Salad Sprouts linked to outbreak of salmonella in Northwest

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If you live in Washington state, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska; be careful. Sprouters Northwest has pulled al of its salad sprouts ( alfalfa, onion, and salad sprouts) because of a link to 13 cases of salmonella poisoning; according to DigitalJournal.com. Refer to the article for lot numbers that have a “Best By” date of 9/17/08.

Or be safer and just throw them out anyway.

Zucchini Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a Provencal-style stew made from eggplant, zuchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic. It is great as a main dish served with focaccia, a rustic Italian flatbread, or a crusty loaf of french bread. It is wonderful tossed with a hearty pasta like penne rigate or pappardelle, or used as a rustic topping for your homemade pizza!  This is a perfect way to enjoy the end of summer’s bounty.

This application foregoes the eggplant, and uses canned flavored tomatoes so that prep and cooking time is reduced to about 15-20 minutes. If you are a die hard freshness fanatic, you can use fresh tomatoes instead, just take care to blanch them before using ( here is a link with pictures on how to blanch a tomato). Preparing this dish this way preserves some of the crunch of the vegetables.

You will need:

Wooden spoons

Cutting board

Chef Knife

Paring knife

Bowls to store cut vegetables

measuring cup

saute pan

measuring spoons

For blanching fresh tomatoes you will need

stockpot

large bowl filled with ice

Ingredients

3ea medium zucchini, washed ( about 3-4 cups)

1 green pepper ( about 3/4 to 1 cup)

2 small onions (about 3/4 to 1 cup)

2 ea. 15oz. can of Italian-flavored diced tomatoes in juice ( ex. roasted garlic, basil and oregano)

1/2 tsp. sea/ kosher salt

1/2 tsp. coarse-grind black pepper

3/4 tbl. italian seasoning

1 heaping tablespoon chopped garlic

1/3 cup olive oil

After washing zucchini, inspect for any blemishes. If there are any bruises or blemishes, cut them out using a paring knife. Cut  off both ends of zucchini, then cut in half lengthwise. Slice into 1/2 inch half moon slices and set aside. Peel and dice onions, and set aside. Cut off top of green pepper , discarding seeds. Cut in half lengthwise, and dice peppers. Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and green peppers to pan, and cook over medium heat until onions are clear, about 5-7 minutes.  Add zucchini and garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Add tomatoes and seasonings, turn up heat to high and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and let cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.