Roasted Figs with Honey and a French Salad

Oh yum! Fresh figs are amazing. Better yet: roasted, and topped with honey... and stuffed with cheese.... and served with a delicious salad....oh my!

Ingredients:
5-10 Figs, split into halves
olive oil
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar
honey
goat, gorgonzola, or ricotta, for filling
pancetta (optional, for those that eat meat)
herbs: thyme or rosemary



Directions:

1. Split figs in half. Drizzle with olive oil and use hands to rub around the whole fig. Salt and pepper, and splash with balsamic vinegar.
2. Set oven to 325 degrees and bake for 10 minutes, until figs are runny with juice.
3. Turn off oven and top each fig with desired cheese, more pepper, herbs, and drizzle of honey.

For the Salad:

Ingredients:
Mixed delicate and bitter Greens (such as endive, radicchio, dandelion, baby spinach, etc)
Strawberries or cherry tomatoes
walnuts (optional)

French Mustard Vinaigrette
Shallot, finely chopped
Red Wine Vinegar, 1-2 capfuls
About 1 tsp of Dijon or Champagne Mustard, Grainy or smooth
salt & pepper
Olive Oil

Whisk the mustard, shallot, and vinegar together in a bowl. Slowly stir in the olive oil. Salt and pepper, taste, and adjust flavors.

Serve the figs with the salad and enjoy!!

Salad Provencale

Ever since our trip to France this past spring, I have been fixated on my new favorite salad- the salad provencale. (The C should have that little squiggly goat beard-shaped line underneath, but I'm not sophisticated enough to know how to create that). Anyhoo, It is delicious, and for me, the equivalent of a power lunch.

Ingredients:
mixed greens
tuna in water
haricots verts (french green beans), steamed
tomato
potatoes, boiled and cooled
cannellini beans
egg, hardboiled
parsley
capers or olives
salt and pepper

Dressing:
I'm sure the french didn't make it this way, but here's my cheat:

1 capful of creamy caesar from Newman's mixed with a dollop of dijon mustard, a little of the water the tuna came in, and the juice from the tomatoes.... Add a tiny bit of olive oil as well.


Directions:
Combine the vegetables and toss in a bowl. Lightly top with dressing.

Grill that, too

My new mantra for pretty much everything, especially as summer continues to heat up, is: "I think we can grill that". The result is that we have shifted many food items that we traditionally made in the oven to the grill- and with results so delicious, I think the transition might be permanent. It also is really fun and satisfying to turn the grill- so long the land of MEAT MEAT MEAT into a tool for veggie heaven. A few things to try:

Grilled Quesadillas

Check out my quesadilla post from last summer for a recipe for zucchini quesadillas- but really, the filling doesn't matter, it's the grillin'! I used to slave over a pan on the stovetop to make these, but a little tinfoil and a trip to the grill adds a ton of flavor and saves a lot of time! Watch carefully so they do not burn, and flip them once or twice to get an even cook on both sides!

Grilled Pizza

A friend of ours (Brian!) introduced us to the idea of grilling pizza over a year ago, but for some reason we held off on trying it ourselves until this summer- and wooooaaah nelly! Forget the 500 degree oven I call for in my red pepper pizza recipe- and use the grill instead. It's so simple: prepare the dough for the crust on a piece of oiled tinfoil, and then complete with your chosen sauce and toppings. Grill open-faced until ingredients soften and cheese melts, again, checking the bottom to make sure it does not burn. I found it develops a flavor that mimics the wood-oven taste of many artisinal pizza shops, so I'm going this route even when there's snow outside!! (SOme folks will try and sell you a pizza stone for your grill, I'm sure that is good, too, but tinfoil works juuuusst fine).


Grilled Potatoes

Forget oven roasting! Dice red/white/purple creamer potatoes into equal-sized, small pieces, then place on tinfoil. Generously season with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, fresh sprigs of rosemary, and garlic cloves, and bundle in the foil. Grill until the potatoes are tender.

Grilled Corn

Again, I will never stick corn in a pot of boiling water ever again. My original recipe for grilled corn calls for the slightly fancy-pants technique of partially peeling back the husk, removing the silk, and then leaving on for grilling. For a more simple approach, simply remove the husk and silks completely as normal, wrap in tinfoil, and throw it on the grill. Some recipes also call for soaking, but we skip right over that too, and the results are darn good!

