This week’s box included: Okra, Heirloom tomatoes, Eggplant, Yellow Squash, Garlic, Red onion, Cabbage, Cucumbers (European-style seedless + Kirby), A variety of peppers (poblanos included)
Finally, the okra has arrived! And just a tiny bag. I’m going to slice mine lengthwise, then brown it in an oiled skillet and sprinkle it with salt. Done. And delicious! As you’re thinking ahead for when more okra comes along, check out our okra recipes at grasssfedcow.com.
With so many peppers and that pretty eggplant, it’s time to make ratatouille. Down below is the recipe I’ve adapted from one provided by Matthew Reeves, who with his wife Maggie Reeves, hosts a drop-off for Riverview boxes. What I love is that there are almost no quantities given (just a size for one can of crushed tomatoes). Ratatouille really must have been created as a delicious way to use up summer vegetables and you can juggle quantities of ingredients to suit what you have… and what you like. We didn’t get zucchini this week (at least not in my box) but we got eggplant, yellow squash, lots of peppers, and garlic. You could use the red onion that we got today if you like, or maybe you have some yellow onions on hand. At our house, we’re not big rosemary fans, so we’re leaving that out.
Those longer dark green peppers are poblanos. We got two. Poblanos have wonderful flavor but sometimes they’re very hot. Sometimes they’re mildly hot. So just be aware and maybe sample a tiny bit as you’re considering whether to add them to your ratatouille or use them in other ways.
Lots of cucumbers this week including a long, curved European-style seedless cucumber. They’re pretty and seedless so I’m going to be pickling mine along with those Kirby cucumbers.
We received two enormous heirloom tomatoes – I think one of them is Cherokee Purple. The largest was a little bit banged up in transit so no sitting on the counter for that tomato. I’m chopping it up with the red onion and some minced garlic, adding some olive oil, salt and pepper and we have an instant sauce. We can eat it tonight with chips, or refrigerate until I’m ready to use it to dress some pasta. Add a little lime or lemon juice and you have a great tomato vinaigrette.
And while there’s no zucchini in our box this week, I’ve been wanting to try this zucchini tortilla recipe that Ali Stafford adapted from https://whiteonricecouple.com/zucchini-tortillas/. So I’m trying it with yellow squash.
Zucchini Tortillas
Stafford says keep an eye on these while baking. If you bake them too long, the Parmesan will cook too much and cause the tortillas to become brittle.
1 to 1.25 lbs. zucchini or other summer squash
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
2 ounces grated Parmesan, a packed 1/2 cup
Coarsely grate the squash using a box grater or shredder attachment in a food processor. Transfer the strands to a fine-meshed sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the top and toss to distribute it. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to drain.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
Squeeze the zucchini and press it against the sieve to remove as much moisture as possible. You’ll have between 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid by the time you finish squeezing. You can discard it or maybe you can come up with some use for this salty squash liquid.
Transfer the drained zucchini strands to a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmesan and stir to combine.
Use a 1/4-cup measure to portion the zucchini tortilla batter into roughly five mounds, transferring each mound to your prepared sheet pan as you portion, being sure to space the mounds evenly. Spread each mound out into a thin circle, 6 to 7 inches in diameter.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to crisp, and the surface of each tortilla is speckled with golden spots of browning parmesan cheese.
Let the tortillas cool for one minute on the sheet pan, then carefully remove each tortilla and transfer to a plate to cool completely.
To freeze, place the tortillas in an airtight bag and transfer to the freezer for up to 3 months.
Matthew Reeves’ Ratatouille
Eggplant
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Bell Peppers
Yellow Onion
Garlic
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Dry White Wine
Tomato Paste
1 Large Can of Crushed Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Chop eggplant into bite-sized chunks. Toss eggplant in olive oil, salt, and pepper and arrange on a baking sheet. Put in oven while you chop the other vegetables. After five minutes, add the remaining vegetables to the eggplant, adding a little more oil if needed, and roast for 25 minutes.
Turn on broiler and broil vegetables until they begin to char. Remove from oven.
While vegetables are roasting, in a Dutch oven, brown onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add all of the herbs and stir together. When the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven, add the white wine. (This is what Matthew is referring to later in the directions as the “Maillard technique.”) Stir and continue cooking until mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven again. Stir in the tomato paste. Stir in the broiled vegetables and the can of crushed tomatoes. At this point you can decide based on the water content in the Dutch oven to either simmer uncovered on the stove or put back in the oven with the lid on. Cook for about 20 minutes.
The most crucial parts to remember are making your vegetables the right size and not letting the onion/garlic/herb mix burn while performing the Maillard technique.
As far as quantities are concerned, follow your heart.