Every August I try to come up with new ways to eat zucchini. I eat it with pasta, in couscous salads, and off the grill. But this might be my new favorite way to eat this versatile–and plentiful–summer vegetable.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 small (about 4-inch) zucchini or summer squash, diced
• kernels from 2 ears fresh sweet corn
• a handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or quartered if grape tomatoes are large)
• one loaf quality Italian or French bread
• 2 large cloves garlic
• a few basil leaves, torn or chopped
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

In an enameled cast iron skillet, cook zucchini in a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Season with salt so the zucchini releases its moisture. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking to the pan. Meanwhile, chop one clove of garlic and add it to the pan. Continue cooking until zucchini begins to break down, about 8 minutes. Add corn, stir, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Fold in tomatoes and basil and season with salt and pepper. You’ll know the dish is done when the tomatoes begin to soften and collapse slightly.

Meanwhile, cut four slices of bread and toast in broiler or in a toaster. (We like broiling on one side–the bread is crisp on top, but remains chewy underneath.) When toast is golden, remove from broiler and rub each slice with a piece of cut garlic. Brush lightly with olive oil, then top with the vegetable mixture.

Makes 2 generous servings.

This meal goes outside of my “seasonal” rule. But sometimes, in the middle of winter in snowy Indiana, you need a little pineapple pick me up. Besides–pineapple is never going to be seasonal around here anyway, right? This meal is adapted from Simple Suppers, a collection of recipes from Moosewood Restaurant.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cake firm tofu
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon peeled ginger root, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 3 green onions, white and light green parts only, sliced
• 1/2 of a fresh, cored pineapple (about 2 cups), cut into bite-size chunks
• 3 cups cooked jasmine rice
• toasted cashews

PREPARATION:

Drain some of the moisture from the tofu by pressing the cake between two plates. Cut tofu into cubes and place them in a bowl. Pour the soy sauce and sesame oil over the tofu and stir to coat. Set aside.

In a large skillet (or wok, if you have one, which I do not), heat the canola oil. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry on medium heat for one minute. Add the red pepper flakes, bell pepper, celery, green onion, and tofu with marinade, and continue to stir until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the pineapple and rice and stir-fry until the rice is hot, about 3 minutes. Serve topped with toasted cashews.

Pasta with walnuts, spinach, and parmesan

I don’t think this recipe requires a list of ingredients or instructions, but I wanted to include it in my recipe box because sometimes I forget that even the simplest ingredients can make a delicious meal. This meal photographed above–which includes spinach, toasted walnuts, butter, parmesan, and parsley–was even more elaborate than it needs to be. Even without the spinach, this dish makes a tasty lunch. Don’t forget to add black or red pepper to give it a little kick.

Orzo with Butternut, Sausage, and Sage

I had previously posted a recipe for Orzo with Anything, primarily as a dish that works well with seemingly infinite combinations of spring and summer vegetables. But when Autumn comes, the leaves begin to turn, and the air is crisp, I need something a little heartier, and that can only mean one thing: sausage.We made this dish with salt and pepper sausage from the half hog that we bought this fall, raised just down the road on Red Tail Farm here in Goshen. In fact, the butternut squash grew in the garden across the fence from the hog wallow. As you can see from the photo, we ate a little too eagerly to get a good shot of the food!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb bulk sausage
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 4 cups butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and diced)
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup orzo
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoonsfresh sage (chopped; or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried)

PREPARATION:

Brown the sausage in a skillet and then transfer to a plate or bowl. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. In the same skillet, cook the onion until transluscent, then add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add butternut squash and stir to coat with onions and garlic. Add the cup of broth and simmer until squash is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If using dried sage, add it to the simmering squash instead of waiting until the end.)

While the squash cooks, bring water to boil in a large saucepan and add orzo. Boil until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large serving dish.

Add the sausage to the squash and heat through. Stir the squash and sausage into the orzo. Stir in cheese and sage and season with salt and pepper to taste.

This simple, elegant dish comes together very quickly. I keep some frozen fish fillets in the freezer and thaw them as needed. It’s a great meal for just one or two people, and goes well with just about any grain or vegetable. I often serve it with a side of yellow (saffron) rice and green beans, as pictured here.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces sole fillets (flounder or tilapia would also work)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup unbleached white flour
• a few tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• some chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, dill, or basil

PREPARATION

Rinse the fish and pat dry. Mix salt and pepper with the flour in a shallow dish or a plate. Press the fish fillets into the flour to coat.

