Smashed Potatoes

This recipe reminds me a lot of Tostones--the twice fried plantain dish common in Puerto Rico and Cuba. Instead of frying the potatoes, they are first cooked to soften, and then grilled to add crunch. The potatoes were good. Be sure to use small potatoes. I learned that using larger potatoes and cutting them in half didn't work very well--the potatoes tended to break apart, making grilling quite difficult. These were good as they were, but would have been even better with some Parmesan or Asiago cheese grated over top while they were right off the grill. Make as many potatoes as you have. According to the original recipe, 16 small potatoes will yield 8 servings

Smashed Potatoes
from Bon Appetit

16 small red-skinned and/or white skinned potatoes (about 2 inches in diameter or less)
olive oil
salt
fresh rosemary leaves

Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just tender, about 25 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a kitchen towel. Cool potatoes to lukewarm, about 20 minutes. Using another towel, gently press each potato until split open and flattened to a scant 1" thickness (taking care not press too hard and break potatoes apart). Brush large baking sheet with oil. Transfer potatoes to prepared sheet. Brush potato tops with oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and some rosemary leaves. (Can do this step 2 hours ahead and let stand room temperature). Prepare grill (medium-high heat) and place potatoes, oiled side down, on grill. Brush with oil. Cook until crisp and beginning to color, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to platter, sprinkle with cheese and more rosemary leaves. Serve hot.

Robust End-of-the-Summer Spaghetti

Two years ago, I would have been shocked if you told eventually I would eager anticipate eggplant. I do now, especially as learn how to cook it so it is creamy and absorbs flavors. I have also learned how prevalent eggplant is in Italian recipes, beyond the typical Eggplant Parmesan. (it also plays a major role in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine as well).

Curtis and I loved this dish. J and M didn't really dig the sauce, but M wasn't digging much of anything yesterday. It's rather similar to the caponata I make, except it's missing the sour (vinegar) aspect and it's hot. I omitted the parsley, kalamata olives, and capers because I didn't have them. It wasn't a problem, but I am sure they would greatly add to the taste. I also only had 1 lb of tomatoes so I used a can of whole tomatoes, which I drained and smashed.

Robust End-of-the-Summer Spaghetti
from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

1 1/2 lbs eggplant, peeled and sliced a scant 1/2" thick
2 bell peppers, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 c olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 anchovies, chopped
1/3 c parsley, chopped
2 lbs ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c Kalamata (black) olives, chopped
1/4 c green olives, chopped
3 T capers, rinsed
1 T dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 lb spaghetti (depending on how much you want to make--we're a half lb family)
Parmesan cheese, grated

Brush both sides of eggplant slices with olive oil. Brush the skin side of the peppers with olive oil. Broil or grill the eggplant and bell peppers, skin side down on the grill and skin side up in the broiler, in preheated grill or broiler. Remove the eggplant slices when they are browned and tender, turning as needed. Remove the peppers when the skin is charred and blistered. Place them in a ziploc bag to steam and make the skins easy to remove. Cut the eggplant into chunks. Scrape off charred skins of peppers and dice.

Heat 1/4 c of olive oil in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the onion, grilled peppers, garlic, anchovies, and parsley. Saute over medium high heat until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat and add the capers, olives, eggplant, tomatoes, oregano, and 1/2 c tomato juice or water. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti until al dente an a large pot of boiling salted water. Drain.

To serve, put spaghetti in a large bowl and top with sauce (if you only made 1/2 lb of the spaghetti, don't use all the sauce). Generously sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top.

Squash Yeast Rolls

I got a giant zucchini in the box yesterday and was planning on hamburgers for supper. I needed buns (and it turned out, a whole lot more, but that's a different story) and decided to make my own rolls using my giant zucchini. When using large zucchini, it is helpful to scoop the seeds out of the zucchini (just because they are so large and may affect texture). To scoop out the seeds, cut the zucchini in half and using a spoon, scoop out the seeds (like a cucumber).

I don't peel my zucchini for this recipe, I like the flecks of green in the rolls. However, if you are trying to sneak one by someone, peel the zucchini. You can also use yellow summer squash interchangeably--I pretty much use whatever we have on hand. I didn't have dry milk powder (also known as powdered milk) so I left it out. It didn't change taste or texture considerably, but I did use a lot more flour than usual.

These were a hit. M asked what the green was and I hesitantly told her. Her response caught me off guard---Mmmm....zucchini. The rolls are that good. They were great for hamburgers and we plan on using them for pulled pork on Sunday as well. The recipe will make 12 hamburger sized buns or 24 dinner roll.

