Sweet Pepper Relish

Recipe by Deborah Madison, The Greens Cookbook.

2 small bell peppers (ideally 2 different colors)
1/4 cup small red onion, finely diced
1/3 to 1/3 cup virgin olive oil
1-2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Dice the peppers into even pieces, smaller than 1/4-inch. Combine
with onions in a small bowl, add enough olive oil to cover and
season with vinegar, salt and pepper. Marinate for 2 hours. Before
using, strain off any excess oil if desired (you can use this to make a
great vinaigrette). You might try this with a frittata or on a burger.

Garden Tomato Sauce

Adapted from a recipe by Anne Willans, Good Food, No Fuss.

If you’ve got lots of tomatoes, this recipe also freezes well.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 red onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 lbs. tomatoes
4 sprigs thyme, chopped
2 Tablespoons basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a very large sauté pan or stock pot. Stir in garlic
onion, pepper and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft,
about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and stock, boil until reduced
by half. Meanwhile, score tomatoes and cover with hot water in
a large bowl. Allow them to soak for several minutes, then peel.
Halve tomatoes and squeeze over a mesh strainer to remove
seeds and reserve juices. Chop tomatoes and add with juice
and thyme to onion mixture. Simmer, uncover for -45 minutes,
stirring often until thick and concentrated. Stir in the basil and
adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Summer Vinaigrettes

Recipes below for vinaigrettes by David Hirsch, from The
Moosewood Restaurant Kitchen Garden.

Combine all the ingredients in a tightly sealed bottle or jar and
shake well before using. Vinaigrettes will keep refrigerated.

Basil-Shallot Vinaigrette
Wonderful on sliced ripe tomatoes.

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced shallots or scallions
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Dill-Red Onion Vinaigrette
Perfect for cucumber salads and great as a marinade for potato
and other cooked vegetable salads.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced red onions
1 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Cucumber-Feta Salad with Red Onions and Mint

Adapted from a recipe by Deborah Madison, The Greens Cookbook

(makes 4-6 servings)
2 lbs. cucumbers (peel is skins are tough or bitter), thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
8 oz. feta cheese, thinly sliced and or crumbled
3 Tablespoons mixed fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, oregano, chives, marjoram, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sherry or rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Refrigerate cucumber and onion slices for 1/2 hour in separate bowls. Before serving, remove from refrigerator and drain the onion, shaking off excess water. Toss cucumbers and onions in a large, shallow bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Scatter with cheese and herbs. Whisk together oil and vinegar, and pour dressing over top. Toss the salad as you serve.