Chilled Gazpacho Soup

This was a bit different than other Gazpacho I have had in the past. It was more of a soup, as the recipe title suggests, & seemed to be a bit more savory. But of course, it would not truly be Gazpacho if it did not feature the flavors of the tomatoes & cucumbers at their freshest & purest.

My summers no longer feel complete without at least one batch of Gazpacho, since the first summer I tried it. And, this recipe from Simply in Season was quite possibly my favorite version yet. Of course it helped that the ingredients were fresh from the market.

Simply combine: four cups chopped tomatoes, two cups broth, one cup diced cucumber, one cup diced green pepper, one cup diced bok choy (or celery), one half cup diced red onion, one tablespoon lemon juice, two tablespoons sugar (optionally), salt, several dashes Worcestershire, chopped chives (or green onion), & six ice cubes.

Allow to stand for thirty minutes.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

The Wind Whistles- Good Friends

Okra Curry

Oh dear! I have been bustling & hustling to work out my anxieties. & I completely forgot how cooking a Simply in Season meal, listening to some music, and even sharing them here is some of the best anxiety-relief of all.

I have to say... I have always enjoyed okra, but I have also always had trouble cooking it. But when I found a big bag of it for a few dollars at the Farmer's Market, I was bound & determined to figure out a thing or two.

All I really did in the end was to follow the recipe, and the okra turned out great. Not mushy, but soft-crisp. Only the largest pod of all was a bit fibrous. & the sticky little seeds were like a more flavorful couscous.

I cooked the wild rice in broth & it was an excellent complement to the okra.

1. Saute one half cup of onion in two tbsp of olive oil until golden brown.

2. Add one garlic clove (minced), ground ginger, turmeric, & chili powder. Saute for a few minutes.

3. Add one pound of okra (cleaned and trimmed) & salt. Cook a few minutes.

4. Add one cup slice tomatoes & fry for a few minutes until liquids evaporate. (This took a bit longer than a few minutes for me.)

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Laura J. Martin- Fire Horse

Barley Tabbouleh

This recipe I actually found through the Weight Watcher's community. I had no idea what a tabbouleh was.

Apparently it is basically a salad. Originally a Levantine dish, usually based in bulgur (not barley). Meaning roughly "little spicy". & this certainly was a flavorful & filling dish for us.

I started by soaking 1/3 cup barley all day. Then I brought 2/3 cup of veggie broth to a boil. Following that, I lowered the heat & simmered the barley for ten minutes.

Then I mixed: the barley, two cup chickpeas, half of a medium diced yellow bell pepper, 6 small tomatoes quartered, 1/3 cup chopped red onion, a few tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, & a quarter cup finely chopped basil.

I also discovered a new band that I rather like, in the process. They are called Bruekke.

Bruekke is a German name. Etymologically it would have meant someone who lives near a bridge. But the word brugga, or bridge, was in turn derived from Low German for swamp. Or at least this is what about five minutes of research tells me.

This last song I heard especially dazzled me. It resonated well with my relationship with my husband & how we started out five years ago.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Bruekke- The Shore

Zucchini Basil Pizza

For this pizza I used the following Farmer's Market delights: one whole wheat pizza crust, two medium vine-ripened tomatoes, one small portion of a rather large zucchini, one quarter cup chopped fresh basil, & one half an onion.

I also used: one quarter cup mushroom pasta sauce, a few tablespoons of basil from our own garden, & fat free mozzarella.

I garnished with some ground cayenne pepper, Parmesan cheese, & basil leaves.

I baked it at 475 for about ten minutes.

It all added up to delicious, quite filling, & surprisingly rather healthy for a pizza.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Megan Henwood- Making Waves

Red Wine Cucumber Salad

Last night, with our Bison steaks, I threw together a cucumber salad.

I am rather picky about cucumbers, & rather turn my nose up at most of what the grocery stores have to offer in this area. I especially cannot abide by all that wax, rendering the lovely peels inedible. So I fervently hope that our little cucumber plant, full of tiny cucumbers & flowers currently, produces abundantly in the end. In the meanwhile we will rejoice in the box of small & crisp cucumbers we happened upon in last weekend's Farmer's Market.

For this salad I combined: One large thinly sliced green onion, two small diced tomatoes, three small thinly sliced cucumbers, two minced cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup of red wine, & 4 tsp olive oil.

(All but the final two it was our good fortune to find at the Farmer's Market downtown.)

I allowed the salad to marinate for a little over an hour. It was quite remarkable with a bit of salt & pepper.

Also, if you get the chance & happen to be omnivorous as I am, do try Bison steaks some time. Less fatty & more tender than the beef counterparts.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Pearl and the Beard- Sweetness

Zucchini & Mint

Finally, a meal that is completely from Farmer's Market produce.

We had lamb shoulder with "ambrosia" tomatoes & a yellow onion. Amazing, of course!

& on the side the most simple but interesting side I've made in a goodly while. All we did was heat some garlic, steam for a while, & then add three tbsp of chopped fresh mint. Zucchini and mint pair wonderfully together, each bringing out subtle beauty in the other.

& I loved the speckled zucchini and the broad leafed mint. Alas, I did not photo the mint before it wilted.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Ger Wolfe- She Scattered Crumbs

Chinese Spinach Soup

Each week whilst wandering about the farmer's market, my eyes kept being drawn to a lovely bunch of leaves marked "Chinese Spinach". The rich red-purple colour was irresistible, & eventually I gave in & purchased the inexpensive beauties, even with no knowledge of what they might taste like.

