Summer Spinach Salad

This recipe is one of Tassy's favorites. You will soon learn why. It is easy, fast and absolutely delicious. She made it for us for the first time at the lake and it blew everyone's mind! She always makes me a vegetarian version of this salad and it is just as delicious. We have been making it ever since. Nobody makes it quite like Tassy but here it is. Give it a try!

Summer Spinach Salad

6 cups of baby spinach leaves

2 cups of basil, fresh

1/2 cup olive oil

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

4 oz of proscuitto, bacon or pancetta

toasted pine nuts

Salt and pepper

3/4 cups of Parmesan Cheese

Toss spinach and basil in a large bowl. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat and add garlic and pine nuts. Saute until nuts begin to brown slightly. Stir in prosciutto and cook another minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss the salad with warm dressing and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve.

More Fennel - Roasted Fennel and Other summer vegetables with Cous Cous

Summer Vegetables with Roasted Fennel and Cous Cous

Chop fennel into chunks

Chop vidalia onion into chunks

chop cucumber on the diagonal into thick slices

cherry tomatoes

Fresh sweet peas

dried mint

chick peas

toasted almonds

fresh mint

olive oil

salt pepper

juice of half a lemon

spinach

feta cheese

Put all ingredients up to and including chickpeas into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil, season with salt,pepper and dried mint (about a teaspoon) mix to coat all vegetables.

Transfer vegetable mixture to a bbq vegeatble basket. Cook on high heat until, soft, caramelized and tender.

While veggies are cooking, cook cous cous.

Arrange spinach in a large bowl.

Allow cous cous to cool. Add to spinach.

Add veggie mixture to spinach.

Toss with olive oil, lemon, salt pepper and fresh mint.

Add toasted almonds

Crumble feta pieces on top.

Serve as a starter with toasted pita or as a side.

Celebrating Eggplant

Small eggplant cut in rounds.

Perfect for grilling

or roasting.

For an easy salad

Salt the eggplant until it sweats approx 30 minutes. Wash off moisture with paper towel.
Brush slices of eggplant with olive oil. bbq on med-high heat or bake at high heat.
Toss with baby spinach, feta, mint, toasted almonds
toss with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.
toast whole wheat pita bread and serve.

Roasting Eggplant in the oven.

With a curry

Add chunks of eggplant to stir fried onion, carrots, chickpeas, tomato sauce, coconut milk, curry paste or powder. add tamarind paste.
serve with naan bread and white rice with peas.

Tossed through Pasta

pan fry pieces or chunks of eggplant with garlic,

onion, wild mushrooms, chilli, add white wine, add your favorite tomato sauce.
cook your favorite pasta and toss with vegetables. add olive oil and fresh parmesan cheese. Or toasted sunflower seeds. Garnish with basil.

See here for the detailed recipe.

1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, whole
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Glug of balsamic or red wine vinegar or freshly-squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 4 minutes (only do it for 8 if you want them nice and burnt, like mine). Remove from the oven and reserve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve (at least) 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.

Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy, as well as a glug of vinegar (optional). Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.

Enjoy!!!

Fresh Summer Tomatoes

Tomatoes are at their best right now. Enjoy them while they last!

Pick bright red tomatoes that are ripe and delicious.

For a salad.

slice tomatoes into slices and arrange in a line on a bed of baby arugula or spinach. On special occasions I buy the Cookstown Greens Organic aromatic medley with edible flowers, baby pea shoots and other fragrant and pungent flavors. I also add very thinly sliced vidalia onion. Sprinkle with fleur de sel, pepper and fruity olive oil.
Toast some pine nuts, chop some basil, add some fresh mozarella cheese or goats cheese. The popular choice of cheese these days is Burrata Cheese. A creamier variation on the mozzarella di Bufala. All are good choices.

Toast some slices of bread and serve. Simply perfect.

For a pasta:

Take whole tomatoes and throw in a pot and a considerable pour of olive oil!

Let simmer until tomatoes turn to sauce on medium to low heat. I let them stew for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Break up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Once they have turned soft add more olive oil and salt.

Stew for about an hour or two more.

In a saute pan add the onion and garlic just a small amount of olive oil.

Saute on medium to low heat until translucent about 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and leave to simmer for about 1/2 an hour. If the sauce begins to thicken take of the burner.

Add basil and serve on fresh pasta.

Measured Recipe for about a 1 liter Jar

2 cans of Whole Italian Plum tomatoes(pomodorino, san marzano, aurora)

1/3 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves left whole

I small spanish onion or white onion finely diced

Basil

Salt

Pepper

To make it arrabiata add some chilli flakes to onion and garlic mixture.

Serve on favorite pasta with parmesan.

To spice it up even more...add chopped fennel to the onion and garlic mixture. Throw in some capers, and olives...ta da you have a delicious sauce for fish!

For a Thai Dish

Use the stewed tomatoes and add coconut milk, fresh chilli, sambal oelek, fresh ginger, fresh lime juice. add to chunks of cooked fish or chicken to create a delicious fresh summer stew!

Introducing Fennel

This year's favorite vegetable at the McE house

I like fennel that has a smaller bulb as opposed to a larger one. It makes for less core and more yummy stuff!

For a fresh salad

1. wash the fennel bulb and chop with a sharp knife where the root and fronds begin.

cut the fennel bulb vertically first. Place the flat part of the fennel down on your cutting board. with a sharp pairing knife slice the fennel as thinly

as possible.

place in a salad bowl.

2. Clean a cucumber (preferably a small portuguese cucumber) and peel. Slice vertically and take out the seeds with a small spoon. You don't want to end up with a wet salad!

3. Slice a vidalia or sweet onion the same way you sliced the fennel bulb.

4. Toss together in a bowl add lemon juice, fruity olive oil, fleur de sel, pepper.

On a plate arrange baby arugula, add mixture of fennel, cucumber and vidalia onion.

peel a grapefruit and tear into wedges. Place the wedges on top of salad. Driizle more olive oil and serve.

To add texture add shaved parmesan or pecorino cheese. They are both sharp and delicious!

enjoy.

For a Pasta sauce

Or... a sauce for fish or sauce for grilled chicken...or simply as a vegetarian ragu on cous cous or rice.

1 fennel bulb diced

1 onion diced

4 garlic sliced

home made pasta sauce (see here or your favorite store bought one!)

white whine

dill

capers

olive oil

salt

pepper

fresh tarragon

sauté onion, fennel and garlic with olive oil until golden ( season with salt)

add white wine, about half a cup or a little more!

simmer for about 2 minutes

add pasta sauce, about 1 litre

add capers ( season)

add fresh tarragon chopped

grill your salmon and pour sauce on top. simply delicious!

Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, FENNEL, AND GARLIC SOUP

1 head cauliflower, remove core, break into florets
1 fennel bulb, white part only, trimmed and cut into chunks
6 unpeeled cloves of garlic
olive oil
unsalted butter
6 cups of water or broth

2 Rosemary sprigs

chilli flakes(for heat)

For Garnish

Real bacon

dried cranberries and or toasted almonds

Garlic Croutons.

2 waxy potatoes scrubbed and chunked (I never peel them for soup)

heavy cream, milk, half n half or unsweetened soy milk (about a cup)
salt and pepper

Place cauliflower, fennel, and garlic in roasting pan. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 375º for about 45 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned.

Peel garlic and then transfer squeezed garlic and veggies to soup pot and saute in olive oil and a little butter for about 10 minutes.

Add water or broth and potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft skimming any foam as needed. Puree then add cream or more broth, or water, to taste until soup is silky. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.4