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Barbara Beltrami

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Tomato-Poached Eggs

By Barbara Beltrami

If we had a family crest, it would surely be the tomato. No matter the season, hardly a day goes by without tomatoes playing a role in one of our daily meals. Even in the winter we cook with good canned tomatoes and use campari tomatoes in salads and other dishes that call for fresh tomatoes.

Granted there’s nothing like a summer tomato, plucked still warm from the sun, sprinkled with salt and consumed on the spot. From tiny cherry tomatoes to the traditional Big Boys and beefsteaks to the ever more popular heirlooms, summer tomatoes are the true treasures of the garden. Although the cool temperatures this season have delayed their ripening, they’ve finally appeared in all their glory and I, for one, can’t get enough of them.

Sliced and doused with extra virgin olive oil, salt and fresh basil, they make an ideal lunch or side dish. Cut into wedges and tossed with cucumbers, red onion, an herb or two and feta or Gorgonzola cheese, they become the perfect salad to complement just about anything. Between slices of crusty bread and slathered with good mayonnaise, they make a tasty sandwich.

If you have any left over, here are a few unusual but simple Italian recipes in which they star along with their culinary mates, garlic and basil.

Tomato-Poached Eggs

Tomato-Poached Eggs

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups lightly pureed fresh tomatoes

Handful basil leaves, torn

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 to 6 large eggs

DIRECTIONS: In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil, then add the garlic and cook only until it begins to color and release its aroma. Add the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until excess liquid has evaporated, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Spread tomato sauce evenly over bottom of pan. Carefully break the eggs over hot tomato sauce, cover and cook until whites are set and yolks are still runny. Gently slide the eggs and tomatoes under them onto a large serving platter and serve immediately with polenta or crusty bread.

Tomato–Garlic Bread

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 to 3 plum tomatoes

6 large slices rustic bread

1 garlic clove, peeled

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Slice the tomatoes in half; squeeze them to remove the seeds and juice. Toast the bread until light brown. Rub the garlic over the toasted bread, then rub the cut side of the tomato over the same side of the bread. Drizzle one tablespoon olive oil over each slice of bread; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with cocktails, wine, beer or as accompaniment to any meal.

Penne with Uncooked Tomato Sauce

Penne with Uncooked Tomato Sauce

 

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound penne

1 pound fresh tomatoes, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

¹/₄ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 handful Italian flat-leaf parsley, basil or arugula leaves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS: Cook penne according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large pasta bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add hot drained cooked pasta to bowl; toss to combine with tomato mixture (the heat of the pasta just barely cooks the tomatoes). Serve immediately, warm or at room temperature with a green salad, bread and cheese.

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Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

By Barbara Beltrami

Labor Day may be the official marker for the end of summer, and while the living may not be as easy, the rest of September certainly promises more warm weather for the beach, the backyard and barbecues.

After the hectic shopping for school supplies and new clothes, after those first hectic days of back-to–school, after the practices and lessons and homework it’s still possible to catch an hour or two of daylight to heat up the grill and pretend that just for a little while longer it’s still summer.

Here are three salad recipes for prolonging summer’s pleasures and accompanying whatever you’re grilling. A bonus is that the leftovers are ideal for lunch boxes.

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 bruised clove garlic

1 pound Rotelle pasta

1 pound mozzarella cheese, diced

2 to 3 cups diced fresh cherry tomatoes

1 firmly packed cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

DIRECTIONS: In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic. Let sit to absorb garlic flavor at least 30 minutes, then remove and discard garlic. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, toss the cooked pasta with the dressing, mozzarella, tomatoes and basil. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature as an accompaniment to grilled veggies, meat or poultry.

