Roasted September Vegetables with Dill Yogurt Sauce

This recipe is perfect for this time of year, when the late summer vegetables are still going pretty strong but the weather has cooled down enough to make roasting appealing. This combination is deeply flavorful, and the dill yogurt sauce with a pinch of garlic gives it a Greek or Turkish flair.

Vegetables
1 large eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 sweet red peppers, in bit sized pieces
2-3 paste tomatoes, seeded and cubed
Olive oil
Salt

Yogurt Sauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1 Tbsp chopped fresh (or frozen) dill

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle generously with olive oil and quickly toss (the eggplant will absorb oil, so toss quickly after drizzling to spread it around before it soaks in too much). Sprinkle with salt and toss again.

Spread the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet, preferably in a single layer. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice to prevent burning and sticking.

While the vegetables roast, combine the yogurt, garlic, and dill and stir well. The yogurt will thin into a sauce.

Serve the vegetables topped with the yogurt sauce at the table.

Serves 4-6.

Southwestern Rice and Bean Salad with Chorizo and Veggies

Cook up some rice and sausage ahead of time or use leftovers; this is a good dish for a hot night when you don't want to turn on the stove.

3-4 cups cold cooked brown rice
1 cup diced cooked chorizo
Kernels from 2 ears of corn (1-2 cups)
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Salt to taste
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder
1-2 tsp lime juice (or to taste)

Combine rice, chorizo, corn, beans, scallions, cilantro, pepper, and cheddar in a large bowl and add salt to taste.

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cumin, chili powder, and lime juice and mix well.

Stir the yogurt mixture into the rice mixture until everything is well coated.

Serve cold.

Serves about 6.

Frozen Yogurt with Summer Fruit - Master Recipe

I'll start this off by saying up front that you need an ice cream maker to make this, an item I realize lots of people don't have. But we acquired one a couple months ago and I have really been enjoying making our own ice creams and frozen yogurts using local ingredients. Fresh local cream - not ultrapasteurized - has so much more delicious flavor than you get in the kind from the store that will keep for weeks and weeks on the shelf.  And when you combine that with local berries or other fruits, well...

I've found I can make really excellent frozen yogurt as well, which is a bit more healthful of an option than the ice cream.  I make my own yogurt with local milk, but you can always use Sidehill Farm yogurt or any commercial variety. However, if you use a sweetened flavor - anything other than plain - you can cut back the sugar in this recipe to almost nothing.

You can use pretty much any soft fruit in this recipe, but if you use apricots, peaches, etc. I suggest peeling them first.  Raspberries are truly sublime here.

This recipe is intended for a 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker. In general, follow the instructions that came with your machine. Have the bowl solidly frozen ahead of time.

2 1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped/mashed summer fruit
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or so.

Put the ice cream maker together with the frozen bowl and turn it on.  Pour in the yogurt mixture. Let the maker work for 15-20 minutes, until the frozen yogurt becomes too thick for the paddle to keep stirring it. It will have roughly the consistency of softserve.  Serve immediately or place it in a tupperware container and freeze.

To serve the yogurt after it has been in the freezer for several hours, let it thaw on the counter for 5-10 minutes to soften up.

Serves 4-6.

Turkish Style Lamb Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach

This is pretty quick and easy to assemble using ground lamb, but stew lamb would also be lovely if you have more time to let it simmer. Serve over rice with a generous drizzle of the yogurt sauce on top.

Yogurt sauce
2/3 cup plain yogurt
1 tsp finely minced garlic
Pinch of salt

Stew
Olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced (or small onion)
1 lb ground lamb
2 tsp ground cumin
2 cups chopped tomatoes and their liquid (canned, or thawed if frozen)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Make the yogurt sauce first to let the flavors blend: combine the yogurt, garlic and salt in a small bowl and stir well. Set aside until ready to serve.

