Aloha!

That word means many things.  Let's start with hello and goodbye.  We are just back from a fabulous week on the Big Island of Hawaii.  So, in order to say hello to a less frantic life it is time for me to say goodbye to this regular food blog.  I am finding less time to cook than I'd like which means I have less to share with you.  Thank you for those of you who have looked here occasionally for the 700 times I have posted- I may pick it up again at some point in the future.

saltimbocca style halibut (or sea bass)

Sea Bass with Prosciutto and Sage

Serves 4.  This saltimbocca-style of fish came from the September 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine!  I didn’t find sea bass so I did it with halibut.

            four 6-oz. skin-on sea bass fillets

            kosher salt and pepper

            4 thin slices of prosciutto (2 oz.)

            4 large sage leaves

            ½ c. flour

            2 Tbs. olive oil

            ¼ c. dry white wine

            3 Tbs. butter

Season fish with salt and pepper.  Arrange 1 slice prosciutto and 1 sage leaf on the flesh side of each fillet; secure with toothpicks.

In a medium bowl, stir the flour with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper.

           

In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil.  Dredge fish in the flour mixture, shaking off excess.  Add fish to the skillet, prosciutto side down, and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 3 minutes.  Flip fish and cook until golden and just opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes longer.  Transfer fish to plates and remove toothpicks.

Add wine to the skillet and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes.  Whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon sauce over the fish and serve warm.    

excess tomatoes from your garden? make this sauce!

Thanks to the NY Times cooking site - this was delicious to use in other pasta sauce recipes calling for tomato sauce.  It was so tasty that we ate it up before getting a photo!  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017650-quick-fresh-tomato-sauce

Now, I need to take a break to get back into the kitchen!  Check back here in a couple of weeks for more recipes and photos!

one-pan broccoli-bacon-mac 'n' cheese

Yep, it's as good as it sounds.  Thanks to the Sept. 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine: http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/how-to-make-one-pan-broccoli-mac-cheese

hasselback apples - think individual apple crisps

This is a delicious dish from the Sept. 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine:  http://simmerandboil.cookinglight.com/2015/08/12/hasselback-apples-recipe/

shrimp and broccoli rotini

I used a different pasta shape called 'trece' for this yummy dinner.  I cooked the pasta and added broccoli in the last 3 minutes of the cooking.  While that cooked I pan sauteed some shrimp, adding some lemon rind.  After draining the pasta and broccoli I added it to the shrimp, then some butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

easy and fast chicken tacos

Combine 2 c. shredded skinless boneless rotisserie chicken meat with 1/2 c. prepared salsa verde.  You can heat this up, or not.  Then mix up 2 c. shredded purple cabbage with 1/3 c. mayonnaise.  Heat corn tortillas, fill with chicken mixture and top with cabbage mixture.  This is enough for about 8 tortillas per the suggestion in the September 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

pork belly tacos

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Pico de Gallo

Serves 4. Try this out from the September 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine!  The technique left us with leftover succulent pork belly that we used on tostadas and with fried eggs.  The braised pork belly can be refrigerated overnight; return to room temperature before frying.  The Pico de Gallo can be refrigerated for 6 hours.

            Braised Pork Belly:

            one 2 lb. piece of meaty pork belly

            1 c. olive oil

            1 c. melted lard or shortening

            3 garlic cloves, crushed

            1 white onion, coarsely chopped

            2 dried chipotle chiles

            2 tsp. kosher salt

            Pico de Gallo:

            ½ lb. cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

            4 oz. tomatillos – husked, rinsed and finely chopped (about ¾ c.)

            ½ small red onion, finely chopped

            1 chile de arbol, crumbled

            ¼ c. Mexican beer

            ¼ c. fresh lime juice

            kosher salt

            Tacos:

            1 Tbs. oil

            twelve corn tortillas, warm

            lime wedges, for serving

Braise the pork belly:  Heat oven to 250 degrees.  In a large ovenproof saucepan, combine all the pork belly ingredients and bring to a simmer over moderate heat.  Cover, transfer to oven and braise until very tender, about 3 hours.  Transfer pork to a plate to cool slightly.  Discard the braising liquid. 

Make the Pico de Gallo:  In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the salt.  Season with salt and mix well.

