Cherry and Plum Bruschetta

This recipe is awesome. In my post Sweet and Tangy Corn I made a stink about not making recipes that contain sugar if they are not for dessert, and then made this recipe the next day. Of course rules are made to be broken :) especially when the recipe is this good. (This recipe could be a dessert! It's that good.)

4 servings

Active: 10 minutes

Total: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 red plums or nectarines, halved, pitted, thinly sliced

1 cup cherries, pitted, halved

2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for drizzling

Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

1/4 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup whole-milk ricotta

1/2 baguette, sliced 1/2-inch thick, toasted

Preparation

Combine plums, cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon oil, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.

Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean (reserve pod for another use) or add vanilla extract; toss to combine. Let macerate just until fruit begins to release juices, 10–15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk ricotta and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl until smooth.

Drizzle toast with oil, spread with ricotta mixture, and top with fruit.

Drizzle with more oil, if desired, and juices from bowl. Sprinkle with salt.

Sweet and Tangy Corn with Roasted Red Peppers

This recipe was contributed to Food and Wine by Tom Colicchio. 

I really wanted to like this recipe. I really did, even though it broke one of my rules. Of course if a recipe is a dessert, it can have sugar, but if the dish is for any other course, I almost never make it. As I look through recipe magazines and websites, I just skip over recipes if they contain the following: sugar, mayonnaise, cream, butter. Butter is tricky because it can sometimes be substituted with olive oil so I have to read those recipes. 

I can't pan this recipe completely just because it goes against my own personal rules that most others are not going to care about. I could easily see this recipe being a hit side dish at a picnic or family reunion party in the park with lots of other options so that people are only eating a small portion. That was the biggest issue I had - it was good for a small portion, but any more than that and it just turned me off. This recipe makes a lot, so you need a large gathering to finish it off. 


Total Time: 1 HR

3 red bell peppers
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
10 ears of corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cobs (about 10 cups)
3 medium leeks, light green and white parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup thinly sliced scallions, preferably red (about 8 scallions)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Roast the peppers directly over a gas flame or under a preheated broiler, turning, until charred all over. Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, cover tightly with plastic and let cool completely. 
Peel, seed and stem the peppers, then cut them into 1/3-inch dice.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and cook over moderate heat without stirring until lightly golden in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook until the caramel dissolves, about 1 minute; let cool completely.

In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the corn kernels and sliced leeks until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes; drain well and let cool completely.

In a large bowl, toss the corn and leeks with the roasted peppers, scallions and sweet-tart dressing. Season the corn with salt and pepper, transfer to a platter and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 one day ahead; refrigerate the roasted peppers, dressing and blanched corn and leeks separately.

Grilled Green Beans with Peaches

Another great recipe with in season fruit.

4 servings

1 pound trimmed green beans

2 peaches cut into ½ inch wedges

2 T olive oil

2 T toasted slivered almonds (or other nut like pine nuts)

1 T Sherry vinegar

Toss peaches and beans with olive oil; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cook in a grill pan or in a skillet over high heat, tossing often, until beans are crisp-tender and peaches are lightly charred, 8–10 minutes.

Toss with almonds and Sherry.

Beer Can Chicken

For some reason, I have been on a jag making recipes from Bon Appétit. This recipe is a real solid entry. The chicken was juicy and spicy and succulent and just all around yummy. The sambal oelek chicken that I made a few weeks back is still number 1, but this is a tasty bird. 

INGREDIENTS

1 can light lager

1 3 1/2–4-lb. chicken

2 tablespoons 4-3-2-1 Spice Rub

Special equipment

A foil baking pan (for drip pan)

PREPARATION

Pour out (or drink) half of beer.

Prepare grill for high, indirect heat and fit with grill pan (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill and put drip pan on empty side; for a gas grill, leave 1 burner turned off and place drip pan over unlit burner). Add water to pan to a depth of 1/2 inch.

Season chicken with 4-3-2-1 Spice Rub. Place cavity of chicken, legs pointing down, onto open can so that it supports chicken upright. Place can, with chicken, on grill over indirect heat (and above drip pan). Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 45–60 minutes. (If using charcoal, you may need to add more to maintain heat.) Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings.

* WING TIP *

Use a can opener to remove the entire top of the beer can (pour out half). It'll maximize the boozy vapors that make it to the chicken.

Spiced Salmon Kebabs

I really like salmon. This recipe does not disappoint. I don't think I had as many pieces of salmon as the recipe expected, so I ended up with lemon at the start and end of each skewer, but I don't think it really mattered. The recipe is good. 

4 servings

Active: 25 minutes

Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillet (preferably wild), cut into 1-inch pieces

2 lemons, very thinly sliced into rounds

2 tablespoons olive oil

Special Equipment

16 bamboo skewers soaked in water 1 hour (I used metal skewers - I hate wood skewers on the grill)

Preparation

Prepare grill for medium heat. Mix oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, salt, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl to combine; set spice mixture aside.

Beginning and ending with salmon, thread salmon and folded lemon slices onto 8 pairs of parallel skewers to make 8 kebabs total. Brush with oil and season with reserved spice mixture.

