Super Easy Paprika and Spice Grilled Trout

Huge brook trout awaiting their fate!

As you may notice, I have been on hiatus from blogging, as well as cooking and musing about food because this spring we welcomed Matilda Mae into our lives and have been doing much more eating, feeding, and baby-cooing than cooking. Priorities have been focused on sleeping, drinking water, and just scrounging up something nutritious to eat rather than imagining up clever preparations or guilty pleasures. Raw veggies and store-bought hummus have been a staple in my diet these past few months and the only cooking I have done is using up fresh ingredients before they go bad but only if Daddy is around to care for our sweet precious. Such is the life of a new mother.  Every week I have been learning to accomplish a bit more than the last and I (now we) am(are) up and around NYC once again. Our little dumpling is turning 3 months this week and we are continuing to inch back into a routine of normal functioning (Our "new normal", that is!).

My in-house fisherman and future fisherwoman

My hard-working husband is finished for the semester with his intense MFA program and I am more than relieved to have him around and less stressed out. We have even made our way out of the city a few weekends and he finally got a fishing trip worked in after wishing for free time for months. We joined him, of course, so we could visit with family while we were up there.  Stream fishing is what he does and brook trout makes a regular appearance in my life and my kitchen. For years we just stuffed those suckers with onions and butter and grilled them (my husband's own recipe). We then began to beer-batter and fry them. Of course, that is tasty, but not the healthiest preparation and really greases everything up. Last week, when he and my father-in-law (also now known as PopPop) headed down to the stream, they returned home with 3 big ones and 1 really big one. Of course, I hadn't given any thought whatsoever to preparation and ended up improvising a not-so-basic marinade made of very basic ingredients I dug up in my in-laws' kitchen. This turned out so tasty I just made it again to finish off the rest of the trout for tonight.

Honestly, she seems more interested in the tutu than the fish...

?

This marinade would be great on all types of fin fish and also would perk up chicken breasts nicely. It also works into many different menus. You can serve it with Asian or Latin-inspired sides or with traditional American sides, too.  Happy grilling season!

Super Easy Paprika and Spice Grilled Trout

4-6 Trout fillets (with skin on if grilling, deboned as much as possible)

MARINADE:

1/2 t garlic powder

1 T sweet paprika

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T white wine or red wine vinegar

2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 c orange juice

1 T honey

Crushed red pepper to taste (opt.)

Rinse fillets well and lay out on a plate or platter in a single layer. In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients and evenly pour over fish fillets. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper, if you like. 

Grill skin side down on high heat for 5 minutes and do not turn. Trout is too delicate and you will lose it in the grill. If you need to cook it inside, just broil on high with skin side down on a broiler pan lined with foil for easy cleanup.

Serve with a fresh lemon wedge.

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Fava Bean Puree

If you are lucky enough to have a market that carries fresh fava beans in season, then be sure to pick some up when you see them. They are typically found fresh in June in the northeast, but are now available in cans and jars. There are even cooked favas in water in a vacuum seal pack at Whole Foods in the produce section so, while fresh is best, your fava season can be extended if you love them as much as I do. Fava beans have an earthy, green flavor that hold their own as an hors d'eouvre or are often seen sauteed and as an accompaniment to fish or chicken. They are fresh, bright green, and addictive.

Drain and rinse.

I bought a huge batch this spring and shelled, peeled (the tender, beany outer skins), blanched, and froze a bunch to extend my fava season. Unlike canned, jarred, or dried, they kept their perky green color and taste so fresh I thought they should be showcased on a baguette. Served with zucchini pancakes and roasted tomato sauce, this is a fantastic late-summer vegetarian/flexitarian meal or it's perfect as an appetizer.

Mediterranean Bruschetta with Fava Bean Puree

3-5 large cloves garlic, unpeeled

Cool roasted garlic before peeling.

extra-virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup total)
1 1/2 cups cooked fava beans

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

Spelt lasagna noodles and roasted tomatoes ready to go!

Wondering what to do with a bumper crop of zucchini and tomatoes? Try this improvised version of a classic favorite. I am using whole spelt noodles (from VitaSpelt) to keep it really healthy and nutritious. Thinly slice the veggies you have, broil them, and layer them with the cooked pasta and whole cheese from pastured cows.  Rather than sticking to just my suggestions, use any summer vegetables that tempt you--  artichokes, spinach, chard (the leafy stuff you can saute, not roast, of course), carrots, parsnips, onions, whatever is in season and abundant near you will go just fine.

Instead of a heavy, slow-cooked tomato sauce,  roasted Roma tomatoes will keep this lasagna summery and fresh. For cheese, a classic combo of ricotta and mozzarella is always welcome, but don't be afraid of substituting chevre in the middle or provolone on top. Maybe there is fresh farmer cheese at the greenmarket. Maybe there is something else that strikes your fancy--sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or roasted peppers? Follow this basic formula, whichever you choose. Serve it with some simply dressed greens

Try using a few varieties of summer squash

Summer Vegetable Lasagna

3-3 1/2 lb Roma tomatoes
4 T+   extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic, minced
sea and freshly ground black pepper
1 pkg spelt lasagna noodles
2 lb assorted zucchini and summer squash
10-15 leaves fresh basil, washed
1 15 oz container pasture-raised ricotta
3 cups shredded provolone cheese


Preheat oven to broil. Put a big pot of lightly salted water on the stove to boil. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil to prevent a nasty clean-up.

Slice the tomatoes into 1/3" thick slices and transfer them to the lined sheet pan. Add a tsp of the minced garlic and about 2 Tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and gently rub tomatoes with seasonings with clean hands until evenly distributed. Place under the broiler for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

Transfer tomatoes to a mixing bowl. Thinly slice summer squash the long way (1/4"-1/3" thick slices?).  Transfer to the pan that the tomatoes were in and season with the remaining oil and garlic, as well as sea salt and pepper. Broil these for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  Let cool and switch oven to 350 F.

