Yum! The field tomatoes, eggplant and peppers- hot and sweet- are in season. Time to snip some herbs, (I hope you were fortunate enough to get an herb box at the beginning of the season), and get cooking! :)

Ratatouille blends the flavors of many of these early summer veggies and herbs. Ratatouille is French for stirred stew. It's simple to make, open to interpretation, delicious and comforting, yet light to eat. The base of ratatouille is tomatoes. Other ingredients may include green peppers, eggplants, zucchini, garlic and onions. Here is a basic frame for a ratatouille, based on ingredients in this week's boxes. However, I hope you will leap to the adventurous and have fun experimenting and adding your own creative twist to this yummy dish. I like to make mine in a stock pot. This allows me to make a double batch and freeze half for a later meal. Here's my double batch (serves 8-10):

Ratatouille

3-4 large tomatoes
1 large eggplant
2-4 zucchini, depending on size
4-6 yellow squash, depending on size
1 large onion
2-6 cloves of garlic, depending on size (and to taste)
2-4 green peppers, depending on size, seeded and pith removed
Fresh herbs, to taste: oregano, basil, thyme, parsley (or use dried)
Salt & black pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp olive oil

Add oil to bottom of stock pot. Set heat to medium. Chop veggies, adding to pot as you chop: tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, onion, garlic, eggplant, green pepper. Add herbs and spices. Lower heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring frequently and lowering heat as needed. Continue cooking until veggies are soft and flavors are blended, about 30-45 minutes. Serve over cubed boiled potatoes, cooked wide egg noodles, cooked brown or Basmati rice, or with lots of crusty bread- to soak up those yummy juices. Mmm-mmm! Happy eating!

Peppers, tomatoes & eggplant- oh, my!

Quick tip: Spattering of hot oil during sauteing occurs when water and oil meet. Drying veggies thoroughly before adding to the pan, reduces spattering significantly.


I notice the grape tomatoes are a little fragile this week, and need to be eaten sooner, than later. Here's a great way to enjoy them:

Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes

A great side dish or light lunch, (with a little feta cheese sprinkled on top), these can be served warm or at room-temperature.

1 or 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
Fresh thyme
Olive oil

Pour enough oil to cover the bottom of a 10- or 12-inch saute or fry pan. Add the washed and dried whole tomatoes. Strip the thyme leaves from the stems and add to the pan. Saute over medium heat, until tomatoes begin to burst, about 5 minutes.

Delicious with grilled meats and corn-on-the-cob. :)

Bok choy, sometimes called pak choy or Chinese cabbage, is a staple in many Asian restaurant stir fry dishes. Slice it thin on the bias and add to your own stir fry with other fresh Produce Box veggies, like zucchini and yellow squash. Or try this quick, crisp salad:


BOK CHOY SALAD
Printed from COOKS.COM

□ 1 head Bok Choy, cut and chop leaves and stalk
□ 2 to 3 green onions, chop, including some of stem
□ 1/2 c. sesame seeds
□ 1 c. sliced almonds
□ 2 Tbsp sugar
□ 2 pkgs Ramen noodles (discard seasonings packet), crush before opening
□ 1/2 cup butter

DRESSING:

Mix in pint jar. 1/2 c. sugar 1/4 c. red wine vinegar 1 tbsp. soy sauce

In heavy skillet, brown sesame seeds, almonds, noodles and sugar in butter. Let cool. Prepare bok choy and onions in large salad bowl. Stir in cooked noodle mixture. Pour dressing over and mix before serving.

One of our Produce Box members, Shannon E writes:

I made this recipe this week. It is from Better Homes and Gardens. My 3 yo and I liked it, my 5 yo and husband did not. Although my husband said he is just not a big kale fan. My 5 yo liked the kale chips we made from the newsletter recipe.


