Fruit Salsa Time!

Summer!  Summer, summer, summer-summer.
Oh, we all are such amazing cooks
(and better than average photographers)
when we get to work with food like this!

There was rain.  And it is still raining.  I feel so much more at home.

I've just about adjusted to all this sun, the early tomatoes, the super sweet fruit, the early peppers (sunny & spicy).  And then it rained.  That means I can keep freaking out about my hot kitchen.  But that's not going to stop me from making this warm (hot) weather deliciousness.

There's not much to say, except, "make fruit salsa."
And make it like you can't make it any other time of the year.

Oh, yeah - and if you have some crab (because it is crab season), use the beautifulness to go with your crab - because that's what I made it for the 1st time.  But some nice grilled chicken - or just with some fresh cheese (cotija, mozzarella, goat cheese) you cannot go wrong.  (Crab - quick how to clean, and a pretty awesome ceviche recipe as well.)

1.  Use tomatoes so ripe you can peel them without that dunk in hot water.

That means they will be softer than you are used to.
But do it - because just this once - you CAN!

2.  Use that fruit that's getting away from you.  This is where to use that fruit that's about to go south.  If it is especially juicy (sluuuuuuurp) fruit - cut on something that can catch the juice to add to your salsa.

Nectarines.  Peaches may get all the press,
but I love the little extra acid of the nectarines.
And the smooth skins.  The non-fuzzy skin is also a plus.

3.  It IS summer, so use your summer onion - the Sweet Onion.

4.  And explore your pepper options.  Ask about heat levels, and then choose what will make you happy.  

And if you want to get hotter - but regulate the heat, you can remove some of the pow-pow by taking out some, or most of the seeds and the white membrane.

The seeds have some heat.
But the most heat lies in the white membrane
that connects the seeds to the flesh.
Use this knowledge wisely - and to your advantage.

This is a much calmer pepper -
all the fruitiness, and less of the heat.

5.  Fresh herbs.  I used basil here, but oregano, parsley and even a little mint or fennel fronds can add that special something.

6.  Acid, Salt & Pepper.  You need a gentle acid - nothing too harsh.  Right now the salsa is pretty sweet, and you want to blend the acid with the sweet, not slash harshly through it.

Some good vinegars; white balsamic, champagne, or rice.  Maybe a little lemon or lime juice if you have it about.

Add salt (and pepper if you want) to bring it all together.

Oh summer.  You are lovely.

1st CSA Bag of 2011!

The first bag arrived... and it is time for salad!

Sweet, spicy, bitter with crunchy & creamy.  A little sour and salty from the dressing.

From the bag I had access to:

Arugula - 1 large handful washed and chopped

Lettuce - 3 leaves washed and shopped

Radishes - 4 small mild ones (I would have used fewer spicy ones)

Walla Walla sweets (1/2 of a tiny, young one)

Apples (1/2 of a Fuji sliced into sticks Half the height of the apple)

Tossed some bread cubes with a little oil - toasted them to crispy crunchy

Some mild super soft rinded cheese (in this case Fromager d'Affinois)

The dressing was white wine vinegar, a bit of chopped parsley, a smashed garlic clove and a small spoon of mustard. Then I whisked in walnut oil (olive would have been fine, but this was sitting in my fridge, begging to be used!)  Added salt to taste.  Skipped the pepper.

It was divine as I munched on the salad while nibbling on the cheese smeared on my fresh croutons, and sipping a nice white wine.

But dessert was there too!

Summer strawberries in Cointreau Marscapone

As many strawberries as you think you can eat in 1 sitting (Half in my case - the other half were for breakfast).

The right size dollop of marscapone cheese (sour cream, creme fraiche, greek yogurt all work fine.  Just needs to be thick and creamy to start -  I was just feeling particularly hedonistic in the face of my first strawberries of the summer.)

Stir in dribbles of Cointreau (or Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur) and sprinkles of brown sugar until it tastes decadent and a tiny bit sour.  (You may need a dash of salt if using yogurt)

Place a dollop over your strawberries, and then realize it looks skimpy, and pour it all on.  You only have your first of the season strawberries once a year.

