Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, preferably of different colors coarsely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced or pressed
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves

Mix tomatoes with salt, place in a colander and allow to drain for 15 minutes.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, pepper flakes, oregano, and pepper in a small jar. Shake well to combine.

Place tomatoes and basil in a bowl. Drizzle with enough dressing to coat tomatoes evenly.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.

This salad is great on its own, or can be served with fresh mozzarella and stale crusty bread chunks to make the Italian salad panzanella.

Melitzanosalata

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 medium cloves garlic minced
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A dash of tobacco (optional)

Preheat oven to 400.  Using a fork, poke holes all over the outside of the eggplant.  Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until soft.  Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop contents into bowl of a food processor. Add garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil and pulse several times to combine.  Add parsley, a pinch of salt and pepper and process until combined.  Adjust seasoning.  Can be served with mixed greens as a salad or as a dip or spread.

Verdure a Scapece

• 1 medium eggplant
• 4 bell peppers, preferably red, yellow, and orange
• 2 zucchini (1.5 pounds)
• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing the vegetables.
• ¼ cup balsamic or white wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 oil-packed anchovies, chopped
• 1.5 tbsp fresh mint or oregano, minced

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, anchovies, and mint in a small bowl or jar and mix until well combined

Cut eggplant and zucchini into slices about ½ inch thick.  Cut each pepper in half lengthwise, removing and discarding the membranes and seeds. Cut each half in half again.

Prepare a medium hot charcoal or gas grill, or preheat the oven broiler.  Brush eggplant and zucchini slices lightly with olive oil and grill on each side for 5 minutes, or until the slices are dark brown on both sides.  If using broiler, broil directly under element for 5 minutes on each side or until dark brown on each side.  Remove to a deep dish or platter.

Place pepper halves skin side down on grill or skin side up under broiler.  Cook until the peppers are slightly blackened and the skin is starting to blister. Remove to platter with eggplant and zucchini.

Pour dressing over hot vegetables, cover, and set aside at room temperature to marinate for at least two hours before serving.  Can be refrigerated overnight.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini (about 8oz each) washed
• Salt and pepper to season
• Olive oil for brushing
• Filling (see recipe below)

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and second oven rack to lowest position.  Place a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack and heat oven to 400.

Halve each zucchini lengthwise.  With a small spoon scoop out seeds and most of the flesh so that the walls are ¼ inch thick.  Season the cut side with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil.  Place zucchini halves cut side down on hot baking sheet.  Return to oven and roast until zucchini are slightly softened and the skins are wrinkled, about 10 minutes.

Fill each half with filling using about a ½ cup of filling.  Top with either grated cheese or pine nut topping (see below).  Return baking sheet to oven, this time to the upper middle rack and bake for about 6 more minutes, until golden brown on top.

Mushroom Quinoa Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 8 crimini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onions and sauté until soft.  Add mushrooms and salt and continue to sauté until mushrooms are softened.  Stir in sage leaves.  Add quinoa and broth.  Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes.  Stir in chives, pepper, and additional salt if needed.

Pine Nut Topping

Ingredients:

• ½ cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 4 fresh sage leaves finely chopped.
• ¼ tsp salt
• A few grinds of fresh pepper

Place all ingredients in food processor and grind until it becomes a fine powder.