Kale-Goat Cheese Frittata

2 cups coarsely torn fresh kale
1 medium onion (I used your fresh spring onions), chopped
2 tsp olive oil
6 eggs
4 egg whites (I cheated and just used 8 eggs)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 cup drained oil-packed dried tomatoes, thinly sliced (I just chopped up the delicious hothouse tomato that came in our box)
1 oz goat cheese, crumbled (I used more because I love goat cheese)

Preheat broiler. In 10" ovenproof skillet, cook and stir kale and onion until onion is tender (1bout 10 min)
In another bowl, whisk eggs and salt and pepper.
Pour eggs over kale and cook over med-low heat. As the egg mixture sets, run a spatula around the edge so that the uncooked egg flows underneath. Continue cooking and lifting the edges until eggs are almost set but are still glossy and moist.
Sprinkle egg mixture with tomatoes and goat cheese.
Broil 4-5 minutes until eggs are set.
Cut into wedges to serve.

We are loving our produce!

Turnips

What are those white root veggies in my box anyway? They're turnips, a member of the radish family. Thinly sliced and eaten raw, they have a strong peppery bite and are great in salads. Cooked, the flavor mellows and sweetens, with none of the peppery taste.

Turnips can be used in place of white potatoes in most recipes. They are fabulous in stews and soups, or mashed, like potatoes. Turnips freeze well without becoming mealy, like white potatoes can. Give them a try today. Yummy!

Beets

Roasted beets can be eaten warm, room-temperature or chilled; drizzled with balsamic vinegar and sea salt; or sliced or cubed into salads. This recipe includes an easy, clean way to roast beets. Enjoy!

Roasted Beet Salad With Bacon

A simple but tasty salad, for an everyday meal or special dinner. This is a great way to enjoy fresh beets.

Ingredients:
• 3 to 4 medium beets, with greens and stems
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or Canola oil
• 3 to 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and drained
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• ***Dressing***
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• dash salt
• dash freshly ground black pepper


Preparation:
Cut stems and greens from the beet roots.
Chop the beet greens and stems and put in a colander; rinse thoroughly and set aside.
Heat oven to 400°.
Trim what's left of stem ends off beets and discard; trim root ends. Scrub beets well. Drizzle beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil and rub over the beets. Wrap each beet in foil, leaving just a little opening at the top of each package for steam to escape.
Place wrapped beets on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, until beets are very tender.
When beets are cool enough to handle, rub skin off and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Steam greens over simmering water or in microwave until just wilted; arrange on a serving dish. Top greens and stems with the diced beets, then sprinkle with chopped red onion and bacon.
In a small cup or bowl, whisk the red wine vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sugar, and salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Serves 4.

Spearmint

Refreshing iced tea, lamb dishes, Middle Eastern cooking, Mint Juleps and mojitos- just a few of the many foods and drinks that highlight spearmint. Try julienning a few leaves into a fresh tossed green, cucumber or fruit salad. Delish!

Spearmint is an antifungal and antioxidant, same as its mint family cousins. Easy to grow, it is invasive in the garden, spreading by both runners and roots. Planting in pots set into the ground help prevent root spread. Spearmint likes our springs and falls best and dies back some in the heat of mid July through August. It winters over well and begins pushing up shoots again in March. If you'd like to give spearmint a try, I have plenty to share. Just send me an email: laurie@theproducebox.com :)

Try some in this Greek yogurt dip:


Tzatziki

1- 32 oz tub plain yogurt
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4-6 cucumbers (or 1-2 English), shredded and drained
1 Tbsp lemon juice
5-15 leave spearmint, minced (to taste)

Line a sieve with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Pour yogurt into sieve; cover with plastic wrap and store in fridge overnight.

Discard liquid from yogurt. In a medium mixing bowl, gently combine drained yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, lemon juice and mint. Cover bowl and allow flavors to blend for several hours. Serve chilled.

Use as a condiment with grilled kabobs or as an appetizer, with crudite such as cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and pepper strips, plus toasted pita chips and/or wedges of fresh pita.

Quick tip: Shred cucumbers using a food processor and shredding wheel. Drain shredded cucumbers for about 10 minutes, in a colander set over a bowl. Discard liquid.