Summery September Recipes
Though the calendar may say September, the recent sunny weather has the gardens thinking it’s still high summer as they continue to produce favorites for this week’s box like heirloom tomatoes, grilling peppers and zucchini, as well as crisp salad greens, edible flowers and the first of the early autumn sweet corn. Also included: All the ingredients for a nectarine galette tart topped with honey-cinnamon crème fraîche—pop that in the oven, then uncork a bottle of French Rosé and toast to lingering summer.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Sweet Corn Fritters
These perfectly-crisp fritters are sure to be a new fall favorite!
Ratatouille
This rustic Provencal dish is summer in a bowl, crafted with zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes.
Grilled Peppers & Zucchini
Serve these classic grilled vegetables from Domenica Marchetti’s The Glorious Vegetables of Italy atop warm bread.
Pickled Peppers
These addictive peppers are wonderful for snacking, or served with burgers, tacos and sandwiches.
Billy Mills’ Corn Relish
This classic recipe hails from The Complete Book of Pickles and Relishes, and is a true farmhouse standby!
Nectarine Galette
Sprinkled with a dusting of cinnamon sugar, this fresh tart is sure to please.
Honey-Cinnamon Crème Fraîche
This amazing combination is wonderful atop a fruit galette, baked apples or even poached pears!
Ratatouille
This rustic Provencal dish is summer in a bowl, crafted with zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes.
Ingredients:
2 cups diced eggplant, skin on
2 cups mixed sweet peppers, seeded and diced
2 cups zucchini, diced
1½ cups heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced
1½ cups diced Walla Walla sweet onion
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon freshly chopped basil
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Set a large stock pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic to the pan. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are wilted and lightly caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add the eggplant and thyme to the pan and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and zucchini and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for a final 5 minutes. Stir well to blend and serve either hot or at room temperature.
Sun Ripened Recipes
No matter how you pronounce it, the word ‘tomato’ practically sings of summer, as well it should as the vine-ripened beauties are now at their best as the first heirlooms begin to arrive. This week’s box pays homage to the ripe, juicy tomato with both mixed heirlooms and Sungold cherry tomatoes, plus a bevy of complementary ingredients like focaccia bread, feta cheese and fresh, locally-made bucatini pasta, plus summery produce like purple eggplant, cucumbers and yellow Romano beans. So, uncork a bottle of wine, flip through this week’s recipe cards and then get cookin’ with these bright and beautiful summer favorites.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Ratatouille
This rustic Provencal dish is summer in a bowl, with summer squash, eggplant and tomatoes.
Chilled Tomato Soup
Sweet and deeply flavorful, this chilled soup from Martha Stewart is perfect for a hot summer’s night.
Fresh Bucatini Pasta with Heirloom Tomatoes & Basil
Using top-notch olive oil and authentic Grana-style cheese are key to this dish’s success.
Heirloom Tomato & Herb Salad
A simple drizzle of oil and vinegar allows the natural tomato flavors to shine in this recipe from Martha Stewart.
Grilled Lemon-Garlic Zucchini
Brushed with a herb-kissed butter mixture, these zucchini slices pair well with grilled chicken, fish or steak.
Yellow Romano Beans with Caramelized Sweet Onions
These beautiful beans are tossed with flavorful onions and fresh parsley.
Plum Compote
This delectable compote is delicious spooned over yogurt, ice cream, even waffles or pancakes!
Summer into Fall Recipes
Though September has brought with it cooler temperatures, falling leaves and other signs that fall is indeed just around the corner, here at Bella Luna and the other nearby farms we are continuing to enjoy a bounty of late-summer crops—from bicolor corn and eggplants to juicy melons. Thus, this week’s box combines the best of both seasons as it stars a robust tomato and roasted red pepper soup as well as Gruyère cheese bread, farm-fresh eggs and produce like sprouting broccoli and colorful grilling peppers.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Roasted Ratatouille Toasts
A delightful spin on the classic stew, this time slathered on toasted bread as a starter!
Radish & Arugula Salad
Top this crisp combination with a garlic-lemon dressing and freshly-grated Romano cheese.
Tomato Salad with Corn & Roasted Onions
Roasted sweet onion adds a wonderful depth of flavor to this refreshing salad.
Sprouting Broccoli Salad
This room temperature salad from The Barefoot Contessa has just the right amount of crunch!
Melon with Fresh Mint & Lime Syrup
Try this sweet-tart syrup with your favorite summer melon.
Pickled Peppers
These addictive peppers are wonderful incorporated into a grilled cheese sandwich to serve alongside this week’s soup.
