Beef Garden Skillet

I usually make this in late summer, when all of my friends are bringing in their excess veggies. It's like having my own farmer's market. Since I never get all of the ingredients fresh at any one time, I'll mix in canned or frozen veggies as needed, so I'll include both here, except for the zucchini. There's always zucchini.

1 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
2 or 3 green onions, chopped (including greens) or 1 tbsp minced onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 or 3 ears of cooked corn, removed from cobs or (1) 16 oz bag frozen corn
3 beefsteak tomatoes diced or (1) 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
4 or 5 mushrooms slided or (1) 5 oz can of sliced mushrooms, drained
basil, oregano, salt and pepper to taste

Brown the beef in your skillet or dutch oven on medium heat. About halfway through the browning (about 3 minutes, or when the juices really start flowing from the beef), add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the beef is browned, and drain any excess liquid. Stir in zucchini, corn, tomatoes and mushrooms, let cook for a few minutes, then add salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Cover and lower heat to medium low, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until zucchini is soft.

Serve with parmesan cheese and italian bread.

yeharr

Two Vegetable Recipes - Leek - Celery

Here follow two vegetable recipes, also suitable for vegetarians or vegans. We make them for Passover, but they are good anytime.

I have learned both of them from Turkish Jews, though they are probably found in Greece as well.

The first is Apio - Sweet and Sour Celery. I make it with celeriac (celery root), but you can make it with a bunch of stalk celery too. It's a good way to make celery aside from serving it raw. Save the celery leaves for soup or matzoh balls. It doubles pretty easily.

Apio


1 large celery root, or two smaller ones
4 carrots
4-5 tblsp olive oil - or other veg oil
3 tblsp fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon (if desired)
1/2 c. water
1 tblsp soup mix or 2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tblsp sugar (I suppose you could use splenda).

Wash and slice the celery root into roughly 1/4" - 1 cm slices. Unless you enjoy cut fingers, don't peel them before you slice the root. Scrape and slice the carrots, slightly on an angle, to look nice.

Put all the ingredients except the salt or soup mix in a heavy sauce pan. Add 1/2 c (about 1 1/4 dl) water, and cover. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until tender.

Remove the vegetables and pour the thickened sauce over them. If the sauce is too
thick, thin with water. If it is too thin, cook uncovered without the vegetables, but be carful not to let it burn.

Serve hot as a side dish or at room temperature/cold as a side or appetizer.

Garnish with dill if desired.

I have no idea what this is called in Turkish or Ladino.

Braised Turkish Leeks

6 medium-sized leeks
1 med onion, sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tblsp tomato paste
1 -2 tblsp sugar
1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
Juice of 1/2 lemon - more if desired
Zest of half lemon, if desired
1/4 - 1/3 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill
Salt
Freshly ground black or white pepper
Lemon slices to garnish

Remove outer leaves from leeks and trim roots even with base. Cut off most of the green tops and save for soup. Halve lengthwise and wash well to remove ALL soil and sand. Fry onion in oil until transparent. Add tomato paste, thinned with the water or stock, half of the parsley, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add leeks and lemon juice, spooning liquid over the leeks. Simmer covered 15-20 minutes. Remove to glass serving dish - because it looks quite pretty - garnish with parsley, dill and lemon slices, if desired. May be served warm or cold.

Potato-Green Pea Salad

This really is good! :)

Potato-Green Pea Salad

Salad:
4-5 medium potatoes
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup sliced green onions , or more
1/4 cup chopped green pepper

Dressing:
1/2 cup fat-free mayo
1/2 plain yogurt (or fat-free sour cream)
1-2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
herbs of choice, if desired

*Boil the potatoes (or cheat and buy the diced canned ones, lol)
for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.
When cool, peel and cut into cubes. You should have about 7 cups.

*Combine the potatoes with the rest of the salad ingredients.

*Then mix the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad mixture. Toss and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Grilled Eggplant

Source: Some show I watched years ago and my own experimentation

Cut eggplant with skins on about 2 inches thick - judge your total amount of eggplant for yourselves.
Put in lidded container with splash of balsamic vinegar
Shake until most of the vinegar is absorbed
Put in some oil (anywhere from a tablespoon per eggplant up)
Sprinkle oregano, basil, and pepper on eggplant
Shake until spices are evenly distributed - apply more before putting on grill if neccessary.
Grill eggplant on hot grill/bbq until nicely browned scores appear - turn and grill other side. Eggplant should be softened, but not soggy.
Will also work on George Foreman grill - slightly soggier than BBQ result
Tastes better if eaten relatively warm.