Garden Fresh Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

Last year my garden was like a jungle, loaded with tomatoes, zucchinis, eggplants, peppers and other stuff.

This year —-meh. Tomatoes not so plentiful (but delicious), I got two measly zucchinis, didn’t grow eggplants. The collard leaves were eaten up by roving outsiders. We managed one good bunch of kale.

The chili peppers though! They gave their all. We have plenty of them, all perfect.

So I decided to make homemade salsa.

I used peppers, tomatoes and scallions, all from my garden. I didn’t have cilantro, so I used the small green leaves from what I thought was a parsley plant but it turned out to be celery.

The avocado — store bought, and I know it isn’t a usual addition to Pico de Gallo, but I added some anyway and it gave a lovely, mellowing flavor and creamy texture.

Garden Fresh Salsa

• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped

• 2-3 scallions, chopped

• 2 small chili peppers, deseeded and chopped

• 1 small (or 1/2 large) avocado, chopped*

• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, parsley or celery leaves

• 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• salt to taste

Place the tomatoes, scallions, chili peppers, avocado, cilantro and garlic in a bowl. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Add the lime join, toss again and let rest for at least one hour. Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed.

*You can make this a day ahead. If so, add the avocado an hour before serving rather than at the same time as the other ingredients.

Roasted Corn Salad

I can’t wait for 2020 to end. It’s been a stressful, depressing year.

In addition to the pandemic and the hate-filled political climate, we had a storm last week that knocked out our power and land-line telephone for days, and there was sketchy internet service too.

And we lost a huge limb from our favorite hundreds-of-years-old maple tree.

Then there was a water main break so we had no water for a whole day.

YECH!!

Still, I am grateful for a number of things.

For instance: crops. Vegetables that grow despite the political circus, despite the hatreds, despite the racial tensions, despite the bad weather, despite the virus, despite the social distancing and the quarantines.

They don’t make up for the lost lives, the lack of hugs, the inability to travel or be with loved ones. But, thank goodness for these, the positives that nature brings us.

Summer’s best crops: tomatoes, peaches and nectarines.

And corn.

Get a couple of good ears of corn and grill them or use your oven and follow the recipe below for a refreshing summer salad. It made me feel better to make this one.

Charred Corn Salad

• 2 cups corn (about 3 ears of corn)

• 1/2 cup chopped red onion ( 2 3/4-inch thick slices)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (or use goat cheese or any crumbly white cheese)

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (or crushed red pepper or Aleppo pepper)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the corn and onion on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over the vegetables, toss and roast for 12-20 minutes or until crisped and browned. Alternatively, rub the ears of corn and the onion with the olive oil and grill for about 10-12 minutes, turning the vegetables occasionally, or until crispy and tender, then remove the kernels and chop the onion. Place the vegetables in a bowl. Let cool. Add the cheese and parsley. Pour in the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Three Cabbage Cole Slaw

These days we entertain outside.

By entertain I mean (other than my kids and grandkids) one couple at a time, six feet (at least) away from us on our back terrace.

Fortunately the weather has been good and the outdoor insects have cooperated by being elsewhere.

We recently had our cousins over for a feast: smoked salmon and really fabulous Long Island bagels (they brought). They also donated homemade potato salad. I made beet salad and this coleslaw. I call it three-cabbage because it has green and red cabbage plus shredded Brussels sprouts which, after all, are baby cabbages.

I like coleslaw made with buttermilk — it has a tang that other dressings don’t quite measure up to — but if you don’t have any, you can substitute plain yogurt plus lemon juice.

This might be nice for Father’s Day or July 4th or even Labor Day.

THREE CABBAGE COLE SLAW

• 3 cups shredded green cabbage

• 3 cups shredded red cabbage

• 2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts

• 2 medium carrots, grated

• 3 scallions, finely chopped

• 1 cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt plus 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice)

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the cabbage and Brussels sprouts shreds, carrots and scallions in a large bowl and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, honey and mustard together and pour over the vegetables. Toss the ingredients, sprinkle with parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8-10 servings

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

I have been a yogurt woman for decades. Even before it became as popular and ubiquitous as it is today. I mentioned it last week in a post about muffins.