Cook pasta according to directions. While pasta cooks, prepare a 9"x13" lasagna pan. Lightly oil with extra-virgin olive oil.

Layer lasagna in baking dish beginning with a layer of tomatoes and basil leaves, then pasta, then summer squash, pasta, ricotta. Repeat pasta and veggies. Be sure to layer the tomatoes on thick in the middle, so lasagna is saucy and fresh at the same time.  Discard excess tomato juice in bowl (or use it in minestrone) Finish with some tomatoes, then top with shredded provolone.

Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.
Let rest 5 minutes and serve.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Make it elegant and serve with creme fraiche and pea shoots.

One of the great things about shopping for produce at the greenmarket versus the supermarket this time of year is the variety and abundance. Right about now, the purple, yellow, and red carrots are being pulled up for market and the varieties of summer squash are vast, ranging in color from pale, pale yellow to deep, dark green. Things you may have never even seen before are available and waiting to be tried. Soon there will be big bunches of dill flowers and hundreds of peppers in every shape, size, and color.

Commune cuisine at its finest!

This past weekend I was reminded of one of my Southern-inspired summer favorites--fried green tomatoes. The hard green tomatoes piled in a crate looking meek and lonely next to the fancy and exotic heirlooms wooed me with their simplicity and humble presentation. I filled a bag right away. Fried green tomatoes are a symbol of summer sun and relaxation to me. Served with some kale, and smoky vegetarian pinquitos beans and rice, these sour and savory morsels don't last long at my table.

Fried Green Tomatoes

10-12 firm, green underripe tomatoes (ripe, green heirlooms are watery and don't come out the same)
1 1/2 c yellow cornmeal
1 c whole wheat or oat flour (or corn flour for gluten-free)

One of those little buggers began to ripen overnight!

1 T Cajun seasoning (opt.but good!)
1 t garlic powder
1 t sweet paprika
1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1 egg (opt.)
1 1/2-2  cups almond milk, soy milk, milk, or water

expeller-pressed canola/sunflower/safflower oil for frying (a cup or so)

I fried it anyway.

Wash and core tomatoes and slice into rounds about 1/3" thick. Set aside. In a shallow bowl or on a plate, combine cornmeal, flour, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

If using egg, whisk together egg with liquid in a medium bowl. Start with 1 1/2 and as you dredge and fry, add more liquid if you are running low. Without egg, just put the full 2 cups liquid in a bowl.

Heat a 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan and set up a plate with paper towels for draining. When a pinch of flour sizzles, oil is ready. Dip tomato slices in liquid and dredge in the cornmeal mixture, creating a nice, thick layer. Place in the oil to fry. Continue until pan is full, but not overcrowded.

Fry for about 4 minutes, flip, then fry about 3 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt while hot. Fry remaining slices in batches. Dredging the upcoming batch while a batch is frying will save time.

Tranfer drained tomatoes to a warm oven, uncovered to keep hot.

Serve with hot sauce, ketchup, creme fraiche and pea shoots (my favorite), or mustard. They are great as sandwiches the next day, too.

Oven-braised Basa in Tomato Coconut Sauce

Still saucy and brilliant colored even in low light!

This hot weather makes me crave fish, tropical fruit, veggies, and all things fresh and even a little bit exotic. Caribbean flavors work great for dining under the blazing sun. Whether it's fruity, curried, sweet and spicy, seafod-inspired, or grilled and glazed, they all just seem to work great after a hot day. Here is a recipe inspired by a traditional Dominican recipe for red snapper.  I have adjusted the ratio of tomatoes and coconut and ditched the mercury-laden snapper for mild and ecological basa fillet.

Basa fillet also known as swai, is a fish listed as a "Best Choice" option by Seafood Watch. The mercury levels are low, the farming methods are ecological, and the price for mine was 7.99/lb, which I consider a fresh seafood steal.

The ingredients are simple and this is a pleasure to make--very little chopping. The tomato-coconut  sauce is balanced and delicious and just may be a recurring theme in my 2011 summer kitchen. I am seriously considering rice and beans in this sauce.

Oven-braised Basa in Tomato-Coconut Sauce

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb-2lb basa fillets, rinsed and patted dry with fillets sliced into thirds or smaller chunks
Juice of 2 limes

2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 t minced fresh garlic
1 med. White onion, sliced into thin sauté slices
1 lg celery stalk, julienne
1 can tomato paste
1 can coconut milk
1 vegetable bouillon cube (get the health food store kind--no msg/additives)
2 bay leaves
1 large tomato, seeded and julienned

2 c cooked long-grain brown rice

½ c chopped cilantro



Squeeze lime juice over fish fillets, using ½ lime per fillet. Set aside.

In a deep skillet, heat oil on medium. Cook garlic, onion, and celery for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, while stirring and mashing paste up.

Add coconut milk, bouillon, and bay leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and incorporating coconut milk into tomato paste and dissolving bouillion.

Stir in sliced tomatoes, and add fillets, skin side up, gently pushing them into the sauce. Simmer 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Transfer fish to a warm plate and cover. 

Turn up heat and reduce sauce about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. 

Serve fish and rice with sauce ladled over. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Chive and Lemon Zest Vinaigrette

salad of the season

It is really getting hot out there! The sun is starting to be downright sweltering. The a/c's are cranking and the parks are full of loungers.  Local veggies are starting to come into the markets and I'm getting  psyched for veggies to be overflowing onto my table every week! Salad season is upon us and I'm ready for some new salad inspiration.

To maximize the bounty of the season, focus on veggies as the main event on your dinner table. Choose colorful veggies that aren't necessarily considered salad veggies and toss or compose them with interesting greens and a simple delicious dressing.  Zucchini and crookneck squash are sweet and tender when fresh from the farm and are delicious raw. Tender, thin asparagus is wonderful chopped onto greens and soon, in-season corn will be tender and sweet enough to cut right off the cob into a salad for a sweet crunch.

