can produce a feast.
Garden Reports and Rejoicing – July 24
I love the time of year when we can come home and pick dinner. The new potatoes are ready, the chard is thick, the beans and summer squash are prolific and we’re picking several tomatoes per day. Heaven.
Last night I made a summer squash and potato torte based on this recipe found on Epicurious. I used chives instead of scallions, topped it with ribbons of chard, and baked the entire thing in a cast-iron skillet. It was yummy. Next I’m going to make it with sliced tomatoes and chopped basil on top instead of the chard, and add tablespoons of goat cheese in the middle.
Not everyone wants to plant and tend a large vegetable garden, but even a small raised bed can produce a delicious meal on selected summer nights. Homegrown vegetables are not only tasty and nutritious, but they soul-satisfying. The pleasure that comes from being able to move from garden to table in a couple of hours sustains more than just the body.
We added white wine and deviled eggs to this vegetable feast, leading us once again to talk about whether we should get chickens...
The torte was just layers of new potatoes and summer squash, with parmesan cheese and chives. I put the skillet on low on the stove top after assembling, and put a lid on the top. After warming it this way for about ten minutes I pop it in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, taking the lid off for the last ten.
