Summertime is a fresh vegetable bonanza
Though my garden has been a little sluggish this season
– the squash has just started to blossom and we’ve only got a
handful of cherry tomatoes so far – summer is one of my favorite
times for filling up on vegetables.
Summertime is a fresh vegetable bonanza
Though my garden has been a little sluggish this season – the squash has just started to blossom and we’ve only got a handful of cherry tomatoes so far – summer is one of my favorite times for filling up on vegetables.
We’ve made do with an armful of produce from the farmers market each week, a bag or two from family or friends who have had earlier producing plants than us, and a few additions from the grocery store.
Summer vegetables are so flavorful – tomatoes, sweet onions, asparagus, spinach and on and on – that it doesn’t take much to make a good dish out of them.
Recently, when we planned a meal of grilled chicken and New York steaks, we grabbed some grape tomatoes, a red onion, bell peppers, mushrooms, squash and zucchini to go with the meal.
After skewering the vegetables, we seasoned them up with a little salt, pepper and olive oil before putting them straight onto the grill.
Tabbouleh with grilled vegetables
Recipe courtesy of EatingWell.com
1 c. bulgur
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1 c. boiling water
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slabs
2 sweet onions, such as Vidalia, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 large portobello mushroom caps, wiped clean
2 c. cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. chopped fresh mint
Place bulgur and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add boiling water and stir. Cover with plastic wrap and let soak until tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high. Place a fine-mesh nonstick grill topper on the grill to heat. Place zucchini, onions, portobellos and tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender, turning once or twice. Allow 8 to 10 minutes for zucchini and onions, 6 to 8 minutes for mushrooms, and 2 to 3 minutes for tomatoes.
Toast walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, coarsely chop the zucchini, onions and mushrooms. Cut the tomatoes in half.
When the bulgur is tender, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, parsley and mint; toss to mix. Add the vegetables and toss. Sprinkle with walnuts.
Pasta primavera
Recipe courtesy of www.lifetime.com
3/4 lb. whole-wheat or whole-grain penne
1 lb. (1 bunch) medium asparagus, cut into 1 1/2-inch sections
1-15-oz. can chicken stock
1/4 tsp. salt
Pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons extra for serving
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 red onion, chopped small
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
4 oz. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into quarters or sixths, depending on size
1 c. frozen peas
2 pieces sun-dried tomatoes
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
6-oz. bag baby spinach
2 scallions, chopped
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Combine the asparagus, 1/4 cup of stock and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until al dente, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with any remaining stock. Set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil with the garlic and onion over low heat. Cover and cook until the vegetables soften but do not brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Add the mushrooms, and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and softened, about 5 minutes. If mushrooms begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, add 2 tablespoons stock and stir to release. Add the peas, the rest of the stock and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook about two-thirds of the way, about 6 minutes.
Remove 1 cup of pasta water and add it to the skillet with the vegetables. Drain the pasta in a colander, and add it to the skillet. Bring liquid to a boil; cook until reduced by about one-half. Add all but about 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, the asparagus, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and the spinach. Cook, tossing with tongs, until the liquid is reduced and thickened and the spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
Divide the pasta among four bowls, and sprinkle with scallions and sun-dried tomatoes. Drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon oil, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
