Slow-Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes
Slow-roasting these beautiful tomatoes concentrates their unique flavor—try these with a drizzle of pesto!
Ingredients:
1 pound heirloom tomatoes
2 tablespoons ultra-fine sugar
1 tablespoons green peppercorns
Good quality olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Cut off the stem end of the tomato and then slice it into approximately ½-inch slices. When all the tomatoes are sliced, place them on a rimmed sheet pan and brush or drizzle olive oil over each tomato slice.
2. Mix the sugar and the salt together. Sprinkle some of the sugar/salt mixture on each tomato. In a mortar, grind the peppercorns until very crushed but not totally pulverized, then sprinkle over tomatoes.
3. Put the pan of tomatoes into a 175° oven for about 3 hours until caramelized.
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Grilled Pluots with Honey & Mint
This elegant, low-effort dish highlights the natural juiciness of ripe pluots, caramelized ever so slightly by the grill. A drizzle of honey and a handful of torn mint leaves are all you need to finish things off.
Ingredients:
4 ripe but firm pluots, halved and pitted
1 tablespoon olive oil
2–3 tablespoons good-quality honey
A few sprigs of fresh mint, torn or chiffonade
Optional: flaky sea salt, vanilla ice cream, or Greek yogurt for serving
Method:
1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grates. Lightly brush the cut sides of the pluots with olive oil.
2. Place pluots cut-side down on the grill. Grill for 2–3 minutes, or until they have defined grill marks and begin to soften slightly. Flip and grill for an additional 1–2 minutes on the skin side, just until warmed through but still holding their shape.
3. Remove from grill and arrange on a serving platter or individual plates. Drizzle with honey while still warm, and scatter the fresh mint over top. Optional: Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to balance the sweetness, or serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a more indulgent finish.
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Potato-Leek Soup
This classic Julia Child recipe is always a home run; serve this with slices of this week’s Beecher’s cheese bread.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound baby red potatoes, peeled and cut in half if on the larger side
3 large leeks (1 pound), cleaned and thinly sliced
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup crème fraîche
â…“ cup minced parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large (6-plus quart) stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften and brown slightly, about 5-10 minutes (time will vary greatly depending on the surface area of the bottom of your pot).
2. Add the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Blend until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender in batches.
4. Add the cream, and season to taste with salt and lemon juice.
5. Ladle into bowls, and garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche and a healthy sprinkling of minced parsley.
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Frizzled Leeks
These crispy leeks are a wonderful garnish for salads, soups or main dish proteins like beef, pork or salmon.
Ingredients:
1 medium leek, trimmed of roots and dark green tops
2 cups neutral-flavored oil, such as peanut, vegetable or canola
Sea salt
Method:
1. Thinly slice the white and light green parts of the leek into 3-inch-long julienne strips. Rinse in a bowl of water to remove the grit, drain and pat dry.
2. In a small saucepan heat the oil over medium-high heat (it should reach a depth of about 1 inch) it reaches 325º and 350º on a candy thermometer. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to hold the oil in this temperature range. Add a small handful of the leeks to the oil.
3. Fry the leeks in batches, stirring often with a metal slotted spoon, until the oil is barely bubbling and the leeks are light golden brown, 1-3 minutes. (The oil temperature will drop when you add the leeks; let it return to the starting temperature before frying the next batch.)
4. Lift the leeks from the oil using the slotted spoon, tap against the side of the pan to drain off excess oil, and transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels.
5. Sprinkle the leeks lightly with salt while they are still hot. Let cool to room temperature before using as a garnish.
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Lavender-Infused Lemonade
This cool beverage is fragrant with summer lavender.
Ingredients:
Small handful lavender flowers, rinsed and cut from stem
1 cup sugar
2 cups boiling water
2-3 cups ice water
1½ cups freshly-squeezed lemon juice
Method:
1. Place lavender flowers in a medium bowl. Pour the sugar over the flowers and use your fingers to gently rub the flowers into the sugar. Pour the boiling water over the lavender sugar and stir with a spoon until the sugar has melted. Cover and let infuse for 30 minutes (or up to several hours).
2. Strain the lavender-infused simple syrup and pour into a serving carafe or pitcher. Stir in the lemon juice. Add another two cups of water. Taste and adjust for tartness. Add more lemon juice if too sweet, or add more sugar if too tart. Add ice and more water to desired level of concentration.
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Sunflower Shoot Salad with Radishes & Hazelnuts
This stellar salad from Food & Wine is beautifully balanced with peppery greens and radishes and sweet pea shoots.
Ingredients:
½ cup hazelnuts
1½ tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon minced shallot
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups peppery greens, such as arugula or shiso
2 cups sunflower shoots
2-3 Pink radishes, trimmed and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, cored and very thinly sliced on a mandoline
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast until they are fragrant and the skins blister, about 14 minutes. Transfer the toasted hazelnuts to a kitchen towel and let cool slightly, then vigorously rub the nuts together to remove the skins. Coarsely chop the nuts.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the Champagne vinegar with the Dijon mustard, honey and minced shallot. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and whisk until blended. Season the vinaigrette with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the arugula, sunflower shoots, radishes, fennel and chopped hazelnuts and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.
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Baked Fennel
This classic Italian finocchi gratinati is simply sublime.
Ingredients:
4 fennel bulbs, cored and sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a frying pan over high heat, sauté the fennel slices with the butter for about 15 minutes until tender, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Transfer to a baking pan, sprinkle the fennel with the grated cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown and melted.
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Buttermilk Cornmeal Pancakes
These hearty pancakes boast a delightful texture, and are wonderful topped with Maple-Spiced Apples.
Ingredients:
1 cup yellow cornmeal or polenta
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
¼ cup melted butter
Butter or oil, for greasing the griddle
Method:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal/polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients; stir just until combined (do not overmix).
2. Heat a lightly greased griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour about ¼ cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles form and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden-brown on the second side, about 1–2 minutes more.
3. Serve immediately with butter, maple syrup, or your favorite toppings.
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Meyer Lemon & Cara Cara Orange Citronette
Crafted from a beautiful mixture of winter citrus, this light, yet punchy, vinaigrette is lovely drizzled on fresh garden greens.
Ingredients:
¼ cup Meyer lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon fresh Cara Cara orange juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoon honey
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Method:
1. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt.
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Zucchini Blossom Frittata
A rustic garden dish that celebrates the fleeting charm of summer blossoms.
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 baby zucchini, thinly sliced into rounds
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
8–10 fresh zucchini blossoms, stems removed and gently opened
Optional garnish: fresh basil, chive blossoms, or microgreens
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with the cream, salt, and pepper until light and frothy. Stir in the grated cheese and set aside.
2. In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the zucchini rounds and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden. Pour the egg mixture over the sautéed vegetables, gently swirling the pan so everything distributes evenly. Let cook undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges just begin to set. Carefully arrange the zucchini blossoms on top, pressing them slightly into the eggs. Continue to cook on the stove for another 2 minutes, or until the frittata is set around the edges but still jiggly in the center.
3. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the frittata is fully set and lightly puffed. If using the broiler, broil for 2–3 minutes, watching carefully, until the top is just golden and cooked through. Let the frittata rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh herbs or edible flowers, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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