Tag Archives: summer recipes

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fresh Ricotta

There is no finer time on the calendar than tomato season.  I  especially enjoy the many heirloom varieties  available to us once more. I can be completely happy with a tomato sea salt and a little olive oil, but sometimes, I’m looking to make a tomato salad that is a little more robust. It seems that using mozzarella cheese along with tomatoes is so predictable, so I went with adding my homemade ricotta cheese, with wonderful results. It’s the right balance of creaminess against the slightly acidic tomatoes.  It’s a match made in heaven !

From by the bay wishing you heirloom food memories!

Maryann

blog tomato ricotta salad

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fresh Ricotta

Serves 4 

  • 4 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
  • 8 to 10 basil leaves
  • 1 recipe fresh ricotta cheese or good quality store bought
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
  • Fine sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Assemble on a platter tomato slices. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Add teaspoons of ricotta cheese on top of tomatoes. Scatter basil leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

 

 

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Ingredients

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

Line a sieve with a dampened cheesecloth and place over a bowl to strain the cheese. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a full boil, stirring occasionally. The mixture will start to separate in curds ( the thick part that is the cheese) and whey ( the thin liquid you drain off). Once that happens, pour into the sieve, catching the ricotta into the cheesecloth lined sieve. Let stand for 20 to 25 minutes letting the liquid drain off. Let drain depending how thick and moist you want. the longer it drains the thicker and drier the ricotta. Once drained, take the cheese out of the cheesecloth and store in a container in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will stay 3 to 4 days.

Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Lemon

 

My grandparents grew lots of cucumbers on their farm on Long Island. Come late summer my grandmother would make jars of pickles, using lots of the fresh dill from the farm.  I have to settle for buying my product at the farm stand today, but I don’t need to settle on the flavors I enjoyed from my grandmother. This is a really easy recipe for making pickled cucumbers , perfect for any weekend barbecue , as well as a  low calorie snack to enjoy anytime!  This is simply cutting a few things , boiling a few ingredients and you have pickled cucumbers to go! Impress your family and friends this weekend with this simple delicious side!

From by the bay wishing you pickled food memories!

Maryann

 

blog pickles

 

Pickled Cucumbers with Dill and Lemon

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

  • 1 pound kirby cucumbers
  • 1 shallot
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 springs dill
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Directions

Have ready a 1 quart size glass container such as a mason jar. Trim the ends off of the kirby cucumbers and slice in 1/4 inch rounds. Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Take the glass jar and layer the cucumbers, then shallots , garlic and dill. Repeat until you have layered all your ingredients. Add the remaining ingredients into a saucepan and bring to simmer.  Remove from heat and pour over the cucumbers. Let cool to room temperature. Seal tightly and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. The pickled cucumbers will last about 2 weeks stored in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

Spare Ribs with Bourbon Apple Barbecue Sauce

blog apple ribs

 Summer evenings are meant for enjoying barbecue foods and nothing is more satisifying than lip smacking and finger licking ribs. This recipe highlights a barbecue sauce that is tomato based with added sweetness from fresh apple and a hint of bourbon.  A touch of molasses creates that lovely sweet bark finish. The best part  of this rib recipe is that they are made in the oven with minimal work but fantastic results. The meat from these ribs just pull off the bone. Summer is officially here this weekend, this is the perfect dish to celebrate!

From by the bay, wishing you summer food memories!

Maryann

Spare Ribs with Bourbon Apple Barbecue Sauce
Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lbs. racks baby back ribs
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1/2 cup bourbon
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small sauce pan add all ingredients except for ribs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off heat and cool. Puree in a food processor and set aside covered. In a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil place the ribs in a single layer. Place in oven to brown for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes remove ribs from pan and pour off any juice and fat. Place the ribs back into the pan. Use half the barbecue sauce and pour over and spread over the ribs. Lower the oven to 400 degrees F and place the ribs back in the oven, turning the ribs over and covering them with the remaining sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes and remove from the oven. The ribs can be served immediately or at room temperature.

