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Category: Vegetable gardens | Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2013 7:44 pm

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Summer Recipes

Once summer hits, I don't get much of a chance to spend a day in the kitchen. Mowing, weeding, planting and harvesting, making sure the hens are happy, all these take up most of my day. However, once in a while I get to have a day in the kitchen.
First, I go to the vegetable garden and pick what is ripe. Then, into the kitchen to wash, refrigerate, or prepare the harvest. One of my favorite things to fix early in the morning for that night's dinner is Green Bean/New Potato Salad.

Green Bean/New Potato Salad (serves four as a salad, two as a *lunch)

1 lb. new potatoes, red, yellow, whatever you have that are about as big around as a quarter, washed
¼ lb. green beans, bottoms and stem ends removed, and washed
1/8 c. mixed fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, oregano are my favorites, but use what you have)\
1 tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil, and a little extra
juice and zest of ½ lemon
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Simmer potatoes in salted water until fork-tender. Drain in colander. Cook beans in salted water over high heat until crisp-tender (they should break, not bend). Add to colander with potatoes and drain well.

In a large bowl, toss together the beans, potatoes, herbs, oil, and zest. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Add extra olive oil if needed. Refrigerate until an hour before serving. Remove from fridge and let come to room temperature, or slightly cooler. Toss well, and add a bit more fresh parsley, coarsely torn.

*If serving for lunch, you can add some thinly sliced ham or grilled chicken breast

I like to get my herbs picked early—when the dew is off, but before the heat of the day hits them. I take a flat basket out and cut basil, parsley, marjoram, oreganos (note this is plural, more explanation to come), and rosemary. The flat basket is so I can keep them separate (marjoram looks a lot like Greek oregano and I have been known to confuse the two!). If I'm going to use any of these herbs within the next two days, I just stick them in a glass of water in the refrigerator. If they won't be used that soon, I prepare them for storage. Basil and parsley get chopped fine, a bit of vegetable oil added to the basil and a bit of water to the parsley, then they are put in one tablespoon dabs on a piece of waxed paper, frozen, and then transferred to a freezer container. Both retain their flavor, and although the basil darkens a bit, it still is perfectly acceptable in any cooked dish. Marjoram is hung to dry along with the Greek oregano and the Mexican oregano in a spot out of direct light, but with good air circulation. Mexican oregano has the same taste as the Italian or Greek oregano, just a bit moreso. I like it because it is very hardy and can withstand our heat/humidity. The Italian oregano tends to die out, and the Greek loses its flavor when stressed.

Our sweet corn is ripe, and I'm trying to keep up with it. Other than freezing it, or serving it every other night as corn-on-the-cob, I've found that using it in Southwestern Eggrolls is a good way to use up the small amounts left from freezing.
(You will notice that amounts are not noted in this recipe. It's free-form in that you use what you have, add to your taste, and enjoy. I do recommend that for the timid of palate, you go easy on the jalapeño peppers).

Southwestern Eggrolls

Flour tortillas (buy them. Believe me, it isn't worth trying to make your own!)
hamburger
canned diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes, diced
corn, off the cob
whole pickled jalapeño peppers, with seeds removed
canned black beans (again, buy them canned!)
ground cumino
chili powder
salt and pepper

In a large skillet, brown the hamburger mixed with the cumino, chili powder and salt and pepper. Add the beans, tomatoes, and corn. Warm the tortillas briefly so they are flexible.
In the middle of each tortilla, place a generous tablespoonful of the hamburger mix, roll the tortilla once, fold the ends in, and finish rolling. Place in a greased shallow dish. When all the eggrolls are in the dish, place in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes. Remove, cool slightly, and serve with a salad of shredded lettuce, tomato, and red cabbage with a vinaigrette dressing.

Dessert is always a challenge. Texas doesn't provide a lot of fruits, and desserts tend to be on the heavy, sweet side. We like to have a mixed fruit (pear, fig, and blackberry) compote.

Mixed Fruit Compote

Whatever fruits you have that are fresh and seasonal, wash and drain. Put them in a bowl, add to a quart of fruit about ¼ cup of white sugar, and ½ tsp. vanilla extract. Mix gently so as not to puree the fruit, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
If you want to get adventuresome, add a bit of sweet white wine (Moscato) or about a tablespoon of orange juice concentrate, undiluted. The concentrate goes better with melons than with berries.
If you want to get really wild, take a small watermelon, cut four or five plugs, inject Tequila or Vodka into the plug holes, and serve small portions to those over 18 years of age.

Tonight we are having honey-glazed salmon, fresh baby carrots and red onions salad with a soy sauce/olive oil/black pepper marinade, baguette with roasted red pepper tapenade, and a very traditional strawberry shortcake for dessert. I had so much fun in the kitchen today!




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Frank wrote on Fri Jun 14, 2013 1:12 pm:

Thanks for taking the time to post your recipes MG!

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Mrs. Galeassi wrote on Sun Jun 16, 2013 1:50 am:

Yummy sounds good, can't wait to try one. :) We just made salads with our romaine lettuce, tomatos and leeks. Added grilled chicken. I love eating out of the garden. :) Thanks for sharging your recipes.....

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