"Straight from the Garden" Pasta

I get quiet excited when I see the first red, orange or yellow cherry tomatoes in my garden. I have lots of different vegetables planted, but tomatoes are the star of my backyard. Tomatoes and zucchini overlap for just a few weeks, and this pasta dish is one of my very favorites so the second there are enough tomatoes on those vines, I pick them just for this dish. This recipe gets completely elevated with the use of fresh tomatoes, from your garden, the farmer's market or from a generous friend. It makes all the difference in this dish so hunt them out if you need to!

Another highlight of this summer meal is that there is no cooking involved. The only thing you need to know how to do is boil water. Seriously. Even if you think you can't cook, you CAN make this dish! And it is really good. Dinner party good. Make it.


Tomato and Zucchini Linguine
adapted from Food & Wine Magazine July 2009

Serves 4-5

1 zucchini or 3 baby zucchini sliced thinly
3/4-1 lb cherry tomatoes (I try to use orange, yellow and red to make the dish more colorful)- chopped (the amount is whatever I can pick)
2 cloves garlic- minced
handful of basil- chopped
handful of parsley- chopped
1 small hot pepper- minced (I use whatever I grow... usually jalapeno)
2 tsp kosher salt (it sounds like a lot, but if you don't trust me on this, you can do 1 first, then add more as you see... but once you add the pasta it all comes together.)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
12-16 ounces linguine (or other long strand pasta..whatever you have in the pantry, as you can see from my picture, I used fettuccine the last time I made this)


Combine all ingredients (except pasta) in a large bowl.

While the flavors of the sauce come together, bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to box directions.

Drain pasta, combine with sauce, toss and plate! If you like, you can shave Parmigiano-Reggiano on top, though I like to leave mine cheese-less. I think the flavors come through best on their own.

Stuffed Zucchini

I don't know about you, but I am drowning in zucchini. My garden is producing in overtime this summer and every day I am picking 2-4 zucchini and summer squash. This past week I had gotten to the point that even with giving away a fair amount, one of my produce drawers was full. With no where left to turn, I sat down with recipe book, cookbooks and my laptop and decided this would be the week when we finally used up all these courgettes.

Of course I was excited about a challenge involving one vegetable over the course of six meals, though I can't say the same for my husband or child. Michael was never a huge fan and Jack isn't exactly a lover of vegetables at this stage in his life. This didn't stop me. By the end of the week (though at this time I still have the sixth and final recipe to go) I think I made a zucchini lover out of my husband and my son. The one night that we ate out this week, Jack actually asked the waitress if they had zucchini pizza and proceeded to order and eat it. Score one for me!!

This particular recipe was my husband's favorite of the week. He has actually already requested that I make it again. Jack's favorite was a pasta dish with raw tomatoes and zucchini and mine was a grilled cheese. In honor of the abundance of this vegetable over the season, I'll post another recipe soon. This stuffed zucchini dish is the best way to use up those extraordinarily large ones hiding in the garden or that are sitting at the farm stand waiting for someone to buy them, but any size zucchini will work.

I love this dish because I feel that you can't go wrong with Mediterranean flavors. The combination of shrimp, dill and feta is classic Greek. You could even throw in some chopped calamata olives to the mixture to add another layer of flavor. Just adjust the seasoning accordingly.


Feta and Shrimp Stuffed Zucchini
adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, July 2009
serves 3-4


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped dill
3-4 zucchini, halved lengthwise (I made this with only 1 large zucchini and had extra filling for another meal, I would say 1 zucchini per person for a dinner)
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta


Preheat the oven to 425°.

In a skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, fennel and garlic and cook over medium high heat, stirring, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook, mashing, until thickened, 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove from the heat; let cool slightly. Stir in the shrimp, parsley and dill.

Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the zucchini, leaving a 1/4-inch shell all around. Rub with oil. Season the zucchini shells with salt and pepper and stuff with the filling. Transfer to a lightly oiled roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes, until the filling is cooked through and the zucchini is just tender.

Preheat the broiler and position a rack 6 inches from the heat. Top the zucchini with the feta and broil for 5 minutes, until the feta is melted and golden. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Chard & Gruyere Quiche

You know you have a winner when all plates and platters of a certain dish are left with only a few crumbs and your guests are asking where the seconds are. I am not usually a quiche person, but this week I have made this dish twice. That's how good I think this is. I found that you can make this tart a day ahead and warm it in the oven before serving it, taking pressure off cooking right before you have company over. Big bonus!!

