FROM THE GARDEN TO THE KITCHEN
Black Bean and Corn Salad
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 ears fresh sweet corn
- 2 14-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 cup green bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro leaves
Ingredients: Dressing
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Cook the ears of corn in a pot of boiling water until tender-crisp. Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels (about 3 cups) off the cobs. Place the corn in a large mixing bowl and add the black beans, peppers, onion and cilantro.
Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Season the salad with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Prepare the salad at least 3 hours before serving and refrigerate to allow the flavors to merge. Stir before serving. Serves 8 to 10.
Sautéed Okra with Pepper and Ginger Tamari Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 20 okra spears (3 to 4 inches in length), trimmed and sliced
- 1/2 red or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons ginger tamari sauce, or to taste
Heat the olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute, until softened. Add the okra and cook, stirring frequently, until it become slightly tender and the slime cooks away, about 5 minutes. Add the pepper and ginger tamari sauce and continue cooking for about 2 minutes, until the pepper is tender-crisp. Serves 4.
Ratatouille Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant (1 1/4 pounds) cut into 1-inch dice
- 2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves, divided
- 2 pounds ripe Roma (plum) tomatoes
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided (plus extra for oiling baking dish)
- 3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 red bell peppers (or a mix of red, orange and yellow bell peppers), cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 zucchini, or 1 zucchini and 1 yellow squash (about 12 ounces total) trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds
- salt & black pepper, to taste
Ingredients:Topping
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously oil a large baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the diced eggplant in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil; toss to coat. Bake the eggplant until it softens and begins to color, about 30 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven and toss with one-third of the basil leaves and set aside.
Thinly slice half of the tomatoes and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining tomatoes and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers, garlic, herbes de Provence and red pepper flakes and cook until the bell peppers are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until softened and the juices begin to evaporate, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Generously grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil. Arrange half of the eggplant and basil leaf mixture in the prepared dish. Cover with half of the pepper and tomato mixture. Scatter another one-third of the basil leaves over the tomato mixture, followed by the remaining eggplant, the remaining tomato mixture, and the last of the basil leaves. Carefully arrange the zucchini and tomato slices in alternating rows on top, overlapping the slices slightly within their rows and overlapping the rows slightly in order to completely cover the gratin in a decorative pattern.
Topping: In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture and toss until the breadcrumbs have absorbed all of the oil. Sprinkle the topping over the ratatouille.
Place the ratatouille gratin on a sturdy baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and the top is golden, crispy and bubbly, 30 to 45 minutes. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Serves 8 to 10.
Ratatouille Gratin recipe adapted from Gratins: Savory and Sweet Recipes from Oven to Table by Tina Salter, Berkeley, CA, Ten Speed Press, 2004. Other recipes by Gwyn Mellinger.