Enjoy in greedy, satisfied bliss. 

Summer Squash, Summer Cabbage & Sweet Onion Salad

Get out the grill kids... this one actually makes squash good!
And I mean children asking for seconds.

(we had this with grilled chicken - the optional chicken recipe will follow)

Start with:
1 small summer cabbage,
1 medium summer squash,
1 small sweet onion.

[This means 1 small cabbage (baseball sized or 1/2 of a big one), 1 medium sized summer squash, (or several small ones to make up the space of 2 cupped hands), and 1 small sweet onion (or half of a big one].

First make a hearty dressing:

1 Tbs grainy mustard
Optional: (1 small handful of tender herbs - parsley, basil, oregano, chives...)
1 garlic cloves smashed/minces
a large pinch of salt & a small one of pepper (to taste)
4 Tbs pale, but not white vinegar (apple cider, rice, white wine, champagne, any of the above)

Shake or stir these together.

Add about 1/4 C ... or a little more olive oil (either add it slowly and whisk it in, or put it all in a jar/tightly closing tupperware and just shake it hard!)

Pour about half of this in a medium sized bowl/tupperware
Slice the sweet onion thin slices, and toss them in the dressing... set this container to the side.

Slice a summer squash into about 1/4 inch slices (thinner than your pinky).  Long way, short way, diagonal.... which ever way you like to slice your squash.
Toss the slice with 1/2 tsp of oil and 1/2 tsp of salt, and set aside while you fire up the grill... or a grill pan if it is chilly tonight.

While the grill is heating, see to the cabbage.  We got purple in the CSA bag... and it makes the summer squash (yellow &/or green) look good.
Peel off the thick outside leaves.
Chop it in half, and make a "V" shaped cut in each half to cut out the core of each
Place each half on the cutting board, flat side down, and make thin slices.
Toss with the rest of the dressing.

Now that the grill is hot, start to grill the oiled squash - get grill marks before flipping.  When both sides of the squash have grill marks, toss it into the bowl/container with the first half of the dressing & the sweet onion.

Now you have all the pieces.  Throw all together, toss well, and eat with garlic toast!

Necatarines, Sweet Onions, Corn and CRAB!

Local Produce wise, it is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Seriously - take your pick! The salmon and crab are in full flower, the stone fruit is rolling in, berries are burying us, and corn, peppers and onions and herbs are coming up like weeds.

The New England Clam Bake makes so much sense, but out here, crab and salmon and mussels take center stage.

Anyway - a wonderful meal made: Crab Salad with a Fresh summer Relish... and of course Corn on the Cob!

*Nectarine and Sweet Onion Relish*

(please remember - all these amounts are "-ish" and to your taste!)

A firm Nectarine (a good place to use the one that is not quite ripe) cut into small chunks.

A small sweet onion, or 1/2 of a larger one, again, cut into small chunks

a 1/2 cup of sweetish white wine (sparkling if you have it)

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

about the same of basil, Thai Basil is really nice here... but any will do (as would none...)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Let this sit for a few hours, overnight if you are thinking ahead.

*Catch some Crab and Cook it Your Favorite Way*

I steam mine live and whole for about 10 minutes and let them cool.

*Cook the Corn*

While the crab is cooling, boil a big pot of water, place the corn in the water, and boil for about 3 minutes. Pull the corn out and cool. Serve with butter, salt & pepper.

.... when the crab has cooled, quickly

pop the shell off, and clean them. With dungeness crabs, cut off the shell around the legs and body meat. All you need is a strong set of kitchen shears to cut and crack, and the crab toes make great picks.

Or if catching/cooking is not an option, get a bunch of the freshest crab meat you can.

Chop up some sort of crunchy leafy veg... Purple cabbage, butter lettuce, what ever comes to hand.

Dress it with a nice light vinaigrette (oil, vinegar, a little garlic, salt, pepper, mustard as emulsifier).

Dressed chopped salad on the bottom

Crab meat goes on top.

A big spoon of the nectarine relish goes on top.

A cob of corn

Napkins!

The rest of the wine you were cooking with!

Enjoy!