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Dishing up the Dirt is a great source for seasonal cooking inspiration. Although their seasons are slightly different than ours down in SC, they are farmers and know their way around the kitchen! I make this Tahini & Lemon sauce every few weeks in bulk and drizzle it on roasted vegetables and salads at every possible opportunity.
I make this vegetable roast pastas ALL the time - a quick and easy way to get the carbs I need while working on the farm. Take this outline of a recipe and swap the ingredients based on what is in season/in your fridge. In the summer it’s summer squash, tomatoes, and eggplant. In the early fall it’s okra, peppers, eggplant. In the mid fall it’s root vegetables.
1 quart okra, topped and sliced in half if large
3-5 peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pint of fairytale eggplant, topped and sliced in half
2 onions, cut into 1-inch slices
1 pint cherry tomatoes (if in season & fresh)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of fresh thyme/parsley/oregano
1 (16-ounce) package penne pasta
½ cup cheese of choice (crumbled feta or small balls of mozzarella)
½ cup fresh basil
Juice of ½ small lemon, more if desired
Pinches of red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F . Place sliced vegetables evenly on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and generous salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are golden and tender. While vegetables are roasting, prepare pasta according to package instructions.
In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the sherry vinegar, garlic, thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Drain pasta and pour into bowl. Stir in the roasted vegetables.
Add the cheese, basil, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes and gently toss. Top with more salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice, as desired. Serves ~6.