Summer Squash Panini with Ricotta and Kale Pistou

After a seven-month hiatus, one would think that I'd come back with some momentously intensive recipe and not just casual instructions for sandwich fixings, but...its summer. Livin' is easy, etc. Plus, no one wants to even think about firing up an oven. Zucchini and its yellow kin are in season and I can't get enough, so I'm presenting one of my favorite ways to consume them: as grilled slabs between two toasted pieces of bread. Add spreads of zippy, lemon-zesty ricotta, verdant kale pistou, and a beading bottle of crisp beer, and you have yourself a perfect summer sup.

Summer Squash, Ricotta and Kale Pistou Panini
Makes two sandwiches

*2 summer squash: green, yellow, or one of each
*1/2 cup ricotta, drained (and preferrably homemade)
*1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
*Handful of basil leaves, 1 cut in chiffonade
*3 leaves kale, torn into pieces
*1 heaping tablespoon almonds
*1 fat clove garlic
*Olive oil
*S&P
*4 thick slices of rustic bread

Slice the squash lengthwise with a mandoline or a steady, guiding hand into strips no thicker than 1/4 inch, then sprinkle with salt and sit to drain in a colander for about 30 minutes (this, while your ricotta drains too, perhaps). Meanwhile, make the kale pistou by blitzing the greens, a handful of basil leaves, a garlic clove, almonds and S&P together into a thick paste, drizzling with a little olive oil to thin only slightly. 

After the drainage is done, heat the panini press. Pat each slice of squash dry with a paper towel, and toss with some olive oil and pinches of S&P. Either grill or broil the slices (or do what I did and throw them into the panini press) for 3-4 minutes. Set aside and prep the ricotta by stirring in the lemon zest, pinches of S&P, and the chiffonade of basil. Take your bread slices and brush one side of each with a touch of olive oil, then compose the panini by spreading half of the ricotta mix on one interior side, kale pistou on the other, and then sandwich squash slices between them. Press for 4 minutes or so in the panini maker.

Caprese Salad with Lemon-Basil Ice Cream

As July rolls around, my porch is practically exploding with greenery and I am finally in the privileged position of trying to find a wide range of uses for the enthusiastically bushy basil plant. My thoughts turned to David Lebovitz's excellent recipe for basil ice cream, which I've made numerous times and is fabulous on its own (or with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and macerated strawberries!), but for this post I decided to put the ice cream in a different context and paired it with rounds of fresh mozz and a juicy tomato for an especially refreshing caprese salad. I quite liked it! It certainly makes for a fun spin on a summertime classic.

Caprese Salad with Lemon-Basil Ice Cream
Ice cream recipe produces a quart; salad recipe is for two people

Ice cream recipe adapted from David Lebovitz's basil ice cream from The Perfect Scoop

*1 cup packed basil leaves
*3/4 cup sugar
*2 cups heavy cream
*1 cup whole milk
*5 egg yolks, lightly whisked
*The zest of 1 large lemon (optional, but I like the citrus zip)

*1 large heirloom tomato per two people
*8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
*Freshly cracked black pepper & pinches of sea salt
*Fruity olive oil
*Splashes of balsamic vinegar, if you please
*Palmful of small basil leaves, to garnish

To make the ice cream: blend the basil leaves with the sugar and 1 cup of the cream in a small food processor until the leaves are finely minced. Put half of the basil mix in a large bowl with the other cup of cream and chill. Meanwhile, warm the rest of the basil mix with the milk and salt in a pot until steaming, then slowly temper the egg yolks by pouring the hot liquid into the eggs, whisking all the while - then scrape everything back into the pot and continue to cook over medium, stirring constantly. Cook without bringing to a boil just until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

At that point, remove from heat and pour through a sieve into the chilled cream mix. Add the lemon zest. Stir until cool, then pop in the fridge to chill thoroughly for a least a couple of hours, preferably overnight. Churn the mix in your ice cream maker, then store in an appropriate container to ripen further until you're ready to assemble the salad.

Drape slices of tomato over rounds of cheese and adorn with basil leaves. Sprinkle some salt and pepper across the salad, and add splashes of any oil/vinegar you'd like to use as well. Scoop out two or three little pats of lemon basil ice cream and serve!

Joe Beef's Lentils Like Baked Beans

I can't believe it has taken me this long to write up a post about Joe Beef's lentils! Joe Beef is an incredible (world class, really) restaurant in Montreal in which my husband and I have been lucky to dine a few times, and once I realized there was a Joe Beef cookbook a few years ago, I immediately got my hands on it. Of course most of the dishes in the book I leave to the experts in the JB kitchen to tangle with, but the recipe for lentils like baked beans has become a mainstay in my rotation. In the summer, it's one of my go-to dishes for any and all cookouts, backyard parties, potlucks; in winter, it's one of our favorite comfort foods. The lil' legumes are absolutely delicious, boasting big notes of mustard, maple, and cider vinegar, and when you top a heaping ladleful with a fried egg you've got a masterful breakfast, lunch or dinner.

