Two very different celery salads this week to take advantage of this new item in the share. And lots of favorites, from the Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart to the Calabrian Style Eggplant to the Zucchini Cake–one of my all time favorite cakes. And towards the end of summer squash season I inevitably circle back to my favorites—the summer squash pancakes (you could add minced jalapenos and cilantro this time around) and simply roasted in a hot oven (or broiled) and then dressed with a bit of olive oil, herbs and minced garlic.
Recipes
Celery and Chickpea Salad
Celery Salad with Anchovy Dressing
Tomato Goat Cheese Tart
Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad
Roasted Tomatoes (for freezing or using right away)
Roasted Salsa
Calabrian Style Eggplant
Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
Zucchini Cake
Celery and Chickpea Salad
–adapted from 101cookbooks.com
8 large celery stalks, stripped of strings
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds and membranes removed if you don’t want much heat)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
1 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, heated (home-cooked is best if you have them)
3 tablespoons dried currants (or golden raisins)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, deeply toasted
Sea salt
½ cup chopped cilantro
Slice the celery stalks quite thinly – 1/8-inch or so. Then, in a small bowl, make a paste with the olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Set aside. In a large bowl toss the heated beans with the olive-Parmesan mixture. When well combined, add the celery, currants, and most of the almonds. Toss once more. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed. Serve in a bowl or platter topped with herb flowers and/or celery leaves.
Celery Salad with Anchovy Dressing
–adapted from Food and Wine
You can cut the celery in two ways. You can cut them all into thin strips as described below or you can do that for the larger ribs and just thinly slice the smaller ones on the bias. This is a fun, bright and strongly flavored salad.
16 large celery ribs—peeled, halved crosswise and sliced lengthwise into 1/8-inch strips or 8-10 large ribs, cut this way and the 8 or so smaller, inside ones, cut thinly on the bias
½ -3/4 cup celery leaves (from the inside ribs), roughly chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
7 large anchovy fillets, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, quartered
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Put the celery strips (not the slices) in a large bowl of ice water and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight, until the celery strips are curled and very crisp.
Pound the garlic and anchovies and some salt in a mortar until you’ve made a paste. Alternatively you can mince and then mash the garlic on a cutting board with some salt with the side of a chef’s knife, or use a garlic press. Mix the garlic with the finely chopped anchovy in a small bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice and white wine vinegar and mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Drain the celery and pat thoroughly dry. Put the celery in a dry bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Transfer to a platter and serve at once.
Tomato Goat Cheese Tart
–adapted from davidlebovitz.com
One 9- or 10-inch tart
Because this is ‘country-style’ fare, this tart is open to lots of interpretation. For those of you who are leery of tart dough, this dough is easy to work with and less crumbly than some thanks to the egg in the dough. I don’t let the dough rest unless I happen to be making the dough ahead, but simply roll it out, transferred it into the tart ring, and run the rolling pin over the dough to neatly shear away the edges.
Tart Filling
One unbaked tart dough (see recipe, below)
Dijon or whole-grain mustard
2-3 large heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Two generous tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, basil and/or thyme
8 ounces fresh or slightly aged goat cheese, sliced into rounds (this can be hard to do as it crumbles but just do your best and reshape a bit- it’s easiest to cut if it’s really cold)
Tart Dough
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or half apf and half whole wheat)
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-3 tablespoons cold water
Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.
Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.
Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.
Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of the pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. (yes, this is a hot oven but it works well to set the crust and prevent the tomatoes from making it soggy.)
Spread an even layer of mustard over the bottom of the tart dough and let it sit a few minutes to dry out. Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over the mustard in a single, even layer. Drizzle the olive oil over the top. Sprinkle with some chopped fresh herbs, then arrange the slices of goat cheese on top. Add some more fresh herbs.
Bake the tart for 30 minutes or so, until the dough is cooked, the tomatoes are tender, and the cheese on top is nicely browned. Depending on the heat of your oven, if the cheese doesn’t brown as much as you’d like it, you might want to pass it under the broiler until it’s just right.
