Season To Taste

I have had my ups and downs with coleslaw over the years.  As a kid, I loved it.  As I grew, I developed a distaste for any “white” salads found at the deli counter…macaroni, potato, and yes, coleslaw.  While you still couldn’t pay me to eat traditional macaroni salad (the one with the elbow macaroni and tons of mayo), I’ve scaled back my aversion to certain potato salads and yes, coleslaw.

These days, slaw has gotten all fancy on us!  The cabbage/carrot/mayo version is still widely available, but also gaining in popularity is broccoli slaw, jicama slaw, and apple slaw. They are studded with extras like dried cranberries, pecans, cilantro, and figs.  Cookout buffet tables rejoice (cue the Halleluiah chorus here)!

I love color on my plate, so it was natural for me to be drawn to purple cabbage.  It is crunchy and delicious, and makes an excellent base for a beautiful coleslaw.  The best part is that it can be found pre-shredded in bags in the produce section, saving you lots of extra time in the kitchen.  When combined with shredded carrots (which can also be purchased prepared), fruit, nuts, and a sweet dressing, the result is far cry from that stuff at the deli.

In this particular recipe, I call for the orange to be “supremed”.  This is a cutting technique used to separate the orange flesh from the outer rind, white pith, and membranes.  I’ve included a video below which I found online at ExpertVillage.com to demonstrate how to supreme.  It is actually not difficult to do, but does take a little time.  If you aren’t feeling in the mood to fuss, just substitute a small can of mandarin oranges drained from their juices. 

I also chose a prepared raspberry dressing to simplify this recipe.  A raspberry vinaigrette would work equally as well, but is a bit less “creamy”.  If you find a dressing that already includes poppy seeds (which some raspberry varieties do), then just omit the poppy seeds listed in the recipe. 

Purple Coleslaw with Orange Supremes

Serves 4-6

10 oz pre-shredded purple cabbage (about 4 cups)

10 oz pre-shredded carrots (about 2 cups)

½   cup almonds

1 orange, supremed ( Watch video:  How to Supreme an Orange)

½ cup prepared raspberry salad dressing

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Salt & pepper

Toast the almonds in a 375 degree oven for approximately 7-10 minutes (watch them carefully so they do not burn!).  Alternatively, you may toast them on the stovetop in a dry pan over medium heat until golden.  Remove from pan and roughly chop.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots, and almonds, and toss with the dressing to evenly coat.

Add the orange supreme pieces and the poppy seeds, and gently mix to combine. 

Serve at room temperature.

I did not grow up in New England, or even by an ocean, so lobster was not something we ate with any frequency.  I think the first time I had lobster was on a family trip to Bar Harbor, Maine when I was about nine or ten years old.  I remember being surprised when they brought a whole lobster to the table, and was very intrigued as my mother explained what parts you could eat and how you extracted those parts from the bright red shell.  It seemed like an awful lot of work, but I definitely became a fan of the king of the crustaceans. (Photo at left by “No MSG”)

Since we didn’t have access to a lot of fresh lobster back then, I also was not privy to the debates about lobster salad.  How much mayo, what kind of roll, fresh celery or celery salt?  It seems there is an on-going argument between New Englanders surrounding the proper way to make lobster salad.  Since I had no pre-conceived notions or biases toward any one preparation, I could do as I wished and not get anyone in my family upset.  After trying many types—too plain, too fancy, too “wet”, too “dry”, and too much other stuff, I came up with a version that I like best.  I tend to be a bit of a purist when it comes to food, and this is a perfect example of that.  No extraneous, super-fussy ingredients that take away from the salad’s star—the lobster.

As for the roll, I like a buttered and lightly toasted split-top hot dog bun.  I find these preferable to the regular, side-split hot dog buns because I think they hold more filling.  They also have a flat bottom so they will stand up on the plate, rather than rolling over and spilling out the precious lobster salad. 