Since it is still technically spring, you may need to blend greenmarket and supermarket veggies to make your salad. Maybe buy some arugula and Boston lettuce and toss with long carrot shreds, local herbs and asparagus. Before the sweet basil and pungeant herbs come in, let's take advantage of local chives and some organic supermarket lemons for a simple and delicious dressing that goes on almost everything. Top with toasted sunflower seeds for a seasonal, gourmet touch. Serve your great salad this hot, late-spring weekend and get seasonal!

Chive and Lemon Zest Vinaigrette

1 t garlic, grated on a microplane or finely minced

1/2 t finely zested organic lemon peel (on a microplane or grated and minced)

2 T Dijon mustard

2 T agave nectar

juice of 2 lemons (the one you zested and one more?)

4 T champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar if you can't find it)

1/2 t sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1/2-3/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup snipped chives

Set up a weighted and non-slip mixing bowl to mix the dressing. If you don't have a weighted bowl, fold a damp paper towel or work towel under the bowl so it won't slip.

Combine garlic, lemon zest, Dijon, agave nectar, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, sea salt, and black pepper in the bowl. Whisk it together using your dominant hand. With your other hand, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of the olive oil while you are whisking the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add more sea salt, lemon juice, and olive oil to taste.  Fold in chives and dress your favorite vegetables.

Tapas Time--Artichoke-stuffed Tomatoes

eggplant deliciousness on bread topped with a quail egg and chive

I'm always thrilled when someone wants to go out for tapas.  I love tapas.  The various small bites of flavor are captivating and I love the entire experience.  I love having a huge variety and getting just a bite of everything.  I love many different tastes at one sitting.  Tapas are an excuse to have a bunch of really great snacks and call it a meal.  The process, the slow-down, the savoring of each bite, and the wine thrill me to no end.  Apparently tapas began in Andalusia  as something to place over your drink to keep the bugs out. There was always one bite served with every drink and the tradition evolved into a cultural experience.  Using the freshest, most seasonal stuff around at the moment, tapas can be anything prepared simply and seasoned properly.  Plating and presentation are important and go along with the slow eating, appreciation of each bite, and the savoring of the experience.

Fun for couples or groups of any size, tapas-style dining changes the pace of things and gets us to sit back and enjoy.  The Spanish dining philosophy of 'Eat When You Drink, Drink When You Eat' isn't lost on me.  I love following this rule and do it whenever possible or practical. 

Last weekend, when good friends were visiting from D.C. and we were needing a good spot to catch up, we did just that.

fresh anchovies, briny, sweet, steamed to perfection, and dressed with lemon

On a Friday night in Greenwich Village, we were expecting a long wait when we saw the jam-packed tapas bar over-flowing with diners.  As luck would have it, our 30-minute wait became about 10 minutes and we were seated at a tall 3-top in the front with a perfect view of the Bleecker St. bustle. 

the remains of my seared tuna and a cheese stick to beat all cheese sticks. . .artisanal Spanish cheese, breaded and fried

My friend, another Katie, wisely ordered everything from the specials board first.  We then  revisited the menu for a few last nibbles.  Kurt ordered the wine, the details of which I have lost, but it was fantastic, too.  Maybe a tempranillo?  Nonetheless, everything was delicious and we left happy, but not too stuffed, which is another perk of having all small bites.

Here is a recipe that I made up inspired by a traditional tapas recipe of stuffed tomatoes.  The old version is filled with breadcrumbs and aioli and are concasse'd (blanched to remove skin).  I like the skin and wanted to add the artichokes in as flavor perk. I kept going by adding almond meal and marcona almonds on top until Voila!  Artichoke-stuffed Tomatoes...

Artichoke-stuffed Tomatoes

1 pkg Campari tomatoes (or about 8-10 golf ball-sized tomatoes), cherry tomatoes could be a substitute
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 T extra-virgin Spanish olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
3 artichokes, carved down to the hearts and squirted with lemon juice and diced (or 3 canned or frozen artichoke hearts, diced)
1 T dry white wine
1/3 cup whole grain bread crumbs
3 T almond meal or finely chopped almonds
3 T mayonnasie or Veganaise, whatever your preference
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T freshly minced parsley
1/2 t Spanish paprika (sweet or hot)
8-10 Marcona almonds (or 8-10 regular almonds, soaked for a minutes in olive oil and a bit of sea salt)


Wash, dry, and prepare your tomatoes, by slicing off just the tops and setting them aside.  Gently scoop out seeds and pulp from the tomatoes with a small melon baller or a grapefruit spoon.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Oil a baking dish and arrange tomatoes upright in dish.  Lightly salt and pepper them and set aside.

In a saute pan, heat oil and cook onion for 2 minutes on medium.  Add garlic, stir one minutes, then add diced artichoke hearts and wine.  Cook on medium for 10-12 minutes, if using canned or about 20 minutes, if using fresh. When tender and fragrant, turn the heat up a little bit and add breadcrumbs and almond meal.  Season with salt and pepper. Let cool for a few minutes, then add mayo/Veganaise, lemon juice, and parsley.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Carefully  fill tomatoes using a small spoon and mound filling a little over the top, if possible.  Top each with a light dusting of paprika and sink an almond into the top. 

Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes, or until browned and bubbly.  Beware to remove them if the almond begins to burn or if the tomatoes begin to collapse.

Let cool for 5 minutes and serve!

Watercress and Sugar Snap Pea Salad

de-stringing the snap peas

Wow, do I feel lazy!  I haven't posted in two weeks!  It's been a kitchen organizing, scheduling, and planning time, a time for focusing on what's ahead, and a time for settling back in.  Labor Day is over and my busy season is upon me.  Luckily, the produce is at it's best and we still have weeks of bright, fresh vegetables and warm weather (hopefully).

