polenta cakes with fresh tomatoes, scallions and basil

Hooray for tomato season!  Such a glorious assortment of sizes and shapes everywhere, from farmers markets to home gardens, to co-ops and grocery stores  - and because I'm without a garden this year, it's all the more thrilling.  I was hoping to make a tomato tart, but got blindsided with a gimpy ankle for a few days which kept me off my feet and away from the markets.  But I did have a stash of fresh herbs and baby tomatoes - and remembered those polenta cakes I used to make soooo......  I gave it a whirl, and was actually stunned when I unmolded the polenta cakes - they were so PRETTY!

This is such an easy, simple recipe, I'm sure you'll come up with some beautiful ideas of your own.  And don't forget, they're gluten free.

Polenta cakes with fresh tomatoes, scallions, and basil

First, you will need 6 of those little white souffle/dessert cups.  Drip a little olive oil in each one, and rub the oil on the bottoms and sides.  Set aside.

Tomato/herb mixture:

About 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons of chopped basil

2-3 tablespoons sliced scallion greens

Mix together the herbs and tomatoes and and sprinkle equal amounts on the bottoms of the souffle cups.  Set aside.

The polenta:

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup cold water

1/2 t. salt
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

Whisk the cornmeal into the cold water and set aside.

In a separate saucepan:

3 cups water, brought to a boil in a medium sauce pan

When the water is boiling, scrape the cold water and cornmeal into the hot water and whisk briskly.  If you want to, you can add 3/4 cup finely grated parmesan to the mixture.

Whisk the mixture until it makes plopping noises and bubbles.  Remove from heat.

Using a large spoon or a spring loaded ice cream scoop, fill the oiled cups right up to the top and smooth with another spoon.  Let cool for 25 minutes, run a knife around the lip of each cup, and unmold very carefully onto a platter or individual plates.

Serve at room temperature, along with a fresh green salad, some nice brie and rolls or good bread.  Yummers!

And that gimpy foot?  Turned out to be gout, of all things, which runs in my family.

No more sardines, chicken, hamburgers, tunafish, or mackerel - or gelato, either. Not for a while, anyway.   Hope you're having a glorious summer!

                           

one jar of strawberry jam (recipe)

Oh, my, it is hot today - temperature heading to the 90's - not exactly jam-making weather, but when you're out of fresh jam, nothing gets in your way, right?  This is my quick recipe for a small amount of strawberry jam, which is pretty much the only jam I eat.  It takes maybe half an hour, start to finish.


Choose either a jam or jelly jar or glass that is somewhat heat proof (the jam will be poured into the jar/glass while still very hot), wash it well, dry, then pour hot water in halfway up the jar.  This is to temper the jar a little before you fill it with hot jam.  Set aside.

You will need:

1 heaping cup hulled and sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar




Cut up clean strawberries into a one cup measure, then place berries in a saucepan on medium heat.  Cook them for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon all the while, then add the lemon juice and the sugar. If you want a little zing, you can add a few slices of ginger root, which I remove just before putting the jam in the jar.

Continue to stir for another 15 minutes or so, checking to see if the mixture is jelling.  You can use a candy thermometer , but it's such a small amount it's not always accurate.  I just stir, lift the spoon up sideways, and check the dripping jam - which coats the spoon and thickens very quickly.  If it seems watery, cook a little longer, but keep stirring and checking.

Pour the hot water out of the jar, and place a metal spoon in the jar or glass - an old wives tale is that it has to be silver, so who am I to challenge that?  

Scrape the jam into the glass or jar and set aside to cool.  Once cooled, you can either screw on a lid or cover with plastic wrap, if it's a glass.  Place in fridge and you're done!

Four days later - time to make another jar!

In the past, I've added cinnamon sticks, orange peel, slivers of ginger root, herbs from the garden (lemon balm and lemon verbena) - and sometimes just a handful or raspberries found on a walk.  Just don't add too much liquid/juice to the mixture or it won't jell.

