We spent Memorial Day weekend mostly around the homestead in a blur of outdoor band concerts, impromptu potluck dinners with neighbors and a float down the river. There was an attempt to make home made ice cream that failed spectacularly when I realized way too far into the process that our ice cream maker was no longer of this world. I tried googling how to make ice cream without a maker but I didn’t realize until a few hours later it was probably too far along to really salvage. We now have a big plastic tub of frozen creamy strawberry mix in the freezer that is quite lovely with warmed pound cake or lemon cake fresh out of the oven at a potluck.
Category: summer dinner
While the cat’s away.
We’re on day 5 of no kid here and I’ve gotten lots of questions about what we’re up to while our gal is gone. Here’s my week in review.
Summering.
I’m taking a wee break from watching paint dry (as I type this, the dining room ceiling is DONE and the first coat of Parakeet Green on the lower half of the walls is drying) to say hello out there. We have thoroughly immersed ourselves in summer here, with sleeping in, long days at the pool and late dinners at the picnic table. The garden has suddenly gone gangbusters, which has not gone unnoticed by the squirrels, who are knocking on the back door looking for handouts again. Bugs helped themselves to an entire row of kale, much to my horror and Edie’s delight. (Apparently I’ve been serving a few too many greens lately). Saturday I swapped some of my strawberry jam for things like Stephanie’s Green Bean Relish and Hunter’s Lemon, Onion & Oregano Jam. Those treats will be served up for dinner one night soon along with bread & cheese. I love summer dinner. I love summer. Those lazy days where sometimes the best thing you can do is just hit the pool with a good book in hand and a bag full of treats to nibble on all day long……
We are definitely soaking it up.
If only I cared more.
If I was a good food blogger, I’d take the time to ensure decent pictures of the food I blog about.
If I was a good food blogger, I’d take the time to put together a real recipe.
But alas, some days I am just too hungry to take the time for nice pictures. Some days I just go with the flow and throw things in a pot and cook them and am pleased with the results.
Above is one of those results. It started out as stewed okra & tomatoes. I threw in a jalapeno from the garden and minced garlic with the onion, some fresh corn cut off the cob, fresh thyme & parsley a few minutes after the tomatoes, Old Bay and shrimp after cooking the okra for a few minutes and served it on a bed of grits. I measured nothing, as is my habit. Everything about it was just right though. I’ve always seen rice recommended to be served with stewed okra & tomatoes, but after giving grits a try, I think that’s the way I’ll be serving it from here on out. They were a much better foil to the sauce.
I know people steer clear of okra because they think it’s slimy. It’s true, when you slice it, it is slimy. Cooked however, it loses that quality and becomes a thickening agent. Fresh okra is the only way to go. I prepare it exactly four ways all summer long: stewed in gumbo or with just tomatoes as seen above, battered & fried and pickled. I hear it’s tasty roasted on the grill and I intend to try it that way as well one of these days. It’s a pretty plant to have in your garden – it gets tall and the blooms resemble hibiscus. Just be sure to plant a good bit of it, as once you get the taste for fresh okra, you’re hooked. And pickled okra in your bloody mary’s is quite good.
This season’s favorite salad.
I’m a big fan of having salads in the fridge for quick meals during the summer months. My new current favorite is based on a salad in ‘Salad Makes the Meal’ by Wiley Mullins. The first time I made the Lentil & Bulgur salad, I failed to recognize that I had used Barley instead of Bulgur until I noticed it was taking forever for the grain to cook. Yes, I realize they look nothing alike and clearly, it was a blonde moment for me. In my defense, they both start with the letter ‘B’ and are grains. I have made it with bulgur and realized I like it better with barley or it’s Italian cousin, farro.
I do include a few items from the recipe, but I also play pretty fast and loose with it, as I do most recipes that aren’t cake. I also have found the Chive Blossom Vinegar I made this spring to be an excellent substitute for the red wine vinegar called for.
Becky’s Lentil & Barley Salad
1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt to taste
Place lentils and garlic in a saucepan, cover with water by 2″ and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well, transfer to large bowl.
1/2 cup barley (or other grain of your choice)
salt to taste
Place barley in a saucepan and cover with water by 2″ and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender and cooked through, about 20-40 minutes. Drain and add to lentils.
(Both of these can also be cooked in broth for extra flavor.)
Additions:
(In any combination)
Chopped celery, carrots,bell pepper, cucumbers.
