Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad

Corn, Tomato, and Basil Salad

Ingredients

6 ears Corn, shucked

2-3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

½ cup Basil

1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Cut corn off the cob.

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add corn and minced garlic. Saute for approximately 5 minutes. Transfer to a salad bowl.

Let corn cool for 10-15 minutes. While corn is cooling, chiffonade basil.

Add remaining ingredients (basil thru olive oil) to corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir. If you can wait, let it cool further in the refrigerator.

The Verdict

This is a summer staple since the first time we made it many years ago. So tasty with great summer corn and in season tomatoes also it’s a quick and easy dish.

Habanero Pepper Jelly

Loosely adapted from Williams Sonoma Art of Preserving

Ingredients

4 Jalapeno Peppers, roughly chopped

2 Habanero Peppers, roughly chopped

1 medium sized Walla Walla onion, roughly chopped

1 ½ teaspoons celery seeds

1 cup Cider Vinegar

4 cups Sugar

1 package (1.75 ounce) powdered Pectin

Directions

In a blender or food processer, combine the peppers, onion, celery seeds, and ¼ cup (ish) cider vinegar. Blend until finely chopped. Transfer to a large nonreactive saucepan. Add remaining cider vinegar and sugar. Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Once sugar has dissolved, pour in pectin while stirring. Bring back to full boil, boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let stand for 5-10 minutes.

Ladle jelly (carefully, it’s HOT) into jars.

The Verdict

This turned out really well. I was a bit nervous when it first went into the jars because it was very runny – more like syrup than jam. But after putting it in the refrigerator overnight – it did setup.

It was nicely spicy. Very good with a mild cheese on crackers (goat cheese, cream cheese, etc). We also mixed it with cream cheese and served it as a burger topping which was delicious.

I might try a slightly spicier batch next time with 3 habaneros – just to see.

I think other flavors would be great in it too…maybe ginger?,  berry?, lots of possibilities.

Crostini with Fresh Ricotta, Fava Beans, and Asparagus

Ingredients

8 cups Whole Milk

2 cups Buttermilk

French Bread

Fava Beans

Asparagus

Salt and Pepper

Directions

Place the whole milk and buttermilk in saucepan. Heat over medium high heat, stirring often. The milks will separate into curds (ricotta) and whey at about 170 degrees. Once it separates, gently scoop the curds into a sieve lined with cheesecloth over a bowl. Let the cheese drain for about 10 minutes.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Thinly slice the French bread, put it on a baking tray. Drizzle bread with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven for about 10 minutes, till slightly crispy.

Raise oven temp to 400 degrees. Place asparagus on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.

Shell fava beans. Place in boiling water for three minutes. Remove from water, let cool for a couple minutes. Peel the beans.

To assemble:

Take crostini, spread with ricotta, top with fava beans or asparagus or both. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

The Verdict

Very good. I love all the components, and they all go well together.

I think next time I will drain the ricotta a little bit less. This time it was crumblier, draining less (I’m assuming) will make it creamier. I would also add a pinch of salt to the ricotta.

Use bigger slices of bread, add a poached egg on top and it would be dinner instead of an appetizer.

Broccolette Soup

Broccolette soup

Adapted from Down Home with the Neely’s: Broccoli Soup 

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Butter

1 large Onion, diced

2 Carrots, chopped

2 Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 ½ lbs Broccolette, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon Red Chili Flakes

Salt and Pepper

¼ cup Sherry

4 tablespoons Flour

4 cups Chicken Stock

½ cup Milk

Directions

Melt butter in a  heavy medium pot. Add onions and carrots, sauté until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, broccolette, chili flakes, and salt and pepper. Saute for 6 more minutes. Pour in sherry. Once sherry has reduced, add flour. Let cook for 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in chicken stock while stirring. Once all chicken stock is added, cook for 20-30 minutes. Blend soup either in blender or with an immersion blender. Stir in milk.

Serve with crostini (or crackers) and parmesan cheese (optional).

The Verdict

I made this because we had a bunch of leftover broccolette that I had blanched and sautéed with garlic and chili flakes. It worked out really well using it up in this soup.

I like cream of broccoli soup, so I expected to like this. It turned out even better than I expected. Lots of broccoli flavor, creamy. Nice heat.

It was served with crostini and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Green Chili Cheese Sauce

Green Chili Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

3 Poblano Peppers, roasted, peeled, and chopped

2 Jalapeno Peppers, chopped

1 small sweet Onion, diced

Oil

3 tablespoons Butter

3 tablespoons Flour

1 ½ cups Milk

¼ cup Beer

3 cups grated Cheese (I used a mix of Pepper Jack and Cheddar)

Salt and Pepper

Directions

In a medium pan, heat a little bit of oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions. Cook until softened. Add butter, once melted, add flour. Cook for 3 (or so) minutes.

Slowly whisk in milk then beer. Turn down the heat to medium. Sprinkle in cheese handful at a time while stirring. Once all cheese is added cook for another minute or two.

