Even though it’s still plenty hot out, signs are everywhere that summer is almost over. It’s only a few weeks until Labor Day, most of the schools start on Monday or already have and most importantly, the humidity has more or less broken.
Whether you’re dreading the coming cold or can’t wait for summer to finally be over, you might as well enjoy the last of the fresh summer produce. Once it’s gone, it will be a long time before it comes back. So what if the garden is a little the worse for wear, there are still tomatoes out there, the eggplants are just coming in good, maybe you still have some peppers and if you are very lucky and really dig around under the squash vines, you may find one or two that are smaller than a shoe box.
Use the last of the bounty to try some things that you may not have gotten around to earlier in the season. If you’re getting tired of fresh corn cooked on the grill, try cutting off the kernels and using them in a barbecue pizza or a summer pasta skillet along with some grape or cherry tomatoes.
If the basil is getting out of hand, make some pesto. Go ahead and make a lot of pesto and freeze it in small quantities to pull out through the long, cold winter for a blast of summer whenever you need it. Freeze the pesto in ice trays and after it’s frozen solid, pop out the pesto cubes and seal them up in zip lock bags. It’s easy to open the bag, take out a cube or two and seal it back up, as needed. Just don’t try making ice in that ice tray any more because it’s pretty much going to smell like pesto forevermore. After the first frost comes and the supermarket is charging almost 3 bucks for a few sprigs of basil, you’ll be glad to have some pesto in the freezer.
While you’re out there in the garden scavenging for the last of the summer produce, take a look at the winter squash and the fall vegetables. How’s that coming along?
Eggplant Pizzas
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tbsp. coarse salt
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. Italian seasoning or oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup pizza sauce
1 cup mozzarella, shredded
1 ounce pepperoni
Sprinkle the eggplant with the coarse salt, let sit on paper towels for 20 minutes and wipe dry. Brush the eggplant slices with oil and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Roast the eggplant in a preheated 400°F oven until it just starts to turn tender, about 15-20 minutes. (Do not let them become too soft or mushy.) Top the eggplant with sauce, cheese and pepperoni and broil until the cheese has melted, about 3-5 minutes.
Grill the eggplant instead of baking them, if you prefer. If you are using younger eggplants, you can skip the salting and save some time.
Pesto Grilled Shrimp
1/2 cup basil, packed
1 small clove garlic
1 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice (~1/4 lemon)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Pulse the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender until smooth. Marinate the shrimp in the pesto for at least 20 minutes, up to overnight, in the fridge. Skewer the shrimp and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Summer BBQ Pizza
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup Mexican blend cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
For the pizza dough:
1 1/4 cups warm (almost hot) water
1 tbsp. honey
1 packet active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
For the pizza dough: Whisk together water, yeast, and honey in a small bowl then set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile fit a large food processor with a non-sharp S blade, then pulse together flour and salt. Pour in oil and yeast mixture then process for 10 seconds, or until dough comes together in a ball (may need to scrape sides down once.) Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead for 3 minutes. Separate dough into two balls then place next to each other on a well-floured baking sheet. Cover tops with flour then cover baking sheet with saran wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for 40 minutes, or until dough has doubled in size. (I put mine on top of a heating pad set to medium.)
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spray a pizza pan well with nonstick spray then spread 1 ball of dough out into a large circle. Spread BBQ sauce evenly on top, then add black beans, corn, tomatoes, and cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Let cool five minutes then slice. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top before serving. Repeat with remaining dough ball, or place in a non-stick sprayed Ziploc bag then into the refrigerator to be used within 2 days. Let come to room temperature for 20 minutes before using.
Jalapeno Popper Corn Fritters
2 cups corn (4 ears)
1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
2+ jalapeno peppers, diced
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. coriander, toasted and ground
2 green onions, sliced
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 lime, zest and juice
2 tbsp. oil
Mix the corn, flour, egg, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, jalapenos, bacon, paprika, coriander, green onion, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, form into 1/4 cup patties and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2-4 minutes per side. (Use enough flour that the mixture holds together to form patties.)
Kolokythokeftedes (Zucchini and Feta Balls)
2 cups zucchini, grated and squeezed
1/4 cup of feta, crumbled
1 splash ouzo (optional)
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 handful herbs (such as mint, dill and parsley), chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
breadcrumbs
oil for frying
Mix the zucchini, feta, ouzo, garlic, green onion, herbs and egg and season with salt and pepper. Mix in enough flour and breadcrumbs that you can work with the mixture to form balls. Form the mixture into balls and dust in flour. Fry in oil until golden brown and set aside to cool.
Tomato-Basil & Spinach Risotto
2-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp. butter
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
3/4 cup certified gluten-free arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded & chopped
2 cups baby spinach
handful torn basil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and keep hot. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat then add shallot, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic then saute for 30 more seconds. Add rice then stir to coat in butter. Add wine then stir until nearly absorbed by rice. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth then stir continuously until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until nearly absorbed before adding more. When there’s 1/4 of the broth remaining, add tomatoes then continue stirring. Add baby spinach and basil with the last broth addition then continue stirring. Stir in Parmesan cheese then add more salt and pepper to taste.
Summer Veggie Pasta Skillet
4 oz. uncooked short pasta like cellentani, penne, or rotini
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup sliced yellow squash
1 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup packed basil, sliced thin and divided
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. half & half
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, green onions, and red chili pepper flakes then sauté until onions are softened about 2 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high then add the broccoli and summer squash. Season with salt and pepper then sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and corn then sauté until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add half and half and Parmesan cheese to the skillet, then cook until thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Add in cooked pasta and half the basil then toss to combine. Taste, adding more salt and pepper if necessary, then serve topped with remaining basil.
Summer barbecue pizza mixes up some of the best flavors of summer; corn, tomatoes and cilantro with black beans, barbecue sauce and cheese for a delicious end of summer meal with a Santa Fe feel.
http://mtairynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_pizza.jpg
Summer barbecue pizza mixes up some of the best flavors of summer; corn, tomatoes and cilantro with black beans, barbecue sauce and cheese for a delicious end of summer meal with a Santa Fe feel.
Bill Colvard | The News
By Bill Colvard
bcolvard@civitasmedia.com
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