Bulgur Pilaf with Corn & Zucchini…with a Vibrant Late Season Tomato Compote

Last month, a friend who has access to an amazing vegetable garden brought me a mountain of beautiful tomatoes…literally hot off the vines.  They were so ripe there was no waiting; the moment to use them was now.  

Of course I wanted to preserve most of them in some way (I have written of many things that can be done to preserve the late summer abundance of tomatoes:  sauce, oven dried, frozen whole, fondue).  But as it happened, I was in the middle of planning my September curbside dinner.  I immediately knew that some of those tomatoes would make their way into a sauce of some kind for that menu.  Because I have to keep costs reasonable for these dinners, a sauce of vine ripened tomatoes—that usually cost upwards of five or six dollars a pound—is just not within reach.  What a great thing to receive a gift from my friend…that I could in turn share with my regular clients.  

I had recently made a dinner for myself of a simple basmati pilaf with sautéed zucchini and sweet corn…topped with an egg…and a few spoonfuls of a concentrated tomato compote/sauce.  The tomato sauce was a last minute thought because at the time I had a small, very ripe tomato sitting on my counter that I had really needed to use.  It was the size with which I would normally make a quick summer tomato sauce for pasta—but I wasn’t really in the mood for pasta.  So instead, I made my usual sauce… and then served it dolloped over the pilaf and egg.  

The result was memorable:  The tangy character of the ripe, late season tomato lit up the other ingredients.  And the meal itself perfectly captured the moment in terms of the available ingredients and this year’s extended season of warm weather (too warm really to start thinking about the traditional foods of autumn).

As I thought about what I wanted to make for my curbside, I remembered that little dinner.  I can’t really give my patrons a cooked ahead fried egg…but I can give them a nicely seared piece of fish that they can then finish in their own ovens.  

The tomato compote I made for the curbside was a cross between  my quick summer tomato sauce and a rich tomato fondue that I occasionally make.  The quick sauce is made with roughly chopped tomatoes (skins and seeds included) and cooked down quickly in lots of olive oil and garlic.  (It is ready in the time it takes to boil pasta!)  The tomato fondue is a rich, more refined, compote of skinned and seeded tomatoes, cooked down in a base of olive oil, garlic and onions that have first been cooked to total softness.  I ended up calling my sauce for the curbside fondue because it was reduced and concentrated.  But I left the seeds in (removing only the skin) and omitted the onions.  The result was thick and rich (perfect for dolloping)…and tangy and sweet (great for enhancing the mild flavors of the rest of the dish).  It is basically the quick sauce without the tomato skin.  I’ve decided to rename it “Late Season Tomato Compote.”  

When making the “compote” for just one or two servings, you can simply make the original quick summer tomato sauce.  The main reason I didn’t make it for the curbside was I discovered that the longer cooking required for larger batches tended to toughen the skins—making them discernible in the final dish.  

I had so many tomatoes that I made extra of the compote for myself.  I froze it in little 2 oz containers (about a quarter cup or one serving)…which I will be able to enjoy all winter long…on pastas and pizzas—or to enhance a soup—or to go with a grain pilaf with a fried egg.  If you are looking for ways to preserve those big boxes of late season tomatoes that might still be coming into your farmers market, you should give this a try.

When I finally settled on my menu, not only did I change out the egg for salmon…I also swapped out rice for bulgur.  I liked the color contrast and the variation (rightly…or wrongly…assuming that people are more likely to make rice for themselves than bulgur).  I also added some crushed fennel seed and dried oregano to the pilaf to further compliment all of the vegetables.  I’m going to post the recipe for the bulgur pilaf.  But you could obviously make a basmati pilaf (or freekeh…or quinoa…) instead.  The pilaf is mostly a vehicle for all of the delicious vegetables. 

I was very happy with the result.  I have made a lot of curbside dinners in the past few years…but I think this was one of my favorites.  It was simple…beautiful…and perfectly “of the moment.”  What a wonderful gift I received from my friend.

Late Summer Tomato Compote

3 to 4 T. olive oil
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 t. hot pepper flakes (as you prefer)
1 1/4 lb. vine ripened tomatoes, peeled, cored and roughly diced 

Place the oil, along with the garlic and pepper flakes in a large sauté pan and place the pan over moderately high to high heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle enthusiastically and is just on the verge of taking on a bit of color, add the tomatoes (along with all of the juices) to the pan. The tomatoes should immediately begin to simmer rapidly. Allow the tomatoes to cook, shaking the pan back and forth occasionally, stirring at regular intervals and regulating the heat in order to maintain a brisk simmer, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce is very thick (a path will remain when you draw a spoon through the tomatoes) and the oil is just beginning to break out of the sauce.  You should have a generous cup.  Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt.