Recently, I had a wonderful lobster dinner at a local supper club.  Between the huge lobster (1 ½ lbs!), clams, mussels, and all the fixings, I was just too stuffed to eat everything.  I decided to take my tail to go and looked forward to preparing a wonderful lunch the following day.  I decided to keep it simple and use just what I had on hand—celery and red onion for crunch and color, light mayo for binding, and a squeeze of lemon for freshness.   Now that’s my idea of great leftovers!

Lobster Salad

Serves 2

1 medium lobster tail, (6-8 oz) cooked

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped red onion

¼ cup light mayonnaise

1 T fresh lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Roughly chop the lobster tail and place in a mixing bowl.

Add celery, onion, mayo, and lemon juice and stir to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve on buttered and toasted split-top hot dog rolls.

The rain was coming down in sheets on Saturday, the day I normally head to the farmers market to pick up my CSA farm share.  The market is scheduled to run rain or shine, but since lightening and tents with metal poles are probably not a good combination, everything was on hold until the skies cleared.  A few hours later, the rain had slowed to a drizzle, so I headed over to see what Lexi at Gazy Brothers Farm had for me this week.

The rain had kept most people away that day, so Lexi had a surplus of produce.  Rather than have to bring so much back to the farm, she was nice enough to offer up some extras to me for braving the elements.  As a result, I ended up with three huge containers of freshly picked blueberries, plus lots of veggies including corn, red onions, fresh basil, tomatoes, and a gorgeous, perfect looking purple eggplant.

The first container instantly disappeared when I set them out for my little ones and some of their buddies.  The second container made its way into a triple batch of blueberry muffin bread (adapted from a recipe in How To Bake by Nick Malgieri), and I saved the third container for an unusual but delicious salad. 

Years ago, I’d written down the idea for this salad on a piece of scrap paper which ended up stuffed in the front of my overflowing recipe box.  I’d all but forgotten about it until one day I decided to organize all the stray recipes I’d written down, ripped out, and recycled.  Unfortunately, I have no recollection as to where this particular recipe originated.  I may have eaten it at a restaurant, seen it in a photo, or read about it in a magazine or newspaper article.  Whatever its source, it made an impression on me, prompting me to scratch out an ingredient list on that stray piece of paper. 

It’s a good thing I reorganized my recipe box when I did, considering blueberries are in the peak of their season.  The salad features blueberries as the main ingredient, and is paired with tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette.  It may seem strange to put vinegar on fruit, but it’s actually a classic!  Italians love strawberries with balsamic vinegar, which is another surprisingly delicious combination.   

So, revel in the blueberry bounty!  It’s great alongside fish, chicken, or steak, or perfect as a picnic salad.

Blueberry & Tomato Salad

Serves 4

1 pint blueberries

½ pint grape tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Pinch of salt

Combine berries and tomatoes in a bowl and toss to combine.

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and add to salad.  Toss again and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Thanks to MeetaK for the top photo of blueberries.

  It is no wonder I love corn….I grew up in upstate New York where corn fields are pretty much everywhere.  It is the main crop that most farmers in that area grow, and in August, the roadside farm stands overflow with corn on the cob, piled high and deep.  We loved the Schoharie County corn, which my parents always said was superior to everything else around.  They basically refused to buy corn anywhere but from one particular farm stand, where my family alone probably kept them flush during the off-season.  In August, we pretty much ate corn almost every night.  Who could resist?  “Butter-and-sugar” was our variety of choice, which we boiled in sugared water for seven, eight, or nine minutes, depending on who you asked.

 We were corn purists—and put nothing but butter on our cobs.  When I met my husband, I was shocked to see that he ate his “straight up” without any condiments.  Over the years, I’ve come around to his way of thinking, and now enjoy the corn in all its naked glory.   A good cob needs no embellishment, and since my metabolism isn’t what it used to be, who needs the extra calories of butter?   However, I will admit that the other night while eating out at a local supper club, I had some extraordinary corn on the cob.  It was perfectly cooked (a rare thing at a restaurant), gently bathed in butter, and then sprinkled with parmesan cheese and ground chipotle pepper.  Fabulous!   I’m definitely using that at my next dinner party. 

