Straight To Tomato Zucchini Bake Recipe

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When I lived overseas the best place to purchase fresh produce was at the market. Twice weekly, fresh vegetables were trucked into the city from outlying farms. While supermarket goods tended to be overpriced and wilted, I could be guaranteed of freshness at the market. Each Wednesday morning I loaded my large wicker basket into the back of our van and drove to do my shopping.

The scene was busy. Half the women in this part of Quito were shopping – the other half shopped Sundays. After finding a parking spot I went to the back of the van to get out my basket. Without fail Maria appeared. A tiny lady with a big smile and a cheery greeting, Maria made her living by carrying shopping baskets. She strapped my basket onto her back as we exchanged news about our families. Then it was off to the shopping!

Inside the huge cement building, rows and rows of stalls displayed everything from fresh fish to imported candy. Networking was important. Once I shopped at a particular stall, I was expected to return there week after week. And in return the seller would offer a “yapa” or extra bonus. It might be a small bag of green beans, or an apple or two.

With Maria behind me I wound my way through the maze of people. First, the potatoes. Purple, brown, red, white and in all sizes, the choice was staggering. Taking time to chat with the seller was important. She and I exchanged pleasantries as she deftly weighed and bagged my choices, then laid them in the bottom of the basket.

Next, the vegetables. From the neatly piled rows of carrots, broccoli, lettuce and more, I would make my selection. Most of what is available in North America was available there, except for sweet corn. And I avoided the peas – grown to a large size, my children called them bullets. No amount of cooking or sauces made them palatable.

Lastly, the fruit. There was a dizzying array of familiar and unfamiliar fruit. Papaya, pineapple, all kinds of melons and other tropical delicacies gave off a warm fruity odor. When I purchased avocados the vendor asked, “When will you be serving them?” She had them in varying stages of ripeness and I could count on the avocados being perfect when I told her when I planned to serve them.

Maria walked to the van with me and unloaded the heavy basket. I gratefully paid her more than the going rate, thankful for her cheerful service. Then home I drove to clean, cook and eat this mountain of produce.

Fresh tomatoes were always available and I used to make a dish with bread cubes, sliced tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and an onion topping. Wanting to preserve the flavors, but trying to cut back on empty carbohydrates, I developed this recipe and included zucchini for more flavor and texture. It’s suitable for the first stage of the South Beach Diet.

Tomato Zucchini Bake Recipe:

1 medium onion, chopped finely

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T butter or margarine

1 T olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon dried basil

2 medium zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced ¼ inch thick

3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick

20-25 pieces of partly skim mozzarella cheese, each 1 ½ inches square, ¼ inch thick