Bulgur Pilaf with Corn & Zucchini

2 T. olive oil
1 small red onion (4 to 5 oz.), finely diced (you will have about 1 c. diced onion)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 t. fennel seed, crushed with a mortar & pestle
1 t. dried oregano
1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 c. boiling water

2 T. olive oil
10 oz. trimmed zucchini, cut in a 1/3-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 ears of corn, roasted in the husk and kernels cut from the cob to yield 1 3/4 to 2 cups
2 T. minced parsley

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat.  Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent and beginning to turn golden around the edges.  Add the garlic, fennel & oregano and cook until fragrant—about a minute.  Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur along with a generous pinch of salt.  Continue to cook for a minute.  Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let stand (covered) for 5 minutes.  

While the bulgur cooks, sauté the zucchini.  Warm the olive oil in a medium sauté pan set over moderately high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the zucchini and sauté, tossing occasionally until tender and browned in spots.  Add the garlic, toss to distribute.  When fragrant, add the corn and toss to combine.  Heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When the bulgur is done, transfer to a large bowl along with the zucchini and corn.  Add the parsley and toss to combine.

Enjoy the pilaf warm or at room temperature.  Serves 4

To serve the compote & pilaf with fish (as I did for the dinner):

Sear the Salmon (or whatever fish you prefer…Halibut would be good, too):  Place a heavy sauté pan that is large enough to hold the fish over medium-high heat.  While the pan is heating, season the fish on both sides with salt & pepper.  Add a thin film of olive oil to the pan.  When the oil is very hot, add the fish, service-side down (if you leave the skin on, this will be the side with the skin…if the fish is skinless, this will be the interior side).  Cook until it is a beautiful golden brown—about 3 minutes, regulating the heat as necessary to prevent smoking but at the same time, maintain an active sizzle. Turn the fish over and continue to cook until barely opaque in the center—another 3 minutes or so (reducing the heat further, as necessary).  Remove from the pan and keep warm.  Mound a quarter of the pilaf in the center of each plate, spreading out a bit to make room for the fish on top.  Transfer the fish to the pilaf.  Drizzle and dollop about a quarter cup of the compote over and around the fish and pilaf.  Enjoy.

Variation:  Substitute a fried or poached egg for the fish.

Printable Version

 

Late Summer Zucchini & Corn Galette with Tomato & Browned Butter Breadcrumbs

In the early days of the pandemic I started doing curb side pick up dinners. It was a good option for people who wanted to "eat out", but didn’t want to eat in a restaurant filled with people. The dinners were 3 courses and packaged with instructions for any last minute heating/dressing/etc. I enjoyed the change of pace…as well as the additional work…so have continued to do them occasionally—even though there is no longer the same “need” for them.

Just as with my private dinner menus I’m sure it comes as no surprise that my menus for these dinners always highlight seasonal ingredients. I usually start with an idea for one course and then create the remaining two courses around it. For the recent September dinner I started with the idea of Applesauce cake. It is still warm where I live so I opted for a room temperature roast pork with green bean and potato “salad” for the entrée. 

This meant I didn’t really want to do a true salad for the first course (it seems repetitive to have a salad in 2 of 3 courses…). Since the dessert was cake, a tart or pizza seemed like a good starter.

As I considered my seasonal options, corn and zucchini…and tomato!...came to mind. These things are at the end of their season. I always feel a nostalgic desire to eat lots of the waning fruits of the season—even as I look forward to the new crops coming in. (The “cusp” seasons are always exciting moments in the culinary year.)

I found a couple of interesting savory tarts on line that included these ingredients. And what I ended up making is a bit of a blending of these two…plus my own style of savory galette (with a creamy ricotta base)…and a favorite summer squash gratin. I was struck by the observation from the creator of one of the tarts I found that her tart was “something in between” a quiche and a gratin. I didn’t want to make a quiche, but the “gratin” part appealed to me and that favorite summer squash gratin came to mind as I was drifting off to sleep one night, noodling on how I was going to build my tart.

There are a lot of component parts to this galette. If you just want to make dinner, it will seem a bit fiddly. But it is actually pretty easy to put together once you have the components (all of which can be made ahead except for the salted squash)—making it perfect for entertaining. If you have your own favorite tomato sauce on hand, you can use it as long as it is very thick (cook it down a bit until it no longer weeps and it mounds on a spoon). You will need about 3/4 cup. The one I use here is my favorite summer tomato sauce—nothing more than vibrant, vine ripened tomatoes (skin, seeds and pulp) cooked down with a generous amount of garlic, pepper flakes and olive oil. You could likely omit the ricotta—the thick tomato sauce providing enough of a barrier to keep the crust from becoming soggy—but I like the richness that it adds. (If you were to omit the ricotta, I would probably increase the Gruyère a bit.) The tomato sauce, on the other hand, should not be skipped. Its tartness adds essential balance and interest to the other mild flavors.

The tart made a great first course for my curbside dinner—a wonderful addition to the end-of-summer theme. I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch…and then a light dinner…along with a nice green salad. I’m only sorry that the season for these vegetables is rapidly coming to a close and it will probably be next year before I make this vibrant tart again. Maybe you will find a way to squeeze it in this year.

Late Summer Zucchini & Corn Galette with Tomato & Browned Butter Breadcrumbs

Pâte Brisée (tutorial):

175 g. all purpose flour (about 1 1/3 c.)

