Grilled Nectarines with Blue Cheese and Basil

We've been enjoying having a grill this summer after several years of apartment grill-free living.   I was channel surfing and happened across Bobby Flay making these sweet grilled nectarines, dressed with blue cheese, citrus vinaigrette, and basil.  The flavor combo is one of a kind- the juicy caramelized fruit with the tangy blue cheese, sweet and tart vinaigrette, topped with fresh basil.  This dish would be a great appetizer and is also a nice side dish when paired with something spicy.  It could even pass as dessert, though it's not overly sweet.  Best of all, it is easy to make and by combining these few ingredients you have a upscale dish that is bound to please your guests. 

Cara Cara orange- looks like a grapefruit! Tastes like an orange.

Ingredients:

• 4 nectarines, barely ripe
• 2 oz (about 1/4 cup) blue cheese
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 orange, juiced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• a few leaves of fresh basil, sliced in thin ribbons
• salt & pepper
• canola oil 

Directions:

To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice, orange juice, 2 tablespoons oil, honey, and a pinch or two of salt and pepper.  Whisk and set aside.  

Slice each nectarine in half, moving the knife around the pit and then gently pulling the two sides a part.  (This was harder than I thought it would be and I had to use a little extra effort on some of them)  Remove the pit, with your hands if it comes out easily, or using a knife if needed.  

With the grill over medium heat, brush the nectarines with oil and place face down directly on the grate.  (Hopefully it is clean!)  Let the nectarines cook for about 3 minutes, and remove once they have some nice grill marks forming.   It was too dark outside to get any pictures of the nectarines on the grill.

Next, scoop 1-2 teaspoons of blue cheese on to the center of each nectarine and then drizzle with the vinaigrette.  Top with sliced basil and serve warm.

Fresh Jalapeno-Basil Lemonade

Sean has made this a couple times this summer, and it's a nice refreshing drink that also pairs wonderfully with gin or whiskey.  I like it because it's not too sweet, and the jalapeno and basil flavors really shine along with the lemons.  He used a home-made ginger simple syrup as the sweetener, and you can always adjust the amount to  your own taste depending on how sweet you prefer your lemonade.  A regular simple syrup would work just as well, but I do recommend a syrup over using plain sugar because you don't have to wait for it to dissolve.  Optionally, add a few berries to the bottom of your glass before serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup simple syrup
• 1/2 bunch fresh basil, leaves only (green or purple)
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced thinly on the diagonal
• water (and ice for serving)

Yes, that is an elephant tea pot in the background...

Directions:
Combine the lemon juice, basil, and jalapeno in a large pitcher (ours is 2-quarts).  Gently muddle the mixture with a wooden spoon, pressing against the sides and bottom of the pitcher to pull some of the flavor out of the jalapeno and basil.  

By removing the seeds, the jalapeno flavor really comes through without being too spicy.  

Next, add the simple syrup and stir to combine.  Let this mixture sit for about an hour, refrigerated, to absorb the flavor from the basil and jalapenos. 

Add 5-6 cups water (until the pitcher is almost full) and taste.  Add more simple syrup or lemon juice if needed. You want it to be a little strong since you will serve it with ice.  Let it sit in the fridge for several hours before serving.  

When you are ready to serve, stir the lemonade before pouring into ice-filled glasses.  Add a couple berries for some extra sweetness if you have them on hand.  Enjoy!

Summer Fish Chowder

Mmmmmmm..... this chowder was SO delicious I had to immediately post the recipe.  With the savory, creamy broth, chunks of white cod and potato, spicy jalapeno, and sweet fresh corn and basil this soup had a depth of flavor that keeps you going back for another bite.  Sean picked it out from one of our cook books, 50 Chowders by Jasper White.  It's a great summer recipe because the flavor of the fresh corn and tomatoes really make a difference.  I tweaked the recipe a bit by increasing the bacon, subbing in a different type of fish and amping up the heat by including the jalapeno seeds.  Otherwise I stayed pretty close to the actual recipe in the book.  

Ingredients:

• 3 ears of fresh corn
• 8 oz slab or sliced bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, finely diced (I included the seeds and it had a nice level of heat)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium celery stalks, diced
• 1 1/2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced (I used 3 large russet potatoes)
• 4 cups strong fish or seafood stock (I recommend Kitchen Basics brand)
• 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 lbs skinless, boneless cod filet (other meaty white fish will work too)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

  Directions:

Start by husking the corn and cutting the kernels from the cob.  I find the easiest way is to use a large knife, lay the corn flat on the cutting board, and then slice and rotate until you've covered the whole cob.  The kernels are less likely to fly all over the place if you do it this way instead of holding the cob straight up and down as you slice.

Next, heat a large pot over medium heat and add the sliced bacon.  Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the fat has rendered.  Turn up the heat a bit until it starts to crisp.   If there is a lot of fat, drain some until only about 2 tablespoons remain with the bacon.  Then, add the garlic and butter, stir to melt, and cook for about 30 seconds.   Adding butter to bacon fat just compounds the deliciousness...

Add the onion, celery, and jalapeno to the pot with 1/2 teaspoon salt and turn heat back to medium.  Saute for about 7-9 minutes until vegetables have started to soften.  

