A Good Dish

making food simpler

Make Summer Last A Little Longer With This Easy Fresh Corn Salad

Corn salad
Stoneware Bowl by Wayne Smith

Fresh corn is at its best from late August through September, if we are lucky. I grew up near farms that grew corn in Connecticut and we ate a lot of it, mostly just boiled. My father was so picky about his corn—he only liked small, tender kernels and wouldn’t eat it if it wasn’t freshly picked. Because of that insistence, we often drove out to farm stands selling that day’s corn, shucked it in the backyard and put it right into boiling water. While I am not nearly so fussy, I do appreciate fresh farm stand or farmers market corn, although I am willing to eat many varieties and will store it in the fridge for a couple of days, if need be. I am not positive it makes a difference but have always felt that keeping corn cold kept the sugars from turning starchy so I refrigerate it until just before using.

Lots of fresh corn
in markets right now

Sometimes we get corn in our CSA share. Otherwise I buy it at a farmers market or a roadside stand. Right now fantastically sweet corn can be had all over the Northeast. I am a sucker for the baker’s dozen deal where you get thirteen cobs for the price of twelve. What am I going to do with so much corn for just two people, you may wonder? Well, I boil or steam them all, serve two (or 4, depending on our voracity) and refrigerate the rest. This gives me the fixings for corn soup, a cold cob of corn for breakfast, corn in salsa, succotash or, perhaps easiest and tastiest of all, fresh corn salad.

Simple fresh ingredients
make a delicious salad

Making corn salad is as simple as cutting the kernels off the cob (use those cobs to make stock for corn soup), dicing some fresh red or green bell peppers and red or Vidalia onion, adding some fresh herbs and tossing it all with a tangy cider vinaigrette. Add peppery baby arugula, sliced cherry tomatoes, cooked cranberry or black beans or minced chili peppers as you please. This is perfect picnic or potluck food as it can sit out for a couple of hours if you bring it chilled and it stores well for a few days refrigerated. Fresh corn salad makes a terrific summer meal alongside a tomato or peach caprese salad. Buy that dozen so you have enough to share with friends and save everyone the heat of cooking for an evening.

Corn Salad in a stoneware bowl
by Wayne Smith

FRESH CORN SALAD 

  • Kernels from 6-8 cobs fresh corn, cooked
  • I red onion, diced finely
  • 1-2 red bell peppers, diced finely
  • 1-2 jalapeño peppers, diced
  • A big handful of fresh basil leaves, sliced in thin strips
  • Vinaigrette:
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Big pinch salt and black pepper(Optional pinch cumin, thyme, chili powder-taste before adding to see if you think it needs more flavor)

Toss prepared vegetables with vinaigrette and refrigerate a few hours or overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature. If freezing, don’t add basil until serving. 

Rimmed bowl by Wayne Smith
Photo courtesy of the artist
Platter by Wayne Smith
Photo courtesy of the artist
Jardiniere by Wayne Smith
Photo courtesy of the artist

Peach Season Is Here! Peach Salsa Is Delicious With Grilled Or Uncooked Peaches

Grilled (front) and raw peach salsa
Small bowls by Sandy Simon

Is there anything more summery to eat than a juicy peach? When I saw that a nearby apple farm was selling pecks of peaches (yes, peck—about 10-12 lbs) for $20, I couldn’t resist. But what do you do with 10 or more pounds of peaches, all ripening at the same time? When my sister told me her husband had been grilling peaches, my mouth started watering and my mind racing with ideas. I grilled a dozen peaches (delicious in green salad, alongside sausages or as a dessert alone or with ice cream) simply by halving and brushing the cut sides with olive oil and then laying the oil side down on the hot grate for several minutes. Presto—deliciousness!

