Fresh Garden Medley

Friends came for breakfast several weeks ago, and as Ray and I were discussing preparation of various foods, I told him about the stew (for lack of a better word) I had just made. He tilted and tucked his head with a slight shrug to his shoulders, smiled and meekly asked, "But can I have at least a little piece of meat?" as he gestured with his thumbs and index fingers touching.

We laughed, and I said, "You don't miss it in this. Honestly. It is so flavorful and filling, very satisfying, and oh so tasty."

This is a meal I came up with last summer as we expanded our vegetable garden, and it went gangbusters. It is not your run of the mill stew that includes meat or poultry and a thick or heavy sauce, rather a cornucopia of color, simple, and with a little spice that delights in every sense. Any liquid comes from a few tomatoes and the vegetables. Serve it with a nice slice of a heavy multi-grain bread and a slightly chilled glass of your favorite Sauvignon Blanc, and it is . . . umm! As my brother always says, it is so good and so good for you.

Fresh Garden Medley

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil (or canola oil)
1 medium sweet onion, cut into strips (we grow Walla Walla)
1 sweet red pepper (seeded and cut into pieces)
1 eggplant, quartered and cut into 1 ” pieces (we grow * Ichiban)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt (tiny bits, in increments... likely no more than 1/2 teaspoon in total)
Fresh ground pepper (according to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup fresh basil, then chopped (or if you don’t grow basil, 1/4 cup dried should do)
3-4 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into 1” to 1 1/2” pieces
1 yellow medium squash, quartered and cut into 1” pieces
1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes, plus
1/4 can cold water

Note: When the green beans are available, I may add some of those.
* Ichiban are very tender, and I do not remove any skin.

Directions: Prepare all vegetables and set aside.

Place the oil in a large Dutch oven, heat and add onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, season with a touch of kosher salt and some fresh ground pepper, and stir. Add red pepper pieces and eggplant and sauté for a few more minutes. Add fresh garlic, a little more fresh ground pepper, cayenne, red pepper flakes, and basil. Stir and cook for another minute or two. Add tomatoes; then add cold water to the can to about 1/4, gathering any remaining juices and pour into pot. Add zucchini and squash and a few more sprinkles of salt and pepper, according to personal taste. (It takes so very little salt to bring out the fresh flavors.)

Stir until all vegetables are coated and heated through. Place the lid on the Dutch oven, slightly ajar, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. We like our vegetables crisp, so be careful not to overcook. Vegetables from the garden to the table require so little cooking.

You know what else: since you made so much, tomorrow, this dinner is still exceptional.

Sure hope you enjoy the recipe.

Updated: 11 Aug08 with a little more detailed explanation

Last Night's Dinner

I must tell you we had the best dinner last night! It was simple. It was quick, and it was simple-y outstanding. Grilled salmon, zucchini, and salad, accompanied by an inexpensive but very nice Pinot Noir, and it was all prepared in less than 10 minutes. Move over Rachael Ray.

The fresh Pacific northwest Sockeye salmon was very lightly oiled with the Extra Virgin stuff, placed on a piece of foil (punctured), sprinkled with some lemon pepper, and grilled for about 7 minutes without turning. Of course, you should adjust your cooking time depending upon the fish weight and the grills BTU capacity. We cooked about 1 1/4 pounds on high. When it is removed from the grill, we cover with a piece of foil for several minutes, then slice and serve as it easily comes off its own skin.

At the same time, a fresh zucchini - picked from the garden that morning - was split lengthwise, also slightly oiled on both sides, sprinkled with the lemon pepper and grilled along side the salmon for the same time period, however, turned once to brown.

Salad: fresh lettuce and tomatoes from the garden with balsamic vinegar.

Last year we were introduced to Mirassou, a Pinot Noir that is under $10, and one which is quite palatable for our taste. Slightly chilled and served with the moist and sweet peppery salmon and freshly picked garden produce, it is a fine complement to the wonderful flavors of the entire meal experience.

Wow, writing about it makes me want that dinner again this evening.
Nah. . . we have some fresh Ahi that deserves the attention tonight.

Dragonfly

Let us begin a new month with something exciting.

A Beaver dragonfly! That's right. If you wear the orange color and live in the Pacific northwest, then it must be a Beaver.

Isn't he handsome? He held perfectly still while I took several photos, likely knowing that he would be featured on this blog!

How sad is it that the dragonfly lives only several weeks to several months, and the damselfly even less. Enjoy them while we can.