lemon

Grilled Peppers with Saffron Vinaigrette

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This makes for a good mini salad in a multi-course meal, or try it over crostini for an appetizer you can make ahead and keep in the fridge waiting for the moment to strike. It also just has a lot of yummy tips for how to best bring out the flavor in peppers, and the dressing is a fantastic addition to your repertoire. This recipe is from one of my favorite books: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (by Deborah Madison, which my family lovingly refers to as the family potluck bible. If you’re interested in canning those peppers from the market and save Summer for the coming Winter, check out this old time method.

Directions:

Grill and peel a selection of different-colored bell peppers (directions below), allowing 1/2 pepper per person. Be sure to reserve any juices that collect in the bowl while they’re steaming.  Slice the peppers into halves or quarters, scrape out the seeds, and layer the peppers on a platter. Make Saffron Vinaigrette with Basil (see recipe below), adding any reserved pepper juices. Toss the peppers with vinaigrette to moisten and serve garnished with sprigs of basil and Nicoise olives.

How to grill and peel peppers:

roasted peppersPlace whole peppers directly on a gas burner (on your stovetop) or on the grill. Roast the peppers until the skin becomes wrinkled and loose, turning them frequently with a pair of tongs. If you want the peppers to be soft and slightly smoky, roast them until the skins are completely charred. Set the peppers in a bowl, put a plate on top, and let them steam at least 15 minutes to loosen the skins.

If you wish to grill bell peppers without peeling them, slice off the top of the tip of the pepper, open it up, and remove the veins and seeds. Brush with olive oil and grill, skin side facing the fire, until the skins are puckery and lightly marked but not charred. Turn the grill on the second side for a few minutes, then remove and season with salt and pepper. Leave the peppers in large pieces or cut them into strips as desired.  Skinny peppers and chiles can be brushed with oil, grilled whole until just blistered, then sprinkled with salt.

Saffron Vinaigrette with Basil

For a saffron lover, this dressing will become a favorite. Use it with summer vegetables- roasted peppers and potatoes, grilled zucchini, tomato salads, grilled fennel. Or add finely diced tomatoes to the dressing and spoon it over grilled or roasted eggplants.

oil with saffronIn a bowl, combine 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons snipped chives, 1/2 teaspoon grated or minced orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Warm 2 tablespoons of oil right over the heat in a small measuring cup, crumble in a pinch of saffron threads and let stand for a few minutes. Add this oil to the dressing and whisk in 6 more tablespoons of olive oil, Add 2 tablespoons of snipped or torn basil leaves just before using. Makes about 1/2 cup of dressing.

Tomato Cream and Bacon Pie

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This recipe is inspired by a Better Home and Garden recipe, with extra extra flaky crust(s) and we think it works with heirloom toms or cherry toms!  Try it and tell us what you think!

What you will need:

  • 6 strips bacon
  • 1 15 ounce package rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust (2 crust) (or see recipe below for making your own crust)
  • 2/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes or roasted heirloom tomatos
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
  • 3/4 cup thinly sliced leaf lettuce
  • Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions for making the crust (if not buying it right out)

1 cup unsalted butter, cold
2 cups all- purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 to 5 tablespoons, ice water

 

Directions for making the crust:

1. Cut the butter into 1/2-in/12-mm cubes, and freeze them while you measure and mix the dry ingredients.

2. To make the dough in a food processor: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the processor and pulse three or four times to mix. Retrieve the butter cubes from the freezer, scatter them over the flour mixture, and pulse until the mixture forms pea-size clumps. Add the ice water, 1 tbsp at a time, and pulse to mix, adding just enough water for the dough to come together.

To make the dough by hand: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Retrieve the butter cubes from the freezer and distribute them evenly in the flour mixture, coating them with the flour mixture. Sink your fingers into the mixture and begin pinching the butter and flour together, making thin, floury disks of the butter. Continue working the mixture until the butter is broken down first into floury pea-sized beads and then into a loose mixture that resembles wet sand. Drizzle in 3 tbsp of the ice water and use your hand like a comb to mix in the liquid just until the dough holds together. If necessary, add additional water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together in a crumbly mass.

3. Turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface or sheet of parchment paper. Gather the dough together in a mound, then knead it a few times to smooth it out. Divide it in half, and gently pat and press each half into a rough circle, about 1 in/2.5 cm thick. Lay wax or parchment paper in two pie pans and lay the dough in each. Wrap in plastic wrap or in the wax/parchment paper and put in freezer for 30 minutes.

 

Directions for making the Pie

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the pie crusts from the freezer, and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. In a large skillet cook bacon until just done but not crisp. Transfer to paper towel. Reserve 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings in skillet; set aside. Make sure to save that leftover (if any) intoxicating fat for another time!