Here is one of my favorite dishes that is healthy, can be plated elegantly, and is so delicious. Serve grilled salmon or tofu on top or serve this on it's own.  The sweet shallots and nutty sesame oil mellow out the bite of the watercress and make it very palatable.  The flavors are Asian-influenced due to the sesame oil, but I think of this as an elegant New American-style dish and serve it with classic American flavors.  Enjoy!

Watercress and Sugar Snap Salad

Dressing:
2+2 T extra-virgin olive oil
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
¼ t sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 T rice wine vinegar
1 T Grade B maple syrup
2 T toasted sesame oil

2 c trimmed sugar snap peas
6 c trimmed watercress (without woody stems)
About 2 oz hard, aged goat cheese, preferably raw, cubed


Heat 2 T of the oil in a frying pan.  Cook shallots with sea salt and black pepper for about 20 minutes over low heat, uncovered. Stir occasionally and cook until shallots are slow-cooked, fragrant, and beginning to brown and stick to the pan.

Prep snap peas by trimming the ends and de-stringing them if the strings on the seams is tough.

Boil a pot of salted water, in a 2 qt saucepan.  Blanch sugar snap peas for about 30 seconds.  Drain and rinse with cool water.

Toss with roughly chopped watercress in a large bowl.

When shallots are caramelized, remove from heat. Add rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and remaining olive oil, if needed.  Whisk together, deglazing the browned shallots.  Scrape all of that flavorful browned shallot stuff from the pan and incorporate it in the dressing.

Pour over salad while still warm and mix well until watercress begins to wilt.  Add cubed/crumbled cheese and serve.

Zucchini Pancakes

Fresh Garden Veggies

Monday, rainy Monday.  It's still August and I know that fall is looming, but today just feels like it--it must be getting close.  It's gray, chilly, windy, and rainy out there. That's okay, I will surrender and be ready to attack those winter squashes and hearty greens with gusto. For now, though, I take the reminder of what's to come as inspiration to really enjoy these tomatoes, herbs, zucchini, and gorgeous heirloom varieties.

New Green Paint and New Crazy Lamp!

This week will be a typical end of summer scenario:  last minute client cancellation and now nothing to do today except to keep working on all the catch-up we have been attempting all summer (apartment fix-up, student loan organization--really fun stuff).  First, breakfast, then yoga.  Just put yet another batch of our new favorite condiment, Candied Jalapenos on the stove.  This time I'm being realistic and making it a double batch.  I'm sipping on coffee and enjoying the down time now because I suspect next week will be the opposite.

I haven't made my famous zucchini pancakes in ages and I think today's the day!  They are somewhat like potato pancakes--grated veg, eggs, and onion.  What a great use for those two huge zucchinis and a yellow crookneck squash (as seen in above photo).  I usually do a really quick tomato sauce to go with them, but I have tons of time today.  Maybe I will get a batch of  slow-cooked tomato basil sauce going too!

Zucchini Pancakes

3-5 zucchinis and/or yellow crookneck squash, grated  (about 8 cups)
1 grated carrot (opt.)
1 cup grated onion
3 eggs, lightly beaten (or egg-replacer or  flax goo equivalent)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
dash of garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup arrowroot, ww pastry flour, or potato flour+ a little extra just in case
olive oil for frying

Combine grated zucchini, carrots, and onion in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs and stir until uniform.  Add baking powder and seasonings; stir together.

Taste for seasoning; adjust.

Add arrowroot, flour, or potato flour and stir together.  The mixture should be like a medium-thick pancake batter.  Add more flour or a little water until the consistency feels right.

For these, I love using the eco-nonstick frying pan (Cuisinart makes a great one).  Heat the pan to medium  and just lightly oil it.  Pour 1/2 cup of batter at a time onto the pan's heated surface.  Don't touch it until the side that is cooking forms a cooked/firm surface, about 3 minutes.  Flip and repeat.  Tranfer to a warmed plate or dish heating in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes total.

Serve with yogurt or sour cream like latkes or with a fresh tomato sauce and a little Parmigiano Reggiano.

Nantucket-style Smoked Bluefish Pate

My Perfect Summer Appetizer

Well, the dog days of summer are upon us.  As usual, I don't feel like I have accomplished as much as I would like, nor do I feel like I have done all the summer-y fun activities that I had dreamed of for all those long, cold months.  It has been a fun one and a very busy one, too!  Since June, I have made it to Los Angeles, Atlantic City, the Ozark mountains/Tablerock Lake in Missouri, and spent a week on Cape Cod.  Not too shabby, I know. As far as local fun goes,  I have sunbathed on Rockaway Beach, picnic-ed in McCarren Park many times,  tinkered at flea markets, and eaten my way through farmer's markets.   On Thursday, I will have my annual trek to Coney Island.  We have a wedding in the Hudson Valley the following weekend, then Poof!  Summer will be over in the blink of an eye.

Summer Relaxation!

 It has been a season of relaxing, organizing, and regrouping a bit from a very busy few months previous.  In a few weeks I might just start getting bored so maybe the promise of fall isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I'm gathering my wits and brainstorming new menus...but not too much yet, don't worry.  I have a week and a half left of this glorious season and intend to enjoy it.

The family fishermen at work

Last week during our annual week on Cape Cod, the fishermen in our family caught some bluefish on their chartered fishing trip.  I long ago lost interest in trying to make those little buggers palatable with just basic ingredients and a grill, but they brought a few home anyway.  Luckily, a friend of the family offered to fix them up by smoking the fillets in a backyard smoker.  Thank goodness for that!  As far as I am concerned smoked bluefish is the one and only way to eat them.  Here is my recipe for smoked bluefish pate.  It's a Nantucket tradition and everyone has a slightly different variation. Here is mine--simple and elegant.  It doesn't need many ingredients because the oily, rich fish and smoky fragrance stand tall all on their own!