Serve.

The Verdict

Turned out really yummy. We served it over burgers and homemade corn tortilla chips.

Would be good as a dip with some some chorizo added in, or as nachos.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

Adapted from David Lebovitz - The Perfect Scoop

Ingredients

1 lb. strawberries, cleaned, hulled, and chopped

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup plain Yogurt, I used Greek yogurt

1-2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1-2 teaspoons Lemon Juice

Directions

Put strawberries and sugar in a bowl. Stir around and mash it up a little. Let sit and macerate for at least an hour.

Place macerated strawberries and remaining ingredients in a blender, puree until smooth. 

Freeze per your ice cream maker’s directions.

  

The Verdict

Amazing!!…why don’t we make homemade frozen yogurt or ice cream more often? We will be rectifying that mistake this summer!

I would try varying the yogurt – maybe a strawberry-honey, or vanilla yogurt flavor. Not that you need to, it is delicious as is – but it would be fun.

…and yes, 8 plus pounds of strawberries leads to lots of strawberry related recipes….only 4 more pounds to use!

Crepes with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Crepes with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Ingredients

1 cup Milk

2 Eggs

2 tablespoons Sugar

1 cup Flour

3 tablespoons Butter, melted

½ teaspoon Salt

Strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 cup Heavy Cream

2 heaping tablespoons Powdered Sugar (more or less, depending on how sweet you want it)

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions

Note: crepe batter needs to rest for at least an hour…so plan ahead.

Place all crepe batter ingredients in a blender (milk thru salt). Blend until smooth.

Let rest for at least one hour.

Place medium size non stick skillet over medium high heat. Melt a small amount of butter in skillet. When skillet is hot and butter is melted, spread about ¼ cup of batter in skillet, tilting to spread batter evenly around skillet. Cook until golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip and cook an additional 30-45 seconds. Repeat until batter is gone.

Pour heavy cream in mixing bowl. Start mixing on low speed, slowly increasing speed. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whip to desired consistency.

Place crepe on plate. Spoon some whipped cream onto ¼ of crepe. Add sliced strawberries. Fold crepe in ½ and in ½ again. Top with whipped cream and additional strawberries.

You could also spoon the whipped cream down the center, add strawberries and roll the crepe up.  

The Verdict

Whipped cream, fresh picked strawberries, crepes…what’s not to like? And, according to the girls I am the best whipped cream maker on the planet J

Strawberry, Fennel, and Arugula Salad

Strawberries!!

July 3^rd and strawberries are finally back in season in Washington! Time for a u-pick strawberry expedition!

Strawberry, Fennel and Arugula Salad

Ingredients

Arugula

Fennel

Strawberries

Carrot (just because I had a few leftover carrot sticks)

Salt and Pepper

¼ cup Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

Salt and pepper

½ cup olive oil

Directions

Toss salad ingredients in a salad bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To make the dressing combine all dressing ingredients (garlic thru olive oil) in a mason jar. Cover tightly and shake until well mixed.

Dress salad to taste.

The Verdict

Good salad. I think toasted, slivered almonds would be a good addition. Or toasted pumpkin seeds.

Grilled Fig, Proscuitto, and Arugula Pizza

Figs

Yea! Figs are back in season!

Ingredients

Pizza dough, homemade or storebought

Garlic, minced

Olive Oil

Figs, washed, stemmed, and halfed (or quartered depending on size)

Chevre (Goat Cheese), I used garlic and herb flavor

Mozzarrella

Parmesan

Proscuitto

Arugula

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

All ingredient amounts can vary, depending on both personal taste and the size of your pizza.

Directions

Start charcoal for the grill (or pre-heat gas grill). When charcoal is ready, dump onto one side of the grill.

Stretch dough into pizza (like) shapes. Oil one side of the dough. Place dough on grill grate. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Take pizzas off the grill to add toppings.

Oil the uncooked side of the pizzas. Turn over, the already cooked side is where you will be putting the toppings.

Oil the cooked side of the dough. Sprinkle with minced garlic. Place figs and crumbled goat cheese around the dough. Top with a little bit of mozzarella and parmesan.

Place pizza on the grill, over indirect heat. Cover grill. Cook about 7 minutes. Once the dough is cooked and cheese melted, remove pizza from the grill.

Lay prosciutto slices on top of the pizza.

Dress the arugula with a little bit of olive oil and balsamic. Top pizza with arugula. Salt and pepper to taste.

The Verdict

I do need to work on my pizza dough making skills. The dough was tasty, but felt more like flatbread than pizza dough. Overall, the ‘pizza’ was very tasty. What’s not to love about figs and prosciutto?? One of our favorite combinations.

Next time I might make a balsamic syrup with the vinegar – just reduce till a little thick, and drizzle that on the pizza. That would be a good variation.

The girls love making homemade pizzas - although they are more into the standard toppings of sauce and cheese right now.