Radish-Au-Gratin

Farmer Harry's generous shares of turnips and radishes combined with my inexperience with (and somewhat dislike) of the vegetable to provoke an online recipe search. Fate and gourmet taste led me to epicurious.com where I found a delightfully simple recipe for Turnips Gratin. For Thanksgiving, I altered the recipe to suit radishes. It was surprisingly delicious and, did I mention, simple. 

Radish-Au-Gratin

Ingredients:

1 lb daikon radishes

1-2 Tbs. butter

dried thyme

salt

1 cup cream or whole milk (preferably organic)

parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice the radishes into thin rounds. Use a mandolin, if possible, for thin, even slices. 

In a heavy bottomed, stovetop and oven-proof pan melt the butter. When it starts to foam, remove from the heat.

Alternate layers of radishes, thyme and salt (to taste) until you've used all the radishes.

Return to stovetop and let cook until the butter begins to brown and the radishes begin to soften, but are not yet soft.

Add cream (or milk). Place in oven. Cook until the center of the radishes are soft (about 15 minutes). Top with cheese and return to the oven until the cheese is melted and golden.

Enjoy!

(Serves 4-6)

Eggplant casserole (egg dish)

This is a good breakfast or lunch dish.

Utensils needed: small mixing bowl; casserole; pot for boiling or microwaving eggplant

2 medium eggplants, diced into approx ½” pieces (about 3-4 cups)
1 medium onion, diced
About 5 slices good bread

Milk and/or half-and-half, 1.5 to 2 cups total (I used about one-half 2% milk, and one-half half-&-half)
6 eggs
1 tsp salt
Big pinch of dried oregano
Pinch of dried thyme
Couple of twists of the pepper grinder

1 Tbsp butter
Grated cheese (gruyere, cheddar, parmesan are all OK; I used organic white Wisconsin cheddar)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Boil the eggplant dice 5-10 minutes or until tender (or microwave til tender).

While the eggplant is cooking, beat the eggs, and beat in the milk/cream. Add salt, oregano, thyme, and pepper to taste.
Set a casserole dish on or near the stove vent to warm it, and put the tablespoon of butter in to coat the bottom and sides of the dish.
Drain the eggplant.

Place about half the slices of bread in the casserole dish to cover the bottom. Pour half the egg mixture over the bread. Layer half the eggplant and onion on the bread. Grate some cheese onto this. Then take the remaining bread and layer it in, then the remaining eggplant and onion, and pour the remaining egg mixture over all. Grate some more cheese onto the top.

Place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the middle has puffed up. (With an internal thermometer the temp may be about 190 -200 in the center when done.)

Notes …

You can probably substitute any number of vegetables for the cooked eggplant, such as:
Cooked diced zucchini
Raw halved cherry tomatoes
Mushrooms
Sautéed bell peppers
Any other vegetable you might put in a quiche or omelet

Fresh (uncooked) tomato sauce for pasta

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if small, quartered if large
1 plump garlic clove, minced or put through a press (more to taste)
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Small handful slivered or chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound pasta - fusille, farfalle, or orecchiette work well
1/4 cup freshly grated ricotta salata or Parmesan (more to taste)

Optional: 1 cup baby arugula leaves, coarsely chopped

1. Combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, arugula, basil, and olive oil in a wide bowl. Let sit for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Cook the pasta. Drain, toss with the tomatoes, sprinkle on the cheese, and serve.

First post

Hi fellow Beausol locavores and farm-sharers,

I've set up this blog so we can easily trade recipes and tips for using our produce from Beausol Farm. I hope this will help us enjoy all of Harry's wonderful farm products even more!

Betsy

Flowers for week of July 22

Insalata Caprese (Italian Flag Salad)

Layer slices of:

• ripe red tomatoes
• basil leaves
• real mozzarella (the kind sold in a ball in water), at room temperature

Drizzle each slice of tomato with

• extra virgin olive oil

Splash onto the tops of each mozzarella slice a few drops of

• balsamic vinegar

Season with salt and cracked pepper, and serve.

Also good on toasted French or Italian bread rounds. Spoon the extra vinegar and olive oil over all, so it penetrates the hot crusty bread. This makes a nice lunch.

Couscous salad

• 3 cups of cooked couscous
• about 30 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 of a cucumber, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• one 16-oz can of chickpeas, drained
• (optional) very finely chopped squash, zucchini or broccoli, briefly steamed or microwaved
• (optional) very finely chopped halloumi cheese (a sheep's milk cheese available from Neomonde or Whole Foods in the dairy case)
• couple of good big glogs of olive oil (maybe 4 Tbsp)
• salt, to taste
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice and/or white wine vinegar. If you have some tarragon
  vinegar, it is a nice touch also.
  

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss.

I like to use the tri-color couscous.