New Potato Salad with White Beans and Herbs

This is another simple salad where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. It disappeared very quickly at the table. I used a mix of parsley and basil for the herbs, which worked well, but you could also try dill, mint, or oregano.

1 pint new potatoes (ideally small ones)
2-3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1-2 Tbsp good quality olive oil
1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini (or one can)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces if needed (leave the skin on). Boil then in a pot of salted water until tender but not too soft. Drain.

Combine the vinegar and olive oil and carefully dress the potatoes, ensuring they are all well coated but not mashing them. Refrigerate until cool.

Combine the cooled potatoes with the beans and herbs and toss gently to mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves about 4.

Vietnamese Grilled Eggplant Skewers

I often use a grill basket for grilling veggies in chunks, but sometimes I use skewers to mix it up. It also saves me a bit of room on the grill. Eggplant worked well here, but you could use whatever vegetables you like. If you use bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them well ahead of time; I use these bendy stainless steel ones that hook together in a loop.

Nuoc Cham:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili paste
2 Tbsp lime juice (ideally fresh)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

Skewers:
2 medium Asian eggplants (the long skinny ones), in rounds or cubes (peeled or not as desired)
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Salt
1/2 cup chopped herbs: Cilantro, Thai basil, mint, or a combination

Make the Nuoc Cham first so it has time for the flavors to blend while you prepare the skewers.

Toss the eggplant chunks with the canola oil and rice vinegar. Sprinkle liberally with salt and toss. They will soak up the marinade quickly. Thread them onto skewers.

Grill the eggplant over medium-high heat for about four minutes per side, turning the skewers once.

Serve the eggplant hot, topping with nuoc cham and sprinkling generously with the herbs.

Serves 2-4.

Mint-Pea Pesto with Feta and Walnuts

We accidentally planted shell peas this year after my husband bought a packet of seeds he thought were sugar snaps. But shell peas are delicious, too, and this is a nice way to enjoy them fresh.

1 cup fresh shelled peas
1 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted and cooled
1 cup fresh mint
2-3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup crumbled feta, or to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

If your peas are small and sweet, you can use them raw. If they have developed a little bitter aftertaste, give them a quick steam until they are just barely tender.

Combine 1 cup of the peas with the walnuts, mint, garlic, and feta in a food processor. Add the olive oil and lemon juice and process until fairly smooth. Thin with a little water (pasta cooking water is perfect for this).

Serve this with pasta, tossing in another cup or two of fresh peas.

Makes enough to sauce 1 lb of cooked pasta.

Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls with Shiitakes and Bacon

Back in our California days, my husband and I ate a lot of Vietnamese food, especially these wonderful cool vermicelli bowls in hot weather.  If you get the noodles, veggies, and sauce right, you can put pretty much anything on top.  Here I've used flavorful shiitake mushrooms and bacon because I had them on hand, but you could just as soon use grilled chicken or steak (some nice marinated flank steak would be excellent), leftover roast pork, marinated tofu grilled or broiled...etc.

If you like, you can double or triple the Nuoc Cham recipe - it keeps well in the fridge for weeks at a time.

Nuoc Cham
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili paste
2 Tbsp lime juice (ideally fresh)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

Make the Nuoc Cham first (unless you have some from a previous batch in the fridge already) so the flavors can meld while you prepare the bowls.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or jar and let sit.


Vermicelli Bowls
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 lb Asian rice vermicelli
1 large cucumber, shredded
A few carrots, shredded
2-3 cups shredded lettuce
1-2 cups chopped fresh mint, cilantro, and/or Thai basil

Start by preparing the shiitake-bacon topping. Heat the olive oil in a wok or large skillet.  Add the mushrooms and saute for 3-5 minutes, until mostly tender.  Add the bacon and stir-fry until cooked but not crispy.  Add the soy sauce and cook for another minute or so.  Pour off excess bacon fat (or remove with a baster) and set aside.

Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 6 minutes, until al dente.  Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.

To assemble the bowls, place a generous quantity of noodles in the bottom of each bowl. Top with tidy mounds off cucumber, carrot, lettuce, and herbs, then add a spoonful of the shiitake-bacon mixture.  Top with Nuoc Cham at the table.

Serves about 4.

Cilantro Mint Sauce

A tangy, pungent sauce excellent on grilled meats or veggies.

3/4 cup mint leaves
1 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Water
Salt to taste

Combine the mint, cilantro, garlic, and vinegar in a blender or mini food processor.  Add a splash of water if needed to process until pretty smooth.  Add salt to taste.

Makes around 3/4 cup, plenty to serve with a grilled meal for 4-6.