Back in the day, at least where lived, there was only one brand of yogurt to buy — Dannon — and just a few flavors. No mango that I recall, or key lime, and most certainly no salted caramel.

My favorite was prune, which disappeared even before yogurt became au courant because, I’m guessing, there were maybe two or three people in the entire world other than me, who loved it.

I wish there was a good prune yogurt today (there is one brand but it contains gelatin, which I don’t want in my yogurt). I confess to buying plain yogurt and occasionally adding a blob or two of prune lekvar. For those who haven’t tried that — it’s awesome.

In fact, I almost never buy flavored yogurt, other than Chobani Passion Fruit flavored, because, after prune that is my top choice. I almost always get a large tub of unflavored Greek-style, so I can create my own flavors. Like prune.

This being winter, when citrus fruit is the best that a supermarket can offer (I do not buy out of season summer fruit!) I decided to prepare a citrusy flavor blend for my yogurt breakfast: roasted grapefruit and oranges, a touch of honey and butter, a texture crunch by way of toasted almonds.

Delicious. I’ve made this with all-oranges too. Equally delicious (substitute 4-5 oranges for the grapefruit).

Roasted Citrus Yogurt

• 2 large grapefruit

• 4 oranges

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 2-1/2 cups plain Greek style yogurt

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

Preheat the oven broiler. Remove the skin and pith from the fruit. Cut the fruit into bite size chunks and place the chunks on a parchment lined baking sheet. Heat the butter and honey in a small pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir the mixture to blend the ingredients and pour the mixture over the fruit and toss to coat each piece. Broil the fruit for about 6 minutes, tossing once, or until lightly crispy. Remove the fruit from the oven and set aside to cool. Spoon layers of the fruit and yogurt into 6 serving bowls. Sprinkle the nuts on top.

Makes 6 servings

Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt

Today is National Muffin Day and it reminds me of what happened long ago when I first started working full time as a low-level attorney at a high-power firm, right after law school. All the other associates came to work carrying coffee and cartons of breakfast, which they proceeded to eat at their desks. Eggs, and everything with it.

I was always a yogurt woman, even back in the day when Dannon was the only one you could buy and there were only about 5-6 flavors.

But then someone told me about the blueberry muffins from the deli downstairs and unfortunately I tasted one. That was the end of my days of never even thinking about whether I gained a pound or two. I added a blueberry muffin to my yogurt breakfast.

Every day.

I gained a quick “freshman ten” and that was no small thing because back then I was really slim.

Alas, I gave up the morning muffins our of sheer vanity. But not my love of them.

Over the years I’ve occasionally made some at home. Blueberry. Cranberry-Orange. Pumpkin Spice. Zucchini. But it’s usually when we have sleepover guests because the muffin indulgence and the memory of how quickly they added to my girth has tempered my desire to eat them as often as I would like to.

Buying muffins is a no-no for me because the store-bought ones have become so ENORMOUS since the days when I had those luscious things from the deli.

I prefer the old-days size. The kind that comes out of a normal household muffin tin.

I made these Banana Muffins recently. They’re a lot less sweet the the typical muffin and have a vaguely robust hint of molasses. I’ve made these with stirred, plain yogurt for the times I didn’t have buttermilk on hand.

If you love muffins as much as I do, there are plenty of recipes on my blog. Type “muffins” in the box under “search my recipes” and you can find them.

Btw, if you give away food for Purim, these make a lovely gift.

Banana Muffins with Buttermilk or Yogurt

• 1-3/4 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large egg

• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2-3 tablespoons old fashioned oats

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease 9 muffin tins. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas, buttermilk molasses, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix only long enough to combine thoroughly. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Scatter the oats evenly on top of each muffin. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 9

Vegetarian Moussaka

Way back in 2009 I wrote an article about wedding feasts for Connecticut Bride Magazine, interviewed several caterers, and was astonished that among the menus they showed me there were so many choices for vegetarians and vegans. I read about creative, gorgeous hors d’oeuvres. Substantial, festive main courses. Glamorous desserts.

