Mixed Summer Greens with Plums
This light salad is lovely topped with our housemade chive blossom vinaigrette.
Ingredients:
1 pound mixed salad greens
2-3 plums, washed, pitted and thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
Farm & Larder chive blossom vinaigrette
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
¼ cup goat cheese (optional)
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a large mixing bowl, toss salad greens with plum slices, avocado and slivered almonds. Drizzle with chive blossom vinaigrette, tossing to coat.
2. Transfer to serving platter and season with fresh ground pepper. If using, garnish with goat cheese crumbles.
Southwest-Style Beans
These spicy beans pair wonderfully with your favorite meat or vegetable hot off the grill.
Ingredients:
1 pound Pinquito beans, or other dried bean of your choice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, preferably 1 green and 1 orange or red (for color), seeded and diced
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, diced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. Set them aside and let them soak for 5 to 6 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the beans, and then place them in a large pot. Add the garlic, bell peppers and the onions. Cover them with about an inch of water.
3. Next add the chili powder and cumin, plus a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine, and then bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans until tender, about 2 hours. Check the liquid level about halfway through the cooking process; if you’d prefer the beans to be less soupy, you can ladle off about a third of the cooking liquid.
Variation: For extra depth of flavor, add chopped chorizo sausage into the pot at the same time as the garlic, onions and peppers.
Radish & Turnip Slaw with Blue Cheese
This crunchy-cool slaw is a summer staple, wonderful served with hot dogs, tacos, or as a side salad.
Ingredients:
1 bunch radishes, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
1 bunch turnips, ends trimmed, halved and thinly sliced
6-7 celery stalks, thinly sliced with leaves picked and reserved
5 spring onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
For dressing:
3 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons sugar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice and zest, sugar, salt and pepper until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
2. In a large bowl toss all the vegetables, chopped parsley and celery leaves; add the dressing and mix well to combine. Taste for seasonings and serve.
Heirloom Tomato & Herb Salad
A simple drizzle of oil and vinegar allows the natural tomato flavors to shine in this recipe from Martha Stewart.
Ingredients:
3 pounds heirloom tomatoes (halved or cut into wedges, depending on size)
1 cup mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, oregano and basil
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
Extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar, for drizzling
Flake sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Arrange tomatoes on a platter. Season with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil.
2. Drizzle herbs with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
3. Sprinkle herbs and feta cheese over tomatoes. Serve immediately.
Summer Roasted Vegetable Salad with Smoked Chicken & Blue Cheese
This room temperature salad is both crisp and refreshing, topped with all-natural smoked chicken.
Ingredients:
1 pound mixed summer greens, such as escarole, frisée and Cegolaine baby red butter lettuce, washed
½ pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed clean and sliced in half
½ Vidalia sweet onion, peeled and sliced into rounds
½ pound Tokyo Market turnips, washed, peeled and quartered
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 red radishes, washed and sliced into thin rounds
½ pound smoked chicken, shredded
½ cup Westward blue cheese, crumbled
For dressing:
¾ cup cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. On a sheet pan, tossed potatoes, turnips and sweet onions with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
3. To serve, line salad plates with a bed of summer greens, topping each with a helping of cooled vegetables. Then, top with a helping of smoked chicken and a smattering of sliced radish. Drizzle each salad with desired amount of dressing and crumble blue cheese over top. Grind additional pepper over each as desired.
Chilled Tomato Soup
Sweet and deeply flavorful, this chilled soup from Martha Stewart is perfect for a hot summer’s night.
Ingredients:
6 mixed sweet peppers
2½ pounds heirloom tomatoes
1 Walla Walla sweet onion, minced
2 cups chicken stock
½ cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Fresh herbs for garnish, such as chopped parsley, thyme and oregano
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Place the peppers and tomatoes on a baking sheet, and roast until they are slightly charred, about 30 minutes.
2. Peel, and core the peppers and tomatoes. Transfer the flesh to the jar of a blender; set aside.
3. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil. Add onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add to the blender, and purée until smooth. Pass the mixture through a food mill fitted with a medium disk into a large bowl. Stir in the stock, orange juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Cover, and refrigerate until chilled. Serve garnished with herbs.
Matera Perline Beans with Green Garlic Scapes & Pea Vines
Also topped with Italian sausage, this hearty dish is still incredibly light and flavorful.
Ingredients:
1½ cups Vero Matera Perline Beans, soaked overnight in a large pot of water, and drained
1 bay leaf
½ pound Skagit River Ranch Italian sausage (optional)
½ pound pea vines, trimmed of any tough ends
4 green garlic scapes, trimmed of ends and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Parmesan cheese, for grating
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Rinse the beans and transfer them to a large saucepan. Add the bay leaf and 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until nearly tender, about 1½ hours. Season the beans with salt and simmer until they are tender, but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile, if using, cook sausage in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces. Once cooked through, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add olive oil to the same pan, then add pea vines and green garlic scapes, season with salt and pepper, and briefly sauté, about 1-2 minutes, until vines are tender and scapes are fragrant.
3. Add beans to pan with pea vines and scapes, then add back in Italian sausage and butter, lightly tossing everything together. Season with salt and pepper as needed and topped with fresh-grated cheese.
Grilled Vegetable Salad
Tossed with a balsamic dressing, this gorgeous salad pairs well with protein hot off the grill.
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
2 small or one medium summer squash, cut lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed of root ends
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into quarters lengthwise
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into a thin chiffonade
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
For the dressing:
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, seasoning generously with salt and pepper. Carefully lay out all the vegetables on the rack and grill until all are tender and slightly charred, pulling off vegetables as they are done. (Some will cook quicker than others.)
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
4. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut any larger vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Arrange vegetables on a large serving platter and toss gently with the reserved vinaigrette. Garnish with the basil leaves and pine nuts; serve either warm or at room temperature.
White Bean & Radish Salad
A wonderful use for leftover beans from this week’s main dish.
Ingredients:
1½ cups white beans, such as cannellini or Matera Perline, fully cooked
¼ cup fresh tarragon, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
4-6 radishes, trimmed of greens and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 large lemon
¼ cup high-quality olive oil
Sea salt
Gruyère cheese bread, sliced
Method:
1. Rinse beans, then toss into a large mixing bowl along with parsley, shallots and radishes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice and olive oil, seasoning well with salt.
3. Toss dressing with salad ingredients. Sprinkle with a little more sea salt. Serve with sliced bread and an extra drizzle of olive oil.
Grilled Green Onions
Sweet and delicious with green tops, these onions are at their best grilled.
Ingredients:
Whole green onions with tops
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat.
2. Wash and trim any roots from bottom of onions. Then, trim onions to approximately 12 inches in length and slice in half lengthwise, leaving green tops attached.
3. Spray or brush baking sheet with olive oil. Brush onion halves with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grill the onions until tender and caramelized. If desired, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with fresh herbs before serving.