Dan's Papers - October 13, 2006 - Silvia Lehrer's Cooking Column

When Pat Kollhopp called to invite us to a "harvest brunch" and then followed her invitation with, "We're cooking the vegetables that are growing in our garden," I immediately accepted and thought "what a great idea," which needless to say inspired me to write this article. Southampton residents, Pat and Fred Kollhopp - Fred of Swiss heritage - are resolute gardeners and admirable cooks. I knew we were in for an autumnal feast.

When Fred visited relatives in Switzerland he was drawn to the meticulously maintained gardens; even the flowers along the railroad tracks were a vision, he said.

In their own garden, a neatly laid out space of approximately 10 x 20 feet, beet greens poke out of the ground along with 2 crops of lettuces, and a variety of herbs; luscious purple eggplants gracefully hang from their vines, as do over-sized heirloom Italian plum tomatoes - Fred received the seeds from an Italian friend and beams when he shows them off. The cucumbers and zucchini were picked over that warm sunny Sunday so the Kollhopps could prepare a flavorful cucumber dill soup, and a crustless, cheesy zucchini-tomato quiche. More tomatoes were layered into a salad with sliced mozzarella, and a superb zucchini bread was prepared for their delectable brunch. Fred also afforded his guests winning mushroom-stuffed clams, with clams he harvested himself. Pat, a marvelous baker, extended the sweet offerings with a variety of cookies and chocolatey meringues.

Upon viewing the colorful garden I commented to Pat on how well-organized the space was, to which she exclaimed, "That's the Swiss gardener!"

GARDEN FRESH ZUCCHINI BREAD
A good use of the garden zucchini, advises Pat.
Makes 1 9 x 5 loaf pan or 4 mini loaf pans

3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups grated zucchini, about 3, well drained
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Butter loaf pan/or mini pans and dust with flour or plain breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Beat eggs in a bowl. Add oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla then stir to mix. Put the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to mix until thoroughly incorporated. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. Gradually combine the dry ingredients with the wet until thoroughly incorporated. Add the nuts and stir to mix. With a rubber spatula scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, or pans, and bake up to one hour for the single loaf pan or about 40-45 minutes for the mini pans, or until a cake tester or skewer inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

CRUSTLESS ZUCCHINI TOMATO QUICHE
Lots of good stuff from the garden here -
zucchini, tomatoes, basil, and chives.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large Vidalia or Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 1/4 - 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini, about 3
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper
3 medium-large ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup packed julienne of fresh basil
1/2 cup snipped chives
1/2 cup shredded Vermont cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Butter for the baking dish
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk

1. Heat the oil in a large 10 to 12-inch skillet and sauté the onions for about 6-8 minutes until translucent. Add the zucchini, toss to mix with the onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes longer. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a colander over a bowl and let drain for 10-15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes about 1/4-inch thick, prep the herbs and grate the cheese. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Butter a shallow baking dish large enough to hold all the ingredients, about 12-inch round or oval gratin. Spread the zucchini-onion mixture in the prepared dish, arrange overlapping tomato slices over the top and season with salt and pepper. Scatter herbs over the tomatoes and crown with the two cheeses. Beat the eggs with the milk and pour over the cheese. Place in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes until custard is set. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Can prepare up to 2 days before serving. Cover with foil to reheat as necessary.