I've had serious produce envy with my blogging counterpart all winter. As we DC-ites sat miserable, buried under 40 some odd inches of snow, making the 12th batch of beef stew (
there is an actual post about it) and fighting for the last head of moldy lettuce at Safeway... ah, well, the crop in California was plentiful.
Times have changed. Warmth has returned, I'm counting down the days to my CSA start date, going to farmer's markets where, heck, I even met my CSA farmer and bought some edibles off him! However, I am still unable to will fresh, local produce into my kitchen. It's beginning to crop up, but the really good stuff will be a few more weeks. However, we can all take advantage of things that are in season (even if it's not locally grown) right now such as strawberries and asparagus. My upgraded herb garden - dill, mint, rosemary, cilantro, basil and dill - is in full force as well, helping along the veggies and fruits that aren't perfect enough to eat unaltered yet. And most importantly, I say getting summer in your kitchen is all about a state of mind.
I'm consumed with words like light, cold, salad, grilled, fresh, crisp. They are guiding my palette right now. So, until we can simply slice up a flawless tomato and call it a side dish, here are a few simple recipes to help all of us non-perfect-year-round-climate-inhabitants get a jump on summer:
1. Tomato, Corn & Mozzarella Salad
Got some local microgreens from my CSA Lamb's Quarter that have great flavor as well as Maryland baby tomatoes and local mozzarella. Opted for TJ's frozen sweet corn and my own basil. This is enough for 4 people.
Ingredients:
- A few handfuls of delicate greens (microgreens, arugula, etc.), chopped
- 12 baby tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed to room temp.
- 1 cup fresh Mozzarella cheese, diced
- 1/4 finely chopped scallions
- 3-4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
- Juice from half a lemon
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Mix everything together in bowl, adding the lemon juice, oil and vinegar last. Season with fresh black pepper and a touch of salt.
2. Cabbage and Spinach Slaw with Mint
Inspired by the Lee Bros. recipe in "Simple Fresh Southern" but I changed it to give it a slightly tabouli-ish taste. Enough for 6.
Ingredients:
-
1/2 a small head of red and green cabbage, thinly sliced
-
1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped in thin ribbons
-
1 carrot cut in thin ribbons *using peeler is easiest
-
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
-
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
-
Juice from 1 lime
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
-
1 tsp (good) mustard
-
2 tbsp olive oil
Mix all your veggies and herbs together in large bowl. In small bowl, whisk lime juice, vinegar and mustard together then add oil in thin stream while continuing to whisk. Make sure it's all mixed together well, then pour over greens. Toss well and season with fresh pepper and salt.
3. Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese
This is so easy, but you must have a grill. Take enough heads of romaine to feed your table (one head per person), take off any discolored outer leaves and then brush each head lightly with olive oil and sprinkle fresh black pepper and salt over them. Grill for 6-7 minutes of until a few leaves have that nice charred look. Cut off ends, slice up and serve with a sprinkle of blue cheese and red wine or balsamic vinegar.
4. Summer Zucchini with Basil and Green Onions
Inspired by a forgettable quick recipe in "Great Food Fast." This so good, it's one of those dishes that remind you how delicious vegetables can be with little fuss. This was my invention to use up my mozzarella and tomatoes too. Enough for 4.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium green zucchini, sliced *summer squash could easily be sub'd or added
- 5-6 baby tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella, diced
- 2 finely chopped scallions
- 3-4 large leaves of fresh basil, chopped
- Drizzle of olive oil
In large pan, boil enough water to cover bottom of pan (throw a pinch of salt in water). Add sliced zucchini, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and let cool for about 2 minutes. Dry pan and add mozzarella, tomatoes, scallions and basil to it, then follow with zucchini, which should still be slightly warm. Drizzle a little olive oil over it, toss and season with black pepper and maybe a touch of salt. Best served right away.
About Jen E. and Gretchen B. 