TOMATO & ZUCCHINI PIE:

The tomatoes and zucchini are plentiful right now, not to mention fresh herbs.  Everyone is looking for ways to use them up.  I've always loved a good tomato pie, and wanted to create one that wasn't overloaded with thick slices of tomatoes and not much more as the Hubby isn't a fan of it being prepared that way.  I don't peel tomatoes often, but I did take the time to peel them for this recipe.  Letting the tomatoes break down with the kosher salt and allowing them to  drain for 30 minutes was also a good way of taking the recipe away from the thickly sliced tomato version.  In the end, this recipe got the "Picky Husband's Seal of Approval".

Ingredients:
1 pre-baked or your own pie crust
cornmeal
5 medium tomatoes peeled and sliced thin
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 small-medium zucchini sliced thinly into circles1 medium onion sliced thinly into o-rings
2 1/2 cups mixed cheese. (I used shredded cheddar, mozzarella & parmesan)
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs (I used basil, parsley and a few sprigs of tarragon)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

The Tomatoes:
Place peeled and sliced tomatoes in a colander with a bowl fitted under it.  Sprinkle the kosher salt over the tomatoes and stir.  Let tomatoes drain for about 30 minutes.  Stir & press juice into the bowl occasionally.  Once the tomatoes have drained, turn them over onto a double layer of paper towels.  Top with another double layer of paper towels and gently pat.

The Pie Crust: 
You can make your own pie dough recipe or purchase premade.  Sprinkle cornmeal on bottom of pie plate and fold your dough onto plate.  Preheat oven to 350.

The Herbed Cheese:
I'm a big believer in using what I have in the fridge.  This weekend I happen to have mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan on hand.  You could try something creamier, or something with a different flavor, like smoked gouda.  The same goes for the herbs.  Combine herbs, cheese, mayo, cream and black pepper.

The Onions:
Place onions in a microwave safe bowl, drizzle with olive oil and microwave for one minute.  If you don't have a microwave sautee your onions in a pan just until they start to become soft.  If you like your onions to have a little crunch, then don't bother to cook them first.  (we found we liked them precooked a bit first).

Layer:
Place half of your tomatoes onto the pie dough.  Layer half of the zucchinni, then onions, then about a 1/4 of the cheese mixture on top of the tomatoes.  Repeat with the rest of the veggies and the cheese.

Bake:
Place pie onto the lowest rack of your oven and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Turn the temp up to 375 and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the top of the cheese starts to become a golden brown and pie is bubbling.  Once out of the oven, let pie set for about 15 minutes.  Cut, serve and enjoy!

Recipe by Jessica Moreau-Berry

Support Maine artisans and visit our Facebook page Handmade Maine.

SWEET & SPICY VEGGIE RELISH

There is something about an abundance of veggies fresh from the garden (or in my case fresh from my friend's farm whom I've purchased a CSA share from) that gets the old farm girl spirit kickin'.  Tie a vintage apron around your waist, haul out the food processor, wash some pretty mason jars, dig out a big pot and colander and assemble your ingredients.  My two-step Sweet & Spicy Relish is easy to make, absolutely delicious and perfect for giving away.

INGREDIENTS:
For Brining:
*8 cups of shredded veggies. I used:
6 medium green tomatoes quartered
2 medium zucchinis cut in 3" lengths and quartered
1 large sweet onion quartered
**2 whole small red chili peppers (for a low to medium heat)
1 small medium green pepper seeded and quartered
3 medium banana peppers quartered
2 cloves garlic
2 dill heads (crumble the fresh seeds into the mixture)
1/4 cup of Kosher salt

The next day:
1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup white vinegar
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. each: black pepper, turmeric, celery seed, dry mustard & dried thyme

Lets get this baby brining:
Shred veggies (careful not to over shred) in batches in the food processor.  Place veggies in a colander and drain liquid. Once drained, place veggies in a non-reactive container and combine with salt and dill seed. Give it a good stir and place in fridge for 12-24 hours. (I went about 16 hours).

Brining stage

The next day:
Rinse and drain veggies very well. Give it a taste test. Too salty? You haven't rinsed enough, do it some more.
While the veggies are draining combine all of the "next day" ingredients into a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to make sure the the sugar and dry ingredients are well dissolved. Spoon your veggies into the hot mixture, stir well and bring back up to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Turn off the heat and ladle into clean sterilized jars. Carefully wipe the rims clean. Leave a 1/4 head space at the top. Screw the lids on tight.

Keeping it fresh:
You can use a simple canning method if you think your relish will stick around long enough. Or you can refrigerate for up to one month. Or, you can freeze your relish for about 7 months.

That's it, you have officially brought out your inner farmer. You always knew it was there didn't you?

* Experiment with your veggies! Cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, summer squash... just go for it!
** If you want a medium heat use 3 red chili peppers. Like it hot? Throw in another. It's all about experimenting.



Recipe by Jessica Moreau-Berry
Visit our Facebook page Handmade Maine to see what creative Maine folk are up to!