Make the tacos:  In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil.  Add the pork belly, skin side down, and weigh it down with another heavy skillet.  Cook over moderately low heat until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.  Transfer the pork, skin side up, to a cutting board and let cool slightly.  Slice across the grain ¼” thick, then halve the slices crosswise.  Top each tortilla with a few pieces of pork belly and a little Pico de Gallo and serve warm.  

spicy stir-fried lamb

Another winner from the NY Times cooking site, serve it over rice:  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013036-crispy-lamb-with-cumin-scallions-and-red-chilies

zucchini crisp

Zucchini Crisp

Serves 6-8.  I had to try this when I saw it in the Aug/Sept 2015 issue of Saveur.  Squash is just a kind of melon and this sweet treatment proves it.  Nice to serve a la mode.

            1¼ c. flour

            1 c. rolled oats

            ½ c. packed brown sugar

            ¾ tsp. kosher salt

            ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

            8 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes

            3 lbs. zucchini, peeled and cut into 1” chunks

            ½ c. granulated sugar

2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

            2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

            1 tsp. ground cinnamon

            ½ tsp. ground ginger

           

In a medium bowl, stir ¾ c. of the flour with the oats, brown sugar, ¼ tsp. of the salt, and the nutmeg.  Using your fingers, rub the butter into the oat mixture until it forms clumps.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss the zucchini with the remaining ½ tsp. salt, the granulated sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes.  Squeeze the juice from the zucchini and pour it into a small saucepan.  Bring the juice to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until reduced to ¼ c., 5-6 minutes.  Remove the syrup from the heat and let cool completely.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir the cooled syrup back into the zucchini and then stir in the remaining ½ c. flour, the cinnamon, and ginger until evenly combined.  Scrape zucchini into an 8” square baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the topping you made earlier. Bake until topping is golden brown and the zucchini is bubbly and tender, 1 hour.  Serve hot and topped with ice cream.  

uses for prickly pear cactus fruit

Prickly Pear Drinks

For years we’ve admired the beautiful ruby fruits that adorn the prickly pear cacti (they are called ‘tunas’) on our property and wondered what we should do with them as they ripen at the end of each summer.  We finally figured it out in 2015 and are so hooked that we’ve asked our neighbors if we can harvest their tunas.

To harvest:  Don’t touch with your bare hands.  Those little fuzzy spines called glochids won’t hurt if you digest them but they will hurt if you get them stuck in your hands.  Grab the fruit with tongs near the base, twist off and drop in a bucket of water.  We find that we need about 20-22 fruits to make a pound.  Use the tongs to vigorously swish them around in the water for several minutes.  This softens and loosens the spines which will float.  Reach in with the tongs to pick out each fruit, rinse it off a bit more and the spines should be gone.  These fruits are rich in fiber and vitamin C but low in acid so you have to add lime juice or citric acid.

Prickly Pear Syrup (makes about 2 c.)

            1 lb. prickly pears (makes about 1 c. of juice)

            ½ c. sugar

            juice of 2 large limes or 1-2 tsp. citric acid

           

Cut the fruits in half and put them (seeds and all) into a juicer or food mill to extract the juice.  Alternatively you could put them in a blender and then strain through cheesecloth.).  We strain it one more time, then add the sugar and lime juice.  This base can be used in the drinks below, on pancakes, in barbecue sauce….

For Aguas Frescas:  add 4 c. water and 2 c. ice to the 2 c. of syrup you made above.  Serve in tall glasses.  Serves 4.

For Margaritas:  rim a glass with a mix of kosher salt and turbinado sugar.  Combine 6 Tbs. tequila, 1 Tbs. orange liqueur, and 6 Tbs. of the prickly pear syrup in a cocktail shaker.  Shake to mix, serve over ice in the sweet/salt rimmed glass.

blt salad - genius!

Thanks to my favorite food podcast, The Splendid Table, and this recipe from Steven Raichlen:  http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/blt-salad

butterscotch peaches

Butterscotch Peaches

Serves 4-6.  I was searching for many peach recipes, thanks to the harvest shared by our neighbors.  This one from the NY Times Cooking site was yummy – we wanted to call it Peaches Foster.  Credited to Bringing It Home: Ode to the Peach: A Cook Baffled, and Then at Peace.

