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DEL.ICIO.USWhen life gives you squash (and lots of it), make ratatouille
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the middle of summer, the idea that you’re changing seasons is an odd one. But the growing season has shifted, from late spring’s leafy greens and cool-season vegetables like broccoli, to summer’s berries, tomatoes and eggplant.
At the Cane Creek Farm community-supported agriculture program, farmer Lynn Pugh got a jump on warm-weather crops by planting tomatoes and squash in her hoop house and giving members an early taste of summer. Now summer is here in force, no nature’s helpers needed. At the last pickup at Cane Creek Farm for the spring/summer season, in late July, I carried four heavy bags to the car and wondered how we’d eat it all in a week. (We had a party for 30 that night, so no problem. Even 12 bell peppers and four jalapenos cook down into almost nothing when you turn them into vegetable fajitas.)
Four days later, I made the first pickup at the MellowBellies cooperative in Grant Park, which draws its produce from Riverview Farms, an organic farm along the Coosawatee River in Ranger, about 60 miles northwest of Atlanta. The box was packed with a beautiful assortment of produce: two large yellow melons; a young globe eggplant with taut purple skin and no seeds to speak of, something you just can’t find in stores; a bunch of zephyr squash, a long, thin yellow squash with a green tip; a bag of potatoes; a dozen or more red, ripe tomatoes; four onions; and a globe squash, green like zucchini and shaped like a pie pumpkin. I put the box on the bathroom scale at home: 20 pounds.
There was just one thing to do: Make ratatouille. I’m eating it for lunch every day this week, and it’s delicious, but I’m looking for fresh ideas for coming weeks. What’s your favorite way to enjoy summer’s tomatoes? How about squash? I keep hearing about a soup base you can make with squash and tomatoes that freezes well, but haven’t come up with a recipe. Do you have one to share? And if you’re interested in the ratatouille recipe, which comes from Jacques Pepin, let me know and I’ll post it here.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Local Food
Comments
By One
July 31, 2007 9:57 AM | Link to this
Yes, I’d like to see that recipe. Thanks.
By Leah
July 31, 2007 2:07 PM | Link to this
I recommend picking up a good loaf of bread, maybe a herbed garlic one for extra flavor, and use half of it to make bruschetta with the tomatoes. Leave the other half out overnight so it gets stale, and then you can make a great squash casserole the following night.
By Elizabeth Lee
August 1, 2007 12:03 PM | Link to this
Here’s the recipe. I found that the flavor improved after sitting a day in the refrigerator. Before adding the tomatoes and garlic, if the ratatouille seems like it has too much liquid, cook for another five minutes, uncovered, before adding the tomatoes and garlic.
Jacques Pepin’s Ratatouille 6 servings Hands-on time: 25 minutes Total time: 40 minutes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups) 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups) 4 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups) 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 6 to 8 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (about 3 tablespoons) 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups) 1 cup julienned fresh basil leaves Freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. When hot, add the onions and green pepper and saute for about 5 minutes over high heat. Add the eggplant, zucchini, pepper flakes and salt, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture from sticking. Add the garlic and tomatoes and continue cooking, covered, for 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat, transfer to a serving bowl and cool to room temperature. Just before serving, stir in half the basil, sprinkle the remaining basil on top, and garnish with ground black pepper.