Watermelon Salad Three Ways

Watermelon - especially good, sweet, flavorful local watermelon - is pretty great straight up.  But it also lends itself well to sweet-savory combinations, especially with sour or salty counterpoint ingredients.  You can easily freestyle with the general concept, but here are some ideas to get you going.  Quantities are basically according to your  taste and the amount of watermelon you start with; add seasonings in small amounts until you are happy with the flavor.

In all cases, start with cubed watermelon, seeded if you like.
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1. The classic: chopped fresh mint, lime juice, touch of salt

2. Diced tomato, chopped fresh cilantro, lime juice or cider vinegar, salt and pepper

3. Crumbled feta, freshly ground black pepper.  Add diced tomato or cucumber if desired.

Turkish Style Lamb and Vegetables with Pasta and Yogurt Sauce

This is totally different from any other pasta dish I've ever made, and it's fantastic. It hits a flavor profile that I normally associate only with food I eat in restaurants - but it's pretty easy to make at home. This is adapted from this recipe that was published the New York Times a couple years ago.

1 large eggplant, in 1/2 inch cubes
2 sweet red peppers, diced
Salt
Olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb stew lamb, well trimmed (or shoulder meat, cubed)
Black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tsp dried dill, or 1-2 Tbsp fresh, finely chopped
1 lb cut pasta (shells work well)
1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (or dill or cilantro)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Toss the eggplant and peppers in a bowl with about 1/2 tsp salt and a drizzle of olive oil until well coated. Spread the vegetables out in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may want to line it with foil or parchment) and roast for about 20 minutes, or until nicely brown. Remove from oven.

While the vegetables roast, add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil to a Dutch oven. Add the shallots and all but 1 tsp of the minced garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Then add the lamb and saute until well browned and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flakes, and dill. Let this mixture continue to cook over very low heat until the vegetables are ready.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot of salted boiling water. When it is cooked, drain and toss with a little olive oil.

When the eggplant and pepper are done roasting, add them to the Dutch oven with the lamb mixture. When the pasta is done, toss it with the lamb and vegetables until well combined.

Before serving combine the yogurt and mint in a bowl with the reserved 1 tsp of minced garlic. Add a dash of salt and stir well (it will thin somewhat).

Serve the pasta, with each diner topping his or her portion with some of the yogurt sauce at the table.

Serves 4-6.

Veggie-Heavy Tabouli

Tomatoes, cukes, and fresh herbs form the heart of this tabouli, which goes heavy on the vegetables. No cooking required. Serve as a side dish, or add warm pita and hummus to make it a meal.

1 1/2 cups dry bulgur wheat
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
1 large tomato, diced (about 3 cups)
1 small red onion, finely chopped (optional)
3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the bulgur in cool water for 2 hours or so, until tender but still just a little chewy. Drain and place in a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bulgur and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 6-8.

Thai Cucumber Salad

So the cucumbers have starting coming in - with a vengeance. And when you've just picked half a dozen (or more!) at once, there's nothing like cucumber salad to use them up. There are many possible variations and flavor profiles - this is just one. (Feel free to add tomatoes if desired.)

4 cups diced cucumbers (peeled if desired)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (or other sweet onion)
1/4 cup finely chopped Thai basil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
Salt to taste
Sesame seeds (optional)

Toss all ingredients except sesame seeds in a bowl until thoroughly coated. Refrigerate if not serving right away. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds (if using) before serving.

Serves about 4.

Variations: substitute mint or cilantro for some or all of the Thai basil.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Garden Vegetables

You can serve these noodles warm or room temperature, but they are really great served cold on a hot night. At this time of year, I like to make them with snap peas and shredded carrots, but you can use other vegetables if you like. Later in the summer, sweet red peppers are delicious here.

1 lb linguine or other pasta
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp minced ginger root
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2-3 tsp chili paste or sriracha sauce (or to taste)
1-2 Tbsp honey or brown sugar
1 pint snap peas, stemmed
1-2 cups shredded carrots
Chopped fresh mint, cilantro, and/or Thai basil for topping (optional)

Cook the noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water. When done, drain and rinse with cold water until thoroughly cooled. Toss with canola oil and refrigerate until the sauce is ready.

Combine the garlic, ginger, tahini, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste or sriracha, and honey or sugar in the blender. Blend until smooth, adding water 1-2 Tbsp at a time until it reaches the desired consistency (it should be creamy and pourable but not runny).

Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the snap peas and carrots until everything is coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (If you make these more than a few hours in advance, the sauce may thicken more than desired; in this case, drizzle the noodles with a small amount of water and toss until the sauce regains a good consistency.)

Serve cold, topped with chopped herbs if desired.

Serves about 6.

Variations: Add chopped scallions; add or substitute diced cucumber or halved cherry tomatoes.