I wish I had provided you with a lovely picture of those leaves (maybe in the weeks to come) but by the time I finally got around to researching what to do with them, they had fallen somewhat from their former glory & were quite wilted.

Basically this soup is sauteed onion, wilted Chinese Spinach leaves, a few cloves of garlic, & 1/2 cup of Crème fraiche. And to my surprise it came out rather pink, but still rather pretty.

We decided when we try this again we will shred the spinach before adding it, instead of adding it whole. The spinach itself is rather spinachy but with a bit of a sourness. I read that it can be compared to sorrel, but am unfamiliar with that flavor.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

the Carrivick Sisters- Down on the Sand

Eggplant Burgers

Eggplant is one vegetable I have long under-appreciated. I always thought it was an interesting enough sort of plant, but it was such a bother how long it took to cook.

This was silly. Eggplants can be cooked rather quickly if sliced up, not unlike many other bulky vegetables.

This recipe for example is easy-peasy.

Whisk together in a small bowl: 2 tbsp oil, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, salt, & pepper.

Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices, an eggplant. Brush with the oil mixture. Then cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes on each side. Or until tender.

We served ours on a bun, with a bit of marinara sauce & a sprinkle of mozzarella.

Quite satisfying.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo- Calendar

Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam

Growing up, rhubarb grew every summer in our backyard. So basically for me rhubarb tastes a lot like nostalgia.

That backyard was a magical place full of make believe. The swings, the apple tree, the row of lilac bushes, the wood pile, the a-frame, the gravel pile, the cool muddy bit underneath the deck, the willow tree (later only a stump) & catnip.

My mother would often make the rhubarb into a delicious cobbler. I did that as well last year. But this year I decided to make another one of my favorite rhubarb treats.

I looked hopefully into every stand at the farmer's market week to week, until finally I found one stand selling this prized plant. I wish I remembered which farm they were from; they gave us the rhubarb in a brown paper sack with an adorable stamp (pictured above).

We have Princeton Produce to thank for the strawberries. And straight out of a fairy tale these berries are. Dainty & fragrant & the sweetest-strawberriest little morsels you ever did have the pleasure of eating.

To make the jam you start with about one pound of rhubarb diced & one cup of strawberries mashed. Then you bring them to a boil. Add a little over one cup of sugar & boil for twenty minutes.

You do have to stir pretty much constantly, but those minutes flew by for me. The smell of rhubarb & strawberry & strawberry-rhubarb & rhubarb-strawberry & the quiet bubbling were enchanting. And I enjoyed watching the fruits slowly blend together & deepen in colour.

Standing over a hot stove on a cool day making something sweet is my idea of contentment. If it isn't for you, then this may not be the recipe for you. But if you don't try it, you're truly missing out.

The finished product is my favorite version of my favorite jam ever. & there is no small matter of pride & feeling of accomplishment involved.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Penguin Cafe Orchestra- Perpetuum Mobile

Grilled Peach Salsa

Yes, please.

Here's how it's done...

Take five large peaches, wash them, half them, & remove their pits. Then grill them. Wait for them to cool, peel them, & chop them.

Add to the peaches five chopped tomatoes & two minced jalapenos (sans seeds for milder version), & two tbsp chopped fresh cilantro.

Mix in honey, cinnamon, salt & pepper to taste.

Tastes like summer.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Lucy Ward- Summertime

Apricot Chicken

Apricot, maple syrup, ginger... these are the featured flavors in this dish. I happen to adore all of these flavors. And there's something about warm apricot that feels absolutely decadent.

Simply half the apricots and remove their pits. Then cook them in a few tsp of melted butter over medium heat for about five minutes. Then flip them over and cook them for a few minutes before removing them from the pan.

Then add onion & ginger to the pan. Cook strips of chicken breast, sprinkled with salt & pepper, in these. Then remove from the pan.

Add one half cup cider, or water, (we used cranberry juice), some orange or lime zest, & two tbsp maple syrup. Then add back in the chicken and apricot.

Serve with rice, couscous, or salad. In this case farmer's market romaine & arugula.

The bowl the apricots are pictured in was also purchased at the market from an artist named Larry Brown.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Dolphins-Cocoon

BBQ Summer Fajitas

I love fajitas & this was a fun twist...

BBQ Marinade: 1/4 cup olive oil, two minced cloves garlic, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp BBQ sauce, 2 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, pepper, & Tabasco.

Coat meat & refrigerate at least 12 hours. Stir fry in oil until browned, then leave in pan while stir frying the four cups of vegetables.

We used red bell peppers, yellow summer squash, carrots & red onions.

We also had them with some pomegranate salsa & shredded cheddar.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Belle and Sebastian- Another Sunny Day

Stuffed Peppers

A sweet & spicy surprise. I don't usually care for bell peppers, but this one left me giddy. And it filled me up plenty. So I had another one the next day.

1) Cut 1/2 inch off the top of four bell peppers & remove the seeds. Then steam the peppers for 5-8 minutes.

2) Saute 1/3 cup chopped onion & two minced cloves of garlic.

3) Then add 2 medium chopped tomatoes, one minced jalapeno pepper, parsley, oregano, cumin, salt & one bay leaf. Cook for five minutes.

4) Add two cups corn & two cups black beans, then simmer for ten minutes.

5) Stand peppers up in dish then stuff with mixture, removing the bay leaf.

6) Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella or Parmesan. Bake at 350 for twenty minutes.

It was a cooler sort of evening so we strolled over to a nearby park & went for an explore. The world seemed bright, but the vision of these bright red veggies kept floating into my head.

Favorite Song for today (led to in a more or less direct way by my favorite radio station):

Chris Garneau- Fireflies