So this week was my son's 3rd birthday and I decided it would be fun to host THREE birthday parties for him. Well, not only host, but COOK for THREE birthday parties. I'm a sucker for punishment. One way I stayed sane was to make the same dish (this quiche) for a couple of the parties. To not make things terribly boring for myself and my repeat guests, I changed up the flavors of the quiche. One day it was spinach, another it was chard. One day it was cheddar cheese, two days later it was gruyere. Scallions and then Spanish onion. You really could have a bunch of different combinations for this to keep it fresh.

As the title of this entry implies, the chard, gruyere and Spanish onion version was my (and my repeat guest's) favorite. Feel free to mix and match to appease your taste buds! Make this and serve with a big garden salad and you have a perfect light dinner.


Chard Quiche
Adapted from Bon Appetit (Spinach Quiche), October 1991

My go to tart shell recipe follows this one. If you don't feel confident or have the time to make your own crust you can use pre-made (though this recipe is pretty fool proof!!)

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup half and half (or milk)
3 eggs (I always use extra large eggs for baking because Ina says so)
10 ounces chard, stems removed, chopped, steamed until fully wilted, cooled then squeezed dry (or you can use 10 ounce bag frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed dry)
1/2 cup grated gruyere (you could use cheddar instead)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup finely diced Spanish onion (you could also substitute any type of onion here- scallion, red, white, shallots)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 425°. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in half and half and eggs. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, about 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.


Simple Savory Tart Shell
adapted from an Ina Garten recipe (I have been using this for a while and don't use the recipe anymore so don't remember what book I got it out of!)

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
12 TBS unsalted butter- diced, very cold (keep in refrigerator up until you are ready to throw in the food processor)
3-4 TBS ice water


Place flour and salt in bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to incorporate them together. Add in butter and pulse 8-12 times until butter is the size of peas. With the machine on, add in the water (I do 3 TBS first, then add an extra if I need it). Once the dough comes together in a ball you can remove from food processor and dump it out onto a floured surface. Form into a dish, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350

When ready, roll out dough to about 1/8" thick and place in a 9 inch tart or pie plate. Fit to plate being careful not to pull or stretch the dough, otherwise it will shrink when it cooks. Cut off excess and place a piece of tin foil (with a thin layer of cooking spray on the side that will touch the dough) in the tart pan and then fill with bean or pie weights to ensure the crust doesn't puff up (this is called blind baking). Cook for 20 minutes. Remove the tin foil and beans, prick he bottom of the shell with a fork and cook for another 10 minutes. At this point you can cool completely before filling or finish immediately with the rest of the quiche recipe (don't forget to increase the oven temperature!)

Cherry Clafoutis

I know I owe you all a savory dish at this point, but I couldn't move on until I shared this recipe. Cherry season doesn't last forever so you'll need to jump on these delicious fruit before they are gone. Basically a clafoutis is fruit topped with a pancake like batter and baked until puffed and golden. VERY simple. Traditionally this French dessert is made with cherries, and after my first experience making it, I would say that there is a reason for that.

Last Sunday I went to the Chester Sunday Market. It is by far my favorite farmer's market here in Connecticut. There are so many amazing vendors and I always feel very inspired while walking around. Last week was no exception. In addition to buying my first whole fish (a post for another day!), I purchased a half pound of tart cherries grown here in Glastonbury. I had never had fresh sour cherries, and they definitely put a pucker on my face. I was very excited about how they could be transformed.

So that was last Sunday. The entire week flew by and before I knew it, it was Friday and those darn cherries were still sitting in my refrigerator starting to go bad. It was 9 PM when I decided on my plan of action. A little late for starting a recipe but I was afraid that if I waited a few more days they would go to waste. I thought I would make them for a BBQ I was attending the next day (though clafoutis and BBQ don't really sound like they go together....). Well it turns out that I didn't have enough cherries to share, so I halved my recipe and made just enough for me! I also didn't finish getting everything together until 10 PM and decided that I wouldn't be up until 11 waiting for dessert to cook, so took the risk in placing the uncooked clafoutis in the fridge and then baked it off the next morning. Well obviously we know how the story ended (otherwise I would be writing about pasta salad or zucchini). Clafoutis will be my new go to dessert. Maybe not for a BBQ, but definitely for a nice intimate gathering. This is best served a bit warm with some fresh cream, gelato or just some powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Or, if you are like me, you can just eat it out of the fridge between holiday weekend outings!