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad

 

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed

3 scallions, trimmed and sliced

One large cucumber

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 handful fresh flat leaf parsley, rinsed and chopped

1 scant handful fresh mint leaves, rinsed and chopped

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Juice of one small to medium lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Cook the quinoa according to package directions. In a large bowl, toss cooked quinoa with remaining ingredients. Let mixture sit for 30 minutes so it can soak up the flavors of the herbs and dressing. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold with grilled meat, fish or poultry.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

 

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Two 14-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained

4 ears cooked fresh corn, kernels cut off the cob

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 medium red onion, diced

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 4 fresh limes

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, peppers, garlic and onion. In a separate smaller bowl, thoroughly mix the oil, lime juice, sugar, zest, cilantro, parsley, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Pour over bean and corn mixture and toss to coat. Cover and let sit for at least an hour. Serve at room temperature or cold with grilled meat or poultry, tomato salad and taco chips.

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Sauteed Zucchini Parmesan

By Barbara Beltrami

Zucchini. They come in all sizes from Neanderthal club to tiny thumb size and everything in between. There’s not much you can do with the former except peel it, scoop out the seeds, cut it into chunks and make a soup or stew. But any small or medium zucchini are excellent stuffed and baked, in a ratatouille, in muffins or tea breads, or just sautéed, all excellent disguises for veggie-phobic eaters.

And then there are zucchini flowers, also delicious stuffed with ricotta or batter fried. If the blossom grows on a regular stem, pick it. If it has a little squash starting on its other end, don’t pick it — it’s going to grow up to be a zucchino. Frankly, I don’t think they have much flavor and are cumbersome to cook, but if you want to go to the trouble, they do look pretty when you serve them. Here are three recipes that use the zucchini bounty of the season in a bread, sautéed and in soup.

Sauteed Zucchini Parmesan

Sauteed Zucchini Parmesan

YIELD: Makes four servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced shallots

Four 8-ounce zucchini, julienned

Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, thyme or oregano

4 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS: In a large skillet over low heat, heat butter and oil. Add shallots and sauté until opaque and soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium, add zucchini and cook, tossing frequently, until just soft and starting to turn brown. Add salt, pepper and herbs. While zucchini is still hot, sprinkle grated cheese over it. Serve immediately with meat, poultry, fish or eggs.

Zucchini-Carrot Bread

Zucchini-Carrot Bread

YIELD: Makes one loaf

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour

¼ cup white granulated sugar

¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup grated zucchini

1 cup grated carrot

¾ cup finely chopped walnuts

1 egg, well beaten

Scant ¹/3 cup oil

½ cup milk

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan. Stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, zucchini, carrots and nuts. Mix egg, oil and milk together, then combine with dry mixture. Do not overmix. Pour into prepared loaf pan; bake for one hour or more, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for five minutes, then invert onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream cheese, butter, jam or honey.

Zucchini-Arugula Soup

Zucchini-Arugula Soup

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups minced onion

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 pounds zucchini

1 bunch arugula (4 to 5 loosely packed cups)

Salt, freshly ground pepper and fresh lemon juice, to taste

½ cup cream

DIRECTIONS: In a medium-large pot, melt butter; add oil and onions, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until onions are slightly browned and soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, wash and scrub zucchini, trim and coarsely chop. (If the zucchini are very large, it’s best to remove the seeds too.) Add zucchini to broth, reduce heat, cover and simmer until zucchini are mushy. Wash arugula and trim stems.

Remove pot from heat and add arugula: cover and let sit until slightly cooled. Pour soup through a strainer; reserve liquid. In an electric processor puree the solids and one cup of the liquid until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pot. Gradually add 2 to 3 more cups reserved liquid until soup reaches desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Ladle into soup dishes and just before serving swirl a tablespoon or so of cream in each one. Serve hot, warm, at room temperature or cold with crusty bread, sliced tomatoes and corn or as a first course.

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Corn, Pepper & Manchego Quiche

By Barbara Beltrami

If the bins at a farm stand in August were a stage, corn would surely be the star. Occupying a massive spot in the produce limelight, freshly picked ears of corn tumble over each other vying to be selected after ruthless ripping of their husks, a procedure, by the way, that is useless for determining an ear of corn’s soundness and useful only to render it exposed and passed over. More effective is to run one’s hand or fingers lightly up and down the ear of corn to feel for indentations, a symptom most likely of an earworm or borer having gotten to it.

