Peg's Countryside Cafe

Recipes

ROASTED HARVEST VEGETABLES

The days are growing shorter, the nights are getting colder, and we all know it’s only a matter of time until we’re breaking out the snow boots and shovels to dig out from three feet of snow.

Fall means fewer weekends at the lake, fewer picnics at the park and less grilling in the backyard. But before you put away the grill until next spring, use the bountiful harvest of late-summer vegetables to make your own roasted vegetable creation.

Best for roasting:

Crooked-neck yellow squash, zucchini, red pepper, fennel, carrots, red onion, corn and Yukon gold potatoes

Directions:

Cut the vegetables into large chunks (slice the squash down the middle, leave the corn whole, and toss lightly in olive or vegetable oil). Place the veggies directly on the grill until they start to soften; those charred markings are just what you want and the direct heat will bring out the natural sugars!

When the veggies are softened, remove from the grill and chunk into smaller portions, put them in a shallow pan and add a few cloves of fresh garlic. Dress and toss this mixture with granulated garlic, coarse black pepper, kosher salt, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. (Use twice as much vinegar as you do oil.) Put the pan back on the grill to finish; you can cover it and move it to a cool spot while your meat finishes.

We platter these up to serve with hummus and pita and they are always a hit. The bonus is that it is easy to produce a great version of this dish in your oven all year long!

HUMMUS

This recipe comes from Chef Alex in our Catering Department.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, minced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

2 cups cooked chick peas (garbanzos), drained and rinsed if canned

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon soy sauce

¼ cup tahini (sesame paste)

½ cup sesame seeds, roasted and ground

Salt, is desired, to taste

Instructions:

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until the vegetables are soft. Set the mixture aside. In a blender or food processor, puree the chickpeas with the onion and garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, tahini and sesame seeds. Add salt to taste.

This is delicious and fresh; if you want to try a variation add some sun dried tomatoes and top with few roasted pine nuts.