On a lightly floured surface, stack the two piecrusts. Roll from center to edges to form a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry around a rolling pin; unroll pastry into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. (Sides should be 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep). Ease pastry into pie plate, allowing edges to form a loose ruffled or scalloped effect. Gently press pastry into the bottom of pie plate. Sides will not lay flat against pie plate.

Prick bottom of pastry. Line pastry with a double thickness of foil; bake 10 minutes.

Remove foil; bake 5 minutes more. Remove, and reduce heat to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the cheese over the piecrust.

Place half the bacon slices around the edge of the crust. Set aside.

Cook onion in reserved bacon dripping over medium heat until tender. Drain drippings. Set aside.

Halve 2 cups of the cherry tomatoes, leaving the remaining 2 cups whole. Place the halved and whole tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. Alternatively roast heirloom tomatoes (see directions in step 2 of this recipe) and slice to 1/2 inch segments and put in a large mixing bowl.

Add olive oil, 2 Tbsp. of the basil, salt, and 1/4 tsp. of the pepper. Stir to combine.

In a separate bowl beat together cream cheese, mayonnaise, egg yolk, cooked onion, lemon peel, and remaining Parmesan, basil, and pepper. Spoon cream cheese mixture into piecrust.

Top with tomato mixture.

Nestle the remaining bacon slices among the tomatoes, weaving bacon between tomatoes. Gently press tomatoes and bacon into the cream cheese mixture. Bake pie until cherry tomatoes just begin to brown or the crust browns and becomes flakey when you touch it, about 35 minutes. (Loosely cover pie with foil if edges brown too quickly, say 15 minutes.) Let stand 60 minutes. Top with leaf lettuce and serve with lemon wedges for a little bit of zest.

The Shishito Pepper

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We are getting these gorgeous little emerald jewels in, which many might mistake for a padron pepper. They are similar but not the same, having a sweeter lighter flavor than their earthy counterparts.  Happy Boy Farms wrote up a little side by side on their differences here, if you are interested.

Shishito peppers taste best when they are grilled, broiled, or sauteed, just as long as they’re blistered. The sweet pepper (and perhaps one out of every 10 is surprisingly hot) mixed with the smoky gooeyness from being tossed around on the fire makes a great match. They’re great finger food, but I’ve also thrown them into a salad after cooling a bit.  Below is a basic recipe, that should take just 15 minutes to execute:

 

These directions comes from  Vegetable Literacy: Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the Edible Plant Kingdom, with over 300 Deliciously Simple Recipes by Deborah Madison:

Heat a little olive oil in a wide sauté pan until it is good and hot but not smoking. Add the peppers and cook them over medium, tossing and turning them frequently until they blister. They shouldn’t char except in places. Don’t rush. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to cook a panful of peppers. When they’re done, toss them with sea salt and add a squeeze of fresh lemon. Slide the peppers into a bowl and serve them hot. You pick them up by the stem end and eat the whole thing, minus the stem, that is.

You can probably do fancier, cheffy things with them, but they’re terrific like this. For variety, I sometimes use a little toasted sesame oil instead of olive oil and finish them with togarashi. If you have leftovers, an unlikely event in my experience, chop off the stems and put the peppers in an omelet or some scrambled eggs.

Fava Favorites

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As Christine mentioned, fava beans (also known as broad beans) are both highly versatile as well as rich in history! Below are some tips and recipes for working with the vicia faba plant in the kitchen.

A Quick Fava Bean Snack

Soak matured beans in water overnight or even longer.  Once they are almost completely rehydrated, drain out the water and fry them in olive oil until they are crisp and the shells split open. Salt and serve with a wedge of lemon.

 

Some Ideas for Fava Greens

You can treat fava greens as you would normally to spinach or pea shoots. Some say that they lend themselves to taste like spinach, even. You can mix them (raw) into salads or wilt them slightly by tossing them with a warm vinaigrette. Alternatively, saute them with garlic and use them to garnish ricotta-topped crostini.  Or if you have a large bunch, wash and dry well. Saute quickly (no more than 3 minutes) over high heat with a little butter and salt. Top with a dash of lemon zest.

 

Fava Greens, Edible Flower, and Poached Egg Salad

Courtesy of Westphoria

  • 2 cups lightly packed fava greens (leaves and tender sprigs)
  • 1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 tbsp. fresh marjoram leaves
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup pansy petals and fava blossoms (organically grown)
  • 1 tbsp. sliced green onion
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tbsp. Meyer lemon juice
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 1 large egg

1. Put cleaned fava greens, herbs, flowers, and green onion in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste.

2. Crack egg into a small cup. Heat a saucepan of water until small bubbles form. Gently lower egg into water and cook just until whites set, about 3 minutes.

3. Toss salad with most of dressing and transfer to a plate. Gently scoop egg from water with a slotted spoon and set on salad. Drizzle remaining dressing over egg.