Peach Ginger Ice Cream

This recipe requires an ice cream maker and is calibrated for the 1 1/2 quart size.

I'll definitely be making this again - the peaches (straight from our tree) and candied ginger are excellent together, all against the backdrop of sweet local cream. Make sure you use a nice, soft, ripe peach.

3 cups cream (or 2 cups cream + 1 cup milk)
1 medium peach, pitted, peeled, and mashed
3/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and refrigerate for an hour or so.  When you're ready, process in the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.  Serve immediately or freeze in an airtight container for later.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts.

Orzo Salad with Raw Corn, Zucchini, and Feta

This salad is light, fresh, and refreshing, full of the flavors of summer.  Feel free to substitute summer squash for the zucchini.

8 oz. orzo
Olive oil
2 medium zucchinis, shredded
Kernels from 3 ears of corn (sliced off)
5 garlic scapes, minced (or 1-2 minced garlic cloves)
5-6 large scallions, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh basil
4-6 oz crumbled feta
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup grated Parmesan (or more to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the orzo in a pot of salted boiling water.  Drain, then cool by rinsing in cold water and drain again.

Drizzle the cooked and cooled orzo with olive and toss to coat.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Serves about 6.

Raspberry Peach Jam

My son takes a cream cheese and jam sandwich to school for lunch most days, so we go through jam at a pretty good rate at our house.  This batch used up the last of our frozen peaches from last year, just in time for the new crop that will start coming in in a few weeks, plus some of the wealth of raspberries our bushes are producing.  The end product is a lovely color, and delicious.

If you use an immersion blender for a more uniform consistency, you do not need to skin the peaches. If you plan to leave the jam chunky, I recommend skinning them first.  If you don't like seeds in your jam, you'll want to use the blender and then press the jam through a sieve to remove the raspberry seeds.  Personally, I don't mind the seeds and I skip this step (which is kind of a pain).

I would recommend using pectin in this, as both raspberries and peaches are very juicy and not high in pectin themselves.  Alternatively, you simmer it for a really long time and end up with less of the final product.  If using pectin, follow the instructions on the package for how much to use per unit of fruit and when and how to add it.

8 cups sliced peaches (thawed if frozen)

4 cups raspberries (thawed if frozen)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice (optional)

Pectin per package directions

Combine the peaches and raspberries in a Dutch oven or other large pot.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked through.  Use an immersion blender to puree the fruit.  Stir in the sugar (combined with the pectin if that's what your pectin instructions call for; otherwise stir the pectin in afterward). Bring to a rolling boil, then remove from heat.

This recipe is suitable for canning, processing 1/2-pint jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Otherwise, refrigerate or freeze.

Makes 9-10 half-pints (less if you opt to simmer instead of using pectin to thicken).

Southeast Asian Grilled Flank Steak

I was really pleased with how this marinade came out.  Serve the steak on its own or as a topping for Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls. Substitute top round, hangar steak, or skirt steak here if you like.

2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lime juice
A 1 1/2 - 2 lb flank steak

Combine the garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Lay the steak in a baking pan large enough to hold it laid out flat.  Pour the marinade over it and turn it over a few times to coat.  Let sit for at least 15 (but not hours because the lime juice will start to break down the meat and give it a less pleasing texture).

Grill over high heat, about 4 minutes per side for medium rare.

Serves 4-6.

Raspberry-White Currant Syrup

I was inspired by the red currant syrup, which has proven to be a huge hit at our house with a spoonful or two in a tall glass of seltzer during the recent heat wave. This version uses the slightly sweeter white currants plus raspberries that are coming in thick and fast in our garden right now.  It's delicious!

4 cups white currants, stemmed and washed
4 cups raspberries
2 cups white sugar
Splash of water

Place the currants, raspberries sugar, and water in a Dutch oven or similar large pan.  Cook over medium heat until the currant skins start to separate from the fruit and it gets pretty soupy.  (Keep cooking it longer if you desire a thicker end product.)  Strain the syrup through a fine sieve into a bowl, then use the back of a spoon to mash and press as much of the remaining flesh and liquid through the sieve as you can. Scrape the bottom of the sieve periodically to get the nice, thick, pectin-rich gel that collects there.  When you're done, pour the syrup into a jar(s).  This is suitable for canning (5 minutes for half pint jars, 10 minutes for pint jars), or just keep it in the fridge.

Makes about 5-6 cups.

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.

Snow Pea Stir Fry with Thai Basil

Our snap peas are just about done, but the snow peas, which we planted slightly later, are still going.  I took a big pile of them and made this simple stir fry, where they are shown off to good advantage.  I used chicken for the protein here, but feel free to substitute beef, pork, broiled tofu, etc. Alternatively, skip the protein and serve the snow peas as a side dish. Serve this over rice if you're making a meal out of it.

Canola oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 lb chicken breasts, cubed
6 cups snow peas
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp (optional) soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch (optional)
1 cup Thai basil leaves, whole or cut into ribbons

Heat a little canola oil in a wok or extra large skillet.  Add the garlic, ginger, and chicken, and stir fry over medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through.  Add the snow peas and stir fry until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce.  If desired, combine 1 Tbsp soy sauce with 1 Tbsp corn starch and stir into the stir fry.  Cook very briefly, just until the sauce thickens. Stir in the Thai basil.

Serve over rice.

Serves 4-5.