Veggies provide classic, classy dinnertime fare

The tomatoes are finally at their peak; bell- and mini-peppers dangle temptingly from their foliage; chard continues its non-fail production and many cabbages and cauliflower are ready to augment the dinner table.

These late summer/early fall vegetables are at their peak in our gardens, the farmers’ market and grocery store's fresh-produce counters. Today we offer a few outstanding selections with which to enhance mealtime beginning with our illustrated delight. Enjoy!

Marinated Baby Peppers and  Mozzarella Balls

4 cups mixed baby sweet peppers, rinsed, dried with  paper towels

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

3 crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp. grated lemon rind

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper seeds and flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

3 ounces (about) fresh baby mozzarella balls

1/4 cup fresh baby basil leaves or shredded larger leaves

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Preheat broiler to high; Arrange the baby peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Broil 4 minutes on each side, turning till blackened and tender (but don’t burn)! Remove from pan and cool. Combine in a large bowl with all other ingredients EXCEPT the basil and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight, tossing gently occasionally. Before serving, allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in the basil and lemon juice before serving with a slotted spoon. Accompany with crispy baguette toasts as an appetizer or spoon over mixed lettuces for a dazzling, unique salad. 

Tip: For a dinner dish, reserve some of the excess marinade oil and stir into an accompanying platter of steamed brown rice, noodles or cooked pasta. Spoon the pepper/cheese mixture over the top if you wish. Rich red or crisp cold white wine is the perfect go-with.

Full-size red bell peppers are the perfect complement for fresh cauliflower.

Baked Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 1 ½-2-quart casserole dish, set aside.

2 medium heads cauliflower, separated into florets, chopped, blanched 3 minutes in boiling water to cover, drained.

1 cup minced or slivered red bell peppers

½ cup chopped green onions w/tops

1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1½ cups sour cream

1 cup crumbs of crushed garlic croutons (or other favorite crumb topping)

In a bowl, mix ingredients in order given, cauliflower, peppers, onions, 1/2 cup of the cheese, sour cream, folding gently to mix well. Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese, the crumbs and a good sprinkle of ground pepper. Bake 30 minutes; serve.

The huge, magnificent but often misshapen tomatoes ripened now are sometimes too difficult to slice for sandwiches or pretty serving on a salad plate. However, they are perfect to cut up for a bread salad. If you’ve never made one, rectify that error right now! This is delicious and negates the need for the bread basket. 

Tomato, Blue Cheese and Crouton Salad

1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

5 large garlic cloves, minced

6 large, 1-inch thick slices day-old Italian or French bread, crusts trimmed*

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 pounds large tomatoes, cored, seeded, cut into 1-incb pieces

1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced into rings

6 ounces blue cheese or Gorgonzola, crumbled, room temperature

Combine olive oil and garlic in small bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush bread on both sides with garlic oil and place on cookie sheet. Bake till crisp and golden, turning occasionally with spatula. Cool, cut into ½-inch cubes (can be prepared ahead). 

Combine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of the garlic oil and a heaping teaspoon of the minced garlic in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper; add tomatoes and onion and mix well. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. At serving time, add toast cubes to tomatoes, toss and place in a large shallow salad bowl. Top with cheese.

* You may purchase ready-make croutons for time-saving; too, opt for white wine- or  Champagne-vinegar and/or a dash of Balsamic to your own taste and preference.

Fragrant and pungent herbs are an autumn blessing along with the late veggies. I recently received a glorious bouquet of dill – pretty heads of seeds and fronds just waiting to be included in pickles, relishes, salads and as seasoning in myriad veggie recipes. Here’s a classic quick bread to fragrance your kitchen and tempt your tastebuds!

Cheesy Dilly Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tb. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tablespoons dill weed*

Fresh ground pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 small onion, very finely chopped

1 egg

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease two 4x8-inch pans and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients through the onion; mix, tossing well. In another bowl, mix egg and buttermilk and add to dry ingredients, stirring just enough to combine. Spoon batter equally into the two pans and bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then on a rack.

* If you have whole-head dill, simply snap one off and rub it between the palms of your hands, using all the good seeds and crumbled fronds. (Brighten up a pot of green beans with a 2- or 3-inch piece of dill stem)!

Editor's note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. "Weekend Gardener" and "Country Chef" became renowned for their humor, information, and common-sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns to delight her many fans.

    Baked cauliflower is a perfect dish.
  

    Valle Novak