Farm food fiesta

It's glorious right now with just about everything you hunger for coming from our local farms.
Celebrating color is a cinch. Cooking is fast and fun. Here are a few thoughts as summer peaks:

Greek Cauliflower Dip/Spread

Something a little different to have on hand or take on a picnic.
NOTE: The dip pictured has a rosy hue because the veg broth I used had tomato in it. Using chicken broth will give an ivory result.

l lg head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 oz feta or soft goat cheese
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper to your taste

Place the cauliflower, garlic and broth in a deep pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low/simmer and cook until the cauliflower is very very soft, about 50 minutes. Drain but reserve some broth.  Put the cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and puree again to smooth. If you want a thinner result, add some reserved broth. Serve with crackers, flatbread or celery sticks.

Imam Bayaldi

This is the classic Turkish olive oil dish to beat the heat of summer. It's in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. I've posted it before because it never goes out of style and for a vegan dish with full flavor you can't beat it. Also because you serve it at room temperature, you can make it ahead.
NOTE: The picture shows mine stored overnight in extra juice which you normally wouldn't see on a serving platter.

For 8

4 small eggplants, the large Japanese work fine (about 1½-1 3/4 lbs)

Salt

¼ c olive oil

¼ c plus 2 tbsp best quality extra virgin, first cold pressed olive oil

2 med onions, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

6 lg garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 ripe tomatoes, peeled* and chopped

¼ c (about 1/3 bunch) parsley leaves, chopped

2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

juice of ½ lemon

½ -3/4 cup water

Cut stems off eggplants and peel strips of skin off at 1” intervals, for a striping effect.  Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Make a deep slit lengthwise through the fleshy side of the eggplant (the non-skin side), being careful not to cut all the way through and puncture the skin. If any of the halves do not lie perfectly flat on the skin side, slice off a tiny, thin piece so they do. Salt the exposed flesh, turn upside down and put on paper towels for 30 minutes to drain out the bitter juice. Rinse and dry.

In a very large skillet, heat the ordinary olive oil over high heat until it’s crackling or smoking. Put in the eggplants, flesh side down, and fry until golden brown, about 4-6 minutes depending on heat capacity, burner size and size of pan. Remove and drain on paper towels. Lightly salt.

In the same skillet, heat ¼ cup quality olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently so nothing burns. 

Pour the contents of the skillet into a medium-size bowl. Add tomatoes, parsley, dill, pepper, pinch of salt and 1 tbsp quality olive oil.  Blend well.

Arrange eggplant halves slit side up in the skillet. Carefully stuff each slit with as much onion mixture as you can and then cover all exposed eggplant with it. Sprinkle lemon juice over all eggplants.

Put 1 tbsp quality olive oil into the skillet. Add ½ -3/4 cup water, enough to cover the entire bottom so nothing will burn.

Cover the skillet (use foil or a cookie sheet if you have no lid) and simmer over low heat until eggplants are soft, about 50-65 minutes, again depending on how big the burner is relative to the skillet. Check every 10-15 minutes to see if you should add water because there’s no juice in the bottom. Cool to room temperature. Pour any remaining skillet juices over the eggplants to serve.

Peppery Corn Salad

Another way to eat your corn off the cob when you don't want to gnash your teeth. Or you need a great potluck picnic dish. And you want a vivid, snappy dish.

serves 4

2 ears of corn, husked and cooked

1/2 roasted poblano pepper, seeded and chopped

1 sm orange or red bell or sweet pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 c purple/red onion, minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 c fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.

1 lime, juice only

3-4 tbsp olive oil

OPTIONAL but worth it: 1 tbsp Yemeni zhoug/shug sauce

Cut the kernels off the cob into a medium serving bowl.

Add the peppers, onion, oregano, cilantro, salt and pepper. Stir to blend.

Stir in the lime juice, then 3 tbsp olive oil. If you want it more moist add 1 tbsp olive oil.

Stir in the Yemeni zhoug if you have some.

Serve!

And finally, for a crowd, something in the one sheet mode:

Armenian Vegetable Roast

serves 10-12

Carrots, celery, fennel, cauliflower, cabbage, purple onion, yellow squash and red peppers roasted til they char and release their sugars, topped with tomatoes, roasted, then topped with fresh dill and mint. Colorful, picturesque and very tasty nourishment. Just add a pinch of cinnamon.

1 sm cabbage, sliced into 3 wedges (keep the core in – it’s the best bit)
1 med/lg carrot,  peeled and thickly sliced
1 zucchini thickly sliced
2 lg celery sticks thickly sliced crosswise
1 med red onion peeled and quartered
1 sm cauliflower stalks and florets, chopped
1 med red pepper  cored, deseeded and roughly chopped in strips
3 tbsp olive oil
1 beefsteak or other large firm tomato thickly sliced
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

Preheat the oven to 425º. Place all the vegetables except the tomato in a large roasting pan. Pour over the oil and season well with salt and pepper. Mix everything together with your hands and bake for 30 minutes until the edges of the vegetables start to char.

Arrange the tomato slices on top, season with salt and pepper and continue to bake another 15 minutes. Sprinkle over the chopped dill and mint and serve.

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