Grill, turning occasionally, until fish is opaque throughout, 5–8 minutes.

Summer Vegetable Ceviche

Mmm ceviche. I love ceviche and this recipe is a great twist on that dish.

I could not find baby lima beans or really any good shelling beans through my local supermarket so I opted for a 15 oz can of garbanzo beans. It worked out great! Don't be afraid of making recipes and substituting with what you have at hand. On the second day with the leftovers, I added about half a cucumber to freshen it up.

Active: 30 min

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 min

Servings: 8

1 cup fresh baby lima beans (from about 1 1/2 pounds in the pod) or other shelling bean

1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

1 small shallot, thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears)

2 nectarines, cut into thin wedges

1 Hass avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large orange bell pepper, finely julienned

1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

In a small saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the lima beans until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the beans and rinse under cold water.

In a large bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice with the olive oil, scallion, jalapeño and shallot; season the dressing with salt. Gently fold in the lima beans, corn, nectarines, avocado, orange pepper and tomatoes. Refrigerate the “ceviche” for at least 2 hours. Fold in the cilantro just before serving and serve the “ceviche” chilled.

MAKE AHEAD The salad can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.

Gingery Watermelon Paletas

This recipe was super easy and really good. 

A dollop of yogurt keeps the pops from being too icy, and the ginger adds a little spice which is a nice offset to the sweet watermelon. I have larger pop molds, so I made 6. The 1/3 c of sugar worked very well for me, but the watermelon I purchased was really sweet by nature.

Ingredients

4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (from about half a 5-pound watermelon)

1/4 cup plain 2% fat or whole Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger

Pinch of kosher salt

1/3 cup (or more) sugar

1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice

Special equipment

Ten 3-ounce ice-pop molds and wooden sticks (Don't worry about the sticks if your molds already have them built in.)

Preparation

Purée watermelon, yogurt, ginger, salt, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a blender until smooth. Add more sugar and lime juice, if desired. (Purée will taste less sweet once frozen, so err on the sweet side.)

Divide purée among ice-pop molds. Freeze until mixture begins to set around edges of molds, 45–60 minutes. Stir mixture in molds to blend; insert sticks. Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours. Dip molds briefly in hot water to release paletas.

DO AHEAD: Paletas can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.

Guadalajara style Chilaquiles

I found this recipe on the web a long time ago, long before I was properly keeping track of the chef and website. I apologize for this. The recipe is very good and makes a wonderful chile sauce and you end up with a good amount of extra.

4 large tomatoes (heirloom are best)

1 small white onion, finely chopped

2-3 whole garlic cloves

3 chiles de arbol or 1 poblano and 2 jalapeños

1/4 cup oil

12 dry hard tortillas/several handfulls of tortilla chips

6 egg whites/3 eggs

queso fresco/Oaxaca cheese/romana salata

small bunch of cilantro chopped

Boil chiles and tomatoes until soft

Blend chiles and tomatoes in a blender with whole garlic and onion

Warm 1/2 of oil in a large sauce pan and cook down the chile/tomato liquid to desired thickness

Place chile sauce in a container and let cool, do not clean out sauce pan completely. Add rest of oil to the pan and warm again.

Add tortillas and cook until starting to get soft and lightly coated with chile sauce/oil. Add eggs. Stir continuously to make sure eggs do not stick to bottom of pan until they are cooked through and tortillas are fully mixed. Add salt to taste.

Serve on plate covered in chile sauce, garnish with cilantro, and cheese.

Pesto

My dad worked out this well-balanced and flavorful recipe. Last time I made it, I used all the leaves from a 4 oz container of basil. It worked great.

3 oz basil by weight washed and dried use only the leaves

1/2 c pine nuts lightly toasted

1/2 c olive oil

1/4 c Parmesan grated

4 cloves garlic (if you roast the garlic, it makes the pesto less piquant)

Mix all ingredients in a food processor and chop for a few seconds. Then add oil and process to desired consistency.

Chickpea Burgers

This recipe comes from Saveur magazine. Don't get me wrong, I love a good burger (right now bison is my favorite) but these are a solid alternative. They have good flavor and a hearty feel, and they are pretty straightforward to make.

I do not usually serve these with sprouts but that's just a personal preference. I like them with a little mustard as well.

I add a 2nd egg which really makes a difference in how these guys hold together for cooking.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BURGER

⅓ cup olive oil, separated

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small stalk celery, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 15oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup cooked brown rice

8 cloves garlic, roasted and peeled

¼ cup sesame tahini

2 tsp. lemon zest

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

1 egg

FOR SERVING

2 oz. sprouts

1 small cucumber, thinly sliced

2 Roma tomatoes, cored and sliced ½" thick

3 oz feta, crumbled

3 pocket pitas cut in half crosswise, or 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

INSTRUCTIONS

.5 Roast the garlic in the oven at 400 F for about 30 mins - drizzle olive oil on them and wrap loosely with tin foil.

1. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, celery and thyme and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and reserve. Wipe skillet clean.

