A Good Dish

making food simpler

Peach Season Is Here! Peach Salsa Is Delicious With Grilled Or Uncooked Peaches

Grilled (front) and raw peach salsa
Small bowls by Sandy Simon

Is there anything more summery to eat than a juicy peach? When I saw that a nearby apple farm was selling pecks of peaches (yes, peck—about 10-12 lbs) for $20, I couldn’t resist. But what do you do with 10 or more pounds of peaches, all ripening at the same time? When my sister told me her husband had been grilling peaches, my mouth started watering and my mind racing with ideas. I grilled a dozen peaches (delicious in green salad, alongside sausages or as a dessert alone or with ice cream) simply by halving and brushing the cut sides with olive oil and then laying the oil side down on the hot grate for several minutes. Presto—deliciousness!

Simply grilled peaches
Rimmed bowl by Sandy Simon

Although my husband and I are enthusiastic eaters, even we couldn’t chow down all those grilled peaches. So my next project was turning the leftovers into salsa. Pretty easy, actually. It merely took finely chopping some onion, peppers and cilantro along with the peaches and squeezing fresh lime juice over all. I let it sit a few hours in the fridge and, once again, delicious! I tried variations with corn, shallots, basil and fresh uncooked peaches and liked each one. No grill? Just use a grill pan or griddle on your stovetop. If you like a little more bite to your salsa, add a splash of cider vinegar and a pinch of cayenne. Use your preferred herb and corn or tomatoes to plump up your salsa, as you see fit. Other possible add-ins could be avocado, black beans, grated or candied ginger and lightly cooked tomatillos. This salsa was great by itself with corn chips and celery stalks but would also be good on grilled bread slices with goat or mozzarella to make bruschetta, atop baked cod or alongside a pork chop or sausage.

Prepared onions, peppers, cilantro and corn
Chopped grilled peaches

Even after making peach caprese with ungrilled peaches, adding some sliced peaches to bowls of yogurt and to smoothies and eating a few out of hand, juices dripping, I still had a few pounds left from that peck. Those I sliced, tossed with lemon juice (so they didn’t turn brown) and froze them on a rimmed cookie sheet, like we did blueberries a few weeks ago. When the days start getting darker, we will have a little peach sunshine on hand.

It is easy to freeze peaches

 

Peach salsa made with grilled (left) and uncooked peaches
Bowls by Sandy Simon

GRILLED PEACH SALSA

  • 4 (8 halves)grilled peaches, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, chopped finely (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 shallot, chopped finely
  • 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped finely
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely
  • 1-2 ears of cooked corn, sliced from cob
  • Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped finely
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cumin and/or chili powder, optional
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • Pinch salt

Mix all together and refrigerate a few hours or overnight before serving. Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated.

Set of small slipped and glazed earthenware bowls
by Sandy Simon

Make Artichoke Heart And Roasted Red Pepper Salad Anytime You Don’t Want To Heat Up Your Kitchen

Artichoke and roasted red pepper salad
Porcelain bowl by Chris Staley

It is that time of year when the heat and humidity discourage me from turning on the stove or oven. We have air conditioning in the bedroom (thank goodness!!) but not in the kitchen so often it gets too hot to think about cooking. As a result, every summer we eat a lot of cold vegetable salads, which I try to vary to avoid boredom and increase nutrition. Green salads, of course, but cabbage, kale, fennel, carrot and raw beet salads all take their turn on our table. Because most of these hold up in the fridge for a few days, they are even more desirable since that means leftovers and even less hot kitchen time.

There are lots of grocery store options for
artichoke hearts in water and roasted red peppers
Artichoke/red pepper salad (the next day)
with added lettuce

My new favorite combination is a true pantry salad meaning it can be made from ingredients from my cupboard shelves – artichoke hearts, roasted peppers, capers and red onion.  Easily enhanced with a few refrigerator items – arugula, celery and parsley, possibly olives, basil or pepperoncini, depending on your preferences, it all comes together very quickly. Add walnuts and either feta or Parmesan to make a main course salad. Dressed with a mustardy balsamic vinaigrette, I wouldn’t have any hesitation about toting it along in warm weather for a picnic or potluck. This savory Italian-esque recipe is reminiscent of a dish you would find in an old school antipasto buffet, but lighter and fresher with the added veggies and less oil. Hmm, eating in Italy-now that would be delightful….

Artichoke and red pepper salad
Porcelain bowl by Chris Staley

ARTICHOKE/ROASTED RED PEPPER SALAD

Combine in a medium salad bowl:

  • 2 cups rinsed brined or frozen (and thawed) artichoke hearts, cut in bit-sized pieces
  • 1 cup roasted red pepper, seeded and sliced in bite-sized pieces
  • 1/4-1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 TBs capers, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2-3 stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 1-2 cups arugula (or any bite-sized lettuce)

Possible add-ins:

Fresh basil, toasted walnuts, crumbled Feta or goat cheese, coarsely grated Parmesan, sliced pickled jalapeños or pepperoncini

Whisk together:

  • 1 TBs Dijon mustard
  • 1 TBs wine vinegar
  • 1 TBs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 TBs olive oil

Pour vinaigrette over vegetables and toss.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish and keeps 2-3 days refrigerated.

