Fun Fearless Foodie

Labor day weekend is the unofficial end of summer, especially up here in the northeast, and the marker of the end of sunshine, vacations, beaches, and relaxed, easy meals.  Growing up and living in Florida for most of my life sort of made it feel like summer all the time, but as I’ve learned from my new life as a New Yorker, people’s mindset quickly shifts to fall sights and smells once the calendar flips to the second Tuesday in September.  I had the pleasure of spending my Labor day weekend at my Aunt Sheila and Uncle Jerry’s beach house in Seaside Park, NJ, a beautiful home that is steps from the beach and full of all the comforts I’ve missed from my family’s home in Florida.  It was the perfect time to getaway from the city and my hectic schedule to lay on the sand, read a good book, and fall asleep with the help of the ocean breeze. 

One of my favorite things about coming to visit here is the kitchen! It’s a nice, big, open kitchen that has everything you’d want, especially space.  Most of my time spent cooking now is in my tiny apartment or at the cramped station I share with another student at school, which can prove to be a stressful and challenging task, so any chance I can get to spread out and cook in a wide open space I gladly take advantage of.  Plus it gives me an opportunity to cook for people I love, the best part about cooking for me. 

As soon as I arrived on Sunday I was already thinking about what we could do for dinner and was excited to prepare another meal for my gracious hosts.  Knowing it was the end of summer (or at least in celebration) I wanted to take advantage of some of the most delicous fruits and veggies that the season brings and feature them in bright, simple dishes that would pay a proper farewell to what has been my most memorable summer yet.  The guests of honor at my farewell summer meal would be tomatoes, corn, and nectarines. 

On the bus ride down from the city I read a great piece in The New York Time’s Magazine by Sam Sifton about the tomato (a must read) and it included a recipe for Robiola Stuffed Tomatoes that sounded so mouthwateringly delicious I knew it was going to have to be tested this weekend.  In Sifton’s recipe, ripe beefsteak tomatoes are hollowed out and stuffed with a mixture of cheeses, herbs, and the meat from the tomatoes for a classically simple dish.  I happen to love oven roasted tomatoes, so I made my own spin on it and roasted the stuffed tomatoes and topped them with breadcrumbs for extra texture. 

Another favorite summer side dish of mine is Sweet Corn Succotash, a play off a recipe for Confetti Corn from Ina Garten’s Back to Basics cookbook.  Fresh corn, red peppers, red onions, and bacon are sauteed in a cast iron skillet until juicy and tender and tossed with some extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil for a sweet and savory dish that really makes the corn shine.  Ina doesn’t use bacon in hers, but after trying it her way I knew that a little salty fat would make a huge difference, and I was right.  You could of course omit it and it would still be great, just add a little butter in at the end instead.

For dessert I wanted to use some of the ripe nectarines that my Aunt had in the house and make a simple Nectarine Galette (or hand pie) utilizing my newly learned skill of making Pate Brisee, or a buttery pastry crust.  This dessert is really no frills, just sliced nectarines arranged in a beautiful, rustic pattern and surrounded by flaky dough.  This recipe is great because you don’t need a pie pan and it doesn’t have to look perfect.  Plus the dough can be made in five minutes using a food processor and the whole recipe only uses five ingredients. 

We served all this fresh summer goodness with a grilled steak and a nice bottle of pinot noir and had ourselves a lovely meal around the dinner table. 

As sad as I am that summer is over, I am looking forward to the fall and all the special scents and flavors that come with it.  Just think, before you know it sweet potatoes, butternut squash, figs, and apples will be filling your shopping carts and warm, comforting meals will be fresh out of the oven.  Regardless of what ingredients I’m using, i’m just thankful to have food to cook with and friends and family to share it with. 

Bon voyage, sweet summer, we bid you adieu!

Stuffed Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

Celebrate the sweet and juicy tomato with this simple dish.  If you prefer a chunkier filling, omit the food processor and mix the filling by hand.