Simply grilled peaches
Rimmed bowl by Sandy Simon

Although my husband and I are enthusiastic eaters, even we couldn’t chow down all those grilled peaches. So my next project was turning the leftovers into salsa. Pretty easy, actually. It merely took finely chopping some onion, peppers and cilantro along with the peaches and squeezing fresh lime juice over all. I let it sit a few hours in the fridge and, once again, delicious! I tried variations with corn, shallots, basil and fresh uncooked peaches and liked each one. No grill? Just use a grill pan or griddle on your stovetop. If you like a little more bite to your salsa, add a splash of cider vinegar and a pinch of cayenne. Use your preferred herb and corn or tomatoes to plump up your salsa, as you see fit. Other possible add-ins could be avocado, black beans, grated or candied ginger and lightly cooked tomatillos. This salsa was great by itself with corn chips and celery stalks but would also be good on grilled bread slices with goat or mozzarella to make bruschetta, atop baked cod or alongside a pork chop or sausage.

Prepared onions, peppers, cilantro and corn
Chopped grilled peaches

Even after making peach caprese with ungrilled peaches, adding some sliced peaches to bowls of yogurt and to smoothies and eating a few out of hand, juices dripping, I still had a few pounds left from that peck. Those I sliced, tossed with lemon juice (so they didn’t turn brown) and froze them on a rimmed cookie sheet, like we did blueberries a few weeks ago. When the days start getting darker, we will have a little peach sunshine on hand.

It is easy to freeze peaches

 

Peach salsa made with grilled (left) and uncooked peaches
Bowls by Sandy Simon

GRILLED PEACH SALSA

  • 4 (8 halves)grilled peaches, chopped
  • 1 small red onion, chopped finely (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 shallot, chopped finely
  • 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped finely
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped finely
  • 1-2 ears of cooked corn, sliced from cob
  • Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped finely
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cumin and/or chili powder, optional
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • Pinch salt

Mix all together and refrigerate a few hours or overnight before serving. Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated.

Set of small slipped and glazed earthenware bowls
by Sandy Simon

Lacto-Fermented (Salt) Pickles Are Easy To Make And To Eat!

Lacto-fermented pickle spears
Stoneware plate by Mary Barringer

Two potters I like and respect, Liz Quackenbush and Doug Peltzman, recently posted similar recipes for lacto-fermented pickles. Liz uses a combination of salt and vinegar and Doug just salt. Last year, I posted a recipe for vinegar pickles and enjoyed those well into the winter but in Doug’s recipe, the cukes are cured with salt water and delicious but are not for long term storage. I gave them a try. Lacto-fermentation is the process of good bacteria eating and converting sugars into lactic acid, similar to sourdough, yogurt, kombucha, kimchi or sauerkraut (also very easy to make with just cabbage and salt). Food becomes easier to digest and has healthy benefits (good bacteria in our guts is a positive thing) as a result of this process. 

Bubbles indicating fermentation

I thought making pickles with vinegar was easy but with salt it is even simpler. Just dissolve the salt in water, add herbs, garlic and spices and your cucumbers (whole or cut). Then you  cover and wait a few days until the pickling magic happens. You can use a crock (Peltzman makes some beauties especially designed for this process, with a water lock—the gallery/shelf where the lid sits has a little depression for water—so gas produced by fermentation can escape) or just clean glass jars. I’ve found other potters making crocks (including (Krista Cortese, Gwendolyn Yoppolo, Miki Palchick, Daniel Bellow to name a few) but there are many making wonderful big jars or lidded bowls which work, too, if you crack the lid to let the gas that is formed by fermentation to escape.

Pickles in process in a Doug Peltzman crock
Photo courtesy of the artist
Stoneware fermenting crocks by Doug Peltzman
Photo courtesy of the artist

You can pickle other vegetables, like carrots, green beans and green tomatoes this way. If I make more pickles  I will have to learn to use a water bath to preserve them into the winter without refrigeration but, honestly, it is not likely I will be willing to go through that hot processing, since we are eating them so quickly. For now, we will be happily munching pickles from the fridge, using them in salmon and sardine salads and putting them on burgers of all kinds. Next time I may have to use a half-gallon jar… Thanks to Doug and Liz for the inspiration and guidance.

