Roasted Pepper Caprese

Roasted Pepper Caprese

Sep 8, 2020

Servings

4 Servings

Roasted Pepper Caprese

The hands-off approach for this summery caprese recipe means no blistering the peppers on the stovetop and no need to peel them—although some of the skins will slide right off after cooking if you nudge them along. This recipe is part of the Healthyish Farmers’ Market Challenge.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 lb. mixed bell peppers and chiles (any more than 2 hot chiles and the peppers will end up spicy, which is delicious as long as that is what you are going for; a handful of shishitos are great in the mix as well), large peppers seeded, cut off of cores into quarters
  • 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 12 oz. fresh mozzarella
  • Basil leaves (for serving)
  • 1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

RECIPE PREPARATION

 

 

  • Preheat oven to 325°. Toss peppers, chiles, garlic, and oil in a Dutch oven or heavy roasting pan; season with salt and pepper and toss again to coat. Cover and roast, tossing occasionally, until peppers are very tender, 2–2½ hours. Let cool.

  • Arrange half of peppers on a platter. Top peppers with mozzarella and basil. Measure out 3 Tbsp. of the oily juices left behind and transfer to a small bowl (save remaining peppers and their juices for another use; we love them tossed with pasta, layered into sandwiches, or stirred into frittatas). Add vinegar; season with salt. Stir to combine, then drizzle dressing over salad.

Roasted Pepper Caprese

Cucumber and Onion Salad

Sep 8, 2020

Servings

8 Servings

Big Beans and Tomato Vinaigrette

Cool, crunchy, and a bit sweet, this salad is meant to quench the fire from all the other dishes on the table.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
  • ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh mint leaves (for serving

 

RECIPE PREPARATION

 

 

  • Toss cucumbers, onion, and 1 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Let sit until cucumbers begin to release liquid. Gently press down on cucumbers to force out more liquid, being careful not to break apart. Remove from bowl, shaking off liquid, and place vegetables in a clean bowl. Toss with vinegar and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Top with mint.

Roasted Pepper Caprese

Smashed Cucumber Salad with Za’atar and Feta

Sep 8, 2020

Servings

4 Servings

Smashed Cucumber Salad with Za’atar and Feta

Magic happens when toasted garlic oil meets fragrant za’atar. But if you don’t have za’atar on hand, dried mint is equally delicious infused into hot oil. 

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 mini seedless or Persian cucumbers or 1 small English hothouse cucumber (about 12 oz.)
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
  • 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. za’atar or 1 Tbsp. dried mint and 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • Crumbled feta (for serving

 

RECIPE PREPARATION

 

Gently smash cucumbers with a rolling pin or the back of a heavy knife just to break open. Tear into irregular 2″ pieces and place in a medium bowl; season lightly with salt. Let sit at least 5 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook garlic and oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat, turning garlic once, until golden brown and very fragrant, 5–7 minutes. Add za’atar and red pepper flakes and remove from heat. Let cool until just warm and stir in lime juice; season dressing with salt. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Drain cucumbers, discarding any liquid they have released. Add to bowl with dressing and toss several times to coat. Top with feta.

Servings

4 Servings

Big Beans and Tomato Vinaigrette

If you’d like, soak the beans overnight before cooking; it will help them cook more quickly and evenly. The key thing, though, is to be very gentle with the beans while they simmer so they don’t break apart in the process. 

Ingredients

Beans

  • Handful of oregano sprigs
  • Handful of thyme sprigs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 oz. dried butter beans, rinsed, soaked overnight if possible
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 1 large carrot, scrubbed, coarsely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Vinaigrette and Assembly

  • 10 oz. cherry tomatoes or 1½ cups chopped heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 lb. assorted heirloom, beefsteak, and/or cherry tomatoes
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Handful of basil leaves
  • Mild red pepper flakes (such as Aleppo-style or Maras)

RECIPE PREPARATION

 

Beans

 

Tie together oregano, thyme, and bay leaves with kitchen twine. Combine beans, onion, carrot, and herbs in a medium pot. Pour in water to cover beans by about 4″ and bring to a very gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat and cook at the barest of simmers, stirring hardly at all, until beans are creamy and tender at the center but not falling apart or mushy, about 1½ hours (this could take longer, depending on the beans). The key is to not agitate, which will help the beans maintain their shape. Remove pot from heat; season beans aggressively with salt. Gently stir in oil. Let cool. Drain beans; discard onion, carrot, and herbs.

 

Do Ahead: Beans can be made 2 days ahead. Keep in liquid; cover and chill.

 

Vinaigrette and Assembly

 

Purée cherry tomatoes in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in garlic, vinegar, and ⅓ cup oil; season with salt. Let sit 15–20 minutes, then pluck out garlic.

 

Transfer drained beans to a medium bowl and add vinaigrette; toss gently to coat. Taste and add more salt if needed.

 

Slice, halve, or quarter heirloom tomatoes and arrange on a platter or divide among individual plates. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Spoon beans along with plenty of vinaigrette over; top with basil and a few pinches of red pepper flakes.

Roasted Pepper Caprese

New-and-Improved Greek Salad

Sep 8, 2020

Servings

4 Servings

New-and-Improved Greek Salad

The method for marinating the feta is also a good trick for other fresh cheeses—try goat, mozzarella, or paneer.

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Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 small lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed
  • 8 oz. feta
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped oregano
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • 4 Jimmy Nardello or other sweet Italian frying peppers
  • 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 1 large Japanese or Armenian cucumber or 2 medium Persian cucumbers, peeled, cut into 1½” pieces
  • 1 lb. small tomatoes (such as Sun Gold and/or cherry), some halved, some left whole
  • 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

RECIPE PREPARATION

 

 

  • Heat ¼ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add lemon slices and cook until lightly charred around the edges, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer lemon slices to a medium bowl. Set aside skillet with oil.

  • Break feta into large pieces and add to bowl with charred lemons along with oregano and remaining ½ cup oil; season mixture lightly with salt and generously with black pepper. Toss very gently to coat and set aside.

  • Set reserved skillet over medium-high heat and add frying peppers. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until skins are lightly charred and flesh is tender, 6–8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a cutting board and let cool slightly, then cut in half lengthwise.

  • Toss onion, cucumber, tomatoes, vinegar, and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add frying peppers and lightly toss again to combine. Transfer salad to a platter and scatter marinated feta with lemon slices and oil over.