RECIPES FOR SUMMER PRODUCE!

Here are a few recipes I've found that sound interesting and fairly simple. I've not tried them, but hope to get to one of them tonight!

BAKED EGGPLANT WITH TWO CHEESES
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 green bell pepper diced
2 lbs. eggplant
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cup whipping cream
8 slices mozzarella cheese 1/4" thick
1/2 yellow onion diced
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup Parmesan cheese grated
Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion & bell peppers and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add eggplants & bay leaf and saute until eggplant is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Add wine & chicken stock and cook until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add cream and cook until eggplant is tender & mixture is thick, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Mix in Parmesan. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Divide mixture amount 8 large ramekins. Top each with slice of mozzarella cheese. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Pre heat oven to 350F. Bake eggplant until heated through, about 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Broil until cheese bubbles. Serve hot. Recipe from The Pomodoro Restaurant, Dallas, Texas. Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit, January 1992

CHEESE AND SQUASH RELLENOS
Relleno is Spanish for "stuffed," but these chiles are actually "unstuffed." The dish is a layered casserole made of the ingredients that are often used for chiles rellenos. For convenience and to go easy on folks who might not like hot foods, this casserole is made with canned mild chiles. But feel free to substitute the chiles of your choice.
3 medium sized summer squash, sliced
1 1/2 cup cook rice
1 can (7oz.) mild chiles, chopped
6 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack Cheese
1 tomato, sliced
2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped scallion, white and tender green parts
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Bring a medium sized pot of salted water to a boil. Add the summer squash and blanch for 3 minutes, until just barely tender. Drain well.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly butter a 9x13" baking dish or a 2 quart casserole.
Spread the rice in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer the chiles, 5 1/2 cups of the cheese, the squash, and the tomato on top of the rice.
Combine the sour cream, bell pepper, cilantro, scallion, and oregano in a small bowl. Add salt & pepper to taste. Spoon this mixture over the tomato. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the casserole is heated through and serve hot.
Serves 6

ZUCCHINI PANCAKES
2 medium sized zucchini, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk or more as needed
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 cups pancake mix
1-2 tsp. butter
Maple syrup for serving
Combine the zucchini and salt in a colander. Toss to mix and set aside to drain for 30 minutes.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and oil. Beat well. Stir in the pancake mix and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Squeeze the zucchini to eliminate any excess moisture. Fold the zucchini into the pancake mixture. If necessary, add a little more milk to thin the batter.
Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium-low heat. Preheat the oven to 200F.
On the griddel, melt a tsp. or two of butter. When the foam subsides, ladle the batter onto the griddle. Adjust the heat as needed so that the pancakes brown on the bottoms in 2-4 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook on the second side for 1-2 minutes. Place on an ovenproof plate & keep warm in the oven while you use the remaining batter to make more pancakes. Continue until all the batter is used.
Serves 4-6
Variation To make savory zucchini pancakes, add 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the batter and proceed as above.

The above 2 recipes I got out of my cookbook called "The Classic Zucchini Cookbook" by Nancy C Ralston, Marynor Jordan & Andrea Chesman.