Farewell NorCal

Since Monday will be my last day in my glorious hometown of Cupertino, CA, I thought I'd better enjoy the California bounty while I can (and the low prices of the suburbs!).
I went to my local farmer's market and got a load of produce for only 9.25!!
For 9.25 I got

a bunch of beets (greens on),
a bunch of carrots (greens on as well, but I didn't know what to do with carrot tops, so I shamefully threw them away),
an onion,
garlic,
a lil' basket 'o figs,
a huge bunch of basil (the roots were still intact too! If that isn't fresh, I don't know what is!),
a big squash that was half green and half yellow and,
lastly, an heirloom tomato (only 2.00 a pound!)

The menu:
Roasted beets, carrots and garlic
Squash-heirloom tomato salad
Sauteed beet greens with caramelized onions
Honey-ed figs with yogurt

Roasted beets, carrots and garlic

Preheat oven to 450. Trim greens off the beets and carrots. Put beets in parchment lined foil coat in olive oil, sprinkle on some salt and pepper and close up the package. Halve the carrots lenghtwise, coat in olive oil; add salt and dried thyme toss those onto a foil lined baking sheet (easy clean-up) and toss the beet package onto the sheet with it. Coat the garlic clove in olive oil; add salt and dried thyme. Wrap the garlic in its own little foil package and put it on the baking sheet. Throw the pan in the oven for 30 minutes, take the carrots out (they should be tender!) and roast the garlic and beets for 30 minutes more (until tender). Fabulous :) the carrots especially. And your house/apt/dorm will smell deliciously roasty and garlicky.


Squash-heirloom tomato salad

Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave a squash (or two if they're small) until you reach the seeds then turn and repeat until you get a square & seedy center (save this for something--a sautee or something else tasty). Slice your heirloom tomato (stem cut out) very thinly and set aside. The dressing I used was a makeshift pesto: 1 bunch of finely chopped basil with a 1/3 c. of sliced almonds, salt & pepper, 1/4-1/3 c olive oil and juice from 1 lemon. I tried putting it in the blender, but it didn't break down much at all, but if you have a nice food processor or a better blender, by all means pulverize it to pesto-like consistency.

At serving time, mix the squash ribbons with the tomato and pour in some of your pesto (not all of it..this recipe makes a lot).
tasty, refreshing, summery.

Sauteed beet greens with caramelized onions

While the vegetables are roasting, slice 1 onion thinly and sautee over low to medium low heat in olive oil (or butter if you wish) for an hour, giving it a stir every now and then with a spatula. Season with salt and pepper. (With this time you can prep the salad and figs and other things you have to do around the house) When the onions are nice and brown (or as brown as you care to make them because they take so damn long, which is what I did--a nice light caramel color was good enough for me) throw in your chopped beet greens and sautee until tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Honey-ed figs with yogurt

Mix about 3tbs of honey with 1tbs water and 1tbs lemon juice until honey is dissolved Slice 9 figs into half moons and mix with the honey mixture. Serve over some plain yogurt.

Roasting vegetables is my favorite thing ever and leaving the vegetables to roast gives you plenty of time to do other things and make other dishes. This 4 part meal for 4 (with leftovers) took less than than 2 hours to make and was under $15 (I also had to buy yogurt and bread). All can be eaten at room temperature (PICNIC!!) and serve it with a nice, crunchy baguette and enjoy the rest of your summer!

-Patricia