Fresh Beet and Artichoke Salad

We are fans of beets and I always have cans of them on hand.  But summertime brings fresh beets to the Farmer's Markets, and it's fully worth the hour to bake them - they are so rich when fresh.  Use a toaster oven to bake if its too hot to fire up the oven.
1 bunch beets, trimmed
1 6-oz jar quartered marinated artichoke hearts, drained
12 pitted Castelvitrano green olives, halved
2 Tbsp minced chives

Dressing:
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed through a press
dash salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place the beets on a sheet of aluminum foil and dribble a bit of olive oil over them.  Wrap tightly and bake for an hour. Unwrap and allow beets to cool to room temperature.  Slip peels off beets and slice.

Place beets in a bowl with artichokes, olives and chives.

Whisk together the dressing and toss with the salad.

Serves four as a side salad.

Peach Chicken Charlotte

Summer; and fruit trees leaning heavily with sweet peaches.

Virginia; and purple mountain majesty above the fruited plains.

Just west of Charlottesville, Virginia, in Crozet, you will see what Katherine Lee Bates meant penning America the Beautiful. Inspired originally by Colorado's Pikes Peak, the wonder she describes is equally revealed by the Great Smokey Mountains bounding Charlottesville.

Now to put those peaches to good use.

Our dear Aunt Charlotte, used to bake a wonderfully simple chicken dish with salsa and white wine.  Here is a version of her dish using Peach Salsa from nearby Charlottesville.

12-16 oz peach salsa, or other hot and sweet salsa
1/3 cup white wine
6 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
4 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced, or 8 oz frozen sliced peaches
2 tsp herbes de Provence, or Italian herbs

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Mix the salsa and the wine together and pour into an oiled 13x9 casserole.  Nestle the chicken thighs into the salsa, distribute the peach slices about the chicken and into the salsa.  Spray the thighs lightly with oil.  Salt and pepper generously and sprinkle with the herbs.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Serves 4.

Blanquette of Turkey with Pearl Onions

A blanquette is a French creamy stew, most often with veal (but we are not fans of veal), lamb or a white meat, where the meat is blanched first then stewed together with the other ingredients.  I loved blanquettes my Mother used to make.  They can take several hours to stew, but with the recent 100F-plus heatwave on the East Coast, who wants the stove on so long?  So, I used ground meat for a much faster, but satisfying preparation.  Ground meats however, really do need to be browned to bring out their flavor, so this is a modified blanquette - but still with that nice creamy white wine sauce. I'm sure my Mom would approve.
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb frozen pearl onions
1 tsp rosemary, crushed or chopped
1/2 tsp dill
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup milk

Brown the turkey in a large skillet in a bit of olive oil.  As it begins to brown, add the onions and cook for another 10 minutes or until the turkey browns well and the onions begin to brown slightly.  Stir every minute or so, and make sure the onions settle down through the turkey to rest on the skillet itself.  This way they brown and don't just boil.  Add the rosemary, dill, garlic and red pepper and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add the flour and fry for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the wine and bring to a boil.  Add the milk and thin out the sauce.  Add a bit more milk as needed to make a nice creamy sauce consistency.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over pasta or rice.  Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  You can (and I have) use ground beef, lamb or chicken for this fast yet rich French dish.  And while I simply didn't have any on hand at the time, mushrooms are a fine addition to this dish.

Sweet Potato Salad with Edamame and Walnut Dressing

This is a fast, fresh potato salad with crunchy pickled red onions, which contrast the softness and sweetness of the potatoes.  This is a great side dish, or a main dish for a lunch or light dinner.
1 large sweet potato, diced 1/2-inch, about 2 cups
1/2 large red onion, sliced, about 1 cup
1 cup shelled edamame
1 yellow pepper, diced

Marinade for onions:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime

To complete dressing:
1 tsp mustard
1/4 cup walnut oil
Extra virgin olive oil as needed

Mix marinade ingredients in a shallow dish.  Slice onion and marinate the for 1/2 hr in the shallow dish.  Stir often.

Meanwhile, cover sweet potatoes in a medium pot with cold water.  Bring to a gentle boil and cook just until tender to the tip of a knife.  Add the edamame for the last minute or two of cooking.  Drain potatoes and edamame. 

Drain onion and add to potatoes.  Whisk together the remaining dressing ingredients with the marinade.  Fold into the potato mixture and tip into a serving bowl.  Let salad rest for 20-30 minutes to let the flavors penetrate the potatoes.

Serves four as a side dish.

