August 19, 2024
A Couple New Ideas
by Linda Dansbury

Strange how every year at this time, no matter what the weather, I start thinking of fall dishes - that is, long cooking, stewing, braising, etc. That includes how I enjoy my veggies. Still making some summery dishes such as salads using tomatoes, beans, etc., but also starting to do dishes that will take us into fall/winter.

Zucchini, eggplant, onions, peppers - made a huge platter of grilled veggies for friends. Finished the platter off by drizzling olive oil and sprinkling lots of parsley and basil over everything. It was as pretty as it was delicious. Served alongside hummus and tzatziki and warmed pita bread. Yummy!

Beans, tomatoes, garlic, onion, small hot pepper, basil, parsley - I have always wanted to make an old style Italian bean dish and finally did so this week. I slow sauteed onions and the hot pepper until translucent but not brown. Added sliced garlic and let it go for 2-3 minutes, again, not allowing it to brown. Cut up several tomatoes and added them to the pan, and let them cook down slowly into a sauce. At this point, boiled the beans for 3 or 4 minutes, drained in a colander and then added to the sauce. Let it all simmer for several minutes until beans were coated with the sauce. Added salt, pepper, and topped with lots of fresh herbs. We ate it as a side dish, but it would also be delicious with rice or pasta. I made a lot, so it will be frozen for enjoying later in the fall.