Layered Vegetable Torte

This is another dish from one of my favorite cookbooks, How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman. I deviated slightly from his original recipe by adding caramelized onion and fresh mozzarella to the layers, dusting the top with some grated parmesan, and serving the torte warm. It was good, but for all the effort I put into it (roasting eggplant, peppers, and zucchini separately, and caramelizing my own onions), I had wanted it to rock my world. So, I don't really see myself making this again anytime soon. But if you dig tedium and waiting, this recipe is for you. I will share the recipe as it is written, but it does lend itself well to freestyle interpretation. You could use herbs other than basil, for example, or do a fall version with squash, sweet potatoes, or other root vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplant
• 4 medium zucchini
• salt
• 4 red bell peppers, roasted and cleaned
• 1/2 c. EVOO, or more as needed
• freshly ground black pepper
• 20 or so fresh basil leaves, some torn or chopped for garnish
• freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

1. Peel the eggplant if the skin is thick or the eggplant is less than perfectly firm. Cut it and the zucchini into 1/4" thick slices; salt the eggplant if time allows. (See recipe for Mashed Eggplant with Garlic and Mint for instructions on salting.) Cut each roasted pepper into thirds or fourths and set aside.

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Smear 2 (or more) baking sheets with 2 tablespoons olive oil each. Lay the eggplant slices on one sheet and the zucchini on the other in a single layer. (You may need to work in batches, cooking the eggplant on 2 baking sheets and then cooking the zucchini.) Sprinkle with some salt and pepper (if you did not salt the eggplant) and drizzle or brush another couple of tablespoons oil over each sheet of vegetables. Roast until the eggplant and zucchini are soft, about 15 minutes for the zucchini and 20 minutes for the eggplant.

3. Coat a deep pie dish with some oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into the bottom of the pan, covering the bottom (trim the eggplant pieces if necessary), then layer half the zucchini, peppers, and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper; repeat the layers, ending with eggplant.

4. Put a plate or other flat object (you want it to distribute weight evenly across the top of the pie) over the top of the pie and weight it down with a large tomato can or something similar. Let rest at room temperature for at least an hour or in the fridge for a day, then remove the weight. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days before being served. (Put it on a large plate or platter, as juices may be squeezed out.)

5. Serve at room temperature or heat it in a 325 degree F oven until warm, about 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped basil and parmesan and cut into wedges to serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

NOTE: To add cheese to the torte, after step 3 bake the pie in a 325 degree F oven until hot (you want the cheese to melt into the vegetable layers), about 40 minutes.

Zucchini Stuffed with Feta, Dill, and Pinenuts

I'm very late in posting the recipes from my July dinner, but want to get these up before Molly's feast tomorrow.

I hosted dinner on an incredibly hot summer week where I was extremely busy at work, so I was looking for a dinner that was relatively simple and required minimal use of the stove. We had hummus and Emily's delicious htpiti for appetizers. My neighbor Judy's garden was overflowing with zucchini (and dill!), so the main dish was stuffed zucchini along with an orzo salad and tomatoes with mozzarella. For dessert we had a frozen peanut butter cheesecake.



Zucchini Stuffed with Feta, Dill, and Pine Nuts

4 1/2-pound zucchini, scrubbed
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
half a cup of toasted pine nuts

Trim and discard the stem ends from 2 of the zucchini, halve the 2 zucchini lengthwise, and with a melon-ball cutter (I used a spoon and it was much easier than I expected) scoop out the flesh, reserving it and leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Arrange the shells, cut sides up, on a steamer rack set over simmering water and steam them, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are just tender. Invert the shells on paper towels to drain.

Toast the pine nuts in a little of olive oil with a bit of salt. When the pine nuts are nicely browned, remove from heat drain and set aside.

Cut the remaining 2 zucchini crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a non-stick skillet cook the onions in the oil over moderate heat, stirring, until they are softened, add the reserved flesh, chopped, and the zucchini slices, and sauté the mixture over moderately high heat, stirring, until it is golden. In a food processor blend the mixture with the Feta until the zucchini slices are chopped coarse and stir in the dill. Divide the filling among the 4 zucchini shells, arrange the stuffed zucchini in an oiled flameproof baking dish, and broil them under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 3 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and deep golden.

Note from Rebecca: I doubled this recipe in a not completely accurate way so that I would have 6 zucchinis, so I ended up with a lot of extra filling and it was delicious on its own.

From Epicurious.

Broiled Zucchini

This is just Emeril's official take on the way I frequently prepare this veggie - sometimes I add peppers and onions too - depends on what i have on hand. I did like the whole garlic in there, that's something I'll add to my rotation.

Ingredients:
2 pounds zucchini
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 t salt
1 t fresh ground pepper
4 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions:
1. Position the rack 5 or 6 inches from the broiler and preheat
2. cut zucchini in half lengthwise and then into 6 to 8 pieces each.
3. toss everything together in a bowl to coat well.
4. broil for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until well caramelized.
5. remove thyme sprigs and serve immediately.

Mexican Calabacitas

This is another healthy (and tasty) Mexican side dish.

5 medium size zucchini or yellow squash (or a mix), peeled and diced
1 can sweet corn, drained
1 onion, chopped
1 can ro-tel tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
olive oil

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, zucchini, and onions. Cook until the onion is tender, and then add the corn and tomatoes. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Zucchini and sun-dried tomato relish

This recipe was inspired by a recipe I saw in Gourmet magazine, but it was made with eggplant. Since Mike is allergic to eggplant, I changed it up to use zucchini, which I think makes it a little more sturdy and relish-like rather than a dip. I think that's part of what makes cooking so much fun... you don't like an ingredient, substitute what you do like. It gives you an opportunity to custom-build the recipe to what you palate enjoys the most.

I originally served this up as a crostini topper at a recent game night, but the next day I sauteed up the relish as a side to eggs over easy. You could also take this as a mix in to a rice salad, or as a flavorful topping to a pizza with a little fresh mozzarella. I apologize that the picture is not that clear, but I think you'll get the idea that it is a colorful addition to the dinner table.


Zucchini and sun-dried tomato relish

Ingredients:
1 head of garlic
6 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 1/2 lbs zucchini
1/3 c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped, plus 2 T. tomato oil
1/2 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 c. chpped basil
1 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Cut off and discard top of garlic head to expose cloves, brush top of head with 1/2 T olive oil. Wrap garlic in foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool until you can handle it with your fingers. Squeeze the garlic cloves from the skins into a small bowl, discard the skins.
3. Cut the zucchini into a 1/2 inch dice.
4. Heat 2 T of alive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the zucchini in three batches (adding salt and pepper to each batch) until it is browned and tender. Transfer to a large bowl.
5. Add about a 1/2 c. of the zucchini to the bowl with the garlic and mash together. Add the mashed mixture to the rest of the zucchini.
6. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes.
7. Just before serving, stir in the parsley, basil and lemon juice. (If needed, re-season with salt and pepper if needed) Drizzle the top with tomato oil.

Note: You can do steps 1-6 a day ahead. Serve warm, or at room temperature.