SEPTEMBER RECIPES

Summer ingredients still abound at the markets and with the warm weather sticking around, we’re in no hurry to usher in Fall! In keeping with the spirit of Summer, this month’s recipes continue to incorporate fresh, bright flavors that might inspire you want to dine al fresco just a little longer. We hope you enjoy them!

LABOR DAY BBQ’s & BEYOND

Nectarine-tomato Salad

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS:

Cut 1 pound each yellow beefsteak tomatoes and nectarines into wedges. Top with 2 ounces shaved ricotta salata and salt and pepper. Toast 2 tablespoons pine nuts with 2 tablespoons olive oil over low heat. Off the heat, swirl in 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar; drizzle over the salad.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/nectarine-tomato-salad-recipe-2124352

Anna’s Tomato Tart

INGREDIENTS:

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, 1/2-inch-diced
2 cold extra-large egg yolks
1/2 cup ice water
2 1/2 pounds dried beans, for baking the crust (optional)

For the filling:

2 1/2 pounds firm medium (2 1/2-inch) tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 cup whole fresh parsley leaves, lightly packed
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
3 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil
6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 pound grated Gruyere cheese (1 pound with rind)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Place the flour and 1 teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, until the butter is the size of peas. Add the egg yolks and pulse a few times to combine. With the motor running, add the ice water through the feed tube and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and roll it into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a large bowl. Put the parsley, basil, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until finely minced. With the processor running, pour the olive oil down the feed tube and process until combined. Pour the mixture over the tomatoes and toss gently. Set aside.

On a well-floured board, roll the dough out to an 11 x 17-inch rectangle and transfer it to the prepared sheet pan. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fit exactly; you want it to cover most of the bottom of the pan but it can be a little rough on the sides. Place a second sheet pan directly on the pastry and bake for 15 minutes. (You can also line the pastry with foil and fill it with dried beans.) Remove the top sheet pan (or the beans and foil). Using a dinner fork, pierce the pastry in many places. Bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Check the pastry during baking; pierce any spots that bubble up. Allow the crust to cool for 15 minutes.

Lower the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the mustard on the crust with a pastry brush. Sprinkle a thick even layer of Gruyere on the pastry, reserving 1/2 cup for the top, and sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Place overlapping tomatoes in rows on top. If there is a little garlic and herb mixture in the bowl, sprinkle it over the tomatoes, but if there is liquid in the bowl, strain it through a very-fine-mesh strainer, discard the liquid, and sprinkle the garlic and herb mixture on the tomatoes. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of Gruyere and the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top. Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool slightly, cut into squares, and serve warm or at room temperature.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/annas-tomato-tart-3756210

Grilled Halloumi and Vegetables

INGREDIENTS:

¾ pound halloumi
2 sweet red peppers
1 large zucchini
1 Japanese eggplant
1 bunch scallions, trimmed
 Salt and pepper
 About 1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or crumbled dried mint
½ to 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare a hot grill. Cut halloumi into 8 to 12 slabs, about 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick. Cut peppers into wide pieces, slicing from top to bottom along the natural indentations. Discard seeds. Cut pieces in half crosswise. Slice the zucchini and eggplant on the diagonal, into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick rounds.

Season all vegetables with salt and pepper. Brush vegetables and halloumi with olive oil.

Grill vegetables until tender and nicely charred, turning occasionally. If you’d like, use an outdoor grill pan to keep them from slipping through the grate. Scallions will be ready after 3 to 4 minutes. Peppers, zucchini and eggplant take about 10 minutes. Arrange on a platter.

Grill halloumi, turning occasionally, for 2 to 6 minutes, until grill marks appear. When you press on the cheese, it should give but it should not be runny.

Remove cheese to the platter with vegetables and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle cheese and vegetables with herbs and sumac, if you’d like, and serve.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017591-grilled-halloumi-and-vegetables

Scallop & Pecan Wilted Salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ pounds fresh or frozen sea scallops
½ cup pecan halves
Salt
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
6 cups arugula
4 medium heads endive, leaves separated and sliced crosswise (3-1/2 to 4 cups)
½ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw scallops, if frozen. Halve scallops horizontally (about 1/2 inch thick). Rinse scallops; pat dry.

In a dry skillet cook and stir pecans over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until toasted. Transfer pecans to bowl; set aside.

Season scallops with salt and black pepper. In the same skillet cook scallops in hot oil over medium-high heat just until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer scallops to bowl with pecans; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover; keep warm.

In a bowl toss together arugula and endive. For dressing, in a saucepan combine syrup, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. Bring to boiling; remove from heat. Toss greens with three-quarters of the warm dressing. Cover with plate for 30 to 60 seconds or until arugula begins to wilt. Toss remainder of dressing with scallop mixture. Divide greens among 4 plates; top with scallop mixture. Makes 4 servings.

https://www.bhg.com/recipe/salads/scallops-pecans-wilted-salad/

Pizza with NY Strip, Blue Cheese and Balsamic Glaze

INGREDIENTS:

For the glaze:

2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the steak:

1 (12-ounce) NY strip steak
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 store-bought pizza dough
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (recommended: Cabrales)
Grilled steak
1 bunch watercress, coarsely chopped
Balsamic Glaze
Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

DIRECTIONS:

For the glaze:
Bring vinegar to a boil in a small nonreactive saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the honey and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the steak:
Heat grill to high. Brush steak on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill to a cutting board, tent lightly with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.

For the pizza:
Heat the grill to high.
Brush both sides of the pizzas with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, divide the Monterey Jack cheese over the top of each one and then sprinkle with the blue cheese. Place back on the grill, close the cover of the grill and grill until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Remove to a flat surface, divide the steak between each pizza, then top with the watercress Drizzle with some of the balsamic glaze and sprinkle with some of the shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/pizza-with-ny-strip-blue-cheese-and-balsamic-glaze-recipe-1948303

Strawberry Mojito Pops (*boozy… feel free to sub out rum for another juice)

 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c. rum
3/4 c. chopped strawberries
2 c. limeade
4 oz. fresh lime juice
8 mint leaves, chopped
6 wooden popsicle sticks

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together then evenly divide mixture into popsicle molds.
Chill popsicle molds in freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until liquid is slightly frozen.
Add wooden popsicle sticks and freeze overnight.
Run warm water over molds to loosen popsicles and serve.

https://www.delish.com/entertaining/recipes/a43490/strawberry-mojito-pops-recipe/