Breadhenge, originally uploaded by bonnimiller.
The Chez kitchen, just left of the range.

Updated August 25th, 2007

Stuffed Deepfried Zucchini Blossoms

Use only very fresh blossoms. They'll close shortly after they're picked, which is fine. Rinse them well, checking around the outside base of the flower for imbedded dirt. Gently pry the flower open and rinse the inside, pinching out the reproductive organs (sounds nasty when I say it that way, doesn't it?) -- you know, the pistils and stamens and all that business. Check for ants (ants love zucchini flowers). Set them aside to drain between paper towels and, if you're not using them right away, roll them gently into the towels and store in plastic bags in the refrigerator. But plan on using them soon.

Cut cheese (fontina is very nice) into small cubes about the size of a fingertip, one for each blossom. Set a couple of inches of oil in a heavy pan for frying and heat it until it shimmies a little in the pan (325 to 350 F.). Prepare a simple fritter batter (I prefer a tempura batter -- recipe follows) and put a cup or so of flour in a soup plate for dredging.

Gently open the side of a blossom and insert the cheese. Dredge the stuffed blossom in flour, then dip in the batter and fry quickly, turning once. If you fry it too long the cheese will escape into the hot fat. It's not the end of the world if a little leaks out, but don't walk away from the stove. Skim them out to drain on paper towels, salt them, and eat them while they're hot.

I wish I'd taken photos of the finished product, but we ate them all right away. I'll make more...














Tempura batter:
One egg yolk
One cup ice cold water
Half to one cup flour (all-purpose, unbleached)
ice cubes
chop stick

Make only just before you intend to fry. Batter doesn't hold well.

Separate the egg and drop the yolk into a four cup mixing bowl (I use a four-cup liquid measure cup)
Muddle the yolk a bit with the chopstick and then add the water. Stir a few times with the chopstick. We're using the chopstick because this should be just barely mixed and the chopstick is a very inefficient mixing tool.
Add a half cup of the flour and just barely mix. You want a thin batter but not a watery one. The consistency of half and half as opposed to heavy cream. Add flour, barely mixing it (you want lumps of flour to remain on the surface of the water). I almost never use the whole cup of flour but it will depend on the freshness of the flour.
Add a handful of ice cubes to the batter (very useful if you think you might have added a bit too much flour, and it keeps the batter good and cold).


Watermelon Agua Fresca

Deseed and puree one red icebox watermelon. I don't think the yellow watermelons have enough flavor and the seedless watermelons are a crime against melons in my opinion.
You should have about a quart of puree. Add a quarter cup of superfine sugar (or to taste) and the juice of one or two limes depending on the tartness of the melon.
You want to be careful with the sugar, even if you've got a tart melon, because too much sugar can deaden the flavor of the melon. If it's particularly tart, try adding just a pinch of salt to round out the flavor before you add more sugar.
Do I need to mention that a shot or two of vodka in this makes for a very nice summer cocktail?




Updated August 18th, 2007

Tomato Pie
(from More Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin, adapted from a recipe by Mary O'Brien
of the Chaiwalla Tea Shop in Salisbury, Connecticut)

Double biscuit-dough crust: use your own favorite recipe or the following one

Blend by hand or processor:
2 C flour
1 stick butter
4 tsp baking powder
approx. 3/4 C milk

Roll 1/2 dough out and fit into 9" pie pan

Tomatoes:
Use either 2 pounds of peeled fresh tomatoes,
sliced thin or two 28 oz. cans of good canned
tomatoes, drained and sliced thin.

Lay over crust and scatter with chopped
basil, chives, or scallions.

Grate 1 1/2 C of sharp Cheddar cheese and
sprinkle 1 C over the tomatoes.

Drizzle 1/3 C mayonnaise thinned with 2
Tablespoons lemon juice and cover with the
remaining 1/2 C of cheese.

