Butterflies

Yesterday we had visits from these beautiful butterflies. Monarchs? Swallowtails? Tortoiseshell? Time to buy a butterfly book. These are all new to us. One would occasionally fly over, take a look and leave. Now they linger for the Buddleia... The Butterfly garden is starting to work.

Rainy Garden

Simple Tomato Tart

Simple Tomato Tart Tomatoes! Tomatoes! Tomatoes! It is August and tomatoes are the fruit of the month. It’s funny, I look forward to tomato season but there is a point when you think, ooh tomatoes again! At least here in the US. Growing up in England you just hoped that there would be enough sun and heat to ripen the many tomatoes on your vines or we would be eating a lot of Green Tomato Chutney, Again. My friend Gaye Sandler first taught me this tart a few years ago. It has been a favorite since. Perfect for a light lunch with salad or small slices for a light snack before dinner. I have tried it with cheddar, I don’t like it as much the gruyere brings a certain flavor to the tomatoes. Simple Tomato Tart 1 cup flour 1 stick butter little salt cold water 1 large egg 1heaped tablespoon dijon mustard teaspoon fresh thyme 1 1/2 cups grated gruyere 2 large ripe field tomatoes chopped basil salt and pepper olive oil Combine first three ingredients in food processor (or make by hand with rub in method) when the mixture looks like bread crumbs, add cold water, tablespoon at a time until pastry ball is formed. Let rest while you prepare the other ingredients. In a bowl mix together the egg, mustard and thyme, until thoroughly combined. Roll out pastry to fit a 9 inch tart tin. Put the rolled out pastry into the tart tin. Prick the pastry all over before spreading the egg mustard mixture over the bottom; then cover the egg mixture with the grated gruyere. Slice the tomatoes, about 1/4 inch wide and lay the slices over the gruyere. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, the chopped basil; finally sprinkling a little olive oil over the tomatoes. Bake in 375 degree oven for approximately 40 minutes until the pastry is golden and the tomatoes are cooked. Enjoy!

Stuffed Peppers

After the rain...

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

One of my recent favorite finds down in Union Square Farmers Market is Catskill Merino Lamb’s Red Pepper Fennel Sausage. http://www.catskill-merino.com. I had not checked them out before, because I would walk pass their beautiful colored merino wools and feel guilty about no longer knitting.. I first bought their sausages, a couple of months ago and have grilled them for an extremely tasty hot dog roll for lunch. It was cooler then and there were asparagus and rhubarb in the market. The Meguez sausage is delicious too. My mind kept turning to stuffed peppers - nothing we grew up with, nothing I have ever thought to make. My first attempt, I used the sausages grilled, and canned tomatoes. However, today I bought excellent green peppers and saturdays tomatoes were ripe enough to cook with and the herbs in the garden seem more fragrant with the recent rain. Stuffed Peppers 2 cups cooked rice - which ever you prefer, white, basmati, brown. 1 onion - reasonably finely chopped 2 cloves of garlic - chopped - Catskill Merino have wonderful garlic 1 small zucchini (courgette) - also finely chopped, and the one I used was about 6 inches 1 large ripe field tomato - chopped finely, remove skin if desired or 1 14oz can tomatoes Mixed herbs - I picked from the garden thyme, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, a sprig of each finely chopped 2 Catskill Merino Lamb red pepper and fennel sausage or your own favorite Salt and Pepper to taste 1/2 Grated cheese - use a favorite, cheddar, gruyere or monterey jack Olive oil Cut the sausage in 1/4 inch slices. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet, add the sausage and brown either side. Remove from skillet. Add more olive oil to skillet if required; add onion, cook a few minutes longer then add the garlic saute until clear. Add the chopped zucchini, cook for a few minutes more then add the chopped tomato and herbs, simmer until cooked about 10 minutes, add a little water if the mixture becomes dry. Add the cooked sausage, cook for a minute longer, melding the flavors, add the rice. Mix thoroughly together. Taste! Adjust seasoning. In the meantime, cut the tops off the peppers and a small slither off bottom, so pepper stands upright. Scoop out the center and seeds. Place in baking dish. Fill the peppers with rice tomato mixture. Grated cheese on top. Place the tops on the peppers. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes. I added a little water to the bottom of the baking dish, to stop the bottoms from drying up. Serve with a delicious salad.