Greetings!
This week, it looks like we will continue to enjoy plentiful peppers and summer squash along with some more tomatoes. I also am harvesting baby eggplants of various sizes and colors ... they all can be cooked the same as regular eggplants though. I usually just slice and grill eggplants with olive oil, salt, and pepper or cube it and saute it with some garlic. I'm going to try a Calabrian recipe for Polpette or Eggplant Meatballs tonight:
Polpette
About 1 pound of eggplant, unpeeled
Kosher salt
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs, or more if needed
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
2 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Makes about 32 1-inch meatballs.
Cut the eggplant into 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Bring 2 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a 4-quart pot over high heat and add the eggplant. Boil uncovered until the eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. The cubes want to float, so you will need to push them down into the water repeatedly with a wooden spoon. Drain in a colander and let cool, then press on the eggplant with a wooden spoon to remove excess water. The eggplant should be as dry as possible. Very finely chop by hand.
In a bowl, combine the eggplant, fresh breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley and garlic. Blend the ingredients gently with a fork, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix the egg in thoroughly. In a small skillet lightly coated with olive oil, fry a tablespoon of the mixture and taste for seasoning.
Working with a little of the mixture at a time, roll between your palms into small balls about 1 inch in diameter and set them on a tray. If the mixture is too moist to roll easily, stir in a few more fresh breadcrumbs. Put the fine breadcrumbs in a small bowl, roll each ball in the crumbs to coat evenly, then set the coated balls aside on a clean tray.
Pour olive oil into a 10-inch skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Don't skimp on the oil or the meatballs won't fry properly. Turn the heat to medium. When the oil begins to shimmer, put a test ball in the skillet; it should sizzle immediately. If not, let the oil heat a little longer. When the oil is ready, carefully place half the balls in the skillet. They should fit in a single layer without crowding.
Fry the balls, turning them gently with a spoon so as not to break them, until deeply browned all over, about 3 minutes total. With a slotted spoon, transfer the balls as they are done to a tray lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining balls. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve.
Variation:
Shape the balls but do not coat them with fine breadcrumbs. Fry them in olive oil as directed above, then simmer them, uncovered, in tomato sauce over medium heat for 10 minutes. Boil 1 pound of long or short pasta, such as spaghetti or penne, drain, and toss with about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce and some freshly grated pecorino cheese.
And I thought I'd share some other new favorite recipes I've been trying that will hopefully help you use up the peppers and summer squash!
Zucchini and Apricot Socca Tart
from 'The French Market Cookbook'
by Clotilde Dusoulier
Tart Base
1 1/3 cups (140 g) chickpea flour
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Olive oil for cooking
Freshly ground black pepper
Zucchini Tart
9 ounces (250 g) apricots, mangoes, or peaches, pitted and diced
1 small (120 g) zucchini
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
To prepare the tart base: In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, cumin, and 3 tablespoons oil. Pour in 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold water in a slow stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. The mixture will be thinner than pancake batter. Cover and let rest for 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge.
Place a well-seasoned 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron pan in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Whisk the batter again. Remove the pan from the oven cautiously (it will be hot) and pour in a good glug of oil, swirling the pan around to coat. Pour the batter into the pan and swirl to cover the entire surface. Return to the oven and bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Switch the oven to the broiler setting and leave the pan in, keeping a close eye on it, until golden brown and crisp at the top, about 10 minutes. Turn the socca out onto a plate, then flip it back onto a serving dish.
To make the fruit compote: Cook the diced fruit in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, uncovered, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat, bring to a simmer, and cook for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool completely. You should have about 6 tablespoons of the apricot compote.
To finish the tart: Using a mandoline slicer or very sharp knife, cut the zucchini into paper-thin slices.
Place the socca browned side up on a serving dish and spread with the apricot compote. Scatter the zucchini slices on top and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the thyme.
Cut with a serrated knife and serve.
Grilled Pepper Relish
from Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison
3 large or 4 medium sweet peppers (a hotter pepper can be added as well...)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove of fresh garlic, sliced
1 tbsp marjoram, fresh chopped (or oregano, basil, or fennel would be lovely as substitutes or alternate flavorings)
1 tsp tomato paste
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1-2 tsp of good balsamic vinegar
Roast, then peel and deseed the peppers. Cut into strips or bite sized squares. Heat oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add peppers, garlic, marjoram, tomato paste, and few pinches of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are soft and silky, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, to taste; then add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool and store in fridge.
Corsican Bell Pepper Stew
Can be served over rice or barley or over meat... but is nice on its own too. This get better the next day as it needs some time to fully meld in flavor.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
3 medium red bell peppers, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
3 crushed juniper berries
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
sea salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup red wine (optional - nice addition but not worth opening a bottle)
Heat oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook until softened. Then, add peppers, rosemary, juniper berries, another dash of salt, and reduce heat to low. Cook, with cover off and stirring often, until very soft about 20-30 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and wine (if using). Add another dash of salt and cook until the tomatoes have melted into the sauce and the juices have started to reduce, another 10-20 minutes.
Then add black pepper and taste for seasoning. Either store until the next day or serve right away.
My favorite vegetable - focused cookbooks:
The French Market Cookbook by Clotilde Dusoulier
Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
And of course, Greens, Glorious Greens by Johanna Albi and Catherine Walthers.
The fruit this week will be peaches and mangoes. Mushrooms will be portabellas. 
