Green Beans with Feta and Olives

The green beans are here, the green beans are here, and this combination with feta and Kalamata olives is great served warm or at room temperature. Start by coarsely chopping a half a cup of pitted Kalamata olives while your steamer or water for blanching is heating up.

Next, snap the stems off of your beans and steam for five minutes or blanch for one and immediately drain and combine with the chopped olives, some crumbled feta, and a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and coarse salt. That’s it, when the local vegetables are this good less is best.

Red Wine Vinaigrette

Mason jars aren’t only for canning and Bloody Mary’s, they also make the perfect gadget for making and storing salad dressings. And this one like most vinaigrettes will keep for weeks in the fridge, even with a bit of red wine.

To your mason jar add a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil, a couple tablespoons of both red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard, two teaspoons of red wine, a pinch of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Screw on the lid and shake vigorously for about ten seconds or until the dressing looks opaque. It will pretty much taste great on any salad including this endive, corn, cucumber, and scallion combination.

Macerated Strawberries

If you think strawberries are incredible as is you should try macerating them…wow! Sounds technical but it couldn’t be easier, although you do have to plan ahead as they should sit for at least an hour. 

In a large bowl quarter and toss a quart of strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar and a quarter cup of Limoncello, Rum, Vodka, or tequila. If kids are involved you may want to opt for a white Balsamic vinegar. That’s it...just them sit at room temperature until you’re ready to serve.

But don’t stop there, top them with a scoop of lemon sorbet and crumbled Lazzaroni Amaretti cookies. The combinations of sweet and sour, warm and cold, soft and crunchy will definitely make this one of your go to summer desserts.

Pimento Cheese Dip

July 4th brings out the best and worst in me food-wise, but no matter how you see it this classic dip from the South is undeniably satisfying….especially on a Ritz. In a large bowl stir together an 8 ounce bag each of shredded sharp white and sharp orange cheddar, half a cup of mayonnaise, 2 cups of finely chopped roasted peppers(jarred is fine), half a teaspoon of celery seeds, a splash of Tabasco sauce, and salt to taste. If there’s any left on July 5th it makes for an awesome grilled cheese and bacon sandwich. Happy 4th!

Thai Beef Salad

This is a great summer salad whether you’re grilling or using last night’s leftovers. For the dressing stir together the juice of two limes, a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil, a teaspoon each of soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, and half a teaspoon of sugar. Grill and thinly slice a half pound of flank steak and let rest in your salad bowl with half of your dressing. 

To serve add some chopped romaine, minced red onion or scallion, half a peeled and seeded cucumber, and a half cup of chopped mint, then simply toss with the remainder of the dressing. A sprinkle of sesame seeds are nice too if you happen to have them in the cupboard.

Parmesan Tater Tots

This is a great one now that the kids are out of school and you’ll enjoy them as much as they will. Start by piercing and roasting 1 1/2 pounds of red potatoes for approximately 45 minutes at 400, throw in a few unpeeled garlic cloves ten minutes before they’re done. Once fork tender transfer the potatoes immediately to an ice bath to cool rapidly while you peel and mash the softened garlic. Next, grate the unpeeled potatoes coarsely with a box grater and combine with the mashed garlic, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and half a cup of grated Parmesan.

With about a teaspoon of the potato mixture form into cylinders about an inch long and place on a generously olive oiled baking sheet until all the tots are made then bake for 40 minutes turning once halfway through. I highly recommend doubling up on this one, they disappeared way too quickly.

Octopus and White Beans with an Arugula Puree

Octopus is one of those things that until you try it you won’t believe how good it can be. Having only ever had it in restaurants I wasn't sure exactly how to attack it but as our local fish market had already cleaned and poached it all it really took was ten minutes on the grill.

While you’re warming up the grill puree two cloves of garlic, a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and two heaping handfuls of arugula in a Cuisinart or blender until it’s a smooth runny consistency. Drain and rinse a can of white beans and combine with the puree.

