Zucchini Wild Rice Patties

Very pretty as appetizers, Zucchini Wild Rice Patties are also a tasty sandwich stuffer.  Today is the American Primitive painter Grandma Moses' Day (her birthday) and I feel sure she would have liked the pattern of dark wild rice grains against the light green background the zucchini contributes. 

I saw this recipe and set it aside about a year ago and now that fresh zucchini are abundant could not find it.  This is my recreation using cooked and cooled wild rice, grated raw zucchini and some herbs mixed in a light batter.  It is a pretty standard potato pancake preparation.

Zucchini Wild Rice Patties
Yield: 18-20 small patties

Ingredients
2 cups cooked (and cooled) wild rice
1 medium zucchini, grated on wide holes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, using small holes of grater
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried dill  (1 tablespoon fresh)
black pepper to taste
1 egg

Method
Mix wild rice, grated zucchini and cheese together in a large bowl.  Stir in flour, salt, dill and pepper.  When thoroughly mixed, add egg and stir with a fork until mixture is just moistened.  In a large non-stick skillet heat a small amount of vegetable oil—just enough to skim the surface-- over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot carefully place tablespoon-sized dollops of the batter in the pan.  It should fit 4-5 small patties.  It is important to keep the patties small, about 2 inches in diameter, in order for them to cook through and create a crisp exterior with a fully cooked interior.  Cook 1 minute then flip.  Cooked side should be slightly browned and feel firm under the spatula.  If it is too wobbly to flip, wait another 15 seconds and try again. Cook another 1 minute on the second side.  Remove and drain in a paper towel-lined plate.  Continue to cook patties until all the batter is used.  Patties can be cooked ahead of time and reheated in a 325˚F oven for 10-12 minutes or served immediately.  Reheating is not absolutely necessary.  They are quite tasty served cold in a pita pocket with some salad stuffed in alongside.

For a look at some of Grandma Moses’ works go to Wiki Paintings where you can see her paintings in chronological order.  http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/grandma-moses/catching-the-thanksgiving-turkey-194

Celeriac Avocado Salad

If you like the taste of celery hearts, celeriac also known as celery root, will delight you. It looks a little knarly and knobby with rough thin green stalks growing out of the top but is quite kind hearted.  You will know it because smells so deeply of celery.

It can be cubed and boiled or even mashed and mixed with other root vegetables.  It is most famous in the dish Celariac Remoulade.  I’ve updated the classic remoulade sauce with some avocado and cilantro.  The original recipe calls for crème fraiche.  Use a good plain yogurt if you do not have crème fraiche on hand.

How to tackle celeriac.
Cut off the stems (great to steep into soup or broth, too stringy to stand in for celery stalks).  Have ready the juice of half a lemon in a bowl.  Cut away any uneven roots at the bottom of the plant.  Using a vegetable peeler, peel away the thin skin. Slice off a thin section from the side so that you have a stable base when placed on a cutting board.  Cut slices as thinly as possible.  When you have 5-6 slices, stack them and cut into matchsticks.  Place the matchsticks into the lemon juice and toss.  Continue slicing the celeriac in batches of 5-6 slices.  This will keep the match sticks from oxidizing and turning brown before they are dressed. A medium celeriac provides about 1 1/2 cups match sticks, enough for 4 side servings.

Celeriac Salad
Serves 4

1 celeriac peeled and cut in match sticks, coated juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon yogurt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 avocado, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh herbs- dill, cilantro, parsley
salt and pepper

Method

1. Place celeriac match sticks tossed with lemon juice in a medium bowl.  
2. In a separate small bowl, mix remaining ingredients to create the thick dressing.  Taste for seasoning.  Pour dressing over celeriac and toss well.  
3. Store in refrigerator at least 1/2 before serving and not more than a day.  

Sweet Potato Rolls

The sweet potato in these soft dinner rolls provides fiber without the crunch or dryness you think fiber adds.  So ease back into the rigors of school days without feeling like you are giving your family homework.  Made a little larger, these rolls are great for sandwiches in an enviable brown bag lunch.

Bake an extra sweet potato next time you are serving them at dinner or microwave one that is about 4 1/2 inches long to yield the amount you will need in this recipe.  These rolls are easy even without a bread machine since they need little attention after mixing.  Both methods are included here. 

