Zucchini Bites

These zucchini bites will go wonderfully with a cocktail outdoors this weekend! Similar to my recent Asparagus Tart, start by rolling out a sheet of defrosted store-bought puff pastry. Smother it with a layer of cheese (brie, goat, cream cheese, ricotta- anything creamy… grated cheese could work, too). Then use a peeler and peel slices of zucchini lengthwise to make ribbons. Lay the ribbons out over the cheese then sprinkle with chopped green onion (scallion),  herbs (dried or fresh), coarse sea salt, pepper and olive oil. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 for about 20 minutes or until browned. Cut into bite sized pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients: 1 box puff pastry, one zucchini, 1 green onion, 1 package of creamy cheese, salt, pepper, herbs, olive oil.

Photos, recipe and illustration by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Orange Avocado Salad

This citrus salad is easy and pretty!

Peel and slice 1 avocado and 1 orange into rounds. Layer on a plate, alternating. Sprinkle with cilantro and green onion (scallion). For a dressing, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.

About one avocado and one orange per person should do. For a group, multiply the recipe and display on a platter. I sliced the avocados around the middle (not lengthwise as usual) to make nice little circles the size of the orange slices. Add more or less of an herb sprinkling, according to your taste. Enjoy cold or at room temp!

Photos and Illustration by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Asparagus Tart with Pine Nuts & Capers

This asparagus tart is SO easy it’s kind of fail-proof. Buy some frozen puff pastry (I like Pillsbury). Put one of the sheets of dough on a cookie sheet. Let it defrost a bit then pinch up the edges to make a little crust-like rim. Spread some cheese all over (I used brie, but cream cheese or grated cheese works also), then spread a beaten egg over that. Lay out your asparagus single file (trimmed to the size of the pastry). Sprinkle with nuts and capers if you have some (but it’s fine without as well). Also top with garlic powder, dried herbs (I used herbs de provence), salt and pepper. Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 then cut into squares and serve warm or at room temp. Sometimes I drizzle with a bit of olive oil and more sea salt before eating. Easy, impressive party food (or just dinner tonight!), Enjoy!!

Recipe, photos and illustrations by Erin Gleeson for The Forest Feast

Lentil Lettuce Cups

Passover Seder in the Woods

Spring has sprung in the woods! Passover is this week and to kick it off, we hosted a first-night Seder.  We spent 2 days cooking all the traditional Jewish dishes: Matzah ball soup, Haroset (a paste of dried fruit and nuts), Farfel (quiche-like squares), Tzimmes (a sweet potato carrot dish), plus a roasted chicken with rosemary and lemon. The seder plate has items that represent different parts of the meal and the Passover story of slavery and freedom, including a hard boiled egg, horseradish, parsley, matzah, a shank bone and the modern addition of an orange. In this story of Exodus, when the Jews fled Egypt, they didn’t have time for their bread to rise, so this week we eat matzah instead of bread as a reminder that there are still people today who seek freedom. Chag Sameach and Happy Passover!

Photos and illustration by Erin Gleeson