Vegetables | A Good Dish

Hummus on a hot day – the Mezze solution

August 18, 2016

Smoked paprika, roasted red pepper, cilantro & jalapeño and sesame hummus Porcelain bowls from Sara Japanese Pottery on Lexington Avenue — Smoked paprika, roasted red pepper, cilantro & jalapeño and sesame hummus
Porcelain bowls from Sara Japanese Pottery on Lexington Avenue

I am not going to turn on the oven or the stove – just not going to do it. With another week of over 90F and humid, with the heat index over 100, I am not going to add to the temperature in the kitchen. But we still need to eat, so I have to prepare meals without straining the groaning AC any more than I am already. And in this kind of weather, we all prefer a lighter meal.

In my mind, summer dinners should be fun, cooling and a bit hodgepodge. If you don’t have access to a grill, salads are a way to go. A few weeks ago, I shared the cucumber and pineapple salad with lime and mint that is fresh and zingy. And the tomato salads and variations (the caprese with mozzarella, the tomato and cuke with basil, the watermelon with feta, mint and lime) are another solution. Cold soup is one more direction, essentially being a liquid salad. Gazpacho, cold cucumber soup with yogurt or buttermilk or a fruit soup, like blueberry or melon are all light, cooling lunches or suppers. Or simply put out a cheese or charcuterie board with some fig jam or pepper jelly, nuts, cold grapes or sliced fruit and a green salad and be done.

One more idea, and one you probably already have in your fridge, is hummus. Boring, you are thinking? Doesn’t have to be. And doesn’t have to be served with pita or chips – carrots, celery, green and red pepper, cucumber, jicama and radishes all make excellent dipping vehicles and, when well arranged, make a lovely mezze platter. You can even start with store bought hummus and doctor it up, although homemade takes so very little time and effort it is really worth it – plus you know what is in it! Blend in avocado, pieces of black or green olives, jalapeños, roasted peppers, cooked beets or carrots, toasted walnuts, chopped chives, parsley or dill or, my favorite, smoked paprika. Pretty much anything goes. Lighten it all up by mixing in some plain yogurt or enrich it by drizzling with plain or chili infused olive oil. If you don’t eat legumes, make the recipe without the chickpeas only add a little less water and use it as a tahini dip.

The best hummus I ever ate was at Zahav, Michael Solomonov’s restaurant in Philadelphia. It was creamy, lemony and altogether full of sesame flavor. The recipe I have provided below is based on his, with a few modifications. If it were a cold weather month, I would cook my own chickpeas but with this heat, I am happy to use canned. Solomonov recommends Soom Tahini (sold on Amazon) but I’ve used a local brand (Sahadi from Brooklyn), Trader Joe’s (which happens to be organic) and several health food brands (all in glass, not a tin) with good results. Err on the side of more garlic, salt and lemon rather than too little and blend it all longer than you would think for super creaminess.

Plate your hummus in a beautiful shallow bowl (easier for dipping), drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika or sesame seeds and surround it generously with all kinds of colorful vegetables on a large platter or wooden board. To make a mezze platter, serve it with or without some stuffed grape leaves (as easy as opening a can), small bowls of olives, cherry tomatoes, those yummy peppadew or cherry peppers, sliced melon, tabbouleh or a parsley salad and an accompanying bread – focaccia, ciabatta, baguette or pita, or your favorite gluten-free crackers (try the Mary’s pretzel-like sticks with the hummus – very crunchy) – add a cold beer or glass of wine and dinner is served.

Mezze platter, heavy on the vegetables My bowls and platter — Mezze platter, heavy on the vegetables
My bowls and platter

Homemade Hummus

1 can (15.5 oz.) organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tahini
2-3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup water or more, as needed

Combine garlic, salt and cumin and pulse until minced well.
Add lemon juice and pulse, then add tahini and pulse until it seizes up.
Add water, more if needed, and blend until smooth.
Add chickpeas and pulse until completely smooth.
Taste for seasoning and add more salt if you think it needs it – probably will.
Hummus keeps well for days in the refrigerator.

