With all the fresh squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, basil, onions, and garlic in season right now, it is time for some delicious Italian-inspired dinners. To capitalize on this most flavorful of seasons we started our cooking marathon by creating a slow fresh tomato sauce complemented with a little spice and some meaty mushrooms in this Garden Marinara. To accompany the sauce we prepared a Spaghetti Squash infused with fresh rosemary. At their peak freshness, winter squashes are so sweet and flavorful it makes an ideal substitute for pasta or other less nutritious starches. To fully round out this feast we made Baked Eggplant. This is a stunningly good vegan baked alternative to eggplant parmesan that makes you wonder how the story of Italian cuisine would have evolved if Marco Polo had also chosen to pack some Panko back from Asia.

South American tamales are mostly masa served with delicious sauces, whereas Central American tamales rely on stewed meats and veggies to add flavor. This recipe is more in a South American style but uses Kabocha, a Japanese winter squash, to add substance and sweetness. Any winter squash, like butternut or acorn, will make a good substitute.

Steaming Kabocha Squash and Quinoa Tamales (Photo by Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds Kabocha squash, steamed and pureed
• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 2 cups masa harina 
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Prepare the tamales.
3. Steam the tamales until the masa is firm, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Serve with your favorite Aji.

Roasted Tomato Aji (Photo by Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 pound of ripe red tomatoes, wedged
• 1 white onion, halved
• 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Place tomato wedges, onion halves, and jalapenos on a greased baking sheet. Broil in the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes or until tomatoes are slightly blackened.
2. Place broiled vegetables, olive oil, and salt to taste in a blender and liquefy.
3. Serve with favorite entrees or appetizers to add heat and flavor.

Spaghetti Squash with a sprig of fresh basil.

Ingredients

• Spaghetti squash, halved and de-seeded
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1-3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
• salt to taste

Preparation

1. Place the squash halves face down in a large rectangular baking dish. Place a sprig of rosemary under each half and a few around the squash.
2. Pour water in the baking dish with one half inch of water.
3. Place the baking dish in the over and cook at 400 degrees Farenheight for an hour or until the squash is fork tender.
4. When the squash is finished cooking, carefully remove from the oven and allow to cool until it can be safely handled, about 15 minutes.
5. Scoop the flesh of the cooked squash into a large bowl and discard the skins. Toss with olive oil and salt to taste, or serve with marinara sauce.

James adds the finishing touches to our Garden Marinara.

Ingredients

• 4 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes
• 3-4 large ringo or sweet bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium jalapeno, minced
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Olive oil spray
• Salt and sugar to taste

Preparation

1. Remove the tomato cores, place the tomatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil drain the tomatoes in a large colander and spray with cold water.  remove the skins and set aside.
2. While the tomatoes are coming to a boil, place the peppers in a medium baking dish coated liberally with olive oil. Place in an oven and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until the skins are browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer hot peppers to an airtight container and allow to steam for about 15 minutes. Remove skins, stems, and seeds then dice and set aside.
3. In a large sauce pot, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic at a low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelization begins, about 10 minutes.
4. Add mushrooms to the saute and continue cooking until all of the liquid from the mushrooms is expressed, about five minutes.
5. Add skinned tomatoes, minced roasted peppers, jalapeno, and oregano to the saute. Combine with a wooden spoon and break up the tomatoes.
6. Lower heat to a simmer and season sauce with salt and sugar to taste. Continue to simmer over low heat until the sauce has reduced by about 2 cups, or about an hour.
7. Add chopped basil and remove from heat.