Toasted nuts, such as cashews, slivered almonds or walnuts.
Chives or scallions, parsley
(The recipe calls for fruit to be added, such as an orange, grapes or raisins as well.)
Season with salt & pepper, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and toss. Serve immediately or let it sit for a few hours in the fridge. Also good with greens, either chopped and mixed in or served on a bed of them.
Enjoy!
Ten Treasure Salad
When I was a kid, “Ten Treasure Salad” was my dad’s go-to summertime potluck dish. He cut the recipe out of the paper and it became, along with his tacos and spaghetti sauce, one of his signature dishes. I really don’t know how he came to be the one to come up with what we brought to cookouts, I imagine he got tired of all the potato salad and wanted something different. He also really liked to cook when he had the chance.
I loved this dish as a kid. I realize now it was because it was all my favorite things thrown together – snow peas, mushrooms, shrimp, broccoli, cauliflower and red bell peppers in a ginger soy dressing. Somehow my version has never quite tasted like I remember it, in part I know, because I throw tofu in for the chicken, although my marinated tofu has more flavor than the chicken ever could. I have played around with this recipe over the years and I think I finally came up with a version that rocks it. Among my substitutions:
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Rice noodles for the rotini pasta
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Teriyaki marinated tofu for chicken
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Ginger soy salad dressing instead of the called for 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1/8 teaspoon ginger
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Adding cilantro for an extra kick
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Adding garlic, ginger and soy sauce when I saute the veggies
I whip up my own teriyaki sauce sauce based on a recipe from The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook.
3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons orange juice
Minced garlic
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons sesame oil
I have learned that if you boil tofu for about 10 minutes or so, it firms up and holds marinades beautifully.
I use Twin Oaks tofu, which is pretty firm to start with. The longer it marinates, the more flavor it holds, so I will prep this in the morning or even sometimes a day ahead of time.
The Ginger Soy salad dressing is based on one I used to eat religiously at a restaurant that sadly, is no longer open. It was primarily a vegetarian smoothie place that had a nice salad bar I’d grab lunch from a few days week back before we had a kid and a mortgage and I could eat out every day. I loved their ginger soy dressing, I swore it was sprinkled with fairy dust that made it addictive. Here’s my version of it.
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
pepper to taste
Now, for the salad. I throw in the following:
Carrots, sliced
Mushrooms, sliced
Broccoli, chopped
Cauliflower, chopped
Snow peas or sugar snaps
Red Bell Pepper, cut into small strips
Scallions or Chives, chopped
Shrimp
Marinated Tofu
Cooked noodles (I like pad thai type rice noodles)
Cilantro
I saute some of the vegetables in sesame oil with ginger and garlic. I start with the mushrooms and when they are slightly cooked I add the broccoli and cauliflower, also adding a touch of water/wine/broth to steam as well as soy sauce or salt. I stir fry that for a few minutes, then add the snow peas and shrimp. When the shrimp are done, I combine this mixture with the tofu, noodles and the remaining veggies (I like my carrots and peppers raw for a nice crunch), cilantro and about half of the ginger soy salad dressing.
This salad is good hot or cold. I find myself making early in the day during the summer, especially when I know it’s going to be hot out there. It keeps well for a few days, is a great addition to a potluck and you can mix up what you put in there. I’ve been known to substitute zucchini for the broccoli, regular peas for the snow peas, sometimes I’ll use a variety of mushrooms, sometimes I’ll just use regular button mushrooms. I imagine marinated chicken would be great in it as well.
Happy Summer Eating!
Gumbo!
Gumbo is one of those dishes that there are as many ways to make it as there are cooks. I love to make a great big pot of it during the summer, when there is loads of fresh produce available to make it with. I have a tendency to throw everything but the kitchen sink in my version. I use both a roux AND okra to thicken mine.
I like to have everything chopped and prepped before I start, mainly because I like to throw the vegetable scraps in a pot with the shrimp shells, fill the pot with water and simmer it to make a nice broth which I use in the stew. As I start sauteing the vegetables and making my soup, I also start my roux on the burner next to it, which cuts my overall cooking time. I use peanut oil in my roux, which has a higher smoke point, and it allows me to turn the heat up a bit higher, which can make your roux brown faster. I just heard about this microwave method, where you start off with it in a glass bowl for 3 minutes, then stirring it every 30 seconds until you get the proper color. I haven’t tried that, but I might next time.
