I am so enjoying this summer.
I do love my CSA baskets (Hanukkah or Christmas every Tuesday afternoon), but I still delight in visiting my local farm and farm markets twice a week to get more tomatoes and sweet corn, either at Whittle’s in Mystic or Becky’s in Waterford.
If that were not enough, a neighbor, who is a scientist at Pfizer, asked if I liked tuna. “Fresh tuna?” I asked. Sure enough, her colleague was going tuna fishing the next day and she came home with two simply gorgeous tuna fillet.
The next day I marinated it with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh tarragon. Aside from the fact that I overcooked the tuna, it was amazing and my plate shared space with two big tomatoes with burrata (from Fromage) and sweet corn. Life can be pretty darn good.
Over the July 4 weekend, I went to a party at John Colton’s house in Lyme. His sister, Beverly Picazio, made two salads—ratatouille with fresh vegetables and another that can be whipped up with pantry staples.
I loved both of them so you might consider making these from your next potluck or party. The ratatouille is not only a great side dish, but, with a crusty loaf of bread and a salad, it is a terrific vegetarian dinner.
Ratatouille
Slightly adapted from recipe of Beverly Picazio of Stonington
Yield:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
One-half teaspoon crusted pepper flakes
2 medium-sized eggplants, peeled and chopped
3 zucchini, chopped2 green peppers, chopped
2 8-ounce packages of sliced mushrooms
4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 can lima beans
1 yellow squash, chopped
2 28-ounces crushed tomatoes
Fresh ground fresh black pepper and salt, to taste
Chop all vegetables to about the same side.
In a large (or Le Creuset) Dutch oven, saute garlic in oil. Add pepper flakes. Stir in all the vegetables, including the tomatoes. Bring ingredients to a simmer, then cover and bake until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Season to taste.
Beverly thinks the dish is better made a day or two earlier. When reheating, water if ratatouille is too thick.
Five-Bean Bake
From Beverly Picazio of Stonington
Yield: serves 12 as a side dish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8 bacon slices, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 28-ounce can Bush baked beans
1 19.75 ounce of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 16-ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can lima beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup ketchup
Three-quarter cup firmly packed brown sugar
One-half cup water
One-quarter cup cider vinegar
Cook bacon I a large skillet over medium high heat until crispy. Remove bacon, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Add diced onion and saute until tender. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.
Add all ingredients into a 9-inch by 13-nch baking dish and cook in the oven covered for 1 hour; uncover and bake another 30 minutes.