Heat some olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the garlic and shallot and saute over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the lamb and brown well. Stir in the cumin and tomatoes and add some salt and pepper, then simmer for a few minutes. Just before ready to serve, add the spinach and parsley and cook until wilted.

Serve the stew over rice. At the table, add a generous drizzle of the yogurt sauce to each serving.

Serves about 4.

Turkish Style Lamb and Vegetables with Pasta and Yogurt Sauce

This is totally different from any other pasta dish I've ever made, and it's fantastic. It hits a flavor profile that I normally associate only with food I eat in restaurants - but it's pretty easy to make at home. This is adapted from this recipe that was published the New York Times a couple years ago.

1 large eggplant, in 1/2 inch cubes
2 sweet red peppers, diced
Salt
Olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb stew lamb, well trimmed (or shoulder meat, cubed)
Black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tsp dried dill, or 1-2 Tbsp fresh, finely chopped
1 lb cut pasta (shells work well)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (or dill or cilantro)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Toss the eggplant and peppers in a bowl with about 1/2 tsp salt and a drizzle of olive oil until well coated. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may want to line it with foil or parchment) and roast for about 20 minutes, or until nicely brown. Remove from oven.

While the vegetables roast, add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a Dutch oven. Add the shallots and all but 1 tsp of the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Then add the lamb and saute until well browned and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flakes, and dill. Let this mixture continue to cook over very low heat until the vegetables are ready.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water. When it is cooked, drain and toss with a little olive oil.

When the eggplant and pepper are done roasting, add them to the Dutch oven with the lamb mixture. When the pasta is done, toss it with the lamb and vegetables until well combined.

Before serving combine the yogurt and mint in a bowl with the reserved 1 tsp of minced garlic. Add a dash of salt and stir well (it will thin somewhat).

Serve the pasta, with each diner topping his or her portion with some of the yogurt sauce at the table.

Serves 4-6.

Blueberry Lassi

I was tempted to call these smoothies, but really the consistency is much more like that of a lassi you might get at an Indian restaurant. It's a yogurt-based drink with some fruit added, rather than mostly fruit with some yogurt added. My two-year-old easily drank it with a straw. You can, of course, reverse the proportions or adjust them however you like. Likewise, you can use different fruit, or a combination. I've been using blueberries because we still have a bunch of them in the freezer and since they don't stick together that much when frozen it's easy to use a small amount at a time--plus they are quick and easy to process this way.

For each serving:
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup yogurt (maple, plain, or vanilla - or your choice)

Blend in a blender or food processor. These proportions make for large-ish kid servings or moderate adult servings.

Variations: virtually infinite. For a sweeter lassi, add a touch of honey or maple syrup. Try other easily processed frozen fruit. In fresh fruit season, use that - try peaches or strawberries.

Making Yogurt

I got a Yogotherm for Christmas and have been making 2-quart batches of yogurt at home about once a week ever since. It's easy, it's cheap, and the yogurt has been fantastic--thick, creamy, smooth, and with great flavor. I'm still happy to rave about our local yogurt producer, Sidehill Farm, which is amazing - but at the rate we go through yogurt, it has been getting expensive.

Here's how I do it:

1. Heat 2 quarts of milk to 180-185 degrees F (needless to say, I use local milk; usually from Mapleline Farm). I do this in the microwave (it takes about 13 1/2 minutes in mine; the first few times I did it in small increments to figure it out).

2. Place bowl of hot milk in a second large bowl of cold water and cool to 120 degrees F. (This takes about 13-14 minutes as well.)

3. Place culture in the inner pail that comes with the Yogotherm - I use 4 Tbsp of the previous batch of yogurt, reserved ahead of time, or of yogurt bought at the store. Pour milk into the pail. Optional: add 1/4 - 1/3 cup grade B maple syrup. Mix well. Place lid on pail and put it in the Yogotherm. Let sit on the counter for 9-10 hours to incubate (I prepare it before bed and leave it overnight).