Nothing beats a freshly picked ear of corn, boiled for 3 to 5 minutes, then slathered with butter, salt and pepper. Want something a little different? Read the recipes below for some ideas for cooking with the queen of summer produce, corn.

Fresh Corn Pancakes

Fresh Corn Pancakes

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 to 4 ears fresh-picked corn

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 level teaspoon salt

½ cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons canola, sunflower or vegetable oil

½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

DIRECTIONS: Cut kernels from cobs. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, oil and butter. Add flour mixture and corn kernels to liquid mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Heat a greased griddle or heavy skillet until hot enough that water sprinkled on it produces dancing bubbles. Ladle batter onto skillet, by one-third cupfuls. Cook over medium heat until edges start to brown and bubbles form in batter. With a spatula, turn pancakes and cook about one minute more, until undersides are golden brown. Serve hot with blueberry or maple syrup and bacon.

Corn, Pepper & Manchego Quiche

Corn, Pepper & Manchego Quiche

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

One 9-inch pie crust

1 cup shredded manchego cheese

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups half and half

¼ cup melted butter

Kernels from 2 ears fresh-picked corn

1 small onion, minced

1 small green pepper, diced

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a pie plate or quiche pan with pie crust. Sprinkle cheese evenly over crust. In a food processor, combine eggs, flour, salt, half and half and melted butter until well blended. Stir in corn, onion, green pepper and ground black pepper. Pour over cheese in crust. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until top is golden, filling is slightly puffed and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with tomato and arugula salad and crusty French bread.

Grilled Corn with Cilantro-Lime Butter

Grilled Corn with Cilantro-Lime Butter

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

12 ears fresh-picked corn in the husk

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt

¾ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

½ to ¾ cup melted unsalted butter

¹/3 to ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS: Pull back corn husks but leave attached at bottom. Discard silks; pull husks back up around ears. Prepare grill for cooking on medium-high heat. In a blender, puree garlic with lime juice, salt, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Add melted butter and cilantro and puree again until well blended. With cover on grill, cook corn, turning frequently, until kernels are tender, 15 to 20 minutes; let stand until cool enough to handle. Completely remove husks and discard. With a sharp knife remove kernels from cob. In a medium-large bowl toss kernels with butter mixture. Serve hot or warm with grilled eggplant, sliced garden tomatoes with olive oil and scallion and crusty bread.

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Basil Pesto

By Barbara Beltrami

Have you ever known anyone who didn’t like the classic basil pesto? Easy to prepare in a matter of minutes, pesto is a no-fuss-no-cook-no-mess-no-fail concoction that is the invention of some ancient culinary genius in Genoa.

Pesto means sauce in Italian and although basil pesto is by far the best known and most popular version, it can actually be made from a variety of herbs and other ingredients. There are six basic ingredients to making pesto. There is the main ingredient such as basil or something with an intense distinctive flavor along with nuts, cheese, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. How much? Good question. It’s one of those things that you do by eye and taste. Although once in a while I tweak the amounts a little. I generally use a handful of the main ingredient, a handful of the nuts, a handful of the grated cheese, one clove of garlic, enough oil to give the pesto the right silky consistency and salt and pepper, to taste.

That being said, I will nevertheless provide you with a few recipes I like. In addition to the classic basil pesto, there are arugula and walnut pesto and sun-dried tomato and olive pesto, to name but a few I’ve tried. Though there’s no space to write about them all here, you might like to use the following recipes as models and also try mint and almond pesto, cilantro and pumpkin seed or spinach and hazelnut. Traditional old-fashioned Italian cooks claim the only real way to make pesto is to pound and grind it together with a mortar and pestle and would be mortified to know that I puree it all in my electric food processor. And while pesto is best loved when paired with pasta, it is also a fabulous embellishment for chicken, fish, omelets, crostini, vegetables and soups.

Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto

YIELD: Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups fresh basil leaves

½ cup pignoli nuts

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

One garlic clove

Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In an electric food processor puree all ingredients except the salt and pepper. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue pureeing until mixture reaches a silky consistency. Remove from processor bowl and stir in the salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with spaghetti, gnocchi or a pasta that has a lot of grooves to hold the pesto; crostini, grilled fish, chicken, pork or veggies or as a garnish to soup.

Arugula and Walnut Pesto

Arugula and Walnut Pesto

YIELD: Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups arugula leaves

½ cup walnut pieces

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In an electric food processor, scraping sides of bowl often, puree all ingredients except salt and pepper. When mixture has achieved a slightly bumpy texture, remove from bowl and stir in salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with grilled beef, veggies, fowl or pork, on rye bread crostini, over wide noodles or rigatoni or as a garnish to soup.

Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Pesto

Sun-dried Tomato and Olive Pesto

YIELD: Makes 2½ cups

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

½ cup pitted oil-packed black olives

½ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¹/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

One clove garlic

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In an electric food processor, scraping sides of bowl often, puree all ingredients until mixture achieves a finely ground consistency. Serve at room temperature over pasta, on crostini or crackers, on grilled chicken, fish or veggies or as a garnish to soup.

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By Barbara Beltrami

Like the weather this season, peaches have been remarkably good. If you read my column last week, you’ll remember that I talked about peaches and what ideal desserts are wrought from them. And I also promised you another column about them this week. Well, you’re in for a treat because I’m going to tell you about what wonderful ingredients or complements peaches are for savory dishes.

I’ll bet you’re thinking, “No thanks, I think I’ll just stick with the those peachy desserts.” That’s what I said the first time I was introduced to peaches in a savory dish. But then I became a convert, and you will too after you’ve tasted refreshing peach, arugula, Gorgonzola and pecan salad; peach salsa; and ginger-peachy pork chops.

And by the way, none of this means you can’t have peach dumplings, peach crisp, peach shortcake, peach pie, peach cobbler, peach ice cream or just sliced fresh peaches in wine for dessert. Hey, when they’re this good, you have to go for their gold.

Peach, Arugula, Pecan and Gorgonzola Salad

YIELD: Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS: 1 small head radicchio, washed and shredded or chopped

1 bunch arugula, washed

1 large peach, sliced

¼ cup chopped pecans

¹/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, toss together the radicchio, arugula, peach and pecans. In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together the oil, vinegars, cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving drizzle liquid mixture over radicchio mixture, toss to thoroughly coat, and serve immediately at room temperature with grilled chicken, beef, pork or shrimp.

Peach Salsa

YIELD: Makes 3 to 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large peach, pared and chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

½ cup seeded chopped jalapenos

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon fresh lime zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt and ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS: Toss all ingredients together; serve at room temperature. Best if served immediately but can be prepared a couple of hours in advance. Serve with taco chips, crackers, grilled beef or chicken.

Ginger-Peachy Pork Chops

YIELD: Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable, canola or peanut oil

4 medium pork chops

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

¼ cup orange juice

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup broth

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 large firm peaches, sliced

1 tablespoon candied ginger, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS: In a medium skillet heat the oil. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. With the heat on medium high, brown the meat, about 2 minutes per side. While the chops are browning, in a medium bowl combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, orange and lemon juices and set aside.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and set aside. Add the broth, grated ginger, garlic, liquid mixture and peaches to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, over high heat until the sauce is thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the pork chops, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until meat is cooked through and peaches are soft, about 10 minutes. Place chops on a platter, spoon sauce over them and sprinkle with candied ginger and peanuts. Serve with rice and stir-fried bok choy, broccoli and snap peas.

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Peach Dumplings

By Barbara Beltrami

You know it’s really summer when the pyramids of peaches instead of apples greet you at the supermarket. You know it’s summer when you bite into a peach and the juice runs down your chin and forearm and you don’t even care. It’s when dessert is peach dumplings or peach crisp that you’ve baked early in the morning before the kitchen got too hot or you decided you’d really rather just lie in the shade or by the pool and read and nap. So get up with the birds this week, get those peachy desserts in the oven and stay tuned for next week’s column, Peachy Peaches Part II.

