By Chef Justin Brunson
Photography by Lauren DeFilippo
At long last the sweet, sweet summertime grilling season is here. And while some variety of meat is typically the star, sides add crucial variety, texture contrast, balance, and bursts of brightness. Here Chef Justin Brunson of Brunson Meat Co. takes us through his recipes of “steakhouse sides, but really dank ones, using local farms that I love.” Bring on the cookouts.
Red Wagon Tomato Salad
If you’ve ever met our friend Wyatt Barnes of Red Wagon Farm in Lafayette, you’ve also probably been struck by his passion for growing top-notch produce. He grows some of the most amazing tomatoes I’ve ever had. When you buy your tomatoes, choose a mix of colors, shapes, and sizes. This is what will make your dish look beautiful. This recipe is so simple; good food doesn’t need 15 different ingredients, just a few high-quality ones.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- Serves 6–8
- 3–4 pounds various tomatoes
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 ounces extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ounce real aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Maldon salt
- 10 basil leaves, hand-torn into small pieces
Optional toppings (it’s your world to enjoy):
- Gorgonzola cheese, small dollops
- Pistachios, chopped
- Chili crisp
- Parmesan cheese, shaved
- Avocado, sliced
- Croutons
Step 1
Cut tomatoes into a few different sizes: Larger tomatoes can be cut into wedges; smaller ones can be cut in half or even leave a few whole. Arrange tomatoes and onion slices on a platter.
Step 2
In small bowl, mix olive oil, vinegar, salt, and basil. Let sit for approximately 5 minutes prior to serving, to allow ingredients to come together.
Step 3
Drizzle dressing atop tomatoes and onions, along with additional toppings if using.
Toohey & Sons Baked Summer Vegetables
Christian Toohey has been one of my favorite producers since I moved to Colorado. Toohey & Sons Organic is up in Longmont, and you can find them at the Boulder County Farmers Market both in Longmont and Boulder. Some folks would call this dish ratatouille! I like it because I can make it ahead and throw it in the oven, which gives me more time to hang out with my friends and family when we’re all together. It eats really good hot or at room temperature, so it’s an easy one to take to a gathering.
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
- 2–3 eggplants
- 4–5 zucchinis
- 4 tomatoes
- Large yellow onion
- 4 ounces extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzle
- 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Salt, to your taste (I’m using about 1 tablespoon)
For bread crumb topping:
- ¾ cup dried Italian bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or Pecorino Romano (preferred)
- 1 teaspoon high-quality dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut all vegetables ½-inch thick.
Step 2
In medium bowl, mix olive oil with basil, garlic, and salt. Marinate for 20 minutes while making simple bread crumb topping.
Step 3
For bread crumb topping: In separate bowl, mix all bread crumb topping ingredients. In large shallow and ovenproof dish (I like to use an oval enamel-coated cast iron as it conducts heat well and looks great to serve in), alternate vegetables while laying them out, overlapping around dish, like a stack of pennies that has fallen over; this is a fun one for the kids to do. Sprinkle bread crumb mix evenly across top. Drizzle with olive oil.
Step 4
Bake in oven until bubbly and crispy, about 30–45 minutes, depending on how much moisture the veggies hold. (I mine heavily caramelized with a crispy top.)
Crispy Boil and Smash Baby Potatoes
I could not talk about farms I love without mentioning Sarah Jones of Jones Farms Organics in the San Luis Valley. She has done so much for the Colorado agricultural community, and her farm is one of the large producers of potatoes, selling through retailers like Whole Foods Market. It’s nice to talk about the little guys but it’s also important to honor the larger farms that are feeding America from right here in Colorado.
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
- 24-ounce bag Jones Farms Organics baby yellow potatoes
- 4 ounces extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces good butter (Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed, Kerrygold or Isigny Sainte-Mere for a special occasion)
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed with knife
- 10 thyme sprigs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Step 1
Fill 10-quart pot with cold water, adding enough salt to make it taste like the ocean. (This is where to use cheap salt, like Morton’s kosher salt.) Add potatoes. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat. Strain through colander.
Step 2
Let cool enough to smash by hand without burning your palms. Smash potatoes by keeping potatoes whole but pressed down. This process will result in creamy centers and crisped edges.
Step 3
Work in batches. In heavy cast-iron skillet, heat half of oil, half of butter, and half of garlic over medium heat. Using spatula, place 1 layer of potatoes on pan. Cook until crispy on one side. Flip. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until nice and crispy. Remove potatoes from pan and begin next batch.
Simple Sautéed Flavor Blast Greens
The greens used here are from Rough & Ready Farm in Longmont and found at either of the Boulder County Farmers Markets. Dave Thomas there is an amazing organic vegetable farmer. The flavor blast mix is a mixture of mustard greens including red frills, Wasabina, mizuna, and Japanese giant red, balanced with tatsoi, bok choy, Tokyo bekana, and red Russian kale. I love this so much that I eat it a few times a week, with grilled proteins or fish. I also really enjoy this with just a couple of farm-fresh, over-easy eggs on top of it.
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- Bag of flavor blast mix, or your preferred greens
- ½ ounce water
- Healthy pinch of salt
- ¼ lemon
In cast-iron skillet over high heat, heat olive oil and garlic. Cook garlic until golden brown and crisp, but not burnt. This is a key step in building a lovely garlic-flavored olive oil to cook greens in. Add red pepper flakes. Cook for additional 5 seconds. Add greens. Toss in water to create steam, helping greens break down and release juices. Add salt. Continue to cook to preference. (I like my greens to have a bit of a bite, but you can cook until soft.) Finish with squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Cannolo Family Farms Mushrooms
My favorite local mushrooms are from Cannolo Family Farms in Sedalia. Clean flavors and always super fresh when you pick them up. This is a simple sautéed mushroom dish that I love to top off any grilled proteins, and is also a lovely addition to any egg or pasta dish.
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons good butter (Kirkland Signature Grass-Fed, Kerrygold, or Isigny Sainte-Mere for a special occasion)
- 2 shallots, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces mushroom mix, cleaned and cut or torn into bite-size pieces
- 6 sprigs thyme
- 2 ounces acidic white wine
- Salt and pepper, to taste
In cast-iron pan over high heat, add olive oil and butter. Sauté shallots and garlic until lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms. Cook until lightly caramelized. Add thyme. Deglaze pan with wine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until your liking. I prefer mine crispy!
