Summer Vegetable Pasta and Grilled Koftas

The Eggplant Casserole topped with oven dried yellow tomatoes

Meal 1: Linguini with Yellow Squash, Basil, & Tomato, Organic Leaf Lettuce Salad w/ Cherry Toms, & Chick Pea-Chevre Salad

 • Remove the linguini from the top of the dish and plunge it into boiling, salted water for 30 seconds -1 minute. Drain. Reserve.
• Heat the squash in a sauté pan with a little extra olive oil. Get it hot. Add the pasta. Toss to coat. Add the tomatoes . Toss 1 minute and serve.
• Serve and dress the greens.
• Serve the chick peas chilled.

The Koftas

Meal 2: Grilled Grape Leaf Wrapped Koftas, Sultan’s Rice Salad, Fire Roasted Eggplant Casserole

• Heat the Koftas in a 350° oven for 15 minutes. Before putting the meat ones in the oven, touch them with a finger. Can you feel how they yield to the touch? Squeeze their sides gently. You can really feel it here. The Koftas are seared to medium rare inside, but should be finished in the oven. So, after 15 minutes or so in a hot oven the meat ones should be sizzling and will be firm to the touch. If not give them 5 minutes more.The veggie Koftas will remain somewhat soft.
  • Warm the eggplant dish in the oven for 7-10 minutes until just warm. Don’t over heat this dish. Maybe zap in the microwave a minute or two first, then oven heat.
• Heat some olive oil in a sauté pan, but do not let it smoke. Add the rice and stir fry it for a minute or two to heat through. This is an unctuous, hot rice dish. It’s a little spicy too.