I tweaked the recipe in the cookbook to fit my palate; for example, they had listed two TABLESPOONS of powdered Coleman's mustard, which I have tried and think is just...way too much... but feel free to add more or less of any ingredient to suit your personal tastes!

Joe Beef's Lentils Like Baked Beans
Makes 4 entree-size servings

*3 slices good bacon, diced
*1 small onion, finely diced
*4 cloves garlic, minced
*2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
*4 cups water
*Heaping 1/4 cup ketchup
*1/4 cup maple syrup
*1 tablespoon sweet BBQ sauce (I use a maple BBQ sauce, naturally)
*1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
*1 tablespoon dry mustard (Coleman's)
*1 heaping teaspoon freshly ground pepper
*1 bay leaf
*Salt, to taste

Heat the oven to 350. In a dutch oven, fry the bacon over medium until it's nearing crispness, then add the onions and continue cooking for 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more, then stir in everything else besides the salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and place in the oven. Bake 45-60 minutes (until the lentils are tender - timing depends a lot on their age). Taste for seasoning and then serve hot, ideally topped with an egg.

Paw Paw Ice Cream

Anyone out there a fellow fan of the paw paw? I'd wanted to try one ever since hearing of a "paw paw" in Baloo's jaunty song from The Jungle Book and I am eternally grateful to a rural DE pal who has been furnishing me with an allotment of paw paws around this time of year from stock growing wild on his property ever since he heard of my fascination. They're quite delicious, mild, sweet and creamy like a ripe banana, but with a decidedly tropical tang in the mix. They also have big oblong seeds, which make extracting the fruit pulp a little unwieldy, but are fun to use in all sorts of crafty business. For the past couple years I've been using my paw paws in a personal recipe for ice cream since it's a very easy and tasty preparation for the amount I get (usually around 4-5). They spoil very rapidly so I usually make the base the day before I know I'm going to get them. I do always feel slightly bad when I post a recipe featuring a highly elusive or specialized ingredient, but if you live east of the Mississippi, and are into foraging, go looking for some paw paws! The hunt will make them all the sweeter.

If you have cooked with paw paws before, please share your recipes so I can branch out next September!

Paw Paw Ice Cream
Makes about a pint

*3/4 cup paw paw pulp, pureed (from about 4 paw paws)
*1 cup heavy cream, divided

*1/3 cup whole milk

*1/3 cup vanilla sugar (sugar left to sit in a jar with a spent vanilla pod)

*A pinch of salt

*3 large egg yolks, whisked

*Juice of half a small lime, about 1 1/2 teaspoons 

Set up half the cream in a bowl within an ice bath to thoroughly chill it. Warm the other half of the cream and the milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan with a pinch of salt and the sugar until steaming, stirring to dissolve. Carefully temper the yolks with some of the hot milk before adding the eggy mix back to the saucepan. Cook over medium until the liquid thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. At that point, pour the custard through a strainer and into the chilled cream. Stir well and pop in the fridge for at least 5-6 hours, preferably overnight. When you're ready to make the ice cream, extract the pulp from the paw paws and puree, stir in the lime juice, then combine with the custard and freeze in the ice cream maker. Eat soft-serve when it's done, or put it into a proper container to let it ripen in the freezer.   

Smoky Roasted Corn Soup

On our way back from the shore this past weekend we heeded the siren call of one of NJ's numerous roadside farmstands to stock up on bags of fresh sweet corn and some plump tomatoes, taking full advantage of the Garden State's bounty in an effort to make the most out of the waning days of fresh summer produce. Also, to mitigate the effects of the boardwalk fare we'd scarfed non-stop during our trip. I had my mind's eye firmly fixed on a recipe that David Lebovitz had posted a while ago for corn soup, so almost immediately upon return home I got straight to making a batch of it. I tweaked it a lot as I am wont to do, and am thoroughly pleased with the final result. I'm sure I'll be making it at least once or twice again before corn season ends. I don't want to think about those dark upcoming days...

Smoky Roasted Corn Soup
Makes 4 servings

Adapted from David Lebovitz

*4 ears corn, shucked
*1 small poblano chili, seeded and diced
*3 1/2 cups water
*1 bay leaf
*1-2 thickly cut slices of good bacon, diced small
*1/2 small onion, diced finely
*2 fat cloves of garlic, minced
*Smoked paprika, to taste
*1/2 teaspoon Chipotle Tabasco
*1/4 cup heavy cream
*EVOO
*S&P
*Sliced scallions and basil leaves, for garnish

Heat the oven to 375. Put the water in a pot on medium. Spread the diced chili pieces on a large baking sheet, then slice the kernels of corn off the cobs over the sheet so that it'll catch the kernels as they fall. Drizzle the kernels and chili bits with a good glug or two of EVOO, smatter with salt and pepper, toss well, and set in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, stirring a couple times during cooktime. Chop the cobs into pieces and put in the pot with the water, a bay leaf, and a sprinkle of salt. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat to med-low and cover. Simmer for the duration of the corn roasting time.