I’m not a vegetarian but that assignment was a sort of turnaround for me. I realized that there were lots of delicious foods I hadn’t tried and, that even if I had no intention of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, and even if I wasn’t particularly trying to cut down on meat protein, I was missing some really good food!

I don’t like to miss good food!

So, over the years I have prepared many vegetarian hors d’oeuvre and entrees, many of them spectacular.

This Vegetarian Moussaka is one of them. Portobello mushrooms take the place of meat in this creamy, tangy, comforting dinner dish. A hearty, filling meal, perfect for meatless Monday or any other day. Celebratory enough for a special occasion, wedding or otherwise.

Vegetarian Moussaka

• 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

• salt

• 2/3 cup olive oil, approximately

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 2 medium chopped carrots

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 3 Portobello mushrooms, chopped

• 1 bunch fresh spinach (or 2 packed cups baby spinach leaves)

• 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, undrained

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2-1/2 cups milk

• 2 large egg yolks

• 1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the eggplant slices on a surface and salt them lightly. Let sit for about 15 minutes, then wipe the surface dry with paper towels. Brush the slices with about 4-5 tablespoons of the olive oil and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the slices and bake for another 12-15 minutes, or until the slices are tender. Let the slices cool. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.

Heat 6 tablespoons olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions have softened. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, cumin and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is very thick.

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Let the potatoes cool, then peel and slice them into 1/4-inch rounds and set aside.

Make a béchamel white sauce: heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, lower the heat, add the flour and whisk the ingredients for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the milk and whisk the ingredients for 2-3 minutes or until a thick sauce has formed. Stir about a half cup of the hot sauce into the egg yolks, stir to blend the ingredients and add the mixture back into the saucepan. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese, whisk the ingredients until smooth and set aside.

Lightly grease a 9”x13” ovenproof casserole. Layer: half the eggplant on the bottom, then the potatoes, then the vegetable sauce, then the remaining eggplant. Cover with the béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until top is bubbly and golden brown.

Makes 8 servings

Mini Salmon Latkes

I’m thinking ahead to Hanukkah and the New Year’s Eve weekend. For the first, of course latkes! For New Year’s? Hors d’oeuvre.

Here’s a recipe that works for either or both.

Salmon latkes in mini form. Fried right? So perfect for Hanukkah. Make them small enough and put them on some sort of base and you’ve got a super morsel for cocktail hour.

You can put the latkes on crackers or toasted bread, but I like using small tomatoes (campari tomatoes in the photo) as a base because it makes the hors d’oeuvre colorful. They are less crunchy but much juicier.

The latkes are freezable. Isn’t that nice?!

Mini Salmon Latkes

• 2 cups mashed cooked salmon

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup matzo meal

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

• vegetable oil

• 12 campari tomatoes (approximately) (or other small tomatoes)

• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise

• chives or fresh dill for garnish

In a bowl, mix the salmon, eggs, matzo meal and chives until well combined. Heat about 1/8-inch vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Shape the salmon mixture into 36 small disks. Fry, a few at a time, for 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Before serving, slice the tomatoes about 1/2-inch thick. Place the latkes on top of the tomato slices. Spoon a small amount of mayonnaise onto the tops. Sprinkle with chopped chives for garnish (or use a tiny leaf of fresh dill).

Makes 36

Cranberry Kumquat Conserve

There are so many delicious “November foods.” Like sweet potatoes, pears, cranberries, persimmons and so on.

Not as many people know about kumquats though.

In case you don’t know what they are or haven’t used them, kumquats are a small citrus fruit. They look like oval mini-oranges.

They aren’t everybody’s taste. Kumquats are tart, so the flavor is something you love or hate immediately.

I love them. In fact, one of my favorite treats is candied (sugar coated) kumquats.

You can eat kumquats raw. Cut them into a salad — they’re especially good with greens or Brussels sprouts and a soft goat’s milk cheese.