Cook's note:  Topping this salad with toasted walnuts and/or crumbled gorgonzola cheese are great options for this salad.

Grouper Baked with Asparagus

Grouper is moist and has a firm body which stands up well to the juxtaposed crispness of asparagus.  Don't overcook the asparagus - just crisp-tender does the trick.  A simple cream sauce complements the subtle taste and texture of the fish, and adds a soothing nature, while hot sauce sets off a tangy high note.

1 lb Grouper fillet, cut into 4 portions
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned and sliced every 1/2-inch, 2-inch of tips reserved
hot sauce

Sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup light cream or half and half
2 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Heat oven to 400F.  Sauté onions in a bit of canola oil for about 10 minutes, until softened and beginning to color.   Add asparagus and cook another 5 minutes, just to soften the stalks.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by bringing the broth, wine, salsa and cream to a gentle boil. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and remove from heat.  Stir well and cover.

Lay fish pieces in an oiled 13x9-inch casserole.  Scatter sautéed onion and asparagus evenly over fish.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Top with sauce.  Bake 10 minutes. 

While the fish is baking, microwave the asparagus spears with 2 tablespoons water for 2 minutes.

Drain well and lay on top of fish.  Sprinkle dish with a bit of your favorite hot sauce.  Bake another 5 minutes.  If desired, serve with simple boiled potatoes.

Serves four.

Palak Paneer

When you travel to India, you will witness how they literately adore their cows, and I adore what they do with the milk from their cows.  This is a quintessential Indian dish made with paneer - a firm, yet chewy cheese made from cow's milk - in a creamy sauce made from spinach, coconut and a whole lot of spices.

1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
 2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
1 large fresh tomato, diced
2 tsp favorite curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup coconut milk
8 cups spinach
12 oz Paneer, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Heat a few tablespoons canola oil in a very large skillet or shallow pot.  Sauté the onion, cumin, coriander and fennel over medium heat for about 15 minutes, to color and flavor the onion. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2-3 minutes.  Add the tomato, curry powder and garam masala and cook another 5 minutes over high heat, to cook the tomatoes down quickly.  Add the coconut milk and then put the spinach on top of the bubbling sauce.  Cover and cook down the spinach for a few minutes, until softened.  Stir well to mix the spinach with the sauce.  Use an immersion blender and whip the spinach, tomatoes and onions together to get relatively smooth sauce.  Add a bit of water if necessary, to make a saucy consistency. 

Meanwhile, heat about 1/4 cup canola oil in a large non-stick skillet until just shimmering.  Add the paneer and brown the paneer on all sides, about 10 minutes.  Drain the paneer using a slotted spoon and add to the spinach. Add a bit of water if necessary on order to make a creamy sauce.  Heat through.

Serve with rice.  Serves four.

Cow lounging peacefully in Mumbai

Pork Country Ribs Roasted with Tomato and Apple

Pork chops and applesauce - a classic throwback to the Brady Bunch perhaps, but a natural combo nonetheless.  Now throw the apple sauce together with your favorite tomato sauce and roast your pork in a sweet and tangy sauce.
1-1/2 to 2 lb pork country ribs on or off the bone
1 cup favorite tomato spaghetti sauce
1-1/2 cups chunky apple sauce
1/2 cup diced onions
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Heat oven to 375F.  Salt and pepper the pork ribs.  Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour into a casserole large enough to hold the ribs.  Lay the ribs on top of the sauce.

Roast ribs for about 45 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 140F.

Remove ribs from oven and place ribs on a cutting board.

Cover and let ribs rest for 10 minutes.  This allows the juices to re-distribute before carving, and the temperature of the meat will rise to about 150F.  Meanwhile stir sauce together, scraping up any browned bits on the side of the dish, and place in a serving bowl. 

Cut rib meat into serving pieces.  Serve on top of pasta or mashed potatoes, with sauce on the side.  Serves four.

Cook's Note:  Many different cuts of pork will work with this.  You can use a pork loin roast, pork chops or pork tenderloin.  Regardless of the cut, it is strongly recommended to use a digital thermometer inserted while cooking to determine the degree of done-ness.  Overcooking pork is so unfortunate, so remember that the meat will continue to increase in temperature as it rests - by as much as 10 degrees F..  Bacteria are killed at 137F, so roasting until you achieve 140F and then resting until about 150F drives a medium, juicy and safe preparation.

Another great combination is to mix the apple sauce with your favorite BBQ sauce instead of the tomato sauce.

