How To Cook the Seeds You Sow

Cantaloupe + Sun Gold Tomato Gazpacho with Toasted Millet
Radish & Spring Greens Salad with Radish Greens Goddess Dressing
Smoky Bell Pepper Escalivada

Hi all!
I wanted to let you know that my lunch today is the escilivada on bread with Tillamook Hickory Smoked Cheddar and I added the radish, fennel, carrot, walnuts with radish greens dressing on top. Soooo good :)

Cantaloupe + Sun Gold Tomato Gazpacho with Toasted Millet
Serves 6-8

Heads up! You can leave the calyxes on the tomatoes - they’ll blend right into this soup. Skip that step on a summer evening when you don’t feel like spending any the kitchen. Try out other toasted grains, nuts or seeds as a garnish – kasha, pumpkin seeds and pine nuts would all be lovely.

6 cups chopped ripe cantaloupe
1 pint Sun Gold tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon sea salt
½ - 1 cup sparkling water
Tillamook Plain & Simple Greek Yogurt or Cultured Sour Cream for serving
2 tablespoons millet
2 tablespoons chopped basil, mint, or another favorite fresh herb

1. Add the cantaloupe, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt to a blender and blend until very smooth. Depending upon the size of the blender, you may need to do this in batches. Add sparkling water to thin to your liking and season with more salt, lemon juice, and/or olive oil to your liking. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled, at least one hour.

2. Place a small bowl next to the stove and a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the millet to the skillet and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes, then transfer to the bowl.

3. To serve, stir the gazpacho well, then ladle into bowls. Top with a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream thinned with a little water, toasted millet and fresh herbs. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Radish & Mixed Greens Salad with Radish Greens Goddess Dressing
Serves 4-6

This delightful salad is also wonderful digestive aid, thanks to the fennel and lemon juice. For a bit more substance, round it out with baked or grilled salmon or chicken or a sprinkle of chickpeas. To add more tang and creaminess to the dressing, add a spoonful of Tillamook Plain & Simple Greek Yogurt or Tillamook Cultured Sour Cream.

2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 small radishes (leaves and stems reserved and thoroughly cleaned), thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 small avocado
6 cups mixed greens
1 small fennel bulb (fronds reserved), halved, cored and shaved paper-thin (about ½ cup)
1/3 cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the onion and lemon juice in a small bowl and let soak 25-30 minutes, until the onion and the juice turn bright pink. Strain the onions over a blender so the blender catches the lemon juice and reserve the onions.
Place the sliced radishes and fennel in a medium bowl of ice water and let soak until they become crisp, about 15 minutes. Once they are crisp, drain and pat dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel, dry the bowl, then put them back in the bowl along with the onion and set aside.
Add 1 cup radish leaves and stems and the avocado to the blender, and plus just enough water to blend. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more water to make the dressing a little thinner than mayonnaise. Season with salt, pepper and more citrus juice to your liking.
In a large bowl, gently toss together the salad greens, radish, fennel, onion, and 3 tablespoons of the walnuts with enough of the dressing to coat the ingredients lightly and evenly. (Store the remaining dressing in an airtight container in the fridge and add to beans, grains, other veggies…) Add salt and pepper to taste, divide evenly among plates, and garnish with the remaining walnuts and small pieces of the fennel fronds.

Smoky Bell Pepper + Eggplant Escalivada
Serves 2-4

Escalivada is a traditional Catalan dish of grilled vegetables that typically contains bell peppers and eggplant, often garlic or onions, and always olive oil. This turns into a beautiful delicious mess of vegetables that you can add to a sandwich, salad, or platter up with olives, good cheese, and grilled bread. However you eat it, it’s great with shavings of Tillamook Hickory Smoked Cheddar shaved on top. Or melt that smoky cheese on toast/grilled bread and spoon the vegetables on top. Or loosen up Tillamook cream cheese (Jalapeño Honey is my vote) with a bit of water and mixed with fresh herbs, spread on bread and spoon the vegetables over. Or drape the vegetables over grilled or roasted chicken or fish. Or with beans and/or grains like rice, quinoa, or pasta. So many options, I can’t stop! It keeps well in the fridge and the flavor intensifies over time.

2 red, orange, or yellow bell peppers
1 large eggplant
8 garlic cloves, end chopped off and skins removed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 Tablespoons sherry vinegar
1- 2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley leaves or cilantro
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Roast or grill the peppers and eggplant. Place the peppers and eggplant on a preheated grill or over a medium-low flame on a gas stove, as close as possible to the heat source. Cook, using tongs to rotate and evenly char all sides. The eggplant is done when it is completely tender and soft and the skin is like a layer of black paper. The peppers are done when the skin is charred on all sides and the pepper is soft and collapsing. You may also do this in an oven and there’s a helpful tutorial here.
Transfer the vegetables to a cutting board and place an inverted bowl on top of them to trap the steam so it is easier to remove the skin. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Remove the bowl and let cool, then remove the seeds, stems, and charred skin from the peppers and the stems and charred skin from the eggplant. Some people don’t like the eggplant seeds - if that’s you, remove them. It’s best not to rinse the vegetables to remove the charred skin because it washes away the natural oils and flavor. You can scrape it with the back of a knife or pull it off with your fingers. Slice the vegetables into long strips.
Place the garlic cloves into a small pot, add the olive oil and place over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil then turn off the stove.
Stir the spices and sherry vinegar into the oil, then add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before serving with herbs scattered on top. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.