Simple Summer with Meatballs

It's hot. It's sticky. Nobody wants fireworks in the kitchen. Summer 's here and the cooking is easy.
Vegetables and fruits galore to choose from. Picnics, potlucks and parties happening. Pick right at the farmers' market and you can cobble together just about anything on short notice.

For instance, a small head of cauliflower. Coat the top with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, then roast it at 425º until it's lightly brown and crisp, maybe 20 minutes. While that's happening make up some cilantro pesto. Put in a food processor or chopper: 1/2 c cilantro leaves, 1 clove garlic, a good amount of freshly ground black pepper, 2 scallions chopped, sea salt, 6 pine nuts and 1 tbsp ground parmesan or asiago cheese. Whiz it to smithereens, then keep whizzing as you add enough good quality olive oil to make a sauce.  Now: you can pour this over the cauliflower or you can break the florets off individually and serve them beside a bowl of sauce for dipping and you can do either one hot or cold.

Baby bite sized potatoes are available in colors. Think 3-4 per person. Olive oil a baking sheet and put the amount you need on it. Sprinkle the tops with more olive oil and pinches of sea salt. Add a pinch or two of dried rosemary and roast the potatoes at 450º 10-12 minutes. The outside should be very crunchy and the inside meltingly soft. If you need an extra minute to achieve that take it.  Serve warm with more sea salt and some fresh rosemary or at room temperature surrounded by your favorite dips: e.g pesto, French onion, salsa verde, skordalia.
  



Greek meatballs with mint and cinnamon served room temperature are always a treat. You can use beef

or lamb but beef probably works better for them.
makes 20 golf ball sized meatballs

1 lb very lean ground beef or lamb
1/4 c finely chopped fresh mint leaves (spearmint may be too strong)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 sm red onion, minced
lots of freshly ground black pepper
sea salt to your taste
1/4 c olive oil plus 2 tbsp

Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine everything but 2 tbsp olive oil in a bowl and using your hand blend everything. If the mixture feels loose, add a few breadcrumbs. Make golf ball sized meatballs or smaller and place them as you go on a baking dish oiled with the 2 remaining tbsp olive oil.  Bake at 350º until browned all over, 30 minutes. Cool. Serve at room temperature on a bed of mint or oregano leaves.

Spaghetti with Lemon and Basil

I think of this as the summer version of my lazy cook favorite: cacio e pepe, spaghetti with pepper and cheese. It's about as easy as cooking gets and as tasty. It's what to make when you can't think what to make and don't want to run to the market.
Serves 3-4

1/2+ lb bucatini or spaghetti
3 lg lemons
2/3 c good quality olive oil
1 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste.

Boil the spaghetti in heavily salted water until it's just past al dente.
While it cooks, juice the lemons and get 1 tbsp zest.  In a medium bowl whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.  Drain the spaghetti in a colander. Pour the lemon/oil mixture into the hot pot it cooked in and with a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the cheese. It should start to dissolve making a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Stir in the warm spaghetti and shake the pot so every strand is coated. Stir in the lemon zest and chopped basil and serve immediately.

And finally an old favorite from Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking,

Chard Torte

Serves 6-8

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1½ lbs Swiss chard (you can mix red and green, for you need two bunches)

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 jumbo egg (or two small eggs)

1 cup grated Pecorino, Parmigiano or Asiago or Pecorino cheese

¼ cup unbleached flour

2 tbsp balsamic or Jerez vinegar

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400º.  Oil an 8” spring form pan or quiche dish.

 Wash the chard and trim away all the thick stems, even up the back of the leaves.  Chop the leaves into small ½” pieces.

 Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the chard, reduce heat to medium, and sauté, stirring until the chard has wilted.  Add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Blend in the cheese and flour. Stir in vinegar and nutmeg.

 Combine the cheese mixture with the greens, carefully blending so everything is evenly distributed. Spoon everything into the oiled pan or dish, spreading it evenly, leveling the top.

 Bake 10 minutes at 400º until it is firm. (You might want to put a cookie sheet underneath to catch leaks.) Remove from the oven and cool two minutes before undoing the springform ring. 

 To serve, cut into wedges and garnish with black olives.