Main Dish Recipes Using Your Garden Produce!

Real Men Do Eat Quiche - Vegan Quiche

Jacqui Schlosser created this tasty vegan recipe for The Dinner Garden.

  • 1 block of Firm Tofu - pressed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp of tarragon
  • 2 Tablespoons of Rawmesan
  • 2 Tablespoons of Tofu Scramble mix (mixture of nutritional flakes, chili powder, turmeric, and salt)
  • 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine

Blend the above in a food processor until smooth. In a pan saute:

  • 1 bundle of asparagus, chopped, 1/2 the tips removed and reserved to the side
  • baby bella mushrooms (about 2 handfuls)
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • fresh oregano
  • fresh thyme
  • dried basil

Add the tofu mixture to the veggie mixture and combine. Add filling to a pre-made pie shell (vegan of course!). Place the reserved asparagus tips on top in a decorative pattern. Place quiche on middle rack of 350 F degrees oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown, and the filling has set. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then dig in!

Tomatoes and Zucchini with Pasta

This recipe is from HEB. When you think grocery shopping in the great State of Texas, you think HEB. Enjoy this Italian inspired vegetarian dish!

  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 large onion, julienned
  • 4 zucchini, julienned
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • fresh basil sprigs
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • parmesan cheese (for garnish)

In a medium hot saute pan, add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Add minced garlic and onions and saute for 4 to 6 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes. Cook for 7 minutes. Cook longer if you would like the zucchini to be softer. Add salt and pepper and serve over warm pasta. Garnish with parmesan cheese and chiffonade basil.

Garden Greens Pasta

This recipe is from our volunteer, Julie McClaren.

Prepare appropriate size whole wheat pasta. Set aside. In a sauce pan add one large can diced tomatoes. Allow to simmer. This dish is seasonal, so it will depend on whats in the garden. Peel and cut several chives. Finely shred (I cut with shears) nasturtiums leaf OR beet leaf OR fresh spinach, and add to diced tomatoes. Pinch of cayenne (sneeze to the side). Amount depends on you. I start with a cup of shredded greens. Add ingredients and produce to your heart's content!

Mix all together, wheat pasta and tomato mixture with greens. Add one fouth cup of greek marinade (salad dressing aisle) and half cup shredded Italian cheese blend. Bake at 325 F degrees only until cheese melts.

Hiyashi Chuka - Cold Japanese Noodles

This recipe comes to us from our very own Dinner Garden kitchen. Hiyashi Chuka are Japanese cold noodles. In Japan, they are popular in the hot summer months. You can use a variety of toppings for the noodles. Try adding tomatoes or carrots.

Hiyashi Chuka - Cold Japanese Noodles
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp mirin
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup chicken broth or dashi
  • 1 Tbsp white sugar

Mix all the ingredients above together. Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved. Chill the sauce until very cold.

  • 1 bundle somen noodles
  • 4 thin ham slices
  • 1 egg
  • 1 small cucumber (4 inches long)
  • 1 green onion
  • big pinch of pickled ginger
  • wasabi to taste

Cook somen noodles according to directions. They cook very quickly, like 1 minute, so don't walk away from them. You can use other noodles. Somen are just the best with this dish. Rinse the noodles under cold water. The goal here is to remove any residual starch. This is best accomplished by putting the noodles in a big pot of cold water and gently scrubbing them together with your hands. Change your water a couple times while doing this. Then drain the noodles.

The remaining ingredients are up to you, but ham, cucumber, and egg are traditional. Slice the ham thinly. Peel and deseed the cucumber. Slice it into thin strips. For the egg, I make a very thin omelette, chill it, thin slice it into long, thin strips.

To serve, place your noodles in a large bowl. Arrange the sliced ham, cucumber, and egg artfully over the noodles. Place pickled ginger on top. Mix the chilled sauce with hot mustard or wasabi to taste. Pour the sauce over the dish liberally. I use about 1/2 cup per serving. Enjoy!

Italian Sausage and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Asparagus and Cherry - Red Wine Reduction

This recipe is from Chef Mayet Cristobal. We hope you enjoy it!