Peach Dumplings

Peach Dumplings

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry for two-crust pie

6 just ripe medium freestone peaches

6 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

DIRECTIONS: Make pie pastry, form into a ball, seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Meanwhile, pare peaches and be careful to keep peaches as whole as possible. With the tip of a small sharp knife, cut down from stem end of peach into peach and cut around pit to remove it. Fill each cavity left by pit with one tablespoon sugar and one tablespoon butter. Remove pastry from refrigerator and on a lightly floured surface, roll the ball into a 10-inch by 15-inch rectangle, about one-eighth-inch thick. Cut into 6 equal squares. Place a peach on each square; mold pastry around it until peach is completely covered. Place pastry-covered peaches in a deep baking dish and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 F. In saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar with half a cup of water and, stirring constantly, cook 5 minutes. Spoon syrup over each dumpling. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and, basting with syrup 2 or 3 times, bake 30 to 40 minutes more, until crust is light golden and a sharp knife inserted into peach meets no resistance. Serve at room temperature or warm with whipped cream, vanilla or peach ice cream.

Peach Crisp

Peach Crisp

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2½ pounds ripe peaches

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick soft unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly grease an 8- by 8- by 2-inch baking dish. Wash peaches; pare, if desired; remove pits. Slice peaches into prepared baking dish. Sift flour with sugar, salt, and cinnamon into medium bowl. With pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle evenly over peaches. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until topping is crisp and golden and peaches are bubbly and tender. Serve with heavy cream or vanilla ice cream.

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Red Gazpacho

By Barbara Beltrami

As much as hot soup is a tummy warmer in cold weather, cold soup can be a real refresher in warm weather. Most cold soups are really just pureed veggies or fruits … gazpacho, borscht and vichyssoise, all coolers from different European cuisines, immediately come to mind. Surely the most popular is gazpacho. Think it’s just a puree of tomatoes, bread and other fresh veggies? Think again. That’s red gazpacho. But there’s also white gazpacho called “ajo bianco” made with cucumbers, almonds and green grapes. Or green gazpacho made with cucumber, tomatillo, arugula, avocado, scallions, cilantro and parsley.

Take your pick and don’t feel that you have to follow the ingredients list religiously. Throw in whatever you have as long as it doesn’t radically change the flavor or color. And adding fruits just makes it even better. Think watermelon for the red gazpacho, peeled apple or pear for the white, honeydew for the green. Just think of them as smoothies served in a bowl.

Classic Red Gazpacho

Red Gazpacho

YIELD: Makes 4 to 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups fresh cored and chopped tomatoes

1½ cups peeled, chopped cucumber

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, sliced

½ cup water

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 slices bread, cubed

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 cup or more canned tomato juice

6 scallions, sliced

DIRECTIONS: In an electric blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients except the scallions. Puree until smooth. Pour into a sieve and place over a bowl; press and stir to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids. Adjust seasonings if necessary by adding more salt and/or vinegar. If the mixture is too thick, add more tomato juice. Chill before serving; garnish with sliced scallions. Serve with taco chips, crusty bread with extra virgin olive oil, Spanish olives or manchego cheese or crudités.

White Gazpacho

White Gazpacho

YIELD: Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup seedless green grapes, washed and coarsely chopped

1 apple or ripe pear, pared and cored, cut into chunks

1 cup peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped cucumber

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

3 cups stale bread, coarsely chopped

½ cup milk

Coarse salt to taste

1 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 to 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Finely ground white pepper, to taste

More vinegar, if desired

DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl combine grapes, apple or pear, cucumber, garlic, bread, milk, 2 cups of water, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add half the almonds, half a cup of the oil, the vinegar and salt and pepper. Blend until thick; add more water, a tablespoonful at a time, if too thick. Stir and press puree through a fine sieve into a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Pour mixture into individual bowls, drizzle with remaining quarter cup of oil, a little more vinegar if desired, and sprinkle with remaining half cup almonds. Serve chilled with chips, crackers or garlic bread.

