Quick Ratatouille

The very best thing to do to a summer vegetable is… nothing at all. If you’ve never pulled a carrot straight from the ground, given it a quick rinse with the garden hose, then bit into the crunchy, sweet, orange flesh, my friends… it’s time to plant yourselves some carrots.

My grandmother, Mema, has kept a garden for as long as I’ve been alive. She has a degree in horticulture, for goodness sake. Every morning of every summer since I can remember, she has spent a couple of hours weeding, watering, and planting in her garden. If I happened to get up early one morning when we were visiting, the most amazing treat was to sneak down to the garden with her and have a pre-breakfast snack. 

Perhaps a carrot, still warm from the earth.

For dinner last night, I wanted zucchini – another favorite – minimally prepared. Think olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs. I wanted to roast it slowly, over low heat, with other in-season vegetables. But for lack of time and patience, 350 degrees in the oven for 35 minutes had to do.

“Quick ratatouille” is an oxymoron, so perhaps this isn’t really ratatouille. However, except for eggplant, it has most of your typical ratatouille staples: zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, onion, herbs. If you have the time, I think you should slow roast the vegetables in a saucepan in their own juices. If not, do as I did; which really isn’t anything at all. 

 

How do you like your summer vegetables? 

Greek Pita Pockets with Zesty Olive Tapenade

{Vegetarian friends: This meal would be fantastic with diced tofu instead of chicken.}

Greek food, to me, has all the makings of a healthful, simple, and easy-to-prepare weeknight meal. The ingredient and flavor combinations are endless, but there are three things that, to me, make Greek food what it is: Lemon, dried herbs, and feta cheese.

If you, too, are a fan of feta, you probably understand that there isn’t much it doesn’t taste good with. It adds a pop of flavor to these pita pockets along with the most delicious, versatile spread with basil, garlic, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and marinated artichokes.

This pesto, olive, and artichoke tapenade is a repeat customer in my meals. Originally inspired by my friend Kelly and her stellar cooking, it’s only natural that whenever I house sit for Kelly (and her beautiful, spotless kitchen) I must make the tapenade. Thus, with the help of Kelly’s kitchen, this Tuesday night dinner was set against the backdrop of oak trees, outdoor furniture, dusk air and good conversation – the epitome of summer.

 

Greek Pita Pockets with Pesto Olive Tapenade :: Serves 4

1 pound chicken tenders (or 1 package tofu, diced)

juice from 1 lemon

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. dried basil

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 cloves garlic

2 cups fresh basil

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup marinated artichokes

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

2 whole wheat pita breads, halved

chopped romaine

feta cheese, crumbled

1. Marinade chicken in lemon juice, olive oil, dried basil, salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the tapenade. Make a quick pesto in the food processor with garlic, basil, and olive oil. Add tomatoes, artichokes, and olives, and pulse just a few times to chop. Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
3. Brown chicken in a bit of olive oil over medium flame until cooked through. Allow to rest for a few minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. 
4. To assemble the pita pocket, place a bit of chicken, some tapenade, feta cheese, and romaine into one half of a whole-wheat pita. Serve.

This month, I'm keeping cool

In this month's column, we talk about heat. And what to do about it. Turning on the oven and stove isn't so inviting when just standing around makes you sweat, but when hunger strikes, what's there to do?

It can be tempting to find shelter in the air-conditioned confines of your favorite restaurant, or pull a container of frozen yogurt from the freezer and call it a day. But when nutrition is top priority, as it is around my house, neither of these options fully satisfies. 

Which is why I wanted to create a menu that involves very little cooking, if at all, and can be served no matter what the temperature. Enjoy it inside, eat it by the pool, or even pack it for a picnic if a shady patch of grass is within reach. Minimal work, maximum nutrition.

See here for the article and other recipes. Below, quite possibly the best dessert I've made in a while.

Raspberry Oat Squares :: Makes 9

1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp. water
3 pints fresh raspberries, rinsed
2 Tbsp. raw or Turbinado sugar
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup pecans
pinch of sea salt
4 Tbsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. olive oil or melted coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 375’. Stir water into ground flaxseeds and set aside.
2. Place raspberries on a cutting board and sprinkle with raw sugar. Gently mash with a fork , leaving some pieces of fruit bigger than others. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, add 2 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup pecans, and sea salt. Pulse until mixture is coarsely ground. Add 2 Tbsp. maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. oil, and the flaxseed-water mixture. Pulse again to combine, until mixture forms a lightly moist dough. Add more water if necessary.
4. Press dough evenly into an un-greased 8x8 pan. Pour raspberry mixture evenly over the top. 
5. In a medium bowl, toss 1 cup rolled oats with 1 Tbsp. maple syrup and 2 Tbsp. oil. Once evenly coated, sprinkle mixture over the raspberries in the baking dish. 
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until top is toasted and raspberries are bubbling. Allow to cool completely, or else raspberries will not set. Once at room temperature, slice into squares and serve.

Fajitas and Black Bean Soup

This recipe goes back to our first date, when we decided to cook a meal together instead of going out. Upon hearing of my tendency to avoid meat products after we’d made these plans, Elliott went frantically in search of a recipe we could both enjoy. He found one for vegetarian fajitas, we went grocery shopping, and the rest, they say, is history. 