Enjoy - and stay cool!

PS/  I'm a grandmother again!  A big welcome to Madelyn Skye, born 20 July in New Hampshire!  



One year ago :  Jamie's red pepper pasta sauce with lemon, parsley, and ham
Two years ago:  Fresh lemon scones with drizzle frosting

pickling day: red onions and cucumbers

In spite of my taking a sick day and sleeping for 12 hours - twelve hours! - the CSA box arrived again last night with more cucumbers and lovely red onions, BUT.  We still have some from last week - what to do, what to do.

Then I remembered those wonderful pickled red onions I made last year, and the Finnish cucumber salad my daughter likes so much, so spent a few hours this morning stuffing the already full fridge with those zesty condiments.  Easy to make, and delicious with everything from cold chicken or fish, to French potato salad, they're a perfect way to use up your summer abundance.  AND I used the last of the dill, mostly stems by then, to start a new bottle of dill vinegar.  So pleasing to have all three of these condiments stashed in the fridge and pantry.

Enjoying the blue, blue sky with wispy clouds overhead , the chattering of the children just back from the beach - and eyeing my bed for a little siesta:)  Enjoy your summer days!

Minneapolis!

Here I am!  New town, new neighborhood, new everything!  I've been exploring this sweet little neighborhood , most of which are small, cozy looking houses, with bright flowers , tidy lawns, and lots of stucco, adding up to great charm.  And the people are just like me - striking up conversations from their yards to me as I walk to the stores.  The small market I walk to has beautiful, huge pots of planted edibles and herbs, and there are flowers everywhere.

  See the blackberries (not quite ripe) below?  Someone has planted huge walls of berries along the sidewalk so people walking by can pick a few to eat as they stroll by.  I love that spirit of sharing.

And it's wonderful to see Izzie, Frankie, and Noah for more than an hour or so -!

Wishing you a wonderful 4th of July!

poached haddock with dill, lemon, and tomatoes (as the frazzle builds)

Oh, such a beautiful day here!  Light pitter patter of rain this morning, sunny and blue sky as I load the car for one of two dump runs, THEN maybe a walk.

Getting distracted while cleaning and packing, completely forgot lunch, so here I was twenty minutes ago, gobbling up this fresh haddock.  A half a pound, and methinks I should've bought more.  Not proud that I was standing up surveying the boxes and rooms while I was eating:)  I couldn't remember which child liked the rabbits (with bells on) so I'm packing one for each of them.

This is part of the "Minneapolis pile"  Ironically, that 2005 Real Simple is all about conquering the clutter.  I despair that will not happen for another month.  



Poached Haddock with dill, lemon, and tomatoes


1/2 pound piece of fresh haddock


Place the haddock in a small stainless steel skillet or saucepan, and add water to just about halfway up the fish.
Bring to a high simmer/low boil and cook for five minutes on one side, then gently flip the fish with a spatula and cook the other side another 5 minutes.  
Gently poke the fish with a fork, making sure it is completely cooked, then remove to a plate.

Toss out the water from cooking the fish, and quickly melt 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, then pour over the fish.
Add:
juice from half a fresh lemon
kosher salt
fresh dill sprigs
a tablespoon of sliced scallions
2 handfuls tiny tomatoes, halved

And serve to your appreciative audience of one.  This makes one serving.

Happy, happy June!

juicy melon balls with fresh berries - and blooming lilacs

Oh, how the moving continues!  The house is full of boxes - one corner is books, lots and lots of books, that no longer seem important.  But another corner holds boxes of books so dear to my heart - and the photo albums of family through the years.  Much harder than I realized, all those memories.

BUT.

The air is balmy, the grass is green, and it was once again time for my favorite warm weather snackaroo - juicy melon (watermelon and cantaloupe, but honeydew is great as well, if you can find a ripe one), mixed with fresh raspberries and mint.  Blackberries and tiny wild strawberries work as well - or currants, if you have them, and blueberries, which, of course, come later in the season.