            6 medium or 5 large ripe peaches

            4 Tbs. butter

            ½ c. cream

            ½ c. sugar

            1 Tbs. honey

            pinch of salt

            ¾ tsp. vanilla, or ½ tsp. ground ginger, or ½ tsp. almond extract

            vanilla ice cream

            almond biscotti, gingersnaps, or other cookies

Fill a large bowl with ice and water, and set aside.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Place peaches in boiling water for 2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice water.  When cool, drain and pat dry.

Working over a bowl to catch the juice, peel skins from peaches, squeezing as much juice as possible from the skins.  Slice each peach into 10 to 12 slices, and set aside with juice; discard skin and pits.    

In a medium skillet over low heat, melt butter.  Raise heat to medium-high and cook butter until it foams, subsides, foams again and begins to brown.  As soon as butter is nut-brown, add the peaches with juices.  Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, then place skillet over low heat to keep warm.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine cream, sugar, honey, and salt.  Place over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely melted.  Raise heat to medium and let boil without stirring until it turns a rich golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.  (Because of honey and cream it will appear to turn pale brown before it has caramelized; wait until it has darkened noticeably, thickened and reduced before proceeding.)  Carefully pour peach mixture into this caramel mixture; it will boil and spatter; stir to combine.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Add vanilla or other flavoring.  Serve warm or at room temperature over ice cream, with cookies on the side. 

shrimp, spinach, and peaches - oh my

Grilled Shrimp with Wilted Spinach and Peaches

Serves 4.  This says it is for 4 appetizer servings but we found it hearty enough (thought only 243 calories) for a light supper after we were gifted with peaches from the neighbors.  From the NY Times Cooking site.

            1 Tbs. white peppercorns (you could substitute black)

            1 Tbs. coriander seeds

            1 Tbs. mustard seeds

            5 green cardamom pods

1 lb. 16- to 20-count (extra large) shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on

kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger

¼ c. red wine vinegar

¼ c. fresh orange juice

1 tsp. curry powder

2 firm but ripe peaches, peeled and diced medium

1 lb. baby spinach, washed and dried

Heat grill to medium-high.  Meanwhile, put peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and cardamom pods in a small sauté pan and toast over medium heat, shaking frequently to avoid burning, until they begin to darken slightly and you can smell them, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then grind fine in a spice mill or mortar. 

Sprinkle shrimp generously with salt and pepper, then rub all over with the spice mixture, pressing gently to be sure it adheres.  Set shrimp aside.

Heat olive oil in small sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking.  Add ginger and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute.  Add vinegar, orange juice, curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

Put peaches and spinach in a medium bowl.  Pour hot dressing over them, wilting the spinach.

Place shrimp on the grill and cook until just opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes a side.  Divide the spinach-peach mixture among four plates and top each with ¼ of the shrimp.  

sauteed summer squash ribbons

This came out of the Sept/Oct. 2015 issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine.

 To serve 4, combine 1 minced small garlic clove and 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (save 1 tsp. grated zest for later in the recipe) in large bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes.  Using vegetable peeler, shave 2 lbs. summer squash lengthwise into ribbons.  This is about 4 squash.  Peel off 3 ribbons from 1 side, then turn squash 90 degrees and peel off 3 more ribbons.  Continue to turn and peel ribbons until you reach seeds, discard core.

Whisk 2 Tbs. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and the 1 tsp. grated lemon zest into the garlic mixture in the large bowl.

Heat 1 more tsp. olive oil in 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Add squash ribbons and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until squash has softened and is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.  Transfer squash to bowl with garlic mixture, add 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley, and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with another 1 1/2 tsp. parsley.  Serve immediately.

roasted chicken with peaches, basil and ginger

A great way to celebrate our neighbor's peach harvest and generosity:  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012681-roasted-chicken-thighs-with-peaches-basil-and-ginger

braised pork belly

Braised Pork Belly

Serves 6.  Now that we get pork belly in bulk from Costco, I can try all kinds of recipes.  This came from Food and Wine magazine and is best served over rice with some kind of pickles aside to cut the richness.  They suggest pickled radishes.  You need to marinate it overnight, then braise for 3 hours, before browning to serve.  Do ahead:  once it braises you can refrigerate it in the broth for up to 4 days.  Just reheat and finish. 