For grilling halve your octopus making sure to remove the small mouth area, sprinkle with salt, pepper, or smoked paprika, and grill for about five minutes per side or until firm. Then simply cut into small pieces and toss with your bean mixture and serve. If you prefer to sauté I would cut it into pieces first, and if arugula isn't your thing then extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and lemon juice would do just fine.

Grilled Vegetables

Grilling season has arrived, time to clean off the barbeque and stock up on charcoal or propane. And whether its steaks, fish, or chicken you might as well throw on some veggies if you’re going to be grilling anyway. Onions, zucchinis, and red peppers are a great combination and all it takes is tossing them with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper before placing them over the heat.

I find that slicing them on the thicker side helps to keep them from falling apart and a pair of long tongs makes for easy flipping. It’s also best to grill them before your meat and set them to the side so you don’t have to worry about managing different temps and the centers can continue to cook away from the direct heat. A drizzle of your best olive oil before serving isn’t such a bad idea either.

Stove Top Chicken Cacciatore

For this stove top version of Chicken Cacciatore cut your boneless chicken breasts in half and pound to a quarter inch thick before salting and browning each side for a few minutes in a large skillet then set aside. In the same pan sauté a chopped onion for approximately five minutes then add two thinly sliced green peppers and sauté for another ten to fifteen.  When they’re soft and starting to brown around the edges throw in three to five chopped garlic cloves and a half a teaspoon of ground black pepper. 

 Next, turn down the heat and add a half bottle of your favorite marinara and half a cup of chicken stock. Ten minutes before serving slide the chicken pieces into the heated sauce, simmer, salt to taste, and serve over egg noodles, rice, or polenta.

Tossed Salmon, Edamame, Fennel, and Olives

This is an amazingly perfect dish for a summer night.. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium high for several minutes before salt and peppering a couple of salmon filets and setting them in skin side up for approximately five minutes. Then flip and cook for another five.

Meanwhile, combine in a small bowl the juice of half an orange, a splash of rice wine or white vinegar, some extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Chili flakes are optional but recommended. Then in a large bowl add a thinly sliced fennel bulb, a bag of shelled edamame, a dozen chopped Kalamata olives, a scallion, and a generous handful of either basil or mint.

By this time your salmon should be cooked through. With a spatula place the filets on a side plate being careful to leave the salmon skins in the hot pan. Having removed the filets flip the skins and cook for another minute, they should be crispy but not burnt. To serve break up your salmon and along with the dressing add and toss with the other ingredients, then sprinkle your finely chopped crispy salmon skin over the top. Japanese Bacos…trust me, this is a good one.

Asian Chicken Salad

So great to see those chives in the garden this time of year…perfect for an Asian chicken salad. If you don’t have any chicken leftovers it’s easy enough to poach a couple of breasts, simply cover with water and simmer for ten minutes then turn off the heat and let them sit for another fifteen before cooling and dicing.

In a small bowl stir together until smooth a tablespoon of peanut butter, a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, a tablespoon of soy sauce, and two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Hot sauce is optional. In a larger bowl add the chicken, a generous handful of chopped chives, a chopped carrot, a chopped stalk of celery, and a half cup of finely chopped salted peanuts. Before serving pour in the mayonnaise mixture, stir together, then salt and pepper to taste. Crunch away.

Carrot Cilantro Lime Salad

I think carrots are often taken for granted, relegated to coleslaw, soups, and stews. But as some of you probably know they can be pretty satisfying as the main ingredient, and not only do they last for a couple of weeks in the fridge but they’re super easy to prepare. Take for example roasted carrots and garlic, simply wash, cut, toss with oil and salt and throw in the oven at 350. Add your chopped garlic after thirty minutes and serve after forty…what could be easier?

 
But with the warmer temps and the perennials popping a cold carrot salad seems more of the way to go these days, and this simple one with lime juice and cilantro is especially refreshing. Julienne your carrots in a mandolin, shred on the coarse side of a box grater, or cut by hand. Sixteenth inch slices are best. Toss with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and coarse salt and pepper to taste. So crunchy and so tasty.