Meanwhile in another pot, fry the bacon until crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon. Saute the onion for a few minutes in the fat, then add the garlic and a sprinkle of salt and continue to saute for another minute. When the corn mix is done, add to the pot with the onions and garlic, then strain the cob-water into the pot as well. Add a dash or two of paprika and the chipotle Tabasco; taste for seasoning. After it simmers for a bit, pour in the cream and once again taste for seasoning. With an immersion blender, blitz the soup just a few times to add more body to it, then let it simmer for a good 30 minutes or pop in the fridge to be heated up the following day. It's crack when fresh, but even more addictive when given time to let the flavors carouse around together.  When you're ready to serve, garnish each bowl with basil leaves and sliced scallions.

Herbed Pearl Couscous Salad

Cold pasta salads are ubiquitous during high summer, but for good reasons - they're excellent vehicles for summer produce, they're delicious, and can be made in advance and left to loiter in the fridge (or in the cooler toted to a picnic) until needed. This is one of my absolute favorites to make; the pearls of Israeli couscous deviate from the well-trod rotini rut, and it is superlatively tasty and cooling on a hot summer day. It's a nice way to showcase all the herbs that are exploding on my porch, too - the basil, parsley and cilantro provide a rich green backdrop for the mint to accent in refreshing little flourishes.

Herbed Pearl Couscous Salad
Makes 5-6 servings

*1 1/3 cup pearl (Israeli) couscous

*1 cup water

*3/4 cup vegetable stock (or, just use 1 3/4 cup water)

*1 small onion, thinly sliced (or, about a half cup of caramelized onions)

*2 packed cups of assorted herbs: my breakdown is 1 cup parsley, 1/2 cup cilantro, a palmful of basil leaves and a couple sprig’s worth of mint leaves, maybe 7-8. Mint is essential, but don’t overdo it!

*1 clove garlic                        

*1/4 cup olive oil

*S&P

*Handful of pistachios, toasted and chopped

*Handful of arugula or nasturtium leaves, chopped

*Healthy squeeze of fresh lemon juice
*1/2 teaspoon citrusy hot sauce (I love Chile Spot's Fatalii Fantasii Sauce for this)

In a pot over medium heat saute the onions in some evoo until translucent if you're not using caramelized onions. Remove the onions and add the couscous; saute a few minutes while you bring the water and stock to a boil. Add the boiling water/stock to the couscous, stir well, cover, and cook on low for about 11 minutes. Make the herb pistou by blitzing the herbs along with the oil, garlic and pinches of S&P in a small food processor.  Add the pistou, nuts, onions and greens to the couscous, mix everything together well, and then season with the hot sauce, lemon juice, and S&P to taste. Serve at room temp or chilled.  

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream

How is it that it's nearly come to August and I haven't posted a single ice cream recipe yet!? Well, I decided that since I've dawdled this long, the first one of the summer better'd be a doozy - and let me tell you, this ice cream is a doozy. The other household half deems it the best ice cream I've ever made, surpassing even the famed cereal milk ice cream. This one oozes summer; it was born of a lazy, sticky evening out on the porch around the charcoal with sticks in hand, slowly and carefully turning marshmallows over winking-red embers. It also oozes pure toasted marshmallow flavor in every creamy cold bite: fire and smoke and hints of those charred sugary blisters from when you push your luck too far and a marshmallow bursts into flame. You must make this ice cream. Yet *another* reason to build a campfire or get a nice charcoal grill going this summer!

Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream
Makes about a pint

Adapted from The Merry Thought

*5 oz marshmallows
*3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
*1 cup whole milk*
*1/4 cup sugar
*Pinch kosher salt
*1 scant teaspoon vanilla extract
*1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled

Find some roastin' sticks and recruit a partner to toast all the marshmallows over a dying fire, throwing them all in a blender. Combine the milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium heat until steaming. Temper the yolks with a little of the hot milk, whisking constantly, then pour the egg mixture back into the pan over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Don't let it boil! Remove from heat and let cool just a touch, while stirring. Pass the custard through a sieve into the blender and blend for about a minute. Let sit for a few minutes, then blend again for another minute. Add in the cold heavy cream and blend for another 20 seconds or so. Pour the mix into a container and chill overnight or at LEAST 6 hours until entirely chilled. Whisk or blitz the ice cream batter well before churning, churn for about 20-25 minutes, and either enjoy soft-serve style or pop into a good container and let ripen in the freezer for a while longer. Enjoy with chocolate drizzle and a graham cracker, if you please!

