Tomato Time!

When we got home, not only were we greeted with a whopper of a zucchini, but also 7 tomato plants that were bursting with gorgeous tomatoes. Home-grown tomatoes are a bit like crack. One bite is simply not enough....nor is one tomato. I have a tendency to overdo it when it comes to tomatoes and often the roof of my mouth ends up raw and peeling from all the acid. But so much pleasure comes from the pain.

If there is a better way to use up fresh tomatoes than this incredibly simple salad, I haven't found it. It's kind of like a Caprese salad, but so much more. The light vinaigrette combined with the tomato juices makes it explode with flavor. And the cheese...well, the cheese is just divine. If you add in some olive oil and garlic-rubbed, grilled sourdough bread, it would be a complete meal in and of itself. We had it for dinner two nights in a row. Quiet honestly, I could probably eat this every day until the end of time....





Jamie Oliver's Awesome Tomato Salad

This recipe is so easy to make, and so easy to eat. For a lovely, rustic look use all different kinds of heirloom tomatoes, some sliced, some quartered or halved.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: serves 4 (or two piggies like us)

Ingredients:

2 pounds of mixed heirloom tomatoes
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup best extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, grated
pinch of dried oregano
1 ball or log of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 teaspoon of fresh spicy red or green chile (seeded and de-veined)
sea salt and pepper, to taste
handful of basil leaves, torn into smallish pieces

Preparation:

1. Cut the tomatoes into halves, quarters or slices, depending on the size and place in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss with your hands. Let drain for 15 minutes to concentrate the tomato flavors.

2. Meanwhile whisk the olive oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano in a small bowl.

3. Slice the mozzarella and place on one side of a medium platter. Arrange the tomatoes next to the cheese. Drizzle the cheese and tomatoes with the dressing and sprinkle salt and pepper over the cheese. Sprinkle the minced chile and the torn basil over the top of the platter and serve immediately.

In The Blink of An Eye

Home-grown zucchini are sort of like home-grown kids. One minute they are tender and young...quite delicious, really. And the next they are pubescent pre-teens who are as tall as you, weigh (20+ pounds) more than you, and are growing hair on their upper lip. Okay, perhaps I was referring to my son and not the squash, but you get the point. In the blink of an eye, they are totally, incomprehensibly huge. Yes, you can still slice them and cook them, or even eat them raw (and just to be sure, here I'm referring to the squash and not the kid). But I think they are best shredded up and disguised in baked goods....like cake. Or bread. Or both.

Just before we departed Cape Cod, my sister-in-law and I baked this cake from Diane at Napa Farmhouse 1885. The recipe had me at the mention of chocolate and zucchini, which sounded like a smashing combination. But as I started mixing ingredients, I noticed that the fat in the cake was olive oil...and it had a splash of balsamic dressing too. It was too late to turn back, and despite my fears that this cake would taste more like zucchini salad than chocolate cake, we pressed on.

We drizzled a ganache over the top of the cake and served it to our dinner guests, who all gobbled it with enthusiasm. The vinegar gave it a bit of whang, and actually deepened the chocolate flavor. Most everyone enjoyed it thoroughly, except for my daughter who said it tastes like "your breath when you've been drinking wine..." Well, I guess it could be a lot worse. My breath that is. Despite her protests, I found the cake to be moist, with a nice, soft crumb--and very tasty too.


My California garden also has zucchini plants and our sweet house sitter left a big, fat one on the vine for us to pick when we got home. With that, I decided to make zucchini bread, loaded with walnuts and dried cranberries. Kid repellent if you must know. I'm tired of never, ever getting a bite of the goodies I bake!

Unfortunately for me, the kids liked it afterall. And so did our friends. I think you will too!


And....just thought I'd mention that I saw this recipe today. To. Die. For. It's next on the list...and yes, I have a LOT of zucchini.

Zucchini Walnut Bread with Cranberries

I am a huge, huge fan of one bowl cakes that don't require any special equipment that might be stored on a garage shelf (think stand-mixer). This one fits the bill. Not only is it pleasantly spiced, it has a nice crunch from the walnuts and a bit of tangy goodness from all the dried cranberries. I think it would also be fabulous with chocolate chips. But almost everything is, isn't it? The recipe is adapted from this one.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

2 extra large eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups grated zucchini
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 standard loaf pans and set aside.

2. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl with a wire whisk. Whisk in sugar until thoroughly combined. Add butter and vanilla, stirring well. Whisk in zucchini and salt.

3. Sprinkle the top of the batter with the baking powder, then add half the flour and all the nutmeg and cinnamon. When combined, add the remaining flour and whisk just until barely combined.

4. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the walnuts and cranberries, taking care not to over-work the batter.

5. Pour the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting to a cooling rack to cool completely. Top with your favorite cream cheese frosting, if desired.

Cool as a Cucumber

Remember Mr. McNeedham's garden? Well it hasn't stopped growing. In fact, every day there are surprising discoveries, like giant cucumbers hiding under dense vines. And what does one do with said cukes? One makes margaritas, of course!

The recipe for these unbelievably refreshing adult beverages is really too easy--cucumbers are sliced up, then blitzed in the blender with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, your favorite tequila and a splash of triple sec. One sip of these will have you feeling cool as a cucumber too, no matter how hot it is outside.

I think this might very well be my next favorite cocktail....of course I say that about everything! And if you enjoy margaritas, may I highly suggest the purchase of the citrus squeezer? It's a real time saver, and as you know, when mommy needs a drink...time is of the essence.







Cucumber Margarita

This cool cocktail is a fantastic way to use up those rogue cucumbers sprouting in the garden. It is light, refreshing and is easily multiplied so that you can make a whole pitcher for your thirsty guests.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 drinks

Ingredients:

6 slices of cucumber (about 1/4 inch each), peeled and seeded if desired (good to do if it's kind of a big, home-grown cucumber)
4 ounces of tequila
2 ounces of triple sec
Juice from 2 limes
3 handfuls of ice
Salt and cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Place cucumber, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice in the blender. Pulse until blended.

2. Sprinkle salt and cayenne pepper on a plate. Rub the rims of 2 glasses with the squeezed limes. Dredge rims across the salt/cayenne mixture so they have an even coating of salt.

3. Pour blended margarita into the glasses. Serve immediately, garnished with additional cucumber slices if desired.

Summer Spice Is So Nice

Native corn is here...and it's sweet and juicy and so very tender. We love to eat it on the cob, dripping with butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper. But when we've had our fill, and want to mix it up a bit, we eat it this way--creamed, spiked with slivers of spicy roasted chiles, and smothered with cotija cheese.

You may think that it's a bit sacrilegious to eat Cape Cod corn prepared in such a manner, but I think it rather likes to be dressed up a bit. Everyone needs a little spice in her life every now and then, right? If you can't find cotija cheese in your market, look for a good quality salty feta cheese to crumble on top.






Smothered Mexican Street Corn

While you can use frozen corn to make this recipe, fresh, seasonal, and local corn tastes best. Look for cotija cheese and creme fraiche in the dairy section of your regular market, but in a pinch, feta cheese and sour cream can be substituted with good results.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: serves 4-6

Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, shucked, cleaned of silks and cut off the cob
3 fresh poblano chiles
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1/2 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

1. Roast poblano chiles over an open flame on a gas burner or under a broiler, using tongs to turn frequently, until the skin has blackened on all sides. Wrap in a paper towel and set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Using the paper towel, rub the skins off the chiles, then remove the stem and seeds. Cut each chile into 1/2 inch strips, then again into 1/2 inch segments. Set aside.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat. Add onion and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in corn, chiles and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in creme fraiche and cook for 2 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if desired.

5. Pour into serving bowl and sprinkle with cotija cheese. Serve immediately.

Mr. McNeedham's Garden

Once upon a time, a man built 3 large garden boxes for his wife. He filled them with good soil, seeds and seedlings, and gave them lots of water and attention. The wife was very happy, and so was the husband.



Every day the man went out to the garden and watered it well. Petra Rabbit and her sisters stayed far, far away, because of the cats Mama, Kebo and Cali, who patrolled it with great enthusiasm. The spring was unusually warm with plenty of sun, and so the garden grew and grew. The wife was happy, and so was the husband.



