by Kathy Douglas | Jun 23, 2020 | Appetizers
Enjoy garlic scapes while they are still in season with a tasty hummus made with edamame, chopped garlic scapes, pine nuts, and lemon. Perfect for dipping with grilled pita bread that’s been brushed with olive oil and topped with kosher salt and Za’atar spice mix.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame
3/4 cup chopped garlic scapes
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons basil oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil the edamame in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes; drain thoroughly. Or microwave, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a food processor add the edamame, garlic scapes, pine nuts, water, lemon zest and juice, salt, cumin, and coriander; process until very smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of the oil and pulse until absorbed.
Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the parsley. Then drizzle with the remining oil. Serve with grilled naan, baguette, or fresh veggies for dipping.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 15, 2020 | Entrees
Take advantage of grilling season and summer’s freshest vegetables to make a delicious pasta dish. Farm fresh veggies, grilled, and tossed with spaghetti then tossed with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ripe small sweet tomatoes, halved
½ pound asparagus, trimmed, tough ends removed
1 small zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 baby eggplant, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
½ large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, quartered
½ large yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, quartered
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, cut in half
2 large garlic cloves, skins remaining
12 ounces dried thick spaghetti
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare a gas or charcoal grill. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the tomatoes, asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, yellow pepper and onion with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic powder, and a couple generous pinches of salt and pepper.
Put the vegetables on the grill in a single layer. Grill the tomatoes; skin side down, without turning until their skins have darkened and their flesh is soft. Grill the remaining vegetables, turning once, until grill-marked and tender, about 8 minutes. When cooked, add the tomatoes to a blender container. Transfer the remaining vegetables to another medium bowl and let cool briefly. Grill the lemons, cut side down only, for 5 minutes. Squeeze the lemon juice into the blender; discard the peels. Grill the garlic cloves, with skins remaining for 5 minutes. Peel and add to the blender.
When cool enough to handle, dice the zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, and onion. Cut the asparagus into 1” pieces. Cover and keep warm. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the blender with the tomatoes and garlic; process until smooth.
Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of well-salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook the spaghetti in the water according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the water, drain the pasta, and return it to the pot.
Using the sauce from the blender, toss with the pasta. If the sauce needs to be thinned, use a small amount of the reserved pasta water. Place the pasta in warmed bowls and top with the vegetables, the fresh basil and oregano, a sprinkle of cheese, and serve. Makes 4 servings.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 7, 2020 | Desserts
The delicious sweet and sour flavors of summer in a super easy recipe made with seasonal fresh strawberries, a quick rhubarb pulp, pecans, and crispy butter cookies. Then baked to bubbly perfection and served topped with whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound fresh rhubarb chopped into ½” pieces
½ cup sugar
4 cups ripe fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
1½ cups coarsely chopped crispy butter cookies, homemade or premium store-purchased, we like Pepperidge Farm Chessmen
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Whipped Cream, for serving (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
To make rhubarb pulp, cook the fresh, chopped rhubarb in the sugar with ¼ cup water in a saucepan over medium heat until very soft. Crush to a pulp and simmer for 10-15 minutes longer or until thickened. Set aside.
In a bowl, toss the strawberries with warm rhubarb pulp. Rest for one hour on the counter at room temperature.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly butter four 12-ounce ramekins. Add ½ cup cookie crumbs and ¼ teaspoon of salt to the strawberry rhubarb mixture. Mix well and add evenly into the ramekins. In another bowl, toss the remaining 1 cup cookie crumbs with the chopped pecans, melted butter, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over the berries. Place on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake until the berries are bubbling out of the ramekins, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes to serve warm or serve at room temperature.
Serve topped with freshly whipped cream.
by Kathy Douglas | Jun 1, 2020 | Entrees
Luscious pan-seared scallops, served over an easy baby turnip puree, with fresh oven-roasted corn, and garnished with watercress and chives.
INGREDIENTS
For the turnip puree
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 shallot, minced
¼ cup of white wine
2 cups baby turnips, quartered
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
For the lemon cream sauce
¼ cup white wine
½ shallot minced
½ cup butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup whipping cream
For the scallops:
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 large sea scallops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Roasted corn planks:
2 ears of corm
olive oil
For garnish:
1 tablespoon of thinly sliced chives
Watercress leaves
Roasted Corn planks
INSTRUCTIONS
To prepare the puree:
Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add the shallot, and sauté until it begins to just start to brown. Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is almost completely reduced. Add the turnips and simmer until the turnips are tender but not falling apart, and a knife inserts easily into a turnip. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To prepare the corn:
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Remove the husks, drizzle with the olive oil and place on a cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Slice off the cob and set aside.
To prepare the lemon sauce:
In small saucepan, heat wine and shallot. Bring to a boil and reduce over medium-high heat until only 1 tablespoons of liquid remain. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until sauce is smooth and all the butter is incorporated. Whisk in cream, zest and lemon juice. Keep warm in the top of a double boiler set over hot water until serving time.
To prepare the scallops:
In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil until smoking. Season the scallops with salt and white pepper and place in the fat. When the scallops are golden brown and release easily from the pan, two to three minutes, flip them over and cook one more minute and remove the pan from the heat. Let the scallops sit in the pan off the heat for one minute.
Spoon 1⁄4 cup of the turnip puree on each of four individual plates. Top with the scallops and drizzle with the lemon cream sauce. Garnish with corn, chives and the bacon, and fresh watercress.
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