Green Gazpacho

Green Gazpacho

 

YIELD: Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup wine vinegar (preferably white)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

One 8-ounce container plain Greek yogurt

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

2½ to 3 cups Italian or French bread, crusts removed

1 large cucumber, peeled, seed and cut into chunks

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

4 large tomatillos, husked and coarsely chopped

1 handful arugula leaves

1 handful cilantro leaves

1 handful parsley leaves

Flesh of one avocado

4 scallions, sliced

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, yogurt and half a cup of the oil. Add remaining ingredients and toss thoroughly to be sure vegetables and bread are coated with liquid mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Puree chilled mixture, a little at a time. Combine all pureed batches and mix thoroughly; add water, a little at a time, if too thick. Ladle into 6 individual bowls and drizzle with remaining quarter cup olive oil. Serve with chips and salsa, tacos, cheese and crackers or bread dipped in olive oil.

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Cherry Clafoutis

By Barbara Beltrami

There’s a bowl of cherries sitting on my kitchen counter, and every time I walk by and pop one into my mouth I think of Irving Berlin’s song about life being just a bowl of cherries and I think, “Really?” But then I remember another line from the song that says “…so live and laugh at it all” and I think, “OK, maybe he was right.”

Before I get any more philosophical, let’s talk about those cherries. True, they are wonderful on their own, and oh so nice to look at when they’re fresh and have a nice green stem and an unblemished dark shiny skin. Like most summer fruits, they don’t last long in that condition, but when they start to go, they also make a darn good clafoutis, pie or scone.

Cherry Clafoutis

Cherry Clafoutis

This a French skillet dessert with a flan-like filling and pitted or unpitted cherries. It couldn’t be easier or quicker to make unless you insist on pitting the cherries, which I always feel I should do if it’s for company.

YIELD: Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter for greasing

1¼ cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cherry liqueur or brandy

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon almond extract

6 eggs

Pinch of salt or to taste

¾ cup flour

3 cups pitted or unpitted dark cherries, stems removed

Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet or baking dish with butter. In a blender or food processor, combine the milk, sugar, liqueur, extracts, eggs, salt and flour; blend until smooth. Pour into skillet, then evenly scatter cherries on top. Bake until a golden crust has formed on top and bottom (lift gently with a spatula to check) and a sharp instrument inserted in center comes out clean. When cooled to warm or room temperature, dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with iced coffee or tea in summer and hot coffee or tea in winter or a dessert wine any time.

Cherry Pie

Cherry Pie

Forever linked in American lore with George Washington and his honesty, cherry pie is so much more than the subject of a presidential tale. In fact, it may well be the queen of American fruit pies.

YIELD: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 crusts for a 9-inch pie

4 cups fresh cherries, pitted

3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

2/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 450 F. For the bottom crust, making sure it overlaps the edges, line a 9-inch pie plate with rolled-out dough. Mix cherries with tapioca, sugar and extract. Let stand for 15 minutes. Pour into pie plate. Dot with butter. Cover with a second circle of rolled-out dough (be sure to make slits so the steam can escape) or woven lattice strips cut from the dough. Bake 10 minutes at 450 F, then lower heat to 350 F and bake another 35 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden and cherry mixture is bubbly and thickened. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Cherry Scones

Cherry Scones

Serve these cherry scones warm from the oven and your guests are sure to enjoy them. Scones are traditionally served with jam and clotted cream, a British cross between butter and whipped cream; but it’s hard to find, bothersome to make and not for the uninitiated palate anyway. Really good Irish creamery butter is better, I think.

