Produce Club recipes for the week of 6/13 include the following:
Eggplant and Smoked-Gouda Open-Faced Grilled Sandwiches
Red Snapper and Eggplant with Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Cherry Tomato and Lemon Salad
Fresh Corn Soup Topped with Roasted Corn Guacamole
Blueberries and Cream
Watermelon with Mint Zabaglione
Eggplant and Smoked-Gouda Open-Faced Grilled Sandwiches
Gourmet | May 2006
The components of these sandwiches are relatively straightforward, but the results are a revelation. And with gooey melted cheese, tender slabs of eggplant, and a bright tomato-parsley salsa, they’re a wonderful main course option for vegetarians and meat eaters alike.
1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped (2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoons salt
1 (8-oz) piece smoked cheese such as Gouda, mozzarella, or scamorza
4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices country-style bread (from an 8-inch round loaf)
2 (1-lb) eggplants
Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure.
While grill is heating, stir together tomatoes, parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
With a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, shave half of cheese into thin slices (if using mozzarella, thinly slice half of it with a knife) and cover slices with plastic wrap, reserving remaining piece for another use.
Brush bread on both sides with 1 tablespoon oil per slice.
Trim off top and bottom of each eggplant, then cut 2 (1-inch-thick) slices lengthwise from center of each eggplant, discarding remainder. Brush cut sides with 3 tablespoons oil (total) and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Lightly oil grill rack, then grill eggplant slices (covered only if using a gas grill), loosening with a metal spatula and turning occasionally to avoid overbrowning, until very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. While eggplant is grilling, grill bread, turning over once, until grill marks form, 1 to 2 minutes total, and transfer to a large platter.
Transfer eggplant to platter, then top evenly with sliced cheese and return to grill and cook, covered for charcoal or gas, without turning, until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute. Transfer eggplant with spatula to platter.
Transfer grilled bread to 4 plates and spoon tomato mixture on top. Drizzle evenly with remaining tablespoon oil and top with eggplant. Season with pepper to taste.
Cooks’ notes: · If you can’t grill outdoors, bread and eggplant can be cooked in 2 batches on a lightly oiled well-seasoned large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over moderate heat. Grill eggplant, turning occasionally, 10 to 13 minutes, then top with cheese. Transfer eggplant to a large baking sheet and broil about 3 inches from preheated broiler until cheese is just melted, about 1 minute. · Tomato mixture can be made 30 minutes ahead and kept at room temperature.
Red Snapper and Eggplant with Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Gourmet | September 1994
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large red bell peppers, sliced thin
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
olive oil for brushing pan and eggplant
1 small eggplant (preferably Asian, about 6 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide)
two 6- to 7-ounce red snapper fillets, skinned
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint leaves plus additional for garnish if desired
In a large skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook peppers and garlic, stirring, 10 minutes, or until peppers are tender. Transfer pepper mixture to a blender and blend with lemon juice until smooth. Season sauce with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Preheat broiler and light brush a small shallow baking pan with oil.
Cut four 1/4-inch-thick lengthwise slices from eggplant, reserving remainder for another use. Rinse fish fillets and pat dry. Season fillets with salt and pepper and arrange, skinned side down, in prepared pan. Sprinkle each fillet with 1/2 tablespoon mint. Arrange 2 eggplant slices on each fillet, covering mint completely and overlapping eggplant slices slightly, and brush them lightly with oil. Broil fillets about 4 inches from heat until fillets are just cooked through and eggplant is golden, about 5 minutes.
Divide sauce between 2 plates and arrange fillets, brushed with pan juices, on top sauce. Garnish with additional mint.
Cherry Tomato and Lemon Salad
Gourmet | May 2005
2 large lemons
1 tablespoon sugar
1 lb cherry or grape tomatoes (3 cups), halved or, if large, quartered
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Finely grate enough zest from 1 lemon to measure 2 teaspoons. Trim ends of both lemons, then stand lemons on a cut side and cut peel, including all white pith, from lemons with a sharp paring knife (discard peel). Cut segments free from membranes, then cut segments crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. Toss lemon segments gently with sugar in a bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients and zest, then let stand, covered, at room temperature 15 minutes (to allow flavors to develop).
Fresh Corn Soup Topped with Roasted Corn Guacamole
Epicurious | May 2009
by Lourdes Castro, Simply Mexican
Kernels from 3 ears fresh corn, or 2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 lime, finely grated zest and juice
1 jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, finely chopped
1 avocado, pitted and chopped
Kernels from 5 ears fresh corn, or 3 cups frozen corn, defrosted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
Salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Cilantro sprigs, to garnish
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Put the corn kernels on the baking sheet and toss with the oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Spread the corn out evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until the corn turns a golden brown. It may seem that you have left the corn in the oven for too long, but you want the corn to caramelize and get a little crunchy. Remove the corn from the oven and set aside.
Put the kernels (fresh or frozen and defrosted) in a blender.
Combine the oil and the garlic in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the blender and puree until smooth. (You may need to pulse or stir the corn mixture in order to achieve a smooth consistency, but do not add any more liquid.)
Pour the corn puree into the soup pot and place over medium heat. Stir constantly for a few minutes, until the soup begins to thicken. Slowly whisk or stir in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
Finish the Roasted Corn Guacamole
In a bowl, combine the roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and jalapeño. Gently stir in the avocado. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve and Garnish
Ladle the soup into soup bowls. Place a generous spoonful of the guacamole in the center of each bowl. Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro placed in the center of each.
Roasting Corn: Roasting corn not only caramelizes the naturally present sugars, it also intensifies the flavor of the corn. Twenty minutes is the average time it takes to get the corn to that state, but don’t be afraid to leave it in a bit longer. Even if some kernels appear burnt, they will be deliciously crunchy and pop in your mouth.
The soup can be made a day in advance, cooled, and stored in the refrigerator. However, it is best to make the corn guacamole a few hours before you are going to eat it.
Blueberries and Cream
2 cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries
(see Note)
3⁄4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Directions:
In a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the fresh blueberries, water and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes to steep.
Transfer the blueberry mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Add the cream and lemon juice to the blueberry puree and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving. Makes about 1 quart.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Ice Cream, by Mary Goodbody (Simon & Schuster, 2003).
Watermelon with Mint Zabaglione
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup Marsala wine
12 fresh mint leaves, rolled up lengthwise and sliced crosswise into thin ribbons
1 watermelon, rind and seeds removed, flesh cut into cubes 1 inch thick
2 Tbs. sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
To make the mint zabaglione, in a heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until thick and pale colored, about 2 minutes. Place the bowl over but not touching barely simmering water in a saucepan or bottom pan of the double boiler. Continue whisking until the mixture doubles in volume and registers 110°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes.
Add the wine and continue whisking vigorously until the mixture triples in volume and no liquid remains in the bottom of the bowl, about 10 minutes. Fold in the mint. Transfer the zabaglione to a serving bowl and let stand at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Prepare a medium fire in a grill. Brush and oil the grill grate.
Grill the watermelon cubes over the hottest part of the fire until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes. Turn the cubes over and grill again until marks appear, about 2 minutes more. Repeat the process on all sides.
Transfer the watermelon cubes to a bowl. Add the sugar, lime zest and lime juice and gently stir to coat.
Divide the watermelon among individual plates and top with the zabaglione. Serves 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma On the Grill, by Willie Cooper (Oxmoor House, 2009).
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