lucindervention

“As we passed the autumn equinox and approach cooler weather most people are quick to jump on fall food bandwagon. Replacing peaches with apples, tomatoes with pumpkin and potatoes with sweet potatoes. We are also anticipating the cooler weather and the delicious recipes that come with it; however we are not ready to let go of the abundant produce that summer provides. 

A rich zucchini and summer squash gratin (think the cheesy, thinly sliced potato casserole you grandmother used to make) is the perfect combination of an autumn dish with late summer ingredients. We lightened it up a touch by removing the heavy roux and the sometimes too-heavy white cheddar. We are not without cheese in this dish as we added a generous amount of earthy goat cheese and topped it with some sharp parmesan. This side dish will serve enough for four.

A quick note on the amount of cream in the dish: to some it may seem like it is not enough but you have to consider the amount of water that is inherent in summer squashes. Trust us, it’s a lot. When the gratin cooks, liquid will be extracted from the squash to help with the consistency of the dish.” – Joe

Ingredients

• 2 summer squash – cut in half and sliced into half circles
• 1 zucchini – cut in half and sliced into half circles
• 0.5 yellow onion – julienned
• 0.25 cup parsley – finely chopped
• 2 clove garlic – minced
• 1 small shallot – minced
• 0.5 lemon – juiced
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 0.5 cup grated parmesan

Directions

1. Place a medium sized sauce pot over medium heat on the stove top. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, shallots, and garlic to the pan in that order.
2. Gently cook the shallots and garlic until soft and translucent, or for about two minutes.
3. Add the cream, goat cheese, lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring the cream mixture up to a boil and whisk until the goat cheese is fully dispersed.
5. Add the cream mixture to the sliced vegetables (in a large bowl) and season with salt and pepper, mix.
6. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle the parmesan over the top of the squash then place the gratin in a preheated oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
7. Cook for thirty minutes, then switch the oven over to broil and brown the top of the gratin until golden
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

“Looks like I did it again. I was able to find another recipe that includes quinoa that Andi really seems to enjoy. It is a challenge to make it palatable to her tastes as she does not enjoy the taste of plain quinoa or the texture of the under cooked seeds.

I was flipping through a taco cookbook when a recipe caught my eye: a grilled chicken taco with roasted corn salsa, red peppers, and chili-lime. The flavor combination really stuck with me while I contemplated what dish I could make for a quick weekday dinner. I thought I would go out on a limb and try the recipe sans-taco shell. Place the roasted chicken in a bowl filled with quinoa, roasted local corn, red pepper, and garnish it with avocado and fresh, raw red onions. There was no complaint from my wife about the aforementioned seed when it was served on her plate; in fact she finished her bowl before I was able to eat half of mine. Winner, winner quinoa bowl dinner!

Not all quinoa is made the same. Some lesser quality brands can have small pebbles or other debris mixed in with their product. Even with higher end products it is always best to sift through the seeds and give it a quick wash. We enjoy tri-colored quinoa for its visual appearance on the plate.” – Joe

For the Quinoa:

• 1 cup quinoa – sifted and rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 0.25 cup red onion – small diced

For the Roasted Corn:

• 2 cobs corn – peeled, corn removed from the cob
• remaining red onion – medium diced
• 1 red onion – seeded and medium diced
• 1 clove garlic – minced
• 0.5 lime – juiced
• 0.25 cup cilantro – chopped
• ground cumin
• ground coriander
• dark chili powder
• salt and pepper

For the Roasted Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• ground cumin
• dark chili powder
• 0.5 lime juiced
• 0.5 avocado – thinly sliced
• red onion – julienned

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set a medium sized sauté pan on medium high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil.

2. Season the chicken breast with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and dark chili powder.

3. Add the chicken breast and sear on each side until golden brown, or for about three to four minutes per side.

4. Place in the oven and continue to cook for approximately fifteen minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven and squeeze the lime juice over the chicken.

6. In a sauce pot with a lid on medium heat, add two tablespoons olive oil and the small diced red onion and minced garlic and gently sweat down for about three minutes.

7. Add in the quinoa and water and bring to a boil.

8. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for ten minutes.

9. For the last pan, place a large skillet on medium high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil and place all the remaining vegetables in the pan.

10. Stirring regularly roast the vegetables until golden brown, or for about five minutes, and add the cilantro and lime juice.

11. Remove the pan from the heat and season with the salt, pepper, cumin, and dark chili powder.

12. To plate, slice the chicken on a cutting board. Scoop about one half to three-quarters of a cup of quinoa into a bowl, about a cup of the roasted corn sauté, and place the sliced chicken on top. Garnish with sliced avocado and raw red onion.