Park Seed Customer's Recipes: Side Dishes

Eggplant & Tomato Parmesan

Submitted by Paul

Baked Eggplant Parmesan is a staple in many households. Here's a backyard alternative that's a lot of fun, as well as being good to eat. We like it with seafood skewers or anything that doesn't try to overpower it's natural, slightly Smokey flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant, peeled in stripes and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 to 1-1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp crushed or ground fresh black pepper
• 1-1/2 tsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 large, ripe but firm tomato (not peeled)
• 1-1/2 tsp shredded or grated fresh Parmesan cheese per slice of eggplant
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 Cup canned tomato or spaghetti sauce
• Fresh chopped basil, oregano or rosemary to sprinkle on top

Preparation:

Salt each side of eggplant slices and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter (stove or microwave) and stir in garlic powder, pepper, basil and rosemary.

Rinse eggplant and pat dry with paper towel. Paint both sides of eggplant with butter mixture and arrange over medium coals.
Slice tomato so as to have one per slice of eggplant. Place slices on grill over low heat for a couple of minutes. Carefully flip tomato slices and warm that side for a couple of minutes. (Be careful to not let tomato get soggy.)

Flip eggplant and distribute Parmesan cheese on top. When cheese begins to melt, carefully place tomato slices on top of eggplant slices. Cook 3-5 minutes over medium coals. Remove.

Top each serving with warm spaghetti or tomato sauce. Sprinkle with additional fresh herb of choice if you like.

Serve before tomato cools.

Seasoned Veggies

Submitted by Mary R.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1C. thinly sliced broccoli stalks (or celery)
• 1C. Chopped onion
• 16 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4C. Zucchini, sliced 3/8" thick
• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1C. Green, 1/4" yellow, red, or green pepper strips

• 1C. coarsely shredded carrots
• 1C. Tomato sauce
• 1tsp. Mustard with horseradish
• 1tsp. Dried basil (or Italian Seasoning)

Preparation:

In deep sided frying pan, cook broccoli, onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients, cooking uncovered over low heat for 15-20 minutes until done, stirring occasionally.

Serves 6.

Italian Beans

Submitted by Denise S.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 lb fresh green beans (preferably French
• aricots), trimmed ends and cut in half
• 3 tsp. butter
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
  
  

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 tbs. bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Romano Cheese

Preparation:

Boil water then add beans. Cook for 10 minutes. While beans are cooking melt in a fry pan butter and oil together. Add garlic and pine nuts. Drain beans reserving about 3 Tablespoons of bean water. Put beans and reserved water in pan and add bread crumbs and cheese. Stir then turn off heat and cover for a minute. Serve with salt and pepper as necessary.

Zucchini Casserole

Submitted by Denise S.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup saltine coarse cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 lb or 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
• 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1/2 small onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325. In a small bowl combine cracker crumbs and butter reserving 1/4 cup of cracker mixture for topping. In a medium bowl stir together the rest of the ingredients.  Put into an 8" baking dish. Sprinkle on reserve crumbs.  

Bake for 1 hr.

Zucchini Country Style

Submitted by Valerie P.

Ingredients:

• 6 small zucchini or 3 medium (My favorite is Park's Sable Beauty hybrid)
• 1 medium sized brown onion, skinned and sliced
• 2 medium sized tomatoes, with skin removed by dropping in boiling water for a few minutes.
• 2 Tbsps. olive oil
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Method:  Preheat oven to 350º F.

Cut zucchini into 2" slices and saute, with onion, in heated olive oil for 10 -15 minutes.  Slice tomatoes into thin slices.

Layer zucchini and onion in a casserole and sprinkle each layer with black pepper and Parmesans Cheese, reserving 1/2 cup cheese for the topping.  Spread the tomatoes on top and lastly add the Parmesan Cheese.

Bake at 350º for 45 minutes.

