Fish, Fennel and what else? Tomatoes of course!

I’m still making tomato sauce for winter nights ahead, and trying to eat them now too. So yesterday after the sauce was finished, I decided to pair the sauce with fish. One of the vendors at our farmers market sells wild fennel pollen and I decided to use it in creating this easy healthy dish. This fish preparation uses the usual Mediterranean ingredients which of course includes the tomato sauce made with olive oil, garlic and onions, and with both fresh fennel & fennel pollen, and kalamata olives.
The fish I used was Orange Roughy but you can substitute another firm white fish.This can be baked in the oven but because its 100+ degrees in Visalia, I decided to baked this fish dish in heavy duty foil lined with parchment paper on my gas grill.
The method is simple: each ingredient is layered one on top of another, then the packet is folded shut and place in the center of a the medium high grill, and the cover is closed.
First place on the parchment/foil sheet, one sliced fresh fennel bulb, a small sliced red onion (¼ cup), ¼ tsp fennel pollen, cover these vegetables with ½ cup of your fresh (or thawed frozen) tomato sauce. Place 1 lb of fish filet on top, add another ½ cup of tomato sauce, another ¼ tsp of fennel pollen and ¼ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives. Bake just until the fish flakes easily and is no longer translucent. Open the packet and check with a fork after about 10 minutes. It’s not necessary to complete close the packet if you need to continue baking the fish.
This will serve 3-4 and is lovely with a lightly dressed fresh green salad.

Peaches, Peaches, Peaches

Peaches are here and they are very juicy and delicious. Thankfully some of the best peaches are in our own farmer's market this month. This Saturday July 18, I was at the Visalia farmer's market demonstrating how to make stone fruit salsa, and you'll find a master recipe here. You can substitute peaches with pluots or nectarines, or use all three. This is good with chips or served with a chili rubbed grilled pork tenderloin, or grilled chicken. I used rice wine vinegar instead of citrus juice for the acid it was delicious. I also used lemon basil instead of the cilantro.

Peach Salsa
Because I think of fruit salsa as spontaneous and I use what I have on hand, it is hard to write a recipe for salsa, but there are a few guidelines. Use ripe but firm peaches, peeled or unpeeled; diced bell peppers and/or onion; an acidic liquid of some sort, either fruit juice or vinegar; and, if you don’t want to stop there, a handful of some other pungent or flavorful ingredient, from the spicy (chipotles, for instance) to the sweet (such as honey). The proportions of peaches to other ingredients can vary so this makes it extra hard to write a specific recipe, but here’s a good place to start.
Remember to start chopping and mixing, and when the salsa looks and tastes about right, let it sit for at least an hour or so to allow the juices and flavors to blend, and then serve/eat.

2 ripe, but firm medium peaches
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (or rice wine vinegar, or other citrus juice)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup diced red and/or green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon (or to taste) minced jalapeno pepper, (or Serrano chili)
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Great with roast pork tender loin, grilled fish, or chicken breasts.

home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes....

Only two things that money can’t buy are,
True love and home grown tomatoes…..

I guess I’m a better gardener than I thought, because my counter top is covered with large grape tomatoes, plump Romas and beautiful beefsteaks. So last night, under a full moon, I made classic marinara sauce and roasted a baking sheet full of grape tomatoes. I packed them in gallon zip lock bags, flattened them out and then placed them in my small, but essential, garage freezer.

Here are some tips on how to do the same with your own home grown tomatoes or some beauties from your farmers market.

I think my favorite tip this summer has been blanching garlic before using it. This takes out the raw flavor and mellows it a bit. It’s especially important when you aren’t cooking the garlic, such as in dressings. A good example is the classic Italian Insalata Caprese, a salad of sliced fresh tomatoes, layered between fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil leaves, topped with chopped garlic, olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar, plus fresh salt and pepper to taste.

To blanch garlic: Separate the clove, unpeeled and place a pot of boiling water for about 1- 1 ½ minutes. Drain, cool and peel. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator until ready to use, within a week.
When making sauce, it best to take the time to peel and seed the tomatoes. If left on, the peel becomes a mini roll up and has unappealing texture, and the same is true of too many seeds.
Peel and seed tomatoes:
Place whole washed tomatoes with an X cut into the bottom, into a boiling pot of water to 30 + seconds. Remove the whole tomato, cool, then the peel will easily slip off. Cut each around the belly, then wiggle you r fingers into the seed pockets over the sink, to remove many of the seeds. There is a lot of flavor around the seeds so you don’t need to remove them all. Now you’re ready to add your fresh homegrown tomatoes to your favorite sauce recipe. Substitute these flavor bombs into any recipe that called for canned whole or diced tomatoes.
Roasting grape, Roma or large cherry tomatoes:
Wash and cut each tomato in half lengthwise. If needed, scoop out the green or white stem section. In a large bowl, toss with salt and pepper, chopped blanched garlic, olive oil, to cover but not drown . Place them face up on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast in 450° oven (or on a gas BBQ grill) until they have reduced in size and are beginning to brown. Top with chopped fresh basil, and serve along with bread or over pasta, on pizza etc.
A small batch of roasted tomatoes can be done using the same method and ingredients on the stove top. These will be wetter and are best served with good bread to soak up the juices. These are amazing and taste similar to sun dried tomatoes. When you pull them out of the freezer this winter, they will be a bit of summer sunshine.

