Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Feta and Toasted Almonds

-Cut 1 small watermelon into 1-inch chunks and place in a large bowl.

-Cut 1 pound of ripe tomatoes into half inch chunks, then add to the bowl with tomato.

-Sprinkle with half a tsp of fleur de sel, then toss to blend.

-Let stand 15 minutes.

-Toast ¼ cup of sliced almonds over low heat until just browned.

-Add the following to the tomato/melon mixture:

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1 TBS chopped fresh herbs (such as cilantro, basil or mint)

-Season with black pepper and more salt if desired and toss.

-Sprinkle with ½ cup feta cheese and  the toasted almonds and serve.
 

Frozen Watermelon, Lime and Tequila Cocktail

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-Freeze 3.5 cups of 1-inch watermelon cubes for at least 4 hours.

-Add the following to a blender:

The frozen watermelon

6 oz. tequila blanco

4 oz. simple syrup

2 oz. fresh lime juice

3 cups ice

Purée until smooth and very thick (mixture will loosen immediately once poured).

-Divide among glasses and garnish with watermelon wedges.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

-Using a vegetable peeler, remove tough green rind from 1 whole watermelon; discard.

-Slice watermelon 1" thick.

-Cut away all but ¼" flesh from each slice; reserve flesh for another use.

-Cut rind into 1" pieces. (You should have about 4 cups.)

-Combine the following in a large saucepan over medium heat:

1 serrano chile, thinly sliced, seeds removed if desired

1, 1" piece peeled ginger, thinly sliced

2 star anise pods

4 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 cup sugar

1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

½ cup water

-Stir to dissolve sugar and salt.

-Add watermelon rind and return to a boil.

-Reduce heat and simmer until just tender, about 5 minutes.

-Remove from heat and let cool, setting a small lid or plate directly on top of rind to keep submerged in brine, if needed.

-Transfer rind and liquid to an airtight container; cover and chill at least 12 hours.

 

Artichokes with Garlic Aioli

-Trim 2 artichokes, leaving 1.5 inches of stem.

-Then carefully peel the stem.

-Pack them upright in a large pot.

-Break a head of garlic up into cloves.

-Pour in 1 cup of water.

-Bring to a boil.

-Reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.

-Transfer to a plate; let cool.

-Peel and mash 4 of the steamed garlic cloves.

-Stir in the following:

1 cup mayonnaise

1 TBS finely grated lemon zest

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp white pepper

A pinch of sugar

A pinch of sea salt

-Refrigerate artichokes and aioli separately until ready to serve.

Artichoke with Lemon Zest and Sea Salt

-Use a large, sharp knife and cut off the top third of 2 artichokes.

-Peel off the smallest bottom leaves and use scissors to trim the sharp thorn tips off each of the remaining leaves.

-Use the knife to cut the stem leaving about and inch-and-a-half.

-Fill a deep stockpot with ½ inch of water and bring to boil.

-Place cleaned artichoke face down in the water, reduce heat to simmer, cover with a lid and set a timer for 20 minutes.

-When the timer goes off, use tongs to turn the artichoke so it sits upright.

-Gently drizzle olive oil over the artichokes; being sure it drips down between the leaves and into the heart.

-Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

-Add another cup of water to the pot so the depth is back to ½ inch.

-Cover again and reset timer another 20 minutes.

-After the second timer goes off, use tongs to try and remove an outer leaf.

-If it pulls off easily, turn off the pot and transfer artichoke to a serving plate. If the leaf does not tear off easily, replace the lid on the pot and steam an additional 5 minutes, no more.

-Zest a lemon.

-Squeeze a lemon slice or two over the leaves.

-Add a few more sprinkles of salt and serve.

Dragon's Tongue Beans with Aioli

For the aioli: 

Put the following into the blender:

A whole egg

A pinch of sea salt

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

-Blend on high.

-Add another ¾ cup olive oil in a light steady stream until all is incorporated

-Then add 3 TBS fresh lemon juice.

-Finely chop 1-3 cloves of garlic with some sea salt until smooth and then stir it into the mayonnaise. 

