Summer produce — squash, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes — are ripe and plentiful in Chattanooga-area gardens.

Jan Antman of Chattanooga says zucchini and basil do the best of all the vegetables she plants each year. Laurie Shipley is still waiting on the tomatoes in her small garden to ripen.

“I did make some killer fried green tomatoes the other day, though,” she said.

Until hers come in, she turns to Ramsey’s Produce on Access Road. Their tomatoes, she said, are “good and juicy.”

Recently, she had tomatoes marinating in a mixture of fresh herbs and spices, onions and fresh mozzarella that she planned to serve with homemade clam chowder for a midweek dinner.

Mande Elrod of Ramsey’s says tomatoes are a summer favorite at her family’s Hixson business, followed closely by green beans, cucumbers, peaches, melons and peppers.

Vegetables in their natural state are hard to resist. But a request asking readers to send in different ways of cooking them shows their versatility. Here are recipes that will help you make the most of the flavorful summer season.

Oven-Fried Zucchini Chips

Sallie Beckes of Flintstone, Ga., says these are wonderful for a bumper crop of squash.

3 medium, garden-fresh zucchini

1/4 cup frozen egg substitute

2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette (or Italian dressing)

1/2 cup Italian-flavored bread crumbs

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or Cajun spice)

Vegetable cooking spray

Cut zucchini into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside. Combine egg substitute and dressing in a small bowl; stir well. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and pepper in a small bowl; stir well. Dip zucchini in egg mixture; dredge in bread crumb mixture. Place zucchini on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 475 F for 5-7 minutes; turn and bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately. Makes about 8 servings.

Grilled Zucchini Sandwiches

Jan Antman came up with this recipe “in a fit of inspiration one day.”

1 medium onion

Butter

Ciabatta rolls or bread sliced for sandwiches

Zucchini sliced longways about 1/4-inch thick

Olive oil

Basil mayonnaise (chop up basil and add to mayonnaise with a bit of onion, garlic powder and a teaspoon of lemon juice)

Provolone cheese

Lettuce and tomato

Slice the onion into thin slices; sprinkle with salt and cook in butter until nicely browned. Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium heat. Brush the ciabatta bread and zucchini with olive oil, and grill until the zucchini is crisp-tender.

To assemble: Spread the basil mayonnaise on two slices of bread, then add a slice of provolone, the zucchini, onions, lettuce and tomato.

Note: You have to watch the grilling of the bread, or it gets too hard to eat.

Marinated Summer Tomatoes

This recipe from Laurie Shipley works with summer tomatoes only, she said.

2-3 large, vine-ripe tomatoes

1 red onion, thinly sliced (use according to taste)

1 fresh ball mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced (about 6 pieces)

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil

1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon capers

Wash and pat dry tomatoes. Slice in thick slices and arrange, overlapping, on a platter. Place onion slices and mozzarella slices on top of tomato slices. Sprinkle basil and parsley over top of tomato mixture. In bowl, mix remaining ingredients and drizzle on tomato mixture. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Fresh Tomato Sandwiches

Sharon S. Allen of Charlotte, N.C., continues to make tomato sandwiches the same way her grandmother, Mrs. G.A. Rice of Chattanooga, once made them. “But for some reason they don’t taste as good as the ones my grandmother made when I was a kid on Lookout Mountain,” she said.

2 large, vine-ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Thinly sliced Vidalia onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup prepared mustard

Fresh white bread, two slices per sandwich

Place tomato slices on a platter, and top each with one slice of onion. Cover platter and place in refrigerator for a couple of hours. Combine mayonnaise and mustard; set aside. When ready to make sandwiches, spread mayonnaise/mustard mixture evenly on each bread slice. Remove onion from tomato slices; discard onion. Place tomato slice on one slice of bread and top with another slice of bread. Slice and serve.

Natalie’s Summer Squash

Sally Hendrick of Pikeville, Tenn., says this dish is simple and healthful.

2 summer squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick

American cheese slices, broken up

1 onion, sliced very thin

1 green pepper, thinly sliced

In greased casserole, layer squash, 1 slice cheese, onion and green pepper. Repeat layers three times, ending with cheese on top. Cover and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and stir casserole. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes longer. Makes 4-5 servings.

Baked Veggies

Being a Southerner, Brenda Wright says she loves fried food, but when she gets tired of all the grease, this is one of her favorite recipes. “They are lighter and moist, and everyone seems to enjoy them so much that I never have any left,” she said.

Okra, cut into thick slices

Squash, cut into thick slices

Hot banana peppers, cut into thick slices, optional (see note)

Potatoes, cut into thick slices

Cornmeal

Oil

Place vegetables in a large bag and add enough cornmeal and oil to coat the vegetables. Shake the bag and turn the vegetables out onto a large baking pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes at 450 F.

Note: If using banana peppers, don’t add until halfway through cooking time so they will not burn.

Tip: Asparagus is also good baked in this manner. Substitute Parmesan cheese for the cornmeal.

Comments