Lacto-fermented pickle
Plate by Mary Barringer

PICKLES (from Doug Peltzman)

  • 1 clean quart glass jar with non-reactive lid
  • 1 quart water 
  • 2 1/2 TBs salt (I used Diamond Crystal kosher)
  • 1/2-1 TBs black peppercorns 
  • 1-2 bay leaves
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • Small handful of fresh dill, with flowers if available
  • Enough fresh pickling cucumbers (like Kirby) to fill your jar, whole or in half or quartered spears
  • Optional – mustard seeds, allspice or coriander berries, red pepper flakes

Pack jar tightly with cucumbers, whole or in spears, along with dill, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and whatever other spices you choose 

Mix salt into water and stir until dissolved. 

Pour into packed jar to completely cover pickles. 

Let sit out uncovered (I used a layer of cheesecloth draped on top to keep out flies, etc.) 2-3 days until brine is bubbly and cucumbers have started to yellow or darken from bright green and look like pickles. Cover tightly and refrigerate a few days before using. Taste to see if they are pickled enough for your preference. 

Ready to eat!

Mary Barringer makes a wide range of handbuilt stoneware pots with intriguing, painterly imagery and rich, textured surfaces. Her small plates are irresistible to me and so pleasurable to use or just look at. We have been buying and enjoying her pots for decades and I highly recommend having a look at her shop–the link is below.

Small stoneware plates
by Mary Barringer

White Sangria Is Light, Fruity And Refreshing – Pretty Much The Perfect Summer Drink

White Sangria in porcelain tumblers
with crystalline glazes
by Gwendolyn Yoppolo

We have been pretty lucky heat wise on the East Coast this summer although farmers might have preferred hot and dry to flooding. Now, as temperatures and humidity are rising, I think less about cooking and more about drinking. Because I am primarily a social drinker, I haven’t been drinking a lot this year but lately have had a craving for something light and fruity to sip. Last summer I mostly drank an Americano, a vermouth and Campari blend. Still wanting something low alcohol and wine-based, my thoughts rambled onto sangria.

Fruity and refreshing

All of the sangria I have made or drunk over the years has been of the common red wine variety. I’ve seen white sangria on menus but never tried it so in the spirit of educating myself (and because a bottle of Prosecco has been on our counter calling my name all summer), I decided to explore and experiment. What I discovered is that almost any decent white or rose wine (still or sparkling) will make a tasty drink and you can use fruit juice to sweeten in place of added sugar, if you prefer sweeter, or add a little sweet white vermouth. 

Cut a rainbow of fruit into bite-sized pieces

Brandy is the most commonly added liquor but I think it is too strong for a white sangria—save it for the red sangria. I had some St-Germain so I used that and it was delicious. A wide variety of alcohols, including Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec or any fruity Schnapps will do, depending on your preference or what you have on hand. I think citrus fruits and berries are particularly good in sangria and, at this time of year, I would use peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums over apples, grapes and pears, which are more typical. Mango and kiwi add a lot of sweetness. My husband thinks all these choices are too confusing but sangria really is completely adaptable to personal taste. My recipe is just an outline or guide. Most importantly, start with a wine you like as the base. I used a Sauvignon Blanc but I would also be happy with a white Rioja, Pinot Grigio, Riesling or Gruner Veltliner. Then whichever fruit you choose, make sure it is plentiful and whatever mixture you concoct, be sure to chill it thoroughly. Last suggestion–if you choose to use sparkling wine or sparkling water, add it just before serving so it stays bubbly. 