Cherry Clafoutis

Serves 6-8

(As I mentioned in my post, I halved this recipe for myself and used 4 individual pie plates. I simply divided the cherries and batter among the plates and baked for 30 minutes instead of 40.)

1 pound tart cherries, pitted
6 plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (if you can only find sweet cherries, half the amount of sugar, or if you like it less sweet, adjust the sugar as you like)
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for pan
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie dish.

Combine the pitted cherries with brandy and 6 tablespoons sugar. Let macerate for 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove cherries to the baking dish, reserving the liquid.

In a bowl, combine flour, remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, salt, milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, and liquid from cherries. Beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides if needed. Pour batter over cherries. Bake for 40 minutes until batter is set and golden brown. Let cool a bit before serving. Serve with fresh whipped cream or ice cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.

Strawberry Retraction

Okay, so I make mistakes sometimes. I get excited about something and my blinders come on. I have in the past month made two statements I no longer find true.

1. I love a strawberry rhubarb pie, but have really fallen in love with the flavor of rhubarb on it's own.

Yes, I still love rhubarb, but have decided it is truly the best when paired with strawberry (Sorry Martha!!) I came to this conclusion when vacationing in Maine this past week and found that the rhubarb and strawberry seasons here overlap (!!!!). We were at the farmer's market and I decided I need to make something with both. Hence I ended up adapting my "Rhubarb Crisp" recipe to include strawberries. It was DIVINE!!! Which leads me to retraction #TWO:

2. I am a strawberry purist. If I am going to eat a strawberry during it's season, I am not cooking it.

I cooked it. With the rhubarb. In the crisp. I can not get enough. PERIOD. If you can still find rhubarb make this dessert before both they and the strawberries are gone again until next year.

Strawberry/Rhubarb Crisp

serves 6-8

1 1/2 lbs rhubarb- cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 pint GOOD strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

for the topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 TBS unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375

For the filling, combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, and flour in an 3-quart baking dish. Let macerate (the reaction between the sugar and the rhubarb will make the rhubarb start letting out its juice) for 15 to 20 minutes.

For the topping, combine flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a large bowl. Work dry ingredients with fingers until all butter is absorbed.

Spread topping over rhubarb. Bake crisp until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 40-50 minutes.

What to Eat Where You Are

I'll admit I am not like most people when I travel on vacation. Usually people like to get away from the domestic chores that they are obligated to at home. Vacation is the time to let someone else do the cleaning and cooking. Not for me. When I travel (within driving distance mind you..) more than half my car is loaded up with food and cooking equipment. I never know what type of wonderful food I am going to find at my destination, especially with the bounty of summer upon us in the Northeast. This held especially true for my most recent vacation to the Southern coast of Maine. Known for their bountiful seafood selection, I couldn't wait to get there and get cooking.

I actually already had a plan before we even left Connecticut. I knew that I wanted to make something with lots of different types of seafood. I also knew that this dish needed to be easy (I was on vacation...) and impressive and quickly decided on Paella. Paella is a very adaptable dish. You can pretty much make it with anything you have laying around or access too. I obviously knew that I would have fresh lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp and scallops readily available. All I needed was a quick trip to Whole Foods before leaving for vacation. There I picked up basmati rice, Spanish onions and chorizo, then grabbed a few pantry staples (garlic, saffron and olive oil) and freezer basics (chicken stock) from home. I was ready to travel! (I did forget my paella pan, but luckily remembered before my in-laws had left LI and brought one for me.. WHEW!! Close call!! )

We made the Paella on a Saturday, and spent most of that day scouring the Maine roadside for my fresh ingredients. My husband Mike and I were quite a sight on our bikes, peddling around picking up our seafood. We found the lobsters at the farmer's market and had them cooked right there for only $1. Into my bike basket. Next stop was finding a good fish market to pick up the rest. After finally getting a tip, we almost ended up getting killed while biking down a main 4 lane road. After arriving and picking our littleneck clams, mussels and scallops (all locally caught), we had them packed on ice and in they also went into my basket. The bike ride back to the house left the top half of my body drenched in sweat and the bottom half drenched in the ice melting out of my basket. I was quite a sight, but the trip was well worth it. Dinner turned out amazingly and we now have a great tradition to repeat again next summer.