*In complete honesty, I only had about half a cup of whole milk and subbed cream for the rest, so mine was, like, transcendentally creamy. Feel free to die young and happy with me and do the same, whether or not you have gallons of milk on hand. 

Haricot Vert, Purslane & Swiss Summer Panini

A dear friend invited me to raid her garden over the weekend and I was there almost before I hung up the phone. After a lovely evening filled with berry juice-stained fingers, floppy hats, the warm wink of fireflies and the thunk of beans hitting the bottom of a new bucket, I came away with quite a bounty, including a bit of a brand-new-to-me edible weed, purslane. Her Turkish beau pointed out its presence on her property - I gather it is greatly enjoyed by Turkish folk (with yogurt, especially). I like it; it has a slight mucilaginous quality but it is succulent (and IS a succulent!), with a lightly sour, cress-like flavor. A perfect addition to salads, or in this case, a crisply verdant summer panini with beans also plucked from the garden. However, if you don't stumble across it outdoors, you can always sub arugula or watercress.

This sandwich is inspired by the haricot vert panini on the menu at my beloved Tired Hands, although I must confess that even though it has intrigued me for months I have never ordered it because their meat ones are SO GOOD that I'd never dream of eating anything else there. However, my version has me convinced that it's a true contender with the meat'uns, especially in these summer months where something lighter is better. Sometime I'll have to actually order my inspiration while I'm sipping a delicious saison and see how it stacks up!

Haricot Vert, Purslane & Swiss Summer Panini
Makes 1 sandwich

*About 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided

*1 teensy shallot or 1/2 of a small sweet onion, sliced thinly

*1 big handful of haricots verts, trimmed & blanched (briefly, like 10 seconds max)  

*1/4 cup purslane leaves + a few extra tender sprigs

*2 slices hearty bakery bread

*4 slices of really good Swiss cheese

*Your favorite fancy Dijon mustard, about a teaspoon & a half
*2 tablespoons good EVOO
*2 teaspoons lemon juice
*Leaves from a few thyme branches
*S&P

Whisk together the mustard, evoo, lemon juice, thyme leaves and pinches of S&P, set aside. In a skillet, melt a pat of butter with a drizzle of oil over medium low and add the shallots. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and saute for a couple minutes before adding in the beans. Saute a few minutes more then add the purslane leaves and remove from heat. Toss with the mustard vinaigrette. Season to taste.

Brush one side of each of the bread slices with a bit of the other tablespoon of butter (melted or room temp), then assemble the sandwich by smoothing a thin layer of mustard on one slice, then top with half the Swiss, the bean-purslane mix, the reserved sprigs of purslane, and then the rest of the cheese. Press the sandwich in a preheated panini maker for a couple minutes until the sandwich is toasty and the cheese has oozed. Cut 'n eat!

Christmas Chilaquiles

A couple years ago, on one of our many long car trips back from Montreal, my husband and I made a pitstop for some vittles and beer. We happened to land upon a taco joint in the middle of Nowhere, VT, run by extremely stoned hippies. Hippies who made damn good Mexican food. The tousled gamin behind the counter asked about sauce preference; when we asked for both red & green options he said with a shaggy grin, "we call that Christmas". We ate our Christmas enchiladas and took that description back home with us to make our own, along with some of their delicious salsa verde.

Chilaquiles is a dish I'm very fond of, especially when you just want to throw something comforting and savory together quickly. With leftover roasted chicken, salsas from the local taqueria in the fridge (they make 'em better than I do, anyway) and stale tortillas begging for a purpose, this is a great clean-out-the-kitchen dish as well. Plus, it's always fun to have Christmas in July. 

Apologies for the iPhone photo - DSLR will be back in action soon.

Christmas Chilaquiles
Makes 3-4 servings

*Vegetable oil
*1 cup salsa verde
*1 cup salsa rojo

*2 cups shredded chicken, divided

*10 stale corn tortillas, cut into wedges

*Sour cream, cotija cheese, lime wedges, cilantro for serving

Preheat the oven to 400. In a heavy pot heat a couple inches of vegetable oil to fry the tortilla wedges. In batches, fry the tortillas until crisp and browned, and drain on paper towels. Take two smallish baking dishes and ladle a little bit of the salsa verde in one, and the salsa rojo in the other. Toss the cups of chicken with a little respective sauce and then layer tortilla chips, ladles of salsa and shredded chicken in each baking dish. Repeat until all the chips have been used. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then serve by portioning out red and green salsa'd chilaquiles on a plate together. Add a dollop of sour cream + any other fixin's, and enjoy. 

