Editor's Note: The Busy Kitchen is a Monday column written by two area chefs - Tiffany Poe and Valarie Carter - who also happen to be mothers of young children. They explore nutrition, cooking for kids and more.
Seize the day or, rather, seize your garden. Or your neighbor's garden. Or the farmer's market. Whatever you choose, don't miss out on the glorious groceries growing in someone's backyard right now. Even though the Busy Kitchen's 90-day, 90-percent non-processed challenge is over, continue to reap the benefits by permanently implementing some of those changes and substitutions you've been making. There's no easier way than by eating the fresh and readily available produce now and by saving some for a later date.
I highly recommend eating all you can now. Fruits and vegetables are highest in anti-oxidants when they are the freshest but low in calories, high in fiber and nutrients all the time - so eat up. If you're anything like me, it's easy to get into a rut in the kitchen even with the bounty of summertime goodness available everywhere. If some of these ideas sound simple - they are.
CUCUMBERS
How to use them now
- "Fresh" pickles or refrigerator pickles
- Cucumber sandwiches
- Tzatsiki (recipe on D6)
- Yogurt Cucumber soup (recipe on D6)
How to save it for later
- Canned pickles
- Freeze the juice or puree for mixed drinks
- White Gazpacho (recipe on D6)
OKRA
- Pick okra when it's small for the best texture. I prefer it finger length at best. Longer than your hand and it will be tough and stringy)
- How to use it now
- Fried (of course!)
- Grilled (see method below)
- Gumbo - now or later
How to save it for later
- Pickled
- Bread it just as you would for baking or frying.
- Place in a single-layer on a baking sheet and freeze until completely solid. Break up the pieces, place in freezer bags and enjoy throughout the year. Cook while frozen. Do not thaw or you'll have a soggy mess on your hands... and everywhere else.
TOMATOES
How to use them now
- Tomatoes Lutece (recipe below)
- Vegetable tian (recipe below)
- Gazpacho
- Caprese Salad
- BLT
- Poached eggs over sliced tomatoes - one of my favorites
How to save them for later
- Tomatoes concasse (See method below)
- Tomato soup
SQUASH/ZUCCHINI
How to use them now
- Fried
- Stuffed and fried zucchini blossoms
- Ratatouille
- Grilled or sauteed
How to save them for later
- Vegetable tian (see recipe below)
EGGPLANT
How to use it now
- Ratatouille
- Eggplant parmesan (freezes beautifully)
- Fried - of course!
- Baba ganoush (see recipe below)
How to save it for later
- Pre-cooked eggplant parmesan
- Moussaka - Greek Eggplant & Lamb Casserole
- Vegetable tian (see recipe below)
ANN'S TOMATOES LUTECE
8 firm, ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon or yellow mustard
1. Slice tomatoes into thick, even slices; set aside.
2. Puree remaining ingredients in blender or food processor.
3. Layer tomatoes in shallow dish, covering each layer with dressing.
4. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature at least 20 minutes.
5. Enjoy them at room temperature for maximum tomato flavor.
YOGURT CUCUMBER SOUP
1 large cucumber, peeled and coarsely grated on a box grater
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
3/4 cup plain yogurt (whole, low-fat or non-fat)
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Stir all ingredients together. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
TZATSIKI - YOGURT & CUCUMBER DIP
1 6-inch cucumber grated and strained to removed most of the juice
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt - (whole, low-fat or non-fat)
1 garlic clove - crushed and minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons mint, chiffonade
Stir all ingredients together and chill for about 2 hours to allow flavors to meld. Serve with grilled meats, fried eggplant, zucchini, squash and okra
GRILLED OKRA
Brush small (finger size) okra with butter or olive oil.
Sprinkle with cumin.
Grill over very hot coals.
Give it a squeeze of lime juice and serve.
WHITE GAZPACHO
Makes 6-8 servings.
2 cups of crustless stale bread, broken into pieces
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarian version)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup slivered blanched almonds (must be blanched, the skins are bitter)
2 cups green seedless grapes, sliced in half
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
1-3 chopped garlic cloves (depending on how garlicky you want the result to be)
2-3 Tbsp sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Chives for garnish
1. Heat the stock until it's steamy. Turn off the heat and add to the stock the broken up pieces of stale bread. Let cool.
2. Put the almonds, salt and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are pulverized. Add the soaked bread and any stock that was not absorbed by the bread into the food processor, then add the grapes and cucumbers. Pulse until the mixture is a rough purée.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar and pulse a few seconds to combine. Taste and add the other tablespoon if it needs it - grapes can sometimes be acidic enough to leave out the final tablespoon of vinegar.
4. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Turn off the motor and taste the gazpacho. Add more salt if needed.
Chill before serving, garnish with chopped chives.
Recipe courtesy of simplyrecipes.com
tulsaworld.com/whitegazpacho
TOMATO CONCASSE
Use as many or as few as you like.
1. Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and water and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato with a knife.
4. Place prepared tomatoes in the pot of boiling water and cook until the skins begin to peel off, 10 to 40 seconds.
5. Transfer tomatoes to the bowl of ice water and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the skin off each tomato.
6. Cut each tomato in half crosswise and remove and discard the seeds; finely dice the flesh.
7. Portion into 1 or 2 cups and place in freezer bags. Freeze until needed.
8. Use as you would canned tomatoes.
BABA GANOUSH
1 large or 2 medium eggplants - split in half lengthwise and brushed with olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup tahini (ground sesame seed paste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon White vinegar
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil for drizzling
1-2 tablespoons Fresh mint, basil, cilantro or parsley.
1. Grill eggplant, rotating as needed, until deflated and evenly charred. (alternatively you may broil the eggplant)
2. Remove from grill and place in a plastic bag.
3. Allow to rest until cool enough to handle.
4. Peel off the blackened skin.
5. Chop the flesh by hand or in a food processor.
6. Add chopped garlic, tahini, vinegar and lemon juice. Stir until smooth.
7. Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
8. Transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil and herbs.
Wonderful with olives, pita, and pickled cucumbers.
FRESH PICKLED CUCUMBERS AND ONIONS
8 medium cucumbers cut into rounds or spears
6 sweet white or yellow onions, thinly sliced into rings
1 gallon apple cider vinegar
3 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1. Add peppercorns, salt, sugar and chili flakes to vinegar. Stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
2. Place cucumbers and onions in a large bowls.
3. Pour vinegar solution over vegetables.
4. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours before eating. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
GARDEN VEGETABLE TIAN CASSEROLE
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, small dice
1 large or 2 medium eggplant, unpeeled and cubed into 1/2 inch cubes
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
Thyme - 1/2 teaspoon dry or 2 teaspoons fresh
2 medium zucchini &/or yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
3-4 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
Olive oil for drizzling - plus more for sautéing
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Pre-heat oven to 325. In a large sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil until shimmering. Add onion, eggplant and bell pepper. Sauté until eggplant is soft and onion is translucent. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9X13 baking dish. Alternatively layer squash and tomatoes on top of the eggplant mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes.
A native Oklahoman, Valarie Carter earned a bachelor's degree in English from Oklahoma State University and an associate's degree in culinary arts from the Art Institute of Atlanta. She, her husband and their children live in Bixby.
Original Print Headline: How does your garden grow? Fresh
Food
It's apple season again, one of the few times of the year I'm sorry I live in the city, without a car. If only I lived near an orchard, I'd pick my own apples and be happy.
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