Spicy Harissa-Braised Romano Beans with Lots of Herbs

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil (plus a splash more if needed)

• 2 Tbsp harissa paste (or chili paste)

• 4 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 large ripe tomato, quartered

• Kosher salt + freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 1 1/2 lb Romano beans

• 1 cup tender mixed herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill, and/or mint)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions

• 2 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest

How to make it

1. Build the base. Warm the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in the harissa and smashed garlic and cook for a couple minutes, until it smells amazing and starts to darken a little.

2. Tomato + wine moment. Add the tomato pieces, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the tomato softens and turns saucy. Pour in the white wine and let it simmer until it reduces by about half.

3. Braise the beans. Toss in the beans and stir so they get coated in the spicy tomato sauce. Taste and re-season with salt/pepper. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and let the beans cook without fussing too much—about 15–20 minutes.

4. Finish until tender (not mushy). Keep cooking, covered, until the beans are softened but still have a little bite, another 10–15 minutes.

5. Make it bright. Right before serving, shower the beans with the herbs, scallions, and lemon zest.

Make-ahead

These keep great for up to 2 days in the fridge. Rewarm gently on the stove before serving.

Adapted from Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman

Smoky Eggplant Banh Mi

Quick-pickled veggies

• 1 carrot, peeled + cut into thin matchsticks

• A chunk of radishes or daikon, cut into matchsticks

• 3-2-1 pickling liquid (3 parts vinegar : 2 parts water : 1 part sugar), brought to a boil.

In advance: Put the carrot + radishes in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot pickling liquid over top so they’re fully covered. Chill until cold and lightly pickled (a couple hours is perfect, longer is totally fine).

Smoky eggplant filling

• 2 eggplants

• A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled + chopped

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 1–2 cayenne peppers, chopped

• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro stems

• 1 tsp dried chile flakes

• 2 tsp fish sauce

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 Tbsp sugar

Char the eggplant: Poke a few shallow holes in the eggplants with the tip of a knife.

• Best flavor: roast directly over a flame, turning every few minutes, until the skin is blackened all over and the inside feels soft.

• No flame: broil on high for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until well-charred and tender.

Put the eggplants in a bowl and cover tightly (lid or wrap) for ~5 minutes so they steam. Peel off the burnt skin, trim the stems, and roughly chop the soft flesh.

Make the punchy paste: In a mortar (or small food processor), mash/pulse lemongrass, ginger, garlic, chiles, and cilantro stems until it turns into a rough paste. Mix in chile flakes, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar.

Season the eggplant: Stir the paste into the chopped eggplant a spoonful at a time, tasting as you go, until it’s bright, salty, tangy, and a little spicy.

Build the sandwiches

• 2 bánh mì rolls (or any sub/hoagie roll)

• Mayonnaise

• Sliced cucumber

• Sliced fresh cayenne

• Cilantro leaves, torn

• Mint leaves, torn

• Crispy shallots

Spread mayo on the bread, pile in the smoky eggplant, then add cucumber, jalapeño, the pickled carrot/daikon, herbs, and a shower of crispy shallots. Eat immediately while everything’s crunchy.

Adapted from Cooking with Vegetables by Jesse Jenkins

Chimichurri

This sauce will change your life. There are so many variations, but I like this variety that uses up bunched herbs that we grow a lot of. It’s a great way to use herbs that you don’t have a plan for so that they don’t go to waste, and a beautiful way to add pizzaz to any roasted veggies or meat.

1 small shallot or 1/4 cup red onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cup total herbs, tough stems removed, thin stems okay (I like about half parsley and half cilantro, add oregano too if you like!)

2 T red wine vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Crushed chili flakes, to taste

This sauce is easy as can be, toss it all in a food processor and blend to your desired consistency. Add more oil if it looks dry. Top your veggies, meat, grain bowl, whatever. You’ll be glad you did.

Romesco Sauce

This is Ashley’s favorite sauce. It’s similar to hummus but highlights roasted red peppers. Great for dipping.

• 3 sweet italian or bell peppers quartered and roasted

• ½ cup raw or roasted almonds (unsalted)

• ¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and drained

• 2 medium-to-large cloves garlic, peeled and quartered

• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vingar

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a blender (ideal) or food processor. Lock the lid and blend—start on low, then increase the speed as the mixture begins to catch and move.

2. When everything is mostly broken down, keep the machine running and slowly stream in the olive oil. Continue blending until it looks the way you want: silky-smooth and creamy, or a little more rustic and chunky.

3. Taste and adjust with more salt as needed (up to 1/4 teaspoon). Use right away, or transfer to a jar and refrigerate for 7–10 days.