Verso of porcelain bowl
by Chris Staley

Chris Staley’s work continues to grow and change while always questioning the definition and perception of a pot. This porcelain bowl is from summer 1985 when he was my teacher at Alfred. Our first assignment was a collection of 12 inch cylinders and it was that exercise that really taught me how to throw. He has been teaching at Penn State for decades and helped shape some of today’s best clay artists as well as recently serving as NCECA president and continuing to make thoughtful and thought provoking work. 

Field of poppies

An Easy Bean Salad To Serve Friends (Or Just For Yourself) This Summer

Lima Bean Salad
Cone 1 Red Clay Bowl By Wayne Branum

I try to cook beans at least once a week as a good source of vegan protein. One pound (about two cups) of dried beans makes several meals, more than you would think when you see them before cooking. Dry beans rehydrate, soaking up a lot of water as they cook along with whatever flavors you add as seasoning. I usually cook them with either a piece of kombu (seaweed) or a bay leaf, following the folk wisdom that says these make them more digestible and have had no complaints. Once cooked, which takes 1-2 hours simmering while I am doing something else, I put the beans, with their cooking liquid, in the fridge and have the makings of many possible dishes for the week ahead. When I don’t get around to soaking and cooking, I rely on a backup reserve of canned beans.

Dry Limas Before Soaking

Some of my favorite bean dishes are also the easiest. Black bean soup, chili and baked beans  as well as cold dishes like hummus or lentil salad, especially great in summer. I add black or red beans to nachos and chickpeas or white beans to green salads. My current obsession is a garlicky and citrusy bean salad I make with Christmas Limas but you could make it with any bean that holds its shape. It is quite versatile in that you can adjust both the vegetables you add and the dressing ingredients. For example, sub scallions for onion, red pepper or carrots for celery, and shallot for garlic. Sweeten it by adding fresh or dried fruit (perhaps chopped apple or apricots) and bulk up the vegetables simply by adding more and serving it on a bed of arugula or lettuce. I first made it last summer for the only time we had visitors stop by and were keeping socially distant. I needed something that could sit out for a while without refrigeration and to which people could help themselves. Not only did this salad work, it was a surprisingly big hit. I hope we’ll be able to see many more friends this year and I will still rely on this dependable make-ahead Lima bean salad.

Christmas Lima Salad

LIMA BEAN SALAD

  • 1 lb large dry Lima beans (I use the Christmas Lima’s ordered from Rancho Gordo,    bought at the 97th St farmers’ market from J & A Farms,  or from North Bay Trading) cooked and drained
  • 1/2-3/4 cup Vidalia or red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley or dill or a combination

Optional add-ins:

Currants or raisins, orange segments, finely chopped carrots, minced jalapeños, finely chopped red, yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped scallions, crumbled feta or goat cheese

Whisk together:

  • 2 large cloves garlic, grated or pressed
  • Zest (about 1 tsp) and juice (about 2 TBs) from 1 lemon
  • Zest (about 1 tsp) and juice (about 2 TBs) from 1/2 orange
  • 1 TBs cider vinegar
  • 1 TBs Dijon mustard
  • 4 TBs olive oil
  • 2 tsps ground cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsps kosher or sea salt (a little less or more according to your taste)

Pour dressing over beans and vegetables and mix well, trying not to mash the beans. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 2-3 days. Like most marinated foods, the flavor is better on the second day.

Cone 1 red clay bowl with white slip and blue stain
by Wayne Branum
Verso of red clay bowl
by Wayne Branum

The Greenest Pesto From A Source You Might Have Otherwise Thrown Away – Fennel Fronds

Fennel frond pesto on pasta
Wood fired slip and iron painted plate by Bandana Pottery

You can make pesto with almost any kind of leafy green or herb from arugula to cilantro to Swiss chard. Although the most common variety is basil, I have tried and liked pesto made with, in descending order, kale, broccoli, garlic scape, parsley and carrot tops. My new favorite – fennel frond –  surprised me. Don’t flinch like I did at first, thinking it would be too licorice-like. It isn’t. I actually thought I wouldn’t like it but I really do! This is a surprisingly tasty pesto and not at all fennel-ly, for those who don’t like that anise flavor.

Fresh fennel from Brix Bounty Farm

Any pesto is an easy recipe. You blend garlic, some kind of nut, salt, greens or herbs and possibly lemon and then add in cheese (or for vegan pesto, miso or nutritional yeast). Then you stream in oil, usually olive, and there you have it. The whole process takes less than 30 minutes. A traditionalist will use a mortar and pestle but a food processor or blender works efficiently. Conventional basil pesto uses pine nuts, walnuts or almonds. Joshua McFadden’s (popular for good reason) kale pesto recipe calls for pistachio nuts. This fennel frond pesto specifies pumpkin seeds. You could certainly make this recipe with walnuts or pistachios if you prefer them. Adding Parmesan or Pecorino creates another layer of flavor but you don’t need cheese; it can be both vegan and delicious with just a few spoonfuls of nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for that umami flavor.