Our local farmer's markets here in New Hampshire now have the most amazing fruits - I bought some fresh organic peaches last year that were the best I'd tasted in years:  and grown right here in Hancock, which is zone 3-4.  Amazing.

The lilacs are blooming, and we have both the dark purple ones, that last a very long time and spread throughout our town via cuttings from one avenue of them - and the powdery light lilacs that quickly rust, but are heavenly, very briefly.  We have had no rain at all for weeks and weeks, but some finally is supposed to come tomorrow.

You will need to buy a melon baller from your local kitchen store or supermarket - a handy, low tech tool that makes this so pretty.  Mine has a large ball at one end, and a smaller one at the other.  I find the smaller baller to work best if you're making a tray of these melon balls for a party - with a few large balls mixed in . 

You can assemble them in clear, squat glasses, or plastic ones for a large group.  How perfect is this for parties and early summer celebrations?  Just make sure you make them at the most a few hours before, so they are juicy and moist, and keep them briefly in the fridge if the weather is hot.  The mint is best snipped just before serving - and check for bugs before serving!

Happy Spring, feels like Summer!

Green Zebra tomatoes - and a new baby boy

Finally, I found my favorite tomato - the Green Zebra, nestled in a basket at our local market on a Friday afternoon, when all the gardeners and farmers bring in their greens and flowers, their vegetables and herbs, fresh breads, and bouquets.

Green Zebras, with beautiful stripes of grass green and yellow, are hard to find -a little tart, very pretty, and heavenly with a little balsamic and olive oil , a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of fresh basil and pepper, a soft crust of bread and butter for sopping up.  My thanks to Hand Drawn Farm for growing these lovely tomatoes  - and here, tossed with a few Sun Gold's , and a few of my own somewhat uninspiring cherry tomatoes - it has been a cool and wet summer here in New Hampshire - not the best weather for these sun lovers.

And now the best news - I have a beautiful new grandson, Max.  Dear Max, welcome to the world, little boy!

Happy August, and welcome to my new grandson, Max, born on the 20th of August!

leek and potato soup: potage parmentier

Oh my word, it is swampy today - humid, still air, damp, damp, damp.  The weathervane is pointing toward my Southern kin in the South - thanks, guys:)

On days like this, I always cook early in the morning, when the coolness of night is still retained in the kitchen floor tiles - I am barefoot, of course, as I pull the leeks out of the fridge for this soup - vichyssoise, really, but I don't like chilled soup, so it's more a potage parmentier, not hot, not cold, just right to taste the velvety blend of herbs, leeks, potatoes, and butter.

The leeks were very sandy, so I sliced them up and swished them in several pots of water, until I could no longer feel the grains of sand at the bottom of the pot.  Don't neglect this step, or your soup will be ruined.  I learned my lesson long ago not to rush, after one batch I made for company was so agonizingly sandy it was inedible.

I used my lion bowls, which hold one and a half cups, so this made just enough for two:  3 cups.


POTAGE PARMENTIER

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups well-washed and sliced leek whites
1 1/2 cups peeled red potatoes, cut in large dice
2 cups light chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh dill, pulled off stems
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, pulled off the stems
3/4 cup whipping cream
kosher salt to taste
fresh pepper to taste

Wash the leeks very very well!  

Place the leeks and butter in a heavy bottomed pot and braise on medium heat, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring a few times and making sure they do not burn.

Add the potatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, and the thyme and dill to the leek whites and simmer on medium until the potatoes are soft.

Remove from heat and add the cream and stir.  

Using a stick blender or a food processor, puree soup.  If it's very, very thick, add a little more cream or water.  Taste and add salt, pepper, or more dill as you wish.

You can serve cold, hot, or somewhere in the middle - I like it warm because it brings out the flavor beautifully.


Hope you're all enjoying summer!

Julia's clafouti with strawberries

Of course, Julia does not have a strawberry clafouti in Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Vol. 1), but berries or cherries both suit themselves well to this custard.  I have tried many versions, but this is still my favorite, scented with a generous tablespoon of good vanilla and a sprinkle of nutmeg.  And it's made in a blender, so quick to put together.