YIELD: Makes about 12 scones

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour plus 2 tablespoons

1 scant teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons cold butter

3 eggs

¾ cup cream

½ cup pitted chopped fresh cherries

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 450 F. In a food processor, combine the two cups flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Using pulse button, add the butter, one tablespoon at a time until it is completely blended. Beat two of the eggs with the cream and pulse once or twice only to blend with ingredients in processor. Stir in the cherries (do not pulse). Scrape the dough onto a board dusted with the remaining two tablespoons flour. Knead 10 or 12 times, then press into a one-inch thick rectangle. Using a biscuit cutter or glass, cut dough into 2-inch rounds and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Being careful not to overwork it, press the remaining dough into a new rectangle and repeat procedure. Mix third egg with one tablespoon water and brush tops of scones with it. Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Serve with butter and cherry jam, coffee or tea.

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Pan Bagnat

By Barbara Beltrami

Some of you may remember Starkist’s Charlie the Tuna, the suicidal fish who boasted about the superiority of his peers who made it to the cannery. I don’t even know if he’s still around, but I do know that good tuna is a real treat whether it’s white albacore whipped into a salad with mayonnaise and celery and maybe a little onion or belly tuna packed in olive oil and served as part of an antipasto or just a fresh tuna steak, seasoned, then seared on the outside and rare or raw on the inside.

Beyond these basic and familiar tuna preparations are myriad dishes that seem to emanate particularly from the Mediterranean countries and are real palate pleasers. An unusual summer sandwich is something called pan bagnat, French for “wet bread,” composed of tuna, olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes and anchovies plus variable other ingredients on crusty French bread. Now think about a fresh grilled tuna burger with wasabi mayonnaise or tonnato sauce, a creamy tuna emulsion that is as good as a dip as it is as a sauce.

Pan Bagnat

Pan Bagnat

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

One crisp-crusted baguette about 18 inches long

4 to 6 flat anchovies

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon coarse sea salt or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Two 6-ounce cans oil-packed tuna with their oil

One medium red onion, peeled and cut into thin rings

Two hard-boiled eggs, sliced thin

½ cup chopped Kalamata olives

One large firm ripe tomato, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS: Slice the baguette in half along its length. Scoop out enough of the soft part of the bread inside to make a well in each half. With a fork, evenly distribute the anchovies along the length of the bottom half of the bread. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and oil from tuna until it forms a creamy emulsion. Place the tuna, onion, eggs, olives and tomato in order given on top of anchovies. Drizzle oil mixture evenly over layered ingredients and immediately cover with top half of baguette. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, set on a flat surface at room temperature and weight down with a heavy skillet in which have been placed a couple of heavy cans or objects. Let sit at least two hours; then slice into four sandwiches. Serve with potato salad or chips, fruit and cheese and a light red wine or ice cold beer.

Tuna Burger with Wasabi Mayonnaise

Tuna Burger with Wasabi Mayonnaise

 

YIELD: Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 pound ahi or sushi-grade tuna, finely chopped

One egg, beaten ¼ cup minced onion

½ cup bread crumbs

Coarse sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon wasabi powder

1/4 cup mayonnaise

4 hamburger rolls

1 cup lettuce leaves, washed and dried

4 slices tomato

DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce and pepper flakes. Add tuna, egg, onion, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and form into four patties, cover and refrigerate half an hour. Meanwhile, preheat grill on high and mix wasabi powder with two teaspoons warm water; add resulting paste to mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Grill tuna patties one and a half minutes on each side for rare, longer for medium and well done. Place on bottom halves of rolls, top with lettuce and tomato and spread top halves with wasabi mayonnaise. Serve immediately with potato chips or french fries and cole slaw.

Tonnato (Tuna) Sauce or Dip

Tonnato Dip

YIELD: Makes 1½ cups

INGREDIENTS:

One 4-ounce jar Italian oil-packed tuna with oil

3 anchovy filets, chopped

1½ tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/3 cup chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Puree all ingredients in electric food processor until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve with crostini, potato chips, crackers, crudités or over simply seasoned pork, fish, chicken, veal or pasta.

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