On medium heat, warm a heavy-bottomed skillet. Add olive oil and one tablespoon of the butter. Add the fish and cook for 2 minutes for very thin fillets, 4 minutes for thicker ones. Turn the fillets and cook for a minute or two on the other side. Turn off the heat and transfer the fish to a serving plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the lemon juice and herbs to the skillet. Stir to incorporate the pan juices. Pour the herbed lemon butter over the fish and serve with lemon wedges.

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant’s Simple Suppers.

I love making this dish because it is so simple, yet impressive enough for guests or a special meal. I usually make a whole chicken for Adam and me (we love the legs and wings) and then use the leftovers for a chicken cous cous salad the next day.

INGREDIENTS

• One whole chicken, cut up (or about 2 lbs chicken pieces of your choice)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Several large basil leaves
• 4 garlic cloves, bruised with the side of a knife
• Several thin lemon slices
• A few glugs of olive oil

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place the pieces skin side up in a large baking dish. Loosen the skin on each piece of chicken and slide basil leaves between the skin and the meat. Add the bruised garlic cloves to the dish. Place a slice of lemon on top of each piece of chicken, and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake, basting occasionally (you can turn the chicken and/or the pan if you like so it browns evenly, but being lazy usually works out) for about 45 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, brush the lemon slices to the side of the chicken pieces–this will help the skin crisp up just luverly.

Adapted from Marie Simmons’s Fresh and Fast cookbook.

I have seen recipes for Orzo with Everything, but this is my preferred title, as I find this tiny pasta to be just about the most versatile staple around. Ever since I read Animal Vegetable Miracle, in which author Barbara Kingsolver shares a recipe for Disappearing Zuchinni Orzo, I have made a habit of sauteing onions, adding a few vegetables, and stirring in some orzo and cheese. It’s so simple, I almost feel silly writing out the preparation. Works like a charm every time and is light enough for lunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion
• 1 clove garlic
• vegetables of your choice–I like the following combinations: shredded zuchinni and carrot (squeeze the water out of the zuchinni after shredding); chopped mushrooms and broccoli; shredded carrot with sliced leeks and mushrooms; cherry tomatoes with sliced summer squash (see photo).
• fresh herbs
• freshly grated parmesan (try other cheeses, too)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups orzo

PREPARATION

Cook orzo in boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, in a separate pan saute onion and garlic in butter or olive oil until translucent. Add vegetables and saute until tender. When the pasta is ready, drain into a colander and then combine with vegetables in the pan or in a serving dish. Season with Stir in cheese to taste and pass extra cheese at the table.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds fresh tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 20 basil leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon oregano (more if fresh)
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pounds fresh mozzarella

PREPARATION

Scald & peel tomatoes. Core and squeeze the seeds out into a colander, reserving liquid. Chop tomatoes into liquid and add remaining ingredients. Allow to rest at room temperature for one hour before tossing with hot pasta.

Mmmmmm.

Adapted from Roasted Ratatouille in Moosewood’s Simple Suppers. I adjusted some of the veggie proportions to my preference, and used a red onion because that’s what I had in the kitchen. Makes about 4 servings (make double–the leftovers are incredible).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 small zucchini
• 1 large red onion
• 1 medium eggplant
• 3 tomatoes
• 3 sweet peppers
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup packed basil leaves
• grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut all the vegetables into 1-inch chunks and place them in a large bowl (I peeled the eggplant, as do the Moosewood folks). You need between 12 and 14 cups total. Coarsely chop the garlic. Toss the vegetables and garlic with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread on a baking sheet or two. Roast 15 minutes and then stir the vegetables. Continue to roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fork-tender and juicy.

While vegetables are roasting, chop or snip basil with scissors. When the vegetables are done, put them in a serving bowl and stir in the basil. Pass grated cheese at the table.

So good and simple! Serve with couscous, polenta, or crusty French bread.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 lb linguine
* 6 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 tablespoon chopped red jalapeno chiles (optional)
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 2 tablespoon butter
* 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
* 1 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch pieces
* 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 3 cups fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
* 4 lemon wedges

PREPARATION

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno; saute 1 minute. Add wine and butter; boil 2 minutes. Add shrimp, asparagus, and lemon juice. Toss until asparagus is just tender and shrimp are just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes.

Drain pasta and add to skillet; add basil leaves and toss until basil wilts and sauce coats pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Divide between 4 plates and garnish with fresh basil leaves and lemon wedges and serve.