I cannot believe how good the strawberries are this year, lucky us!

I used a 9 1/2 inch ceramic tart pan, so the baking directions are for that -  so if you make individual ones or use a different kind of pan, baking times may be different.

Clafouti with fresh strawberries:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Butter a 9 1/2 inch ovenproof dish , or individual ovenproof souffle dishes, set aside.

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup all purpose flour ( I use King Arthur)

1/3 cup sugar

3 extra large eggs

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon good vanilla

pinch of nutmeg

2 cups of fresh strawberries, cut into quarters

an additional 1/3 cup of sugar for sprinkling over the strawberries

Place the cream, milk, flour, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla and nutmeg in a blender and blend on high until ingredients make a thick batter.

Pour an even coating of the batter on the bottom of the dish, then bake 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle the strawberries evenly , then sprinkle with the extra 1/3 cup sugar.

Slowly pour the rest of the batter on top of the berries, then bake 30 minutes, or until custard is set.  It will continue to cook as it cools.  If you want it to brown and puff a little, bake an extra 10 minutes.

Scoop out servings into small bowls using a large spoon.

A neighbor gave me a spectacular bouquet of all kinds of peonies from her garden - this is one of my favorites, but they are all heavenly!

avocado and plum tomato salad with chive blossoms and Italian parsley

A few warm days teased us into thinking summer was here.  But the last few mornings have been chilly although checking the garden and herbs proved the chive plants like this weather, sending out fat lavender blossoms I love to nibble on.  

Most years I pick the blossoms and make chive blossom vinegar, but I found I still had plenty in the fridge from last year.  Instead I made a summer salad sprinkled with chive blossoms I plucked apart, instead of using my usual sliced red onions.  The flowers have a delightful mild oniony flavor that doesn't overpower the delicate avocado.

Even though I'm sitting down to a summer-y lunch wearing a turtleneck and jeans, I'm barefoot and thinking I just might get out my bathing suit today.  I saw several children swimming at the pond yesterday, splashing and shrieking with delight - so it can't be so cold after all.  


Avocado-Plum Tomato salad with Chive Blossoms

1 large garlic clove, sliced in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano (dried is fine if that's all you have)
4 basil leaves, sliced
6 large chive blossoms
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

2 large avocados
2 or 3 large plum tomatoes, cut into large dice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Use a melon baller to scoop out the avocado ( thus avoiding the few bruised spots I found when I cut mine open) into a small bowl, sprinkle with the lemon juice and set aside.

Rub the serving bowl or dish with the cut sides of the garlic clove.  Discard the cloves.
Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and mix well with a fork.
Add the herbs to the dressing - the oregano, basil, parsley.  Pluck the petals from three of the chive blossoms and add to the dressing.

Just before serving, add the avocado balls and the diced tomatoes to the dressing and toss very gently.  Garnish with a few chive blossoms and serve with crusty bread and butter.

Happy June!

tangy glazed Italian lemon cookies and summer days

Summer is here!  The days are warm and full of birdsong, and down at the pond, the little beach is filled with children splashing and swimming.  I thought this day would never come, but here we are.  How heavenly is that, after a ...um, challenging winter, with way too many days with the thermometer stuck on 15 degrees below zero?

The hemlocks are sending out their several inches of new growth, with light green fingers celebrating Summer.  And I made a fresh fruit salad to toast the new season of sunny, summer weather, as well as a new recipe for the most wonderful lemon cookies I found here.  These are so wonderful to serve along with ice cream, fruit, or a nice little creme brulee or chocolate mousse.  Wish my sister was here to enjoy them - though she really loved chocolate anything:)  

I did change the recipe a bit, but it's easy as pie - no sticking the dough in the fridge for a few hours.  Just whip it up, bake, mix up a quick icing, and you're done.

The dough:
 1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups King Arthur flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
two pinches of kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350F.

