Pepper, Fennel & Onion Relish
Jimmy Nardello peppers lends themselves perfectly to this classic trio—an excellent condiment-style topping for sandwiches, scrambled eggs or even crostini!
Ingredients:
4 Jimmy Nardello peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 red or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Toss together all ingredients with ½ teaspoon salt in a large shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Turn over and stir, then broil 8 to 10 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with fennel fronds.
Marinated Cucumber Salad
Super simple and healthy, this salad is perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
2 Persian cucumbers
1 red onion
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Peel the cucumbers and then half lengthwise before thinly slicing. Then, peel and thinly slice the onion and place in a bowl with the cucumber.
2. Combine the vinegar, lemon juice, honey, and oil in a bowl and whisk together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the vinaigrette over the cucumber and onion mixture and toss well to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1-2 hours before serving cold or at room temperature.
Roasted Purple Tomatillo Salsa
Great served with chips, or mixed into rice, this awesome salsa also makes excellent sauce for enchiladas!
Ingredients:
1 pound purple tomatillos, husks removed
3-4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered
1 jalapeño pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup chopped green onion
Olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 500°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. After husking the tomatillos, rinse them well in cool water (they can be sticky). Cut the stems and hard portions (if any) off the tomatillos and cut any very large ones in half.
3. Combine the tomatillos, unpeeled garlic, onion, and the jalapeno on the lined baking sheet. Spritz with extra virgin olive oil until lightly coated and toss the ingredients with your hands to make sure they are all well-coated.
4. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. If the vegetables have not charred, turn the broiler on to high and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until the skins of the peppers and tomatillos begin to turn black. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
5. When the vegetables have cooled, carefully squeeze the skin of the roasted garlic, releasing the soft, roasted garlic clove, into the jar of a blender or work bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining roasted vegetables and then add the salt, pepper, and lime juice. Process until the desired consistency is reached and then transfer to a serving dish.
Tian Provencal
If you are looking for a new vegetarian centerpiece, this baked dish is both gorgeous and delicious.
Ingredients:
1 long eggplant
1 zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
2 tomatoes
1½ cup crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Method:
1. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, sauté 3 minutes until the onion becomes transparent. Add oregano and dried thyme and mix. Finally, pour in the crushed tomatoes, chopped basil, salt and pepper. Mix and let it cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 350º. During this time, cut the eggplant, zucchini, yellow summer squash and tomatoes to make thin slices.
3. Pour the tomato sauce into a pie dish and place all the slices of vegetables one after the other in the dish. Add a drizzle of olive oil on top, salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 40 minutes. Take out of the oven and garnish with a few basil leaves on top.