1/2 t. salt

132 g. cold butter (about 9 T.)

50 to 66 g. water (about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 T)

Combine the flour and the salt in a medium-sized bowl. Rub/cut the butter into the flour until the mixture has the appearance of cornmeal and peas. Drizzle 3 1/2 T. ice water over the flour/butter mixture. Using your hands, fluff the mixture until it begins to clump (if you grab a handful and squeeze it will adhere), adding more water if necessary. Turn the dough out onto a counter and form into a mound. Using the heel of your hand, gradually push all of the dough away from you in short forward strokes, flattening out the lumps. Continue until all of the dough is flat. Using a bench scraper, scrape the dough off the counter, forming it into a single clump as you do. Form the finished dough into a thick disk. Chill for at least 30 minutes (overnight is even better, if you have time).

To roll out the dough, let it warm up for a moment or two at room temperature. Line a baking sheet (preferably rimless) with parchment paper; set aside. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle that is about 1/8-inch thick and is 14 inches across. Brush off the excess flour. Trim any ragged or uneven edges if you like. Transfer the dough to the prepared sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Ricotta Base:

150g whole milk ricotta (drained before weighing if very wet)

2 t. olive oil

2 t. flour

Salt & pepper

In a small bowl, combine the ricotta with the olive oil and flour. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Chill until ready to use (can be made a day or two ahead).

Summer Tomato Sauce:

2 1/2 T. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch hot pepper flakes

340g. vine ripened tomatoes (preferably red or yellow), cored and cut into a rough dice

Place the oil, along with the garlic and pepper flakes in a wide sauté pan and place the pan over moderately high to high heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle enthusiastically and is just on the verge of taking on a bit of color, add the tomatoes (along with all of the juices) to the pan. The tomatoes should immediately begin to simmer rapidly. Allow the tomatoes to cook, shaking the pan back and forth occasionally, stirring at regular intervals and regulating the heat in order to maintain a brisk simmer, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce is thickened and emulsified (a path should remain when you draw a spoon across the pan and the sauce should mound on a spoon). You should have a scant 3/4 cup. Taste for seasoning and remove from the heat. Sauce may be made ahead.

Browned Butter Breadcrumbs:

3/4 c./41g. fresh breadcrumbs

1 1/2 T. butter

Place the bread crumbs in a bowl. In a small sauté pan cook the butter over medium heat for a few minutes, whisking occasionally, until it begins to brown and smells nutty. Pour the browned butter over the breadcrumbs, scraping in all of the browned bits. When cool enough to handle, toss to combine. Set aside.

Vegetable and Cheese Filling:

400g (about 2 large) zucchini, sliced 1/8-inch thick (use a mandolin)

1/ 2 t. kosher salt

41 g. (1/2 c.) finely grated Pecorino

100 g. (a scant cup) grated (medium fine) Gruyère

1 T. minced fresh thyme

2 T. minced parsley

2 T. olive oil

1 1/2 c./225g fresh corn kernels (cut from 1 large or 2 small ears)

Cut the squash into 1/8-inch thick rounds (use a mandolin slicer). Toss the squash slices with 1/2 t. kosher salt and place in a colander set over a plate. Let stand 10 minutes. Spread two layers of paper towels on your work surface and transfer the squash to the towels, shaking off as much of the liquid as possible as you do. Blot with another layer or two of paper towels. (The squash does not need to be spread in perfect single layers—you just want to have it spread out so that you can blot away the majority of the liquid).

Combine the pecorino with the buttered breadcrumbs and set aside.

Build the tart: Spread the ricotta mixture in a circle in the center of the chilled pâte brisée, leaving a 2-inch border of dough. Dollop and spread the cooled tomato sauce over the ricotta. Scatter half of the Gruyère over the tomato sauce.

In a large bowl, combine the squash, half of the pecorino/breadcrumb mixture, the remaining Gruyère, the herbs, olive oil and corn. Taste and correct the seasoning. Arrange this mixture on top of the ricotta/tomato/ Gruyère base on the pastry crust. Use your hands to do this, simply grabbing a handful of the mixture at a time and arranging the mixture in and even layer (your hands work best—rather than just dumping it out—because you can make sure you get a nice mix of corn and zucchini with each handful). Spread the remaining pecorino/breadcrumb mixture over all.

Pull up the edges of the crust and gently flip them over the filling to form a rustic edge. Pleat the dough as necessary, pressing lightly into place.

Bake the tart in a 400° oven on the lowest rack (or in the middle with the sheet pan sitting directly on a preheated baking stone). Bake until the filling is bubbling in one or two spots, the breadcrumbs are golden, and the crust is crisp and golden brown—about 30 to 40 minutes. Slide the tart onto a rack and let rest for 15 minutes (or cool until just tepid) before serving. The tart is also delicious made a day ahead. Slice while cold to get beautiful, clean slices and reheat for 15 minutes in a 350° to 375° oven. Tart serves 6 to 8.