Basil Zucchini Corn Bread

blog zuc bread
I can get so caught up shopping at the farm stand this time of year. This past weekend I did just that and found myself staring at a few too many zucchini on my kitchen counter.  As a result I grated the zucchini and added to my favorite cornbread recipe with some fresh basil and result was a moist and fresh tasting bread. Which tastes great the next day if you have any leftover.
This bread  is a big hit here by the bay!
From by the bay wishing you yummy zucchini food memories!
Maryann
blog zuc bread 2

Basil Zucchini Corn Bread 

Serves 8


Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 egg beaten

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 zucchini

8 fresh basil leaves


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter  1 medium loaf pan. Fill a small bowl with ice water. Bring a small pan of water to a boil, add the basil leaves into boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove leaves and plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking. Remove leaves from ice water, dry and chop. Set aside.  Take the zucchini, cut off each end. Cut three rounds 1/8 inch thick from one end of zucchini and set aside. Grate the zucchini coarsely, using a box grater, until you have 1 cup of grated zucchini. In a large bowl combine well the dry ingredients: flour, salt, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder. In a separate medium bowl combine and beat buttermilk, eggs and butter. Fold into this the chopped basil and grated zucchini. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir well.  Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Top batter with the 3 zucchini rounds. Place pan onto baking sheet and bake for about 55 minutes until the tester comes out clean. Cool on metal rack for 10 minutes. When cool remove bread from pan. Serve warm or room temperature.

Spare Ribs with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce

Several years ago, I became intrigued by the use of soda in home cooking. All the sugar in soda is perfect for creating a caramelized bark on meats such as pork. Also, the idea of soda in cooking has such a nostalgic feel to it. I loved the idea of root beer as the main ingredient for a barbecue sauce, I, mean come on it’s ROOT BEER! This sauce can be used with many meats, but I especially like it for baking ribs. I suggest you pick up some bottles of root beer tonight and try it out!From by the bay wishing you bubbly food memories!
Maryann
root beer

Spare Ribs with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce

Serves 4 as main course or 8 as appetizer

2 1/2 lbs. racks baby back ribs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup ketchup

3/4 cup root beer, preferably made with cane sugar

2 tablespoons molasses

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper


Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small sauce pan heat olive oil and saute garlic for one minute, then add the remaining ingredients except for ribs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, then turn off heat and cool. In a large roasting pan lined with aluminum foil place the ribs in a single layer. Place in oven to brown for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes remove ribs from pan and pour off any juice and fat. Place the ribs back into the pan. Use half the barbecue sauce and pour over and spread over the ribs. Lower the oven to 400 degrees F and place the ribs back in the oven, turning the ribs over and covering them with the remaining sauce. Bake for another 30 minutes and remove from the oven. The ribs can be served immediately or at room temperature.

 

Peach Basil Hand Pies

blog peach basil
Sometimes all you need is just a little bit of pie. Pie that can be held in the hand and eaten on the go, at a picnic or just taking a walk. We’ve reached that glorious time that arrives each summer when fruit is plentiful and your “big” decision is which fruit should you get for your dessert. Peaches definitely come to mind for me. I decided to make little hand pies over the weekend, filled with peaches and a touch of  sweet basil from the garden to add a slightly spicy undertone to the filling. It’s the perfect little summer treat!
From by the bay wishing you, tasty little peach pie food memories!
Maryann
blog peach hand pie 2
Peach Basil Hand Pies
Makes 6 pies

Ingredients
1 recipe flaky pie dough ( see recipe below)
2 cups fresh chopped peaches, stoned and skinned
2 teaspoons sweet basil, chopped
3 tablespoons fine granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 egg, slightly beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. To make the filling add into a medium bowl the peaches, basil, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, pepper, salt, cinnamon and rice wine vinegar. Mix well and set aside. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out your pie crust into a 20 inch square. Cut the dough into eight 5 inch squares. Working with each square individually, place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center. Brush the two connecting edges with egg and fold in half making a triangle.  Press the ends together to seal. Place onto the parchment line tray. Use knife to trim uneven edges. Repeat with remaining squares. Brush the top of each pie with remaining egg wash and sprinkle the remaining sugar on top. Make a small slit on the top of each pie fro steam to escape. Place in the oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is pies golden brown. Remove from oven.  Cool and serve.
blog peach hand pie

Recipe: Flaky pie dough for hand pies

October 20, 2012 from Los Angeles Times

2 1/4 cups (9.6 ounces) flour

Generous 1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup cold shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 1/4 teaspoons cider vinegar

