Eggplant and Tomato Pizza
adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables
Grill ¼-inch slices of eggplant, or oven-roast them, brushed with oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roll out or shape a disk of fresh pizza dough (available for sale at Harvest Fresh in the deli!) and brush with olive oil mixed with garlic chopped very fine. Make an even layer of thin onion slices, place a few thin round slices of fresh mozzarella on the onions, and arrange the cooked eggplant slices and large slices of tomato on top, in a single layer. Keep the layers light or the crust will be soggy. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and bake in a preheated 450° to 500°F oven for 4 to 10 minutes, until crust is crisp and golden brown.
Eggplant, Tomato, and Onion Gratin
adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables
One of our favorite late summer recipes. The proportions aren’t terribly important here, in our experience — we just adjust to whatever quantities we have available and aim to fill whatever size pan we’re using.
Peel and chop large sweet onion very fine. Stew over a medium flame for about 5 minutes, until soft, in butter and olive oil. Slice eggplants in ¼-inch-thick rounds. Slice tomatoes slightly thicker. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Butter a shallow gratin dish.
Spread the cooked onions over the bottom of the dish. Cover with overlapping rows of alternate tomato and eggplant slices. Each slice should cover two thirds of the preceding one. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, cover, and cook in the oven until the eggplant is soft enough to be cut with a spoon, about 45 minutes. Uncover for the last 15 minutes or earlier if the tomatoes are giving up too much liquid. Brush or spoon the juices over the top occasionally to prevent the top layer from drying out. This gratin should be moist but not watery.
Serve with grilled or roasted lamb. Or, make a simple meal and serve with a salad, fresh sliced bread, and good cheese. The gratin is delicious scooped onto buttered bread and eaten as an open faced sandwich.
Curried Broccoli Soup
adapted from From Asparagus to Zucchini
In a soup pot, melt butter and sauté chopped a chopped onion until tender. Add ¾ teaspoon curry powder, 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, 2 cups veggie or chicken stock and 2/3 cup water; bring to boil. Stir in 4 cups chopped broccoli and 1 ½ cups cubed potatoes. When mixture returns to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree soup in batches in food processor. Return puree to soup pot, stir in 1 cup milk. Adjust seasonings and reheat slowly.
