Sauteed Summer Veggies and Olives Over Polenta

Instead of the usual basil with eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and summer squash, I took it in a different kind of Mediterranean direction with olives and feta. The veggies are served in a pile over a bowl of soft polenta and topped with feta and, optionally, pine nuts.  Delicious! If you like, substitute quinoa for up to half of the cornmeal in the polenta.

Polenta
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coarse corn meal/polenta meal
1 1/2 tsp salt

Veggies
Olive oil
1 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large summer squash, sliced into 1-2" strips (or substitute zucchini)
2 medium sweet peppers (ripe), sliced into strips
1 1/2 - 2 cups peeled, seeded, and diced fresh tomatoes
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp good quality minced olives or olive tapenade (or to taste)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumbled feta for topping
Toasted pine nuts for topping (optional)

To make the polenta, bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the cornmeal (and quinoa if using) and salt and whisk to prevent lumps.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the desired thickness.

While the polenta cooks, heat a bit of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven.  Add the eggplant and squash and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until partially tender.  Add the peppers, garlic, and tomatoes, plus a bit more oil if needed, and continue to saute until the vegetables are pleasantly tender. The eggplant should be quite soft.  Stir in the olive or tapenade along with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the veggies in mounds over bowls of soft polenta. Top with feta and pine nuts (if using) at the table.

Serves about 6.

Pizza with Arugula, Feta, and Roasted Eggplant Puree

I was so excited last fall when I finally found a way to freeze eggplant that resulted in a product worth eating.  It has been especially good on pizza - like this one.

1 14-inch pizza crust
Olive oil
1 cup roasted eggplant puree (thaw in warm water if frozen)
1/4 arugula, chopped
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
1-2 Tbsp pine nuts
Salt and pepper
2 oz. shredded or cubed mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread the eggplant over the pizza crust, then top with arugula.  Sprinkle with feta, pine nuts, salt and pepper, and mozzarella.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese is beginning to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Winter Tomato Basil Pizza with Pine Nuts

Well, I guess it's not really winter, anymore, despite last week's snow... But still, this is a tomato basil pizza for the time of year when tomatoes and basil are not in season. Enjoy!

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
2 cups whole peeled tomatoes, extra liquid drained off (canned, or thawed if frozen)
Salt and pepper
3-4 oz. shredded mozzarella
1 tsp dried basil (or to taste)
1/4 cup pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil and set aside.

Place the tomatoes in a small baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes, then remove from the oven, drain off excess liquid, and mash them slightly.

Spread most of the mozzarella over the pizza crust, then spread the partially mashed tomatoes over it. Sprinkle with basil and pine nuts, then the remaining mozzarella.

Bake at 450 for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.

Serves 3-4.

Variation: Add feta.

Savory Lamb-Stuffed Eggplant

This stuffing is so good I could happily eat it straight. But the eggplant is nice, too, and certainly makes for a more elegant presentation. If you happen to end up with extra stuffing (I didn't), you can serve it over pasta.

3 1/2 - 4 lbs eggplant (nice fat ones)
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground lamb or lamb sausage (casings removed)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups finely chopped tomato (seeded)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp minced fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (optional)
3/4 cup crumbled feta

Cut the calyxes off the eggplants, then slice them in half the long way. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/2-inch thick shell. Line the eggplant halves up in a baking dish, cut side up. Chop the flesh you removed, and reserve it.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Brown the lamb in a large skillet, breaking it up well as you go. Add some salt and pepper. When the lamb is cooked, pour off some of the fat, then add the garlic and onion. Cook over medium-high heat for another 2-3 minutes, then add the tomato and the chopped eggplant flesh. Lower the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is nice and tender, 6-10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and oregano. Remove from heat and stir in the pine nuts (if using) and feta.

Spoon the lamb mixture into the eggplant halves, filling them well.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until eggplant shells are tender. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Green Garlic Pesto

Green garlic makes a lovely pesto with a nice garlic flavor that is not at all overpowering. You can use the entire plant once you cut the roots off. This recipe makes enough to have some now and put some in the freezer for later. I used pecorino and pine nuts, but you could also substitute Parmesan and walnuts if you like. You could also make this with scapes, which are coming in now.

8-10 slender stalks green garlic, including leaves (roots removed)
1/2 - 1/3 cub extra virgin olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 lb pecorino, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor; taste and adjust as needed for flavor and texture. This makes a fairly thick paste. You can thin it with a little water when you are ready to use--if serving on pasta, use a little of the pasta water.

Makes about 2 cups. Use 1 cup for 1 lb of pasta. To freeze, place 1/2 cup or 1 cup quantity in a quart-size freezer bag, squeeze all the air out, and smooth out the pesto so it's nice and flat. You can thaw it quickly in a bowl of warm water.

Autumn Pear Salad

Continuing on the pear theme... Combine sliced ripe pears with crumbled Gorgonzola and a sprinkling of toasted walnuts or pine nuts over a bed of arugula for an easy yet impressive fall salad made with ingredients in season locally. Dress with the vinaigrette of your choice. For more of a tossed salad, add lettuce to the mix. If you're not going to serve it immediately, toss the sliced pears with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. If you don't like or don't have Gorgonzola, try goat cheese--the effect is different but still lovely.