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