Cheese & Herb Stuffed Tomatoes

Submitted by Clair E.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sweet basil (I always use fresh)
• 4 pats of real butter
• 4 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Wash the tomatoes and cut the stem end off. Take a spoon and scoop a little of the flesh out. Add salt and pepper and 1 tsp of sugar to each of the tomatoes. Add sweet basil or your favorite herb. Add 1 pat of butter and equal amount of cheese for each tomato. Arrange tomatoes in a baking dish and cook 30 minutes at 350 degrees. These are juicy and delicious. Don't throw the juice out use it as gravy. I also cook these on the grill. Just wrap each one up in foil and let them cook. Delicious.

Mixed Summer Squash Pepper Medley

Submitted by Clair E.

Ingredients:

• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sweet basil (I always use fresh)
• 4 pats of real butter
• 4 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Wash the tomatoes and cut the stem end off. Take a spoon and scoop a little of the flesh out. Add salt and pepper and 1 tsp of sugar to each of the tomatoes. Add sweet basil or your favorite herb. Add 1 pat of butter and equal amount of cheese for each tomato. Arrange tomatoes in a baking dish and cook 30 minutes at 350 degrees. These are juicy and delicious. Don't throw the juice out use it as gravy. I also cook these on the grill. Just wrap each one up in foil and let them cook. Delicious.

Tomatoes and Zucchini

Submitted by Karen S.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium zuchinni sliced
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Preparation:

Butter a casserole dish. Arrange 1/2 tomatoes on bottom, then 1/2 zucchini slices. Toss together-bread crumbs, garlic, cheese and seasonings. Sprinkle half mixture over zucchini. Repeat the process. Dot the top with butter. Bake at 375 for 35 minutes.

Dan's Mango Pumpkin Soup

Submitted by Elisse G.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (16 oz.) chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz.) - or you can make your own puree if you have fresh pumpkins
• 1 12 oz. can of mango nectar
• 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
• 2 tbsp. vinegar (rice vinegar by choice)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. green onions or chives, chopped
• 1 tsp. grated fresh ginger (fresh ginger makes a Big difference here!)
  
  

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

Garnish:
chopped fresh cilantro, fresh mango slices, candied ginger slices.

Mix the broth, pumpkin, and mango nectar in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix one cup of the hot soup with the peanut butter in a cup until creamy, and then add it back to the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the garnish), and cook for 3 more minutes. Pour into bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, and a slice each of fresh mango and sugared ginger

Vegetable Stir Fry

Submitted by Alison O.

Ingredients:

• 1 Park Seed Big Bertha bell pepper
• 2 Park Seed Valencia bell peppers
• 1 Park Seed Walla Walla sweet onion
• 3 Park Seed yellow straightneck enterprise hybrid squash
• 2 Park's sable beauty hybrid zucchini
• 6 small portabella mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• salt
• pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• fresh herbs such as marjoram, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and basil

Preparation:

Slice all vegetables into bite sized pieces. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the pan. Add vegetables and seasonings. Stir occasionally until fully cooked, about 15 minutes.

Arnaud's Pumpkin Apple Soup

Submitted by Steve A.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced (Park Seed Item #5210 Onion Candy Hybrid)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced (Park Seed Item #5741 Carrot Scarlet Nantes)
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 29 oz can pure pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon sage leaves, diced (Park Seed Item #1793 Sage)
• 1 teaspoon curry
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream

Preparation:

In a stockpot over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion, carrot, apple and sage until all are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Puree the mixture in a food mill, food processor or blender. Return the puree to the stockpot, add the chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Add pumpkin and then cream and simmer for 5 more minutes, lowering the heat if necessary so it does not boil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Divide soup among 4 soup bowls and serve immediately.

Stuffed Squash

Submitted by Alison O.

Ingredients:

• 6 Park Seed yellow crookneck squash
• 1 Park Seed Walla Walla sweet onion, diced
• 1 egg
• Several pieces of toast
• Salt
• Pepper
• Italian seasoning
• Butter

Preparation:

Wash squash. Put it in a pot of boiling water and cover. Boil at medium high for 10-15 minutes or until just tender. Remove from water and let cool. Snip off ends of squash and slice lengthwise. Spoon out seeds and place in a bowl. Add egg, crumbled toast, and diced onion. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix everything together. Put this mixture back into the squash shells and place on cookie sheet. Top with buttered crumbled toast. Bake at 350 until done, approximately 20 minutes.