Roasted Salsa
This is a nice variation to the fresh pico de gallo like salsas. The roasted peppers and garlic add nice depth and smoky flavor.
2 jalapenos (or more)
3 cloves garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 ½ lbs tomatoes, diced (either heirloom or new girl slicers)
1/3 – ½ cup chopped cilantro
Salt
Fresh lime juice (about 2 tablespoons)
Dice the tomatoes and put them in a strainer over a bowl and let sit while you prepare the rest of the salsa.
In a dry, ungreased skillet over medium heat roast the garlic cloves (unpeeled!) and jalapenos. You want them to get brown, in spots here and there and to soften and do it fairly slowly. The garlic will take 12-15 minutes and the peppers about 10. You want to turn both frequently to evenly brown and soften them.
When the garlic and peppers are done, peel garlic and remove stems from jalapenos. If you’re very averse to spice you can remove seeds and membranes from peppers but they add lots of flavor and a nice warm heat so leave them in if you can. Now you can either chop them both very finely or process briefly in a food processor.
Shake the tomatoes around in the strainer a bit just to remove a little of the juice. Now either finely chop them or toss them briefly in a processor as well. Mix with the remainder of the ingredients and taste and adjust for seasoning with lime juice and salt.
Roasted Tomatoes
(to use immediately or to freeze)
I process about 30-40 lbs of tomatoes in this fashion each year. I use this method for slicers, heirlooms, sauce tomatoes and even cherry tomatoes (which turn out like candy). The heirlooms take longer since they have more moisture but they are delicious. It is a very low stress way of preserving lots of tomatoes if you have the freezer space. Small quantities are easy to make too. There’s no peeling, canning, or chopping. And the results are so tasty. I’ve been doing small batches so I can keep up with my garden the last several weeks.
Cut tomatoes in half (on the “equator”) and place them cut-side up on a sheet pan. Pack as many as you can onto a cookie sheet with sides. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Roast at 400 degrees about 2-3 hours until they are about half their original size, are still moist but a bit caramelized around the edges. It will depend on the size/kind of tomato how long this takes.
Now if you’re going to use them right away you can chop them or they may just fall apart and then you can use them as a sauce for pasta or rice or most anything. Add a bunch of fresh basil and a little fresh, minced garlic to offset the sweetness if you’d like. A dash of balsamic vinegar is good too.
If you are going to freeze them, let them cool on the sheet pans and then put the pans in the freezer. When tomatoes are firm remove, pick them off the tray and pack them in freezer bags or containers. Use as needed all winter long, chopped up in sandwiches (grilled cheese is wonderful with them), quesadillas, soups, sauces, finely chopped in a salad dressing, as a soup base, etc.
Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad
This time of year you can toss most any vegetable together with some fresh herbs and a good dressing and to make things even better in my bean-loving opinion, some cooked beans, and you’ve got a meal. This is a lovely, simple combo for this week’s bounty.
Toss 2-3 (or more) ears of corn in boiling water for just a minute. Remove and cut the kernels off the cob. If you do this in a large bowl you won’t be chasing the kernels all over the kitchen floor.
2 cups (or more) cooked and cooled (or canned and rinsed) black, cranberry or pinto beans (or another bean of your choice)
1-2 jalapenos, minced (seeded and membrane removed if you want to keep it mild but taste them first they may not be very hot and keeping the seeds and membranes adds a lot of flavor)
½ cup, roughly chopped cilantro
2 cups (more or less) diced tomatoes
Juice of one lime
Zest of one lime
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2-3 tablespoons good olive oi
Salt and pepper
Combine everything in a bowl. Mix gently, taste and adjust seasoning.
Calabrian-style Eggplant
Like a few other dishes you’ve seen here, I learned this in Calabria, the toe of the Italian “boot”.