For still more tomato recipes and a great guide to fresh herbs, from Food & Wine:

http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/tomatoes/1

http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/herb-guide

cool sorbet idea

It's very hot everywhere in California, so here's a cool idea. Lavender is plentiful right now because it loves the dry heat of summer. Try this easy and elegant sorbet with some fresh lavender from your garden or farmers market. A small scoop alongside another sorbet like plum or even commercial ice cream is very beautiful.

A link to a video I did for the local paper last year is alongside. It includes 2 more sorbet recipes, one for strawberry and another for roasted apricots. Enjoy!

Lavender Sorbet
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 tablespoon lavender flowers
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice & 2 tablespoons vodka
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Add the lavender flowers; stir until mixture comes to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand approximately 10 minutes.
Place a fine strainer over a large bowl and pour syrup mixture through (straining out the lavender flowers). Add lemon juice and vodka to the strained syrup mixture; stir until thoroughly blended.
Ice Cream Maker - Transfer mixture to ice cream maker, process according to manufacturer's instructions.
Freezer Method - Pour into container, cover, and place mixture in the freezer. When it is semi-solid, mash it up with a fork and refreeze again. When frozen, place in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Cover and refreeze until serving time.

Grilling Squash

Today's Farmers Market was full of squash so here's another great way to serve it. Make sure the grill is on medium not high and keep an eye on the squash. The key to the wonderful flavor is to put the seasoning on after you grilled the squash. In this case that is a lemon basil dressing. I usually serve this room temperature and prepare it on my gas grill before I do the meat, fish or chicken.

GRILLED ZUCCHINI AND RED ONION
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated May 2009
After about five minutes, faint grill marks should begin to appear on the undersides of the vegetables; if necessary, adjust their position on the grill or adjust the heat level.

Ingredients
1 large red onion , peeled and cut crosswise into four 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 medium zucchini (about 1 pound), ends trimmed, sliced lengthwise into 3/4-inch-thick planks or a mixture of several different squash
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 small garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon juice
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
Instructions
1. Thread onion rounds, from side to side, onto 2 metal skewers. Brush onion and zucchini evenly with ¼ cup olive oil and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt) and pepper to taste.
2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, mustard, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt) together in small bowl; set aside.
3. Grill vegetables over medium heat, turning once, until tender and caramelized, 18 to 22 minutes (move vegetables as needed to ensure even cooking.
4. Transfer vegetables to platter; remove skewers from onion and discard any charred outer rings. Rewhisk vinaigrette and pour over vegetables. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Pluots or Plum Torte

The market is bursting with purple pluots and red fleshed plums right now and my favorite dessert of the summer is this classic torte. My mom shared this recipe with me many years ago; I think it's simplicity is the secret to it's fabulous flavor. You can substitute the plums out with nectarines or peaches when the mood strikes and these stone fruit are ripe.
A springform pan is essential, and can be used to make other cakes, like cheesecake.
PLUM TORTE

1 c sugar
½ c unsalted butter
1 c unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs
12+ purple fleshed plums*, split in half
Topping: sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon

Cream the sugar and butter. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and eggs and beat well.
Spoon this batter into a 9-in springform pan.
Place plum haves skin side up on the top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar & lemon juice, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
Sprinkle with about 1 tsp cinnamon.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
Remove and cool. Serve warm or cool, plain or with ice cream. Good for as breakfast coffee cake too.

*Or use pluots, nectarines or peaches

Farmers Market Demo, June 20, 2009

This Saturday June 20, 2009 I'll be at the the Visalia Farmers Market (on the corner of Caldwell and Mooney Blvd) demonstrating a quick and easy stir fry that will help you use the ever abundant zucchini as well as other seasonal squash varieties, plus carrots and seasonal fresh herbs. This will be a colorful side dish with grilled chicken, burgers etc.
The key is to grate and drain the squash before stir frying to keep the vegies crisp, not soggy.
I hope you drop by on Saturday for a sample, and to tell me what you're cooking with our early summer San Joaquin Valley produce.



Confetti Squash & Carrot Sauté

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, July 1995

Use any fresh herb on hand, varying the amount depending on its
intensity. For instance, use two tablespoons of basil, parsley, or chives
but just one tablespoon of oregano, thyme, or tarragon.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 medium squash, crooked neck, zucchini etc rinsed, trimmed,
shredded, and squeezed dry
2 medium carrots , peeled and shredded
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves , or tarragon, basil, or mint
Table salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Shred trimmed zucchini on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with the shredding disk.
2. Wrap shredded (and drained, if instructed) zucchini in towels to squeeze out the excess liquid. Proceed immediately with recipe.
3. Heat oil in 10-inch (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add zucchini, carrot, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
5. Stir in herbs and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve immediately.