Recipe Files...

This week's produce club recipes include the following:

Snap Beans with Caramelized Shallots and Roasted Mushrooms

Balsamic Zucchini

Grilled Salmon with Quick Blueberry Pan Sauce

Layered Taco Salad

Sweet Olive Oil Quick Bread

Cheesy Vidalia Onion and Tomato Pie

Snap Beans with Caramelized Shallots and Roasted Mushrooms

Other types of wild or cultivated mushrooms, such as portobello, white button, chanterelle or oyster, would be equally delicious in this recipe. Choose a variety that looks freshest at your local farmers’ market or grocery store.

To save time, you can toast and chop the hazelnuts and roast the mushrooms and garlic a few days in advance; cover and refrigerate the mushroom mixture. Just before serving, bring the mushroom mixture to room temperature and cook the snap beans in boiling water. Then finish the dish as instructed below.

Ingredients:

1 lb. cremini mushrooms, brushed clean and quartered

2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 Tbs. minced garlic

2 1/2 lb. snap beans (green beans), trimmed

1 cup caramelized shallots

1/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

In a large bowl, combine the mushrooms, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir to coat evenly. Transfer the mushrooms to a baking sheet. Roast, stirring the mushrooms occasionally, until they are well browned, slightly shriveled and crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes. Stir in the garlic and roast for 1 minute more. Return the mushrooms to the bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the snap beans and cook until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Transfer the beans to the bowl with the mushrooms, add the caramelized shallots and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the vegetables to a large platter and sprinkle with the hazelnuts. Serves 8 to 10.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen

Balsamic Zucchini

Gourmet  | July 2004

yield: Makes 6 side-dish servings

4 lb medium zucchini, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch-thick slices

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)

1/3 cup pine nuts (1 oz), toasted and finely chopped

Preheat broiler.

Toss zucchini with oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Arrange zucchini in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (1 inch deep). Broil 1 pan of zucchini 3 to 5 inches from heat, without turning, until browned in spots and beginning to soften, 4 to 6 minutes. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinegar over broiled zucchini and shake pan a few times, then continue to broil until most of vinegar is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cheese over broiled zucchini and broil until cheese is melted, about 1 minute more. Cook remaining pan of zucchini in same manner. Cool to room temperature and serve sprinkled with pine nuts.

Grilled Salmon with Quick Blueberry Pan Sauce

Bon Appétit  | August 2010 by Lori Longbotham   yield: Makes 4 servings

The sweet-tart pan sauce is a perfect partner for a rich fish like salmon.

1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for brushing

3/4 cup sliced shallots

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme plus additional for seasoning

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice plus additional for seasoning

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 7-ounce salmon steaks or fillets with skin (each about 3/4 inch thick)

3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint, divided

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon allspice. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add blueberries, 1/4 cup water, and vinegar. Stir to blend. Mash berries with potato masher or back of fork and cook until sauce thickens, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm before using.

Brush grill rack with oil. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush salmon on both sides with oil; sprinkle with coarse salt, thyme, allspice, and black pepper.

Grill salmon until just opaque in center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Stir 2 tablespoons sliced mint into warm blueberry sauce. Spoon sauce over salmon and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon mint. Serve immediately.

Layered Taco Salad

Gourmet  | August 2003   yield: Makes 6 servings

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 to 2 fresh serrano chiles (including seeds), finely chopped

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 lb ground chuck

1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (1/2-lb) firm-ripe California avocado

1 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced (8 cups)

1 large tomato (1/2 lb), chopped

1/4 lb coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)

1 (15- to 19-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (6-oz) can sliced pitted California black olives, drained

Accompaniment: tortilla chips

Make dressing:Whisk together lime juice, cilantro, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.

Cook beef: Cook onion, garlic, chiles to taste, chili powder, and cumin in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is well softened, about 6 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up lumps, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes, then spoon off any excess fat from skillet.

Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to beef and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Assemble salad: Peel and pit avocado, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Spread lettuce over bottom of a shallow 4-quart dish. Spoon beef mixture evenly over lettuce and continue making layers with tomatoes, cheese, beans, avocado, and olives. Drizzle dressing over salad.

Sweet Olive Oil Quick Bread

Epicurious  | June 1998 by Viana La Place

Extra-virgin olive oil is the the secret ingredient in this moist, dense, lightly sweet cake. Perfect as an afternoon snack or for breakfast with a cup of fluffy cappuccino.

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup unsulfured sultana raisins

grated zest of 1 lemon

unsalted butter for loaf pan

1/4 cup pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the sugar. Add the eggs, milk, and olive oil, and beat well. Toss the raisins in a little flour to coat them lightly. Add the raisins and lemon zest to the flour and egg mixture and stir to distribute evenly. Butter and flour a loaf pan. Transfer the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the top with pine nuts. Bake for 55 mintues, or until a thin skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Let cool for a few minutes. Unmold and cool on a rack.

Cheesy Vidalia Onion and Tomato Pie

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

1 pie crust (homemade or store bought)

1 egg

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

3/4 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onions

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil

1/2 cup grated fontina cheese

1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out the pie crust on a lightly floured surface to fit a deep 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Place the pastry in the pie pan and crimp edges decoratively. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, then line with aluminum foil. Fill with pie weights and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Remove foil and pie weights, and return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool. Crack the egg in a small bowl, reserving yolk for the filling, separately. Lightly beat the egg white with a fork, then brush the surface of pie crust with a light coating of egg white and allow to cool.

Slice the tomatoes, discarding the stem and root ends, into 1/4-inch slices and lightly season with the salt and pepper.

Sprinkle about 1/3 of the bread crumbs in the bottom of the pie crust. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise with the reserved egg yolk and stir until smooth. Place a layer of tomatoes in the bottom of the piecrust over the breadcrumbs, using about half of the tomatoes, then top with half of the sliced onions. Drizzle with half of the mayonnaise mixture, half of the thyme and basil, half of the fontina and half of the mozzarella cheeses. Top with half of the remaining breadcrumbs then top with the remaining tomato slices, remaining onions, remaining fontina and mozzarella, remaining mayonnaise mixture, and remaining thyme and basil. Top with the remaining bread crumbs and drizzle with the olive oil. cover with the Parmesan cheese, place in the oven and bake until bubbly hot and golden brown, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.