Picnic Potato Salad

1 bag baby red potatoes
handful of cilantro
1/4 cup diced red onion
mayonnaise
dollop of dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine or rice wine vinegar
pepper to taste
green or yellow string beans (optional)
cherry tomatoes, cut in half


Boil the potatoes and allow to cool well before making the salad. Dice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Combine the cherry tomatoes, green beans, cilantro, and onion. Pour on the vinegar, and then add in the mayonnaise to taste- I usually put in about 3 tablespoons, but it fluctuates. Finally, a bit of dijon. Allow to sit in the fridge for several hours, or overnight, and taste and adjust flavors as needed prior to serving!! It really changes the longer it sits- the acid will begin to break down the potato, and it is delicious!!!

My Last Supper

Great chef's and not so great chef's alike play a game where they dream up their last meal- and Ryan and I enjoy ruminating on this topic at times as well. We even have the coffee table book pictured above- which I love- that asks 50 super chefs to describe their last meal, and then accompanies each description with fabulous photographs. Each Chef answers the following questions, and here is my take:

What would be your last meal on Earth?


A picnic. For sure. French Country Boule, really good Mustard, Cheeses- many kinds (blue... goat... sheep... cow...), the ripest, reddest, dead-of-summer, eat-it-like-a-peach tomatoes, an entire bunch of fresh basil, the creamy, salty, harder on the outside and softer on the inside mozzarella, roasted red peppers, olives and super green olive oil (the good 'lacrima' stuff!), really ripe fruit... strawberries and peaches, juice-runnin'-down-my-elbow good... maybe a few bites of dark chocolate....

What would be the setting for your last meal?
Somewhere beautiful. A nice vista over some city, or perhaps out in the wild with a crystal blue lake and mountains... or next to the ocean... It would definitely be summer.

What would you drink with your last meal?

Champagne, of course.

Would there be music?
Maybe. I really like it when buskers play good jazz or classical music, like in the subway.

Who would be your dining companion?
Ryan... my life companion.

Who would prepare the meal?
We would. We'd go shopping at an outdoor market and pick things up here and there as we see what we like. Maybe get some fresh flowers, too.

The 'Lini' Salad (Broccolini & Cannellini Salad)

This one is quick easy and delicious.

1 Can Cannellinni Beans- Rinsed
Cherry Tomatoes cut in half (Or sliced red pepper)
broccolini- steamed for a few minutes, then shocked
red onion- handful diced fine
balsamic & really yummy olive oil
salt & pepper

Roughly chop the broccolini and combine with the cannellini, tomatoes and onion. Season to taste, mix and serve. YUM.

The perfect snack

Mesclun greens with a lemony-olive oil dressing, marinated olives, slices of a sharp gruyere, a piece of toasted french bread with garlic buttter.... and a glass of white wine.

No, it's not wintery. But with all the soups and chili's and baked sweet potatoes, this super light and refreshing meal seemed just right.

Dressing:
Olive Oil- go with the good stuff
Lemon
salt
pepper

Garlic butter:
Boil 8 slivered cloves of garlic in water. In room temperature butter, mix garlic in and mash well. Sprinkle with sea salt, refrigerate to harden up.

watermelon, lime and jalapeno salad

Before the summer season completely fades from memory, I wanted to share this recipe. I made it for our labor day party- and though the picture shows pink watermelon, I used a yellow melon instead. Ryan declared the salad to taste like a "lime-lemon ice pop"- and indeed it was extremely refreshing! A great palate cleanser or interesting side for a picnic!

Ingredients:
3 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
1 jalalpeno chile, seeded and sliced
sprinkle salt
basil

Whisk together the lime juice and oil, and set aside.
Place watermelon cubes in a dish and pour lime mixture over top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Place 5 jalaoeno rings at the bottom of serving dish. Place watermelon on top, and divide marinade. Garnish with a sprinkle of salt, and a piece of basil.

Lime-Cilantro Dressing

Oh man, a new favorite. I am so sick of oil and vinegar and even balsamic vinaigrette- and this is a light, summery, refreshing dressing! We served it with an arugula, spinach, and mesclun salad, topped with cherry tomatoes, and it complimented the bitter greens perfectly.