In the mood for warm liquids last week after coming down with a bad cold, I threw together this quick and easy black bean soup using most of the same ingredients the fajitas call for. It’s a perfect weeknight recipe, and I found it super satisfying as a meal by itself. I had plenty left over for lunch the next day, but I’m sure it would also freeze well. To avoid cluttering our small kitchen further by getting out the blender, I left the soup chunky; feel free to puree in batches, though, if it better suits your taste.

 

As for other updates, it’s getting to be that time of the semester when I really look forward to the end of May. A busier schedule leaves me with less time to cook every night, so I’m sure that in the coming weeks we’ll be revisiting the simplicity of soups and stir-fries. With something so convenient and healthy, it’s hard to feel guilty about the occasional effortless meal.

Black Bean Soup :: Serves 4

1 yellow onion, diced
3 bell peppers, diced (red, orange and yellow varieties)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chile powder
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper
juice from 1 lime
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cans organic black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chipotle salsa
fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)
1 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
vegetable broth
avocado, for garnish

• In a heavy saucepan, saute the onion, bell peppers and garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Add the spices, salt and pepper, and lime juice and stir to combine. Saute 2 minutes more.
• Add the tomato paste and fully incorporate. Add the black beans, salsa, chopped cilantro, and crushed tomatoes and stir to mix thoroughly. Add enough vegetable broth to cover–I like my soups more stew-like, but if more broth is desired then by all means add more. 
• Season again with salt and pepper, stir, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, just enough time to allow the flavors to combine. Taste for seasonings and ladle into portions, then garnish with chopped avocado and more cilantro. Serve hot.

Mushroom Polenta Tart

December. It's December.

Indeed it is. December the third, to be exact. Day number three of the 31 craziest, most hectic, most stressful and swiftly-moving days of the entire year. Much like the test you forgot to study for, we wake up on December third (or first, for that matter) and realize with a jolt of panic that we've barely prepared. Every day this month we will be expected to perform, and yet we don't know the script.

There are papers to write and finals to take, not to mention gifts to buy or make and parties to plan and attend. As I look ahead at my to-do list for the next four weeks, however, I feel strangely calm. Amidst the clamor that's about to ensue, I feel collected and composed. I have no idea why, and I'm afraid to question it for fear it will disappear. Therefore, I won't talk about it anymore except to say: I am grateful.

Although, I want to take a moment to reflect on the concept of resolutions, because in a few short weeks it will be New Year's Eve and we'll all be making them. Now... I can understand why the idea of starting the new year off in a better way is appealing: We are all somewhat attracted to the idea of reinventing ourselves, emerging from the dark and indulgent days of December ready to become new people. Physically, mentally or intellectually, it doesn't matter. We are a people of progress and of improvement, and I believe this is why we make resolutions in the first place. But why on January first, exactly one month after the day many of us feel is the start of that time when our jeans stop fitting and we lose all self-control?

Why not today, on December third? Let's take a momentary mental step back to realize that this day is just like any other day. The sun will rise, we'll go about our daily tasks, the sun will set and we'll do it all again tomorrow. Why is January first so significant, other than the fact that it marks the start of 2011?

A resolution is, simply, to resolve to do something. Whatever your "New Year's resolutions" are going to be (because I'm sure some of you have already started a list of things you plan to undo after December), why not make your resolutions today?

My main life complaint, for example, is that I'm horrible at saying no. I'm a pleaser. If something sounds appealing, I say yes, always and without fail. And I hate letting people down. But lately, the effects of doing this for so many years have started to take their toll on me, both mentally and physically, and it is time for me to be adamant. Therefore, my resolution is to simply live more simply. Starting today, I will not acquire any additional activities or hobbies or jobs that I desperately want but just thinking about how to make them fit into my schedule causes me to break out in sweat. If an opportunity comes along that fits the standards for living simply, I will think carefully before I say yes. There's my resolution. I easily could have waited until January first, and then I guess it would have felt more monumental. But I'm making it today.

Much like this rustic polenta tart, the rest of the month of December for me will be about noticing and embracing life's little joys and comforts. Perfection is sometimes nearly obtained when a few humble ingredients join to form a beautiful complex of flavors, warming and filling for body and soul and delicious in its simplicity.

May your December be sweet, simple and comfortable. May you enjoy this polenta.

----------------------------------------------

Mushroom Polenta Tart // serves 8

-Adapted from 101 Cookbooks-

Ingredients:

1 cup whole-grain cornmeal

1 cup water

pinch of salt

1 portobello mushroom, diced

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped

1 cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 tomato, thinly sliced, for garnish

grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400' degrees. Butter and flour (or line bottom with parchment paper) one 8-9-inch glass pie plate or regular tart pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal with water and salt. Stir and set aside.

In a large thick-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, cook onions with olive oil until starting to brown. Add mushrooms and rosemary, cooking for a few minutes more. Once cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the water and cornmeal mixture, bring back up to a boil and stir until it is thicker than a heavy frosting - about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in about 2/3 of the onion/mushroom mixture, the yogurt and some freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it to an even thickness, and top with sliced tomatoes then the remaining onion/mushroom mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cornmeal is firm and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan a bit. Serve with sauteed kale and nutmeg, as I did.