Fall Bounty

Wilf and Cathie start their heirloom tomatoes from seed in February  

We are right in the middle of Farmer’s Market Paradise in Waterloo region, with a plethora of gorgeous fall vegetables perfectly ripe and ready.   This was the week to pick up a bushel of red peppers to roast on the grill, then peel and freeze for use during the winter.

 Even closer to home we are fortunate to have generous neighbours , Wilf and Cathie, with a bountiful vegetable garden adjacent to their house.  When they invited us to come and harvest eggplants, tomatoes and peppers we had visions of thick, smoky ratatouille.  Served with some smoked pork chops, it was the perfect fall dinner. 

Smoked Pork Chops

4 extra-thick bone-in pork chops

For the Brine:

4 cups apple cider

¾ cup Diamond Crystal kosher salt

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup honey

4 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 small bunch fresh thyme

For the coating:

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence

Combine the brine ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.  Remove from heat and cool. 

Place the pork chops in a re-sealable plastic bag, and pour in the cooled brine.  Refrigerate for 6-8 hours.  Drain the brine, rinse the chops and pat them dry with paper towels.  Brush them liberally with the Dijon mustard, and sprinkle with Herbes de Provence.

Place the chops on a preheated smoker with Pecan wood chips scattered over the coals, set to a temperature of 300°F.  Cook for a total of 1 hour, turning every 15 minutes.

Smoked Ratatouille

2 eggplants, peeled and thickly sliced

2 zucchini, thickly sliced

Plenty of salt

¼ cup olive oil

2 red peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded, then cut into bite sized pieces

8 tomatoes, halved

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Red pepper flakes, to taste

 Slice the eggplants and zucchinis, sprinkle them generously with salt and set them in a colander to drain for ½ hour.  Meanwhile, prepare the smoker and set it to 300°F. Soak a cup of pecan or other mild wood chips in water.

 Wipe the vegetables dry with paper towels, then brush with olive oil.  Drop the drained wood chips onto the coals and place the zucchini, eggplants and halved tomatoes on the smoker in a single layer.  Cook until browned and tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.  Let cool on a wire rack, then chop into bite sized pieces.

Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet and add onions.  Sauté until translucent and add the garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the smoked tomatoes, removing the skins if desired.  Add the peppers, zucchini and eggplant, and stir over the heat to warm through.  Garnish with chopped parsley and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.