            ½ c. low-sodium soy sauce

            ½ c. mirin

            ½ c. fresh lime juice

            ¼ c. brown sugar

            ¼ c. thinly sliced fresh ginger

            2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

            3 lbs. pork belly, skin removed

            1 Tbs. oil

            1 large onion, coarsely chopped

            salt

            2 c. chicken broth

            2 green onions, thinly sliced

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine soy sauce, mirin, lime juice, brown sugar, ginger and garlic.  If not already in strips, cut pork belly in half crosswise, roughly into two 6” squares.  Add pork belly to the marinade and seal the bag, pressing out any air.  Refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 325 degrees.  Rove pork from bag and pat dry with paper towels – SAVE THE MARINADE.  In a large oven proof casserole or pan, heat oil.  Add pork and cook over moderately low heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but 1 Tbs. fat from the pan.  Add onion, season lightly with salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the reserved marinade and chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Return pork to the pan and bring to a boil.  Cover and braise in the 325 degree oven for 2 hours, until the meat is nearly tender.  Uncover and braise for 1 hour longer, until the meat is very tender.    

Transfer pork to a baking sheet fat side up.  Strain broth into a heat proof bowl and spoon off the fat.  Return broth to the pan and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 5 minutes. 

Heat the broiler.  Broil the pork 8” from the heat until crisp, about 2 minutes.  Cut into twelve 1-2”-thick slices and arrange in shallow bowls.  Spoon the broth all around and garnish with the green onions.  Serve with pickles and rice. 

lamb meatballs in yogurt sauce

Lamb Meatballs in Warm Yogurt Sauce with Red-Pepper Butter

Serves 4-6.  I saw this in The Week July 17, 2015 magazine.  It is credited to Janet Fletcher in her book Yogurt:  Sweet and Savory Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.  We wanted to call it lamb stroganoff – delicious!

            1 lb. ground lamb

            1 large egg, lightly beaten

            ½ c. fine fresh bread crumbs

            ½ c. minced yellow onion

            1 tsp. dried oregano

            1 tsp. kosher salt

            ½ tsp. toasted and ground cumin seeds

            fresh ground black pepper

            1 Tbs. olive oil

            1 c. chicken broth

            2 c. plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek yogurt)

            1 large egg, lightly beaten

            2 cloves garlic, grated or minced

            2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

            1 Tbs. minced fresh mint

            2 tsp. butter

            ½ tsp. hot paprika

            ½ tsp. toasted and ground cumin seeds

Combine lamb, 1 egg, bread crumbs, onion, oregano, salt, cumin, and pepper and mix well with your hands.  Shape into 24 balls, dipping hands in cold water as needed to keep mixture from sticking.  In a 12” skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add meatballs in a single layer.  Fry gently, turning meatballs with two soupspoons so they brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a plate.  Discard any fat in skillet.       

Return skillet to medium-high heat and add broth.  Simmer, scraping up any browned bits.  Return meatballs to skillet, cover, and reduce to a simmer.  Cook for 10 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, return meatballs to plate.

In a large bowl, whisk yogurt, 1 egg, garlic, dill, and mint.  Slowly whisk in about ½ c. of the hot broth.  Pour yogurt mixture into skillet.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until sauce thickens and just begins to simmer.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add meatballs to skillet, turning to coat.  Cover and simmer until hot. 

Divide meatballs and sauce among 4 to 6 warmed bowls.  Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add paprika and cumin; swirl until butter is foamy and aromatic.  Drizzle over each portion.  

easy jam tart

Jam Tart

Serves 8-10.  Since I made an insane amount of apricot freezer jam due to our 2015 harvest, I made this easy dessert that could be done with any kind of jam.

            1 unbaked ready made pie crust

            12 oz. (1 ½ c.) jam or preserves

            1 c. flour

            ⅓ c. packed brown sugar

            ¼ tsp. kosher salt

            6 Tbs. butter, melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 10” tart pan with a removable rim.  Gently press the pie crust into the tart pan, trim off any excess above the top rim.  Spread jam over dough, leaving a ½” border around edge.

Whisk together flour, brown sugar, and salt in a small bowl.  Stir in butter until combined.  Sprinkle this topping evenly over the jam to form topping.