Cauliflower Biryani

This may seem like splitting hairs, but there is a difference between a pilau and a biryani.  When everything is cooked together in one pot - its a pilau.  When things are cooked separately, and then combined at the last minute - its a biryani.  I don't like cooking the vegetables together with the rice and water, because the veggies become a bit bland.  In a biryani, the veggies can be cooked (read caramelized and fully flavored) separately, and then tossed together with the rice.  This is a biryani.

This makes a great vegetarian meal if you serve it with dahl - a spicy Indian lentil dish.  Or if served on its own, you can simply add a can of drained chick peas to the veggies to extend the protein, although honestly, the peas already complement the rice well.  Top with a dollop of yogurt to offset the heat of the chili, and to complement the proteins even better.
1 cup Basmati rice
2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp each, butter and canola oil
1/2 head cauliflower
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper
1 jalapeño or red chili pepper, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 large zucchini, diced
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cloves garlic
1/2-inch fresh ginger, minced
handfull of curry leaves

Cook the rice by heating a tablespoon canola oil in a small pot.  Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly.  The grains will change from translucent to white.  But be sure they do not brown or they will taste burnt.  If you end up getting browned rice grains, start over - it will be worth the 20 cents lost.  Add the water and salt and bring to a light boil without stirring.  Stir once, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.  Once the rice is cooked, remove the top, fluff gently, and allow the rice to cool and dry a bit. 

Toast the cumin, cardamom, fennel and mustard seeds, dry, in a large skillet over medium heat, just until they become fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.  Add the butter and oil and toss in the cauliflower, peppers and onion.  Stir fry for about 5 minutes.  Add the zucchini and peas and continue cooking until the zucchini just starts to become soft, about another 5 minutes.  Add all the remaining spices and cook another 5 minutes or so, until the dish becomes very fragrant.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Gently fold the rice into the veggies and heat through.  Serves 6 as a side dish or 4 as a main dish.

Cook's note:  You need a dry rice with individual grains to pull off this dish.  A mushy rice won't do.  So be sure to follow the instructions to toast the rice grains in oil before adding the water.  This results in a fluffy rice, excellent for a biryani, pilau or asian fried rice dish.  You can use lots of different kinds of rice, like brown rice, or short grain brown rice, just be sure to toast them.  I would avoid short grain white rice and other sticky rices, which tend to stick even if toasted. You really should cook the rice in advance and allow it to cool after fluffing.  This avoids a mushy dish.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Tofu

 Its 95F and now we know its summer!  That didn't take long - but now to beat the heat.  Serve cool dishes that refresh, and don't skimp on the chili heat. 

Did you ever ask yourself why so many cultures in hot climates eat such spicy foods?  I'm sure there are many reasons, but a little flush from chilis goes a long way to cool you off in summer heat.
Noodle Sauce:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sesame tahini - use almond or cashew butter
2 clove garlic, peeled
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled

Marinade for tofu:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Sriracha or other hot sauce

1 cucumber
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 - 3/4 brick firm tofu
8 oz noodles (I use spaghetti broken in half)
2 green onion, sliced
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Palmful cilantro, chopped

Wrap the tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place a cutting board on it.  weigh down with a can of food.  Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a shallow 5x7-inch dish.  Cut the tofu into match sticks and fold gently with the marinade.  Turn gently every so often.

Peel the cucumber and halve lengthwise.  Using a teaspoon, carefully seed the cucumber.  Cut each half into three portions and then each portions into match sticks.  Toss with the vinegar in a small bowl.  Toss every so often until ready to use.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium pot.  Salt the pot very well because the noodles will be rinsed to cool down.  This will make them very bland unless you salt the water well.  Add noodles to water, stir, and cook until just al dente. Drain.  fill pot with col water and tip in the noodles.  Swish them around to cool down.  Drain again.

Place ginger and garlic into a small food processor.  Pile to mince thoroughly.  Add the remainder of the sauce ingredients and pulse to blend well.  Toss noodles into drained cooking pot and add the sauce.  Gently toss together with tongs.  Plate the noodles evenly onto four plates.  Drain and scatter the cucumbers and tofu over the noodles.  Sprinkle with the green onions and sesame seeds.  Oh go ahead - sprinkle on a dash of red chili flakes too.

Serve with fresh lime and Sriracha or favorite hot sauce.

Serves four as a light lunch or dinner.

Cook's note: A nice way to present the noodles is to lay down a bed or green such as baby spinach on the plate first.  Then proceed with the plating instructions above.