Nantucket-style Smoked Bluefish Pate

If you don't have freshly smoked bluefish available, you could substitute a hearty wood-smoked salmon (the cooked kind, not lox)

1 smoked bluefish, crumbled and carefully picked through for bones, scales, and skin
3 T capers
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 T flavorful mustard (Dijon, Swedish, or grainy)
1/3 cup mayonnaise

In a food processor, combine fish, capers, garlic, and onion.  Pulse until uniform and large chunks have broken down.  Add mustard and mayo to bring it together.  Taste for seasoning.

Spread on a baguette slices with coarsely ground black pepper and maybe some cucumber matchsticks.  Enjoy this hearty New England summer flavor!

Smoky and Sweet Grilled Corn on the Cob

a mountain of corn

For some reason, the end of July is consistently the slowest cooking week in private cheffing.  Each year, I can expect a rapid slow-down in July and try to use the opportunity to read, relax, finish all those things that are pushed to the side all year, and dig through my cupboard.

After a year busy with cooking, wouldn't you know that the cupboard, fridge, and freezer are overflowing with opened packages held closed with clothespins, mysterious and exotic spice powders, and all sorts of odds and ends.  Now is the time I try to clear some open space and put all those interesting, rare, obscure, and, occasionally unpopular ingredients to good use before the season picks back up.

The timing is great for this style of menu planning because I find myself coming home with armfuls of produce from the greenmarkets and have no plan for it. Right now the corn is just perfect and it's coming in to the greenmarkets in mountains!  Here is a great way to spice things up a bit and enjoy fresh corn outside on the grill.  If you don't have outdoor space to grill, you can use the same seasoning blend and roast it (425 F, 20 minutes or so).

my odds, ends, spices, and potions

Smoky and Sweet Grilled Corn on the Cob 

This recipe is really versatile and should be used as an inspiration to mix stuff together and clean out the cupboards.

8 ears corn, shucked and split into short half-cobs if you like

seasoning blend:

2 T extra virgin olive oil or expeller-pressed sunflower/canola/peanut oil

1 T honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar

1 T vinegar (wine, sherry, apple cider, or rice vinegar are all fine here!)

1/2 t sea salt

1 T sweet paprika

1/4 t smoked paprika

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t onion powder

1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper

(opt.) 1/2 t smoked Himalayan sea salt

(opt.) 1/2 t ancho chile pepper

(opt.) 1/2 t ground chipotle pepper

(opt.) 1/2 t dried thyme

lots of freshly ground black pepper

Rinse corn and pat dry. 

In a small mixing bowl, combine seasoning ingredients with a fork until uniform. Taste and adjust salt and honey measurements, if needed.  I like it to be fairly sweet to balance all the spice.

Line a large plate or sheet with foil.  Lay out corn in a row and drench with seasoning.  Roll the cobs around in it to make sure every bite with be really flavorful. 

Heat the grill to medium and grill for about 7-10 minutes, turn and give them 7-10 more.  The time may vary, depending on whether your grill preheated for a long time or the lid is open or closed.  The corn is done when the kernels are tender and sweet and there are some nicely charred edges. 

**Use this spice blend for fish, meat, and veggies, too!  It's so good.

Greenmarket Vegetable Saute

The market is bursting with veggies in all colors, textures, and shapes right now and it is a great time to slice up some vegetables for a great saute and maybe try something you haven't had before.  Eating fresh, local farmers market vegetables is a great way to support your local economy, reduce harm to the environment, and eat food at it's peak flavor and nutritiousness.  I highly recommend it!

 

Today I found some great stuff to saute--yellow zucchini, carrots, onions, asparagus, and bell peppers.  Nothing too out of the ordinary as far as types of vegetables go, but the quality of them is outstanding!  You can tell just by looking at them that they are different than your standard-issue supermarket produce.  There is so much good stuff to enjoy right now, so take a trip to your local market and do a simple saute this week.  Everything tastes better fresh from the farm!

When you are choosing which vegetables, pick 3-5 different kinds in various colors for an appetizing and beautiful dish.  Pick up something green like fresh herbs, scallions, or spinach to add in at the end.   Look for colorful and interesting variations of common vegetables like yellow raspberries, purple cauliflower, white carrots, yellow tomatoes, or blue potatoes.  There are so many really amazing heirloom vegetables out there.  The above photo shows some bright yellow zucchini, something I never see year-round.

My Greenmarket Vegetable Saute

1 lg yellow zucchini, sliced into half-moons
1 bunch asparagus (I like the thin ones for this)

3-4 fat, juicy carrots

1 medium onion

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1/2 t sea salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 bunch spinach, washed well and drained,  then roughly chopped
3 t freshly squeezed lemon juice


Wash asparagus and chop the tough ends off.  Set aside to drain.

Remove green tops from carrots and scrub them really well.  There's no need to peel them if organic.  Thinly slice with a knife or on a mandoline.

Peel and slice the onion along the grain/lines into 1/4 inch thick strips.  Chop asparagus into 1-2 inch pieces.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Toss in the zucchini, onions, carrots, and peppers.  Saute about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.  Add asparagus and cook for another minute or so.

Add spinach to the mix and cover for 30-60 seconds so the leaves wilt.  Uncover, stir, and test asparagus and carrots for doneness.  Finish with lemon juice and enjoy.

Rockaway Tacos Rock!

Kale and White Bean Saute

Dark, leafy greens are in at the farmer's market!  What to do with them?  A simple steam or saute preserves their nutrients while making a healthy and tasty side dish.  Or you could add in some onions, peppers, apple cider vinegar, and honey and make them spectacular!  Here is one of my favorite kale recipes.

 Kale and White Bean Saute

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 vidalia onion, sliced

1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

1 large bunch curly kale (green or purple)

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider vinegar (like Braggs)

2 T honey

1/2 t sea salt

lots of freshly ground black pepper

dash of crushed red pepper

In a large saute pan with a lid or a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers and cook them, uncovered, about 20 minutes, until they are soft, sweet, and beginning to brown.  

While that cooks, wash and roughly chop the kale.  Remove the stem if it is very thick.  When onions and peppers are ready, add as much kale to the pot as will fit.  Cover and reduce heat to low/medium-low.

