Closing out the tomatoes

Saturday the 18th of October in Seattle - the sun is out - the air warm and the blueberry bushes beautiful shades of red and orange.

Time to clean up the garden and plant garlic.

I gleaned a large bowl of rather edgy apples and plan on making apple sauce to accompany the pork I have on order from a farm north of Seattle. No recipe for that yet but like the sounds of apple, ginger and serrano peppers.

I harvested long island cheese squash early because of the wet soil factor and the leaves were dusty with mold.

I sure wish I'd taken a picture or two of last nights dinner and tonight's leftovers cause I swear, it was the greatest meal I have ever eaten, bar none.

Four dishes....

My orange cauliflower, see March 20ith 2008 for recipe...steamed cauliflower with sauce of olive oil, anchovy, garlic, bread crumbs...with the addition of serrano peppers that I grew..oh my goddess...orange cauliflower the color of orange sherbet with serrano olive oil garlic bread crumb topping....it sent me.

So did the french wine a house guest bought for me...Chateau Mont-Redon 2005, Cotes Du Rhone.

Back to the goddess fall meal...the cauliflower...orange mind you, the usual kale dish (and I say usual because I have 8 large kale plants growing and here in Seattle that means kale until next summer when it goes to seed) of sauteed onions, once softened add chopped kale, saute briefly then add 1/2 cup or so of water, cover and cook. Continue water and cooking it off for close to 40 minutes and then add vinegar, cook off for a few minutes and serve.

The next dish started with an idea, which Mark Bittman had thought through and published, but ended with my own addition of a few chopped kalamata olives for flavor.

Pasta with canned Tuna.

Sauteed onion and garlic, sweet tomatoes from our garden, capers, red pepper flakes, the kalamata olives and finally canned tuna packed in olive oil. This dish was IT although one diner did grate a fresh assiago cheese on top.

All this plus a green romaine salad with toasted walnuts, red onion and gorgonzola cheese from Rogue Artisan Cheeses...tossed lightly with grape seed oil and red wine vinegar.

I could eat this way every day, over and over again..the Mediterranean diet.