Summer Salads

This is a new favorite salad of mine. It combines all the fresh veggies of summer along with cheese and crusty olive oil coated bread. Yum!

Panzanella Salad

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• Fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed. You can also coat your bread in olive oil and place it on the grill which gives it a great taste!

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.

Rock Lobster

This weekend I finally felt like it was officially summer. I spent time at my home in Rhode Island where I relaxed at the beach and cooked up some delicious summery meals. New England summers are all about fresh fish, colorful berries and green leafy veggies, so what better way to enjoy the warm weather then with some tasty New England Lobster Rolls.

Lobster Rolls

Ingredients:

1 pound fully cooked lobster meat or 2 (3 1/2 pound) live lobster

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1/2 tablespoon fresh tarragon

1/2 tablespoon dill

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

New England-style hot dog buns (these are slit on the top and the best for lobster rolls)

2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Pickles and potato chips

Directions

1. Place live lobsters in a large pot of boiling water. Cook about 5 minutes per pound.

2. Once lobsters are cooked remove from boiling water and place in a bowl in the fridge until cooled, about 25 minutes.

3. After the lobsters have cooled use a cleaver to crack and remove the meat from the claws, knuckles and tails. This is a bit of a messy, juicy process so wear an apron!

4. Cut the meat into 1/2-inch dice and place in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, celery, dill, tarragon, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Mix well and chill for about 30 minutes.

5. Heat a grill or broiler to high and toast buns until browned. Remove from heat and brush with melted butter. Pile on your lobster meat and serve with pickles and potato chips. Eat immediately and enjoy!

Yield: about 5 lobster rolls

Berrries and Cream

I made this cake recently and it was a huge hit! It is so light and airy which makes for a perfect warm weather dessert. There are few things better then strawberries and whipped cream and combined with cake it hits the spot. This would also be delicious  (and perfect 4^th of July treat) with blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.

Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream

Ingredients:

For the Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup safflower oil (I used canola oil)

7 large egg yolks plus 9 large egg whites

3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Filling
2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered (about 5 cups), plus more for serving
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
2 cups cold heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for sprinkling

To Make the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Whisk together oil, egg yolks, and milk in a large bowl. Whisk flour mixture into egg-yolk mixture.

2. Beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar and vanilla seeds or extract, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk one-third of the egg-white mixture into batter. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining egg-white mixture with a rubber spatula.

3. Transfer batter to tube pan. Bake until top of cake springs back when touched, 52 to 55 minutes. Let cool upside down (over a bottle or on tube-pan feet) 1 hour.

To Make the Filling:
1. While cake is baking and cooling, combine strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and let sit, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Just before assembling, beat cream and confectioners' sugar until medium peaks form.

To Assemble:
1. Carefully slide a knife around edges of tube and side of pan; release cake. Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers with a serrated knife*. Transfer bottom layer to a cake plate or platter. Spread with half the berries, and drizzle with juices. Spread half the whipped cream over berries, then top with middle cake layer. Repeat.

3. Refrigerate cake 1 hour. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, and serve with berries.

*Note: I only cut the cake in half because trying to do 3 layers seemed a bit too risky.

Yield: serves 12

Recipe via Martha Stewart Living

Summer Feelings

Summer definitely has a different feeling in the post college/school years and I am yearning for that feeling of school getting out and have three months of freedom and adventure. This Vogue Paris spread definitely gives me the summer vibe.

Fresh Fruit

This past weekend I started off summer right by spending the afternoon at a farmer’s market where I picked up some fresh veggies and beautiful looking rhubarb. I have never worked with rhubarb before (just eaten it) but it was quite simple and I love the sweet tart flavor. Nothing reminds me of summer more than desserts filled with ripe, juicy fruits and a good berry crisp is usually my go to summer dessert. However after making this galette this might be my new summer staple. Although I think this would be just as wonderful just with rhubarb, I had some leftover strawberries and raspberries in my fridge so I threw those in as well.

Rhubarb Galette

Ingredients:

To Make Dough:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup coarse cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup heavy cream or buttermilk

To Make Filling:

1/4 cup cornstarch

4 cups 1/2″-thick slices rhubarb, approximately 6 stalks

Raspberries, strawberries or other berries

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg, beaten

Turbinado sugar

To Make Dough:

1. To make the dough, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, and salt in a processor; pulse 2-3 times. Add butter and pulse 4-5 times, or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With the processor running, slowing pour the heavy cream through the chute, processing until the dough forms a ball. Remove the dough ball and adhere any remaining pieces of dough to it, then wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before rolling out.

To Make Filling:

1. Dissolve cornstarch in 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl; set aside. Combine rhubarb, raspberries (or other fruit), and sugar in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and juices are released, about 4 minutes.

2. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil (rhubarb will not be tender and slices will still be intact). Transfer to a bowl. Chill until cool, about 30 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F Roll out dough on floured wax paper to 12″ round; brush with beaten egg. Place wax paper with rolled out dough on a cookie sheet.

4. Mound filling in center of crust; gently spread out, leaving 1 1/2″ border. Gently fold edges of dough over filling, I used the wax paper to help me fold it over. Brush border with egg; sprinkle with sugar.

5. Bake for 30-40 minutes until crust starts to brown.

Yield: 4 servings

 

Take Me Away

It’s been a long week and I would love to escape to a tropical island right about now!