Squash Yeast Rolls
From Simply in Season

2 -3 c zucchini and/or summer squash, shredded
1 c water
1/2 c sugar
3 T olive oil
1 c bread flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c dry milk powder
2 T active dry yeast
additional 2 - 3 c bread flour

Combine squash, water, sugar, oil, and salt in a saucepan and heat slowly until warm (still cool enough you can stick your comfortably stick your finger in the water), stirring to blend. In a mixing bowl, combine 1 c bread flour, whole wheat flour, milk powder, and yeast in a mixing bowl. Add liquid ingredients and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in enough additional flour (2 - 3 c) to make a soft dough. The dough will be very sticky. Knead on a lightly floured surface 8 - 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, turn to grease both sides, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Punch down and let rise 10 minutes. Shape into rolls and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 15 - 20 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 25 - 35 minutes. Brush with milk for a soft crust (I never do this step....) and let stand 5 - 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

In the CSA Box this Week

It seems like each week is more of the same in the CSA boxes. I have been challenged though because it seems like the things I can make a meal out of are getting scant. I can't seem to get enough eggplant or cucumbers (or even, unbelievably, summer squash some weeks) to make a week's worth of meals. I've been having to get into that quarter cow that's stashed away in our freezer.

I have made a wonderful discovery though a couple of weeks ago. By our closest library, there is a farm stand that is open Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. I've been supplementing our box with tomatoes from there and fruit--either plums or peaches lately. My kids love plums!! I'll get the CSA box, look and see what I need and then hit the farm stand to round things out. It's less than 5 minutes from my house (by car) and overall, the produce is great.

In our box:
a watermelon (M wanted both a watermelon and cantaloupe and had a melt down at the box pickup because we could only get one)
a cucumber (which I've discovered J will eat if I peel it first)
several zucchini and summer squash
bell peppers
variety of chile peppers (most of which got left behind)
a butternut squash
a bag of potatoes
a couple bulbs of garlic
a bag of onions
3 eggplant
a bunch of basil

A note about the butternut (and most winter squash)...these are best if you don't eat them right away. Winter squash need 2 months or so to develop their flavors, so find a cool, dry, dark (if possible, I don't have such a place) to stash the winter squash for a couple of months.


What we're eating this week (and last which may not have been posted about):
Robust Summer Sauce and Pasta
Grilled cheese sandwiches with basil and tomatoes (at least for the adults)
Italian meatloaf and smashed potatoes
Burgers and roasted potato wedges
Baked Leftover Cheeses Mac and Cheese
Tuscan Panzanella
Ribs
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Squash Yeast Rolls
Whole Wheat Bread

Hopefully I'll get some of these recipes posted (if they aren't already). If you want a recipe that I don't put up, comment and I'll try to be sure to get it up (although it may be photoless).

Raspberry Almond Cream Tart

I found raspberries at Costco and couldn't resist buying them. Raspberries are one those foods that are almost impossible to find grown locally here, so every once in a while I splurge and buy some. For some reason, I had been craving a raspberry dessert.

I combined a couple of recipes to make this tart. My family loved it. M, for reasons only known to her, decided she didn't like the crust--the crust is sometimes the only thing she'll from other things. I also discovered that the taste is at it's best when this is served at room temperature. I am definitely looking forward to making this again! I do want to experiment with the process for making the crust. It tasted great, but in baking, seemed to have shrunk somewhat. If I can figure out the crust, this may be one those perfect desserts.

Raspberry Almond Cream Tart
adapted from two Bon Appetit recipes

Crust
1 c flour
1/3 c sugar
1/4 t salt
6 T chilled butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
1/2 c slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 c seedless raspberry jam

Filling
1 8-oz container mascarpone cheese, chilled
1/2 c chilled whipping cream
1/3 c powdered sugar
1 t grated orange peel
1 t vanilla extract

3 c fresh raspberries

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in food processor, blend 10 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extracts. Using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Using floured fingertips, press dough onto bottom and up sides of 9" diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press 1/2 c almonds over bottom of crust, spread with 1/3 c jam. Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven until crust is golden at edges, and jam is bubbling thickly, about 40 minutes. Cool completely on rack.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Using electric mixer, beat mascarpone, cream, sugar, orange peel, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until peaks form, about 2 minutes. Spread filling evenly in cooled crust. Chill until firm, at least 2 hours, and up to 1 day. Arrange raspberries in concentric circles atop filling and serve.