Adapted from Cookie and Kate

Asian-Inspired Cucumber Salad

Looking to add a kick to your cukes? This simple salad highlights the sweet, refreshing coolness of summer cucumbers and adds a bang of ginger and chili paste to make a noteworthy side dish. Great with fish, on the side of a marinated meat, or added to a vegan rice bowl.

• 1 1/2 pounds slicing cucumbers (about 5 cups sliced)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4–5 scallions, finely sliced

• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated

• 1 clove garlic, finely minced

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acid or Coconut amino acid.

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey, or sugar)

• 1 teaspoon red chili paste (or sriracha, both optional) more to taste

• 1–2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Run a fork down the length of each cucumber a few times to lightly groove the skin (it helps the dressing stick, but you can skip this step if you’re short on time).

2. Thinly slice the cucumbers and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle it with salt and toss well. Let them sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients so they can release some water.

3. Drain the cucumbers in a fine-mesh strainer (don’t rinse), then transfer to a clean bowl. Add the scallions, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, maple syrup, and—if using—red chili paste and toasted sesame seeds. Toss until everything is evenly coated.

4. Taste and tweak: add a pinch more salt, a touch more sweetness, or extra chili paste for heat.

5. Chill until serving. Best the day it’s made, but it’ll keep up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge

Adapted from Feasting at Home

Easy Eggplant Parm

Cooking eggplant doesn’t have to be scary! Our eggplants are smaller and more tender than the usual store-bought ones, and don’t usually require any salting or pressing to make them chew-able. This twist on the classic parm recipe doesn’t even require all the battering and frying that traditional parm does, so that you can spend less time prepping and more time eating!

• 1 large or 3 small eggplant (our are usually on the smaller side!) sliced about ½”-¾” thick

• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided

• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

• 1 small onion (yellow, white, or red), thinly sliced

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

• 4 anchovy fillets (optional), plus more if you want

• 1 28 oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed (or 2-3 large Heirloom Toms from Sungrounded Farm, diced)

• ¾ cup panko bread crumbs

• 1/3 cup (about) grated parmesan

• 2–3 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or marjoram (you can skip, or use half the amount of dried)

• ⅓ cup coarsely chopped parsley, divided

• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced or torn

Method:

1. Roast the eggplant. Heat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the eggplant with about half the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway through. You’re aiming for eggplant that’s custardy inside and deeply browned on both sides—almost like it was fried. Don’t be shy with the color; the browning is where the magic is.

2. Make the tomato sauce. While the eggplant roasts, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft with browned edges, 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add red pepper flakes and anchovies (if using) and stir until the anchovies dissolve into the aromatics.

3. Add the tomato juices, then crush the tomatoes into the pot by hand, keeping them a bit chunky for texture. Season again and simmer gently 15–30 minutes, until slightly reduced and nicely thickened. When it tastes great, take it off the heat. 

4. Toast the breadcrumbs. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and toast—stirring and tossing often—until golden like toast, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Assemble. Spoon about half the sauce into the bottom of a 1-quart baking dish (or a 6-inch oven-safe skillet). Layer on half the eggplant, then half the parmesan, parsley, capers, and oregano. Sprinkle half the toasted breadcrumbs evenly over that, then add half the mozzarella. Repeat the layers, finishing with mozzarella. Add extra parmesan and black pepper if you feel like being a hero.

6. Bake. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is browned and the edges are bubbling, 15–20 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve with a spoon—this is more “scoopable comfort” than “neat slices”.

Serve on top of pasta or with just a side salad.

Adapted from Alison Roman

Garlic Scape Pesto

I love making pesto out of just about any green thing we grow here on the farm. It’s easy and delicious on any night of the week. Garlic scape pesto is a classic. The scapes must be trimmed off the garlic plants midsummer so that the plant will put its energy into the garlic bulb rather than trying to produce seeds. For a long time the scapes were simply discarded. Now we know just how tasty they are.

1 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1″ pieces

• 1 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1” pieces

• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

• 1/3 cup cashews

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

For Preparation Instructions Visit: https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/07/garlic-scape-pesto-recipe.html

Italian Eggplant Gnocchi Bake

This is a great way to get the hearty, cheesy goodness of eggplant parm, but in half the time - no breading or frying needed. And the good news is, when you get your eggplant from Sungrounded Farm, you’re getting a smaller and fresher fruit than the ones you get at the grocery store - that means way less chance of spongey eggplant.

• 12 ounces frozen or fresh plain gnocchi

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium white onion, diced

• Kosher salt

• 2 small Italian eggplant (about 1 pound), diced

• 1 1/4 cups store-bought roasted garlic marinara sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 1/2 ounces shredded provolone

• Sprigs fresh basil or oregano, for garnish, optional

For Instructions visit: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/italian-eggplant-gnocchi-bake-recipe-2121259