Caramelized Onion & Anchovy Tart

This is my dead-simple take on the classic Provençal onion tart, pissaladière, which is so uncomplicated in itself that I feel bad about nixing one of the main ingredients in making it palatable for personal consumption. However, I just ... cannot ... do ... olives. It's a major flaw, I know. I get the essential element of brininess from chopped capers, but feel free to be traditional and scatter cured olives about the tart if that's your thing. A slice of this makes for a perfect summer lunch or dinner, paired with crisp greens and a funky Berliner weiss.

In making caramelized onions, I have found the easiest route is to throw a bunch of sliced onions with butter, oil and seasonings in a cast iron pan and caramelize them at 350, stirring every 15, 20 minutes or so, until they're that lovely deep brown and of jammy consistency, about an hour or two. Plan on cutting up more onions than what the recipe calls for - you'll want more of them hanging around, trust me.

Caramelized Onion & Anchovy Tart
Makes 6-8 servings

*1 cup caramelized onions, about 4 onions' worth
*1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
*1 tin anchovies (use as many as you want, I nearly clear the tin out)
*1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
*1 teaspoon capers, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400. When the puff pastry has thawed, roll it out a few times and put on a lightly cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Score a thin border around the sheet and spread the onions around inside. Garnish with as many anchovies as you'd like, and rain down some thyme leaves (fresh is preferable but I used dried) over top. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden brown. Garnish with chopped capers.

Mixed Greens with Black Grapes, Hazelnuts & Manchego

Local, seasonal grapes were on sale at the store the other day, and I could not help but buy a bursting bagful of some very alluring black specimens. Besides nibbling them straight from the woody stems hedonist-style, which is my preferred method of dispatching grapes, I decided to showcase some of the juicy glaucous orbs by nestling them in a bed of green. A simple balsamic and oil emulsion, some shaved Manchego, and a smattering of toasted hazelnuts completed the scene to make a very tasty and exceedingly simple meal, pleasing to both the eye and mouth. A great late-August-grape-harvest salad!
 

Mixed Greens with Black Grapes, Hazelnuts & Manchego
Makes 1 serving

*1 teaspoon very good quality balsamic vinegar
*1 tablespoon of your finest EVOO
*Pinches of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste 
*3 handfuls mixed greens ( I used a spring lettuce mix and some watercress)
*Decent-size sprig's worth of black grapes, some halved
*Shaved Manchego cheese
*1 tablespoon crushed hazelnuts, lightly toasted

Emulsify the oil and vinegar with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle over the greens and toss. Arrange the grapes, cheese shavings and nuts as it suits you.

Egg, Squash Blossom & Cheese Breakfast Quesadillas

We have a magical squash plant in our front yard. I didn't plant it, my husband didn't plant it, nor did our neighbors - it just appeared one day and immediately started taking over. I can only imagine that some autumnal decoration was tossed aside into the bushes and forgotten, once upon a time. I'm watching it eagerly to see if we'll actually get any squash out of it, but in the meantime I've been enjoying its blossoms! It's more for novelty's sake that I've been working with them, but they do have a delicate squashy flavor that is quite pleasant. Plus, it's just plain fun to eat flowers. This quesadilla might not showcase the blossom front and center, but they work perfectly well with the other ingredients, and it makes for a very tasty and filling breakfast (brunch, really!)

Egg, Squash Blossom & Cheese Breakfast Quesadillas
Makes 1 quesadilla

*1 teaspoon butter
*EVOO
*1/2 of a small onion, thinly sliced and roughly chopped
*1 clove garlic, minced
*Petals from 4-5 squash blossoms
*2 eggs
*1 large flour tortilla
*3/4-1 cup shredded melting cheese (I used bagged Mex blend; it was a lazy morning)
*2 basil leaves, chiffonaded
*S&P

Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and drizzle the pat with a little oil. Add the onions and saute until translucent, and then add the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and saute another few minutes before adding in the blossoms, sauteing until they wilt. Spoon the mixture into a bowl along with the basil and set aside. Pour the eggs into the pan, scrambling until fluffy, with S&P to taste. Add the eggs to the blossom mixture when done. Meanwhile, lightly brush a tortilla with a little butter or oil and set it, greased side down, in a skillet that will accommodate it (preferably cast iron). Sprinkle a heaping half-cup of shredded cheese around the tortilla and as it melts, spoon the egg and blossom mix over one half of the tortilla. Add a little more cheese to the top of the filling, and then fold the tortilla over. Press down with a spatula and cover. Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, then cut and enjoy! I had mine with avocado and salsa verde, and it was delicious.