Caponata

I traded some of my squash for eggplant last week at our CSA pick-up site. I never thought I would be trading for eggplant but I have found enough recipes I really like that have eggplant in them. This is one of those recipes.

Caponata is intended to be put on crusty bread. It is a Sicilian eggplant dishes that classically contains green olives, capers, eggplant, and pine nuts. I decided to use some of the caponata as a sauce for chunky pasta. The rest I saved to eat as an antipasta.

My only complaint about this recipe is the amount of oil used. I think next time I'll decrease the oil used to caramelize the onions and celery to 1/4 - 1/3 c instead of a 1/2 c. I also strayed from the original recipe and added pine nuts and parsley. The capers were different than the kind I normally used. You can find capers packed in salt in the deli department of some grocery stores (Central Market has them and I am guessing Whole Foods would too. I've also found them at an Italian deli in town). They have a different flavor than the ones in balsamic vinegar. If you can't find the capers packed in salt, the capers in balsamic vinegar will work fine as well. Just be careful the vinegar taste isn't too strong for the dish.

Curtis and I loved it. Even M found it good (after initial complaints about how she didn't like that--before tasting). J passed on it though.

Just a warning: This dish needs to sit 8 hours (or more) before serving. I made it in the morning and let it sit all day. You can also make it the night before to eat the following day.

Caponata
adapted from Gourmet magazine

2 lb small eggplants
2 t fine sea salt (or 1 T kosher salt)
1 1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1 c onion, chopped
4 medium celery ribs, cut thinly crosswise
1/3 c large green Sicilian olives (1 3/4 oz), pitted and coarsely chopped
1/3 c Italian capers, packed in salt (1 3/4 oz), rinsed well
2 T sugar, or to taste
1/3 c white wine vinegar
1 (14 oz) can diced or whole tomatoes, drained and chopped (to equal 1 c)
3 T pine nuts
2 T fresh parsley, chopped

Peel eggplants, leaving some strips of peel, then cut into 1-inch cubes and spread on half of a kitchen towel. Sprinkle eggplant with salt, then cover with other half of towel and weight with a baking sheet (or large cutting board) topped with 2 or 3 large cookbooks for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1/3 c oil in a heavy skillet over moderate high heat until hot, but not smoking, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 6 - 8 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring, until onion and celery are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add olives, capers, and 2 T sugar and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and tomatoes. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally 20 minutes. If sauce is very acidic, add 1 -2 t sugar (to taste). Stir in pine nuts and parsley. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered.

Rinse eggplant in a colander under running water, then squeeze dry in small handfuls. Heat remaining cup of oil in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking. Fry eggplant in batches, turning occasionally until tender and browned on all sides, 8 - 10 minutes per batch. Transfer as cooked to paper towels to drain, then transfer to a large shallow serving dish in an even layer. Spoon sauce on top, spreading evenly, and let stand, covered with a kitchen towel, at room temperature, at least 8 hours (for flavors to develop). Stir before serving.

Mexican Sandwich

I needed a new avocado recipe after I didn't use my avocado with chicken breasts. I found this sandwich recipe, and paired with honeydew melon, it made a great Sunday evening supper. I didn't bother offering M any. She asked for some, but as I listed the ingredients, she agreed, her grilled chicken breast and cheese sandwich seemed a lot better. J, Curtis, and I all really liked it though. It reminded me a lot of really good black bean taco or tostada except on bread instead of a tortilla, so I renamed it from the original name (Market Sandwich).

I used the cilantro lime mayonnaise I made for my roasted potatoes earlier in the week and just added a chopped chipotle in adobo. It made the recipe easier (not that it was difficult anyway) and helped use up something I was unsure how I was going to use it.

Mexican Sandwich
adapted from SELF magazine courtesy of Lake Austin Spa Resort

1/2 c white vinegar
1 c thinly sliced red onions
1 c canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 t ground cumin
1/4 c mayonnaise
1 t canned chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 T fresh lime juice
6- 8 slices of whole wheat bread
2/3 c goat cheese
1 med. avocado, thinly sliced
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, cut into 8 slices

Boil 1 c water with vinegar in small saucepan. Add onion, turn off heat, and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain. Puree beans and cumin in blender or food processor. Mix mayo, chipotle, and lime juice in a bowl (or use leftover cilantro lime mayo from Roasted Potatoes. Add chipotle to already made cilantro-lime mayo). Spread on 3 or 4 slices of bread. Top remaining slices with bean puree, onion, cheese, avocado, cilantro, and tomato (I didn't have a tomato so I omitted it and it was just fine). Close sandwiches and serve.