The recipe is adapted from Frontera Kitchens- a Rick Bayless Restaurant/ product line- and it is just amazing. Check them out!!

2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 small cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1/2 of a fresh hot green chile, such as chile serrano, seeded and roughly chopped (I used jalapeno)

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2/3 cup olive oil

Mix together in a food processor or blender, shake well, and voila!

Apricot Jam

I am not the biggest apricot fan, but I had to do something with the 15 we got from our last CSA pickup.... so, I took my first attempt at jam. The hardest part is knowing when it is done cooking to the "jelling point". I pulled mine a bit early, and the jam is not super thick, but not watery, either. Probably should have let it go more like 50-60 minutes. I will continue to perfect the jelling method, and keep you posted..... but flavor-wise, this bad boy was the type of jam I've only dreamed of- sweet and tart, citrusy and summery, like a mouthful of sunshine!

Ingredients:
apricots- halve and remove pit
3/4 cup sugar, more to taste
juice of 1 lime
splash honey
splash orange juice
pinch salt

Bring ingredients to a continuous boil. Stir frequently, and taste and adjust flavors. Skim off foam. Test for doneness by dipping a metal spoon in and seeing if liquid slowly drips from tip. It took me about 40 minutes to an hour for a smallish batch- give or take. Pour into a jam jar, allow to cool uncovered at room temperature and then refrigerate!

Panzanella

A tuscan classic!

Ingredients:
2-3 Extra ripe tomatoes
1/2 white or red onion
handful of basil
cucumber
bread- italian or french style, the older the better- if more than 4 days old, rinse or soak in water for a minute and gently squeeze
salt & pepper
olive oil and red wine vinegar

Mix ingredients in a bowl and enjoy!

Insalata Caprese: An Italian Classic

This is such a great summer dish, and with heirloom tomatoes- heaven.

Ingredients:
Buffala Mozzarella-
(spring for the pricey stuff, totally worth it when featured in a salad.) We get ours from fresh direct- lupara Ovoli, imported- runs about $8.00 for a ball. Let sit out prior to serving to warm up.
Fresh Basil- get it as fresh as you can!
Tomato- red, yellow, and nice and ripe. Make sure you keep them on a counter to stay soft and warm, no refrigeration!!

Cut the mozzarella and tomato into thin slices. Layer on a plate with the basil. Sprinkle with pepper, fresh or dried oregano. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

If you want to fancy it up, serve a grilled peach or a few spears of asparagus with the dish- despite stepping away from tradition, totally delicious. Parsley and onion are other options, or even a splash of citrus in the olive oil. A small amount of salt can also be used, but tread lightly, as the mozzarella is naturally salty!

Grilled Corn

Ah, summer corn. We've been getting a ton, and grilling it up. We've found the following method to be simple and produce some seriously delicious kernels, so enjoy!

Based off Bobby Flay's style!

1. Pull down the husk carefully without removing- and gently pull out the silks. Take off dead ends of husks, if any.
2. Pull the husks back up into place and wrap in tinfoil.
3. Cook about 20 minutes on a covered grill, turning every few minutes. Check for golden color to know when done!

Garnish with fresh lime or butter and serve! I Whipped up some garlic butter as a topping- just put 1/4 stick in the food processor with a clove of garlic, and whip into a ball!!

Make sure you use the garlic butter within a few days, or it will go bad!

Rustic Blueberry Peach Tart

My first attempt at a tart! I was really pleased with this recipe- another one adapted slightly from Vegetarian TImes- and excited to put some super-ripe peaches to good use!

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
6 oz light cream cheese
1/2 stick butter
2-3 tblsp cold water

Filling:
5 cups peaches- peeled, pitted, sliced
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
squeeze fresh lemon juice
2 tblsp corn starch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt

For dough: mix dry ingredients with butter and cream cheese, splash with water and knead with hands until soft enough to form a ball. Refrigerate 30 minutes to an hour.

Prepare filling and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. We did 400, since our oven runs a little hot.

Place a piece of wax paper on a large baking sheet and flour. Using hands, roll out dough into 12 inch round and tuck up the sides to create a lip. Pour in the filling.

