New Hampshire Home - March-April 2015

Ratatouille is a stew-like vegetable dish from the Provence area of France. It usually contains eggplant, zucchini, onion and peppers, but nothing in the world of food is a commandment; other vegetables can be used at the cook’s whim. Ratatouille serves nicely as a side dish or a main vegetarian offering. I like to digress a bit and bring out more vegetable flavor by roasting all the vegetables instead of stewing them.

Kale and Swiss chard have honored places in my home garden. I love their royal presence as they tower over other nearby vegetables. Kale’s sturdy leaves are the perfect complement to the more delicate chard, and together they make a delightful combo in this protein- and vitamin-packed “quiche.”

Crunchy sugar snap peas—I eat them right off the vine! But when I do cook them, I steam them to retain that crunch and vivid green color. A favorite family salad during the summer is this simple one with feta cheese and onion. To vary the dish, add fresh mint and lemon zest.

While I am harvesting cherry tomatoes, both Sun-Gold and Sweet 100s, I make plans for using them. Some we will eat, some will go to neighbors,some will be frozen for making delicious tomato soup and some will go into this glorious tomato cobbler.