Cook for about 10 minutes.  When kale has wilted and there is room in the pot for you to stir it, combine kale with onions and peppers if you haven't already, then add remaining kale and the beans.  Stir gently, cover, and cook about 5 more minutes.

When that has wilted, turn the heat up to high or medium-high and add vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.  Add a little crushed red pepper if you're into spice.

Cook on high, uncovered,  to evaporate most of the excess liquid and serve right away!  This works great with other dark leafy greens, too.  It's great with collards, chard, mustard greens, or a combination! 

Chutney Barbecue Shrimp or Tofu

Here is an easy way to spice things up for the weekend.  With an Indian-inspired marinade, this dish is great for entertaining, but it's simple enough that you may want to keep it all for yourself.  It's a little spicy, a little glaze-y, and finished with lime.  Serve this over cilantro rice as an entree or wrap in strips of warmed naan as an appetizer.

With the sweet chutney base, this marinade makes it easy to char the edges if the shrimp and tofu without burning them.  It's exotic and summer-y and a great way to celebrate the weekend.

Chutney Barbecue Shrimp or  Tofu

2 lb large shrimp or about 25 oz baked tofu, cubed into 1-1 1/2" cubes (I like the Asian-marinated ones for this)

1/3 cup papaya or mango chutney
3 T yellow curry paste
1/3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Indian hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T virgin coconut oil
2 cup fresh or frozen peas
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice


Clean and de-vein shrimp and rinse.  Let dry.  (Or cube baked tofu)

In a large bowl, whisk together chutney, curry paste, salt, hot sauce, and pepper.  Add shrimp and toss together.  If you have time, marinate for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

Heat grill or sauté pan to high.  Add coconut oil to pan or brush grill basket with oil.  Add shrimp and cook on high for about 2 minutes tossing and stirring, constantly. 

Add peas and cook until shrimp are done and everything is beginning to brown and edges are charring.  If you are grilling and the peas would fall through your basket, just give them a quick saute on the stove and toss together with shrimp or tofu at the end.

Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate.  Top with chopped cilantro and lime juice.

Serve immediately!

Perfect with cilantro rice or fragrant yellow rice.

Roasted Pepper Dressing

Frequently, I get on a kick with one recipe and make it over and over until I'm sick of it.  Right now, my favorite thing to have on hand is Roasted Pepper Dressing.  This one is good for people who love bell peppers, but also for those who are a bit more apprehensive about eating too many, because of either taste preferences or digestion.  This is a light, versatile, and delicious dressing made with only a little oil and is sweetened with a bit of agave nectar.  The other flavors mellow out the intensity of the peppers and it transforms regular old peppers into a great all-purpose dressing for green salads, bean salads, grilled veggies, fish and meat, or leftover pastas and grains.  Give it a try! 

Roasted Pepper Dressing

4 or 5 red bell peppers OR

1 24 oz jar fire roasted peppers (get Roland if you see it--cheap and no preservatives), drained

2 medium cloves garlic

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 t freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 T Dijon mustard

1 1/2 t agave nectar

3 T apple cider vinegar (you can subst. wine vinegar or rice vinegar)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 T fresh oregano leaves (subst: 1 t dried)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

If you are using fresh peppers, wash and dry them and roast them at 400 F for about 30 minutes, until the skin begins to crackle and blacken.  Remove from oven, transfer to a stainless bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Set aside for about an hour.  When peppers have cooled a bit and "steamed" their skins off, peel them and remove the seeds.

In a food processor, puree roasted/drained peppers (discard seeds), garlic, onion, lemon juice, Dijon, agave, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano.  Puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes.  

Gradually add in oil while food processor is running.  Taste and adjust salt, lemon, and agave to taste.

Keeps about a 1 1/2 weeks in the fridge.

Austin Baked Beans

Want to show up at the picnic or barbeque with baked beans that have been taken to a whole new level? These have some Texas-style twists in the seasoning and are truly outstanding. They are sure to impress the whole crowd.


To honor the great Sheila Lukins who passed away this week, this is an adaptation of one of her recipes. Sheila was an influential chef and food writer who co-wrote The Silver Palate series of cookbooks and authored three of her own, including U.S.A. Cookbook, which is where this particular recipe has been adapted from.

Her recipe for "Austin Baked Beans" is delectable, but to accommodate the health conscious and lighten up the dish without sacrificing flavor, I have modified it by omitting the bacon, pork, and ham from the original recipe. To replace the savory, smoky, salty sweet effect that they offer, I have added some seasoning changes.

Be sure to allow plenty of time to make this recipe. I like doing it a day ahead, so I can be sure the beans will get plenty of cooking time. If you are in a rush, you can buy canned beans, but you still must allow 2-3 hours to bake them in the sauce. It's worth it , I promise. These are iNsAneLy good!

Austin Baked Beans

1 lb dried navy beans (or 4 cans?)
3 T butter
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1-28oz can diced tomatoes, drained with tomatoes in a bowl and reserved juices in another
2 T minced garlic
1 jalapeno, minced (I leave the seeds in so it's spicier. You can de-seed the pepper to keep it mild)

1 cup natural ketchup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 T worcestershire (use a vegetarian one like Annie's if you are feeding a veg crowd)
2 t dry mustard
1 t thyme
1 T smoked chile powder (smoked paprika, chipotle powder, or whatever somewhat mild smoky seasoning you have)
2 T smoked sea salt (if you have some--if not you can compensate with smoked chile powder)

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced small
sea salt to taste



Pour beans into a bowl and fill with water. Sort through, discarding any pebbles or debris, and place beans in a large pot. Fill with water and soak overnight or 6-8 hours. You can do the "quick soak method" written on the package, if you need to. If you have decided to use canned beans, drain and rinse and skip ahead to the next step.

After beans have soaked, drain and fill pot with water again. Boil 45 minutes, or until beans are tender. Skim off any foam as they boil and discard it. Drain and set aside.



