sundaysuppers

Grilled Zucchini With Mint And Pecorino Reggiano

Cut and toss your zucchini and summer squash in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill till al dente. Arrange on platter with chopped mint, Pecorino Reggiano & Maldon salt. Give it an extra drizzle on good olive oil.

Grilled Asparagus With Roasted And Marinated Tomatoes

Roast your tomato in a slow oven, once done toss in white balsamic vinegar and leave to marinate. Toss asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill till al dente. Arrange on platter with the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and finish with Maldon salt and fresh cracked peppercorn.

Roasted Peppers With Bocconcini And Grape Tomatoes

Roast, peel and seed the peppers. While still warm toss in a white balsamic vinaigrette and allow to marinate. Arrange on a platter with halved boccaccini and the tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil, and finish with Maldon salt, fresh cracked peppercorn and basil.

Chilled Corn Soup
Serves 7

3 1/2 cups whole milk
8 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs, cobs broken in half and reserved
1 pound piece of smoked ham shanks or ham hocks
4 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 large fresh thyme sprigs
4 bay leafs
1/2 cup smoked ham, diced
fried corn and ham for garnish
ice
salt / pepper to taste

Bring milk, corncob halves and ham shank just to boil in large stock pot. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep while sautéing vegetables.
Melt butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add corn kernels, carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add water, thyme, bay leaf, and milk mixture with corncobs and ham shank.  Increase heat and bring to boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors. 

Cool soup slightly. Discard corncobs, herb sprigs, bay leaf and ham shank. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain soup into large bowl, pressing on solids. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Cool over ice water bath. Cover and chill.

Fried Squash Blossoms with Homemade Tomato Dipping Sauce
7 Servings

14 squash blossoms
1/2 pounds roma tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup italian fontina cheese, grated
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup italian parsley
10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup of flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups of seltzer water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper, sugar to taste
pinch of red pepper flakes
canola oil for frying

For Tomato Sauce:
In a small saucepan heat olive oil, cook 2 garlic cloves until softened. Combine tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, cumin, cinnamon and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens, about 30 minutes.

For Squash Blossoms:
Heat canola oil to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile in a food processor mix ricotta cheese with egg yolk, grated cheese, 4 garlic cloves, lemon zest and parsley. Season to taste. Transfer to a piping bag. Gently open each blossom and pipe in filling. Twist the end to close. Refrigerate.

Combine flour, cornstarch and seltzer. Season to taste. Dip stuffed blossoms in batter and fry until golden. Serve with tomato sauce.

Second Course
Crudo of Fluke
hemp seed, Persian lime
Serves 4

1 medium fillet of fluke
juice of one orange
juice of one lemon
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbl toasted hemp seeds
1 tsp maldon salt
1 dry Persian lime
nasturtium petals or microgreens

1. Chill a nice size platter or individual appetizer plates in the refrigerator as well as the lemon and orange juices.
2. Cut the fluke into super thin slices preferably with a sushi knife.
3. Spoon orange juice onto the platter/plates. Use only enough oj to cover plate with a thin amount. Arrange the fluke slices over the juice
4. Drizzle with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of toasted hemp seeds.
5. Follow with lemon juice salt to taste.
5. Using a microplane grate a small amount of the Persian lime over each slice.
6. Garnish with edible petals or microgreens.

Herbed Flatbread
Makes 16

* 1 cup warm water (about 110 degrees)
* 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)
* 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and hands
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl
* Coarse salt
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
* Sea salt, for sprinkling
* 1/4 cup fresh rosemary or thyme (or a combination)

Directions

1. Place water in a medium bowl; sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, oil, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and the sugar. Stir until dough forms.
2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead with floured hands until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough stand in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in volume, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces; cover with plastic wrap. Roll out 1 piece to roughly 4 by 10 inches on a lightly floured surface; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash; sprinkle with sea salt and herbs. Repeat with remaining dough, arranging 4 pieces per sheet.
4. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until crisp and golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool on sheets on a wire rack.

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living
Photography by Karen Mordechai

Warm Robiola Cheese with Pine Nuts, Olives, and Golden Raisins
Serves 10 to 12

* 1/2 cup chopped homemade or store-bought roasted red peppers
* 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
* 2 tablespoons chopped oil-cured black olives
* 2 tablespoons chopped golden raisins
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 8 ounces Robiola Bosina cheese (murrayscheese.com)
* Garnish: fresh oregano

Directions

1. Mix together peppers, pine nuts, olives, raisins, oregano, and oil. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, let cheese stand at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake cheese in an ovenproof serving dish until just starting to melt around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Top with relish. Garnish with oregano. Serve immediately. (Reheat cheese in oven for about a minute if it starts to set.)

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

Green Apple and Celery Salad with Young Pecorino, Walnuts and Mustard Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6

6 large or 8 medium celery stalks
1/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly milled black pepper
1 large Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup finely chopped celery leaves
6 ounces young pecorino or gruyere, diced

Peel away and discard any tough fibers from the celery stalks. Trim the celery leaves and reserve. Slice the celery on the bias into 1/8-inch thick pieces about 1 inch in length. Transfer the celery pieces to a bowl of cold water and refrigerate.

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the nuts for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan for even browning. Transfer the nuts to a plate to cool.

In a salad bowl, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, honey, and salt. Whisk in the oil and season with pepper.

Peel and quarter the apple, core and slice each quarter into 2 wedges. Cut the wedges across into thin slices. Add the apple slices to the dressing and toss.

Drain the chilled celery and dry in a salad spinner or blot dry with a paper towel.

Add the celery, celery leaves, walnuts, and cheese to the apples and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Recipe Courtesy of Peter Berley

Crisp Fried Artichoke and Lemon Wheels with Spiced Fennel salt
Serves 4-6

24 baby artichokes, trimmed
3 Meyer lemons, sliced into thin rounds, seeds removed
1 cup all purpose flour
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
Salt and Red Pepper flakes
Chopped Parsley
Grated parmesan (optional)
Fennel salt

Pour the oil in to a heavy pot and place over high heat. When the oil reaches 250 degrees, lower the heat.

Fry the artichokes in batches for 3-4 minutes until they soften, remove one and cool briefly, then see if the leaves will separate easily.

Drain the artichokes and cool. Gently spread the leaves from each artichoke to form a flower.
Raise the temp and bring the oil to 360 degrees.

Fry the artichoke flowers in batches 2-3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain and sprinkle with fennel salt, chili flakes and parmesan if desired.

Dredge the lemon slices in flower and fry until golden and crisp.

Fennel Salt
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
2 teaspoons fennel seed, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly toasted and coarsely ground

In a bowl, stir together the salt, fennel seed, and pepper.

Egg custard
1 pt heavy cream
½ cup roasted chicken fat
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
Whole peppercorn
—–
4 yolks
1 whole egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all except eggs and steep over low flame for 20 minutes.

Temper the egg mixture in.

Pour into shells, bake, covered, in bain marie for 20 minutes or until set.

Recipe courtesy of Marcey Brownstein Caterers