Heirloom Tomato Salad with Basil-Pesto Vinaigrette and Fresh Mozzarella
A beautiful twist on the classic Caprese salad!
Ingredients:
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, cored and cut into thick rounds
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thick rounds
Toasted pine nuts and freshly-chopped basil leaves (optional)
For basil-pesto vinaigrette:
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cups lightly packed basil
¼ cup shredded Grana-style cheese
3 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
â…“ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
2. On a serving platter, arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella cheese rounds in an alternating pattern. Drizzle with the pesto vinaigrette and season with additional salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with additional toasted pine nuts and additional chopped basil as desired.
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Quick-Pickled Sweet Onions
These snappy little onions are fantastic served on sandwiches and salads.
Ingredients:
4 medium-sized Walla Walla sweet onions, cut into rings
1½ cups white vinegar
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon peppercorns
Method:
1. Bring all ingredients except onions to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Reduce heat and gently boil for one minute.
2. While mixture is boiling, pack onion rings into a glass jar as tightly as you can.
3. Remove boiling mixture from stove and pour most of the liquid directly into the jar. Allow bubbles to rise to the surface, then refill as needed, leaving a few centimeters of room at the top of the jar.
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Pac Choi with Garlic
Fragrant garlic lends big flavor to sautéed pac choi greens.
Ingredients:
1 bunch pac choi
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic
â…› cup chicken stock or white wine
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Start by trimming the stem off, just the end, to ensure the pac choi cooks evenly. Separate out the leaves, keep the tender center intact and clean under running water. Drain.
2. Finely mince garlic. Heat olive oil in wok or frying pan. Add the garlic to the heated pan.
3. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the garlic gently sizzle in the oil. When it becomes fragrant and light golden brown, add the pac choi leaves.
4. Toss very well to coat each leaf with the flavored oil for approximately 15 seconds. Pour in broth or wine. Immediately cover and let cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*Variation: This dish is also lovely topped with sautéed mushrooms.
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Scallion Relish
This peppy relish from Martha Stewart adds flavor to the likes of grilled salmon, chicken and even flatbreads.
Ingredients:
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, finely diced
4-6 scallions, trimmed of root and tough green ends and finely diced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons sugar
Sea salt and pepper
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, or cilantro
Method:
1. Place onion and scallions in a bowl of ice water; soak 20 minutes.
2. Drain the onion and scallions, squeezing in paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible; transfer to a bowl. Add sugar, vinegar, herbs, and a pinch each of salt and pepper to taste. Relish can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
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Peach Habanero-Garlic Hot Sauce
This spicy hot sauce is made with fiery roasted peppers and plenty of garlic, ideal for spicing up your favorite foods.
Ingredients:
6-8 habanero peppers, stemmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup water (for thinning the sauce to your preferred consistency)
4 cups white vinegar
20 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar or to taste
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ cup lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Set peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until soft and skins begin to blister.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large pot to medium heat and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until onion and garlic soften. Add roasted peppers and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Transfer mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender and puree directly in the pot. Return to the pot and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Serve, or strain into sterilized bottles until ready to use.
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Spring Salad with Deviled Duck Egg Vinaigrette
This salad puts both egg yolks and whites to delicious use.
Ingredients:
2 hard-boiled duck egg whites, sliced
½ pound asparagus, roasted or grilled
6 cups mixed spring lettuce greens, such as sunflower and pea shoots, plus arugula
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Vinaigrette:
2 hard-boiled duck egg yolks
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon paprika
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To make the vinaigrette: In a food processor or blender, purée egg yolks, vinegar, mustard, paprika, salt and pepper until well combined. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until all the oil is incorporated.
2. In a large serving bowl, toss together egg whites, asparagus, spring greens and tomatoes. Toss with the vinaigrette and season to taste with more pepper as desired.
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Fried Squash Blossoms
The ultimate summer starter, incredibly beautiful and flavorful.
Ingredients:
12-16 squash blossoms
1 cup ricotta
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup Grana-style cheese, divided
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup chilled seltzer water or club soda
¼ cup finely-chopped mint
2 tablespoons each finely-chopped parsley and basil
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Stir together ricotta, egg yolk, herbs, half of the cheese and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Carefully open each blossom and fill with about 2-3 rounded teaspoons of the ricotta filling, gently twisting the end of the blossom to enclose. Tip: Use a pastry bag for this! (You may have filling left over.)
3. Whisk together flour, remaining cheese, about ¼ teaspoon salt, and seltzer in a small bowl.
4. Heat ½ inch oil to 375° in a 10-inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile, dip blossoms in the flour batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. (Return oil to 375° between batches.) Season with salt and serve immediately.
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Buttered Radishes
These dipped radishes make for a wonderful starter or snack!
Ingredients:
Radishes, green tops intact
1 pound butter, at room temperature
2½ tablespoons fleur de sel
Method:
1. Gently wash the radishes in ice water, removing any dirt from the greens. Dry them well. Temper the butter by placing it over moderate heat.*
2. Once tempered, season the butter with the fleur de sel.
3. Dip the bottom half of the radishes into the tempered butter. Dip a second time and gently shake to remove any excess butter from the bottom. Place the butter-coated radish on a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chill the radishes in the refrigerator until the butter is set.
*To temper butter, it’s easiest to use a double boiler, placing the butter over a pot of boiling water instead of directly heating the butter. Let the butter melt and heat up, then whisk occasionally until it thickens and stabilizes. It’s fully tempered when it has the consistency of melted chocolate.
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Poached Duck Eggs over Asparagus with Italian Fonduta
Serve this elegant dish with toasted Italian Rustica bread to sop up those delicious runny egg yolks!
Ingredients:
3-4 duck eggs
1 pound asparagus, ends snapped and sliced into ¼-inch pieces
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Italian Fonduta (see recipe)
Method:
1. To poach the eggs, half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add a hefty pinch of salt. Meanwhile, crack each egg into its own small bowl and add a teaspoon of vinegar to each. Stir the boiling water vigorously with a balloon whisk until you have a whirlpool then immediately (and softly!) slip the egg into the pot. Turn the heat down low, and cook for three minutes. Gently lift eggs out of the pot and drain on paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter or heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
3. To serve, add a serving of the asparagus to a plate, and then top with a poached egg and a generous helping of fonduta. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.
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Black Caviar Lentil & Carrot Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
This salad from the experts at Rancho Gordo is fantastic for lunch all on its own, or served as a side at suppertime.
Ingredients:
2-4 carrots, peeled and grated (about 2 cups grated)
1 cup cooked black caviar lentils
1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or to taste)
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar
½ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Method:
1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, onion, mustard and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make a vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Place the grated carrots in a serving bowl. Add your desired amount of vinaigrette and toss to coat. (You may have some left over.) Add the lentils and parsley and toss gently. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.
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