Spoutwood Farm

Recipe of the Week Week 10- August 5, 2002

Gratin of Summer Vegetables in Herb Pesto

thanks to shareholder Christina Appel for this week's recipe

Pesto:		Main Course:
¾ Cup olive oil, plus coating		2 medium zucchini (about ¾ lb.)
1/3 Cup grated Parmesan cheese		2 medium yellow squash (about ¾ lb.)
2 Tblsp. pine nuts		1 lb. tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, peeled		3 onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ ounces basil, flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, or mint		salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oven to 350*. Wipe the zucchini and squash with damp paper towels and cut them into uneven ¼ inch chunks. Toss them into a large bowl. Core the tomatoes, cut them into chunks, and add them to the zucchini and squash with the onions, salt, and pepper. Brush an 8 inch by 11 inch gratin or baking dish with olive oil. Make the pesto. Tear the herb leaves from the stems, discarding the stems and, if you like, reserve some sprigs for decoration. Puree the herb leaves, garlic, cheese, and pine nuts in a food processor with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Gradually add the remaining oil with the blades turning so that the sauce emulsifies. It should be a rather loose consistency, thinner than mayonnaise but thicker than salad dressing. Season it to taste with salt and pepper. Add the pesto to the vegetables and toss so they are well-coated with sauce. Spread them in the baking dish and bake until they are very tender and brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Decorate the vegetables with herb sprigs if you like, and serve the gratin hot or at room temperature.

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