Sweet Potato Rolls (Yeasted)
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Yield: 12 large sandwich size or 16 small dinner rolls
Ingredients
1 small sweet potato cooked, peeled and mashed, about 1/2 cup
1/2 cup tepid water
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
3 tablespoons softened butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast

Bread Machine Method

1. Place ingredients in bread machine pan in the order listed (or according to your machine’s layering instructions).  Use the dough cycle to create a light orange dough. 
2. When dough cycle is complete, use floured hands to scoop out portions.  Roll and pinch onto round balls and place on a greased cookie sheet for separate rolls or 2 greased pie plates for rolls with soft, connected sides.  Make balls a little larger than the size of a ping pong ball for dinner rolls.  For sandwich or hamburger rolls, make balls about 1/3 larger.
3. Cover dough balls with a clean dishtowel and allow to rise about 40 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375˚F while rolls rise to about double in size.  Bake at 375˚F for 15 minutes.  If you are using pie plates, you may need to bake an additional 2-3 minutes.  Remove rolls from pan and let cool slightly before serving.  Fully cooled rolls can be lightly toasted for sandwiches and hamburgers. 

Hand Method

1.  In a large bowl combine water, 1 tablespoon of sugar and yeast and let stand 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom.  
2. Add all ingredients except flours and mix well (by hand or with a mixer on low.)  
3. Stir in bread flour and 1 cup white whole wheat flour.  With last cup of flour in reserve, turn dough out onto a floured board.  
4. Knead dough 4-5 minutes working in remaining flour to form a soft, non-sticky dough.  
5. Wipe out mixing bowl and insert dough ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a non-drafty spot for one hour.  
6. Proceed from step 2, in bread machine instructions above to form and bake rolls. 

Fresh rolls that will not be enjoyed within a day or two can be frozen for up to three months.  For maximum freshness, freeze as soon as rolls are cool. 

Summer Broccoli

The look of these delightful bright green shapes send a 60’s vibe to me.  They are the stems of broccoli, peeled and cut crosswise like tree trunks.  When lightly steamed and stir-fried with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and some baked tofu, broccoli becomes a summer meal with a whimsical flair.   

I learned about broccoli stem and sesame stir-fries from Kay Langan who I have admired for her cooking and general wisdom since childhood.  I think of Kay often when I cook and problem solve but I do not make her recipe for broccoli unless the vegetables are at their best. Gardens and farmers markets are delivering the most flavorful vegetables right now. Recipes like this will help you use every tasty morsel.

Baked tofu is a new addition to the recipe.  It seems Mark Bittman’s recipe for baking slabs of drained firm tofu basted with a little soy sauce and sesame oil is making the rounds in my food circle lately.   It is hard to mess up this simple technique.

The tofu is baked at 350˚F for 45-50 minutes until firm and a little crisped at the edges.  The result is a nicely textured and flavored firm tofu that can be sliced for a stir-fry or left in slabs for a sandwich.  Since it keeps well in the refrigerator and reheats quickly, it is worth baking a batch ahead so it will be ready and waiting when you are hungry. 

Delicious and groovy too, broccoli sesame tofu stir-fry.  Thank you Kay and Mark.  (Can I call you Mark?)

Ricotta Salata on the Side

When fresh sheep’s milk cheese is salted, pressed and dried, it forms a chalk white sliceable block with a subtle creamy/salty flavor called ricotta salata.  Don’t mistake this for pressed and salted ricotta; the name in Italian refers to a process of making cheese—recooking and salting—rather than the base cheese it is made from. 

But don’t get caught up too much in the name’s true derivation.  It’s pleasant sponginess and fresh milk taste will remind you of the best fresh ricottas, if you’ve been lucky enough to have a homemade or deli-made version.  Ricotta Salata goes in many of the places feta cheese or Mexican cotija can go like the salad below.  It is also nice to crumble over pasta dishes and compliments grilled or roasted vegetables.  I recently found sliced wedges of it drizzled with a little honey and placed alongside some grilled peaches in an elegant dessert course. 

Cucumber Mint Ricotta Salata Salad
Ingredients
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut in chunks
2/3 cup cubed ricotta salata
5-6 fresh mint leaves, sliced or torn
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Toss the cucumbers, cheese and mint leaves together in a small bowl.  
2. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and pour over salad.  Toss to just combine dressing.  
3. Salad can be made up to an hour ahead of serving. 