Fit two baking sheets with parchment.

Cream together the butter and sugar.
Add eggs, lemon zest, and  lemon juice and mix.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix very briefly, just until mixed.
Using a small ice cream scoop ( I used a 1 1/4 inch scoop) scoop out little balls of dough, (if you want bigger cookies, just add 5 or 6 more minutes if you're using a 2 inch scoop)  onto baking sheet, two inches apart.
Bake 12 minutes in preheated oven.

While the cookies are baking make the icing:

1 1/2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup confectioners sugar

Whisk ingredients well, set aside.

When the cookies are done, set onto cooling rack to cool completely, then dip tops of cookies into the icing, letting the icing drip slowly back into the icing bowl.  When it stops dripping, set on a rack to dry.

Let cool completely before storing in a container - if they last that long!

hint of autumn: spectacular lemon curd cake and spice cookies

Right on time, the wind has shifted.  Mornings are suddenly cooler, and I'm drawn to the watery places, before they freeze.  Afternoons are still warm and humid, but early mornings bring the swing of coolness.

I've been busy, making a birthday cake for my daughter, a gorgeous lemon curd delight with a lovely buttercream.  It was so hot that day that the cake slid apart as I delivered it in the late afternoon, only two miles away.  But, boy - it was one of the best cakes I've ever made.  Bookmark, bookmark!

Cookies for my grands, first few days of school, their favorites - spicy, sturdy Spice Cookies for the lunchboxes.  These are terrific for shipping, to all your kids away from home, as well as a welcoming of autumn weather.

Hope you also get out there to enjoy this September weather, wherever you are!

zucchini focaccia with fresh oregano leaves and cheddar

I have always been mystified by stories of runaway zucchini harvests.  Wouldn't you know it - I,  who love zucchini in all ways , have almost never had success with them.  Happily, this year my daughter has an amazing garden, and has been sharing her extras with me.  Including not only baby zukes, but a large (14 inches) but firm jumbo one.  I'm usually content to simmer thickly sliced zucchini with oregano until just tender, but this day I had a hankering for focaccia.  I made enough dough for three 8 inch rounds,  drizzled with olive oil, topped with sliced onions and matchsticks of zucchini, then topped it off with fresh oregano leaves and parmesan and sharp cheddar.  Something magical happened in the oven, because those were the best little focaccia I've ever made.

For the dough:

1 cup King Arthur whole wheat flour
1 cup King Arthur all purpose flour
1 T. fresh rosemary leaves, pulled off stems
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 

Whisk yeast into warm water, then whisk in oil.

Mix the flour, rosemary leaves, and salt in a large bowl.

Make a well in the flour, pour in the water/oil/yeast mixture, and stir in a circle until dough comes together.  With the whole wheat flour, it may look a little dry, but it is silky after rising. Drizzle with a little more olive oil.

Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and put in a warm, draft free place, until it doubles in bulk - about an hour.


Make the topping - enough for 3 eight inch focaccia

handful of fresh oregano leaves
1 medium onion, peeled , cut in half lengthwise, then sliced thickly
olive oil
6 cups zucchini, sliced into medium matchsticks
3 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar and parmesan cheeses
kosher salt and a sprinkle of dried basil and oregano just before baking
Set aside.

When dough has risen, punch it down and divide into three pieces.
Shape each piece into an eight inch disc.
Drizzle a large baking sheet with olive oil and place the rounds on the sheet, not too close.
Let sit in barely warm oven THAT HAS BEEN TURNED OFF until doubled - about half an hour.

Remove dough and set oven to 360F.

Dimple the focaccia with your fingertips and drizzle with a little olive oil.
Toss the onion slices, and sprinkle over the focaccias.
Add the zucchini, about 2 cups per focaccia, then the cheeses, and the oregano sprigs.
Sprinkle with the salt, basil, and oregano.

Bake for 20 minutes or so, or until dough is slightly golden but soft.
Remove to cool, then slice.