Roll out the remaining crust and fit over the
top, sealing the edges together. Cut steam
slits.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Can be made ahead and reheated at 350 till melty.

When I make this pie, I prefer to layer a bit of cheese in first, before the tomatoes, to insulate the crust from the juices. It's a somewhat futile exercise, but I keep doing it anyway. --b.


Updated July 17th

Pork Sausage with Potatoes and Red Wine Vinaigrette
(adapted from Vegetable Harvest by Patricia Wells)

This makes a delicious and simple lunch for 4 people. Or serve with roasted beets,
or corn on the cob, or fresh steamed green beans, and some nice bread or biscuits for a summery dinner.

2 pounds kielbasa or garlicky ring bologna
2 pounds of new potatoes, scrubbed and trimmed, peeled if you want
several fresh or dried bay leaves
several sprigs of celery leaves

Red Wine Vinaigrette
(use store bought or make your own using this recipe, if you want)
1 cup of fruity red wine
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt
pepper (preferably freshly ground)

Fresh parsley or chives for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine the sausage, potatoes, bay leaves and celery and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, until the sausage and potatoes are cooked through (maybe 20 minutes).

While the potatoes, etc., are cooking, make the vinaigrette. Pour the wine into a large saucepan and reduce to 1/4 cup over high heat. Remove from heat. Add the oil and vinegar and whisk to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Drain and cut the potatoes and the sausages into thin even rounds. Arrange on a platter in any way that is pleasing to you and drizzle with the warm vinaigrette.
Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.


Pennsylvania Dutch Green Beans
6 slices of bacon
2 medium onions, chopped
4 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. dry mustard
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. vinegar
1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed and cooked (either steamed or boiled)
1 cup water, preferably from the water that you cooked the beans in

Slowly fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from pan. Fry the onions in the bacon fat. Meanwhile, mix together the cornstarch, salt, mustard, sugar and vinegar in a small bowl.
Add the water and stir well to combine. Add this to the bacon fat and onions in the pan, and stir until thickened. Add the beans and stir well. Serve with the bacon crumbled on top.


Updated July 11th

Zucchini Pickles
Easy, and delicious. Very much like a bread and butter pickle.

4 lbs. young tender zucchini, cleaned and sliced about 5/8 inch thick
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 T. mustard seed
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
8 whole cloves
1 T. ground mustard
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar

Put the zucchini and onions in a colander and toss with the salt. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, until the zucchini starts to sweat and wilt.
Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside.
Put the zucchini into a container that you can seal, like a tupperware container, and pour the vinegar mixture over it. Let it marinate together in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.


Updated around June 15th

Braised Spring Vegetables with Cornmeal Dumplings
adapted from the New York Times and Melissa Clark

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 3 thyme sprigs (optional)
• Pinch of sugar
• Kosher salt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced with a pinch of salt
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed of roots and with a measure of the greens cut off, but leave as much of the green part on as you'd care to eat -- probably at least a few inches. If they're large, you can cut them in half, lengthwise, for a dramatic look.
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 bunch Swiss chard (preferably red), leaves torn into bite-size pieces, stems cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shelled fresh or frozen peas (about 1 pound in the shell)
• 1 small head Boston lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (optional)
• 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving at the table

Cornmeal-herb dumplings (see recipe), or prepared polenta or buttered noodles.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over high heat until sizzling. Add radishes and cook on one side until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn radishes and cook for 3 minutes more, still over high heat. Transfer to a bowl.

Add oil to the pan and stir in the onion, thyme, sugar and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown, about 10 minutes (reduce the heat if it starts to burn). Add garlic and stir, cook for just 30 seconds. Add the scallions, if they're cut, then cut-side down; cook until light golden, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and boil, stirring, for 2 minutes.