Next, add the corn, potatoes, and stock.  If the stock doesn't cover the potatoes, add a bit of water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt if your stock is unsalted, or low in sodium.  Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.  Keep the pot covered and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 5-7 minutes.  (I did 10 minutes and thought the potatoes were slightly over-cooked)  If the stock hasn't thickened slighlty, mash a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot and stir. 

Add the diced tomatoes, and reduce heat to low.  Taste and season mixture assertively with salt and pepper.  (Season now to avoid having to stir a lot once the fish has been added.)   

While the chowder is simmering, add the fish and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.  The fish will finish cooking in this time.  Gently stir in the cream and basil and taste for more salt and pepper.  

Yes.... this is us.

If you are not serving immediately, let it come to room temperature before refrigerating.  Otherwise, serve the chowder and enjoy!  This makes about 8 servings as a main dish.  It was a big hit with our guests, I can't wait to make it again!

   

Green Goddess Salad with Poached Shrimp

One thing we don't eat enough of is salad, and we're making an effort to change that this summer.  I came across this recipe by Guy Fieri while watching an episode of Guy's Big Bite and made a mental note of it because the dressing looked so good, and I loved the idea of adding flavorful poached shrimp.  We like making our own salad dressings, but we usually stick with vinaigrette.  This green goddess dressing is creamy, tangy, and full of flavor.  I also loved how the shrimp tasted after poaching in a mixture of water, lime, peppercorns, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes.  Overall this was a simple recipe, but super delicious and different than our usual salad.  And if you eat a big bowl, it's a full meal!

Ingredients:

• Shrimp:
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 5 to 6 black peppercorns
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lime, cut into slices
  • 1 small bunch fresh parsley
  • 2 pounds medium raw de-veined shrimp in the shells (I think I used less than this, but the more shrimp the better!)  Usually the E-Z peel shrimp come de-veined and that's what I buy.

• Dressing: 
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream (could sub non-fat Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons anchovy paste (or 2-3 whole canned anchovies)
• 1 small clove garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Salad:
  
  • 2 heads romaine
  • 1 head Bibb lettuce or bag of mixed greens
  • 1 hothouse cucumber, sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup drained and sliced pepperoncinis (optional)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 1 orange bell pepper, diced

Directions:
To poach the shrimp,  combine 2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) water with the salt, red pepper flakes, black peppercorns, garlic, bay leaves, lime and parsley in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow the liquid to cool for a few minutes.  

Drop the shrimp into the hot (but not boiling) water and let them sit in the liquid, covered, for about 5 minutes. Keeping the shells on the shrimp during this step enhances their flavor.  After 5 minutes, the shrimp should be cooked through and completely pink. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp and drain well. Refrigerate until cool, and then peel and discard the shells before serving with the salad.

To make the dressing, combine the mayo, sour cream, basil, parsley, green onions, lemon juice, anchovy paste and garlic in a food processor and puree.  Thin the mixture with water as required, using only 2 tablespoons at a time.  It should be a thick dressing, but thin enough that you can pour it over your salad.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For the salad, wash the lettuces and roughly chop the romaine hearts and put into a big bowl. Tear the other lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces and add to the bowl. Toss the lettuce together with the cucumber, red onion, pepperoncinis, green onions, and bell pepper. Top with the shrimp. Dress lightly with the dressing, and serve!  Add more dressing on individual servings as needed.  Or, if you aren't planning to eat it all at once, dress only after serving so that the salad will keep better in the fridge.

Coconut Curry Chicken with Basil

The spice blend in this recipe really packs in the flavor, and is complemented by the light and creamy coconut milk and fresh basil.  You can make it as spicy as you like by altering the amount of jalapeno pepper that goes in the recipe.  Served over rice, this is a delicious and satisfying meal!  I found this recipe on Simply Recipes and only made a couple slight changes with the amount of spices used.  This was also a great way to use up some of the fresh basil from our garden before the cold sets in!

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thigh or breast, cut into 1 inch chunks
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (we left the seeds in but it was pretty spicy)
• olive oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 14-oz can coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
• salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix all of the spices (first 8 ingredients) together in a bowl.  Add the chicken and stir until all of the pieces are evenly coated.  Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temp, or in the fridge for an hour or two.   

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat and add the onion and jalapeno peppers.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper and let them cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes more.  Remove this mixture and place it into a medium bowl so you can use the same pan for the chicken. 
You will likely have to do the chicken in two batches to make sure it doesn't get over-crowded in the pan.  Heat another tablespoon of oil over medium-high and place the chicken into the skillet.  Brown for a few minutes on each side, and until the chicken is fully cooked through.  Remove to the bowl with onions, and then continue with the remaining chicken.

Meanwhile, open the coconut milk and mix a couple tablespoons with the corn starch in a small bowl until it has dissolved.  Once all of the chicken is cooked and removed from the pan, add the coconut milk along with the corn starch mixture.  Cook over medium heat and stir until thick and bubbly.  Add the Worcestershire, basil, and ginger. 

Stir to combine and then add the chicken and onion mixture.  Mix well so all of the chicken is coated in the sauce. 

Serve over hot rice, and enjoy!