Printable Version

Cooking from the Summer Pantry: Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Corn & Pesto

I have been a bit bummed about my lack of attention to my blog…for some time now if I’m honest…but especially in recent months.  Over the past few years I have reduced the number of posts simply because I just don’t have the time to invest in it like I once did.  But during the pandemic I haven’t really had much in the way of new cooking/recipes to post.  The cooking I do for private dinners and new classes has been radically reduced (for a while it disappeared entirely).  The cooking I do for myself has been mostly cooking tried and true items (many of which I have already posted!).  My pandemic year (going on two, now…) has been spent cooking a lot of never-to-be-duplicated meals which are made up of leftovers from online classes (since I don’t serve tastings for those classes) and cooking from my pantry in an effort to minimize time spent out and about.  So the meals have been what some might consider boring (not blog-worthy?).  

Despite this feeling that the things I have made might not be interesting enough for my blog, I have never felt deprived by these meals:  they have been delicious!  And I have realized that in many respects the kind of cooking I have done for myself during this time is exactly the kind of skill I have always wanted to impart in my classes and on my blog.  It is, in fact, really cooking.  It is a cuisine of daily inspiration from what you have on hand—made possible from a lifetime of cooking that has produced an abundance of taste memory and a set of well-honed kitchen skills.  

Unfortunately this kind of skill can’t be acquired through a class, food TV, or a blog… unless you are engaging in the activity itself after you watch or read.  But—in the hope that people are cooking—I will continue (when I can!) to do on my blog what I have always done:  teach skills (see my catalog of basic techniques…as well as the incidental skills included in almost every single post) and describe as best as I am able how I arrived at a certain result (which I try to do in most of my posts and recipes). 

Today’s post is in the spirit of this kind of daily cooking.  It is not new…or exciting.  It is just my predictable favorite: pasta.  But it made a satisfying summer meal.  And it came together quickly and easily because it was just a matter of pulling together a bunch of stuff I had in my pantry… and applying techniques I use in the kitchen all the time.    

As I scanned my pantry Saturday there was a lot to choose from.  (The truth is that if you cook regularly, you will almost always have the means at your disposal to make some kind of a meal.)  Much of what I had required more cooking than I was in the mood for.  But my eyes fell on the last of some pesto that I had made for a quick meal for a client (it was carrot top pesto…but any green “herb” pesto—basil, arugula, kale—would have been good) and some corn that I had “roasted” while I had the grill on to make a pizza a few days ago.  

Early in my career I started keeping a spiral bound notebook to jot down things I cooked or baked at home (I had other notebooks for the professional kitchens in which I worked).  This is a great practice when you are learning to cook.  Record your successes and your failures…along with a note or two about why it was a success or failure. (Make notes in your cookbooks too.)  All of this knowledge will come in handy and help hone your skills.  I have referred back to mine many times over the years.  It has been a while since I made an entry.  I probably should have been keeping notes in it during this past year.  (I actually have kept notes…knowing that many of the meals will be turned into recipes for my classes and clients.  Unfortunately they are on random pieces of paper that I will have to hunt for when I want them.)  Anyway, the pesto and roasted corn reminded me of a pasta that I was pretty sure I had jotted down in that notebook.  

When I looked, I found that I had. What I made wasn’t an exact duplicate of the original (I think I sautéed the corn in the original…and I’m certain I didn’t use carrot top pesto)…but having my notes filled out the rest of the flavors of the dish:  cherry tomatoes (always on my counter in the summer)…as well as standard pantry items (garlic, olive oil, vinegar, herbs and Parmesan/Pecorino). 

The method I used to prepare/warm the cherry tomatoes is from a long ago favorite from the book Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza & Calzone by Alice Waters.  Cherry tomatoes are halved and warmed gently (they should hold their shape) in a generous quantity of olive oil, finished with vinegar, tossed with long thin pasta and topped with a shower of toasted breadcrumbs.  If you have an abundance of beautiful, tiny cherry tomatoes, Waters’ pasta is a great dish to make. 

For my pasta I started with Waters’ method for the tomatoes...then added a tiny clove of chopped garlic and my roasted corn...and warmed everything through.  I let it sit off the heat while I cooked the pasta so that the ingredients would have a chance to get to know one another.  When the pasta was done I combined this “sauce” with the pasta, pesto, pasta water, and a handful of arugula (chopped).  I topped it all with a finely grated mix of Parmesan and Pecorino. 

I will make it again.  I hope others will give it a try too.  But mostly, I hope people will be inspired to get into the kitchen and cook—even if it’s just something simple and “boring.” 

Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes, Corn & Pesto 

For 1 portion (multiplies easily for more):

1 1/2 to 2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. (75 to 85 g.) small cherry tomatoes, halved
A very small clove of garlic, minced
1 t. sherry vinegar (red or white wine vinegar will work, too)
1/2 c. (75 g.) cooked (roasted…grilled….) corn kernels
90 g. gemelli, gigli, fusilli (long or short cut), or strozzapreti—any noodle with some nice nooks and crannies will work
2 T. pesto
2 to 3 T. chopped arugula (or basil)
Parmesan and/or Pecorino, finely grated

Place the oil, tomatoes, garlic and a generous sprinkling of salt in a sauté pan large enough to hold the pasta and vegetables.  Gently warm until the tomatoes have begun to soften slightly (but aren’t losing their shape.  Add the corn along with several grindings of pepper and heat through.  Add the vinegar and toss to combine.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Remove from the heat and let sit while the pasta cooks. 

Cook the pasta in a large pot of well salted water until al dente.  When the pasta is cooked, scoop out some of the pasta water and set aside.  Drain the pasta and add to the pan of vegetables along with the pesto, a tablespoon or two of the pasta water and the chopped arugula.  Toss until the pasta and vegetables are coated in a light, fluid, pesto-y sauce. Transfer to a serving plate and top with Parmesan and/or Pecorino.

Note:  If you don’t have a sauté pan large enough to hold the vegetables and pasta, you can toss the pasta with the sauce/vegetables in the pot in which you cooked the pasta.  Just drain the pasta (not forgetting to save some of the water) and return it with the sauce to the pot.

Printable Version

Raw Zucchini Salad

One of the things I love about my new home is my kitchen.  It will come as no surprise to hear that during my home search one of my “must haves” was a good kitchen.  It didn’t have to be state of the art—but it had to be highly functional.  The kitchen I got exceeded my wildest expectations.  I love it…and have enjoyed getting to know it over the past year or so.

But of course, nothing is ever perfect.  During the past two summers I have discovered one thing that I really miss about my old kitchen:  its location in the house.   My old kitchen was just off a large great room that had a two story vaulted ceiling.  The house thermostat was located on the opposite side of the great room.  Without even thinking about it—even on the hottest days of summer—I was in the habit of firing up my oven for tasks hot and large (pizza) as well as things small and moderate (toasting a handful of nuts to top pasta or a salad).  The heat from the oven just wafted out of the kitchen and rose up into the heights of the great room ceiling, never making it as far as the thermostat. The kitchen never got overly hot…and the A/C never had to work any harder to make up for the heat being pumped out of my oven.  In my blissful ignorance I baked and roasted my ways through the long hot summers, always a bit mystified when people in classes commented that they loved my summer pizzas, but they had no intention of turning their oven up to that kind of temperature in the summer.

Fast forward to my new home and kitchen….with its nice powerful convection oven and poorly placed house thermostat (in a small hall area right off the kitchen).   Even though the layout of the house is open, the ceilings are of a standard height.  That, coupled with a smaller space in general, makes it so the temperature in the house can quickly become overwhelmed by my nice powerful oven.  If I turn it on—even for a few minutes—the temperature in a good portion of the house begins to climb…and the A/C begins to run non-stop.  

I don’t share any of this to complain.  Rather, I mention it because it has forced me to become a bit more creative and efficient—which is always a good thing.  The worst issues were solved with a few strategically placed fans (at least turning on the oven doesn’t make the thermostat go up even when the A/C is running!).  I also plan now about when and how I will use my oven.  And as often as possible I double and triple up on tasks:  If the oven is on to make coffeecake (a non-negotiable essential), I toast nuts (in larger batches)…or roast a couple of ears of corn…or bake a bunch of beets.  This way, later in the week, when I want nuts or corn (or beets) for a cold salad, the oven doesn’t even come into play.  

Another change has been in the things I eat—choosing to eat something in its raw state rather than cooked.  Today’s salad is a case in point.  I have always added zucchini to pastas, salads, quiche…quesadillas…all summer long—almost always in its cooked form (roasted, broiled, sautéed, etc.).  When I have chosen to eat it raw I have always felt it necessary to shave it in long ribbons or thin and wide cross sections.  It’s delicious this way, but not always appropriate.

Recently I saw a salad of thick-ish batonnets of raw zucchini on the NY Times Instagram feed.  It included nuts…and herbs…and cheese…and a tangy dressing—but they were just garnish.  It was basically an all out raw zucchini experience.  I was intrigued…and a bit dubious…but I made a mental note to try it sometime.

Later in the week I was making a BLT for dinner and needed a quick side dish.  I had recently come into an abundance of zucchini.  I thought of that salad.  The vinaigrette for the salad was more involved than I wanted—and the salad included toasted almonds (I had raw…)—so I made a few changes.  I had some of the vinaigrette left that I always use on raw late spring/early summer vegetable salads and I thought it would do nicely.  And I used some toasted and salted sunflower seeds that I had on hand and wouldn’t require the oven.  It was delicious.  I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the soft crunch of the zucchini.  To be honest, I think the additional hard crunch of almonds would have been a bit much, so I was glad I had had to use the sunflower seeds instead.