But the pungent flavor mellows beautifully when cooked, so kumquats are especially wonderful in chutneys, relishes and preserves. If you need a pretty hors d’oeuvre that goes beyond ordinary for a party or New Year’s Eve guests, check out my mascarpone crisps with kumquat preserves.

The recipe here for cranberry conserve, is a really good option for Thanksgiving. This dish has several virtues:

1) it goes with turkey, so it’s perfect for Thanksgiving.

2) it’s quick and easy to prepare — about 30 minutes from start to finish.

3) it’s colorful, making it a festive addition to your holiday table.

4) it lasts for a week or so in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and also rely on leftovers.

5) best of all, it is really tasty.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Kumquat Conserve

• 3 cups fresh cranberries

• 10-12 kumquats

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/2 cup orange juice

Rinse the cranberries and place them in a saucepan. Cut the kumquats in half and remove the seeds. Chop the kumquats and add them to the cranberries. Add the honey and orange juice. Stir the ingredients and bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to medium and simmer the ingredients for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thick.

Makes about 2 cups

Beet and Chickpea Salad

I realize beets are available throughout the year. We are a beet-loving family, so I buy them all the time. Throughout the year.

And yet, I still associate beets with autumn. In my memory, September, October, November — those months are the real “season” for harvesting beets. In fact, I remember them as an integral part of the meals during Jewish holidays.

Sukkot, the “harvest holiday” is a good time to include beets on the menu. Look for beets with the greens still attached — they are from a current harvest. They are sweeter and tastier. Lovely however you cook them, including this salad, which you can make ahead. Serve it at room temperature.

Beet and Chickpea Salad

• 4 large beets

• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• sea salt

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the beets, cutting away the greens, if any, and discarding any hard, fibrous parts of the stem. Wash and drain the greens and use them for other purposes. Scrub the beets, wrap them in aluminum foil and roast for 50-60 minutes or until they are tender. Peel the beets when they are cool enough to handle. Cut the beets into bite size pieces and place in a bowl. While the beets are cooking, place the chickpeas on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pour the one tablespoon olive oil on top and shake the pan to coat all the chickpeas. Sprinkle with thyme and sea salt to taste. Shake the pan again. Roast for 20 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes or so, or until golden brown and crispy. Add the roasted chickpeas to the beets. Pour the remaining olive oil over the vegetables and toss, then pour in the white wine vinegar and toss again. Sprinkle with parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes

This year my tomato crop was such a bonanza that we ate tomato-something almost every day!

I am not complaining. Fresh garden tomatoes are among the treasures of the food world.

But it’s getting on in the season, the weather is turning, the Jewish holidays are around the corner and hundreds of those little things will never ripen from green to red in time.

I made some chutney of course.

I like fried green tomatoes in a sandwich but the cherry tomatoes are too small for slicing, coating and frying.

So I tried making them whole.

Yes!

Crunchy outside — and when you bite in, you get spurts of sweet-tart juicy tomato.

Terrific as an hors d’oeuvre. If you have extra, little, green tomatoes, try this:

Fried Green Cherry Tomatoes

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

• lemon juice

• 18-24 small green cherry tomatoes

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 large egg

• 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce

• 1/2 cup matzo meal or breadcrumbs

• salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder to taste

• vegetable oil

Combine the mayonnaise, basil and a teaspoon or two of lemon juice in a small bowl. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired. Set aside. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Place the flour in a bowl, add the tomatoes and toss them around to coat them completely. Beat the egg and hot sauce together. Immerse the tomatoes into the egg and roll them around to coat each one completely. In a bowl, combine the matzo meal with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Add the egg-coated tomatoes a few at a time and roll them around to coat them completely. Place the coated tomatoes on a cake rack or other surface for at least 20 minutes, to “air dry” slightly. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to a depth of about 2-inches. When the oil is hot enough to make a crumb sizzle quickly, add the tomatoes, a few at a time and cook them, turning them occasionally, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the tomatoes and set the on paper towels to drain. When all the tomatoes are fried, serve them with the basil mayonnaise.

Makes 6-8 servings