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large pot and cook onion and peppers about 10 minutes, until browned a little bit. Add tomatoes (not reserved juice), garlic, and jalapeno and cook 5 more minutes. Add drained beans to the mixture.

Add all remaining ingredients except for apples, reserved tomato juice, and plain sea salt. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and taste for sweetness and smokiness. Adjust seasonings according to your own tastes. I like the sweetness and smokiness to be dominant at this point. The seasonings will blend and mellow as it cooks and you can adjust the salt at the end.

Transfer to a large casserole dish, cover, and bake in the oven for 2 hours. After this, you can move on to the next step, but not finish baking the last hour if you are taking it to a potluck. The last hour of cooking can be done as you reheat.

Remove from oven and stir in the apples and reserved tomato juice. Taste for salt and spice; adjust. Uncover and bake for 1 more hour.

If you are planning to bring these to a barbeque, transfer the beans to a grill-safe dish (such as cast iron or disposable aluminum). If there is ample grill space, heat and finish with the last hour of baking on the grill. It will really send the flavor over the top! Enjoy your last summer barbeque of 2009! Beanlicious!

Gazpacho with Gusto!

Gazpacho is another one of my warm weather faves. There are so many recipes for this delicious cold soup. This season alone, I have come across or tasted so many different kinds.

Some people have an aversion to gazpacho because it is a cold soup. Do yourself a favor and give it another try. Really. Don't raw veggies in the form of greens, toppings, and dressing get old? Basically, gazpacho is a liquid salad. If this is you, remember, if it's done well, it is a healthy, gourmet delight and you will enjoy it very much : P Puh-lease try it again. . .

Here are some gazpachos that I have seen on menus and/or tried this summer:
Pineapple-Ginger Gazpacho, Watermelon Gazpacho, Chunky Gazpacho, Creamy Gazpacho, Tomato Basil Gazpacho, Cucumber Dill Gazpacho, Southwestern Black Bean Gazpacho, Golden Tomato Gazpacho, Spicy Gazpacho, White Gazpacho, Orange and Mint Gazpacho

Okay, I'll stop.

Here are my two favorites of this summer and every summer before since I discovered these. But, alas, after listing all of those delectable sounding dishes, I may have to break out of my rut before gazpacho season ends and try something new.

Here are my two favorite gazpacho recipes!

CHUNKY GAZPACHO
adapted from The South Beach Diet cookbook
**I am not promoting this diet, but I ended up having a client who insisted I use the recipes and I found this one to be very tasty after I made a few adjustments.

2 1/2 cups all natural tomato juice or tomato juice blend (if you must use V8, use low sodium)
1 cup finely diced tomatoes
1/2 cup celery, diced very, very small
1/2 cup cucumber, diced very, very small
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced very, very small
1/2 cup minced scallions
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T white wine vinegar
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T minced garlic
4 T finely minced parsley
1/2 t sea salt
1 t worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper


In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.

There is a lot of chopping involved so just start tossing the veggies into the bowl as you chop and measure them.

Mix together with a large whisk or spoon. Taste and season with lemon, salt, and pepper.

Let rest at least 10 minutes before serving. This keeps for five days in the fridge and makes a great healthy weekday lunch.

Green Gazpacho

1 1/2 lb tomatillos, papery skins peeled, then washed and quartered
1 green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 1/2 c choppped cucumber (about 1 average cucumber)
1/4 c fresh parsley
1/4 c fresh cilantro
3 T freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ripe avocado (halved, pitted, and scooped from it's skin)
2 T garlic, peeled and chopped
1 t sea salt
2 t ground cumin
1 r ground sweet paprika
1 T minced jalapeno, or other hot chile
splash of white wine vinegar
1 t agave nectar or honey
1/2 c water
3 T extra-virgin olive oil


You will need two large mixing bowls.

As you chop and measure, toss ingredients into one mixing bowl until all ingredients are prepped.

In a food processor or blender, blend in batches until smooth and transfer to second bowl.
When finished, stir together and taste. Season with salt, spice, and lemon.

Serve with tortilla chips and/or sour cream and hot sauce for a snack or light lunch. This lasts about five days in the fridge.

Summer is almost over so I will be publishing my favorite recipes of the season. Soon I will be moving on to squash, apples, and sage, so let's enjoy the hot weather Caribbean flavors while we can! Here is an old favorite that I return to year after year when the weather heats up and it's too hot to eat anything heavy.

Enjoy these Barbados Black Bean Cakes as an appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, 1st course, or light entree. They are healthy, hearty, and a little bit exotic.

Barbados Black Bean Cakes with Mango Salsa

adapted from The Vegetarian Times Cookbook

This is one of my favorite recipes. It is delicious and filling and can be elegant or casual, depending on presentation. If you want to make it vegan, replace the egg with "egg replacer" or arrowroot. Don't simply omit it or they will fall apart in the frying pan.

MANGO SALSA:
2 c peeled, diced mango
1/2 c diced red pepper
1/4 c finely diced red onion
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
2 T coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
2 t minced ginger
1 T fresh lime juice

Combine salsa ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside. This can be made up to 12 hours in advance and chilled. If you do this, be sure to remove the take the salsa out to come closer to room temperature before serving.


BLACK BEAN CAKES:
Two 15 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ c chopped red onion, sauteed in olive oil 2 minutes
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 t ground cumin
1 t minced garlic
½ t ground allspice
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/3 c whole wheat bread crumbs
Canola oil
Freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges to garnish


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine salsa ingredients and set aside.

Place beans in a large bowl and mash them together a bit. Add the cilantro, onion, egg, cumin, garlic, allspice, and cayenne. Mix until well blended.

Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts. Shape into ½ inch thick patties. Set up a plate or bowl with bread crumbs. Dredge the patties in bread crumbs and pan fry in batches using olive oil.

Serve on mixed greens with mango salsa on top as a light entree or first course. Make patties into tiny 1" rounds for elegant hors d'oeuvres.