4 to 6 tablespoons ice water, more if needed

To make the dough using a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt and sugar until thoroughly combined. Add the shortening and pulse until incorporated (the dough will look like moist sand). Add the butter and pulse just until the butter is reduced to pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle the vinegar and 4 tablespoons water over the mixture, and pulse a few times to form the dough, then a few more times just until the dough begins to clump together to form a cohesive dough. If the dough is too crumbly and dry, pulse in additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough and mold it into a disk roughly 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Cover the disk tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Fresh Confetti Corn Salad

Fresh corn is such a treat, nothing beats the taste of corn just picked in the morning and on your plate later that day. I’m at the farm stand straight away when the first ears show up. As the summer progresses and tomatoes are added at the stand well then it’s time for the perfect combination of flavor: corn, tomato and basil salad. It really doesn’t get better when all three are available locally fresh from the farm!
From by the bay wishing you farm fresh food memories!
Maryann
blog corn salad
Fresh Confetti Corn Salad
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
6 ears of corn, cooked
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
3 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
handful of basil ( about 1/4 cup)
Directions
Cut corn off the cob and place in bowl . Use hands to separate kernels. To the bowl add the remaining ingredients, except basil. Leave at room temperature. When serving add torn basil leaves, mix again and serve.

Cool Cucumber Salsa

In the height of summer, cucumbers abound. Here is a perfect summer side dish for those sultry summer nights. The cucumbers make a crisp, cool base for this salsa. It’s great to serve with fish, chicken or with some grilled vegetable kebabs.
From by the bay, wishing you cool food memories!
Maryann
blog cuke salsa

Cool Cucumber Salsa

Ingredients
2 English Cucumbers, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lime, juice and zest
Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in a refrigerator for at least two hours before serving.
Note: You can also use regular cucumbers, but remove the seeds before chopping. It’s easiest if after you peel the cucumber slice length wise in half , take a spoon and scoop out the seeds.You might want to add a little more sugar to taste, sometimes regular cucumbers are little more bitter.

Lemon Posset

blog lemon posset


Here is a perfect summer dessert both simple and delicious. It takes just minutes to make and then several hours in the refrigerator, using only three ingredients: cream , sugar and lemon. This yummy treat has the texture and consistency of a silky pudding. I consider this is a virtual food magic trick. So intrigued by the results, I did a little on line research to learn about possets. The name posset which seems to be a reference to the small saucepan they are prepared in, first appeared in Britain during the 15th century. In those days a posset was a hot beverage of curdled milk mixed with wine or ale, often spiced. By the 16th century, the recipe evolved to cream, sugar and citrus juice. With refrigeration, the posset evolved to a cold dessert. I suggest you try this recipe soon and enjoy the pleasures of a simple lemon posset. 

From by the bay, wishing you lemony food memories!
Maryann

Lemon Posset
Serves 6
Ingredients3 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups granulated fine sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

Directions
In a medium sauce pan add the cream and 1 1/4 cups sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Pour into 6 ramekins. Refrigerate until set, at least 5 hours. To serve mix the lemon zest and sugar together to top each portion.

Ideas for serving Lemon Posset:
1. with fresh berries
2. with whipped cream
3. with cookies – such as shortbread or amaretti
4. with a berry sauce, such as blueberry or raspberry

Watermelon Lemonade

blog watermelon lemonade

In the dead heat of the summer, nothing is more refreshing than an icy cold fruit drink. Lemonade is  the most traditional of these beverages. Considered the quintessential American drink, it’s made with a simple syrup of sugar and water  mixed with more water and lemon juice. By adding other fruit purees you can make all kinds of variations . My favorite is watermelon lemonade, the ultimate refreshment. With the height of summer upon us, have an ice cold pitcher ready to serve to quench your thirst. 

From by the bay , wishing you refreshing food memories!
Maryann



blog watermelon lem 2

Watermelon Lemonade
 Ingredients
4 cups watermelon, cubed without the rind
4 cups cold water
1/2 cup fine granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Directions
In a  food processor add the watermelon with 2 cups of water and puree. Strain into a bowl. In a medium sauce pan make a simple syrup by bringing the sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Once the sugar is dissolved remove from heat . Add to the water melon mixture with the remaining water and lemon juice. Mix Well. Place in a jar and refrigerate until cold before serving.Serving options:
1. with a splash of vodka for a hard lemonade
2. with a splash of sparkling water
3. with a sprig of mint or basil
4. with sparkling wine
5. with some berries
6. Freeze into a slush or popsicle