For the beans: 

-Tip and tail 1 pound of Dragon's Tongue beans and cut into 2 inch lengths.

-Steam them until just tender, about 3-5 minutes. 

-Toss the beans with some garlic aioli.

-Taste for salt and serve warm.

 

Sue’s Garden Quesadillas

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Peas and cheddar are amazing together!

-Roughly chop 1 small handful of snow peas.

-Grate 2-3 carrots.

-Chop up some dill and/or cilantro.

-Grate some cheese (sharp cheddar, queso fresco or spicy jack would be nice).

-Melt some butter over low heat in a large frying pan.

-Add 2 corn tortillas and fry on one side until lightly browned.

-Flip over; on half the tortilla add some cheese, some peas, some green onions and some dill.

-Top with some more cheese, fold over and fry over very low heat until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are browned.

Summer Squash Cake with Ginger and Hazelnuts

-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

-Sift together the following:

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

-Stir in 1¼ cups sugar.

-Grate enough summer squash so you have 1½ cups.

-In another bowl, whisk together the following:

2 large eggs

½ cup melted butter

⅓ cup orange juice

2 tsp orange zest

2 tsp peeled and grated ginger root

1 tsp vanilla extract

-Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour and stir until just combined.

-Fold in ½ cup chopped hazelnuts and the summer squash.

-Butter and flour a 8x8 square pan.

-Scrape the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.

Ronde de Nice Squash and Carrot Fritters with Yogurt Dip

Summer Squash and Carrot Fritters with Yogurt Dip

-Grate 4 small carrots.

-Then grate 2 large Ronde de Nice summer squash.

-To make the batter for the fritters: in a large bowl, whisk together the following:

1 cup flour, more as needed

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp sea salt

-In a separate large bowl, whisk together the following

1 cup milk, more as needed

1 large egg

¼ tsp grated lemon zest

¼ tsp pepper

-Pour dry ingredients into wet; whisk until just blended, batter should be slightly thicker than cream. If it’s too thick, add some milk; if it’s too thin, sprinkle with additional flour.

-Stir in the carrots, zucchini and scallions.

-Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

-To make the yogurt dip: using a mortar and pestle or the back of a knife, mash together the 1 finely chopped garlic clove and ¼ tsp sea salt.

-In a small bowl, whisk together:

½ cup plain yogurt

1 TBS chopped mint or cilantro

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

The garlic/salt mixture

-Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

-Fill a wide saucepan with 1 inch of olive oil; heat until the temperature registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer (or until a small drip of batter browns immediately).

-Line a cookie sheet with paper towels.

-Working in batches, drop battered vegetables by the tablespoon into the oil, being sure not to overcrowd the pan.

-Fry, turning occasionally, until golden all over, about 3 to 4 minutes.

-Use a slotted spoon to transfer fritters to the cookie sheet to drain.

-Transfer fritters to a platter or plate; sprinkle with sea salt and serve with yogurt dip.

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts

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-Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

-Cut 2 large eggplants in half the long way.

-Place the eggplant cut-side up in a roasting pan large enough to accommodate them snugly.

-Brush the eggplant with 4 TBS extra virgin olive oil.

-Season with sea salt and fresh pepper.

-Roast for 20 minutes.

-Remove from the oven to cool slightly.

-While the eggplant is cooking, make the stuffing...

-Mix together the following in a small bowl:

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1.5 tsp sweet paprika

1 TBS ground cinnamon

-Dice up 1 onion.

-Heat 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil in a large frying pan.

-Add half of the spice mix to the pan along with the onion.

-Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.

-Add the following to the pan:

1 pound ground lamb

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 bunch chopped cilantro or a handful of basil

2 tsp tomato paste

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper

-Continue to cook and stir until meat is cooked.

-In a small bowl mix together the following:

2/3 cup water

1 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 tsp tamarind paste

4 cinnamon sticks

1/4 tsp sea salt

The remaining spice mix

-Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil, return to the oven and roast for 1.5 hours.

