HEALTHY IN A HURRY

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5 Farm Fresh Dinners

Featured Recipe: Grilled Beef Tenderloin & Escarole

Celebrate summer’s ripe bounty with easy weeknight recipes.

By Jessie Price, Food Editor, EatingWell July/August 2008

On summer mornings when we get into the EatingWell Test Kitchen the chatter starts like this: “Guess what I got in my CSA pick-up last night? Five pounds of kohlrabi! What the heck do you do with kohlrabi?” asks Associate Editor Carolyn Malcoun. Food stylist Katie Webster gets weekly baskets of produce that are the envy of all of us from her share in a farm that uses the community supported agriculture (CSA) model. She revels in tiny succulent strawberries, a steady supply of fresh leeks and heirloom potatoes. I have my own vegetable garden (sloppy and a little too weedy), and am anxious to update everyone on how well my gazillion chile pepper plants are producing and the way my beastlike tomatillos are taking over the entire garden. The best part is Carolyn’s description of the summer vegetable stew (lovingly referred to as “CSA Stew”) she makes for dinner. This banter reaches a fever pitch during July and August.

That heat of summer excitement, about corn fresh off the cob or eggplant still warm from the sun, inspired these five easy weeknight suppers. Although we include shrimp, grilled chicken, lamb chops and grilled beef tenderloin, the showstoppers in these recipes are the fabulous vegetables. They include electric-green tomatillos in a fresh, tangy gazpacho; a ratatouille-like combination of grilled eggplant, peppers and tomatoes that delivers all the vitamin C you’ll need for the day plus a whole lot more; grilled escarole topped with a chunky tomato vinaigrette; Lebanese stewed green beans; and crisp-tender sautéed vegetables wrapped in crêpes. These recipes will help you gather the produce that is ripe right now from your local farmers’ market, CSA, garden or just your neighborhood supermarket and get it on the table in a snap. As for kohlrabi, it’s not in any of these recipes, but Carolyn tells us it’s great thinly sliced and tossed with peanut noodles.

• MONDAY: Tomatillo Gazpacho—This tomatillo-based gazpacho is gorgeously green with a tart flavor that complements the sweet shrimp and salty olives. Make this meatless by substituting ricotta salata or feta for the shrimp.
• TUESDAY: Grilled Chicken Ratatouille—We gave this classic Provençal dish a taste of summer by grilling the vegetables traditionally used in ratatouille (bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, tomato). Topped with grilled chicken, it makes an easy main course for summer entertaining.
• WEDNESDAY: Lamb Chops with Lebanese Green Beans—Simple pan-roasted lamb chops are served alongside deliciously spiced stewed green beans and tomatoes in a riff on a Lebanese favorite, lubiyeh.
• THURSDAY: Grilled Beef Tenderloin & Escarole—Lightly grilled escarole combined with tangy tomato vinaigrette makes an irresistible accompaniment to juicy beef tenderloin.
• FRIDAY: Summer Vegetable Crêpes—Crêpes aren’t just for dessert—they make a quick and savory weeknight dinner. Here they’re filled with ricotta cheese, green beans, zucchini and corn and topped with a chive-cream sauce.

Want more quick and healthy weeknight recipes? Check out our Quick and Healthy Dinner Recipes and Menus.

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