Roasted Garlic & Cannellini Bean Dip with Basil Oil

With all the office gatherings, potlucks, picnics, porch parties and BBQs that come along with summer, I thought I'd share my cheapest, quickest and easiest, yet still terrifically tasty, recipe for a perfect please-'em-all offering to bring along to any of the above. It's great in a pinch when I remember I have to make something a little too late to devote hours to my favorite potluck dish, baked lentils (the recipe for which, eventually, I'll post to the blog!). This dip is delicious, dirt-cheap to make, will appease nearly any dietary restrictions, and is easily doubled (or tripled, etc). You can even nix the pretty basil oil topping if you're really pressed for time.

A note about the garlic: I am gonzo for garlic, so I put 4-5 cloves into my dip if it's just for me and my garlic lovin' spouse/friends/family. However, if this dip is making its way towards an office function, or set in front of a group of people I don't know that well, I usually tone it down to 2 or 3 so there's just a hint of garlic, not an all-out assault (the way I like it). Find your happy medium!

Roasted Garlic & Cannellini Bean Dip with Basil Oil
Makes about 2 cups - approx. enough for 10-12 people in a potluck setting

*1 15oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
*2-5 cloves garlic
*Juice + 1 teaspoon zest from one lemon
*Scant 1/4 cup evoo
*A pinch of dried oregano
*S&P

Basil Oil

*Equal amounts of basil & evoo (I usually go with 1/4 packed cup to 1/4 cup)

Rub the unpeeled garlic with a little oil, wrap in foil and toss in a 400 degree oven to roast for about 30-40 minutes - I suggest popping in a few extra cloves while you're at it, because the temptation to slather some roasted garlic all over toasty bread when it's done will be too great to resist. While the garlic is roasting, puree the basil and olive oil in a small food processor, and then pop into a mason jar and set in the fridge. No need to rinse the processor, just toss all the dip ingredients in it when the garlic is done. Pulse everything until pureed, and season with S&P to taste. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve, and then drizzle some of the basil oil over top. Any leftover oil can be re-purposed in myriad ways.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Some people get insatiable cravings for chocolate cake; I get mad cravings for softened rice paper. There are some moments where I just could die for a moistened sheet of chewy, glutinous rice paper, rolled neatly around veggies and herbs. Aum! Other household half blanches at the thought, but I just know there are like-minded folk out there. My recipe is infinitely variable; you can essentially pick and choose among the stuffing ingredients or add in others, to your personal taste. If you've never made Vietnamese spring rolls before, I've tried to write detailed instructions on how to fold them, but there are also numerous videos to consult on Youtube that show the process. Once you've got the technique down, banging out a bunch is a snap. Just make sure to eat them relatively soon after making them, as they don't keep very well. Any leftover filling ingredients get chopped up and thrown into a bowl for a tasty next-day lunchtime salad.


This is the best lighting I can manage when I cook after sunset!

 Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Makes 6-8 rolls; 2-3 servings

*6-8 rice paper wrappers (available in Asian grocers and the International section in most large supermarkets)
*1-2 oz rice vermicelli
*1/4 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
*1 small cucumber, peeled (optional), seeded, halved, and cut into thin batons
*1 handful of cilantro leaves
*1 handful of mint leaves
*1 handful of Thai basil leaves
*A couple shiso leaves, torn
*1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into thin slivers
*A lobe of mango, cut into slivers
*A couple leaves of romaine or butter lettuce, cut into strips (if using romaine, its helpful to remove the ribs)
*3 scallions, green parts cut into sections

Boil the rice noodles according to package instructions, about 3 minutes. Drain, then add some cold water to the pot, pop the noodles back in and swirl, then drain again and set aside to cool, fluffing every 10 minutes or so. Fill a small shallow pan with enough water to cover shrimp and bring to a simmer. I usually add a bruised piece of lemongrass stalk, a tablespoon of coriander seeds, and a few dried peppers to the water, but plain eau is fine. Add the shrimp when the water is simmering, and cook for about 3ish minutes or until just cooked through. Drain, cool, and slice in half lengthwise. Pick the rest of your ingredients and cut, rinse, dry...whatever is entailed. Fashion all the fillings into an assembly line of sorts, and then pull out the rice paper wrappers.

To assemble the rolls, run your sink tap until the water is flowing warm-but-not-hot, and gently turn the rice paper wrapper under the stream for about 5 seconds per side to soften it. Lay it on a clean, dry surface and then start to add fillings. I usually put in a nice strip of lettuce first, laying it down near the bottom of the circle, and the lettuce acts as a cradle for the rest to come - a bit of noodles, followed by a little bit of everything else, artfully arranged. Just be careful to not overstuff. Start to roll by grasping the bottom edge and folding it tightly over and around the filling. Once you've got a full revolution and a half in, you can fold the open sides of the roll in towards the center, and then lay a couple sliced shrimp on top before continuing to roll over again, sealing the shrimp in. Once you've rolled to completion, place the tube on a platter, wipe off your surface, and repeat the process with the other wrappers. Serve with sriracha, lime wedges and a dipping sauce of your choice (peanut sauce is good here).

