LAST HURRAH FOR SUMMER

Last Hurrah for Summer

          Labor Day this year is still several weeks before the autumn equinox, but the arrival of September instinctively denotes that those wonderful leisurely days are coming to an end. Even the weather this past week has that crisp autumn feel in the mornings and the crickets are congregating on my patio with their chirpy and plaintive song.

            Which brings us to the usual spurt of celebrations for Labor Day, with food as one of it’s centerpieces. Grill time seems almost a must, but some variation of the usual fare seems appropriate to liven up our palates. A simple solution for this are lamb kebabs.

                                    Lamb shish kebabs

            Marinade: 1 cup dry red wine, 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tblsp. catsup, ½ tsp. sugar, ½ tsp. marjoram, ½ tsp. rosemary, 1 tsp. thyme, 1 tblsp. vine vinegar. Marinate 1 ½ inch cubes of  1 lb.lamb shoulder or leg meat for at least 8 hours (or overnight) in the marinade. Thread meat on long skewers alternating with pieces of pepper, red onion and mushrooms, all dipped in the marinade. Grill on a hot grill, turning on each side and basting with additional marinade to desired doneness. Serve with wild rice or boiled new potatoes.

            The end of summer also brings us an overabundance of zucchini and my favorite thin skinned Japanese type eggplants, which naturally lead to that Mediterranean vegetable stew, ratatouille. While the word comes from French, meaning: ’stir up’ or coarse stew, its variations can be also found in Spanish, Italian, Greek and Turkish cuisines, all delicious. Inevitably, there are probably as many recipes for this as there are cooks. However, a word of caution if you expect a rich and subtle mélange of flavors from the ingredients. The initial steps of salting the eggplant and zucchini, as well as the individual sautéing of the ingredients is essential to avoid an unappetizing watery dish. One additional benefit of ratatouille is that it makes for a colorful base for fried eggs for breakfast.

                                    End of summer ratatouille

            Cut Japanese type eggplant and firm young zucchini in about 1 inch cubes to make 3 to 4 cups of each vegetable and salt with 1-2 tblsp. un-iodized salt in separate bowls for about 30 minutes. If using regular eggplant, peel before cubing. Rinse the vegetables, pat dry with paper towels and set aside. In a large pan sauté in 1 tblsp. olive oil: 2 medium onions cut in half and sliced very thin, with 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 green and ½ red peppers, seeded and diced. Remove from pan and in the same pan successively sauté the eggplant and zucchini in 2 tblsp. olive oil each for about 10 minutes. Combine the vegetables in a 4 quart pot with their juices. Stir in 2 cups diced canned tomatoes or fresh diced tomatoes, 4 tblsp. shredded fesh basil, 2 tblsp. shredded Italian parsley, 8 julienned sundried tomatoes, 1 tblsp. balsamic vinegar and 2 tsp. sugar. Cover loosely and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tblsp. additional basil and parsley and 1 tblsp. olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature. The flavor improves on standing and the dish can be reheated easily for up to a week. Do not freeze.

            Roast cauliflower makes a delicious side dish for many winter dishes, but it can also be prepared as substantial salad to be served at room temperature. Because cauliflower cooks very quickly to a most unappetizing texture, it is important that the roasting is done briefly enough to maintain a slightly firm texture.

                                    Roast cauliflower salad

            Separate the florets of a head of cauliflower in about 1 ½ inch pieces. Seed and cut an orange pepper in 1 ½ strips. Toss cauliflower and pepper in a large bowl with ¼ cup light olive oil, 4 minced cloves of garlic and 2 tblsp. balsamic vinegar.  Spread on a foil lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with 1 tblsp. coarse sea salt. Broil for about 15 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and toss in a bowl with 3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese. Serve garnished with minced parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds.

            Tasty meals to salute the passing of our Maine summer is a fitting acknowledgement of our regard for this our all too brief season.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)