Bake until lightly browned and jam is bubbling, about 40 minutes.   Let cool 15 minutes before removing from pan (just remove the rim, the tart stays on the bottom form).  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 

grilled snapper with radish/kohlrabi salad

Good combination as seen in the August 2015 Food and Wine magazine:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-snapper-pink-chile-salt

grilled chicken and vegetables

These two recipes from the August 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine make for a lovely summer supper:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/herb-basted-grilled-chicken

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/grilled-garlic-and-vegetables

mango and tomato salad

Mango and Tomato Salad Cups

Serves 2.  We saw this in the August 2015 issue of Cooking Light (135 calories preserving) and had garden fresh lettuce and tomatoes to use.……

            1½ c. cubed peeled ripe mango

            ½ c. grape tomatoes, quartered

            2 tsp. oil

            1 tsp. fresh lime juice

            ¼ tsp. kosher salt

            ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

            1 small shallot, thinly sliced

            2 large green leaf lettuce leaves

Mix up everything except the lettuce leaves.  Divide among the lettuce leaves to serve. 

pork and peppers

This is a pan roasted pork tenderloin with those mini-multicolored bell peppers. Cooking Light says it
 has 222 calories per serving.  Yes, it has anchovies - you'll never know they are there and it adds the right flavor kick.

(Serves 4) Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 Tbs. oil to the pan; swirl to coat.  Sprinkle a trimmed 1 lb. pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. Add pork to the hot pan; cook 4 minutes.  Turn pork over; cook 1 more minute.  Cover pan with foil; bake for 5 minutes.  Remove and discard foil.  Bake an additional 5 minutes (to reach 145 degrees inside meat).  Place pork on cutting board; let stand 10 minutes.  Do not clean out the pan, you need it below.  Keep the oven on too.  Cut across grain in slices.

While pork rests, finish sauce and peppers.  Return pan to medium-high heat.  Mix 1/2 c. chicken broth, 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar, and salt and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add broth mixture to hot pan; bring to a boil.  Cook 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.  Remove sauce from pan (don't clean the pan out yet - you still need it); keep warm.

Return pan to medium-high heat.  Add 1 Tbs. oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 4 anchovy fillets (drained and finely minced), and 3 small multicolored bell peppers (cut into 1-1/2 inch strips) to pan; cook 1-1/2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Place pan in oven; bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes.

Arrange pork slices and bell pepper mixture on a platter.  Sprinkle with more fresh thyme and some chopped fresh parsley.  Drizzle with sauce.

fresh fig jam

Small-Batch Fig Jam

Makes about 3 c. to keep in the refrigerator for those few short weeks when we can get fresh figs.  We saw this in the August 2015 issue of Cooking Light and love it on pecorino cheese, crackers, toast, in yogurt……

            3 lemons

            1½ c. sugar

            ¼ c. honey

            3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (from the whole lemons above, after removing rind)

            3 thyme sprigs

            2 lbs. ripe fresh Black Mission figs, stemmed and roughly chopped

Remove strips of rind from lemons using a vegetable peeler, avoiding white pith.  Combine rind strips and remaining ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; cook 50 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.  To test for doneness, place a small amount on a chilled plate.  Tilt the plate; preserves should move sluggishly.  Discard thyme and lemon rind strips.  

  

lamb and figs

Lamb Chops with Fresh Fig Pan Sauce

Serves 6.  This delicious 238-calorie dish is from the August 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine.

            1 Tbs. olive oil, divided

            ¼ c. finely chopped shallots

            8 oz. fresh brown or black figs, stemmed and cut into pieces

            ¾ tsp. salt, divided

            ½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided

            ½ c. shiraz or other spicy red wine

            ¼ c. chicken broth

            1 bay leaf

            1 Tbs. honey

            1 Tbs. cider or balsamic vinegar

            1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

            12 (3-oz) lamb rib chops, trimmed

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add 2 tsp. olive oil; swirl to coat.  Add shallots, cook for 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.  Add figs; mash with a potato masher to break them up.  Cook for 3 minutes or until figs start to break down, stirring frequently.  Stir in ¼ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.

Increase heat to medium-high.  Add wine; boil for 1 minute.  Stir in broth and bay leaf.  Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.  Add honey and vinegar; simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.  Stir in rosemary; cover and keep sauce warm.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Brush lamb with remaining 1 tsp. olive oil; sprinkle evenly with remaining ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.  Add lamb to skillet; sear 2 minutes on each side.  Place pan in oven; bake at 400 degrees for 4 minutes (for medium-rare) or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove pan from oven; remove lamb from pan.  Let lamb stand for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve with sauce.    

kale salad

Kale-and-Avocado Salad with Dates

Serves 8-10.  This is a Martha Stewart recipe, perfect for our summer/fall garden crop of kale.