Trimmed and washed fennel fronds

I usually buy fennel to add to a salad or to sauté. The fennel I got last week from a nearby farm was quite frilly and not trimmed the way you find supermarket specimens. There was so much greenery on these two bulbs that I couldn’t bear to throw it away so I did an internet search for what to do with fennel fronds. Surprisingly, among suggestions for adding fronds to soups and salads and flavoring aquavit, there were many recipes for fennel frond pesto. My version below is a combination of several I found. You can substitute some other greens or parsley for some of the fronds if your fennel isn’t as leafy as mine was. Don’t be hesitant – all those fronds along with the lemon make a zesty and very green pesto which would be as good on fish or lamb or tofu as it is on pasta. And did I mention easy?

Fennel frond pesto on grilled salmon
Wood fired plate by Bandana Pottery
Fennel Frond Pesto

FENNEL FROND PESTO

  • 2-3 cups chopped fennel fronds (from 2 bushy fresh bulbs)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or walnuts)
  • 2-3 TBs fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon) plus the flesh (discard seeds and peel but if you have an organic lemon, you can include the zest/rind for even more lemon flavor)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan or 2 TBs nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

In a food processor, pulse together garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Add lemon flesh (and zest, if using), pumpkin seeds, cheese or nutritional yeast and fennel fronds and pulse and process until well blended.

Stream in oil until the pesto is the consistency you like.

Check for salt and pepper.

Use immediately or store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Freezes well (with a sealing layer of oil) for a blast of green mid-winter.

*Bandana Pottery (Naomi Dalglish and Michael Hunt) will be participating in Pottery On The Hill, an annual sale which will be online this year Nov. 13-15.

Bottoms of Bandana Pottery plates

Get A Big Flavor Boost To Your Summer Meals With An Easy Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillo salsa verde
Porcelain Scallop bowl
by Heather Knight-Element Clay Studio

We’ve belonged to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)for over 20 years and every time our farm share included a basket of tomatillos, I had to search for a use for them. One of the best discoveries I made was a delicious mango/tomatillo salsa so good you could forgo the chips and just dive in with a spoon. This summer I found a very different tomatillo recipe, a salsa verde, from Roberto Santibañez, published in The Washington Post cookbook club (free to subscribers), which sounded so good I had to try it. As he promised, it is tangy and zippy and easy to make and can be used to make chilaquiles and enchiladas, for spicing up plain fish, chicken, tofu or shrimp, or just for dipping with chips or crudités. I altered the recipe to include lime and onion for more complexity but otherwise the recipe is his.

Fresh Tomatillos

A salsa verde is any green sauce including those made with herbs (think pesto or chimichurri), avocado or tomatillos. In Italy, it might be predominantly capers and parsley while the Mexican version is mostly made with tomatillos, cilantro and chilis of different heats.

I didn’t grow up eating tomatillos but I’ve really come to love cooking with them. I’m not sure they were even grown in New England in the 70’s and 80’s although you can probably find them at any farmers market these days. Since trying them starting in the 90’s, I think I’ve liked every tomatillo recipe I have tried. You can use tomatillos raw in salads for a sharp acidic tang, but cooking mellows them a bit. Just make sure, after removing the husk, to wash off any tacky coating on the skin to avoid bitterness.

Most tomatillo salsa recipes call for roasting the vegetables but that feels like too much heat in the kitchen during the summer. This recipe specifies a brief simmer and sauté, which seems more doable on a warm summer day. You could even skip the sauté and mix in the oil directly. If you want it less spicy, remove the seeds from the jalapeño. And if you want it sweeter, add some mango or peach when blending. The amount of cilantro is flexible and you could also add parsley for more green. If you don’t have a lime, just leave it out. No scallions in your fridge? Use a quarter of a red or white onion or don’t use any. The great thing about salsa recipes is that they are endlessly adaptable. So try it this way first, decide how you like it and make it your own.

Tomatillo salsa verde
Porcelain bowl by Heather Knight-Element Clay Studio

TOMATILLO SALSA (from Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibañez)

  • 1 lb tomatillos (about 10-12, depending on size), husked and washed
  • 1 jalapeño, stemmed but not seeded (if you want a mild salsa, remove the seeds)
  • 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4-1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 TB olive oil
  • 1 TB fresh lime juice, plus zest if you like a stronger lime flavor
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped

Put cleaned whole tomatillos and jalapeño in a saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, simmering about 15 minutes or until tomatillos lose their bright green color. Turn off heat and drain.

Put cooked tomatillos and jalapeño in a blender or food processor with the garlic, salt and cumin. Blend or pulse until coarsely chopped. Add cilantro and scallions and blend until smooth but you can still see the seeds.

Heat the oil in the now dry sauce pan until shimmering. Pour in the salsa and a quarter cup of water, bring to a simmer and turn off. Stir in lime juice. Let cool and store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or process in a water bath to make shelf stable.

 

Outside of porcelain scallop bowl
by Heather Knight-Elements Clay Studio
Some kind of maple?