Bake about 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake 20 minutes more, or until crust is crisp and brown.

Tip: every time you open the oven door, 50 degrees escape! This could be good, if things are too hot- or bad, so try not to check things too often.

As always, tart is done when filling bubbles!

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger

When the days are this hot, there is but one cooking option: Grilling. Some essential recipes;

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger:

For 1-2 mushroom caps

Marinade:
1/2 cup Medium-bodied red wine, I used a french Syrah blend
1 garlic clove
1 shallot
hearty sprinkle thyme
6 whole black peppercorns
salt

1. Prepare mushroom by washing lightly, removing stem and scraping out the gills. Poke with a fork to create tiny holes all over surface, but be careful not to break the mushroom cap.

2. In sauce pan, combine garlic, shallots, wine, thyme, and black pepper. Season with salt, bring to a slow boil, and simmer for a few minutes until aromatic.

3. Add mushroom into marinade and let simmer until mushroom is tender. Then grill 5 minutes on each side, until browned and juicy.

4. Serve on a toasted bun with tomato, arugula, and red onion!

BBQ Sauce & Ribs in a smoker....

So my beloved husband loves his meat, as do, I know for sure, many of my readers. And so, here is one for him and his carnivorous friends to drool over! Though I did not try the ribs, Ryan exclaimed them more or less the 'best he's had'- short of a business trip down to Memphis a few years back. Thanks to our friend Eric, for using his smoker to make them even better.

BBQ Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
4 tablespoons molasses
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons light/dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Whisk the ketchup, water, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, salt, hot pepper sauce, garlic, and black pepper together in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking at a simmer, stirring together, another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Allow to cool and use, or better yet, pour into a glass jar and store uncovered in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. This allows the flavors to blend and reduce any sharpness from the vinegar.

Banana Smores

This past weekend in Vermont was a culinary free-for-all, and we made some amazing dishes. Roasted beet salad, grilled corn, zucchini quesadillas, smoked BBQ ribs for the meat-eaters, black bean and corn salad, tzatziki, jalepeno pesto pasta, fresh homemade french toast, and pudding pie- and then these little bad boys, Banana S'mores. It was glorious gluttony and my tastebuds were very, very happy. Many of these recipes have already, and will, appear on this site over the coming days, I've had trouble keeping up with posts at the rate I've been cooking. But We'll get to them all someday soon, I promise.

For today, the banana s'more. What is it? Well, this comes from my camping trip out to Western Canada a few years back- and though there are many things that make the Canadians sort of silly, this one is sheer genius.

Ingredients:
ripe bananas
chocolate of preference
graham crackers
marshmallows
tinfoil

Take a banana and slit it, through the peel, right down the middle. Stuff the banana with marshmallow, pieces of chocolate, and crumbled bits of graham cracker. Wrap in tinfoil, and throw on a grill, or better yet, in a raging campfire- and allow to cook for several minutes. Let cool, and then open and eat the gooey awesomeness that is basically a banana-split-s'more!

Refreshing Corn & Black Bean Salad

We had some leftover black beans from enchiladas, and leftover grilled corn from tonight, and so this recipe was just calling my name. Super easy to throw together and clean and refreshing flavors make this an awesome summer salad!

black beans (1 can, or 1 cup)
2 ears grilled corn on the cob
green bell pepper
cherry tomato
1/4 cup red onion
1/2 jalepeno seeded and diced finely
handful cilantro
several splashes of your favorite hot sauce (I'm a devote user of Cholula)
generous shake of cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 lime

Dice up the veggies in a bowl. Season generously and add lime. Mix together well, and adjust lime and jalepeno to balance heat!

Asparagus Soup with Parmesan Crisp

So, my new favorite source for recipes is Vegetarian Times. I also rely on Dean & Deluca, the Joy of Cooking, and AllRecipes.com pretty heavily, but of course, in the end, there are always tweaks. This recipe was really great almost as printed, which makes the magazine now..2 for 2 (See the recipe for Red Pepper Sauce Pizza- yowza yummy!)

We halved the original recipe to yield 3 servings vs. 6, so double it back if you want a larger amount!