This is served with good crusty bread (almost like a spread) and eaten with a green salad and a chunk of cheese or some cured meats as a simple supper on hot days. This is a very spicy dish that I make far tamer than they do in Calabria. So adjust the heat to your liking. You can start with ½ teaspoon of pepper flakes and move up from there.
Eggplant, diced (however much you have/want to use but it cooks down quite a bit so start with at least 4 cups of diced eggplant.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or Calabrian peperoncini flakes if you have them!)
Olive oil
Salt
Note: There’s no need to salt and drain the eggplant. With the fresh eggplants you’re getting in fact I don’t think there is ever a reason to do that. I find them perfectly sweet and wonderful without that step in most any preparation.
Heat a large skillet with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the eggplant, toss well to coat and add several generous pinches of salt and the red pepper flakes. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the eggplant begins to soften. Turn down to medium and cover and continue cooking until the eggplant pieces loose their shape. You can assist with this by mashing them with the back of a wooden spoon as you go. Ideally you don’t add any water but you can add a bit more olive oil if things start sticking too much. Browning is fine though. When the eggplant is soft add the minced garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Adjust for salt, drizzle generously with good-tasting olive oil and mash with the back of a wooden spoon again. Serve with good, crusty bread. You can use this as a sandwich spread as well or as a topping for pizza with some fresh tomatoes and lots of basil.
Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes
This is a quick, hearty pasta dish. I seem to be incorrigibly drawn to Italian preparations this time of year. They’re so quick and easy and satisfying.
Olive oil
1 medium globe eggplant or several smaller ones, cut into ½ -inch dice (no need to peel, salt or soak)
2 medium tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and roughly chopped (optional)
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley (or basil or a combination)
½ cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
1lb fusilli, penne or other stout pasta
½ cup pasta cooking water, reserved before draining
Sauté the eggplant in a heavy skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high, then medium-high heat stirring frequently. When the eggplant is soft, add the tomatoes, capers, if using, and the garlic and several generous pinches of salt. Cook on high heat until the tomatoes break down just a bit and some of their liquid evaporates so you have a nice thick, chunky sauce—about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and/or basil.
Meanwhile cook the pasta in plenty of salted, boiling water until al dente. Right before you drain the pasta scoop out about ½ cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta, toss with the sauce, add the reserved cooking water to loosen it up a bit and serve immediately with the cheese.
Zucchini Cake with Crunchy Lemon Glaze
–Adapted from Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma via David Lebovitz
Serves 12-16
This is hands down the best zucchini cake I’ve ever had. I’ve mad it many times with zucchini or yellow crookneck squash. It’s a bit of work but it’s worth it.
I grate the zucchini by hand; ½ on the finer holes of my box grater and half on the larger ones but the Kitchen Aid fine disk would work too.
The best way to invert the cake is to lay the cooling rack over the top of the cake pan, then grasping both the cake pan and the rack simultaneously (if it’s too hot, wear oven mitts), flip them both over at once. Lift off the cake pan, then liberally brush the glaze over the warm cake
For the cake:
1 cup almonds, pecans, or walnuts
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
Grated zest of one lemon
1 cup (250ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (300g) finely grated zucchini or other summer squash
For the lemon glaze:
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Grease a 10 cup (2.5l) bundt or tube cake pan* with butter, dust with flour, then tap out any excess.
Pulse the nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, 1 ¼ cups sugar, lemon zest and olive oil for 3 minutes on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Stop and scrape down the sides of the mixer, then add the vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the mixer bowl to make sure everything is mixed in well, and then beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, or continue by hand. I’ve always done this by hand and it’s been great.
Stir in the chopped nuts and zucchini. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, smooth the top, then bake the cake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
During the last few minutes of the cake baking, make the glaze by whisking together the lemon juice, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and powdered sugar.
Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then carefully invert it onto a cooling rack. Brush the glaze over the cake with a pastry brush and let the cake cool completely.
*If you don’t have a bundt or tube pan you can use a regular round cake pan with good results. This cake batter could also be baked in two loaf pans.