In the days that have followed I have made this style of zucchini the base of my lunch time salad on several occasions.  I almost always add roasted corn (I keep it in a container in the fridge) and cherry tomatoes.  My nut of choice is walnuts (toasted in quantity, salted & oiled, and kept in my pantry), but occasionally I will use sunflower seeds.  Sometimes I use the shaved Pecorino called for in the recipe, but more often than not I opt for big crumbles of Feta.  Arugula makes a great addition…as does mint.  But if you don’t have either of these on hand, it is delicious without.  I’m guessing basil or parsley leaves would be good, too.  And that dressing I had on hand that first time?  It has become the standard.  I have since made a big batch.

It should be obvious that this is a highly adaptable salad. The main thing to keep in mind is the seasoning.  In looking at the recipe and in thinking of my own experience with raw vegetables in general—and zucchini in particular—it seemed to me that salt and acid are the keys to the success of the salad.  So a salty cheese, a tangy vinaigrette, and careful salting are a must.  If you don't have a salty cheese, some olives would be a good addition.  Other than that, feel free to improvise with ingredients—using a nice balance of crunchy, soft, and juicy ingredients.   As for quantities, the ones I’m giving in the recipe are just a guide.  I never weigh when I make this salad—I just add larger and smaller handfuls of the ingredients.  And that’s what you should do too.  The only reason there are weights and measures in my recipe is to give you a place to start.  The last time I made it, I weighed everything as I put it into the bowl for the purpose of posting a recipe.

I realize of course that most of the rest of the world has been having to make these summer cooking adjustments all along—that I was truly spoiled.  But that’s ok.  I have no desire to trade my new kitchen for my old.  I’ll just keep adjusting.  My next operation keep-the-house-cool project will be making friends with my neglected Weber.  Grilled pizza, here I come. 

Raw Zucchini Salad

With Roasted Corn, Cherry Tomatoes & Feta

For one lunch-sized salad (recipe multiplies easily):

1 small zucchini/summer squash (about 2 1/2 oz), cut into quarter-inch batonnets
1/2 c. (about 2 1/2 oz.) roasted corn kernels
1/2 c./2 oz. cherry tomatoes, quartered (or halved of very small)
A small handful/1/2 oz. arugula
20 g./3 T. toasted, oiled & salted walnuts, coarsely crumbled or 1 1/2 T. oiled and salted sunflower seeds
1 oz. crumbled Feta (used a good quality Feta packed in brine) or shaved Pecorino
Salt & Pepper
1 1/2 to 2 T. Basic Tangy Vinaigrette (below)

Place the first six ingredients in a bowl.  

Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette, toss to combine. Taste and correct the seasoning…adding more vinaigrette if you like.  Mound on a plate and serve!

Notes: 

• Quantities should be to taste.  I have given amounts only as a starting point.  You should alter to suit your preferences and your palate.
• Salad is delicious with a handful of fresh mint leaves.

Basic Tangy Vinaigrette:
1 T. finely minced shallot
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 T. Dijon mustard
3/4 c. oil—olive oil, or half olive oil and half vegetable oil
1 T. finely minced parsley

Place the shallot, garlic, vinegar, pepper and a half teaspoon of kosher salt in the cup of an immersion blender...or regular blender.  Let sit for five minutes.  Add the mustard. With the blender running, add the oil in a thin stream to form a thick, emulsified dressing.  Add the parsley and process briefly...or simply stir in.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Makes 1 cup vinaigrette.

The dressing keeps at least two weeks in the refrigerator.  If all olive oil is used, it will solidify under refrigeration and you will need to bring to room temperature before using.  When made with half vegetable oil it will still be pourable when cold.

Note: You may add the parsley with the Dijon...just be aware that your vinaigrette will have a pale green cast to it.

(Vinaigrette recipe from Cooking with the Seasons by Monique Jamet Hooker)


Printable Version

Corn, Kohlrabi & Pancetta Sauté

One morning last week I received a message from an old friend of my family’s.  Her husband had been trout fishing over the weekend and they had a lot of fresh trout.  She offered me some.  I had plans for the day…and meeting her would require driving a bit…but fresh trout!  My plans could be changed.

As I thought about cooking it I mentally ran through the list of vegetables in my pantry.  I always lean toward the classics, but classic trout preparations focus more on the preparation of the fish…not on the vegetables.  Usually the trout is quickly sautéed—just long enough to crisp the skin—then finished with salty and tangy/mildly acidic ingredients: browned butter with almonds…lemon and capers…bacon/pancetta, garlic and toasted breadcrumbs…and always including aromatic parsley.  Since the fish itself is pretty mild, I focused on the flavors at play in these traditional accompaniments as I considered my vegetables.

I like corn with fish of all kinds and I had recently purchased some of my first ears of the summer, so I thought I would start there.  The combo of pancetta, garlic and parsley from Madeleine Kamman’s trout dish from the Aveyron had initially appealed to me…and I knew these ingredients would go well with the corn.  

Pancetta, garlic and parsley also made me think of a kohlrabi-sauced pasta I had made for dinner a few days prior.  The kohlrabi in this dish is diced small—about the size of a kernel of corn.  And corn and kohlrabi are delicious together. Suddenly there it was…a simple sauté of corn, kohlrabi and pancetta (with garlic, spring onions and parsley).  I knew it would be delicious.