  • 4 each Chicken Breast with Skin On
  • 2 each Italian Sausage links, cooked and crumbled
  • 4 oz. Goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1 each Small red onion, julienne
  • 1 Tbsp. Fresh thyme, chopped

Brining Liquid:

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Tbsp. Salt
  • 2 Tbsp. Sugar
  • 1 each Fennel bulb, sliced
  • 1 each Apple, sliced
  • 1 each Orange, sliced
  • 4 each Bay leaf
  • 1 Tbsp. Black peppercorn
  • 1 lb. Asparagus, stems trimmed
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup veal stock
  • 1/2 cup bing cherries, pitted
  • 3 Tbsp. Butter, diced
  • to taste Honey
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil as needed

Mix all brine ingredients. Solution should be slightly salty and sweet. Add chicken and leave overnight.

Heat oil in pan over medium heat and add onion. Slowly saute until onions become golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool. Mix sausage, goat cheese, chopped thyme and cooled onions. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from brine and discard brine. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Poke your finger underneath the skin and between the flesh to form a "pocket." Stuff goat cheese mixture in this pocket. Heat oil in large pan and sear chicken skin side down until golden brown and repeat on other side. Add veal stock and red wine to pan with the chicken and place in oven. Cook until chicken is done approximately 12-15 minutes depending on size of chicken breast.

Meanwhile, heat salted water in a large pot. Blanch asparagus for 1-2 minutes until done. Careful not to overcook. Remove from heat, set aside, and place 1 tablespoon of butter on top to melt.

When chicken is done remove from pan and place the pan juices and cherries on a burner to reduce by half. Whisk in cold butter to form the sauce and season with salt, pepper, and honey.

To plate, arrange asparagus spears on plate, top with stuffed chicken breast and finish with sauce. Serves 4.

Crock Pot - Vegan Mediterranean Stew

Jacqui Schlosser created this hearty vegan recipe for The Dinner Garden.

  • 1 pound seitan, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
  • 2 zucchini, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 (8 oz) package of frozen artichoke hearts
  • 2 cups of garbanzo beans
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Toss seitan pieces with flour and paprika until lightly coated. Sear in pan with olive oil until all sides are browned. Place seitan in crock pot with vegetables, garbanzo beans, tomato paste, vegetable broth, herbs, and pepper flakes. Stir well and cook for 8 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over brown rice or noodles.

Black Angus Beef Medallions with Creamed Potatoes, French Beans with Shallot Butter, and Salsa Verde

This recipe is also from Chef Mayet Cristobal. You'll love it!

  • 1.5 lbs Black Angus Beef Tenderloin, cleaned and portioned into 3oz medallions

Creamed Potatoes:

  • 1 lb yukon gold potatoes, peeled
  • 1 cup heavy cream, heated
  • 1/2 lb. Unsalted butter, melted
  • to taste kosher salt

Shallot Butter:

  • 1/2 lb. Softened unsalted butter
  • 3 each Shallots, minced and caramelized
  • 4 each Sprigs parsley, finely chopped
  • to taste salt and pepper

Salsa Verde:

  • 1 bunch parsley, chopped
  • 1 bunch oregano, chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1 each Lemon, zested
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • to taste salt and black pepper
  • 1 lb. Haricot vert (french beans), frenched and blanched
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil as needed

To make salsa verde, mix all ingredients and set aside.

To make shallot butter, mix all ingredients and set aside.

To make creamed potatoes, heat water in a large pot. Add potatoes and cook through. Pass potatoes through a food mill and mix in cream, butter, and salt. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Season tenderloin medallions liberally. Add beef to pan searing one side at a time until each side is nicely browned. This is about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat salted water in a large pot. Blanch haricot vert for 1-2 minutes until done. Careful not to overcook. Remove from heat, set aside, and toss with shallot butter.

To plate, spoon creamed potatoes on plate, top with haricot vert, the medallions and drizzle the salsa verde on the meat as well as the plate. Serves 4.