Celebrate season’s flavors
In my childhood, the first of August signaled the halfway mark between school out and school in. This year many schools are welcoming students earlier, cutting the August vacation time short. For me, the message is clear — honor the season’s bounty before schedules get tight. Show off summer vegetables at their best.
Heirloom Tomatoes With Crème Fraiche Sorbet
Long ago, when Rob Wilson was executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, Calif., I fell in love with his offbeat-but-irresistible dish that teamed vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes with crème fraiche sorbet.
Yield: 2servings, plus leftover sorbet (sorbet recipe makes about 5 cups)
INGREDIENTS
Crème fraiche sorbet: 1 1⁄2 cups crème fraiche, 1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 cups simple syrup
2-4 vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes, different colors if possible Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Micro (baby) fresh basil or fresh basil leaves torn into pieces About 1 1⁄2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
Cook’s notes: For simple syrup, combine 2 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar and 2 1⁄2 cups water in saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat. Lower heat to medium and simmer 2-3minutes or until sugar is completely dissolved, stirring a couple of times. Cool completely. For this dish to be at its best, the tomatoes need to be vine ripened. Wilson likes to use bold color contrast tomatoes, such as Green Zebra and Purple Cherokee.
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare sorbet: Whisk crème fraiche and lemon juice in medium bowl. Add cool simple syrup and whisk to combine. Pour into ice cream machine and process according to manufacturer’s instructions. Freeze in covered container until firm enough to scoop.
2: Cut each tomato into 1⁄4-inchthick slices from top to bottom. For each serving, use 2-3slices of different colored heirloom tomatos. Fan slices, alternating colors, overlapping slices on platter.
3: Season with salt and pepper. Top with good pinch of fresh micro basil. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with scoop of crème fraiche sorbet. Garnish with a few additional sprigs of micro basil and serve. Source: Chef Rob Wilson
Ratatouille, with or without sausage
Ratatouille is a celebration of the season. The flavors in this traditional dish with origins in Provence, a region of southern France, sing with the flavors of a warm-weather garden: eggplant, summer squash, bell peppers and sun-ripened tomatoes.
4-6 servings
Yield: INGREDIENTS
Optional: 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage or a combination
About 2tablespoons high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil
5 slender Chinese (or Asian or Japanese varieties) skin-on eggplants (cut into 1⁄2-inch slices) or 1 large skin-on eggplant (cut into quarters lengthwise and then crosswise into 1⁄2-inch slices) 2 large brown onions, cut in half, thinly sliced
2 yellow bell peppers, cored and seeded, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, cut into strips 4medium-large ripe tomatoes, 1 pound, cut into 1-inch chunks 3⁄4 teaspoon ground fennel 3-4 yellow zucchini or yellow pattypan squash, trimmed, cut into 1⁄4-inch slices
2⁄3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
For serving: cooked rice or pasta Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese Cook’s notes: If omitting the sausage, start with step No. 3. Place 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in the pan and add the vegetables as directed. If you only have whole fennel seeds, you can grind them by placing in a zipper-style plastic bag and pounding with a meat pounder or bottom of a saucepan.
DIRECTIONS
1: Line a microwave-safe plate with 3 layers of white paper towels. To reduce fat, poke holes in sausage on all sides with a fork. Place in a single layer on towels and cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high for 4minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut sausages into 11⁄2-inch slices.
2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet.
Add sausage and cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, to brown sausage. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon.
3: Add eggplant, onion and bell pepper. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil if pan looks dry. Cook on medium heat for about 8minutes, tossing or shaking pan frequently, until vegetables start to soften.
4: Add sausage, tomatoes, ground fennel and squash. Cover and simmer on low until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
5: Add basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. If there is a lot of juice, strain off the solids (either by using a slotted spoon or pouring mixture through a colander, reserving juices). Cook juices on high heat until reduced by two-thirds. Return vegetables to reduced juices.
6: Ratatouille can be prepared a day in advance, cooled and refrigerated, then reheated. For the presentation, place rice or pasta in shallow bowls. Ladle ratatouille on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve with crusty, warm bread.
Chilled Curried Summer Squash Soup
I’m crazy about this pureed, curry-spiked summer squash soup. I think it is the garnish of sweet-sour, quick-pickled yellow crookneck slices that puts it over the top, taste-wise. And the brown rice that is added to the vegetable mixture as it cooks lends a toothsome quality to the puree, leaving a tiny bit of bite to the texture. It is delicious hot or cold.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 1⁄2 medium-size crookneck yellow squash, ends trimmed, unpeeled, divided use
1⁄4 cup seasoned rice vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint 2medium-size zucchini, ends trimmed, unpeeled
31⁄2 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth 1 small white onion, finely chopped 3 tablespoons uncooked brown rice, see cook’s notes
1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard 2teaspoons curry powder
11⁄2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1cup fat-free evaporated milk 4tablespoons fat-free Greek-style yogurt
Garnish: 1teaspoon minced fresh mint
Cook’s notes: Can use white rice
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare squash pickle garnish: Using the narrow end of 1 yellow crookneck squash, cut crosswise into very thin slices (use mandoline if you have one) and place in small bowl. Toss with rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 4hours or up to 2 days.
2: Cut remaining squash and zucchini into thin slices and place in 4-quart or 6-quart pan. Add broth, onion, rice, dry mustard, curry powder and ginger. Stir to submerge rice. Bring to boil on high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
3: Divide into several batches and puree in blender, food processor or immersion blender; use caution if using a blender (hold lid down with pot holder). Stir salt, pepper and evaporated milk into soup. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper as needed. To serve chilled, cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours, or up to 2days. If serving hot, reheat on medium heat, stirring frequently.
4: Pour squash pickles into a strainer; strain thoroughly. Divide soup between 8bowls. Top each with a dollop of yogurt, a couple of squash pickles and a pinch of minced mint.