Marinated Veggies with      Garlic and Thyme

8 cups assorted cooked vegetables (such as carrots, green beans, cauliflower)
2 cups  tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Place cooked vegetables in large strainer. Lower strainer into large pot of boiling water until butter and seasonings are removed, about 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water; pat dry. Transfer to large bowl and mix in tomatoes. Whisk all remaining ingredients in bowl; toss with vegetable mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 2 days. Bring vegetables to room temperature. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

Yams with Cilantro and Lime

Garnet Yams

Cilantro

Juice of Lime

Salt and Pepper

Butter

Bake yams in their skin at 400 degrees until soft.  Remove from skin and sprinkle with butter (if desired), chopped cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper, all to taste.

This recipe is great for those who find the sweetness of yams to be cloying, especially when additional sweetener is added.  The lime and cilantro cut through the sweetness for a great assimilation of flavors.

Garnet Yam Puree with Pear

2-3 lbs garnet yams

1 yellow Finn or russet potato

4T butter

1-1.5c milk or half and half

1 sprig thyme

1 bay leaf

1 ripe pear

Salt and pepper

Peel and dice the yams.  Bring them to a rolling boil in salted water and cook until tender.  Peel and dice the potato and cook separately in salted water.  Be sure to cook both fully.  While they are cooking, melt the butter in the milk, add the thyme and bay leaf and steep for about 15 minutes.  Peel and core the pear and cut into a small dice. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or blender.  Strain out the herbs from the milk and add enough to the puree to achieve the consistency you want.  Gently fold in the diced pears and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Alice Waters, Chez Panisse Vegetables

Yam Puree with Roasted Garlic      

1 head garlic

2 pounds yams

2 pounds potatoes

Salt and pepper

2 cups milk

1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil

First roast the garlic: Wrap head in foil, put in preheated oven, 400, and bake for 30-40 minutes.  When cool, cut the top free from the head, separate the clove and set aside.

Peel and quarter the yams and potatoes.  Put them in a pot to steam.  Season with a teaspoon of salt and steam over medium high to high heat until cooked.  Drain, add peeled roasted cloves of garlic and puree.  Return to pot and reheat over low heat.  Scald milk in a separate saucepan and add from 1-2 cups to the puree, depending on how dry they are.  Then add the olive oil to taste, and season with salt and pepper. 

Chez Panisse Vegetables, Alice Waters

Tortilla Soup with Zucchini

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
4 cups canned vegetable broth
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

4 6-inch-diameter corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
2/3 c. canned black beans, rinsed, drained
2/3 cup chopped zucchini
1 1/2 T minced seeded jalapeño pepper

Spray large nonstick saucepan with vegetable oil spray. Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over medium-low heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin and chili powder. Add broth and 2 tablespoons cilantro; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Add tortillas, tomatoes, beans, zucchini and jalapeño to soup. Cover; simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.  Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Zucchini Crostini

1 small onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-6 roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 t fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 loaf Italian or French bread about 3 1/2 inches in diameter, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 20)
10 thin slices provolone cheese (about 1/4 pound), halved

Preheat oven to 450°F.

In a large heavy skillet cook onion in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring, until zucchini is barely tender. Add tomatoes and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add wine and salt and pepper to taste and simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool mixture.  On a baking sheet toast bread in middle of oven until pale golden, about 4 minutes.  Mound about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture on each toast and top with a half slice provolone. Bake crostini in middle of oven until cheese is melted and golden.

Grilled Zucchini with Black Olives and Mint

7 Kalamata olives (about 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 pounds zucchini

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 T coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Prepare grill. Pit and thinly slice olives. Cut zucchini diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices and in a bowl toss with oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Grill zucchini, in batches if necessary, on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly charred and just tender. (Alternatively, zucchini may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned heavy ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer zucchini to bowl and toss with olives, mint, and lemon juice.

Zucchini and Cilantro Soup

1 or 2 Anaheim chiles

2 or 3 medium zucchini

1 bunch cilantro

1 Large red onion

3 Tbl. sunflower seed or olive oil

3 Tbl. chopped parsley

2 Tbl. chopped mint

2 corn tortillas

sea salt

5 cups water or soup stock

juice of 1 or 2 limes

sour cream, optional

Roast the chiles, peel, and remove the seeds, then chop coarsely.  Quarter the zucchini lengthwise, then chop into 1/2-in. pieces.  Wash cilantro thoroughly and finely slice the stems and chop leaves, setting aside a few branches for garnish.  Thinly slice the onion.

Heat half the oil in a soup pot over med-high heat, then add the onion, zucchini, cilantro stems, parsley, and mint.  Cook, stirring occasionally, about ten minutes.   Tear one of the tortillas in pieces and add to vegetables. 

Add 2 tsp. salt and the water or stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer, covered until the zucchini is completely soft, about 15 minutes, then add the remaining cilantro.  Let cool to room temperature, then puree until smooth.  Season with salt and lime juice to taste. 

Cut the remaining tortilla into skinny strips and heat the remaining oil in a skillet.  When hot, add the tortillas and cook until crisp.  Set them on paper towels to drain.  Serve the soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream, tortilla strips, and a sprig of cilantro in each bowl.

Local Flavors, Deborah Madison

Slow-Cooked Zucchini Coins with Chopped Herbs and Crumbled Feta

2-3T olive oil or butter

1lb  zucchini, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper

1/4 chopped mixed herbs—dill, basil, parsley, cilantro, etc.

1/4c crumbled feta

Heat oil in a wide skillet, then add the zucchini and garlic.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The finished squash should have a light golden glaze over the surface and be caramelized in places.  Taste for salt and season with pepper.  Toss with the herbs and cheese and serve.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison