS
Cantaloupe and Prosciutto with Basil Oil
Gourmet
Ratatouille
RealSimple.com
Ingredients
2 tablespoons pine nuts
leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cantaloupe
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
2 ounces crumbled ricotta salata or feta (about 1/4 cup)
preparation
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. On a baking sheet toast pine nuts until golden, about 5 minutes, and cool. In a blender purée basil with oil until basil is minced. Pour purée through a very fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids. Halve and seed cantaloupe. Cut melon into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and discard rind. Spoon basil oil onto 4 plates. Arrange melon decoratively over oil and top with prosciutto. Sprinkle melon and prosciutto with pine nuts and cheese.
Cantaloupe Cooler
Everyday Food Blog/ CSA box
Ingredients
1/2 large cantaloupe, peeled and seeded, dash of vanilla, pinch of salt.
Directions
Throw everything in a blender with a splash of water and liquify. The salt makes the cantaloupe sweeter; if the drink isn't sweet add a little more. Blend slowly. Optional mix-in/garnish: fresh mint. Serve cool or room temperature for full flavor.
Reheat tarts before serving. Serve tarts warm or at room temperature.
Eggplant Dirty Rice
Adapted from David Kinch’s recipe from Food & Wine.
Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil
3 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt
1 medium eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper (I used more, at least a whole teaspoon if not more)
1/4 teaspoon finely ground white pepper (also: I used more, about a whole teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used 5)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 cups medium-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Hot sauce, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat the oil in a Dutch Oven until very hot on medium/high heat; add the celery, peppers and onion, season with salt, stir, cover, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes (until the onion is translucent). Uncover, turn up the heat to medium/high and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 10 more minutes.
While doing that, you can either brown the eggplant separately (see my post) or wait. When the vegetables are brown, add the eggplant, thyme, black and white peppers and cayenne and season with salt. Cook for 8 minutes until the eggplant is soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more. Add the soy sauce and scrape the bottom of the pan. At this point, if you want to make this ahead, you can stir in the rice and turn off the heat and wait to do the final steps when your guests arrive (just not too far ahead because the soy sauce will eventually break down the rice; think: an hour or two).
Add the vegetable broth, bring the mixture to a boil and pop into the oven for 17 minutes (or until the rice is just tender). Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 10 more minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve with the hot sauce.
Roasted Red Onions with Butter, Honey and Balsamic
Tyler Florence/ Foodnetwork.com
Ingredients
6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 red onions, halved
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the butter, vinegar, honey, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Place the onions, cut sides up, in a single layer on a baking pan. Drizzle the butter-vinegar mixture over and roast until soft and slightly caramelized, about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 small bay leaf
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into slivers
4 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1teaspoon kosher salt
1/2cup shredded fresh basil leaves
freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Over medium-low heat, add the oil to a large skillet with the onion, garlic, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened.
Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes or until the eggplant has softened. Stir in the zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the basil and few grinds of pepper to taste.
Fresh Corn Salad
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Ingredients
5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
Directions
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob. Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.
Roasted String Bean and Cashews
Epicurious.com
Ingredients
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved
3/4 cup salted roasted cashews (3 ounces), chopped
1/2 cup chopped shallots (about 4 medium)
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in lower third.
Toss green beans with cashews, shallots, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then spread evenly in a large 4-sided sheet pan.
Roast, stirring occasionally, until green beans are tender and nuts are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Panzanella Salad
Ina Garten/ Foodnetwork.com
Ingredients
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.