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.

Celery Root and Apple Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

After experimenting with cooked celery root in our beef pot pie, I've started noticing it in a variety of uncooked dishes, such as this salad.  While some similar root vegetables can't be eaten raw (or wouldn't taste good if they were) celery root was pleasantly tasty as a raw ingredient in this salad.   Not to mention, it has many health benefits- low calories, high potassium, rich in vitamins, and many more.  It has a earthy, almost nutty taste which paired well with the sweet acidity from the apples. The texture reminds me of a carrot- crunchy but not starchy.  The blue cheese and walnuts added some additional flavor and texture to the dish, and the tangy vinaigrette was the perfect thing to tie it all together.  This is a light and refreshing salad, that is surprisingly filling at the same time.  Thanks to Food & Wine for the recipe!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon
1/4 of a red onion, minced (or one shallot)
salt and pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 large granny smith apples, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large celery root (or two small- should be about the same amount as the apples) peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped or halved (I bought mine pre-roasted, but you can do that step yourself if yours are raw.  It definitely makes a difference!)

*As a note, this recipe makes A LOT.  But the leftovers save well and the salad tastes even better after a day or two.  However, you can cut the recipe in half to make a smaller amount.

Peeled celery root

Directions:
Make the dressing by combining the vinegar, mustard, onion or shallot, about 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly cracked black pepper. Let it stand for 10 minutes, and then whisk in the olive oil and 1/4 cup blue cheese.  

Combine the chopped celery root and apple in a large bowl.  Pour the dressing over top, and add the remaining blue cheese and walnuts.  Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve!  

Falafel

Falafel is one of my favorite vegetarian dishes- it's so flavorful and tastes great on it's own or inside a pita sandwich.  Like many other foods, this was something I didn't really like when I was a child, but I have since come across great recipes that definitely please my palette.  This one is from Guy Fieri, and I love how he adds sauteed onion and red pepper to the chick-pea mixture.  The fresh herbs are also key in getting the right flavor.  I would say this is also a healthy dish, but pan-frying it in oil takes the healthy factor down a notch. But, it does make the falafel crispy and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus extra for frying
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14-ounce) cans chick peas, drained (or one large can)
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 egg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• Pitas, for sandwich
• Yogurt & cucumber for sauce
• Other toppings such as lettuce, mint leaves, tomato, or onion (optional)    

Directions: 
Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet.  Cook onion and pepper with 1/2 teaspoon salt for about 5 minutes, and add the garlic.  Saute for an additional 2-3 minutes, remove from heat.

In a food processor, combine chick peas, chili flakes, cumin, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, egg, flour, and herbs.  Pulse until it comes together in a thick paste. 

Remove mixture to a large bowl and mix in the onion and pepper mixture.  Chill until ready to cook (recommended at least one hour, or 30 minutes in the freezer).  

Before cooking, roll the falafel into round patties, 1/2 inch thick.  Guy Fieri suggests doing more of an oval shape but after trying it both ways I found those were harder to cook evenly and keep their shape.  Heat a cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet to medium heat and add 1/2 inch of oil. Cook falafel patties a few at a time, flipping when the bottom side has browned.  Drain on paper towels when both sides are fully cooked. Sprinkle with salt while still hot.

Serve several patties in a pita with yogurt cucumber dipping sauce, and other toppinsgs as desired.  For dipping sauce, combine one cucumber seeded and diced with 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt.  Optionally, add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped mint.  These would also be delicious as vegetarian sliders, or as a main dish along side rice and vegetables.  Enjoy!

Pasta Verde

I found this recipe on Serious Eats and marked it as a favorite right away for it's uniqueness.   Roasted poblano peppers (which I love) made into a pasta sauce?  Yum!  I finally got around to making it this past week and it was super tasty and a nice twist to your usual tomato or cream based pasta sauces.  I doubled their recipe and made a couple very slight changes.  This is a great vegetarian option and you could easily serve it with chicken to add some protein.

                                                 Ingredients:

• 4 large poblano chiles
• 1/4 cup cilantro, leaves only
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons salt, divided
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup Mexican crema, or heavy cream
• 4 ounces crumbled Cotija cheese 
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• Sriracha (optional)  

Directions:

Cover a large baking sheet with foil.  Slice the poblanos in half, and remove the seeds and core.  Place face down on the baking sheet.  Turn on your broiler, and place the peppers in the oven until the skins are blistered.  Rotate the pan as needed to make sure they are getting even coverage.  

Remove from the oven and place them in a bag or covered bowl to steam for 5-10 minutes.  When they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins.  

In a blender, combine the roasted poblanos, onion, garlic, cilantro, and chicken broth.  Blend until smooth.  

Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water with 5 teaspoons salt to a boil.  We used these little twisty noodles because they really hold the sauce well, but any pasta would be fine.  Cook the pasta as directed and drain in a colander when al dente.

To finish the sauce- heat the butter in a medium sauce pan.  Add the sauce with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn off the heat and stir in the crema.  

Mix the sauce in with the pasta, and serve with cotija cheese, sriracha (or hot sauce), and a squeeze of fresh lime juice for each bowl.  

The flavor of the charred peppers is amazing, and the crema lightens it up a bit.  It isn't really spicy on it's own so the sriracha adds some nice heat to the dish.  The lime juice brings it all together so don't leave it out!