Savory Summer Cobbler

The solution to the age-old "tomatoes coming out of your ears" problem! Tomatoes, onions, eggplant, and/or whatever other vegetables you have on hand topped with a fluffy biscuit crust. It's also pretty quick, less than an hour from start to finish. Make sure to include some tomatoes, as they sort of bind the vegetables together -- a version with just zuchini and onions was not saucy enough.

Savory Summer Cobbler

Filling:
2-3 lb diced fresh tomatoes (a combination of regular and cherry tomatoes is nice)
3 small Japanese eggplants, diced
2 medium onions, diced
1 large clove garlic, chopped
Several large sprigs basil, chopped
1-2 large sprigs mint, chopped
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cornstarch

Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp cold butter, diced
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (NB: can substitute another cheese if you're out)
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt mixed with 1/3 cup water, or 1 1/3 cup plain regular nonfat yogurt
pepper to taste

To make the filling, first saute the onions and garlic over medium heat in 1 tbsp butter until they just begin to color, about 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan and put into a large bowl. Add the eggplant to the pan and cook about 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until colored; add the tomatoes, and turn the heat to high, until the juices start to thicken, about 7 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. While the tomatoes are cooking, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. With your fingers, rub in the butter until it reaches the consistency of sand or meal. Add the cheese and pepper. Gently stir in the yogurt and water mixture until just combined.

Take the tomatoes off the heat and combine with the onions, mint, basil, and cornstarch. Spread evenly in the bottom of a pie pan. Top evenly with the biscuit dough. (There will be too much. Do not use all of it. Save for another use, if you can think of one.) Bake about 25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Serves 4 as part of a multi-course dinner, 2.5 if it's all you're having for dinner.

Watermelon Juice

On a sticky Washington D.C. August afternoon, your best plan of action is to stop and buy an enormous watermelon on your way home from a walk in the park. When you get home, throw it in the blender. Pour over ice. THAT's what I'm talking about.

This recipe makes two enormous pitchers' worth. Feel free to make less, but you'll wish you made more.

Watermelon Juice

One very large watermelon
Juice of one lemon
Juice of one lime
Several large sprigs of mint

Chop the watermelon into manageable slices. Scoop out the seeds with a fork; if you're like me you don't really care if a few seeds end up in the juice. Working in batches, whirl the watermelon, lemon and lime juice, and mint to taste in the blender or food processor. I like the slightly chunky texture achieved by using the food processor. We found that one sprig of mint per food processor batch was a good amount.

Drink sitting down in the shade.

Makes enough for two large pitchers.