Basic Basil Pesto

Here is some pesto from this batch, lovingly spooned on some raw zucchini "pappardelle" 

Everyone has their own preferred ingredients and method for making pesto.  Some people like pesto nice and sharp and salty with lots of cheese, some prefer it light and lemony, some like to use certain kinds of oils or nuts in place of the traditional olive oil and pine nuts.  I thought I'd share mine since now is a great time of year to make big batches of it and freeze it for colder seasons.

I like a complex pesto that balances the sweetness of fresh basil, the creaminess of pine nuts and oil, the bite of garlic, and the sharpness of lemon, salt, and cheese.

--K, who never gets tired of pesto of any sort

Zucchini Bonanza! Zucchini and Feta Pancakes

Zucchini pancakes are a fantastic way to use up the heaps of zucchini that mysteriously appear on people's back car seats at this time of year...(any Garrison Keillor fans?)  They're a simple and adaptable base for a variety of cheeses, aromatics, herbs, etc.; they're good on salads, sandwiches, and on their own; they're good hot, warm, room temperature, or chilled; and they freeze very well.

My dear friend Promise makes a version of these delicious savory pancakes, so whenever I make them, I think of her.  I'm fairly certain that she's partial to the Moosewood cookbook version, which involves beating egg whites and then folding them into the main mixture, which adds a lightness to the batter.  I prefer this one-bowl version for its ease, even if the pancakes tend to be hearty and dense--this works since I'm usually using them as a meatless main dish rather than as a side.

Grilled Summer Vegetable Sandwich

Sometimes when I'm working out at the gym and Law and Order is over and I need something else to watch, I flip the mini flat-screen in front of my usual treadmill to the Food Network.  Last week Bobby Flay made an incredible looking Italian-inspired grilled vegetable sandwich, and I thought--such a simple idea, and something I haven't done all summer!

This recipe is simple in technique, but it's time consuming to grill everything properly.  I suppose you could take a short-cut by purchasing plain grilled veggies from the prepared foods section of the grocery store, but that's almost too easy.

--K, happy to be back in Pittsburgh

Here are some tips and the alterations I made to Bobby's recipe:

-The garlic mayo is totally key here.  I used Veganaise instead, but don't skimp on the garlic.
-I also spread some tears of fresh basil on top of the two mayo applications.
-I added a layer of grilled zucchini in addition to the grilled eggplant.
-Another key to a successful sandwhich is that you season every component very well with salt and pepper--lube them up with some olive oil and sprinkle seasonings generously before grilling.  Then everything will come together well at the end.
-I skipped the arugula because I didn't have any, but I added thin slices of tomato.
-I roasted a yellow pepper instead of red, which added a nice sweetness and also brightened the sandwich layers with a silky pop of color.
-Use a whole ciabatta as instructed and then once the sandwich is composed, slice it to make individual servings for your lucky friends.

Delicioso.

Sesame-Soy Quinoa Salad with Tomatoes and Green Beans

Wowies...there's lots of summer catch-up posting to be done in friendly foodie land!  After my small-ish posting binge in July, I went to New York for a few weeks to do some research and visit with my fam.  And as soon as Emily got back from Peru, she started a new job here in the 'burgh, yay roomie!  Needless to say, we haven't been so great about keeping up with a posting rhythm.  That doesn't mean we haven't been making lots of tasty meals with fabulous summer produce, we just haven't translated them to digital space.

In these precious last few days of August, I will attempt to remedy the recent lag, focusing especially on delicious and simple ways to use some produce that's in tip-top shape these days: tomatoes, peaches, eggplant, zucchini, corn, green beans, etc.

Instant Love: Summer Tomato Bruschetta Drizzled with Balsamic Syrup

 

-Whisk together about 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar and 1 T. light molasses in a heavy saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes until the mixture has reduced to a nice syrup.

-Meanwhile, take the best tomatoes you can find in your yard or at the farmer's market, chop them up, toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, salt and fresh pepper, and set aside.

-When you're ready to eat, slice some baguette or country bread into thin slices, rub with a cut garlic clove, and bake in a 400-degree oven until bread is lightly toasted.

-Spoon tomatoes over crostini, and drizzle with balsamic syrup.  Delightful.

--K, reminiscing about when this particular version was consumed at a resort on the Mayan Riviera

   

Instant Love: Avocado "Fries"

"Instant Love" is my new tag idea for quick bites that don't really require a serious recipe (although our recipes are always more like recommendations than dogmatic prescriptions).  These posts will generally have few ingredients and can come together quickly.  "Instant Love" is a simple, delicious food idea put forth with, well love.  Obviously.

So, when my brother spots something exceptionally delicious-looking online, it's fairly certain he will attempt to create the dish within a week's time.  So, you can understand why I was thrilled when he sent me this link about crispy, creamy avocado fries about a week before I was slated to arrive in NY for a family visit.

Sure enough, my first night in NY with the fam was spent drooling over these delights, and trying to coax my mother to taste a bite (she is, as you can probably tell already, an extremely picky eater.)  Of course, Joey and I didn't fight her too hard...more for us!  They're really easy to prepare if you have a just ripe, but still firm large avocado sliced up nicely, hot canola oil, and panko.  We added a few squeezes of lime juice and were, well, blissed out.

--K, blissed out.

Cannellini Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Dill

Summer's abundant piles of fresh produce and high temperatures often collude to lure us foodies away from the stove, oven, grill, and even our significant other, if he/she is radiating too much heat.  The temperature has hovered in the upper 90s around here lately, and inspired me to throw together some light and no-heat-necessary summery salads.  Of course, "no-heat" for this recipe suggests using canned cannellini beans, which are, of course, convenient and pre-cooked.  I've been trying to avoid using canned goods, however.   


So:  One strategy for minimizing your use of the stove top or oven during particularly heat-wave-like weeks is to prepare 1 or 2 large batches of plain beans or veggies that you can keep in the fridge and recycle in various ways throughout the week.  For example, last week I cooked a big batch (32 oz.) of dried cannellini beans early in the morning before the kitchen got too hot.  Once they were cooked, I drained them and tossed them with a touch of canola oil to keep them covered in the fridge.  They've been used as: a smashed cannellini-rosemary-lemon dip, a spicy garlic sandwich spread, a protein boost for some steamed broccoli, and now, in a light tomato and dill salad.  


A note about dill: if you don't happen to like it, simply substitute any herb you do like.  As much as I love fresh basil during the summer months, I often feel bad for the other delectable fresh herbs growing all around me (rosemary, dill, tarragon, mint, thyme) that tend to get ignored in favor of basil, and try to let them shine in their own dishes.  Tomatoes, which usually get thrown together in a caprese salad with basil and mozzarella, pair especially well with fresh fronds of dill.  This salad exemplifies a classic Greek combination of flavors. 

--K, absolutely loving the available fresh herbs these days

approx. 1/4 c. dill sprigs, roughly torn into little fronds
3 T. red wine vinegar
1/3 c. canola oil or olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper

Whisk these together at the bottom of a large mixing bowl.  It's meant to be very tangy, but you can adjust the proportions if you like.  Add to this:

2 c. cooked cannellini beans
4 medium tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise, and then sliced into slim wedges
feta or goat cheese (optional)
1/4 c. red onion, finely sliced (optional)

Toss everything together gently so the tomato wedges stay mostly intact.  Cover bowl and allow to marinate at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Stir and serve in cheery bowls for a light summer supper for 2.