Back in the Kitchen: Simple summer gourmet, August

Fruits and vegetables are flowing at high tide through farmers' markets everywhere. It's hard to know what to pick and sometimes harder to figure out what to do with it when you get home. So here are some really easy "fixes" you can treasure for seasons to come. Next time: tomatoes, beets, eggplants, fruits..

Korean Carrots

Now is the time to take full advantage of all those gorgeously colored carrots: purple, yellow, bright orange and red.  Grab a few of each because this is really picturesque and delicious when you do--as you can see. And there's hardly any calories to make you worry about bathing suit images.

for 6
7-8 med/lg carrots of all colors
1/4 c rice wine or cider vinegar
3-4 tbsp honey (you want the sweet and sour to match so you have to taste and figure it out)
1 small green chili, seeded and minced
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander or coriander seeds
Sea salt to your taste.
Chopped cilantro.

Using a peeler, peel the carrots, then continue using the peeler to create long wafer thin carrot strips. You can do this over your serving bowl.  Let the carrots sit a few minutes and then squeeze down to remove any water in the bottom or the bowl.

While they are sitting, in a dry frying pan toast the sesame, cumin and coriander seeds or powder for 2 minutes until the seeds turn brown and you can smell their fragrance.  In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and honey. Pour the vinegar/honey over the carrots, then stir in the seeds, minced chili and salt. Let this sit a few hours so carrots absorb the powerful flavors--which means you can make it way ahead.  Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Roasted Cauliflower with chimichurri
I try to buy the smallest whole cauliflower in the pile so it roasts quickly and doesn't leave leftovers. There are too many other veggies waiting to be enjoyed. You can make the chimichurri--Argentina's favorite steak sauce, essentially parsley with vinegar, while the cauliflower is roasting. For this particular preparation I prefer the bright white traditional cauliflower for its striking contrast with the powerful green sauce.

To roast a cauliflower, remove all outer leaves. If it is small, you can leave it whole. If it's large, cut out the core and pull apart the florets.  Put the cauliflower on a baking sheet, sprinkle it with olive oil and sea salt and roast it at 450º until it starts to feel tender. How long depends on whether you use the whole cauliflower which obviously takes much longer, or the florets, whether you do it in an oven or toaster oven, with gas or electric but in general think about 12-25(the whole shebang) minutes.

Chimichurri, Argentina’s famous parsley steak sauce  
Make Ahead. The chimichurri can be refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.

1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley (leaves of 1/2 bunch) 
3 tbsp red wine vinegar 
4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tbsp) 
2 tbsp oregano leaves 
2 tsp crushed red pepper 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.

Celery Date Salad
I'm posting this again two year later because it's still so perfect in every way right now: crisp, crunchy, colorful, cool and cooling.

serves 6

8 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal. Chop the leaves too.

6 fresh dates, pitted and coarsely chopped

1/2 c roasted almonds, halve. Whole is okay too.

1/2 sm red onion, diced

2 tsp minced fresh mint leaves

pinch red pepper flakes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 oz shaved Parmesan cheese 

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 c extra good olive oil

Combine celery and leaves, dates, almonds, onion and pepper flakes in a serving bowl. Moisten with the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cheese and olive oil and lastly stir in the mint leaves.
Darjeeling Green Beans with Sesame, salad

This is a recipe from the cookbook I'm working on: the Himalaya, a Cook's Tour gives an ordinary vegetable extraordinary oomph and character. People will notice. Best of all, It's simple, quick, tasty and remarkably nutritious. Little wonder it's a summer favorite in the Himalaya.

1 lb fresh green beans

1 tbsp + 1 tsp sesame seeds

1-2 green chilies (Serrano)depending on how hot you like

1 tbsp mustard or corn or canola oil

salt to your taste

juice of 1 lemon

Cut the green beans on a slant into 1 ½ pieces. Put them in a pot, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and cook 5-8 minutes until the beans are just tender. Add water if necessary. Drain. Put into a serving bowl.

Dry roast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan. Grind to a fine powdery paste.

Half and seed the chilies. Then carefully cut them into very thin long strips.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the chilies. Fry 3 minutes until they start to get crisp. Pour the contents of the pan over the green beans. Put 1 tbsp sesame paste, salt to your taste and the lemon juice on the beans and blend everything. Let it sit at least 10 minutes before serving so the flavors merge.

Seriously tasty corn chowder

Sooner or later you've got to stop gnawing on all those delicious cobs summer brings but still want to eat corn while it's fresh from the farm. And sooner or later there's a cool night or a rainy day. So here's the perfect no sweat soup, a glory of New England.

  Serves 6

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1 sm piece salt pork or Spanish chorizo (if you want fire in the flavor)

1 lg onion, peeled and diced

1 poblano pepper, roasted, skinned and diced

1 Serrano or other hot chili, seeded and diced

1 tbsp dried sage

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground chipotle chili

1 tsp cracked or freshly ground black pepper

3 cups corn kernels (4-5 fresh ears)

3 celery stalks, cleaned and diced

2 cups water

3 medium potatoes (any color), peeled and cubed

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp. diced pimento (roasted red pepper)

2 cups vegetable broth

12 oz. evaporated milk (not sweetened)

4 oz heavy cream

For garnish: chopped fresh chives, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded jack or cheddar cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds

Cut the corn off the cobs and put the cobs into a pot with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and simmer while you work.

Melt butter in a medium soup pot or casserole. Add meat, onions, poblano and chili peppers, sage and oregano. Sauté over medium heat until onions are golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.

Stir in coriander, chipotle chili powder, black pepper and celery. Continue to sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Puree one cup of corn with 1 tbsp vegetable broth and add to the pot, stirring to blend. Add potatoes, salt and the rest of the vegetable broth. Blend ingredients, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups corn kernels, pimentos and if you have boiled corncobs in water, remove the cobs and pour the corn-flavored water into the soup. If you didn’t do this, simply add two cups of water. Continue to simmer covered on medium low heat for 5-8 minutes. (You don’t have to be exact.)

Taste for salt and adjust to preference. Stir in evaporated milk and heavy cream. Cook over medium low heat uncovered until the soup is warmed thoroughly. Do not bring to a boil once the milk and cream have been included.  Stir once to blend all flavors.

Ladle into large soup bowls and garnish with any or all of the ingredients listed above. 

And lastly here's another repeat performer because there's always zucchini to use up:

Zucchini Flan

 

1½ pounds zucchini, thinly sliced

 Salt and pepper

4 eggs

2 ½ cups milk or half-and-half

 Pinch of grated nutmeg

1 tsp chopped thyme

 A few torn basil leaves

1 tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley 

2 tbsp butter for greasing baking dish

4 oz grated cheese, such as Gruyère or Jack

Heat oven to 375º. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add zucchini and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and spread zucchini out to cool on a towel. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Beat eggs and milk with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then add nutmeg, thyme,  basil leaves and parsley.

Butter a 2-quart low-sided baking dish, and arrange blanched zucchini over bottom. Scatter cheese over zucchini, then pour in custard.

Bake for 30 minutes or until custard is still a bit jiggly, but an inserted knife comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before serving.