Cucumber Mint Ricotta Salata Salad is a great side for grilled steak on summer nights.  Since it can be made ahead of time, the cook in charge of side dishes can get out of the kitchen onto the patio with everyone else. 

Corn-Water Poached Salmon

 On hot nights one pot of simmering water is all that can or should be mustered for a simple summer meal.  Try this one: salmon quickly poached in the water fresh of ears of corn have just exited. The corn taste is not strong.  You will feel efficient. The kitchen will stay cool.  So will the cook.

This serves two and is easily doubled:

• Simmer four ears of corn in a deep skillet until done.  Remove corn and set aside on a platter. Cover to keep warm.  
• Turn down the heat, add the juice of one lemon and a few fresh sprigs of dill to the corn water.  When the water is barely moving, lay down a pound of salmon.  
• The salmon should be about 1 inch thick.  Fold over thin edges and skewer or tie it in a roll to create pieces of even thickness. 
• Poach (water barely bubbling) salmon for 2 1/2 minutes on each side.  By the time the salmon is ready, your corn will be cool enough to handle and serve alongside the salmon.  
• Serve this dinner with a side salad of goat cheese, roasted beet and sliced apple decorated with more fresh dill. 

Note: A total of 5 minutes poaching time results in silky medium rare interior and gently flakable outer flesh of the salmon.  If you prefer your salmon poached to a firmer light texture, light pink through to the center, poach an additional 30-60 seconds longer.

Lobster Lettuce Rolls

This lobster salad is traditional but uses the roll as a crouton so that you get the right mouth feel without a lot of bread.  Use 1/2 a lightly toasted and torn roll for a cup of lobster salad.

It makes sense to lighten up the recipe by serving it in lettuce cups but without the New England style hot dog bun with the slit at the top, toasted with a dab of butter, it never feels like home to me.  This summer my inland supermarket stocked the New England rolls and I snapped up packages for the freezer anticipating both lobster rolls and hot dogs on the grill. 

Lobster Lettuce Rolls
Serves 2, easily doubled

Ingredients
2 cups cooked lobster meat (claw, joint and tail from about two 1 1/3 lobsters)
1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 stalk celery, chopped
salt, black pepper, paprika
1 hot dog roll, New England style if available
1/3 head iceburg lettuce (or other old school lettuce of your choice)

Method

1. Place torn roll on a baking sheet and lightly toast for 5-7 minutes in a 300˚F oven.  Do not brown the bread.  
2. Meanwhile cut lobster meat into bite sized chunks, leaving pieces large enough to recognize as real lobster.  
3. Place lobster in a medium mixing bowl and add mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery and seasonings.  Finally, toss in hot dog roll croutons.  
4. Serve in lettuce cups.

How to Cook a Lobster
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add 1/4 cup salt.  Lower heat to simmer and add lobsters, head first.  Simmer 5 minutes for 1st pound and an additional 3 minutes for each pound more. (2 lobsters would take about 10-11 minutes.) Remove lobsters with tongs and allow to cool in a shallow dish or roasting pan,  When cool enough to handle use kitchen sheers, lobster (nut) crackers and seafood forks to remove meat.  Be patient. Play nice music. 

Catalina Pasta Salad

Remember Catalina Dressing?  This is the original.  Not sickly sweet, not full of preservatives, not suffering from tired old herbs.  This Catalina Dressing is zesty with bright tomato, onion and lemony flavors with just a hint of honey for balance.  Tasters loved this and happy to learn there is only 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the entire jar of dressing. 

It is perfect over pasta salads with chick peas, chunks of black olive, red bell pepper, chopped celery, cucumber and carrot strips.   Toss up a batch for pasta salad and save a little dressing for your next green salad.  It is a great match for the cucumbers coming out of gardens now. 

The key to Catalina Dressing is grated onion.  Grating onion is a cool technique that garners a distinctive sweet onion flavor and adds creamy texture to the dressing.  Simply cut a sweet onion, like Vidalia, in quarters and draw it over a cheese grater's large holes.  Very fast and effective way to get both juice and pulp.

Catalina Dressing
Makes about 10 ounces

Ingredients
1 8-oz can plain tomato sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 Vidalia onion, grated
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Method
Mix all ingredients together and toss with your favorite pasta salad ingredients.  Allow pasta salad to cool completely before serving.

Catalina Dressing will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days.


Note:
This recipe was inspired by the recipe provided by My Vegan Cookbook blog but cuts the sweet ingredients back and replaces sugar with honey. 