4. Remove pail from Yogotherm and refrigerate. Makes 2 quarts.

There are, of course, plenty of ways to make yogurt without the Yogotherm incubator, but I like it because it's simple and easy and uses no electricity. It's available from New England Cheesemaking Supply in Ashfield (the same place I took the cheesemaking class). It comes with some culture, and you can buy more online, but really there's no reason to since you can just use your prior batch and occasionally some store-bought yogurt to refresh the culture.

Blueberry Scones

Another excellent use for frozen blueberries. I especially like the low-bush variety because they are small. But you can use high-bush as well, or other types of small frozen fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or cherries, if you have them.

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/4 cup white sugar, plus more for the top if desired
3/4 cup frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in blueberries so they get coated with flour. Add cream and yogurt and stir until just combined. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet (I use a baking stone). If desired, lightly sprinkle the top of each scone with a little sugar.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Makes about 8-10 scones.

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

And while I'm on the subject of blueberry muffins...this is another favorite recipe. Again, you can use fresh or frozen berries, but frozen actually work a bit better.

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease muffin tins to make 12 muffins.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the white flour, whole wheat pastry flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the lemon juice, vegetable oil, and yogurt to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly. Stir in the blueberries. Do not overmix. The batter will be fairly thick and slightly spongy.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. You can fill them fairly full.

Bake for about 14 minutes, until the muffins turn golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins.

Summer Smoothies

I love fruit smoothies for a cool, refreshing snack on a hot summer day--or as a healthful dessert. This time of year, they are also an excellent way to use fruit that is a bit past its prime or otherwise not ideal for eating out of hand. The addition of a little frozen fruit adds more flavor as well as coldness. But you can toss in some ice cubes if you're working with just fresh fruit. I also like to add some yogurt to round out the flavor and texture and add a little more substance. These go over great with my almost-two-year-old, too.

Here's one we've been making recently:

2 ripe peaches, quartered and pitted
1/2 - 1 cup frozen strawberries
1/2 cup yogurt (we use Sidehill Farm whole milk maple)

Blend in the blender until smooth. Serves 2-3.

Of course, the combinations are limited only by your imagination and the fruit you have on hand.

Herbed Yogurt

The chives in the garden are calling to me. Here's one easy way to use them, along with some of Sidehill Farm's incredibly delicious yogurt. Of course, you can also use all sorts of other herbs this way, too, as they come into season. Try cilantro, basil, mint, or a combination, as well as the chives.

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives (or other herbs)

Combine well. Use as a dip for pita, chips, or veggies, or as a topping for Indian dishes or savory pancakes.

Maple Cream Scones

Yesterday morning, while Donovan took a nap with Nate, I made myself a cup of tea and prepared to sit down with a book for some (rare! precious!) time to myself. But I had a hankering for a little something to go with the tea, and I had a cup or so of heavy cream sitting in the fridge that I knew needed to be used ASAP or it would go bad. So I concocted these scones and was very pleased with the result.

We always use Mapleline Farms cream (available at Green Fields Market and probably other places, too). In addition to being local, it's way better than anything you'll get from Hood or the like (a few months back I needed some and the co-op was out so we picked up some major-brand cream; it was very disappointing). I used Sidehill Farm yogurt and grade B maple syrup from Shoestring Farm (available at Green Fields Market and also the Greenfield farmers market).

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Whole Milk Maple yogurt
1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add cream, yogurt and maple syrup and stir until just combined. Drop by large spoonfuls onto a baking sheet (I use a baking stone). Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Makes about 8-10 scones.

Sidehill Farm Yogurt

A little plug for Sidehill Farm in Ashfield, which makes the best yogurt I've ever tasted. If you haven't tried it, check it out. You can get it at Green Fields Market (except for the two months out of the year when they don't milk the cows). I love it, my husband loves it, my son loves it. Our favorite is definitely the Whole Milk Maple. It's a little expensive (about $4.50 for a large tub) but completely worth it.