Prosecco or Cava full of fruit also make a good sangria

WHITE OR BLUSH SANGRIA 

  • 1 bottle white or rosé wine
  • 1/2 cup St. Germain (or liquor of choice, see above)
  • 1 cup orange juice (strain if you don’t like pulp) optional
  • 1 orange, sliced thinly and quartered
  • 1 lemon, lime or grapefruit, sliced thinly and quartered
  • 1 cup berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries or sliced strawberries all work)
  • 1-2 peaches, nectarines, apricots or plums, sliced and halved 
  • 1 mango, cut in bite-sized chunks
  • 1-2 cups chilled sparkling water, optional

Cut fruit bite sized and put in a large pitcher or half gallon jar.

Add wine, liquor and juice. (If using sparkling water or wine, don’t add until just before serving)

Chill for at least a few hours. Serve with straw spoons, if you have them, or just spoons to get up all that fruit.

Porcelain tumbler
by Gwendolyn Yoppolo

Simply put, Gwendolyn Yoppolo is a glaze wizard – she experiments tirelessly and her results are a true pleasure to behold and use. The colors of her crystalline matte glazes are soft yet intense and the colors run over the rims onto the pearly white interiors, making visible what you are drinking while framing it. Yoppolo’s tumblers are cinched and ribbed at the waist, making them comfortable to hold. The lips are thoughtfully undulating and compressed in a way that keeps your eye moving yet ensures ease of drinking. It isn’t that easy to find her work for sale so keep an eye on the “upcoming” section on her website.

Blueberry Season Is Here – Try Freezing Some And Making Nice Cream

Raspberries, blueberries and black raspberries
in saltglazed stoneware “shovel” bowls
by Suze Lindsay

Blueberry season is finally here! We await local blueberries with eager anticipation as picking is one of our favorite July outings. It is a lovely way to spend a few hours in a rural setting. Most states have listings of pick-your-own farms by county so you can locate one near you. My husband loves to munch as he picks and tries to leave a farm well sated. I, on the other hand, being very task oriented, concentrate on filling my buckets while contemplating what I will do with them. We often pick enough to stock our fridge for a week’s worth and freeze anything beyond that to use off season. Berries are easily frozen in a single layer on a sheet pan or rimmed cookie sheet and then stored in a freezer-safe storage jar, box or bag for many months. As I try not to eat sugar, I no longer bake blueberry pies, muffins or cakes, although all of those are delicious uses. Recently, I have been concentrating my efforts on fruit juice sweetened jam and nice cream, a simple frozen concoction of berries and frozen ripe bananas.

Fresh blueberries in a small
stoneware shovel bowl
by Suze Lindsay

Freezing berries on a rimmed sheet pan
keeps them from clumping

No one seems to know the exact origin of the term “Nice Cream”, a vegan blend of frozen banana and whatever fruit or flavoring is added into a soft, sweet but not sugary frozen custard-like treat. I am guessing it came about around the time the Yonanas dessert maker came on the market in 2011. This simple contraption squishes frozen bananas into a soft serve type consistency and is still being sold. Since then, many vegan “nice cream” recipes have been published and continually varied, including berries, mango, cocoa, chocolate chips and nut butters. I like a simple blend of banana and fruit with a little vanilla but use whatever fruit you enjoy (not apples or pears but frozen tropical fruits, berries and stone fruits all work) and see what you can create to please yourself.

A high speed blender makes
Nice Cream easily

Blueberry Nice Cream
Saltglazed stoneware bowl
by Suze Lindsay

BLUEBERRY NICE CREAM

  • 2 frozen bananas, cut in chunks
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-3 TBs plant mild or fruit juice like apple, grape or cranberry as needed to get mixture to blend.
  • optional-1/2 cup frozen mango

Purée all in a highspeed blender (like a Vitamix) or use a food processor. You might burn out the motor of a regular blender so don’t try it.

If you want to add fresh berries or chocolate chips, stir in once smoothly blended. If you want your frozen treat to be firmer, put it in the freezer for a short time.

Highbush blueberries
at Stu-berry Acres

Picking blueberries is one of
our favorite summer activities

3 small stoneware shovel bowls
by Suze Lindsay