Pretty excited about this trio of summer veggies. What better way to utilize last weekend’s farmers’ market haul. This is the type of cooking and eating I love best. It satisfies my love and craving for all things vegetables.

First off, charred eggplant with red bell peppers, Sherry vinegar and smoked paprika. You really want to get some nice char on the eggplant (as pictured below). This gives the eggplant a nice smoky flavor.

Next, roasted tomatoes and garlic with herbs (oregano and thyme) from the garden, over preserved-lemon and chive Greek yogurt, topped with a sprinkling of Urfa biber pepper.

Lastly, green (Romano) beans and baby potatoes in a chreime sauce — a middle eastern tomato-y, garlicky sauce spiced with hot smoked paprika (pimenton), caraway, cumin and a dash of cayenne — topped with chopped Marcona almonds. Typically, this savory sauce utilizes any type of firm fish, but decided to take it in a vegetarian direction today.

Serve with some toasty, crusty bread.

Pretty darn tasty if I do say so myself. Hope you enjoy!

Really let the eggplant get nice and charred…

The preserved lemon in the yogurt takes it to another level…

Add a pinch of cayenne to the green beans if you like it spicy…

Two of the recipes call for smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón). There’s a sweet version and a spicy version. I used the hot smoked variety in both the eggplant and green bean dish. You could use either the sweet or spicy variety or even a combination.

Charred Eggplant with Red Bell Peppers & Sherry Vinegar

Adapted from Michael Solomonov, Zahav Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA
2 medium eggplants (about 2 1/2 lbs.), trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1⁄4 cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
1⁄3 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Squeeze of 1/2 lemon

Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on a wire rack set over paper towels and sprinkle evenly on both sides with the salt. Let the eggplant stand for 30 minutes to drain, and then pat dry with paper towels.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices to fit in a single layer and cook until almost blackened, about 10 minutes (I placed a heavy skillet over the eggplant to help them cook evenly). Flip the slices and cook until the other side is blackened, about 8 minutes more. Transfer the eggplant slices to a plate and then drain the oil and wipe the skillet clean.

Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the peppers are soft and lightly caramelized, about 12 minutes. Return all the eggplant to the skillet along with the vinegar and paprika and cook, lightly mashing the eggplant as you go, until the vinegar evaporates, about 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the parsley and lemon juice.

Serve the eggplant warm or at room temperature.

Note: Can be made in advance, reheated or served at room temperature.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Preserved Lemon Greek Yogurt

Adapted from Ottolenghi Simple
1 lemon
1 pound cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh oregano
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt
1/4-1/3 preserved lemon peel, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon Urfa chile flakes (substitute with your favorite chile flakes)

Preheat the oven to 425F.

With a peeler, peel 3 large strips of lemon. Grate the remaining lemon zest.

Place the tomatoes, 3 strips of lemon peel, olive oil, cumin seeds, herbs, 1/2 teaspoon flaky salt and few grinds of pepper in a bowl. Toss to combine. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast 20 minutes until tomatoes blister and are bubbling hot. Place under the broil for 2-3 minutes, until the tomatoes start to blacken on top.

While the ton tomatoes are roasting, prepare the yogurt. Combine the yogurt, zested lemon, preserved lemon and chives in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Keep chilled in the refrigerator.

When the tomatoes are done, transfer the yogurt to a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon the tomatoes and their juices, garlic, lemon zest, and herbs on top of the yogurt. Sprinkle some Urfa chile flakes on top.

Serve with toasted, crusty bread to scoop it all up.

Green (Romano) Beans and Baby Potatoes in Chreime Sauce

12 ounces green beans, trimmed
12 ounces baby potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
Chopped (Marcona) almonds: substitute with roasted almonds

For the Chreime Sauce:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 garlic cloves minced
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground caraway
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Salt to taste
4 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups water
Squeeze of lemon
Chopped Marcona almonds for garnish

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of iced-cold water. Drain again. Set aside.

Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain and slice in half. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Place the potatoes in the skillet cut side down. Cook until golden brown. Set aside.

For the chreime sauce: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the garlic and spices and sauté 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté another minute. Pour in the water, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the green beans, season with salt, and continue to cook until the sauce is thick and coats the vegetables, about 10-15 minutes. Add the potatoes to the skillet and cook another minute until warmed through. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Top with chopped Marcona almonds.

Note: Can be made in advance, reheated or served at room temperature.