3. Toss in asparagus, chard stems, sugar snap peas and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Toss in chard leaves, peas and lettuce; season with more salt and pepper. Cover and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cheese. You should have a brothy, silky, fragrant dish. Do not drain. Serve with dumplings (recipe follows), polenta or noodles.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe: Cornmeal-Herb Dumplings

• Salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, more if needed
• 2 large eggs, beaten.

1. Bring a very large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and the herbs, buttermilk and eggs in another. Stir the wet into the dry until just combined into a very thick batter (if it is doughlike, add more buttermilk).

2. Drop batter a teaspoonful at a time into boiling water. Simmer until cooked through (cut one open to test it), about 15 to 20 minutes. This will take longer if your dumplings are large. Turn off heat and let dumplings rest in cooking liquid until ready to use, up to an hour or until they start to fall apart.

Makes 6 servings.


Pea and Mint Couscous
Adapted from Epicurious.com

• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup fresh peas
• 2/3 cup couscous
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring water to a boil with salt. Add the peas and return water just to a boil. Stir in couscous and cover pan. Immediately remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in mint, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. A drizzle of olive oil wouldn't be unwelcome, either.

Makes enough as a sidedish for two, or a quick light lunch for one.

If you haven't any mint, you can substitute basil or dill.


Broccoli and Whole Grain Salad

• 1 bunch broccoli, cleaned and cut up and cooked well
• 1 cup cooked whole grains (leftover Kashi mix is excellent)
• 1 can (or 1 1/2 cups) cooked white beans, well drained (rinsed, too, if you're using canned beans)
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1 clove or more of minced fresh garlic
• 1 cup (more or less) of fresh cucumber chunks
• at least 1/4 cup of good flavorful olive oil
• salt and pepper
• fresh basil, cut into fine strips (chiffonade)

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, folding it all together, adding olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temp.


Potato Leek Soup

You'll need four young leeks (or two gigantic old ones), three pounds of new yukon gold potatoes or other fine-fleshed spuds, a quarter cup of heavy cream, salt, pepper and four tablespoons of sweet unsalted butter.
Trim the leeks, slice them up and give them a good rinse in the colander to flush away any lingering soil. Peel the potatoes, cut them into bite sized pieces and cover them with water.
In a four quart soup pot, heat two tablespoons of the butter until melted. Slowly cook the leeks until they are tender and melting. Stir them frequently and keep the heat low ~ leeks have lots of sugar in them and will burn if you turn your back on them.
When tender, add the potatoes and their soaking water to the pot, along with a pinch or two of salt, and raise the temperature to let it all come to boil. Once the soup has begun to bubble, reduce the heat to a simmer and let the potatoes cook until tender and just beginning to crumble a bit around the edges.
Add the cream, the last two tablespoons of butter, taste for salt and serve with a grinding of fresh pepper over the top.


Chez Beans

The beans that we top all our huevos, burritos, etc. with are made thusly...
In a heavy pan, heat two tablespoons olive oil. Add a handful of chopped onions, the same of chopped green peppers, the same of chopped celery and a pinch or two of salt. Saute until crisp-tender. Add minced garlic to taste, a generous amount of ground cumin, a smidge of oregano and a pinch of thyme. Stir. Add one quart of cooked beans with their cooking juices. Stir and simmer. Taste for salt and grind an outrageous amount of black pepper over all.


Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

For this recipe you will need a mortar and pestle. We use one purchased from the Asian Market on Hwy 66: A gigantic Thai mortar and pestle, made from brown clay.
Take fiery hot peppers and chop them coarsely. Peel and chop (not too fine) a clove or two of fresh spicy garlic. Toss peppers and garlic into mortar. Add a tablespoon of sugar. Grind well. Add a quarter cup of rice wine vinegar, the juice of one lime, and two tablespoons of fish sauce. Mix. Sauce should taste hot, salty, sweet and sour. Adjust seasonings, but beware the sugar. It can deaden the sauce.
Use the sauce everywhere. Over stir fried vegetables, on noodle salads, for dipping batterfried fish into It's very versatile.