My gumbo is more than just seafood or meat, it’s also a darn tasty vegetable stew. In addition to onions, peppers and celery, I like to throw in tomatoes, carrots, corn, squash, beans and any other vegetable I have on hand. My last batch of gumbo had kale in it as well.
I use a locally made Andouille sausage from Double H farms in Nelson County. It is good stuff and tastes like the sausage you can find down in Lousiana. I have tried other andouilles and I will only use Double H’s in my gumbo. (I keep a stash of it in the freezer, next to my butter, bacon & bread. You know, things you never want to run out of.). Good sausage really makes a difference.
I cannot emphasize enough how much a good dark roux can add to your gumbo. Despite every recipe you’ve ever read that says you need to stand over it stirring for a long time, you don’t. Yes, you do need to pay attention to it, don’t walk away for too long, but, if you have it at the right temp and you know what you’re doing, you can be a little bit loosey goosey with it. Or try the microwave method.
Gumbo
For the Roux
1/2 cup oil (I prefer peanut, but you can use whatever you like)
1/2 cup flour
Heat the oil in a heavy pan, preferably a cast iron or stainless steel. When oil is hot, add the flour a little bit at a time and blend into a paste using a wooden spoon. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until it reaches the desired color. It will gradually deepen in color from beige to a dark brown.
4 tablespoons butter
One to two chopped onions
One to two chopped peppers
A few stalks of celery, chopped
(a few carrots, chopped)
One hot pepper, or more
One pounds of Andoille sausage (or more), sliced in rounds
1 pound sliced okra, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
handful of fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
salt
pepper
2 cups chopped tomatoes
6 cups broth
1-3 pounds of shrimp
1 pound crab meat
Optional and variable:
a few ears of corn, chopped from the cob
green beans
black beans or red beans or both!
a nice summer squash or two, chopped
a handful of greens from the garden, such as kale, chopped finely
a good sturdy whitefish, such as catfish
Combine vegetable scraps and shrimp shells in a pot and cover with water. Add a bay leaf and bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 20 minutes. Strain and set aside. You will need 6 cups of broth, so if you don’t have enough of this, use a little chicken stock in addition for some nice flavor.
Melt the butter in a large stockpot. Add the chopped onions, peppers, and carrots. Cook until the onions are softened over medium-low heat, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the sausage and cook for another 5 minutes. Add okra & garlic and cook until the okra stops producing white ‘threads’. (This can take about 15 minutes or so).
Add thyme, bay leaves, salt & pepper. Stir in 6 cups of broth and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer over a low heat, slightly covered, for 20 minutes. Add any other vegetables you want and whisk in the roux. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, whisking well. Simmer over a lower heat, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes.
Stir in fish, crab and shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink. (Sometimes I add my fish first, let it cook and then add the shrimp. It depends on how long the fish takes to cook.)
Serve over white rice.
This should yield you one large stockpot of deliciousness that will taste even better over the next few days. It freezes beautifully, so I always like to stick some in the freezer for one of those winter nights when I don’t want to cook. Frozen okra will work instead of fresh, if you can’t find it or want to make a pot during the winter months. You can also add cayenne pepper and/or hot sauce. When I make this during the summer, I am generally looking to utilize some of the hot peppers I have collecting, so my gumbo gets it’s heat that way. Feel free to add chicken, oysters and anything else you can think of to it!
Fried Salad, Summer Eating Part Three
Our new family favorite hot weather dinner. That’s a shot of Fried Green Tomato Salad with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. Our other variation is fried chicken. We call it fried salad for short. It’s really good either way, especially if you fry your green tomatoes in bacon fat.
Both are served on a bed of greens, with homemade croutons, buttermilk ranch dressing, cheese (Pat & I prefer pepper jack, but Edie likes it with a bit more cheddar), hard boiled egg, tomatoes and corn freshly shaved off the cob. Chopped bacon bits optional.
Summer Eating, Part Two.
Edie went downtown with friends the other night, leaving us on our own for dinner. I didn’t quite feel like cooking, so I whipped this up instead.
I toasted some rosemary-black olive bread from Whole Foods, spread some Caromont Farm’s Farmstead Fresh goat cheese, added some fresh tomatoes and basil, some olives and marinated artichoke hearts on the side and voila.
It was the perfect, filling nibble while we sat outside and enjoyed a nice beverage.
Chicken Wire & Paper Flowers 