As they say, to know Heidi Borelli, owner and chef at the Greenhouse Enoteca in Allentown, is to love her. Her calming voice and kind spirit are apparent to everyone she meets. Her story with food didn't start the way of so many other chefs. Her mother was a single parent who was an incredible example to Borelli. She worked many jobs to make ends meet and was one of the very first female engineers at Mack Trucks. She also had a beautiful garden where Borelli's love of seasonal, fresh-grown vegetables started—but it wasn't until her early twenties, when she lost her grandmother and inherited her old cookbooks, that her love affair with cooking began.
The loss of her “apple pie granny” was what made Borelli want to bake a pie for the first time. There was something about the focus and precision of measuring that she fell in love with. “I used cooking as a way to work through the grief of losing my grandmother. Being able to nourish people and make people happy was therapeutic,” she shares. “Cooking was all I thought about and I loved it.” When she started dating her now-husband she gained even more inspiration through his mom. “I would spend days with her in the kitchen just completely intrigued by how she would put together a meal so beautifully.”
Here, she is sharing what she calls her Endless Summer Vegetable Salad. “It is full of magical seasonal ingredients that last from summer to early fall in Pennsylvania,” says Borelli. “I believe in eating a pretty plate—thoughtful food consumption is beautiful. Salads should not feel like a compromise for eating healthfully or depriving yourself of other foods you may love to indulge in. Salads should excite you for the culinary adventure you are fortunate enough to explore.”
Sunday is always family night for Borelli, with her husband and three children. A homemade meal is paired with her family's long-standing tradition of “tell me one good thing and one bad thing that happened today,” which has allowed for memories, connections and conversation to happen over shared plates and delicious food.
At the very popular West End Allentown treasure Greenhouse Enoteca, Borelli focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients with modern inspiration of Italian food and shares her wanderlust spirit with each plate. “Food is nostalgic,” Borelli says. “Memories of childhood, travels and wonderful times come flooding back with just the smell of garlic hitting the pan.”
2114 W. Tilghman St., Allentown | 610.707.1152 | ghenoteca.com
Endless Summer Vegetable Salad
Vinaigrette
- 1 cup olive oil
- 2 lemons, juice plus zest
- 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
- 3 scallions
- 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine in blender. Borelli typically doubles this recipe to make enough for the entire week. Or use your favorite high-quality bottled dressing.
Vegetables
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 cup artichokes
- 1 cup eggplant, cubed
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbsp. thyme
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss all veggie ingredients with enough olive oil to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix fresh rosemary, thyme and brown sugar. Toss with veggies. Roast on a sheet pan until golden, stirring occasionally.
Orzo
- 1 package of orzo
Cook orzo until al dente. Once drained, spread onto a sheet pan, add vinaigrette and combine with orzo. Allow to cool.
Salad
- Little Gem and/or butterhead lettuce(s),
- or two of your favorite
- 1 yellow squash
- 1 zucchini
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1–2 Tbsp. fresh garlic
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
While veggies are roasting, wash, dry and chop lettuce. Using a mandoline or veggie peeler, peel yellow squash and zucchini into ribbons. Toss with lemon juice, garlic, dill and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.
Once roasted veggies are cooled, add all ingredients to orzo. If you love cheese, add a ball of burrata! Drizzle the burrata with your favorite herb oil or balsamic glaze, sprinkle with edible flowers and Maldon sea salt.