Fontina Asparagus Pizza

My friend Lee knows I make my own pizza dough. He gave me a ball of frozen dough that he assured me would be just as light and all natural-- the same pure ingredients I use.  His came from a business associate who supplies dough to pizzerias wholesale.  Lucky pizzerias.  Prep space is limited in many restaurants and finding a quality supplier that can save the owner time and money (and space) is a good for all sides of business. 

I also saved time with the high quality frozen dough.  It defrosted leisurely in its package in the refrigerator and over 3 days went from a solid softball to a foamy square pushing into the sides of its bag.

We've had hot, hot days so turning on the oven to heat a pizza stone was out of the question.  Even taking the time to really stretch out the dough seemed too much effort in the steamy heat.  A free form pizza baked over a bed of farina (instead of cornmeal) on an extra thin cookie sheet was all that could be managed and thanks to the relaxed rise of the pizza dough, it came out perfectly. It had a crispy light crust yet was still moist and deliciously yeasty inside.  The dough was a perfect foil to the cheese and asparagus.  Omitting the sauce made for a lighter meal and let us taste and appreciate each ingredient. 

We topped our pizza with quickly steamed, then butter & olive oil-sauteed asparagus over fontina cheese.  X's formed with anchovies provided a salty balance.  If you don't love anchovies, accent this sophisticated pizza with crisped bacon, it's cousin pancetta or top with good quality prosciutto.  (If using prosciutto, wait until the pizza is out of the oven.) For an all vegetable pizza, slice a few oil cured olives and scatter over randomly.

Bake the pizza in a preheated 400˚F oven for 12-14 minutes until the dough is puffed up a bit and the bottom is light brown and sturdy.  Let the pizza rest a moment before slicing.



NOTE: High quality pizza dough has few ingredients, just like what you would put together with flour, water, salt and olive oil.  The trick is giving your dough time to rise. Be patient and go for a slow rise under refrigerated conditions in a loosely secured plastic bag to allow for expansion.  A freshly made dough will rise in about 8-12 hours and can hold for a day.  Let a frozen dough come to the ready over three days.

Seafood Stew

Seafood Stew is within your grasp this summer even if you are far from the shore.  This recipe has easy to put together, flavorful ingredients, hardly any “stewing” time and uses either freshly caught or frozen seafood.  Don't wait for vacation to enjoy. 

My recipe combines something from all the coasts I love—a little fennel and tarragon from the south of France, some saffron notes from Spain’s peninsula and our Atlantic coast's bounty of cod, clams and scallops.  Seafood Stew is a world wide thing so once you know the basics of this tomato-based soup you can swap in your local fish, garden favorites and the herbs that make you happiest.  

Seafood Stew
Serves 3, doubles well
Ingredients

1/4 sweet onion
1/2 fennel bulb
1/4 cup celery leaves
2-3 garlic cloves (plus extra for garlic bread to dunk)
Olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup tomato based vegetable juice
1 cup clam broth
1/2 cup water
6-8 threads saffron
Red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 6-oz fillet of cod, haddock or other firm white fish
1 cup bay scallops
1 cup fresh clams or shrimp (out of shell)
Salt and pepper
Fresh herb garnish: dill, tarragon, parsley

Method

1. In a large wide heavy-bottomed pot, sauté vegetables in olive oil over medium heat.   
2. When vegetables have softened, add garlic and cook stirring another minute. 
3. Add wine and stir to scrape up any caramelized pieces sticking to the bottom of the pot.  
4. Lower heat to medium-low and add tomato juice, clam broth and water.  Sprinkle in saffron and red pepper flakes. Simmer 5 minutes.  
5. Add fish and simmer 5 minutes more.  Add remaining seafood and simmer until cooked through, 2-3 minutes.  
6. Serve immediately garnished with chopped fresh herbs.  

Pass around toasts rubbed with olive oil, garlic and a smear of anchovy paste. 

Car Trip Trail Mix

A recent trip to Vermont reminded me of the pleasures of trail mix.  Yes, its great for a hike but it's also a good snack to get you through the divide between lunch and dinner when you are too busy to stop but need something that can sustain you for just a little while.  Long car trips, an extra hour at the beach, a late dinner are all good times to reach for trail mix. 

You can buy packaged trail mix on the road but making it yourself gives you complete control over the flavor, saves money and allows you to source the most pure and fresh ingredients. Who knows how long that bag of GORP has been sitting at the gas station?

