Fare Exchange: Recipes to try as tomatoes and squash come in season

Jane Henegar

Welcome Exchangers; today's column contains not just recipes but gratitude and shopping hints and good old kitchen sense. And as an appetizer, of course, we start with requests.

E. of Henagar, Ala., "would like a copy of 'Seasoned With Love: A Team That Cares' cookbook. In the contact information, it says to contact Lucrecia Ramsey and gives a Chattanooga address, but that address is no longer valid for her. If anyone has a copy and will part with it, I'd like to buy it." You may contact E. at P.O. Box 304, Henagar, AL 35978, or tell us all through this column.

Roseanne Strazinsky of Fairfield Glade is not looking for recipes for feeding dogs and birds, but wondering if there is an interest among readers for such recipes. If so, say so.

OILY ENCOURAGEMENT

The quest continues for brownies laced with orange-infused olive oil, but here is some encouragement from Katie Lamb.

"There is a wonderful shop that sells a variety of infused olive oils and vinegars from which you can order online or visit. Their shops are in Murphy and Blue Ridge, N.C. Their website is www.blueridgeoliveoil.com. They carry a blood-orange-infused olive oil. I have purchased several varieties and have been pleased with all of them."

HARVESTING TOMATOES

The following recipe for fresh tomato basil coulis is one of the creations of French chef Philippe Gehin, who is head chef at Mountain Cove Grill in McLemore Cove. He is a well-traveled and trained authority whose expertise may be seen in this dish, and it's likely those vine- ripe tomatoes may be seen outside many of our windows on this June day.

Fresh Tomato Basil Coulis

4 large vine-ripe tomatoes

1 small can V-8 juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small shallot

5 garlic cloves

1 sprig rosemary

5 sprigs thyme

1 little bunch basil

2 tablespoons dry oregano

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

It's ready to serve as is or warmed up. Goes great with pasta dishes as well as with grilled poultry or seafood.

HARVESTING SQUASH

Suzanne Rice of Ringgold, Ga., sent a good use for the growing gardens of squash in these parts.

Squash Casserole

4 or 5 strips bacon

1 large onion, chopped

1 pound shredded raw squash

3/4 cup milk

1 cup fine bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Fry bacon, and drain. Saute onion in a small amount of bacon drippings. Crumble bacon and mix with onions, squash, milk, bread crumbs and seasonings. Add cheese, saving part to sprinkle on top. Put in buttered casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

FLAVORFUL CHICKEN

Ms. Strazinsky wrote to say, "I think I have the recipe Alys Qualls is looking for."

Mediterranean Chicken

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken, skinned and cut into pieces

1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes (Hunt's Choice Cut with juice)

1 (6 ounce) can small pitted black olives, cut in half

2 tablespoons capers

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Garnish: chopped parsley

Into a deep casserole, place the olive oil, coating the bottom well.

Place the chicken pieces into the casserole. Add all ingredients to the chicken, ending with cheese and parsley sprinkled over all.

Bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees, for 50 to 55 minutes. Serve with cooked pasta.

EGG PRIMER

Betty Domal has an authoritative solution for hard-boiled eggs.

Hard-Cooked Eggs

Put eggs in a large pot. Add cold water to come 1 inch above eggs. (You may add some salt and a little white vinegar to the water, but seems to work if I forget.)

Bring to boiling; lower heat to barely simmering. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Drain; let cold water run over eggs in pan (add 1-2 trays of ice cubes) until they are very cold. You may need to change water and add more ice a couple of times. They need to be very cold to peel easily.

TIPS AND THANK-YOUS

Gratitude is a fine starting place, as well as a good ending for Fare Exchange, especially if that gratitude includes some helpful hints for other readers. First, Betty Domal. "I look forward to Fare Exchange every week and have several recipes I got from it that I use quite often (to name two: zip-lock omelets and the potato casserole that uses beef broth instead of 'cream-of' soup). I'm requested often to make that casserole."

Jane Guthrie's thanks are for Mr. and Mrs. Sunday, "who made my winter and spring when mentioning the summer taste of cherub grape tomatoes. It's summertime all year-round now with cherub grape tomatoes to make tomato pie. Actually it is easier as the halves of the tomatoes are already bite-sized."

Ms. Guthrie continued with a shopping recommendation. "Shop the Asian Market in the 3600 block of Hixson Pike. It is full of wonderful items. Particularly I was glad to discover a granulated mushroom bouillon to add flavor. Desperate one night for something to do to make an emergency decent brand can of chicken soup more palatable, I added a small amount of mushroom bouillon, thickened, and it added incredible taste. I also like the sweet black rice."

JUST A DASH

Jim Sparks credited his wife with this solution. "To keep a half of avocado from turning brown, my wife leaves it unpeeled, leaves the big seed in it, covers it loosely with wax paper and refrigerates. After a day or two, it will have some brown at the surface, but scrape that off and the rest is beautifully green. We discovered this method when we saw someone make guacamole and leave the seed with it in the bowl. It stayed green for the rest of the day."

In the pipeline for next week are more eggs, more bread ... and just possibly something from you?