Summer All-Stars Recipes
It’s still tomato season! This week’s box pays homage to the ripe, juicy summer favorite with a selection of tomatoes—from Juliet and Rapunzel varieties to others like Hot Streak, Damsel and Black Krim—plus sun-dried tomato-kissed Pomodoro bread, farm-fresh eggs, and Chanterelle mushrooms all to help you enjoy their vine-ripened glory. An additional wealth of summer produce ranging from corn and summer squash to peppers and fennel, plus vibrant organic greens, finishes off this bright and beautiful lineup.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Baked Tomatoes with Farro & Feta
This flavorful and satisfying main dish is stuffed with hearty farro, tangy feta cheese and fresh herbs.
Mushroom Scramble
Serve this earthy scramble with a salad of lightly-dressed greens to complete the meal.
Chilled Tomato Soup
Sweet and deeply flavorful, this chilled soup from Martha Stewart is perfect for a hot summer’s night.
Fresh Corn Salad
Crisp, crunchy and spicy, this side salad also makes for a wonderful salsa paired with tortilla chips or pita.
Pan-Fried Peppers with Lemon & Garlic
Seasoned with slivered garlic, this Bon Appetit recipe is a favorite for enjoying fresh peppers.
Grilled Eggplant with Lemon & Mint
Tossed with fresh mint for added brightness, this barbecued eggplant boasts a wonderfully-rich and smoky flavor.
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
Olive oil, for basting
For dressing:
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons very coarsely chopped mint
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Prepare the dressing: Whisk olive oil, lemon zest and juice and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Add in sugar, salt and pepper and check for taste (it should be fairly sweet). Add in half of the chopped mint and set aside.
2. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Cut each eggplant lengthwise into about 8 thin slices about ¼-inch thick, then brush each liberally with olive oil. Lay on the grill, cooking each side about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and slightly charred.
3. Arrange the slices on a large platter and spoon dressing over top. Cover and set aside to allow eggplant to soak up the dressing. Sprinkle with the remaining mint and serve warm or at room temperature.
Fennel & Lemon Relish
This crisp slaw from Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food II is excellent tossed with grilled veggies.
Ingredients:
2 lemons
2-3 fennel bulbs
1 shallot
2-3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Using a box grater or rasp, zest both lemons, then reserve the zest and fruit.
2. Peel and finely dice the shallot. Place shallot in a small bowl with the lemon zest, juice of 1 lemon, Champagne vinegar, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to macerate. Whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil. Taste for salt and acid and adjust as needed.
3. Trim the fronds and dark green stalks from the fennel bulb. Cut the bulb in half lengthwise and then into a fine dice. Toss with salt to taste and stir into the lemon-shallot mixture. Remove all the remaining peel from the unjuiced lemon and cut the segments from their membranes. Cut segments into a medium dice and gently stir them into the relish. Let relish sit for 5 minutes before serving.