What I did use at my last dinner party was this Corn Panzanella Salad.   By cutting the corn off the cob after cooking and combining it with tomatoes, basil, and homemade “croutons”, you have a colorful and healthy salad which is substantial enough to serve as a main dish during lunch or for a light dinner.   It’s a perfect way to celebrate the season’s bounty!

Corn Panzanella Salad

Serves 4

4 ears fresh corn, husked

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

4 slices country bread, cut into cubes

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons + ¼ cup olive oil

Salt & pepper

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook corn for 7 minutes, or until just tender.  Remove from water and allow to cool.

Once cooled, use a sharp knife to shear the kernels off the cob.  Place corn in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, toss cubed bread with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place on a small baking sheet.  Bake for about 10 minutes, until bread is nicely toasted and crunchy.  Allow to cool somewhat.

Add the croutons, tomatoes and basil to the bowl with the corn, and mix to combine.

In a small bowl or mixing cup, make a vinaigrette by whisking together balsamic vinegar, remaining olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Pour over the salad and toss to combine.

Thanks to “catchesthelight” for the top photo of the corn cob.

During the summertime, tomatoes are everywhere and at the peak of freshness, so take advantage of the bounty!  This week at the farmers market there were a few different varieties of tomatoes, including Beefsteak, Ugli (an heirloom variety), and cherry tomatoes-both red and yellow.  Naturally, I had to get some of each.  Not only do I love summer tomatoes, fresh off the vine, I especially love the fragrance that lingers on your fingers after picking a tomato off the vine.  I think if colors had a scent, this is what green would smell like.  Spring green– not Kelly green or hunter green.  A light green with lots of yellow.  Like the line in that poem “nature’s first green is gold”.  That is the smell you’re left with after picking a fresh tomato.

I love a classic Caprese salad (tomatoes, mozzarella, basil,) — red, white and green, the colors of the Italian flag.  I decided to use these same flavors to make a summery pasta salad, which I served alongside grilled flank steak.  By using both red and yellow tomatoes, cubed fresh mozzarella, and a basil pesto vinaigrette, I pay homage to the original, but give it a new twist.  Any pasta shape will do, but I like the mini penne, or “pennette” for this dish.  You could also use mini rigatoni, shells, or orechette.  I like to match the shape and size of the pasta to the other ingredients in the salad.  Since for this dish I’m using cherry-tomatoes and cubed mozzarella, I favor a short, shaped pasta as opposed to a long strand pasta.  It just seems to work better—and aesthetically, looks more appealing.

The pesto can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge, or even frozen for a longer period of time.  The tomatoes should be fresh-and never refrigerated.  It kills the fresh taste.  As for the mozzarella…be sure to use fresh, not the rubbery kind found in the dairy section of the grocery store.  Buffalo mozzarella has the fullest flavor, but other varieties are perfectly okay if you can’t find buffalo.  Just look for the kind that comes in the plastic container surrounded by water.  The texture is softer and has more moisture, and the taste is incredible.  The rubbery stuff is great for grating, but when cubing, look for the fresh variety.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Serves 6

1 lb. pasta (mini penne or rigatoni, shells, orechetti)

1 bunch basil

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 clove garlic

Olive oil

Salt/pepper

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 pint cherry tomatoes (red, yellow, or a combination), halved

6-8 oz fresh mozzarella, cubed

 Set a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.  Drain, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, place garlic and pine nuts in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a few times until finely chopped.

Add basil and pulse again until finely chopped.

With blades running, add olive oil in a steady stream, until a sauce-like consistency is created.

Stir in salt, pepper, and vinegar. Add a 1-2 extra tablespoons of olive oil, stir, and set aside. 

Place pasta in a large bowl and add pesto vinaigrette.  Mix to combine.  Add tomatoes and mozzarella cubes, and gently stir again until everything is incorporated.  Serve at room temperature.