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
butter, softened
1 tbs. butter
1/2 medium white onion chopped
1 garlic clove
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 bunch fresh asparagus- reserve the tips, split and cut stalks into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/6 cup milk
1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon zest (We find this a palate killer in large quantities and actually put a little less than 1 tsp, maybe more of a 1/2 tsp? So lemon zest to your taste!)
salt and pepper

For Crisps:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put dollop of butter on a baking sheet and then a mound of the grated cheese, and flatten with a spoon. Bake 3-4 minutes, until cheese melts into lacy rounds. Cool and remove with a spatula.

Soup:
1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, then add in broth, asparagus and thyme, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender.

2. Meanwhile, cook tips in boiling water until just tender, about 2 minutes. (I may have opted to steam these). Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.

3. Puree soup in food processor, return to pan, and stir in lemon juice and zest and milk, Season with salt and pepper to taste, Serve with asparagus tips and crisps!

Cucumbers Every Way: Salad, Soup, and Dips from one tasty vegetable!

I was never a big fan of cucumbers, but after a trip to Greece, I really fell in love with them. So, when we received three pounds of cucumbers from our CSA, I was actually pretty happy! I've been making cucumbers into salads, soups, and dips, and thought I'd share the recipes!



Greek Salad:
(I love to make this when I get tired of lettuce-based salads- it's a great break!)

tomato- the riper, the better!!
cucumber
red onion
green pepper
feta
fresh oregano- lots. Throw on some marjoram too, if you have it around...
salt
pepper
red wine vinegar
olive oil
Kalamata Olives (If you're feeling fancy now...)

Chop the veggies roughly and combine in a salad bowl. Top with feta and herbs, and then dress with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Voila.



Green Gazpacho:

Chilled soups are sooo refreshing on hot sumer nights. Not to mention, not needing a stove saves the house from heating up, too. Despite my heavy hand on the jalepeno, this went quickly on a muggy evening!

1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
handful of green pepper
1 cup onion (red or white- or a blend, as I did)
2 pieces of white bread or insides of french or italian bread, no crust
1-2 slices of jalapeno*

*(So of course, I put way too much jalapeno- which is my MO, and so I had one helluva spicy blend. I threw in half of a pepper- and left the seeds. Major no go raw. (I always forget the raw part really changes the intensity!) So the recipe now just calls for a slice or two. As always... to taste, is key....!)

1 large clove garlic
tomato- for the green version, just a sprinkle (could be garnish), or my substitution: a 5.5 oz can of V8
handful fresh cilantro
handful fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2 tblsp olive oil
splash of red wine vinegar
Dollop of sour cream (optional)
2-3 ice cubes

1. Start with the bread: run under tap water so it gets mushy, squeeze out excess. Beat to pulp in the food processor. Then add in the other ingredients and season and blend to taste. Don't think the bread bit is crazy- this is what gives gazpacho its consistency (Gazpacho is derived from the Arabic word for bread, so I've heard).

Once finished, chill for several hours with 2-3 ice cubes in the bowl. Serve! Top with more veggies, mint, sour cream, or radish!




Chilled Cucumber and Dill Soup

1 1/2 cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1- 2 tblsp fresh dill, chopped, to taste
1/4 cup onion- scallions are even better, if you have them on hand!
1 clove garlic
squeeze of lemon
2 tblsp olive oil
1/8 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
1 tblsp sour cream (to thicken, if desired/needed)
1 cup greek-style yogurt (I use Fage)
generously season with salt and pepper

Blend ingredients in food processor until smooth, adjust seasonings and chill for several hours. Garnish with mint, parsley, radish, or nuts.


Tzatziki

This is basically a dip version of the soup above, although if you use more sour cream than yogurt, it will have a thicker dip-like consistency (but at the cost of more calories- your call!) Another great gift from the Greeks- this is awesome with pita bread, or as a sauce for kebabs!

1 large cucumber- peeled, seeded, and allowed to sit salted in a colander for about 30 minutes
3-4 tablespoons fresh dill
1 tablespoon fresh mint
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
squeeze of lemon
salt and pepper- generous shake
no more than 1 raw garlic clove- to taste, or boil for 10 minutes, then use 2-3 to taste
1 pint greek-style yogurt (2 cups)

In a food processor, blend up. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and garlic seasonings. Refrigerate!