Optional add-ins:
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (reserve 1 tsp for sprinkling on top)
1-2 roasted red peppers (I use jarred)
2 green jalapeños and a big handful of cilantro with juice of 1/2 lime
1 roasted beet
1-2 TBs olive oil
1/2-1 cup plain yogurt
1/2-1 peeled and pitted avocado
1/2 cup black or green pitted olives
A handful of parsley and chives
1/2 cup sautéed onions or several cloves of roasted garlic
If you take out half of the hummus before putting in an add-in, you can make 2 flavors out of one recipe.
Whatever else you can imagine – hummus is a good vehicle for adding your favorite ingredient

Cool Down with a Refreshing Summer Gazpacho

August 10, 2016

Summer Gazpacho with chopped cucumber, green pepper and jalapeño Soda-fired mug by Gertrude Graham Smith — Summer Gazpacho with chopped cucumber, green pepper and jalapeño
Soda-fired mug by Gertrude Graham Smith

August is upon us and that means my kitchen counter is laden with a rainbow of tomatoes, waiting to be blended into gazpacho. Tomatoes and cucumbers are finally local and plentiful – so plentiful, in fact, that sometimes a salsa, sauce or a soup is the fastest way to use up a load of them. When it is too hot to cook, however, gazpacho is not only a good solution for too many quickly ripening tomatoes but a light and cool meal, prepared without heating your kitchen. I’ll save the sauce and hot soup making for September.

Cherry tomatoes at the farmer's market — Cherry tomatoes at the farmer’s market

Gazpacho is essentially a liquid salad and the variations are many. The basics are tomato, cucumber, onion and garlic but some people add bread, others zucchini, and still others lots of olive oil. Traditional Spanish gazpacho includes both bread and quite a bit of oil and is almost orange, not the vibrant tomato juice red we see in this country most of the time. Even people who don’t like tomatoes often like gazpacho, perhaps because all the other flavors change the taste and texture.

When making gazpacho, I prefer no bread and plenty of vegetables. The version I make adds green pepper and watermelon, some oil, vinegar and a green herb, either cilantro or basil or both. If you don’t like or don’t have one ingredient, use another. As long as you have the basics, the optional items are quite flexible. Sometimes I toss in leftover salsa or incorporate the remainder of a caprese salad, minus any cheese, since the components are essentially the same. My family doesn’t like zucchini but a little in a gazpacho gets by unnoticed – shh! If you like your gazpacho with more liquid, add some tomato or vegetable juice. If you like it spicier, add hot sauce, jalapeño or cayenne. If you like it chunkier, blend it less or add some finely chopped hard boiled egg or vegetables before serving. If you like it richer, add a dollop of guacamole, creme fraiche or drizzle it with an herbal olive oil. You can vary the color by the variety of tomatoes you use. When traveling last week, I had a strikingly beautiful gazpacho made with only yellow and orange tomatoes and topped with fresh basil – very refreshing and visually appealing!

Chopped vegetables add texture to summer gazpacho

Guacamole and chopped cilantro enrich a cup of gazpacho

Apart from the traditional tomato gazpacho, there are scores of fruity versions using melons, peaches and berries, often using mint as the herbal component. I saw a mouth-watering version recently that would also make the base of a delicious cocktail. I am more of a gazpacho traditionalist, preferring mine with tomatoes and cucumbers, especially when the tomato season is as bountiful as it is this year.

SUMMER GAZPACHO

Blend together:

2 large ripe tomatoes, cut up – about 2 heaping cups
1-1 1/2 cup cut up watermelon

Add and blend well:

1/2 large green pepper, cut up – about 1 cup
1/2 large red pepper (optional)
1/2 large cucumber, cut up – about 1 cup (skin on or off as you please – if seeds are large, remove them)
1/2 medium onion, cut up – about 1 cup
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved (if you don’t like garlic, omit it and use some scallions or shallots)
5-6 fresh basil leaves
Generous handful of fresh cilantro
2 TBs vinegar – red wine or balsamic or a blend
1-2 TBs olive oil
2 large pinches of sea salt
1 pinch black pepper

If you want your gazpacho spicy, add some chopped jalapeño.

Chill well and taste before serving to see if seasoning needs adjusting.

Serve in cups, glasses or mugs so it is easy to drink.

Garnish with chopped cucumber, green and/or red pepper and scallions or a dollop of guacamole and a sprig of cilantro.

Serves 4. Keep in a glass jar in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

Caprese Salad – many variations on a theme

August 3, 2016

Ripe farmer's market tomatoes — Ripe farmer’s market tomatoes

A composed Caprese salad is the classic no-cook summer meal. It just involves some slicing and drizzling and it is ready to eat. The traditional Caprese is sliced tomatoes and mozzarella with fresh basil leaves topped with olive oil, sometimes balsamic or red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. A summer lunch or dinner doesn’t get much simpler.

Caprese hors d'oeuvre with cherry tomatoes and bocconcini Plate by Simon Levin — Caprese hors d’oeuvre with cherry tomatoes and bocconcini
Plate by Simon Levin

Bush basil (left) and Genovese basil (right)

But there are many variations on the classic. You can substitute peaches, nectarines or an orange fleshed melon – like cantaloupe or musk – for the tomatoes or use cherry tomatoes and bocconcini (the little mozzarella balls you eat in one bite) on a skewer with a basil leaf – the perfect summer hors d’oeuvre. Or cut tomatoes and mozzarella in chunks and toss with torn basil leaves and vinaigrette.

