TURTLEHEAD & TRANQUILITY ~ ROASTED EGGPLANT and RED PEPPER PENNE PASTA

"A late summer garden has a tranquility found no other time of the year."

~ William Longgood

TURTLEHEAD

(Chelone obliqua)

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ROASTED EGGPLANT and RED PEPPER PENNE PASTA

~ Sunny combination of rich harvest and herb flavors, fresh basil, a must.

(Sutter Home Napa Valley Cookbook)

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2 medium globe eggplants, peeled if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 red onions, sliced vertically into thin strips

3 seeded red sweet peppers cut into narrow strips

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary (1 tsp. crumbled dried)

1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh oregano (1/2 tsp. dried)

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 lb. penne pasta (or other favorite short tubular pasta)

1 cup chopped/shredded fresh basil

1 cup crumbled mild goat cheese or feta cheese

• Preheat oven to 375º.
• In roasting pan, combine eggplants, onions, and peppers. Add oil, garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt to taste, and generous sprinklings of freshly ground black pepper. Stir vegetables to coat. Transfer to oven and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until eggplant is very tender when pierced with fork, 35-45 minutes.
• In small skillet, place pine nuts over medium heat and toast, shaking pan or stirring frequently, until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool and set aside.
• In large pot, bring 4 quarts water to rapid boil over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt. Drop pasta into boiling water and cook, stirring frequently until tender but still firm to the bite.
• Drain pasta in in colander. Rinse past pot and return to stove over the lowest heat. Add drained pasta and roasted vegetables, stirring to mix thoroughly and heat through. Stir in toasted pine nuts and fresh basil.
• Divide pasta among warmed serving plates, sprinkle with cheese and serve. (8 appetizer servings - 4 main dish)

Suggested wine: Merlot or Zinfandel

Turtlehead

(Chelone obliqua)

Height: 2-3 feet

Bloom Period: midsummer - early fall

Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6

Sun or partial shade

'OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING' ~ SUMMER BREAD PUDDING with WARM BERRY SAUCE

"The morn is up again,

the dewy morn,

With breath all incense,

and with cheek all bloom,

Laughing the clouds away with playful scorn,

And living as if earth contained no tomb,--

And glowing into day."

~ Lord Byron

~ Morning sky and August flowers

(Turtlehead, Rose of Sharon, Japanese astilbe, Ivy Geranium)

~ Coneflower and sky

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SUMMER BREAD PUDDING with WARM BERRY SAUCE

~ Delightful treat laden with plump berries, perfect for a summer day (from Pamela Morgan's Flavors)

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soft butter for baking dish

3 large eggs

1/4 cup sugar

2 cups half & half

1 cup whipping dream

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. minced orange zest

1 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

8 cups (1-inch cubes) crustless day-old brad

1 12 cups quartered hulled fresh strawberries

1 1/2 cups blackberries

Confectioners' sugar

WARM BERRY SAUCE

• Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 325-degrees. Lightly butter a 2 1/2 quart ovenproof serving dish abut 4 inches deep.
• Whisk eggs in large bowl. Whisk in sugar then half & half and cream. Whisk in orange juice, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Scatter half the bread cubes over bottom of prepared dish. Scatter half the strawberries and half the blackberries over the bread cubes. Scatter remaining bread cubes over berries. Scatter remaining berries over bread cubes. Pour egg mixture over the bread cubes and berries. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto surface of pudding. Weight is with 2-3 small ramekins or saucers so bread is completely immersed in egg mixture. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Remove weights and plastic wrap. Set pudding in oven and bake until top is lightly browned and custard is set but not firm when dish is jiggles, 50-60 minutes. Let pudding rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Sift confectioners' sugar onto pudding and serve hot or warm, accompanied by the berry sauce. (6-8 servings)

WARM BERRY SAUCE

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blackberries

1 cup fresh strawberries

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

(May use frozen berries)

• Combine berries in small nonreactive saucepan with sugar and lemon juice. (If using frozen berries, let stand until thawed).
• Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring 2-3 minutes or until juicy. (Can be prepared several hours ahead. Rewarm gently over low heat before serving)

~ Coneflower in clouds

~ Rose of Sharon in clouds

WANING AUGUST GIFT ~ PINK TURTLEHEAD / GRILLED PORK TENDEROIN with GINGERED JEZEBEL SAUCE

"When gardeners garden, it is not just plants that grow, but the gardeners themselves."

~ Ken Druse

~ Chelone obliqua
Common name : Pink Turtlehead

~ Lovely combo

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PORK TENDERLOIN with GINGERED JEZEBEL SAUCE

~ Great easy recipe (adapted from old Southern Living clipping) for the holiday weekend. Combine with any treat from the great August harvest ... sauteed summer squash & mushrooms, crisp salad, sliced tomatoes ... the world is our oyster this time of year.

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3 lbs. well trimmed pork tenderloins

fresh rosemary

1/2 cup Tarmari or soy sauce

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 chopped green onions

2 cloves crushed fresh garlic

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger

4 Tbsp. sherry (or bourbon for bolder taste)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chopped rosemary

freshly ground cracked pepper to taste

• Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, green onions, garlic, ginger, sherry, rosemary and pepper. Pour over pork and marinate several hours or overnight.
• Remove pork from marinade and grill until thickest portion registers 155-degrees, turning once and basting with Gingered Jezebel Sauce the last 5- 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining Gingered Jezebel Sauce.

Gingered Jezebel Sauce

1 cup pineapple preserves

1/2 cup red pepper jelly

2 Tbsp. horseradish

1-2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer gently 3 minutes; remove from heat until ready to use (or microwave preserves and jelly in glass bowl at HIGH 2 minutes or until melted. Stir in remaining ingredients).

~ Garden friends

(Coleus and Turtlehead)

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Garden Note: Turtleheads (native wildflowers arranged in spikes like snapdragons resembling a turtle's head with lower lip protruding) are a gift in the waning August garden (preferring moist or lightly shaded conditions) ... attract butterflies, showy, long lived, excellent for cutting, and easily divided in spring.