• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Zucchini hot dish

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Trombetta di Albenga growing in the garden

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Trombetta di Albenga in the kitchen

Zucchini Hot Dish

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more to coat casserole dish
  
• 4 cups thinly sliced zucchini
  
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 pound hamburg aka ground beef (sub: ground turkey or cooked lentils)
  
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
  
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (sub: 1 tablespoon minced fresh basil)
  
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano (sub: 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano)
  
• 2 cups cooked rice
  
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (sub: 1½ cups diced fresh tomato)
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1 cup cottage cheese
  
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil or butter a 2 to 3-quart casserole dish.
   
2. Set a large sauté pan over medium heat with the tablespoon oil. When the oil is warm, add the zucchini slices with ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, about 6-8 minutes.
   
3. Remove the zucchini to a plate and set the sauté pan back over medium-high heat. Add the meat to the pan along with the onion, garlic, basil, oregano and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, plus more grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up meat, until onion is softened and meat is browned, about 8-10 minutes.
   
4. Stir in tomato sauce and rice. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Pull pan off heat.
   
5. While the meat is cooking, in a small bowl, beat the egg and then stir in the cottage cheese.
   
6. Arrange half of the cooked zucchini slices in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Spread the meat and rice mixture evenly over the zucchini. Spread the egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly over the meat and rice. Top with the remaining zucchini and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
   
7. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbly. Cool a few minutes before serving.

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Green tomato salsa

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Ingredients for green tomato salsa

Green Tomato Salsa

• 4 cups finely chopped green tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
  
• ½ cup finely diced red onion
  
• ½ cup seeded and finely diced bell peppers (any color)
  
• ¼-½ cup seeded and minced chili peppers (to taste and depending on heat level of peppers)
  
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons cider vinegar (sub: white wine vinegar)
  
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup, optional (sub: 1 teaspoon sugar)
  
• 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
  
• ¾ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
  
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
  
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes, optional
  

1. Combine all ingredients except for cilantro in a large, heavy-bottomed pot set over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to an active simmer.
   
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes until the vegetables have broken down and the salsa has thickened slightly.
3. Stir in the cilantro and return the mixture to a simmer. Taste and add salt or increase heat level with chili flakes as desired.
4. Pour into clean jars and cool on counter before refrigerating. If canning for pantry storage, Local Kitchen has a good guide.

Got cooking questions? Email pasanen@sevendaysvt.com

• Melissa Pasanen ©️ Seven Days
• Farro with roasted squash and broccoli and sage-brown butter dressing

First, I interviewed acclaimed author Jonathan Safran Foer about his most recent book, We are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast, in advance of his University of Vermont George D. Aiken Lecture on October 8.

Among the things Foer and I discussed were what he had eaten for breakfast: nothing, because he doesn't eat breakfast, making his book subtitle a tad disingenuous.

Related Seven Questions for Jonathan Safran Foer in Advance of UVM Talk on Diet and the Climate Crisis

Seven Questions for Jonathan Safran Foer in Advance of UVM Talk on Diet and the Climate Crisis

By Melissa Pasanen

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I also asked him what he had eaten for dinner the preceding night: spinach and herb pie with roasted potatoes and farro. After being impressed by his complete disregard for the low-carb frenzy, I thought, Hmmm ... farro. I haven't made that lately.

Scrolling through Instagram a few days later, my eye landed on a beautiful photo from Farmhouse Pottery in Woodstock of a farro salad with roasted butternut squash and sage-brown butter dressing. Hmmm... farro. I haven't made that lately, I mused again.

The recipe called for 2 cups of farro and it turned out that was exactly the amount I had left in my larder. I also happened to have delicata squash from my CSA share and plenty of sage in my garden.

We've been trying to eat a few more plant-centric meals each week. You can't really argue with eating more vegetables and whole grains. There's also the point Foer makes forcefully in his book: Americans in general eat too much meat, and industrial livestock farming has contributed significantly to the climate crisis.

But who am I kidding? It was all about the brown butter.

Farro with Roasted Squash and Sage-Brown Butter Dressing

• 2¼ teaspoons coarse salt, divided, plus more to taste
  
• 1 large delicata squash, seeded and sliced into half moons (sub: any winter squash, peeled, seeded and cubed)
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 head broccoli, including leaves and stems, cut into bite size pieces (sub: cauliflower)
  
• 2 cups uncooked farro (sub: wheat berries, quinoa or brown rice; note wheat berries and brown rice will take longer to cook)
  
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  
• About 10 medium sage leaves sliced or scissored into ribbons
  
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (sub: red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
  
• 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans
  
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, such as feta

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Fill a large pot with water and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
   
2. On a rimmed sheet pan, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and several grinds of freshly ground pepper. On a second rimmed sheet pan, toss the broccoli with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper.
   
3. Roast the vegetables, turning once, for about 25-30 minutes until they are cooked and a little caramelized.
   
4. When the pot of water has come to a boil, add the farro and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook about 20-30 minutes until farro is  tender to the bite but not mushy. (This will vary depending on age of farro.)
   
5. While everything is cooking, make the dressing. In a medium sauté or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and increase heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
   
6. Stir in the sage leaves and cook another 2-3 minutes until the butter starts browning. Stir in the maple syrup and sherry vinegar and cook to reduce slightly, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon salt.
   
7. Put the hot cooked farro in a big bowl and pour the sage-brown butter dressing over it. Add the pecans and toss to combine. Taste and add salt or pepper as desired. Top with roasted vegetables and crumbled feta.