sunday night supper

There were three of us for dinner last night, and I made it simple. I chopped, after seeding, a mix of heirloom tomatoes, perfectly ripe and juicy. I added a mix of chives, basil, parsley and mint, some finely chopped garlic, the zest of a couple of lemons and a good amount of lemon olive oil. Salt and pepper. I cooked ziti and added to the drained pasta some lovely, fresh mozzarella. After a few minutes I combined it with the tomato mixture and served the dish at room temperature with some crusty bread. To start, a salad of red crisphead lettuce dressed with a terrific faux Catalina dresssing, and tossed with grilled peach slices and chevre. Perfect summer eating.

weeknight dinner for family and friends

Six of us for dinner after a busy day, so I kept it simple. I'd previously made some conserves to be served with cheeses at a friend's wedding, so, with wine before our dinner I put out a platter of three cheeses, each accompanied by its own conserve. Manchego with quince, a buttery brie with a peach conserve and Krema Kase with a mixed dried fruit condiment. It was suggested that we forego dinner and just demolish the cheese platter. But, I'd prepared some orzo, tossed while hot with olive oil and lemon juice in equal amounts. Then I tossed in a couple of handfulls each of fresh dill and parsley, roughly chopped sweet red pepper and cucumber along with sliced scallions. I left this on the counter to come to room temperature while I roasted, at 400 degrees for seven minutes, some large shrimp. I tossed the shrimp with the orzo, added more lemon, and this, along with some Roma beans in a light and fresh tomato sauce and hot garlic bread completed dinner. A chilled Sauvignon Blanc was perfect, and refreshing. Apple cake with caramel glaze, and we were happily sated.

houseguests for the weekend

Two close friends arrived for the weekend, what a treat! Breakfast the next morning was a bowl of mixed berries, a plate of plump green figs, that most sensual of fruits and walnut scones - accompanied of course by tall cups of strong coffee. And lots of catching-up conversation. The temperature had reached 96 by lunchtime so a light selection of mezzes seemed appealing. Stuffed grape leaves topped with fat wedges of lemon, olives, cherry tomatoes harvested just minutes before lunch, cucumber sticks, feta cheese, hummus and pita crisps topped with zaatar. Perfect on a hot day. We chose a movie over dinner and stopped for a bite after.

For breakfast the next morning I put out a plate of ripe melon and some sliced mango served with lime wedges. Warm zucchini bread and toasted country bread with homemade preserves - and the newspaper. My daughter joined us for dinner and grilled the chicken for us. I'd marinated the breasts in lemon zest and juice, roasted garlic, olive oil and rosemary, which grows outside the kitchen door. With this I served a saute of squash, corn, tomatoes and peppers, seasoned with fresh thyme. A green salad to begin, and grilled bread lavished with herb butter. Decadent and so good. We were sated, so the blueberry pie remained uncut - until breakfast the next morning! It was a happy weekend!!!

family gathering

With visiting kids and grandchildren we were nine at the dinner table last night. Everyone relaxed with guacamole, vibrant with just-harvested cilantro, before sitting down to dinner. Barbecued brisket, marinated the night before roasting with liquid smoke, garlic, onion and celery salt, then into the oven for five hours at a low temperature. Before cooking I seasoned with worcestershire, salt and pepper, and after four hours I poured barbecue sauce over the meat and cooked another hour. The entire house was permeated with wonderful aromas. With the meat there was potato salad, seasoned while warm with an herb vinaigrette, then mayo, sour cream and lots of fresh dill. A green bean salad and warm focaccia completed the array of dished served from the kitchen island. Dessert was blueberry pie - with vanilla ice cream of course. And lots of catching up - and laughs. This is as good as it gets.

informal dinner

There were five for dinner on a blisteringly hot evening, so I decided on a room-temperature supper. There were gorgeous, fat bunched of swiss chard at the farmers market, thus the dish I would prepare. I heated a generous amount of olive oil in a large skillet, just until it shimmered. I added five sizable garlic cloves and let them perfume the oil for about five minutes, then removed them. I added the chard which I'd washed and spun dry (in a pillowcase on the spin cycle of the washer), then roughly chopped. While it was softening I drained a can of chickpeas, and added them, along with the zest of a lemon. Next, quite a lot of baby spinach, followed by grape tomatoes. I tossed this melange with a pound of tri-color farfalle, and the zest of an additional lemon. It looked gorgeous in its shallow round bowl, and I sprinkled ricotta salata over it, then sat it on the counter, to be served tepid. With this, baby wax beans from a friend's farm and crusty bread. Dessert, an indulgently rich chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream. Contentment reigned.

supper for a hot and humid evening

After a week of ungodly heat and humidity we had a few days of relief - and now we're back to climbing temperatures and heavy humidity. That means my supper will be a salad plate - lemon and black pepper grilled tuna that comes in foil packets - a tasty and convenient discovery. So, the tuna, some baby wax beans, a couple of boiled potatoes, baby cucumber, beautiful tomatoes from the garden and some chunks of red pepper - all on a bed of leaf lettuces, the last from my garden until a new crop in the fall. I'll dress it with a lemon vinagrette and strew some baby basil leaves over all. After eating, I'll frost the chocolate root beer cake I baked this afternoon - another recipe from the wonderful book "Baked".Very rich, and I made sure to use really good root beer. It'll be served with vanilla ice cream.
Yesterday, preferring air conditioning to sauna-like conditions, I stayed inside and baked two types of lemon cookies - one, a simple sliced cookie that's incredibly lemony, including both lemon zest in abundance and pure lemon oi. The other delight is a lemon-cornmeal wafer with coarse black pepper to add a surprising piquancy. I love this cookie!!!!

a hot and humid summer evening

Despite near-unbearable heat, dinner for five was a relaxed affair with great conversation and high spirits. I grilled scallops and, to accompany them prepared a salsa of papaya, tomatillos, jalapenos, red onion, lime and honey. It was so colorful and refreshing that everyone went back for seconds. There was also a platter of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella scattered with black olives and pistou basil.Lastly, a room-temperature potato and haricot vert salad, dressed while warm with chicken stock, white wine and olive oil along with fresh tarragon from the herb garden.For dessert, the first peach pie of the season, topped with my favorite oat and wheat germ streusel. A lovely summer supper.