            1 bunch kale (about 12 oz.), preferably Tuscan, stems removed,

  leaves thinly sliced

            ¼ c. pine nuts, lightly toasted

            ⅓ c. olive oil

            3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

            2 ripe but firm avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and

              cut into ¼ “ slices

            2 oz. Parmesan, shaved

            8 large to 10 medium dates, pitted and cut into slivers

            coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a large bowl, toss together kale, pine nuts, oil, and lemon juice.  Massage the ingredients together a bit to break down the kale.  Add avocados, cheese, and dates, and toss gently.  Season with salt and pepper; serve. 

peach (apricot in our case) crisp with brown butter crumble topping

Peach Crisp with Brown Butter Crumble

Serves 6.  This was in the July 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine and we repurposed it to use part of our apricot crop.  This can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.  Reheat before serving.

            Peach Crisp:

            butter to grease pan

            2 lbs. ripe peaches, pitted and cut into ¼” wedges

            ¼ c. + 2 Tbs. sugar

            3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

            1 Tbs. cornstarch

            pinch of kosher salt

            Brown Butter Crumble:

            1 c. flour

            ½ c. quick cooking oats

            ½ c. granulated sugar

            ¼ c. turbinado sugar (raw sugar)

            2 Tbs. brown sugar

            ½ tsp. kosher salt

            ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

            1 stick ( ½ c.) butter, cut into tablespoons

            vanilla ice cream for serving

Make the crisp.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 2-quart baking dish.  In a large bowl, toss peaches with sugar and lemon juice.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and peaches have released some of their juices.  Drain peaches in a colander set over a small saucepan, then return peaches to the bowl.

Add ¼ c. water and the cornstarch to peach juices and bring to a simmer.  Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and translucent, about 1 minute.  Add thickened juices and pinch of salt to the peaches and toss to coat.  Scrape into the buttered baking dish.

Meanwhile, make the brown butter crumble.  In a medium bowl, whisk flour with oats, the 3 sugars, salt and cinnamon.  In a small saucepan, cook butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until deep golden and nutty-smelling, about 8 minutes.  Scrape this brown butter and any browned bits at bottom of pan into the flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Press topping into small clumps and scatter over the peaches.  Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the crisp is golden and bubbling.  Transfer to a rack and let stand for 15 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.  

apricot-pie crumble bars

Since we had a bounty crop of apricots, I used them instead of peaches in this Martha Stewart.com recipe:  http://www.marthastewart.com/1118514/peach-pie-crumble-bars

creamy lemon chicken

This is a quick dish to pull together for dinner, and serves 4.  It would be great served over rice.

I melted 2 Tbs. butter in a very large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 2" pieces, and 2 minced shallots.  Add a little salt and cook for 5 minutes to brown chicken, turning once.  Add 1/2 c. chicken broth, 1/2 c. white wine, 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. mixed dry herbs (such as herbes de Provence or an Italian blend of herbs) to the skillet.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Stir in 1/2 c. sour cream or creme fraiche and cook for a few minutes more.  Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with fresh thyme (I love using the lemon thyme in my garden).

pork medallions with belgian endive

Pork Medallions with Belgian Endive

Serves 4.  This was in Sunset magazine a couple of years ago and an amazingly tasty 380 calorie dish. 

            1 lb. whole pork tenderloin

            kosher salt

            fresh ground black pepper

            2 Tbs. olive oil

            1 garlic clove, crushed

            1 fresh thyme sprig

            2 Tbs. butter

            6 heads Belgian endive, halved

            ½ c. orange juice

            1 Tbs. maple syrup

            ½ c. heavy cream

            2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Remove any silverskin from surface of tenderloin.  Cut tenderloin crosswise into 12 medallions, each about 1” thick.  Season with salt and pepper.    

Set a very large plate next to the stove.  Heat oil in a very large pan (not nonstick) over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is browned all over, about 1 minute.  Transfer to plate. Add pork and cook until well browned underneath, about 3 minutes.  Turn over and cook until barely pink in the center, 1½ - 2 minutes.  Transfer to plate of garlic and thyme.