Adapted from The New York Time’s Magazine, by Sam Sifton

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 ripe beefsteak tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced
• 2 ounces crumbled feta or gorgonzola cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, plus more for sprinkling
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Slice off the top 1/3 of the tomatoes and discard the tops.  Using a pairing knife, slice around the inside of the tomatoes to loosen the interior ribs, then take a spoon and scoop out the meat from the inside into a mixing bowl.  Sprinkle the hollowed out tomatoes with kosher salt and place upside down on a paper towel for 30 minutes so the juices can drain out.
2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add in the cheeses, butter, basil, a few sprinkles of pepper and cayenne, and breadcrumbs.  Then add in the reserved meat from the tomatoes, scooping with a slotted spoon so the additional juices and seeds are not added to the mixture.  Pulse the mixture until smooth.  Taste for seasoning and add salt until nicely seasoned.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Fill the tomatoes with the mixture and sprinkle the tops with breadcrumbs.  Drizzle a little oil on top and place inside a pie pan so they fit snugly (you could also use a baking sheet, but this helps them keep their shape).  Place into the oven and cook 15-20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are tender and the mixture is heated through. 
5. To get a nice crisp on the top of the tomatoes, place the pan on the top rack of the oven and turn on the broiler.  Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Sweet Corn Succotash

The sweet flavor of fresh corn and crunchy bite of peppers is balanced with the salty flavor of bacon to create a bright and colorful side dish.  Feel free to add in your favorite crunchy veggies to give this your own personal touch.

Adapted from the Back to Basicscookbook, by Ina Garten

Serves 6

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 slices of thick cut bacon, diced
• 1/2 red onion, medium dice
• 2 medium red bell peppers (orange works well too), diced
• 4 ears of corn, kernels removed
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet (or whatever large skillet you have) over medium heat.  Pour in the oil, enough to go around the pan one time.  When the oil is hot, add in the bacon and cook until the fat has been rendered and the pieces are getting crispy.
2. Add in the onions, sprinkle with salt, and continue cooking until softened.
3. Add in the peppers and continue cooking until they begin to soften.
4. Add in the corn, stir well, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the corn is tender. Remove from heat, taste, and adjust seasoning.
5. When ready to serve, mix in the fresh basil and drizzle with a little oil.

Nectarine Galette

Ripe and juicy stone fruits like nectarines, peaches, and plums work great inside a flaky and buttery crust.  This rustic hand pie is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• Salt
• Sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
• 1/2 cup ice cold water
• 4 nectarines, thinly sliced
• Cream, or egg wash

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add in the flour, a dash of salt and sugar, and pulse 2 times to mix.
2. Add in the cold butter and continue pulsing until the butter is incorporated into the flour and it has a texture of rough sand. 
3. Pour the ice cold water (no ice) into the bowl through the top shoot a little at a time, until the dough begins to form and moves away from the sides of the bowl.  You may not need all the water.  Remove the dough from the bowl and place onto a floured work surface.
4. Gently roll the dough into a ball, making sure not to overwork it.  Place inside a sheet of plastic wrap and press down until it forms a thick disc.  Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour, or up to 2 days.  It can also be frozen if wrapped well and stored for up to two weeks.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place back onto a floured work surface.  Cut the dough in half and store the other half for later use.
6. Using a rolling pin, begin to roll out the dough gently, working from front to back, and side to side, continually moving the dough around to ensure it doesn’t stick to the surface.  If it begins to melt and stick, place back in the refrigerator to chill and begin working again.  The dough should be rolled out until is a nice round shape and about 1/4 inch thick. 
7. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper.  Place back into the refrigerator to chill.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
9. In a mixing bowl, toss the nectarine slices gently with a sprinkle of flour and sugar.
10. Take out the dough and begin to layer the nectarine slices in the center of the dough in rustic pattern, leaving a 2 inch border around the sides.  Fold the border over the nectarines, overlapping where necessary, and gently pressing to adhere the folds.
11. Brush the edges of the galette with some cream or an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. 
12. Place the galette in the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until the crust is golden and cooked all the way through.  When you think the galette is done, remove from the oven and carefully lift up some of the nectarines around the edges with a knife to see if the base is cooked through.  If it still looks raw, place back in the oven and continue cooking.  If your crust is getting too brown, cover with a piece of foil.  Let cool on a wire rack.