Costco Connection - June 2011

and Feta Gratin

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a 6-inch- diameter ovenproof sauté pan.

Toss zucchini with salt and pepper. Toss yellow squash with salt and pepper. In a bowl, mix the scallions, garlic, oregano and feta cheese.

Lay zucchini slices in the pan, slightly overlapping them like shingles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with a layer of tomatoes, slightly overlapping them like shingles. Sprinkle with ½ of the scallion mixture. Top with a layer of yellow squash, then another layer of tomatoes; sprinkle layers with salt and pepper. Top with remaining scallion mixture. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Place sauté pan on a sheet pan in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the top is slightly browned. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve. Makes 4 servings.

JEFF KAUCK

Nectarine and
Almond Crisp

IRIDIO PHOTOGRAPHY

By Barbara Fairchild

I love this recipe because the ingredients speak of summer and it’s so versatile: You can use peaches or apricots instead of nectarines if those are available. This recipe can fit almost any occasion—weeknight dinner, summer barbecue party, casual Saturday night, Sunday brunch or lunch. I like to serve it with a little vanilla ice cream.

TOPPING

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour ¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon salt

2 ounces almond paste (about 1/3 cup), crumbled

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1½ cups sliced almonds

FILLING

2½ to 2¾ pounds nectarines, halved, pitted, each half cut into 4 wedges (about 8 cups)

½ cup apricot preserves ¼ cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground ginger

JEFF RIEDEL

To make the topping, blend the flour, brown sugar, cardamom, ginger and salt in a food processor. Add almond paste and process until fine crumbs form. Add butter; using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in almonds.

To make the filling, preheat oven to 400 F. Butter an 11 x 7 x 2-inch ovenproof glass baking dish or deep-dish pie dish. Toss nectarines, apricot preserves, brown sugar, flour, cardamom and ginger in a large bowl until nectarines are coated.

Transfer the nectarine filling to the prepared dish; sprinkle topping over. Bake until topping is golden, nectarines are tender and juices are bubbling around edges, about 40 minutes. Cool at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve crisp warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.