Baked feta with Tomatoes and Olives

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/3 cup chopped, pitted Kalmata olives 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 2 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided 2 teaspoons finely-chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon olive oil Freshly ground black pepper 1 8- to 10-ounce block feta

Crostini for serving.

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, mix the tomatoes, olives, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, oregano, olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.

Place the feta in an oven proof dish. Pour the tomato and olive mixture on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes and onions have started to brown a little bit. The cheese will not melt, it will just soften. Top crostini with cheese and tomato mixture and serve immediately.

Tomato Jam

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com 

Ingredients:

Makes 5 pints.

5 pounds tomatoes

5 cups sugar

big pinch of kosher salt

Method:

Bring a large dutch oven of water to a boil. Using a paring knife, cut out the stem end of each tomato, then slice a shallow X in the bottom.

Plunge the tomatoes into the boiling water until their skins loosen, about 30 seconds. Remove them with a slotted spoon and let cool. When cool enough to handle, slip off their skins. Discard the water, but save the dutch oven for cooking the jam.

Halve the tomatoes at their equator and gently squeeze out the seeds and juice. Reserve the seeds and juice for another use. Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces.

Return the tomatoes to the saucepan and stir in the sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to ensure that the mixture is cooking evenly, until most of the liquid has cooked off. If foam occasionally rises to the top, skim it off with a large spoon. Remove from the heat.

Ladle the jam into clean jars. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate.

Jam will keep in the fridge for 6 months or can be canned and preserved indefinitely.

Serving Suggestions:

• Spread crostini with goat cheese and top with jam
• Serve alongside a collection of local cheeses and toasted nuts for a seasonal twist on a cheese plate
• Serve with buttermilk biscuits and fresh butter

Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Serves 4 as a side

3-4 medium zucchini

4 oz shaved parmesan

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh basil, torn into small pieces

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Method:

Using a vegetable peeler or a mandoline, slice the zucchini into thin ribbons and place in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly until the mixture is fully emulsified.

Add the dressing to the zucchini and toss to combine. Top with the parmesan and pine nuts.

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Fried Green Tomato BLT with Basil Mayo

Ingredients

Makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices sourdough bread

1/2 pound high quality bacon (I used Main Street Meats belly bacon)

1 head butter lettuce

2 large green tomatoes, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup corn meal

3/4 cup buttermilk

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup basil mayo, recipe to follow

Safflower oil for frying

Basil Mayo:

2 egg yolks

4 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 cup grape seed oil

3 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped

kosher salt and pepper to taste

Place the egg yolks, dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Very slowly, pour in the grape seed oil, whisking constantly. The mayo will thicken significantly, but will not be as thick as store bought mayo. Add the basil and stir to combine. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.

For the sandwiches:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the bacon on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook 10-12 minutes or until bacon has reached your preferred crispness. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat enough safflower oil to cover the bottom of the pan with a depth of 1/4 inch. While the oil is heating, place the buttermilk in a small shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cornmeal and season with salt and pepper. Dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk then in the flour and cornmeal mixture, coating all sides evenly. Fry 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove the tomato slices from the pan and place on paper towels. Season with a little more salt.

Toast the bread until it has started to get crisp but has not started to brown. Remove from the oven and assemble the sandwiches.

To assemble the sandwiches, spread each slice of bread with 1 1/2 tsp. of the basil mayo. Stack with several lettuce leaves, 2-3 tomato slices and 2-3 slices of bacon. Serve immediately.

Sweet Pepper Salsa With Peaches & Basil

Most of these ingredients were in the previously posted red pepper chutney recipe, but this raw-food version is amazing, and so lovely on top of grilled meats, in a taco, or with almost anything. Mix the following ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Serve immediately, or chill in the refrigerator for up to one day.

4 cups of diced sweet peppers (mixed colors) 1 red chili pepper, diced (optional) 1 cup diced yellow or sweet onion 1 large firm-ripe peach, diced  3-4 cloves of garlic, minced Juice from 1 lime 1 tsp sea salt Freshly ground black pepper About 15-20 10-15 large fresh basil leaves, chopped finely

Summer party Idea: Bite-sized squash fritter with smoked salmon, garlic & herb goat cheese and sweet pepper salsa