DAN'S PAPERS, September 11, 2009 Page 52 www.danshamptons.com
Food / Dining Late Summer Vegetables
Simple Art of Cooking Silvia Lehrer While Labor Day weekend officially called the summer to a close, the fresh abundance of the harvest continues to spill over at farm stands. It is one of the most colorful of seasons on the East End, with markets displaying a variety of yellow and red tomatoes, beets, potatoes, white and purple eggplant, zucchini, fennel and pencil thin green beans – it seems like a good year for peaches, too. Al pinzimonio is a delightful way to eat raw fennel, celery and sweet peppers. The vegetables are sliced for dipping into a dressing of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil, coarse salt, lots of freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon. According to Giuliano Bugialli, a scholarly chef/author of several Italian award-winning cookbooks, the name comes from holding the vegetables between two fingers as if in pinze, or tweezers. The idea makes a simple, crunchy and tasty first course served individually. There’s still some good grilling weather ahead. Leeks on the grill make an uncommonly delicious side dish – steam ahead and grill later. Caponata, a popular appetizer, is essentially a mixture of eggplant, celery and tomatoes seasoned with a sweet and sour flavoring – agrodolci – no doubt the reason why Americans love this dish. The rush is on to savor all the seasonal goodness.
1/2 cup olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 1. Cut the green above the white at a 45-degree angle to expose the inner white leaves. Discard dark green and any bruised outer leaves. Hold onto the root end and cut slits away from the root to expose the layers. Hold under running water to rinse away the dirt. As an extra precaution, soak leeks in fresh water for 15 minutes. 2. Place leeks on a wire rack in a roasting pan and add wine (or water) to a depth of about 1 inch, or to just below the level of the rack. Cover pan tightly with foil and steam over medium-low heat until leeks soften, about 5 minutes. 3. Remove leeks from the pan, brush generously with oil and season with salt and pepper. Preheat charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Place leeks on grill rack 2 to 3 inches from the heat and grill, turning frequently, until slightly charred all over, about 5-7 minutes, depending on their size. Serve warm or at room temperature. GIULIANO BUGIALLI’S CAPONATA Serves 10-12 4-5 small eggplants (about two pounds) Coarse-grained salt 3 medium-sized red onions 5 celery stalks 1/4 pound black olives in brine, drained 1/4 pound green olives in brine, drained
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1. Wash the eggplants carefully, peel them, and cut into 1-inch squares. Put eggplant cubes in a colander and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of coarse salt. Place a dish or weight on eggplants to help squeeze out their bitter liquid and let stand 30 minutes. Slice the onions very thin and soak them in cold water for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add coarse salt to taste. 2. Cut celery stalks lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut the strips into 1/2-inch long pieces. When the water reaches a boil, add coarse grain-salt to taste and the celery. Parboil for 5-6 minutes. Drain the celery and let it dry on paper towels until needed. Pit the olives. Drain the onions and pat them dry with paper towels. Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and sauté for about 10 minutes. 3. Pass tomatoes through a food mill. Add the strained tomatoes to the skillet, and then add the pitted olives, capers, raisins and pignoli. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 15 minutes. Let stand covered until needed. 4. Wash the eggplants carefully in cold water to remove salt and pat them dry on paper towels. Heat the remaining oil in a second skillet. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant cubes and sauté for about 15 minutes. (The eggplant should be cooked but still firm.) Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Prepare a serving dish by lining it with paper towels. Transfer the cooked eggplant to the dish with a slotted spoon. 5. Add the par boiled celery to the skillet and sautéé for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the drained eggplant cubes to the skillet first with the sauce and simmer for about 10 minutes. Transfer the sautéed celery to the skillet with the eggplant. Add the wine vinegar and sugar and let the vinegar evaporate (about 10 minutes). Taste for salt and pepper and mix very well. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for a few minutes. Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Then transfer the caponata to a serving dish and let cool completely before serving. Serve at room temperature. From Giuliano Bugialli’s Classic Techniques in Italian Cooking, Simon & Schuster, 1982.
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1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound fresh tomatoes, or canned plum, drained 4 tablespoons capers in wine vinegar, drained 2 tablespoons raisins 2 tablespoons pignoli (pine nuts) Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon granulated sugar