2. Place chickpeas and rice in a food processor, along with garlic, tahini, and zest. Pulse until chickpeas and rice are chopped, but not yet a paste, about 8 pulses or about 10 seconds. Transfer mixture to the bowl with the onions. Add parsley and egg, season with salt and pepper, and mix well to combine. Divide mixture into six 4 oz. patties, about 3" wide x  ½" thick. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until ready to use.

3. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in skillet over medium high heat and cook burgers in batches of 3, flipping once halfway through until toasted on each side and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining oil and burgers.

4. Divide burgers, sprouts, sliced cucumber, tomato and feta between pita pocket halves or buns and serve.

Note: Individual burgers can be formed and then frozen, sealed, for up to one month. Thaw and cook as needed.

Baked Potato Salad

Alexandra Guarnaschelli contributed this recipe to the Food Network. I think she's right that the flavors are very American. It's sweet and savory and the baked potato is a nice change from the boiled potato style salad. 

I used all the puree on the potatoes rather than reserving some on the side. I also left the skins on all the pieces and cut the potatoes into pieces before baking. I think either way will work fine. If you cut the potatoes into pieces make sure that they don't overcook. 

Ingredients

2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes, washed and dried

1 large bunch parsley, about 1-inch of stems still attached, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped with scissors

1 bunch basil, about 1-inch of stems still attached, thoroughly washed and dried, roughly chopped with scissors

Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch sugar

4 to 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds

2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon capers and 1 teaspoon caper liquid

4 to 6 gherkins, depending on size, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces, plus 1 tablespoon gherkin liquid

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a baking dish and put it in the center of the oven. Bake for about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor (or blender), combine the parsley and basil leaves. Season with salt and white pepper, to taste. Add the water and blend. With the motor running, pour 1/2 cup of the olive oil through the top in a slow, steady stream. This doesn’t need to be a smooth puree. It should be a little rustic and chunky. Taste for seasoning and add pinch of sugar. Pulse to combine and set aside.

In a serving bowl large enough to hold the potatoes, stir together the red wine vinegar, shallots, mustard, capers and liquid, and gherkins and liquid. Add 1/4 cup of the herb oil and toss. Taste for seasoning. Stir in half of the parsley/basil puree. 

When the potatoes are tender and yielding when pierced with the tip of a knife, after about 50 minutes, remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool for a few minutes. Peel half of them. Some potato skin is a nice flavor in the salad. Cut any big potatoes in quarters, the rest in half.

Put the potatoes in the bowl with the dressing. Season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss them in the dressing. Serve the remaining parsley/basil puree on the side. Keep at room temperature until serving.

Roast Chicken with Sambal Chimichurri

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. It is simply fantastic! Spicy yet not overpowering, so flavorful and just delectable in every way. My wife couldn't say enough good things about it. It also keeps really well. I made 2 instead of 3 chickens and we still had leftovers for several days, and it was as good on the last day as the first.

I found the sambal chili paste at a Sprouts Market, which is like a smaller and less expensive Whole Foods. The chili paste is made by the same company that makes rooster sriracha sauce. There's regular and garlic flavored.

Chicken

1 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup distilled white vinegar

9 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup oregano leaves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons sweet paprika

3 tablespoons chile powder

1 tablespoon curry powder

Kosher salt

Three 3 1/2-pound chickens

Chimichurri

2 cups parsley leaves

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tablespoon sambal oelek (Indonesian chile paste)

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

Kosher salt

PREPARE THE CHICKEN 

In a bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, paprika, chile powder, curry and 3 tablespoons of salt. Arrange the chickens in a dish and pour the marinade over the chickens, rubbing it all over the birds. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Set a rack on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Remove the chickens from the marinade, scraping off any excess. Twist the wings of the chickens behind the backs and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Lightly season the chickens with salt and arrange them on the rack.

Roast the chickens for about 1 hour, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh reaches 160, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Transfer the chickens to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

MAKE THE CHIMICHURRI 

In a food processor, combine the parsley, cilantro and garlic and pulse until finely chopped. Add the oil, vinegar, sambal, mirin, lemon juice and oregano and pulse to combine. Season with salt and transfer the chimichurri to a bowl.

Cut each chicken into 8 pieces and serve with the chimichurri sauce.

Baiao de Dois (Brazilian rice with black eyed peas and chorizo)

This is a great rustic recipe. It's one of those "peasant" dishes that can be a great side or a main course.  It's a perfect dish for people who like hot sauce, but I also like it as is. 

Of course, using the dried black eyed peas is the traditional process, but you can substitute canned beans if desired. I use 3 15 oz. cans. If you use the canned peas, you only need to cook them about 10 minutes before adding the rice. 

I use thick-sliced bacon and loose chorizo. I like the chorizo without the casing, but using a pre-made chorizo sausage is totally fine too. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. olive oil

8 oz. bacon, finely chopped

5 oz. chorizo, finely chopped

1 large yellow onion, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground annatto seed (2 tsp tumeric and 2 tsp paprika mix replacement)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, drained (or 3 15 oz cans)

2 ½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bacon and chorizo and cook until fat is rendered, about 12 minutes. 

Add onion; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; cook until golden brown, about 9 minutes. 

Add annatto, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add peas and 5 ½ cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered partially, until peas are tender, about 30 minutes. 

Add rice, reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.