The proportions are roughly 2/3 nuts and seeds to 1/3 dried fruit.   I like to have at least two types of either nuts or seeds.  Some recipes add chocolate but beware in warm conditions.  I hold off until  colder weather to include chocolate chips in my mix. 

The trail mix in the photo includes almonds, sunflowers, pepitas, dried cherries and dried apricots.  Cut large pieces of fruit with kitchen sheers rather than a knife.  Simple and less rippage.

Strawberry Shortcake Roulade

A sliceable strawberry shortcake that can stand up to refrigeration. 

The cake tastes like the freshest ladyfingers you’ve ever had and the strawberry whipped cream filling is dotted with lightly poached strawberry slices. A pure strawberry syrup adds a deep stripe of ruby red. 

The cake portion is from the jelly roll recipe in Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book (2005 and other editions).  The whipped cream is stabilized with gelatin, the method professional bakers use to help the cream stand up to refrigeration without weeping. 

This is a small cake but many standards but will satisfy 4 people with ease.  If you are serving more, rather than double the recipe, make two cakes and bake them side by side.  Flipping and rolling up the cake is easily managed in the single recipe so it’s better to make two regular ones versus one large one. 

Strawberry Shortcake Roulade
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
(Confectioners sugar for coating dish towel)

Special Equipment
Jelly roll pan or 1/2 sheet pan with rimmed sides (15” x 10” x1”), parchment paper, small fine meshed strainer. clean kitchen towel

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. 
2. Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl and egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl.  Allow to stand at room temperature while you prepare pan and dry ingredients.  
3. Grease baking pan and line with parchment paper cut to fit inside long edge of pan and hanging over shorter ends by two inches on each side.  Grease and lightly flour parchment paper lining.  
4. Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl. 
5. Add vanilla to egg yolks and beat with an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes, until mixture is thick and lemon yellow in color.  Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar while continuing to beat on high.  The friction will dissolve the sugar.  The mixture is ready when you can rub a bit between your fingers and feel no sugar granules.  Set aside and wash beaters in hot soapy water to remove all egg yolk (which will prevent whites from achieving good volume).  
6. Beat egg whites with electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.  Stiff peaks stand up on their own when the beaters are pulled away.  They do not flop over as they do at the soft peak stage.  
7. Gently fold egg yolk mixture into egg whites.  
8. Next sprinkle flour mixture over batter and fold in until combined.  Batter will be thick.  
9. Spread batter into prepared pan.  Use a wide rubber spatula to smooth and even out batter.  
10. Bake at 375˚F for just 12-15 minutes.  The cake is done when it springs back from a light finger touch.  
11. Remove cake from oven and immediately run a knife around edge to loosen.  Lay kitchen towel down flat next to pan. Using the strainer, sprinkle an even coating of confectioners sugar on towel matching the size of the baking pan.  Flip the cake over onto the towel and peel parchment paper away.  From the short end, roll up cake in the towel and place on a rack to cool in its rolled shape.  Cool for 1 hour.   

Cake can be made a day ahead.  Cover lightly with pastic wrap.  No need to refrigerate at this stage.  Unroll cake and remove towel to add filling.  Re-roll and chill.   

Strawberry Whipped Cream Filling
Ingredients
1 teaspoon powdered gelatin
1 Tablespoon cold water
2 cups fresh or thawed strawberries
2/3 cup whipping or heavy cream
2-4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Method

1. Stir powdered gelatin into cold water.  Set aside 5 minutes.  
2. Meanwhile, hull and slice strawberries.  Microwave strawberries on medium temperature until slightly cooked and tender, about 90 seconds.  Remove and strain.  Reserve strawberry juice.  
3. Heat gelatin in  a small pan or microwave until just melted.  Remove and cool.  
4. Beat whipped cream  until beginning to thicken.  Keep beating and gradually add sugar to taste.  Add vanilla.  Stir in gelatin.  
5. Fold in strawberries, reserving a portion to use as decoration. 
6. When cake is completely cool, unroll and remove towel.  Spoon strawberry whipped cream onto cake within an inch of its edges. Gently re-roll cake and refrigerate at least an hour.   

Use a serrated knife to cut slices cleanly.  Serve cake with a syrup made from the leftover strawberry juices cooked with a few teaspoons of sugar or honey.  If there is not much juice, add a little orange juice to the mixture.