The corn I used in my dish had already been roasted.  I have been in the habit for several years now of keeping a container of roasted corn in the fridge all through summer corn season.  Having it on hand makes it easy to quickly prepare the roasted corn salads I love (with tomatoes…avocado…summer squash…shell beans and roasted peppers…).  But if you don’t have any roasted corn on hand…and you don’t feel like heating up your kitchen just to roast an ear of corn, you could just add the corn to the sauté in its raw state.  Add it with the spring onions. 

I have written the recipe as I made it:  for one person.  But it is easily multiplied for as many as you will be serving.   Simply choose a sauté pan that is just large enough to hold all the vegetables in a snug single layer. 

My trout dish really was delicious.  But you don’t have to have trout to make this corn and kohlrabi sauté.  A few days after I made it with the trout, I prepared it again (so I could write down the recipe), but I used halibut instead of trout.  I think any kind of mild fish would be great.  Simply sauté the fish and finish it with a generous squeeze of lemon after you remove it from the pan.  And even though I conceived of the recipe as an accompaniment to fish, if you don’t like fish I’m sure it would make a fine accompaniment for a pork chop…or even a pan seared chicken breast.  And if you have never tasted kohlrabi, this dish would be a great way to try it out.

  

Corn, Kohlrabi, & Pancetta Sauté

For each serving you will need:

1 t. butter

1/2 oz. pancetta, minced or diced

1 small kohlrabi, peeled and cut in a 1/4-inch dice—you’ll have about 1/2 cup or 2 oz.

Olive oil

1 small spring onion (or scallion), white and equal quantity of green, thinly sliced

1 clove green garlic (or a small clove regular garlic), minced

1/3 to 1/2 cup roasted corn kernels (about 2 oz.)—see notes

2 to 3 t. minced flat leaf parsley

Choose a sauté pan that is large enough to hold the corn and kohlrabi in a snug single layer.  Place the pan over moderate heat and add half of the butter.  When the butter has melted, add the pancetta.  When it has rendered and begun to turn golden (2 to 3 minutes), transfer it to a plate using a slotted spoon.   The pancetta should still be slightly soft and chewy (not crisp).

If the pan seems dry (there should be enough fat in the pan to coat the kohlrabi), add a little olive oil.  Add the kohlrabi to the pan along with a pinch of salt.  Let the kohlrabi sizzle gently, stirring occasionally, until it is mostly tender—perhaps five minutes or so.  Add the remaining butter along with the onions and garlic.  

Cook until the onions are beginning to soften and everything is fragrant—about 2 minutes.  If at this point the kohlrabi isn’t tender enough for your liking, add a splash of water and simmer gently until it is, replenishing the water as necessary.  You should not need to cook it too much longer.  When the kohlrabi is tender, allow the water to reduce/evaporate until the kohlrabi is once again gently sizzling in the fat.  Add the corn along with the cooked pancetta and heat through.  Toss in the parsley.  Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Serve hot.

Notes: 

• To roast corn, preheat the oven to 375° (or thereabout). Place the corn, in the husk, directly on the oven rack and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the corn from the oven. As soon as you are able to handle the corn, peel the husks and silks back so that the corn won't continue to cook. Cut the corn kernels away from the cob and enjoy...or use in a recipe. A typical ear of Midwestern summer corn yields about a cup of kernels.
• If you don't have roasted corn on hand (I keep it on hand during the summer for salads, pilafs, etc.) and don't want to turn your oven on I'm sure you could use fresh corn kernels in this recipe. Add with the spring onions. You may need to add a bit more butter or olive oil to the pan.

Printable Version

Farro with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Mint & Walnuts

The official start of autumn is this coming week.  But other than the changing of the light, there has been little indication from the elements that we are approaching fall.  September has, for the most part, been unusually warm.  Even during the week of rain we had earlier this month, it was a warm rain…it didn’t have the chilly feel that a spate of September rain usually brings.  And although I love fall, I’m not complaining.  I love summer too.  

I mostly point all this out to say that the foods of fall have snuck up on me. The market is beginning to fill with pumpkins, hard winter squash, apples, pears and cool season root vegetables (ready for harvest because of the waning of the light I would imagine…).  But I am still hungry for the foods of late summer:  fresh tomatoes, corn, summer squash, green beans, etc.  And thanks to the warm weather they are still in good supply.  So in the spirit of this moment, today I am offering a cool, late summer farro salad…filled with corn and tomatoes.  The calendar may soon say “fall,” but I anticipate being hungry for this salad for as long as the corn and tomatoes keep coming into the market (easily for another couple of weeks…).

