Summer Vegetable Gratin

I am having a really hard time figuring out how to convey the pure deliciousness of this meal without an adequate photo to back me up.

This dish just did not photograph well.  Especially when plated.  So none of those are included here!

However, it was such a fresh, light, tantalizing dish that highlighted the bounty of produce available this time of year at every farmer's market.  Summer squash, zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and fresh basil come together and mingle with the flavors of garlic, thyme, olive oil, and Parmesan to create a satisfyingly healthy meal.  It is a really easy dish to put together, but you do have to plan ahead because the vegetables need some time to be salted to extract excess liquid so the final dish is not too watery.  Paul and I both loved this dish and we already have plans to make it again soon!  All you need is some good, crusty bread on the side to sop up the delicious juices.

After all, I have to post a healthy dish once in a while.

Summer Vegetable Gratin
from Entertaining Magazine

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound zucchini , ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1 pound summer squash (yellow), ends trimmed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 teaspoons table salt

1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes (3 to 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 medium onions , halved lengthwise and sliced thin pole to pole (about 3 cups)

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves

1 large slice white sandwich bread , torn into quarters

2 ounces Parmesan cheese , grated (about 1 cup)

2 medium shallots , minced (about 1/4 cup)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil; set aside.

Toss zucchini and summer squash slices with 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl; transfer to colander set over bowl. Let stand until zucchini and squash release at least 3 tablespoons of liquid, about 45 minutes. Arrange slices on triple layer paper towels; cover with another triple layer paper towels. Firmly press each slice to remove as much liquid as possible.

Place tomato slices in single layer on double layer paper towels and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Place second double layer paper towels on top of tomatoes and press firmly to dry tomatoes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and dark golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Set onions aside.

Combine garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and thyme in small bowl. In large bowl, toss zucchini and summer squash in half of oil mixture, then arrange in greased baking dish. Arrange caramelized onions in even layer over squash. Slightly overlap tomato slices in single layer on top of onions. Spoon remaining garlic-oil mixture evenly over tomatoes. Bake until vegetables are tender and tomatoes are starting to brown on edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, process bread in food processor until finely ground, about 10 seconds. (You should have about 1 cup crumbs.) Combine bread crumbs, remaining tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and shallots in medium bowl. Remove baking dish from oven and increase heat to 450 degrees. Sprinkle bread-crumb mixture evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake gratin until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and let sit at room temperature 10 minutes before serving.

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

We have been hard at work around here as usual. Matthew is a ruthless Executive, answering emails and setting up conference calls with his fancy little Bluetooth. This is how I found him this morning when I went upstairs to switch the laundry over. Shameless.


Paul and I made a glorious dinner on saturday night. For his birthday, Paul received a big pack of strip steaks from my parents. It is a running joke in my family that Paul does not get the chance to eat enough meat since I make our dinners meatless most of the time. Needless to say, Paul enjoys basking in the outpouring of pity surrounding his condition, especially when it results in a couple extra pounds of steak nestled away in our freezer. We finally broke into our bounty of red meat by making Pan-Seared Steaks with a Port Wine Sauce, Roasted Asparagus, and Syracuse Salt Potatoes.

With so many delicious elements on our plates, the surprising star of the show turned out to be the Syracuse Salt Potatoes.

They might not look like much, but they pack a lot of flavor.

The recipe is simple. Baby potatoes (or fingerlings) are boiled in an extremely salty water bath until tender. Once removed and allowed to dry over a wire rack for a minute or two, they develop a pale, salty crust which lends a delightful crunch once bitten. The insides are moist, creamy, and perfectly seasoned. When dipped in a chive butter, their flavor is ethereal. Paul and I could not get enough of them.

Matthew, on the other hand, thought the mini-potato was cute enough to hold and call "baby," but was unimpressed with the overall flavor, politely regurgitating his bite and handing it over to me for removal from his sight.

Lovely.

These potatoes make a quick and easy option for any meal and would even be a nice substitute for fries. They are my new favorite way to prepare potatoes.

Syracuse Salt Potatoes
from Entertaining Magazine

For the potatoes:
8 cups water
14 ounces table salt (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
3 pounds small white or red potatoes (or fingerlings)

For the chive butter sauce:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon black pepper

Bring water to boil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in salt and potatoes and cook until potatoes are just tender, 20-30 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Cool until salty crust forms, about 1 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the chive butter sauce. Microwave the butter, chives and pepper in a medium bowl until melted, about 1 minutes. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and serve, passing melted butter at table.

Spaghetti Squash: A Miracle Vegetable

Chilly fall days, lingering thunderstorms, and overcast skies. That pretty much sums up what the weather has been like over here. Thankfully, we were able to venture out for a short family walk this evening. It was pretty windy, so we were only able to walk for about a mile before Matthew started to whine.

He sported his new Notre Dame hat while we were out. Paul thinks it makes him look like a gnome.

Okay, maybe it does. He's still a cute little gnome.

Matthew always insists on holding my hand as I walk beside him while Paul pushes the stroller. He picked this little habit up this past summer and I love it.

Nights like these call for something warm and comforting for dinner. One of our favorite dishes is roasted Spaghetti Squash topped with some Vodka sauce and Parmesan. Spaghetti squash is one of Paul's favorite things to eat. He really is not a big fan of vegetables unless they are MAJORLY dressed up with butter or a Velveeta cheese sauce (heaven forbid!). However, he could eat Spaghetti squash every day, which is why I have dubbed it a miracle veggie. Spaghetti squash has a solid flesh like any other member of the squash family, including Pumpkin, Butternut, Hubbard, etc. However, once it has been roasted, the insides will fall away from the shell in strands that resemble spaghetti. It can then be scooped into a bowl and eaten with sauce as a great, healthy substitute for pasta. It is absolutely delicious.

Another special guy in my life is also a big fan of Spaghetti Squash. And today happens to be his birthday! Happy Birthday to my wonderful Dad! I miss you and wish I could be there to celebrate with you. One of my favorite memories as a little girl is of you "blowing out the candles" on your birthday pie (normally pumpkin) by taking a napkin and holding it to a candle until it lit, blowing it out, and repeating. Eventually, the napkin erupted into flames and you promptly threw it into Mom's water glass. The look she gave you was priceless. I love you!

Spaghetti Squash with Vodka Sauce

sauce adapted from Cooks Illustrated

For the squash:

1 large spaghetti squash

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the stem end off the squash with a large, sharp knife. Being careful not to cut your finger off, halve the squash lengthwise. Scoop out the seeded innards. Brush the flesh evenly with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Sometimes, we like to smash a couple cloves of garlic and rub the flesh all over with the garlic. Place the squash halves face down on a large cookie sheet. Roast for 30-45 minutes (depending on your squash) or until a small, sharp knife can be easily pierce the skin of the squash.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the vodka sauce!

For the sauce:

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup vodka

1 cup heavy cream

Ground Black Pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Mince garlic with a press into small bowl. Stir in 1 teaspoon water. Heat the garlic mixture, oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in vodka and simmer 5 minutes longer. Stir in cream, pepper to taste, basil, sugar, and salt. Transfer the sauce to a food processor or a blender. Make sure to cover the top with a kitchen towel and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and keep warm until squash is ready.

To Assemble:

Once the squash is cooked, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Scoop the insides with a large spoon into a strainer to remove any excess liquid (if any). The squash will be very hot, so I usually wear an oven mitt on the hand holding the squash. Repeat with the other squash half. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop generous amount of squash into individual bowls Spoon sauce over the squash and top with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan. Enjoy!