Beach Vacation Paella

Serves 6

3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 package Spanish chorizo (cured), sliced
2 large Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 cups basmati rice
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp saffron, crumbled
1/2 white wine (use whatever you plan on drinking with dinner! I like Albarino, a Spanish white more on the fruity side that goes great with seafood)
1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 dozen mussels, scrubbed and debearded
6-8 sea scallops (you could also use bay scallops if that is what you had), sliced in half if really large
2 1 pound chick lobsters, steamed, and meat removed (or equivilant), cut into bite size chunks
2-3 TBS Italian parsley, finely chopped

Preheat over to 375

Heat 2 TBS oil in 15 inch Paella pan (brazier) or heavy bottomed roasting pan over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook 5-6 minutes, or until chorizo is browned on both sides. Add onions and garlic. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until onion are all softened. Transfer chorizo mixture to a bowl.

Add another TBS oil in same pan and add rice. Cook until lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add stock, chorizo mixture, saffron, seasonings and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 15 minutes uncovered.

Meanwhile, bring wine to a boil in a small saucepan. Add clams and cook 3-5 minutes or until shells just open. Remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with mussels. Throw away any that do not open. Reserve cooking liquid.

Nestle lobster meat, clams, mussels and scallops into rice. Drizzle wine/shellfish liquid reserve over rice/seafood. Bake at 375 on lowest spot in oven for about 10 minutes or until lobster is heated through, scallops are cooked and all liquid is absorbed.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Tartines

Fabulous weekend. Fabulous food. Two weekends ago I hosted and catered my BF's baby shower. Talk about pressure... didn't want to screw this one up!!! The smartest move I made was everything I served can be, and was, made in advance. The menu consisted of three types of tartines (open-faced sandwiches), my favorite Greek salad , watermelon gazpacho, and then mini lemon tarts. The piece de resistance was the most amazingly beautiful and delicious cake made by Caitlin's friend Dorothy. After the party was over I had lots of requests for my recipes, so thought this would be a great place to put them so everyone could get their hands on some good lunch ideas.

You can pretty much turn anything into a tartine. They are traditionally French breakfast fare, with either butter, jam or cheese spread on bread. If you go to a French bakery these days you can find tartines with pretty much anything you would normally put in a sandwich, which is where I got my inspiration. I love sandwiches, but who needs all that bread (though there are plenty of times I want or NEED two slices)! If you have a great topping you won't even miss that extra slice, or you can try different topping in the same meal! These make a great light lunch and are great for a party (as I found out!) You can make the topping a day or two in advance and then buy your bread the day of your lunch/party and assemble right before serving.




Mango-Cashew Chicken Salad


makes about 3 cups (can be double, tripled, etc I tripled it for 26 people and had about a 1/3 left over)

1/3 cup mayonnaise (SPECTRUM!!)
2 TBS apricot preserves ( I like Bon Maman)
1/2 tsp curry powder
juice of 1/2 lime
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 cups cooked chicken- cubed (I think it is best to do this part yourself, but feel free to buy a rotisserie)
1 mango, peeled and diced (make sure it is not super soft otherwise the mango won't hold up in the salad)
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup scallion, sliced
1 TBS chopped cilantro
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and chopped ( you don't need to toast if you want to make this quicker)

Combine mayo, preserves, curry, lime juice and seasonings in a large bowl.

Fold in chicken, mango, celery, scallions and cilantro. Add cashews right before serving.



Dilled Egg Salad


makes enough for 16-20 tartines

1 dozen eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Hellman's is the best for this dish)
3 tsp whole grain mustard
1 TBS chopped fresh dill
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Place eggs in a pot of cold water, making sure they are covered. Bring water to boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Shut off heat and let sit in hot water for 5 more minutes. Place eggs (gently) in a bowl of cold water and let cool. Peel eggs and let cool completely.

Place eggs and rest of ingredients in bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth and spreadable.