Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers

This time of year we often have an abundance of beautiful tomatoes, sometimes more than we can fit into a week of tomato sandwiches and salads.  When we get close to the end of the week, my favorite way to preserve whatever is left is to roast in the oven and freeze.  Canning a large batch of tomatoes is a great way to preserve extras, but these roasted beauties have concentrated flavor that will turn any quick meal into something special.  Bruising and fungus can make them unusable for canning, but cutting away the bad spots and roasting is a great way to get the most out of your share.  The result is a delicious base for soups, sauces, meat dishes or a quick addition to any meal.

For lunch today we had pasta tossed with pesto, grated zucchini, carrots, spinach and roasted tomatoes.  It was fabulous and quick to make.  I highly recommend freezing extras in small portions so you can have them available for meals all year long.

Ingredients: 8-10 tomatoes or peppers Canola oil Sea salt Black pepper

Method: Wash and trim any blemishes from the peppers and tomatoes.  Make sure to smell as you are cutting away the blemishes to make sure you have cut deep enough. (You will want to remove any undesired flavors on the part you are keeping.)

Place the peppers and tomatoes in ovenproof dishes. You can keep them separate or mix them all together.  Drizzle with canola oil, and sprinkle sea salt generously over the tops.  Finish with freshly ground black pepper and place in the top or middle of the oven, set at 350-375 degrees.  Doneness is a matter of preference, but I like to leave mine until the moisture released by the tomatoes has reduced by about 2/3rd and the tips are brown. The longer they cook, the more concentrated the flavors will be.  Let cool completely before freezing.

Stuffed Banana Peppers With Lentils or Pork Sausage

Ingredients:

10-12 large banana peppers 1/2 head purple or green cabbage, sliced thinly and chopped into short strands 1 medium yellow onion sliced thinly 1 small fennel bulb sliced thinly 3 stalks of celery, minced 3-4 cloves of garlic 1 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper Juice from 1/2 lemon Salt and pepper to taste

For vegetarian recipe add: 1/2 cup (dry) french green lentils, cooked but still firm, and cooled 1/2 cup feta or grated aged cheese like gruyere, dubliner, or parmesan (for lentil version only)

For sausage recipe add: 1/2 lb ground sausage (I used Hoe Hop farms) 4 slices of brown bread, toasted until dry (for sausage version only)

Method: Combine ingredients in a bowl.  Make a slit in the banana peppers lengthwise and push the stuffing into the peppers.  Place the stuffed peppers in a lightly oiled baking dish.  Toss some sungold cherry tomatoes into the bottom of the dish, and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until they are as soft as you like them.  For the sausage stuffed peppers, make sure the sausage has reached 145 degrees before removing from the oven.

Serve with oven-roasted tomatoes and Toasted Coconut Jerk Sauce.

Toasted Coconut Jerk Sauce: 1 cup unsweetened first-pressed coconut milk (from can) 1/4 cup unsweetened small-shred coconut 1 Tbs Alchemy Spice Jamaican Jerk spice blend 10-15 basil leaves 1 tsp local honey 1 Tbs lemon juice

Place coconut in a pan and stir constantly over med-high heat until it begins to brown (about 1 minute).  Remove from heat and place in blender with other ingredients.  Puree until smooth.

Cucumber Soup with Fennel and Fresh Herbs

Ingredients: 3 seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into chunks 1 yellow onion, diced 1 bulb of fennel, diced 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1 vegetable bouillon cube (Rapunzel: with sea salt & herbs) 1 cup of water 3 green onions, chopped 3 sprigs of fresh mint, stems discarded and leaves minced 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, minced 2-3 stems of fresh dill, minced 1/2 Cup of sour cream or plain yogurt Juice from 1/2 lemon Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup ice Toasted garlic drizzling oil for garnish

Method: Saute the yellow onion, fennel, and garlic in a little oil on medium heat.  When they are soft, add the vegetable bouillon cube plus 1 cup of water and let simmer until the bouillon cube is dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Place all ingredients except the sour cream and ice in a blender and puree until smooth.  Add the ice and blend until smooth again.  Finally, add the sour cream and blend on low until combined.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Serve right away, or chill for up to 2 hours.  Float toasted garlic drizzling oil on top for garnish.

Soft Wheat Sandwich Bread

Cucumbers and basil are here, and before you know it we will have juicy heirloom tomatoes to stack into our picnics and sandwiches.  So before we get too far into the season I thought I would make sure you have a good sandwich bread recipe. And this is the easiest bread recipe I have ever seen.  It seems to be foolproof, since everyone in my family (including my 4-year-old) has managed to bake a decent loaf with this one.  So if you were thinking, "Hey, I'd like to try baking a fresh loaf of bread sometime," then now is the time.  The original recipe came from a friend in Poltava, Ukraine.  She said it's a traditional village loaf, and the first bread she baked as a child.  I'm giving you an edited version that uses oil instead of butter, and I don't use an egg wash over the crust before it bakes.  If you want a shiny crust, you can brush a whisked egg over the top before you bake.