Put butter in pan and let melt.  Add endives, cut sides down, and cook until browned underneath, 1½ - 2 minutes.  Turn over and cook 1 minute more.  Transfer to plate of pork.

Add orange juice and maple syrup to pan and cook, scraping up browned bits, until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.  Add heavy cream and boil, stirring, until thickened and reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return garlic, thyme, pork, endive, and any accumulated juices to pan and heat, stirring gently, until everything is warmed through, about 1 minute.  Sauce should be reduced enough to thickly coat the back of a spoon and yield about ½ c.

Divide pork and endive among 4 plates.  Spoon on sauce; garnish with parsley.

apricot galette

This method - basically an open face free form 'pie' is one of my favorite desserts to make.  Here is a Martha Stewart recipe that came in handy as we hauled in 70 lbs. of apricots from our tree:  http://www.marthastewart.com/908598/stone-fruit-galette

spicy burgers, grilled stone-fruit salad

This came from the June 2015 issue of Food and Wine magazine  http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/bloody-mary-burgers

I like to make mine slider-size:

We were in the middle of the apricot harvest so I had to make this salad (thanks NY Times Cooking site!):  http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016644-arugula-salad-with-grilled-apricots-and-pistachios

sweet potato-pork belly hash

Sweet Potato-Pork Belly Hash

Serves 4.  This would also make a great brunch.  We found this recipe at the Epicurious.com site after buying a couple of pounds of pork belly now available at Costco.  Yes, it does take planning to do the prep a day ahead.  Yes, it is worth it.  For the final step, we cooked both the pork and the sweet potato a bit more than in the original recipe. 

            1 lb. pork belly (you can do skin on, or a bit less if you use skinned)

            kosher salt

            fresh ground black pepper

            1 large sprig thyme

            4 garlic cloves, smashed

            3 c. chicken broth

            3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

            2 lbs. red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4“ cubes

            3 large shallots, chopped

            2 Tbs. red wine vinegar

            2 tsp. maple syrup

            4 poached or soft fried eggs (optional)

Heat oven to 275 degrees.  Season pork belly generously with salt and pepper. Place in a large ovenproof saucepan.  Add thyme and garlic.  Pour broth over.  Bring to a simmer over low heat, cover tightly, and braise in oven until tender, about 3 hours.  Uncover; let cool.  Transfer meat to a 9” glass pie dish.  Place another 9” glass pie dish on top of pork belly.  Weight with 15-oz. canned goods.  Chill overnight.   

If using skin-on pork belly, remove the skin.  Cut meat into ½ “ cubes.  Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork and sauté until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a medium bowl.  Season potatoes with salt and pepper.  Add to same skillet; sauté until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with pork.  Add remaining 2 Tbs. oil and shallots to skillet; sauté over medium heat until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.  Return potatoes and pork with any accumulated juices to pan.  Drizzle vinegar and syrup over; stir to coat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and potatoes are thoroughly cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Serve with eggs, if desired.  

cacio e pepe (pasta with pepper) and lemon

Cacio e Pepe with Lemon

Serves 2.  This was in Martha Stewart Living, and the tips about the kinds of cheese and making the sauce are perfect!

            coarse salt

            8 oz. thick spaghetti or bucatini

            4 Tbs. butter, cut into 4 pieces, softened

            3 oz. Grana Padano cheese, grated (1 c.)

            2 tsp. freshly cracked pepper

            ¾ oz. Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (1/4 c.)

            1 whole small lemon (preferably Meyer)

            olive oil for drizzling

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook until very al dente (undercooking the pasta is important), about 2 minutes less than called for in package instructions.  Reserve 1 c. pasta cooking water before draining.

Transfer drained pasta to a 12” nonstick skillet.  Add butter and ½ c. pasta cooking water.  Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.  The heat helps the starch in the water meld with the fat from the butter, which prevents the Grana Padano from becoming stringy in the finished dish.    

Reduce heat to low, and mix in Grana Padano and cracked pepper.  Grana Padano is softer than Pecorino Romano; it will melt into the buttery water, creating a sauce as the pasta finishes cooking. 

Toss pasta with tongs to thoroughly coat it with sauce.  Keep everything at a gentle simmer just until cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. 