-Twice during the cooking, remove the lid/foil and baste the eggplants with the sauce, adding some water if necessary.

-Serve warm, not hot or at room temperature.

 

Choy Sum with Sizzling Oil

-Bring a large pan full of water to the boil.

-Add the following to the pot:

1 tsp of sea salt

1 TBS oil of your choice

-Cut the ends off of 1 bunch of choy sum.

-Tip in the choy sum and blanch for 1 minute.

-Drain and shake dry in a colander.

-Pile the choy sum neatly on a serving dish and pile the following on it:

2 spring onions, cut into fine slivers

A 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into fine slivers

A small strip of red chili or red pepper for color, cut into fine slivers (optional)

-Heat 3 TBS oil (of your choice) over a high flame.

-When the oil is hot, ladle it carefully over the spring onions, ginger and chili.

-It should sizzle dramatically. (To make sure the oil is hot enough, try ladling a few drops on first, to check for the sizzle.)

-As soon as you get a vigorous sizzle, pour over the rest of the oil.

-Dilute 2 TBS of soy sauce with 2 TBS hot water.

-Pour over the diluted soy sauce mixture, and serve.

Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce

-Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

-Meanwhile, trim ends from 1 bunch of choy sum.

-Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic.

-Blanch greens in the water until just tender, about 1 minute.

-Drain greens and set aside on a plate.

-Heat 1 TBS ghee or coconut oil in a wok or a skillet over medium-high heat.

-Add garlic and cook until lightly browned, 1–2 minutes.

-Add 1 TBS soy sauce and 1 TBS water; cook for 1 minute.

-Pour garlic sauce over greens and serve.

Chickpea Fritters

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-Put the following a food processor:

 2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

 1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced

 1½ tsp sea salt

 2 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

 ¼ tsp ground cumin

 2 TBS flour (any kind will do)

 ½ tsp baking powder

 3 egg whites

-Pulse until just combined, do not over mix.

-Remove the blade and using a measuring spoon, scoop out level tablespoons of the mixture onto a plate covered with wax paper until you have approximately 30 little balls.

-Warm 2 TBS palm or coconut oil in a heavy skillet.

 -One at a time, drop 10 of the chickpea balls into the oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes, don’t turn until they're quite browned on the first side.

 -Flip and cook until golden brown and nice and crisp on the outside.

 -Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate and keep warm in a 250 degree oven while you repeat the process two more times.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Greens

-In a medium stockpot, bring 8 cups chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat.

-Add the following:

2 TBS coarsely chopped fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

-When the stock is simmering add 2 whole bone-in chicken breasts.

-Cook over low heat at a simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

-Remove chicken and allow to cool.

-Tear each breast into about 6 pieces and discard the bones.

-Strain broth and return to pot over low heat.

-Put a pot of water to boil for the rice noodles.

-Cut the bottom off of 1 bunch of bok choy and 1 bunch of tatsoi, leaving the stems and leaves intact.

-Cut the bok choy into halves or quarters the long way.

-Add bok choy to the broth and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

-Cook ¼ lb Vietnamese rice noodles about 3-4 minutes.

-Drain and rinse well with cold water.

-Divide noodles among six bowls.

-Add the following:

The chicken pieces

Some chopped chives

A handful of cilantro leaves

The tatsoi

-Pour hot broth and bok choy over top.

-Serve with hot sauce.

Tatsoi with Pine Nuts and Garlic

-Toast 1 heaping TBS of pine nuts in a skillet over medium low heat until brown.

-Wash 1 bunch of tatsoi in cold water.

-Shake off excess water, but do not dry.

-Finely chop 1 small garlic clove.

-Heat 1-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil or ghee in skillet over medium heat.

-Add garlic and sauté until golden.

-Add tatsoi and stir to coat.

-Reduce heat and cover until tatsoi is wilted, stirring occasionally.

-If there's excess water in the skillet, uncover and cook off water.

-Add toasted pine nuts.

-Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Stuffed Ancho Chiles

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-Place the following in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover:

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 whole garlic cloves

-Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer until chicken has cooked through, about 15 minutes.

-Transfer chicken to a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid and garlic.

-Cover chicken loosely with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

-Let cool slightly, then shred it into ½ inch pieces and cover.

-Wash and take the skins off 1 pound of tomatillos.

-Add tomatillos to reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil.

-Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

-Drain, and puree tomatillos and garlic in a blender.

-Then add the following to the blender:

¼ cup cilantro leaves

2 TBS fresh lime juice

½ tsp sea salt

-Puree.

-Spread half the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

-Cut 6-8 ancho peppers in half the long way, scrape out some of the seeds but leave the stem intact as possible.

-Grate ½ pound summer squash.

-Heat 1 TBS butter in a skillet over medium heat.

-Add squash and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.

-Let cool slightly.

-Toss squash with 1 ounce crumbled chevre goat cheese, the chicken and remaining sauce.

-Mound ½ cup mixture into each ancho.

-Place in prepared dish, dot with another 1 ounce goat cheese.

-Cover, and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.

-Uncover, and let stand 5 minutes.

-Drizzle with sauce from dish, and garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

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For the biscuits, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  

-In a large bowl whisk 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 TBS baking powder and ½ tsp sea salt.  

-Grate 6 TBS cold or frozen unsalted butter, and then stir it into the flour mixture.  

-Whisk together 1 large egg and ½ cup cream and then add all at once to the flour/butter mixture.

-Mix with a rubber spatula until just combined, being careful not to over mix.  

-Transfer to a lightly floured surface and lightly pat into a ¾ inch thick circle. 

- Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or an inverted glass.

-Brush the tops with cream or milk and sprinkle with sugar.  

-Bake 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

For the strawberry sauce, wash and hull 2 pints of strawberries.

-Crush ¼ of the berries, and slice the remaining. 

-Combine the berries then add ¼ cup sugar, and set aside.

Whip up; 1-cup organic heavy cream adding a few tsp powdered sugar, a little maple syrup or some honey and ½ tsp vanilla.

To assemble, cut open a biscuit, add a scoop of strawberries, shut the biscuit and top with a big dollop of whipped cream and more strawberries. Try not to eat too much!

 

Stovetop Heirloom Popcorn

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-Remove the kernels from 3-4 corncobs; they come off easily when you start at the widest end and use your thumbs to wiggle the kernels free. (You can also rub an empty corncob against the kernels to loosen them.)

-Add 1 tsp of ghee, olive oil or coconut oil to a medium-sized saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
 
-When the oil is hot add the corn kernels (you want only a thin layer), cover and place over medium-high heat.
 
-When some of the kernels have popped, give the pan a good shake and put it back on the burner, repeat several times.
 
-When it seems like most/all of the kernels have popped, remove the pan from the heat and then carefully take the lid off.
 
-Pour the popcorn into a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt.
 
*Each cob makes about a 1/3 cup of popcorn.

**If your popcorn doesn't seem to pop well, add a 1-inch piece of citrus peel to the bag and close it up tightly again. In a few days it should be moist enough to pop well.
 

Stone Fruit Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake

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For those of you with fruit shares…

-Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

-Score the skin of 4-5 apricots or 4-5 donut peaches with a few strokes of a knife.

-Then slice them in half and remove the pits.

-Melt ¼ cup unsalted butter in a large 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

-Add ½ cup packed brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and blends with the butter to forma caramel.

-Remove from heat and arrange the fruit halves on top of the caramel, cut side down.

To make the cake…

-Whisk together 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup fine cornmeal, 1½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda and ½ tsp fine sea salt in a bowl.

-Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer cream together ½ cup unsalted butter at room temp and 2/3 cup granulated sugar for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

-Add 2 eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.

-Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.

-Measure ¾ cup of buttermilk. Set aside.

-Stir in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

-Spread the batter evenly over the fruit in the pan.

-Bake for about 45 minutes until the center of the cake springs back lightly when touched.

-The cake will need 20 minutes to cool until you flip it over.