Fresh Strawberry Mint Sauce

Use this as a topping for grilled or broiled chicken, pork, or white fish. It's sweet and tangy all at once (unless your berries are extra super sweet, you'll need a little sugar or it won't quite taste right). If you like, experiment with different herbs: in place of the mint, try cilantro or basil.

1 cup minced fresh strawberries
1/2 tsp lime juice (or to taste)
2 tsp minced fresh mint (or to taste)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, ideally at least an hour before serving so the flavor can meld. Refrigerate if not serving within an hour.

Makes about 1 cup, enough to serve 4.

Barley with Fresh Fava Beans, Chickpeas, and Feta

I am back at last after a week and a half in California. The garden is suddenly brimming, and I swear all the plants grew a foot our two (or in some cases, like the potatoes, maybe more!) while we were gone.

Among the things ready on our return were fava beans, a crop we planted for the first time this year. My first exposure to them was in our CSA box when we lived in California several years ago. Fresh favas are a treat, plump, tender, and flavorful. But if you don't find any, feel free to substitute fresh peas. If you have more mature (larger) beans, taste one to see if the skin is bitter. If it is, dunk them in boiling water for a minute, then split the skin with your thumbnail and pop the beans out.

Here in Franklin County, everything in the recipe except the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper can be obtained from local growers/producers!

1 cup uncooked barley
2 1/2 cups water
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 - 1 cup finely chopped garlic scapes
1 1/2 cups fresh shelled fava beans
3 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup crumbled feta
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh mint
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the barley and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender (about 20 minutes for pearl barley, longer for hull barley).

While the barley cooks, heat a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet (reserve the rest). Add the scapes and saute over medium heat for 2 minutes or so, then add the fava beans and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes, just until tender.

When the barley is done, combine it in a large bowl with the scapes and fava beans, then mix in the chickpeas, feta, lemon juice, remaining olive oil, mint, and salt and pepper.

This dish can be served hot, room temperature, or chilled as a salad.

Serves about four as a main dish, more as a side dish.

Whole Grain Spring Salad with Peas and Fresh Herbs

Snap pea season is here! This would also work with regular shelled peas, or even chopped snow peas. For herbs, I used cilantro and mint because I have them in abundance right now, but parsley and/or basil would work nicely as well. You could also use chives in place of the onion.

3-4 cups cold cooked brown rice, bulgar, or quinoa (or combination)
3-4 Tbsp olive oil (or to taste)
1-2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups snap peas, whole or in 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup minced red onion (spring onion works well)
1 Tbsp minced green garlic (optional)
1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. If not serving immediately, refrigerate.

Serves 4-6.

Tomato Soup with Mint, Scallions, and Coconut

I am finally making a dent on the tomato situation in the freezer, and I picked up scallions and mint at the farmers market today (where I noticed several vendors had herbs - just the cold-hardier ones, but still: mint, oregano, tarragon, sage, etc.) This soup has a Southeast Asian flair.

If you use frozen tomatoes, you can thaw them first in the microwave. Or, if you plan ahead, get them out in the morning and let them thaw on the counter.

Canola oil
2 Tbsp minced ginger root
2-3 cups sliced scallions (white + green parts, kept separate)
8 cups tomatoes and their liquid (canned or frozen is fine)
Salt to taste
3/4 cup chopped fresh mint, loosely packed
1-2 Tbsp lime juice
1 cup coconut milk
A few drops of Thai fish sauce (optional)

Heat the canola oil in a soup pot, then add the ginger and the white parts of the scallions. Saute over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and their liquid along with some salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Puree the soup, either with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor. If you want a super-silky texture, put it through a food mill or push it through a fine sieve (I didn't bother; a more rustic texture is fine with me). Add the mint, the green parts of the scallions, lime juice, the coconut milk, and fish sauce (if using). Simmer for 5 minutes or so. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Variations: Substitute cilantro or Thai basil for some or all of the mint.

I Feel Like a Squirrel

At some point over this weekend, Nate and I were looking out the window, watching a squirrel run along the fence with a good two or three nuts precariously clasped in its mouth. Nate wanted to know where the squirrel was going, so I told him it was probably going to stash those nuts away for the winter. Doing the human version of that was pretty much how I spent much of the rest of the weekend.

I husked two dozen ears of corn, stripped off the kernels, blanched it all, and packed it into the freezer. I harvested a bunch of kale from the garden, where it was once again overshadowing the smaller greens around it, steamed it and packed that into the freezer. I made tons of pesto, both the standard Italian basil variety and my own parsley-mint version, and stashed all that away in the freezer for quick meals to come.