Cape Cod Cuisine

Back from Cape Cod after a hot and humid (thanks, Hurricane Bill), but delicious trip! This year, we all took a side trip to Martha's Vineyard for the day to see the sights, ride the school bus around, and, you guessed it, eat! In fact, as we got off the Island Queen ferry in Oak Bluffs, we headed straight to Fish Bones Grille. There I ate the best damned crab cakes I've had in ages. I'm sure there were some fresh bread crumbs in there somewhere, but the bulk of each patty was tender and delicious crab meat. They were seasoned simply and presented with just some fresh parsley and a spicy mayo coulis. Yum! I'm still thinking about them a week later! The next day, the fishing enthusiasts of the group went out and caught some serious striped bass, as well as bringing back a few bluefish. We grilled the striper with an asian marinade, and also diced some of it into a fresh striped bass ceviche with lime, green pepper, cilantro, and olive oil. The bluefish was just grilled with some garlic, lemon, and tomato. What a fresh dinner!

Of course, we ate cups of clam chowda at every turn and this year they all passed Will's spoon test (when placed on top of the chowder, if the spoon sinks, it isn't thick enough, if it floats,it is a satisfactory thickness). Captain Parker's is still the best, but I believe that Land Ho is a close second. We didn't make it to The Yardarm this year, but they make a good one, too.

Well, after five days of sun, sand, and seafood, we are settled back in Brooklyn and I am still thinking about that delicious, New England-style oceanside cuisine. As a midwesterner, I had never even heard of Quahogs (ko-hogs for the non-New Englanders) until Will took me to the Cape in 2002. Now bluefish, cranberries, Old Bay seasoning, and beach plums are part of my repertoire. Over the last few years, I have grown to love and appreciate Cape Cod food culture. Here are some recipes celebrating my favorite flavors of this fresh, simple, and all-American cuisine.

Cape Cod Crab Cakes
simple and classic
If you plan on making the Chipotle Cocktail Sauce recipe below, it's best to do it first or make it ahead of time so flavors can marry.

1 lb fresh crabmeat
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 c mayonnaise
1 T dijon mustard
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T Old Bay seasoning
Sea salt and Black Pepper
2/3 c fresh bread crumbs (or about 1/2 cup dry)
expeller-pressed canola oil for pan-frying

Drain the crabmeat and sort through it for shell and debris.

In a mixing bowl, gently combine crabmeat, lemon juice, mayo, dijon, worcestershire, and Old Bay seasoning with a fork, season with sea salt and a generous of amount of black pepper. Fold in bread crumbs until mixture holds together.

Form into 2" x 3/4" rounds, place on a plate, and chill until ready to finish (up to 12 hours)

In a cast iron frying pan, coat the bottom with canola oil and heat until oil becomes quick.

Over medium-high heat, cook cakes in batches, about 4 minutes on each side, or until nicely browned, adding oil as needed. Serve with classic cocktail sauce or my chipotle cocktail sauce (below) and fresh lemon wedges.


CHIPOTLE COCKTAIL SAUCE

1/2 cup natural ketchup (I always avoid the corn syrup stuff)
1/2 cup freshly diced tomato (diced very small)
2 T prepared horseradish
1/2 t worcestershire sauce
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T adobo sauce (from canned chipotles) or 1 T chipotle powder
hot sauce to taste


Whisk together and let rest 30 minutes before serving.

Cajun-Style Grilled Bluefish

This can also be done in the oven in a regular pan, if necessary. Also, if you don't have access to really fresh bluefish, try this with some wild salmon instead.

Bluefish is a hefty and sort of strong-flavored fish with an oily texture, not unlike salmon. It falls apart easily and I like it best smoked and blended into pate, but if you are like me and don't have a smoker, this is a great way to use it when it's right out of the water.


2 lb really fresh bluefish fillets
a few splashes of extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
3-4 T cajun seasoning
freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
1-2 large yellow and red tomatoes


Preheat grill to high or 425, depending on type of grill you are using. If you are baking fish in an oven indoors, preheat to 425 degrees.

Wash and pat dry the bluefish fillets. Prepare a grill-safe pan by tossing a splash of olive oil in it and coating the bottom. If you don't have one, use a disposable aluminum pan or make an aluminium foil pan with 3 layers of foil, crimped around the sides to create 2-3" sides. You just want to be able to lay fillets in a single layer with out losing the seasonings, veggies, and juices.

Rub fillets lightly with olive oil and some sea salt. Generously sprinkle fillets with cajun seasoning, black pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Place in a single layer with the skin-side down in prepared pan.

Thinly slice tomatoes. Sprinkle with cajun seasoning, pepper, lemon, and a bit of olive oil.
Place thin tomato slices over fillets, overlapping like scales, and alternating yellow and red, if you are using both colors of tomato.

Place pan on grill (or in oven) and cook on high for 12 minutes or so. You want the fish to be just cooked, while the tomatoes brown a tiny bit.

Serve with grilled veggies, corn on the cob, and a salad.




Roasted Corn Salad
A great summer side dish or first course to accompany the bluefish or crab cakes!

6 ears corn, husked
2 T + ¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
¼ + ½ c fresh orange juice
2 T + 1/3 c white wine vinegar
Sea salt
Black pepper
1 t + 1 t orange zest

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 c grape tomatoes, halved
2 scallions, minced
½ t minced or grated garlic

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line up ears of corn on a baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk together 2 T oil, ¼ c orange juice, 2 T white wine vinegar, sea salt, black pepper, and 1 t orange zest.

Rub mixture generously over corn. Roast, uncovered, about 30-40 minutes, turning once.
Roast until corn in tender and beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and let cool a
bit.

When cool, slice off kernels and transfer to a bowl. Add remaining ingredients, toss
together, and chill.

VARIATION: Add 1 lb small/medium, cooked shrimp at the end, toss together and chill. Serve
over greens.