Ingredients:  5 cups or 700gr wheat flour* 2 tsp salt 1/4 cup canola or olive oil, plus extra for oiling pans 2 tsp dried yeast** 1 Tbs local raw honey 450 ml warm water (about 115 degrees)

Method: Pour the yeast, honey, and 1/2 cup of the water into a bowl or glass jug. Mix together gently and let rest until the yeast becomes frothy and puffs up. Weigh or measure flour and salt into a large bowl and mix with a fork. Add the oil and stir with a fork until it is fairly evenly distributed. Add the yeast & honey mixture, plus the rest of the water to the flour and gently mix together with a wooden spoon until the flour is all wet and begins to form a ball. You can knead this bread pretty much any way that you like, as long as you don't knead it too much.  Over-kneading will make the bread tough.  Not enough, and it might be too crumbly for a sandwich.  My favorite way is to knead it in the bowl, adding flour if it gets too sticky.  I grab the edges and fold and press them into the center.  About 60 times is usually enough to have a smooth, evenly textured dough. In another large bowl, drizzle some oil (enough to generously coat the bowl).  Turn the dough into the bowl, then flip over so both sides of the dough are coated in oil.  Cover with a cotton (not terrycloth) towel, and place in the oven with the light on and the door shut.  Do not turn on heat. Leave until the dough doubles in size (1-2 hours). Meanwhile, generously oil two glass loaf pans. When the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a floured board.  divide the dough into two parts.  Knead each ball about 20-30 times, then stretch or roll it into a loaf shape.  Place the dough in the oiled pans then return them to the oven with the light on.  Leave to rise for about 30 minutes, or until they have filled the pans and begin to rise above the edges a bit.  Turn the oven on to 400 degrees F. and set the timer for 30 minutes.

It may take 5 minutes more or less, depending on your oven, the weather, or how brown you like your loaf. It will be done when it sounds hollow when you tap on the top of the loaf.

Remove the loaves from the pans immediately and place on a cooling rack to rest for at least 20 minutes.

*Rise times will vary depending on the type of flour that you use.  White flour rises faster, soft bronze whole wheat will take a little longer, and hard red whole wheat will be the heaviest and will not rise as well as the softer grains.  You may want to get a variety of flours and try blending to your taste. **I use Saf-Instant yeast (purchased on Amazon.com). It's great and keeps well in the freezer, wrapped in a ziplock bag.  I am not a professional baker, but I have read that the quality of your yeast can make a big difference.

Spring Veggie Burgers

You might think veggie burgers are just for people who don't eat meat.  That is, until you try these.  These freshly made garden burgers are rich in protein, fiber, and nutrients, and extremely satisfying.  They store well in the freezer and can be quickly warmed up in a toaster oven, skillet, or microwave. This recipe makes 2-3 dozen burgers, depending on size.

Ingredients:

1 large beet root, grated 1 large kohlrabi bulb, peeled 1 leek 1 onion 3 carrots 8 oz wild mushrooms, whichever you like best 6 garlic cloves, peeled 1 bunch beet greens, chard or kale, finely chopped 1 bunch cilantro, chopped 1 cup nuts or seeds, ground (walnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds work well) 3 eggs 1 cup red lentils (dry) 1 cup quinoa (dry) 3-4 slices of bread, toasted until completely dry, then ground in a blender or food processor. (Can substitute about 1/2 cup rice and almond flour and omit breadcrumbs if gluten-free) Juice from 1-2 lemons 1/2 cup canola oil 1 Tbs fennel seeds 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Cook lentils and quinoa according to packet directions.  (I like to use Rapunzel vegetable bouillon with sea salt and herbs to season the quinoa) The lentils are best if they are slightly under-done for this recipe. Let cool. Make breadcrumbs. This is another step, but it's pretty easy and there is no comparison between fresh and store-bought.  (You can make breadcrumbs in advance and freeze larger batches.) Chop all vegetables as small as possible, or use a food processor or grater.  If you like a softer texture to your burgers you can place the chopped or grated beet, kohlrabi, leek, carrots, and mushrooms in a skillet or pan with a little oil and a dash of salt and saute until the vegetables soften. Let cool. If you don't cook the veggies first, the texture is nicely varied and the veggies will stand out a little more.

Put all ingredients, except eggs, in a large bowl and mix with your hands to combine ingredients well.  Taste and adjust seasonings. Add eggs and mix well. You may need to add more flour if it is too wet.  It should be just dry enough to form into soft patties.

I usually use my hands to form the mixture.  If we are in a hurry, I fry the burgers with a little oil on medium-low heat for several minutes on each side.  Otherwise, you can bake them on a lightly oiled baking sheet for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Serve on a toasted bun with Lemon Tarragon Aioli and arugula, or try it with Auntie's Guacamole, or smother it with caramelized onions and melted Cumberland or Coppinger cheese.

Extra burgers can be frozen. Carefully place them in gallon sized freezer bags in one or two layers (with waxed paper between layers). Make sure to keep them flat at all times, and freeze on a shelf.