Lilly’s Table

The Food

Week of August 10, 2014

This time of year, I am pretty darn giddy about tomatoes. While visiting my parents, it seems as soon as we eat a joyful amount of tomatoes a new batch ripens. I love watching the pile grow despite my kids effort to eat as many as possible.

Incorporating them into nearly every meal, becomes essential since these fresh beauties will not last for always. Because they taste incredible, most of our meals are simple such as the Tomato Basil Sandwich, the Chipotle BLT Wraps, the Purslane, Beet & Tomato Salad, and the Tomato Basil Scramble. I also seem to have a steady supply of this Fresh Tomato Sauce ready for a simple pasta meal or made a bit more elaborate with Eggplant Parmesan.

Another August favorite is corn on the cob. We love to grill and smear it into Elote, which is the perfect compadre for Steak Fajitas. It also can become a bit fancier as a
Corn Puree drizzled across Grilled Endive. Serve that with Grilled Trout or as a vegan accompaniment to Gazpacho and a Purslane, Beet, & Tomato Salad.

So, am I tripping you up with purslane? Also called verdolagas, if you garden, chances are you have pulled this weed out of the ground. This nearly succulent green is fabulous in hearty summer salads such as the one I mentioned above and tossed into the Purslane & Corn Salad.

Finally, one of summer’s treasures is the slightly elusive, ever-more-popular sassy fig. Try two of my favorites the Fig & Yogurt Herb Pizza (fabulous made on a grill!) with the Balsamic Beet & Fig Salad or start your day with the Fig & Fennel Yogurt with Seeduction Granola.

Grab a pile of tomatoes, figs, purslane, peppers, eggplant and more to enjoy this mid-summer week’s dream.

Cook seasonally. Eat consciously. Live well,