If you want a heavier meal, you could add pasta, quinoa or fresh corn and some extra vinaigrette. If you don’t eat cheese, just leave out the mozzarella or add avocado – it is satisfying and substantial and you will get a similar flavor from the fresh basil, olive oil and vinegar. If you have bush basil (the tiny leaf variety), you can use it in place of the traditional Genovese basil. Just sprinkle it over the whole salad instead of using the usual whole leaves. Fresh oregano or arugula can substitute for basil, if you like them better, or add a bit of oregano to the dressing for complexity. (In winter, you might use oil-soaked dried tomatoes and dried basil and oregano for an out-of-season version). A cousin of the caprese is the watermelon/feta salad – a little lime or lemon juice, olive oil, red onion and mint – an easy no-cook and refreshing meal.

Peaches, mozzarella and fresh basil leaves

How you design your salad is up to you. Once you have chosen your fruit (tomato, peach, etc.), the fun is in laying out the overlapping slices in a pleasing pattern, straight, circular or otherwise, and punctuating with the fresh basil. The whole thing may be layered directly on a plate or platter or on a bed or lettuce or arugula, for extra greens. Then drizzle with a good, preferably aged, balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and you are ready to eat.

Traditional Caprese Salad Plate by Bandana Pottery - Michael Hunt and Naomi Dalglish — Traditional Caprese Salad
Plate by Bandana Pottery – Michael Hunt and Naomi Dalglish

Fresh mozzarella is available widely now. Even Costco sells a tasty variety made with milk untreated with hormones. Or try a simpler version without cheese – the solo tomato/basil combination is a pretty good runner up, especially when seasonal tomatoes are as delicious as they are just starting to be. Just tomatoes and cucumbers (you could also add green and/or red peppers) are delicious with fresh basil and balsamic and olive oil. Any leftovers, if there are any, can go right into tomorrow’s gazpacho. If you are a bread eater, make sure to have a crusty loaf handy to mop up all of the flavorful juices!

No Cook Meals for Hot Summer Days

July 13, 2016

Cool summer salad Bowl by Scott Chamberlin — Cool summer salad
Bowl by Scott Chamberlin

Now that it is summer and it’s hot, the last thing you want to do is prepare a cooked meal that will heat up your kitchen. Over the next few weeks, while temperatures are high, I will post some suggestions for cold, easy to assemble recipes that don’t require turning on your oven or stove at all. The first is a simple, refreshing salad. It has only a handful of ingredients but is surprisingly tasty and cooling, just what you want on a hot summer day. It travels well for lunch or a picnic and is easily multiplied for a large group.

Cucumber and Pineapple Salad

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and diced, with any juice that collects when you cut it
4 Kirby cucumbers, sliced (1 hothouse or 2 regular cukes would work)
Large handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup of fresh lime juice
Pinch salt

Toss all ingredients together and refrigerate until cold. If leaving in the refrigerator overnight, don’t add the mint until about an hour before plating, if you don’t want it wilted. Serves 4 people.

If you want to add some protein, chopped leftover chicken, ham, roast pork, fried tofu, Marcona almonds or cooked shrimp would make a complete dinner salad, nicely served in lettuce leaves or with tortilla chips or crackers. Sprinkle with a couple of chopped scallion or some diced red onion and a sprinkle of cayenne to zest it all up.

Summer Bounty in the City

July 6, 2016

Chiogga Beets simply boiled and sliced Plate by Mary Barringer — Chiogga Beets from the Greenmarket – simply boiled and sliced
Plate by Mary Barringer

Although I love certain things about summer in New York – looser schedules and clothing, the way our neighborhood empties out and how weekends are much quieter, even peaceful at times – I can’t stand the heat and humidity here and aging only seems to make me less tolerant. (I really should live somewhere near the Arctic Circle). There are, however, a few things about city summers I think of happily and gratefully – more frequent and welcome visits from out-of-towners, outdoor music all over the city, a drink on a rooftop terrace or on a pier by the river, a drive to Maine to visit friends or a weekend with Mom in Connecticut, either of which might include a swim or blueberry picking. Beyond these highlights, one steady and really bright spot of the week – in my constant search for a cool, shady spot – is our local Friday farmers’ market.

