Garden Vegetable Stew

 

This is one vegetarian dish that even the die-hard meat eaters will enjoy! The quality of your veggies will turn this from ordinary to amazing and full of flavor. Its filling and incredible versatile based on the vegetables and herbs you use. This veg stew is perfect over a boiled potato or polenta. With the eggs from our hens, we love poaching an egg and placing it atop this gorgeous garden stew, adding a little protein and making it into more of a meal. Plus, eggs are hot right now!! Which just cracks us up (who comes up with these things?! By the way kale is out and cauliflower is in!) 

Remember with simple dishes like this its important to use the best quality ingredients. This is just the base for the veggies - use what you've got /like/grow. Add in potatoes if you want, etc.

Garden Vegetable Stew
serves about 6

This is just the base for the veggies - use what you've got/like/grow. Add in potatoes if you want, etc.

1 long eggplant
1 onion
1 pepper
1 zucchini
1 bulb of fennel
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt & pepper
a couple of large tomatoes, diced or 1 jar of whole crushed tomatoes
herbs of your choice (rosemary, thyme, bay leaf etc)
optional: capers, olives

Dice all your vegetables in a large dice, keeping them separate. Since its a stew the sizing isn’t exact. But don’t mix all the veggies together in a bowl.

In a large heavy pot, with a little bit of olive oil on medium high heat, sauté the onion for a few minutes. Season with salt & pepper. Then remove from the pot. We are just looking to start the onions cooking.

Repeat the same process, a little bit of olive oil, salt & pepper, sauté for 2 minutes or so and then remove, with each of the remaining vegetable except the tomatoes.

Keep an eye on your pan heat - you don’t want it too hot or too cool: too hot and they will burn your vegetables, too cool and you’ll sweat instead of sauté the vegetables.

Then return all the vegetables to the pot, together, along with the tomatoes and your herbs (and capers/olives if you like). Bring the pot up to a simmer and let slowly simmer until all the vegetables are tender. OR I like to pop it in a 375 F/190 C degrees oven, uncovered for about 45 minutes to an hour or until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduced some.

Check your seasoning, remove the herb stems and finish with good extra virgin olive oil on top.

If you like, poach an egg and place atop or serve with boiled potatoes or grilled polenta. Makes a great hearty vegetarian dish. It will get better as it sits in the fridge. Change up the vegetables as you like or play with the spices.

Scallopini with White Wine and Capers

photo from Foodie Lawyer

Scallopini with White Wine and Capers

Serves 4

4 slices of veal, chicken, turkey, pork loin or beef cut scallopini style (You choose the protein you prefer. Ask your butcher to slice it for you if you like.)
flour, enough to dredge the meat in
2 T of butter
olive oil
3-4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half (optional)
2 T white wine
2 T chicken stock
pinch of fresh chopped herbs (whatever you have around: parsley, marjoram, oregano or sage)
spoonful of capers or olives
salt & pepper

Place your slices of meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound until they are thin and even.

Dredge them in flour.

In a frying pan on medium high heat, add a pad of butter with a bit of olive oil. When the pan is good and hot, add in your slices of meat. Saute for a minute or so on each side and season with salt and pepper. NOTE: The cooking time will depend on the type of meat you use - thin slices of veal will cook faster than chicken or turkey.

Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pan and place on the side on a warm serving platter.

Reduce the heat of the frying pan to low. Deglaze with white wine. Once most of the white wine is evaporated add in your capers and tomatoes, then raise the heat a bit. Saute the capers and tomatoes for 20-30 seconds.

Add in your chicken stock and reduce for just a moment and then shut off the heat. Check your seasoning. Toss in the herbs and swirl in a pad of butter. Once the butter has melted, check your seasonings one last time and pour over the meat. Serve immediately.

Grilled Eggplant, Fresh Mozzarella and Peppers with Capers

A staple of an Italian vegetable garden is eggplant/aubergines or melanzane - so of course we grow plenty! The plant and flowers are gorgeous, the only problem is, we're not huge fans of the veg. itself. I do like them stuffed like a little quiche or thinly cut & fried is always good. But I must say the recipe below of grilled eggplant with mozzarella topped with peppers & capers is my new favorite! Ok, now don't be turned off by the capers - they impart an amazing saltiness to the yellow peppers!

Grilled Eggplant, Mozzarella, Yellow Peppers & Capers
Melanzane di Caroline

1-2 eggplants (the fat short kind)
1 ball of fresh mozzarella

1 yellow pepper

couple of tablespoons capers under salt

handful of clean parsley leaves, washed (keep the leaves whole)

olive oil

sea salt

Thickly slice the eggplant into 1inch or 2.5cm slices and place on a wire rack with a sheet pan underneath. Generously salt both sides and let sit for an hour to drain. 

While you're waiting: Rinse capers. Cut peppers into 1 inch/medium sized squares and combine with capers in a bowl, let sit.

Back to the eggplant: Rinse and pat dry. Brush a little olive oil on the eggplant.  Grill on medium heat or broil for 3-4 minutes on each side until soft. Make sure they don’t burn.

Now put it all together: Drain mozzarella and cut them into nice thick slices - about the same thickness as the eggplant. On a plate alternate between the eggplant and cheese creating a cir
Add parsley into the peppers & capers. Place the pepper & caper mix into the center/on top of the  eggplant/mozzarella circle.  Top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.  Allow to sit before you serve to let everything to incorporate.

Maria's Artichokes ~ Carciofi alla Maria

Spring brings bright fresh flavors! This artichoke dish, courtesy of our friend Maria, is a fantastic example of spring on your plate! We serve it as an antipasta, but you could easily serve it as a side-dish. Sometimes Jason leaves out the olives (as he doesn't really like 'em) & it still comes out great.

To be honest, the first time Jason said he was making artichokes with capers & olives, I thought it sounded kinda gross because I'm not a huge fan of capers - BUT! I can't deny it - these are soooo good!! Now I'm beggin' for more! If you love spring artichokes, try this pasta recipe ~ Pasta with spring vegetables (fava, artichokes, peas) Spaghetti alla chitarra con vedure primavera.

Maria's Artichokes
Carciofi alla Maria

Serves 4

juice of 1/2 lemon, strained
8 globe artichokes, remove tough outer leaves, scoop out choke & cut into wedges
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon capers, drained & rinsed
scant 1 cup green olives, pitted & chopped
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
salt & pepper

Half-fill a bowl with water, stir in the lemon juice, add the artichokes & let soak for 10 minutes, then drain & pat dry.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the garlic & cook for a few minutes until golden brown, then remove & discard.

Add the artichoke wedges to the pan & cook over high heat for 5 minutes, then add the capers & olives.

Season with salt & pepper to taste and add 2/3 cup warm water.

Mix well, cover & simmer for about 30 minutes until tender.

Remove the lid & boil off any excess liquid.

Transfer the artichokes to a serving dish, sprinkle with parsley.

Served both warm & at room temperature.