Adapted from cooking.nytimes.com
1 pound (1 quart) potatoes
Beets from 1 bunch of beets
1 small onion, minced
2-3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 bulb fennel, raw, sliced into thin slivers
2 T sherry or red wine vinegar
1 T Dijion mustard
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/4 c olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Trim the beets into 1 inch chunks, toss with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Roast until tender. Remove and let cool
Boil the potatoes in salted water until just fork tender. Remove and run under cold water. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1 inch chunks.
Combine the beets, potatoes, eggs and fennel in a bowl that can accommodate all of them.
In another small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and whisk until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the potato and beet mixture. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve warm promptly, or allow to cool in the refrigerator before serving.
Oaxaca Summer Squash and Corn Medley
1 yellow crookneck squash, sliced thin
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1 small eggplant, peeled, and cut into 1″ cubes (optional)
2 medium corn on the cob
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
4 ounces of Oaxaca Queso Fresco, cut into 1/2″ cubes
2 T. salsa verde
1 T. salt
salt and pepper to taste
In a sautee pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium until a splash of water sizzles. Add the eggplant cubes and sprinkle evenly with 1 T. salt. Sautee for five minutes over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 15 minutes. Add onions, zucchini and squash. Stir well and cover. Continue cooking over low heat for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, using a sharp paring knife, hold the corn cob small side up and cut the kernels off the cob. Add pesto or salsa verde to squash and eggplant mixture at the end of the total 30 minutes cooking time. Eggplant and onions should be transluscent and squash should be soft but the slices still intact. Taste. Correct the seasoning. Just before serving, add the fresh corn kernels and Queso Fresco. Stir. Cover for 2-3 minutes until cheese begins to soften and kernels are cooked.
Eggplant Chutney
A favorite of ours to preserve, but is good fresh too. Adapted from Preserving by Oded Schwarz
1 eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 t salt
1 T oil
1 t sesame seed
1 bulb garlic, peeled
1 small onion, minced
1 hot pepper, seeded and minced
1 c cider vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1t paprika
Toss the eggplant with salt and set aside. Drain, rinse, pat dry
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and add the sesame seeds over high heat, cook until the seeds begin to pop.
Add the eggplant, garlic, peppers, and onion and cook, stirring regularly. Add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes until the eggplant is soft. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook until thickened. Add a few mint leaves if desired. Allow to cool before serving. Will keep for a while in the refrigerator, and improves with age. Goes great with lamb!
Stuffed Peppers
1 lb ground beef
2 c cooked rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, minced
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tomatoes, chopped
Herbs and spices of your choosing - basil, oregano, thyme are great candidates
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 c grated cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese
4-6 Bell peppers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Brown the beef over medium heat. Scoop out of the pan and set aside. In the same pan, without wiping out the beef fat, sautee the onions, carrots, celery and garlic until just softened. Add the cooked beef and rice to the pan and cook until everything is well heated. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly reduced. Season with herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, cut the tops off the peppers and scoop out the seeds and ribs. Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture and top with some of the cheese. Place the stuffed peppers in a baking pan that will just hold them all.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the peppers have softened and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Serve immediately and/or freeze for winter.
Variation: Substitute the beef for lamb, the cheddar or Monty for feta and use basil and mint for the herbs for a middle eastern twist on the dish.
Ground Cherry Sauce
Goes great with almost any meat dish, though I like it best with pork chops
1 pt ground cherries, dehusked and halved
1/2 small onion or shallot, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 T sugar
1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
In a sauce pan, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and jalapeños (if using) and cook until just softened. Add the ground cherries, lemon juice and sugar. Cook until the cherries fall apart and form a sauce. Cook until just thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place in a small bowl and allow to cool. Serve with any grilled or roasted meat.