Remove from heat, then stir in Pecorino Romano (always add Pecorino off direct heat; it clumps when cooked).  Zest lemon over pasta.

If pasta looks dry, toss it with a bit more pasta water until it has a glossy coating.  Divide between 2 warm bowls.  Drizzle each with oil and lemon juice and garnish with more cracked pepper.  Serve immediately. 

chipotle shrimp lettuce wraps

Inspired from a recipe in Cooking Light's July 2015 issue. I mixed 1/2 lb. shrimp with some salt, 1 tsp. minced garlic, 1 tsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. olive oil, and 1/2 tsp. red chile paste.  I cooked this in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes per side.  Then I added 1 Tbs. water and 1/2 tsp. grated lime zest to finish cooking about 30 seconds.  After the shrimp cooled I chopped it up and mixed in some chopped cucumber, chopped red bell pepper, 2 Tbs. plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 tsp. minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce, and a chopped peeled ripe avocado.  This mixture was divided amongst 4 butter lettuce leaves and garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds.  Serves 2.

asparagus parmesan couscous

I like to use pearl couscous - saute 1 c. pearl couscous in 1 tsp. butter for a few minutes to brown it a bit.  Stir in 1 1/2 c. boiling water, 1 c. (2") diagonally cut asparagus, and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cover and let simmer until couscous is cooked per package instructions.  Stir in some minced fresh herbs, pepper to taste, and about 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese.  Serves 4.

ginger glazed pork medallions

I just pan sauteed some boneless pork chops, then glazed them with a mixture of ketchup, garlic, water, soy sauce, and chopped fresh ginger that I had briefly simmered together.  Garnished with green onions and sesame seeds.

summer fruit crisp

This red, white and blue dish was featured in the July 2015 issue of Cooking Light magazine so we enjoyed it for our 4th of July dinner:  http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/holidays-occasions/red-white-blue-recipes

grilled corn on the cob - with bacon

Grilled Corn with Bacon

This gets pretty messy and the toppings all slide off if not small enough to stick.  But, darn tasty, so thanks Martha Stewart Living!

Grill fresh corn, in its husk, on a hot grill about 20 minutes, turning occasionally.  Let cool slightly so you can remove the husk and silk.  Slather the corn with mayonnaise then sprinkle with chopped up cooked bacon, chopped fresh oregano, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper.    

lamb burgers with watercress and creamy mint sauce

I mixed ground lamb and beef  - about equal portions - and formed into slider sized patties.  Seasoned them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  I grilled them on a hot grill about 4 minutes per side and toasted the buns.  The mint sauce was 1/3 c. mayonnaise, 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 c. packed fresh mint, a chopped shallot, and 1 tsp. of Worcestershire all blended until creamy. I served the burgers on the toasted buns with cucumber slices, the mint sauce, tomato slices, and watercress.

summer wedge salad

Thanks Martha Stewart!  I added in some just picked tomatoes from the garden.  http://www.marthastewart.com/1118852/romaine-wedges-creamy-lemon-dressing

rigatoni with chicken livers

Rigatoni with Chicken Livers

Serves 6.  I don’t usually like chicken liver (expect as paté) but this recipe from Martha Stewart Living (March 2013) was wonderful. 

            1 lb. rigatoni

            coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

            1 lb. chicken livers, any sinew removed, patted dry

            3 Tbs. butter, divided

            1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise (about 1 c.)

            1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage leaves

            ⅔ c. dry red wine

            1½ oz. Parmesan, grated (about ½ c.), plus more for serving

            ⅓ c. coarsely chopped fresh parsley

            olive oil for drizzling

Cook pasta in a large pot of generously salted water until very al dente.  Reserve 1 c. pasta water before draining.

Season livers with salt and pepper.  Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Cook livers, flipping once, until plump and golden brown, about 4 minutes; transfer to a cutting board.  Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining Tbs. butter.  Add onion and ¼ tsp. salt; cook until golden about 8 minutes.  Chop livers and return to pan, along with any juices and sage.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Add wine; simmer until liquid is reduced by half.

Add pasta and ½ c. reserved pasta cooking water.  Simmer until sauce coats pasta; remove from heat.  Toss with Parmesan and parsley.  If dry, toss with more pasta water, a bit at a time.  Divide among 6 bowls; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Parmesan.