Baby Is Here

My new baby girl was born last Friday and is keeping us busy, so it will be a little while before my next culinary post.

In the meantime, be sure to look through the archives - I've got four years of seasonal recipes here, so there's plenty to work with for inspiration.  I'll be back to posting (at least a little) once I get back to cooking, but for the next few weeks I'm just going to enjoy my mother-in-law's excellent meals and the offerings of our friends.

Upcoming Hiatus

Baby #2 is due sometime in the next few weeks, and I probably won't be posting much for at least a few weeks after she's born.  But keep checking - I'll be back once things settle down, if only because the garden will be in full swing with veggies begging to get used.

Grilled Focaccia with Herbs and Garlic

This is easy and awesome.  Make your own dough if you have time or use a ball of frozen dough from the grocery store.  Enjoy it now while the weather's hot and the herbs are coming into full production.

1 batch pizza dough
Olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil and parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced

Pat the dough out to about 1/2-inch thick, maybe a little less.  Oil both sides liberally and set aside on a plate.

In a bowl, combine the chopped herbs and garlic with about 2 Tbsp olive oil and set aside.

Get your grill going pretty hot, then carefully transfer the dough from the plate to the grill.  Close the cover and grill for about 3 minutes.  Use tongs to flip the focaccia over and quickly spread the cooked side with the garlic and herb mixture.  Close the grill lid again and cook for about 2 minutes more.  Remove from the grill.

Let the focaccia cool enough to handle, then tear or cut into pieces and serve.

Serves 4-6.

Grilled Snap Peas

Grilling briefly over high heat brings out the sweetness of the peas and adds a nice smoky note to the flavor while still leaving them with a good crunch.  Feel free to vary the seasonings.  You'll need a grill basket for this.

1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp spicy mustard
1 tsp sugar or honey
1/2 lb snap peas, stemmed
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the oil, mustard, and sugar or honey in small bowl and mix well.  Place the snap peas in a medium bowl and add the dressing, then toss to coat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Get the grill nice and hot, then place the peas in the grill basket and grill for 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice.  They should brown a bit but not get charred or soft.  Serve hot.

Serves about 4.

Pasta Salad with Snap Peas and Herbs

Another cold dish for another hot June day.  If you like, you can beef this up into more of a main dish by adding tuna (3 cans is about right), cooked shredded chicken, or cooked beans.  Feel free to substitute shelled English peas for the snap peas, or even fava beans or edamame.  You can also mix up the herbs for different flavor profiles: try mint, cilantro, or dill here in place of the basil and/or parsley.

1 lb pasta, cooked and cooled
3-4 cups diced snap peas
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp minced garlic scapes
1 cup chopped chives
1/2 - 1 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well until everything is coated with mayo and ingredients are evenly distributed.  Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Serves about 6.

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

I guess this is sort of a cross between Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp and Strawberry Shortcake.  Another delicious variation on a theme.  Under no circumstances should you skip the whipped cream.  The cobbler topping is the cream biscuits recipe from Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food, and it's the best I've had.

6-7 cups combined whole strawberries and rhubarb in 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 Tbsp cold butter, in small pieces
1 pint heavy cream
1-2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Butter an 8x8-inch baking dish.

Combine the strawberries and rhubarb in a mixing bowl with 1/2 cup white sugar and 2 Tbsp flour and toss well to coat.  Set aside while you make the dough for the topping.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or two knives until it is peas-sized or smaller.  Add 3/4 cup cream and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together.  If it's too dry, add more cream a little drizzle at a time until you can form the dough into a rough ball in your hands.  Transfer it to a lightly floured surface and press it out with your hands until it is a size that will more or less cover the baking dish.

Pour the fruit into the baking dish and place the dough over it (it should be contained within the dish, not hang over).  Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and golden brown, and the fruit is bubbling.  Let cool on a rack.

While the cobbler bakes, whip the rest of the cream with the confectioners sugar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve the cobbler warm or room temperature with a generous helping of whipped cream on top.

Serves 6-8.

Chipotle Chard Polenta

I bought a big batch of Swiss chard at the farmers market last weekend, can you tell?

3 cups water
1 cup polenta cornmeal
1 tsp salt
Olive oil
1/2 cup garlic scapes
1/2 - 1 cups chopped spring onions
4 cups chopped Swiss chard
1 large chipotle pepper in adobe sauce, seeds removed (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 3/4 cup tomato sauce
3-4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, and whisk in the polenta meal. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to stir with a spoon. Be careful, as the cooking polenta is viscous and can bubble up and burn you. Cooking time will vary with the type of polenta you are using. The kind I get at Green Fields Market, in the bulk section, thickens up very quickly. You want it to be pretty stiff for this application. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for now.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Ad the scapes and onions and saute until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add the chard and chipotle and saute until the chard is nicely wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Oil a 10-inch oven-proof skillet or a 7x11-inch baking dish. Spread the cooked polenta in the bottom. Spread the tomato sauce over the polenta, then add the chard mixture.  Top with cheddar.

Bake the polenta for about 15 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown. Serve hot.

Serves about 4.