Every day, it was more of the same....sun and water, sun and water. The seeds sprouted, the flowers blossomed and the garden grew and grew. The wife was happy, and so was the husband.



Suddenly, in the beginning of July, the garden was so big! And it kept growing and growing and growing. And still there was more sun and warm air. The neighbors all came over to admire the garden, and said that they had never seen anything like it!

It is true that the wife was still happy, but she became worried that she wouldn't be able to eat all the kale. And she became cross that the crook-neck squash turned out to be zucchini (she hates zucchini).

So luckily, her lovely daughter and daughter-in-law came over to lend their assistance.




They picked a huge bag of kale (and also some of that evil zucchini) and took it to their house to make kale chips.

First they washed it well, and tore it into bite sized pieces, removing any thick stems.



Then they tossed it in a splash of olive oil, and sprinkled it with sea salt.




Finally they placed all the coated leaves on a large baking sheet, and baked them at 325 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until the leaves were crisp...like a chip!




The wife was less worried when she realized that so much kale could be used up this way. And also excited that the chips were so delicious and nutritious. And it should be mentioned that she very much enjoyed the zucchini crostada that her daughter-in-law made (even though she hates zucchini). But...that's another story.

The end.

Kale Chips

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: serves 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

2-3 bunches of kale, washed, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt (or to taste)

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Toss the kale with the olive oil in a large bowl.

3. Place on 2 baking sheets and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the leaves are crisp and beginning to turn golden. Serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Weekending

Summer is where the girls go barefoot and their hearts are as free as their toes.


Hope you enjoyed celebrating your freedom this weekend too!

Space Odyssey: Meet Kohlrabi

This gorgeous slaw, came from a strange orb, that looks not unlike a UFO...but is even more bizarre because it sprouts tentacle-like arms from all sides. It tastes sort of like radishes, but it's not spicy, and sort of like broccoli stems, but it's not sulfurous, and sort of like cucumbers, but it's not watery, and sort of like jicama, but it's not starchy. It is cool, crisp, moist and quite delicious and just what you want to eat on a hot and sultry summer night... like last night, where the fog was so thick the sea was totally obscured, the trees were dripping water like it had just rained, and the low, the LOW was 70 degrees. Ugh.

Kohlrabi tastes good on its own, but it tastes even better when it's dressed up a bit. I decided to julienne it, along with some snap peas and spring onions. Julienne is just a fancy word for slicing it into matchstick pieces. I was lazy, so my matchsticks were big, but if you care about uniformity, use your mandoline slicer or julienne peeler. If you're in your less-than-fully-equipped summer kitchen, and lack certain tools, it's not hard to do it on your own. Peel the kohlrabi, slice it thinly, then stack it and slice it into small matchsticks. ( Works for potatoes too, if you're ever inclined to make French fries.)

The resulting salad, tossed in a ginger dressing was everything I could have hoped for....zingy, bright and refreshing. And I would absolutely make this again if I ever get another kohlrabi in our CSA basket or find one at the farmers' market. If not, the I might substitute cucumbers, and/or broccoli stems (slaw) for the kohlrabi. I think it would also be great with a handful of chopped peanuts tossed on top just before serving (we didn't have any). Luckily, the salad kept well too and we enjoyed the leftovers for lunch again today!











Asian Kohlrabi Slaw

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: serves 4, with leftovers

Ingredients:

1 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned and cut into 2-inch pieces (sliced into matchsticks)
1/2 pound of snap peas, de-stringed and julienned
4 scallions, julienned and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-veined and diced
1 handful of cilantro, chopped
1 thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons canola (or other plain tasting) oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Chopped salted peanuts (a handful), optional

Preparation:

1. Toss kohlrabi, snap peas, scallions, jalapeno and cilantro in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk ginger, vinegar, oils, soy sauce and sugar until combined.

3. Drizzle dressing over the kohlrabi mixture and toss well to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately, or chill until ready to eat. Top with peanuts (if using) just before serving.