Squash Fritter Pizzas

First of all, I have to thank CSA member Katie Pridemore for sharing her version of this recipe on the Signal Mountain Farm Facebook page.  Hers was the inspiration for this post and a link to her recipe is posted at the bottom half of this page. I played around with the idea of using a non-dairy version of a squash fritter for the crust, and after testing several cooking methods, was decidedly in favor of a pan-fried, individual sized "pizza."  The squash crust is delicious made with cheese, but if you are looking for a dairy free, or lower saturated fat base for your toppings, this one is perfect.  With the addition of lentils, the fritters become a filling meal all by themselves. Topping the crispy goodness with pesto, fresh mozzarella, marinated tomatoes and fresh basil make the whole combination positively sublime. This recipe makes about eight 7-inch pizza bases.

Squash fritter ingredients: 4 cups squash or zucchini, grated 1 cup dry red lentils 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 1/2 cup canola, olive or peanut oil 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 3 medium farm-fresh eggs Sea salt & black pepper to taste More oil for frying

Method: Grate the squash or zucchini or shred in a food processor.  Put the grated squash in a colander and salt well.  Let stand for at least one hour.  Meanwhile, place the dry lentils in a medium sized bowl with two to three cups of boiling water.  Cover and let stand for one hour, or until they have absorbed most of the water.  Once the lentils have soaked up most of the moisture, drain, then place in a blender or food processor and pulse until they are mostly ground up.

To wring the moisture out of the squash, you can use cheesecloth or several layers of strong paper towels.   If you use cheesecloth, there is a good illustrative photograph on the Smitten Kitchen post for zucchini fritters. I used two layers of Viva paper towels (about 2 1/2 feet long).  Spread the squash evenly over the length of the paper towels, then begin rolling from one end.  While holding the rolled bundle of squash and paper towels (or cheesecloth) over the sink, gently squeeze until most of the moisture is extracted.  When you unroll the bundle, most of the squash should clump together and separate easily from the paper towel.  Place the squash in a large bowl with the chopped onion, ground lentils, oil, flour, baking powder, eggs, salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients together.

Coat the bottom of a skillet with oil and heat the pan on medium to medium-high heat. The batter can be fried by the spoonful for an appetizer or snack-sized fritter. To make a small pizza base, use 1/2 cup of batter.  After pouring into the heated skillet, press gently with a fork to spread it evenly to about 1/4 -1/2 inch thick.  Let cook until it gets crispy and browned, then flip quickly with a wide spatula. Let brown on the other side, then remove from the pan and place on paper towel to blot the oil.

Top the pizzas with your favorite toppings and place on a baking sheet or stone.  For a toaster oven, put it on the "toast" setting (425 degrees) or broil in a conventional oven.  Cook until the cheese is melted and the toppings are hot.

If you want to try the cheesy version of the crust without lentils, try Katie's Squash Pizza Crust, borrowed from Allrecipes.com (She topped the squash crust with sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves and dried herbs.)

Optional toppings to prepare in advance: Marinated Tomatoes Pumpkin Seed Pesto Oven roasted peppers and tomatoes

Other topping ideas: Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced Artichoke hearts Kalamata olives Fresh spinach

Fresh Salsa Omelet

Summer vegetables are often so delicious raw or simply prepared, it does not take much to create something delicious. Omelets, made with really good pasture-raised hen eggs, are fantastic for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This one highlights the best of summer vegetables with the flavors of one of the world's favorite foods. You can combine the same ingredients to make a nice pico de gallo or salsa for other meals.

