Farm Fresh

I'll be hosting the August cooking club on Thursday, September 18th. I'll email directions to my house. The theme will be Farm Fresh. Make a dish using local food, either purchased at a farmer's market or local fruit/vegetable stand, etc., or something that you have grown yourself.

Beverage: Sarah (Peach Lemonade)
Appetizer: Jenny (Tomato Tart)
Appetizer: Kelsey (Bruschetta)
Salad: Hannah (Roquefort Pear Salad)
Main Dish: Alma (Panini---Anyone know where to get local cheese?)
Side Dish: Jeri (Tiella)
Dessert: Heather (Apple Pie)

Tomato Tart (via Martha Stewart)
1 head garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
3 oz goat cheese
1 1/2 pounds firm but ripe tomatoes (4 medium), cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Wrap to enclose garlic in foil, and place on a small baking sheet. Bake until soft and golden brown and the tip of a knife easily pierces the flesh, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. When garlic is cool enough to handle, using either your hands or the dull end of a large knife, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and into a small bowl; mash with a fork, and set aside. Discard the papery skins.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch-thick circle, about 12 inches in diameter. With a dry pastry brush, brush off the excess flour; roll the dough around the rolling pin, and lift it over a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners. Trim the dough so that it is flush with the edges; transfer to the refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes.
3. Spread roasted garlic evenly on the chilled crust. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the cheese, in an overlapping circular pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer to oven. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. and bake until crust is golden and tomatoes are soft but still retain their shape, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, and serve warm.

Tiella
(This is my mom's recipe, as she remembers it from her mother and grandmother). This is an Italian vegetable casserole, we use half zucchini and half potato. If the zucchini are big, slice in half and pare out the seeds because they will be too watery. Spray non-stick spray in the casserole dish. Put a little Marinara on the bottom layer (we like the spicy kind) zucchini then potato, bread crumbs, a little salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and basil (buzzlie-koy, as Grandma would say). Repeat until casserole is filled ending with breadcrumbs.

Take your right index finger and make the magic hole down the middle (this part is extremely important - Italy will break off from the main continent and sink into the depths of the ocean, your garden will be cursed and/or whatever other superstition you can think of will come down on your head) and fill the hole with about 1/4 cup of water. Drizzle olive oil over the top, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 90 or so minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until top is nice and crispy and veggies soft.
WARNING- don't forget to make the magic hole!!!!! Grandma said!!!!!!
If you want this as a main couse, you can smoosh up some "a nicea meataballies" (say that while waving your right hand, thumb and forefinger touching) in the middle layer.

Roquefort Pear Salad
1 head leaf lettuce
3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

TURKEY AND BRIE PANINI
*Brush the outsides of slices of hearty rustic wheat bread with walnut oil.
*Fill the sandwich with turkey slices, brie, tart apple slices, and watercress.
*Cook sandwich in panini press till sides are toasted and brie is melted.

THREE CHEESE AND TOMATO PANINI
*Brush the outsides of slices of sour dough bread with olive oil.
*Spread a soft herbed cheese (like Boursin) on the insides of the bread.
*Fill sandwich with slices of mozzarella, provolone, fresh basil leaves, and fresh tomato slices.
*Cook sandwich in panini press till sides are toasted and cheese is melted.

Peach Lemonade
I didn't use a recipe or write down what measurements I did but this is the basic:
Boil water, lemon juice, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add in chopped fresh peaches until very soft. Puree in Blender. Add lemonade concentrate (don't tell!) and the appropriate water. Chill.
Chop more fresh peaches and macerate with sugar until ready to serve. Pour lemonade into glasses and add chopped peaches on top for extra flavor and texture.