This Week’s Recipes: May 27-30, 2020

Italian Eggplant & Tomato Gratin

• 1 eggplant, stems removed, flesh sliced in ¼-inch rounds
• 5 Roma  tomatoes, sliced in ¼-inch rounds
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
• ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 400º. In a large bowl, toss together the eggplant rounds, tomatoes, lemon zest, thyme, garlic, and ¼ cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a 9-inch gratin dish, arrange the vegetables while tucking small crumbles of goat cheese underneath each vegetable. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the shingled vegetables and sprinkle the panko on top. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Bake the gratin until it is tender and golden brown, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Serve hot and directly out of the baking dish.

Peach & Cucumber Salad with Basil Vinaigrette  

Ingredients for Vinaigrette:

• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
• 1 lemon (juiced)
• 1 TBSP honey or maple syrup
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 6 fresh basil leaves (or 10 mint leaves)

Ingredients for Salad:

• 3 ripe peaches
• 3 pickling cucumbers
• ¼ cup toasted pecans (optional)
• ¼ cup goat cheese (crumbled, optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except the basil or mint and whisk to combine.
2. Finely chop the fresh basil or mint and mix into the vinaigrette.
3. Cut the peaches into bite-size chunks, discarding the pits.
4. Slice the cucumbers into ¼ inch slices.
5. Place the peaches and cucumbers in a medium sized glass bowl.
6. Pour the vinaigrette over the cut peaches and cucumbers and mix well.
7. Cover and refrigerate several hours.
8. Garnish with pecans and goat cheese before serving if desired.

Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Green Beans

• 2 medium sized sweet potato, cut into wedges
• 1 ag of green beans, cleaned and trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided in half
• 1/3 cup dill leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• the zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 395F. 
2. Toss the sweet potato with 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. 
3. Toss the green beans with the remaining salt and olive oil, and add to the baking sheet with sweet potato.
4. Bake both for an additional 15 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and garnish with dill, feta and lemon zest.