Edible Berkshires

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vegetable

edible gardening: FROM SEED TO SAUCE

Heirlooms, not your salad bar tomatoes

Nothing says summer quite like a perfectly ripe tomato fresh off the vine. Bright, juicy and acidic, this messenger of long days and humid nights needs no decoration— perhaps just a quick dash of salt and a grind of pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and a basil leaf if you’re feeling fancy.

Take a drooling, fleshy bite out of a conventional fruit. Now try it again with an heirloom variety. Taste the difference? Heirloom plants (open-pollinated cultivars not used in modern large-scale agriculture) have been nurtured and handed down from farmer to farmer with legacies that enrich each slice with the richest possible flavor.

But you probably know that. In fact, chances are that if you’re reading this publication, you are already buying heirloom tomatoes over conventional when given the choice. You know that a tried-and-true, crater-laced Brandywine will dole out more … Read the rest

GRILLED PANZANELLA

Panzanella  

1 fresh ciabatta, cut into 1-inch slices
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1 whole shallot, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
4 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into ¼-inch-thick quarters
1 cup chopped parsley and basil
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup olive oil plus more for grilling

Combine shallots with vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.

Turn the grill to medium. As it heats, drizzle olive oil over
ciabatta, peppers and tomatoes. Add to the grill when it
reaches the proper temperature.

Char ciabatta, peppers and tomatoes on both sides. When
they are thoroughly grilled, remove from grill and place on
a large platter.

Break the bread into smaller chunks and toss together with
the tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, shallots, vinegar, herbs
and olive oil.

Serve warm.

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