Just walking through the 97th Street Greenmarket early on a July morning is enough to make me forget I am hot. Not only are the overflowing farm stands gorgeous in their reds, yellows, and all shades of green but they are incredibly fragrant in a good way. I can’t often say that about any part of New York, which is frequently fragrant but certainly not in any way we would choose! This market is perfumed with ripe peaches and sweet basil and makes me heady just breathing normally.

Sometimes it’s all so tantalizing that I can’t restrain myself and I get home with more than I can fit in my refrigerator. Yellow, green and purple beans, yellow, red, green, purple and even white tomatoes, obscenely large heads of lettuce and broccoli, the first tiny kerneled white corn, mild garlic scapes and freshly picked garlic bulbs, not yet dried, all fill my bags. I am no longer embarrassed to bring what I used to consider an “old lady” shopping cart, as it means I can get more home without hurting my back! And I feel virtuous because I can drop off textile recycling as well as all of our food scraps into bins to be composted, a simple act that has reduced our trash by more than half.

Composting location at 97th Street Market

Besides vegetables, our market also provides me with cage free eggs (from chickens who actually run around and scratch and eat bugs), pork chops, slab bacon and pork roasts from a chef turned farmer who now farms and raises pigs upstate – Ray Bradley. Ray is also my source for tender fennel, all kinds of herbs, squashes, Italian pole beans, haricots vert, juicy, extremely flavorful heirloom tomatoes, yellow potatoes, onions, garlic, paprika, pickles, and occasional flowers. You will read about him in a future post.

Hardeep and Ray on 97th Street — Hardeep Maharawal and Ray Bradley

Bradley's Italian and Heirloom Tomatoes — Bradley’s Italian and Heirloom Tomatoes

New York State grass fed beef is hawked by jaunty, usually bearded and mustachioed young guys, while spicy turkey sausage, necks and backs for soup, and my Thanksgiving bird are supplied by a family-run, New Jersey-based turkey farm. We get milk, yogurt and unsalted butter from grass fed cows from Pam, who lives nearby but sells for Ronnybrook every week very dependably no matter the weather. I buy every variety of local berry one could imagine as well as musk and watermelons from Jorge, transplanted from Colombia to Pennsylvania and who, thankfully, eschews pesticides. He grows all kinds of leafy greens, sweet cucumbers, snow peas, hot peppers and purslane (which I had previously thought was just a weed but adds a lemony flavor to a salad), eggs, pumpkins, corn, and yellow, red, and purple potatoes that will keep, like his winter squashes, for months.

When this local Greenmarket began years ago, before every neighborhood food store had fresh sourdough and ciabatta, we could buy great bread from the Tribeca Oven stall manned by Alan Cohen, whose son Keith trained at Tribeca and went on to buy Orwasher’s, an old time bakery still putting out a delicious seeded rye and Russian pumpernickel with a new west side store opening soon on Amsterdam Avenue. Now we can buy exotic loaves (baked by immigrant women who have been trained uptown to make the breads of their home countries) at the Hot Bread Kitchen stand and toothsome and tasty whole grain sourdoughs from She Wolf Bakery. We get our choice of every type of apple and pear I can imagine, along with cherries, berries, plums and other stone fruit, even into the winter months from Locust Grove Farm, now run by brothers I have watched grow from teenagers at the nascent Union Square market into middle age to take over their farm and broaden its market sales. Jeff Bialas, who grew up in a traditional farming family but started the J & A Farms in 2010 to farm organically, grows many kinds of greens, like tatsoi, bok choy, mustard and dandelion greens, arugula, purslane and sorrel, along with the more widely available but flavorful beans, lettuces, turnips, fennel and many types of herbs.

Buying directly from markets reminds us of all the work involved in producing and delivering our food. When I see groups of pre-school and kindergarten kids talking with the farmers and sellers, I feel happy that they are learning that their vegetables don’t just grow on supermarket shelves. Plus this market takes food stamp vouchers so it is accessible to a wider range of residents. Most of the farmers or sellers are set up before 8, when the market officially opens, so it is possible to shop and still get somewhere by 9. I run into friends and acquaintances from the neighborhood, parents and teachers from my son’s various schools and sports teams, other artists who live nearby, even people who live in nearby buildings who I don’t know well but chat with at the market, finding a connection amidst the fruits and vegetables. With all this gorgeous, fragrant and healthy produce and community, it is easy to forget the heat and appreciate the abundant bounty of summer.

To find a Greenmarket in New York near you, check their website at grownyc.org/Greenmarket.

With the explosion of farm-to-table eating, farmers’ markets have sprung up across the country. Surely, wherever you live, there is bound to be one nearby. Tell us about your favorite!

(Happy Birthday, Frida Kahlo!)

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