Ingredients: 1-2 farm fresh eggs per omelet, whisked Canola or red pepper oil Sweet bell pepper Banana pepper or Jalapeno Tomato Onion Garlic Pinch of whole cumin seed Dash of paprika or cayenne pepper Salt Freshly squeezed lime juice Chopped cilantro Avocado slices (optional)

Method: Dice peppers, onion, garlic and tomato evenly into tiny pieces.  Stir in the cumin seed and paprika or cayenne pepper.  Coat the bottom of your omelet pan with some oil and heat on medium heat.  When the pan is hot, add 1/2 cup of the vegetables to the pan and let sear for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the vegetables and stir. Continue to cook until they soften a bit.  Squeeze a little lime juice over the vegetables and try to spread them into an even layer across the bottom of the pan.  Slowly pour the whisked egg over the vegetables, trying to cover them entirely if possible. You can give the pan a little jostle or two to help the egg spread between the vegetables.  Sprinkle some chopped cilantro over the top and let cook until the egg is set.  Season to taste. Slide out of the pan and serve over a bed of fresh spinach or greens and top with avocado slices.

BBLT (Bacon Basil and Local Tomato)

The basil aioli and tomato flavor combination is so good, it would be a shame to let it fade into the archives with the tomato pie recipe. As I took a wander down Main Street today it wasn't difficult to come to a BLT conclusion for how to pair them together again. These organic homegrown tomatoes are mouth-watering. (I should apologize now to the people who are reading this post from another city or country.  You will have to come visit to taste for yourself, but we have a bit of a home-team advantage with this one.) I started with the best tomatoes, then paired with fresh bread from an amazing artisan bakery and bacon from a producer of local, farm-to-table cured meats, who happen to reside side-by-side on our little Main Street.  I keep waiting for the candlestick maker to move next door, but in the meantime I'll be satisfied with the tastiest fresh bread and tempting hand-crafted local bacon.  On Wednesday's the Main Street Farmer's Market is busy with farmer's and local food producers from around the region selling their goods.  So with a walk down Main Street shorter than the length of a department store parking lot, you can buy locally made bread, bacon, and all the fresh, homegrown tomatoes and basil you can eat. Local is the buzz-word among foodies, and for good cause.  But here's the cherry on top: This sandwich is AMAZING.  I scored a rare pumpernickle loaf at Niedlov's Bakery for my sandwich, but you can use whichever is your favorite. As for the bacon, there is nothing quite like this thick sliced hand-crafted goodness from Link 41.

Ingredients:

One loaf of your favorite Niedlov's bread

1 lb Link 41 bacon

One Signal Mountain Farm Tomato

Fresh basil leaves 2 Tbs Basil-Garlic Aioli per sandwich Salt & Pepper

Cook bacon, slice tomato and bread to desired thickness, and layer on bread with torn basil leaves and a generous dollop of Basil-Garlic Aioli on both slices of bread. Invite a friend over for lunch, or you might be tempted to eat it all by yourself.

Grilled Squash "Slaw" with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes

Ingredients: 3 medium or 2 large zephyr squash 2 sweet peppers, any variety 1 yellow onion Oil Salt & pepper Fresh basil leaves, sliced (optional) 1 cup Marinated Tomatoes with liquid

Method: Slice peppers in half and remove seeds and stem.  Remove stems from the squash and slice in half lengthwise. Cut the onion in half.  Lightly brush the vegetables with oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  When your barbecue is very hot, place the vegetables on the grill cut side down.  Leave them there for 5-10 minutes, or until they begin to sweat and the cut sides have dark brown marks from the grill.  If you like softer veggies, you can turn them over and cook both sides.  When they are done, remove from the heat and let them rest until they are cool enough to handle.  Slice thinly or julienne the vegetables.  Add the sliced basil leaves (if desired) and more salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the vegetables with diced marinated tomatoes, adding some of the marinating liquid.  Serve warm or cold.

Marinated Tomatoes

1 large heirloom tomato, or two medium tomatoes of any color 1/4 cup vinegar (balsamic or wine vinegar's are the best with this recipe) 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced or minced 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt 1 Tbs herbs de Provence Freshly ground black pepper

Slice or dice the tomatoes into a wide bowl.  Combine gently with the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate for at least two hours.  Can save in the refrigerator for up to two days, but the tomatoes will become softer and lose their form as more time passes.  These are fantastic on a sandwich or as a relish or salad dressing.