Vegetarian Variation:
Nix the shrimp!

Pork Variations:
Poach thin slices of lean pork until cooked, cool and add to spring rolls. OR, fry bacon and cut to fit - I love the salty crunch this variation offers (and it pairs really well with slices of mango).

Also works with tofu, fried egg strips, chicken, crab, lemongrass beef strips, and so forth. What's YOUR favorite filling combination?

Perfect Guacamole

No one seems to agree on the "perfect" guacamole. There are the pro-tomato and anti-tomato camps, the factions that insist on adding diced onion or raw garlic, the cumin crusaders, and then there are the Zen-like guac'ers that insist only on avocado, salt and lime. Although I don't draw a hard line about anything but tomatoes (noooo tomatoes in guac. Come on.), my version does skew rather traditional and clean, with just a soupçon of nonconformity. It is perfection to me, and hopefully it will be to you as well.

 Perfect Guacamole
Makes 2-3 servings

*2 large ripe avocados, halved and pitted
*1 finely chopped Serrano pepper, seeded
*Juice from one small lime
*Small palmful of chopped cilantro
*Plenty of salt, to taste
*Teensy splash of tequila (1/4-1/2 teaspoon)
*Paprika (optional)

Roughly mash the avocados with a fork and add in the rest of the ingredients, stirring and mashing together until nicely melded. I serve mine with blue corn chips that have been dusted with paprika, but if you'd prefer to add a dusting of paprika on the top of the finished batch, well you go right on ahead.

Agua de jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)

I can thank my friend Jessica for turning me on to this deep-red, delicious summer quencher, which is a super-simple infusion of dried hibiscus (jamaica) flowers in lightly sugared water, with a squeeze o' lime. There are a few Mexican grocers in my area, so coming across cheap bags of the blossoms isn't hard at all, but you can easily order them online if you can't find them locally. I liken the flavor to floral cranberry juice, so if you're an admirateur of a good tarty pucker like me, you'll want to have a cold jug of this in your fridge at all times. It makes an excellent base for cocktails, too. I've yet to find a good use for the reconstituted blossoms...I've saved them for dotting on top of the drink glasses, frozen them in water for decorative ice cubes, but that's about it. Something about the texture is throwing me off from using them in edible contexts, but I do hate to throw them all away. If you have a good use for them, let me know!

Agua de jamaica
Makes about 5 cups

*5 cups water
*1/2-2/3 cup sugar, depending on how sweet you want it to be
*1 heaping cup dried hibiscus (jamaica) blossoms
*1/2 of a small lime, juiced

Combine the water and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the blossoms, cover, remove from heat and let steep for about 20 minutes. Strain well, stir in the lime juice, and chill thoroughly in the fridge.

Blossoming interest

Grilled Peche Pork with Smoky Peach Salsa

One small silvery lining to the persistently dry and oppressive heat is that the local peaches this summer are fantastic. I bought a bunch of them at the West Chester Growers Market with the intention of making a peach lambic sorbet, but with the lambic sitting miles away in a Wegmans, yet to be purchased, and facing a fine stash of Festina Peche and some pork chops already in the fridge, my mind wandered to more savory applications. I still intend to make the sorbet down the line but I'm so glad I went the savory route this time.

Hate having to use flash...I promise it looked and WAS much more appetizing than it appears!

Grilled Peche Pork with Smoky Peach Salsa
Makes 2 servings 

*1 12 oz bottle of Dogfish Head Festina Peche
*Sprig of rosemary
*2 crushed cloves of garlic
*Sprinkling of salt and cracked black peppercorns
*Two bone-in, center cut pork chops
*2-3 fresh peaches, peeled, sliced in half and pitted
*1/2 small red onion, finely diced
*1 habenero or jalapeno, finely minced (wear gloves, y'hear?)
*1 large heirloom tomato or a couple Romas, seeded and diced
*2-3 large leaves basil, cut in chiffonade
*1 scant tablespoon EVOO
*Juice of half a lime
*1/2 teaspoon adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
*S&P

After taking a healthy swig of the Festina, pour the rest of the bottle into a ziplock bag with the rosemary, garlic, and S&P. Marinate the chops within for at least 3-4 hours, turning the bag occasionally, before taking them out about 30 minutes before grill-time. Whisk the olive oil, the lime juice and the adobo sauce together. When your grill is coursing along at medium-high heat, brush the cut sides of the peaches with a bit of olive oil and place on the grill for a couple minutes. Remove, and then dice when cool. Combine the peaches, onion, tomato, pepper, and basil and then toss lightly with the vinaigrette and S&P to taste.

