Vegan Vermonter

This is my take on an Italian classic. First of all, what can be said about fresh, raw tomato and basil? Pretty much any excuse you can find to get these guys in a dish together will be delicious! When I went shopping to make this awesome snack, sitting right next to the fresh basil at the market was some beautiful fresh marjoram, so I decided to throw some of that in as well. These three summery flavors sit atop fat slices of crusty Ciabatta that have been toasted up with homemade garlic oil.

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This garlic infused olive oil can be prepared and then kept in the fridge, ready to add flavor to all kinds of different recipes. Use it in grilled sandwiches, salad dressings, pasta dishes, on pizza crusts, drizzled over casseroles, the possibilities are endless! In my next post I’ll use some to make a quick bruschetta.   : )

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Summer is finally here! We had some hot weather this week and it really made me want to cook something spicy and fresh. All of the local herbs and aromatics are starting to show up at the market, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity for a green curry. This is a coconut milk curry, flavored by a freshly ground herb and spice paste. When you’re shopping for your herbs, there are a few classics to look out for, but this recipe is really open to anything fresh and green. I picked out the best looking stuff at the market and ended up with basil, coriander, lemongrass, scallion, and jalapeno. Like most Thai curries, this one also has ginger, garlic, coriander seed, and black pepper. I’ve also added a little fennel seed to bring out the bright fresh flavor of the greens. For me this dish is all about the sauce, so I like to use steamed jasmine rice, and vegetables with a subtle flavor that won’t overwhelm the herbs. This time I went with napa cabbage, tofu, potatoes, and cashews. Many times I’ll roast my potatoes to concentrate their flavor, but I actually boiled them in this recipe to keep them a little quieter. This curry gets even more summery at plating time with the addition of cucumber and lime!

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