While I was at it, I cooked a big batch of black beans in the crock pot (plugged outside on the deck to avoid heating up the kitchen unnecessarily) to replenish the stock I like to keep in the freezer and also to provide the basis for a quick meal later this week (to provide more time for working in the garden and putting up additional food). Oh, and I harvested a load of eggplant from the garden along with some tomatoes and cooked it up into sort of a stew with some garlic and onion, to be embellished later with additional ingredients for quick meals. Again, some went into the fridge for later this week and some went into the freezer. Whew.

Vietnamese Noodles with Chicken, Red Pepper, and Peach

One of the things I miss about living in California is the ready access to Vietnamese food, especially vermicelli bowls on hot nights. This is one attempt at an approximation, using in-season local produce. It wasn't perfect, but it was quite good. And it made a fine use for the first red bell pepper from our garden! The sauce is a variation on nuoc cham, so if you have some of that in the fridge already, you can just add some more water and sugar.

1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 peach or nectarine, pitted and diced (a little underripe is okay)
1-1 1/2 cups chopped fresh Thai basil, mint, cilantro, or combination
1/2 tsp lime juice
Salt to taste
1/2 lb rice vermicelli, cooked and cooled according to package directions
4 cups cooked shredded chicken (warm or room temperature)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts, lightly toasted

Sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp chili paste
2 Tbsp lime juice (ideally fresh)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

Combine the carrot, pepper, peach or nectarine, herbs, lime juice, and salt in a bowl.

Place generous servings of vermicelli in a bowl for each person. Top with some of the veggie mixture, then the chicken.

At the table, top generously with the sauce and a spoonful of peanuts.

Serves about 4.

Parsley-Mint Pesto with Scapes

Scape season is short, short, short, so enjoy them while you can get them.

Some folks like to let their herbs grow huge and then make giant batches of pesto at the end of the season to go in the freezer. I find it easier to make it as I go along, with a little extra from each batch to get stored away. I freeze pesto in quart-size freezer bags, spread out flat for fast thawing. I store in amounts that I will want at a single shot--1 cup for 1 lb of pasta, or 1/2 cup for a pizza.

3 oz scapes (about 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped)
2 cups parsley
1 - 1 1/2 cups mint leaves
2-3 oz feta
1/2 cup toasted walnuts (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine scapes, parsley, mint, feta, nuts (if using) and lemon juice in a food process and process until fairly smooth. Add olive oil to reach desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Middle Eastern Pizza with Chickpeas and Herbs

I bought big bunches of parsley and mint at the farmers market this past weekend. I am still planning to make some parsley pesto out of them, along with some scapes, but there was enough for a few other endeavors as well. I also used chives from my garden and fresh mozzarella that I made over the weekend from Upinngil Farm milk. I wasn't totally certain that this was going to work as pizza, but it turned out to be really good.

Later in the summer I would use fresh tomatoes instead of sauce for this recipe. Actually, I did notice one vendor with tomatoes at the farmers market this weekend (cucumbers, too), but they were a standard variety conventionally grown and I figured we could wait for the good ones.

1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup coarsely mashed/chopped chickpeas
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp minced fresh mint
3-4 oz. mozzarella, shredded (or in chunks if fresh)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil. Spread on the tomato sauce.

In a small bowl, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and salt and pepper. Spread this mixture over the sauce, then sprinkle the chives, parsley and mint over the chickpeas. If using standard mozzarella, sprinkle it on top. If using fresh, start baking the pizza without it and add it in the last 3-5 minutes (I have found this keeps it from soaking in too much).

Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and cheese is melted.

Serves 3-4.

Wishing-It-Was-Summer Tomato Soup

An easy soup made from tomatoes frozen last summer--plus the first basil of the season (thinnings from my seedlings). Oh, how I love basil! I had a mix of fairly sweet heirloom tomatoes remaining in the freezer. If you use tangier ones, you may need to adjust the seasonings a little.

If you don't have basil thinnings like I do, this would also be good with some early mint or cilantro from the farmers market.

4 quart bags frozen tomatoes, skins removed
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil

If you plan ahead sufficiently, let the tomatoes thaw in a colander in the sink (over a bowl if you want to catch the tomato-y water for another use). Otherwise, thaw in the microwave, then drain off extra water.

Heat a little olive oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they break down. Use an immersion blender (or food processor) to puree the soup. Stir in salt, pepper, cream, and basil.

Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Parsley-Mint Pesto

If you have parsley producing wildly in your garden, this is a delicious way to use it. I made a couple batches of this over the weekend to go in the freezer.

You can also freeze parsley by itself--just chop and stick it in a freezer bag. Or put it in an ice cube tray with a small amount of water, then move the cubes to a bag when frozen. Frozen parsley is nearly as good as fresh.

3 cups chopped parsley
3/4 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 oz. feta
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until fairly smooth.