Pat the chops dry and grill them for about 6 minutes per side, depending on how thick your chops are and how hot the coals are. 

Serve with the salsa -or... the other household half requested a sauce instead of a red-onion-laced salsa, so I threw another peach on the grill and pureed it with some of his favorite BBQ sauce and a chipotle pepper in adobo, much to his relief. I dished out rosemary-roasted potatoes on the side, but these chops would also be nice with some sauteed fresh runner beans drizzled with balsamic, I think.

Note -  I strained and boiled down the leftover marinade, adding in squeezes of honey and a bit of balsamic vinegar, until it reduced to a thickish glaze to brush on the chops while grilling, but after tasting the BBQ sauce I made for the other household half, I think I'd brush that on next time instead. Feel free to try both!

Crunchy Chunky Summer Salad

You don't win friends with salad, but this might be an exception to the rule. Inspired by a Chow.com article about summery salads, I raided my cupboard and devised a boldly flavored, attractively colorful Southwesternish hodgepodge of a salad, blanketed in a spicy, velvety chipotle dressing.  I really like the crisp, tarty taste of raw tomatillos, but if you find you're not really a fan, perhaps add a bit of red onion instead.

Crunchy Chunky Summer Salad:
Serves 3-4

*2 good-lookin' tomatoes, seeded and diced

*1 tomatillo, husked and diced small

*1 jalapeno, minced

*1 small bell pepper, any color, diced

*3-4 ears corn, husked, washed, shucked

*1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained well

*1 scallion, thinly sliced

*A handful of cilantro, finely chopped

Drain the tomatoes on a paper towel and sprinkle just a touch of kosher salt over them. Shuck the corn into a colander so that the kernels may drain. After everything else has been diced, drained, etc, toss  together in a large serving bowl or ladle it out into smaller bowls, and drizzle the dressing over the salad.

Chipotle Dressing

*1 ripe avocado, pitted

*Juice from 3 limes

*2 tablespoons olive oil

*2 chipotle peppers in adobo

*2 garlic cloves

*Healthy pinches of salt & pepper

*A bit of water to thin consistency

Blitz everything together in a mini food processor, thinning it with a little bit of water if necessary to make it pourable.

Avgolemono

I'm not about chilled soup. Keep your vichys and gazpachos. Can't do it. However, sometimes even in the heat of summer I get a hankering for a nice cuppa soup, and I've found that avgolemono satisfies the summertime soup craving quite well. It's velvety without being heavy, and the lemon gives it a sunny tang. It's just pleasant, the kind of soup that would smile warmly and shake your hand, but not overstay it's welcome. So if you get a summertime soup craving too, but find the idea of cold soups preposterous, whip up some warm, lemony avgolemono.

Avgolemono
Makes 3-4 servings

Recipe pieced together from a number of member contributions on Chowhound and further tweaked to my tastes.

*Olive oil
*2 cloves garlic
*3 1/2 cups chicken broth
*1 bay leaf
*A bushy sprig of fresh dill, finely chopped (a teaspoon or two)
*1/3 cup long grain rice 
*2 large organic eggs
*1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
*2 small carrots, small dice
*1 stalk celery, small dice
*S&P
*About a cup of leftover chicken meat, say, from Thomas Keller's Simple Roast Chicken, or one large chicken breast, poached and shredded.

Drizzle a small slick of oil into a pot and lightly saute the vegetables for about 6 minutes, and then add the broth. Bring to a boil, add the rice and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18-20 minutes or until rice is becoming tender, and then add the chicken. Meanwhile, place the eggs and juice in a blender; process until smooth. Ladle some broth from the pot, making sure to leave out the rice and chicken, and with the blender on, slowly add it to the egg mixture to temper it. Slowly stir the tempered egg mixture into the pot, add the dill, and then serve.

Mulberry Mule

The mulberry tree on my block shades a deep bruised-purple stain that grows wider as foot traffic tramples fallen berries. Before I realized what a boon it was, the tree remained a disgusting obstacle during the month of June, something that I'd usually cross the street to avoid. Last year, however, in a feverish foraging streak I finally approached the tree and its indigo-hued berries with a newly enlightened eye (and left with stained fingers and a happy tongue). Hopefully you're lucky enough to have a mulberry tree near you; if you haven't already, make fast friends with it.

Mulberry Mule
Makes one drink

*10-12 mulberries
*4 oz ginger beer (I love Fever Tree)
*2 oz vodka
*Juice from half a lime (about an ounce)

Put the mulberries in a shaker and muddle well with the vodka and lime juice. Strain into a glass with ice, add ginger beer and lightly stir. This cocktail is so named for its riff on the Moscow Mule.