The dish is a loose adaptation of a recipe in a recent addition to my cookbook library: the insightfully named Six Seasons (by Joshua McFadden).  The premise of the book is that summer—at least as far as food is concerned—is really three seasons.  Early summer includes tender young root vegetables and the tail end of the spring crops.  Midsummer is the season of melons, cucumbers, summer squash, several brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, etc), and green beans.  Late summer brings the full flush of tomatoes, peppers of all kinds, eggplant, sweet corn and shell beans.   Depending on where you live, his breakdown of the harvest will be slightly different from yours (in the Midwest, for example, I can get delicious local sweet corn all summer long), but in general, I love the idea behind his book.  I have always felt like “summer” was too vague a definition of the harvest.  Almost since I began teaching, my summer roster has included farmers’ market classes designated “Early,” “High,” and “Late” Summer.  Not only are the crops different, but each mini-season has a particular feel to it.  He captures and explains all of this very well.  Needless to say, I’m really enjoying this book.

I altered his farro and corn salad to suit my pantry.  He includes scallions, which I don’t tend to keep on hand.  But I always have red onion in my pantry…and I love it thinly shaved in salads.  The recipe calls for handfuls of basil and mint.  Unfortunately my basil had succumbed to a fungus the week before I ran across this recipe.  But I happened to have some lovely arugula—which is my usual stand in for basil during the spring and early summer months.  I thought it worked very well in this salad.  Finally, McFadden adds torn croutons (similar to those that I prepared for my BLAT salad a few posts back) to give some texture.  I didn’t have any of the right kind of bread thawed (and I was rushing to get dinner on the table), so I achieved a bit of crunch with a few lightly toasted and crumbled walnuts. They were just the thing.  And finally, I gilded the salad with a shower of crumbled Feta—whose salty, tangy presence makes one of the best summer salad garnishes imaginable.  I’m sure the original salad was good…but I loved my version.

This salad was not just delicious...  Like all good food, it was right for the moment.  It was filled with the vegetable fruits of the current season:  the last of the sweet corn, the final abundant flush of cherry tomatoes, and fresh mint from my garden (newly invigorated from a recent week of rain).  And it came together quickly on a day when I was short on time and much more in the mood to be out of doors enjoying the tail end of the warm summer weather than in a hot kitchen cooking.  I guess I'd have to say it was just about perfect food for the tail end of summer.  If you have the ingredients on hand...and you are still experiencing a spell of warm summer weather...you should definitely give it a try.    

 

Late Summer Farro Salad with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes, Mint & Walnuts

I have given measured amounts of all of the components of this salad because I know a lot of people like exact amounts, but this is definitely a “to taste” kind of salad.  Please view the measurements as guidelines and adjust to suit your taste…  More or less onion…  More or less mint…  Etc….

3 T. olive oil

2 cloves peeled garlic, lightly crushed

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes

1 c. pearled or semi-pearled farro, rinsed

4 c. water

1 t. kosher salt

3 or 4 ears of sweet corn, roasted in the husk or raw, as you prefer

1/2 of a small red onion (about 2 oz.)

1 pint (10 to 12 oz) cherry tomatoes (mixed colors, if available), halved

1/2 c. (2 oz.) walnuts, toasted and coarsely crumbled

a large handful of arugula (1 oz.)

a handful of mint leaves (10 to 12 grams…or about 2/3 cup)…to taste…

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

1/4 t. hot pepper flakes

1/2 t. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 c. (or so) olive oil

2 to 3 oz. coarsely crumbled Feta

In a wide saucepan with a tight fitting lid, warm the olive oil over moderate heat.  Add the garlic cloves and pepper flakes and gently cook for a few moments until the garlic starts to acquire a light golden color.  

Add the farro and stir to coat in the oil.  Continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring pretty much constantly.  The farro will begin to darken and give off a toast-y aroma. 

Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce the heat to low.  Cook until the farro is tender, but still has texture—anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, depending on the type of farro you are using.  Let the farro sit off the heat for 5 minutes.  Drain well and spread on a sheet pan to cool.  If you’re in a hurry, place the sheet pan in the fridge.

If you are roasting the corn, you may do so while the farro cooks.  Place the corn in the husk directly on the rack of a 375° oven.  Roast for 20 minutes.  Remove the corn from the oven and using towels to grab the corn, peel the husks back and allow the corn to cool on a rack.  When cool enough to handle, remove the silks.  If using raw corn, simply remove the husks and silks.  Cut the kernels away from the cobs and use the back of your knife to scrape the cobs clean of the milky pulp still embedded in the cob.  You should have about 3 cups of kernels.

While the farro cooks and the corn roasts, cut the core out of the onion and slice very thinly lengthwise (preferably with a mandolin slicer).  You should have 1/3 to 1/2 cup loosely packed sliced red onion.  Place the onion in a bowl and cover with ice water.  Let sit for about 15 minutes.  Drain well and blot dry with paper towels.

When all the components are ready, place all of the ingredients except the olive oil and Feta in a large bowl.  Toss to combine.   Taste and adjust the seasonings so that the salad is vibrant.  Drizzle in the olive oil and toss.  Taste and adjust again.  Serve chilled or at a cool room temperature.  When ready to serve, mound on individual plates or a serving platter and scatter the Feta over all.   Serves 4 to 5.

Printable Version