Coming in Seconds

"Seconds" are the vegetables that we'd call "full of character." They aren't stock-image farmers market pretty, and sometimes they're overripe. Chefs love them: extra-flavorful AND inexpensive? Sign us up. 

Tomato seconds--which I got from Leda, my sourcerer--are PERFECT for gazpacho. And these beauties are heirlooms: extra-juicy, extra flavorful. I keep my gazpacho super simple: blended to be very smooth, it's just tomatoes, bread, garlic, vinegar and oil. So good: rich and bright and tomatoey. Get some while the weather is still sometimes hot.

The salad is here to remind us that that won't always be the case: the first winter squash of the season, and hearty but acidic roselle leaves call ahead to fall. We've still got roasted peppers though--I wouldn't want to give anyone whiplash. Jammy eggs and black chickpeas bring the protein and the fiber, and toasted cashews keep the texture interesting. 

Our other special this week will be strangely...familiar. There's rice, but it's brown.  And smoked pork and chicken and trinity. Is it jambalaya? Does jambalaya have this many vegetables, plus crispy okra on top? Well no, probably not. But this casserole does, and it's delicious.

Also, please note, the white bean gratin has been updated. We kept the herbs, but the tomatoes are now a pulp, so it will be a cheery, rosy hue under those crunchy breadcrumbs. 

This transitional period has me SUPER busy with preserving projects, so if you've hankering for something in a jar with a long shelf life, stay tuned, next week will be very exciting for you.