Recipe Files

This week's produce Club recipe ideas include the following:

Roasted Figs and Prosciutto

Grilled-Potato Salad

Zucchini and Corn Torta with Cilantro-Lime Crema

Beef and Bulgur-Stuffed Zucchini

Roasted Figs and Prosciutto (Serves 10)

Copyright, 2010 Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?, All Rights Reserved 

20 large fresh ripe figs 

20 thin slices Italian prosciutto (about 8 ounces) 

Good olive oil 

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

Snip the hard stems off the figs and cut the figs in half lengthwise through the stem. With a small sharp knife, cut the prosciutto lengthwise into inch-wide strips. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around the center of each fig half, with the ends overlapping. Brush with olive oil and arrange cut side up on a sheet pan. 

Roast the figs for 10 minutes, until the prosciutto is a little crisp and the figs are warmed through. Serve warm.

Grilled-Potato Salad

New potatoes are small, young and usually round, and have thin skins and a waxy, firm texture. Tossing the potatoes with the dressing while they are still warmhelps them absorb the flavors. For a more colorful salad, use a mixture of red, white and blue potatoes.

2 lb. red or white new potatoes

Vegetable oil for brushing

5 lean bacon slices

For the mustard vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. chopped dill pickle

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions:

Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook just until they can be pierced with a knife but are not completely tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain and pat dry. Brush the potatoes with vegetable oil.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. 

Place the bacon in a cast-iron fry pan over the hottest part of a charcoal fire or directly over the heat elements of a gas grill. Cook the bacon until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. 

Oil the grill rack. Grill the potatoes over the hottest part of a charcoal fire or directly over the heat elements of a gas grill, turning once or twice, until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 15 to 20 minutes total, depending on the size of the potatoes.

Transfer the potatoes to a cutting board, let cool just until they can be handled, and then slice or cut into chunks, discarding any loose skin.

To make the mustard vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, pickle, salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, toss the warm potatoes, bell pepper and onion with the vinaigrette until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Let stand for up to30 minutes to blend the flavors. Crumble the bacon and mix it into the salad. Garnish with the parsley. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Grilling, by Denis Kelly, Melanie Barnard, Barbara Grunes & Michael McLaughlin (Oxmoor House, 2003).

Zucchini and Corn Torta with Cilantro-Lime Crema

Quick and easy to make and infinitely adaptable, tortas are a favorite light supper dish in Mexico. This popular combination of zucchini, corn and roasted poblano chili is the perfect dish to make in the summer, when fresh corn is at its peak. Dark green poblano chilies have a wonderful, rich flavor but can be spicy. If heat is a concern, substitute mild Anaheim chilies for some or all of the chilies. 

To make crema, in a small nonreactive bowl, stir together 1 cup heavy cream and 1 Tbs. buttermilk or good-quality plain yogurt with active cultures. Cover with plastic wrap, poke a few holes in the plastic and let stand at warm room temperature (about 85°F) until well thickened, 8 to 24 hours, Stir, cover with fresh plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm and well chilled, about 6 hours. If the crema becomes too thick, thin with a bit of whole milk or half-and-half. Makes about 1 cup.

Unsalted butter for greasing

2 large poblano or Anaheim chilies, roasted and peeled

1 ear white sweet corn, husk and silk removed

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

3 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste

1 lb. zucchini, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican, crumbled

1 1/2 cups shredded Oaxacan or Monterey jack cheese

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese

1/4 tsp. ancho chili powder (optional)

For the cilantro-lime crema:

1/3 cup crema or sour cream

1 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

1 Tbs. chipotle chilies in adobo, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste

Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 325°F. Butter a 6-cup gratin dish or other shallow baking dish. 

Cut the roasted chilies into 1-inch pieces. Set aside. Holding the ear of corn upright on a cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels, keeping the blade angled so you get the whole kernel but none of the tough cob. Or cut off the kernels with a corn stripper. You should have about 3/4 cup kernels. Set aside. 

In a fry pan over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the chilies and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp. of the salt. Scrape into a colander and let cool. 

Add the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil to the pan and return the pan to medium heat. Add the corn and zucchini and cook, stirring often, until the zucchini are softened but not breaking up, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano, 1 tsp. of the salt and the 1/4 tsp. pepper and cook to blend the flavors, about 30 seconds. Add to the colander with the chilies. Let the vegetables cool and drain for 15 minutes. 

Spread 1 cup of the zucchini mixture in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared dish. Sprinkle half of the Oaxacan cheese on top. Repeat to make a second layer of the vegetables, top with the remaining Oaxacan cheese and end with the remaining vegetables. 

Season the eggs with the remaining 1 tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper. Pour into the dish and use a spatula to spread evenly. Scatter the cotija cheese over the top and dust with the chili powder. Bake until puffed and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a small serving bowl, stir together the crema, lime juice, cilantro, chipotle and the 1/4 tsp. salt. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Serve the torta warm or at room temperature with the crema. Serves 6 to 8. 

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Latin Cooking, by Patricia McCausland-Gallo, Deborah Schneider & Beverly Cox (Oxmoor House, 2010).

Beef and Bulgur-Stuffed Zucchini

2007 Ellie Krieger All Rights Reserved

6 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound each)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small chopped onion (about 1 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 pound lean ground beef (at least 90 percent lean)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, strained and juice reserved (about 3/4 to 1 cup juice)

1 cup cooked bulgur (1/3 cup uncooked)

3 tablespoons dried currants

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet over a medium-high flame for 2 minutes

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

1/2 cup low-sodium tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut each zucchini in half crosswise. Using a melon baller, carefully scoop out zucchini flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch flesh intact on all sides and leaving zucchini closed at the bottom of each half. Reserve zucchini flesh for another use, or discard. Reserve zucchini tubes.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add ground beef, cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes and cook until meat is just done and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add bulgur, and diced tomatoes and currants and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and parsley. Let mixture cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using a small spoon or clean hands, gently stuff zucchini halves with beef-mixture.

Place zucchini halves in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Combine reserved tomato juice, tomato sauce and salt and pour over zucchini. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and rotate zucchini. Re-cover, return dish to oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until zucchini is cooked through but still slightly firm. Place 2 zucchini halves on a plate and serve with tomato sauce.

1 serving is 2 zucchini halves and 3 tablespoons tomato sauce.

Per Serving: Calories 200; Total Fat 7 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 13 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 5.5 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 270 mg