Teriyaki Kabobs With Coconut Rice

Kabob Ingredients: 10-12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes. One recipe for Teriyaki Marinade and Stir-Fry Sauce 1 Tbs corn starch 1 lb extra-firm tofu, beef, shrimp, scallops, or boneless chicken 1 medium squash or zucchini 1 or 2 sweet or hot peppers About two dozen cherry tomatoes 1 onion Fresh basil or cilantro (optional)

Coconut Rice Ingredients: (Adapted from Steamy Kitchen) 1 Tbs canola or peanut oil 1 Tbs local honey 1 tsp sea salt 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained 1 can unsweetened first-pressed coconut milk (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Method: Prepare the Teriyaki Marinade, refrigerate.  If using tofu, press well to remove liquid. Cut the tofu, beef or chicken into 1-inch pieces.  Place in a bowl with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the teriyaki marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to one day.  With the remaining teriyaki sauce, warm in a saucepan on medium heat.  Place 1 Tbs corn starch in a jug with 3-4 tbs water and mix well.  Just before the marinade begins to boil, stir in the corn starch and water.  Continue stirring until it thickens.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the coconut rice, heat oil, honey and salt in a medium to large sized saucepan on medium heat.  Stir and cook until the mixture begins to bubble. Turn heat to high and add the rinsed and drained rice to the pan.  Stir until coated well with the oil and honey mixture.  Add the coconut milk and water.  Continue to stir until the coconut milk is blended and smooth. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until you can just see the rice under the surface of the liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid and set a timer for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, remove from heat, but do not open the lid.  Let rest for 10 minutes.  Toast coconut flakes in a dry skillet on medium to medium-high heat.  Stir frequently to avoid burning. It should take a couple of minutes.  Remove from the pan when it is golden brown. Set aside.

Assembling the kabobs can take some time if you don't have help, so you may want to do this step ahead of time.  When they are assembled you can place them in a sealed plastic storage bag or a covered casserole dish and refrigerate until you are ready to grill. To prepare the ingredients, cut the squash, peppers and onion into 1-inch pieces, or 1/4 inch ribbons for creative layering. Assemble the vegetables and meat/tofu onto the soaked skewers.  Brush with a little oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  When your barbecue is hot, place the kabobs on the grill, turning 1/4 turn every 3-5 minutes, or when the vegetables have blistered. If using chicken, shrimp or scallops, check to ensure it is cooked through before removing from the grill.  Place in a flat-bottomed dish and cover with the thickened teriyaki sauce.

When the rice is finished, sprinkle toasted coconut over each serving of rice, place kabobs on top, and garnish with basil or cilantro.

Ploughman's Lunch

It's a fitting lunchtime meal for today, maybe because eight million people are tuned to the games in London, with a few pondering about how nice it would be to nip out for a quick pint and a ploughman's lunch at the corner pub.  Or perhaps it's because it's August and the relentless heat of southern summer has us all wanting raw veggies and simple food.  Whatever the reason, it is delightfully appetizing to stare at a plate of crisp, farm-fresh organic yellow zucchini, purple peppers, banana peppers and cherry tomatoes.  Add some good cheese, homemade pickle (or Branston if you are British) and a good crusty bread like the Niedlov's brochen, and you are in for a fantastic lunch!

Fresh Salsa Omelet

Summer vegetables are often so delicious raw or simply prepared, it does not take much to create something delicious. Omelets, made with really good pasture-raised hen eggs, are fantastic for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  This one highlights the best of summer vegetables with the flavors of one of the world's favorite foods. You can combine the same ingredients to make a nice pico de gallo or salsa for other meals.

Ingredients: 1-2 farm fresh eggs per omelet, whisked Canola or red pepper oil Sweet bell pepper Banana pepper or Jalapeno Tomato Onion Garlic Pinch of whole cumin seed Dash of paprika or cayenne pepper Salt Freshly squeezed lime juice Chopped cilantro Avocado slices (optional)

Method: Dice peppers, onion, garlic and tomato evenly into tiny pieces.  Stir in the cumin seed and paprika or cayenne pepper.  Coat the bottom of your omelet pan with some oil and heat on medium heat.  When the pan is hot, add 1/2 cup of the vegetables to the pan and let sear for about 30 seconds. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the vegetables and stir. Continue to cook until they soften a bit.  Squeeze a little lime juice over the vegetables and try to spread them into an even layer across the bottom of the pan.  Slowly pour the whisked egg over the vegetables, trying to cover them entirely if possible. You can give the pan a little jostle or two to help the egg spread between the vegetables.  Sprinkle some chopped cilantro over the top and let cook until the egg is set.  Season to taste. Slide out of the pan and serve over a bed of fresh spinach or greens and top with avocado slices.

BBLT (Bacon Basil and Local Tomato)

The basil aioli and tomato flavor combination is so good, it would be a shame to let it fade into the archives with the tomato pie recipe. As I took a wander down Main Street today it wasn't difficult to come to a BLT conclusion for how to pair them together again. These organic homegrown tomatoes are mouth-watering. (I should apologize now to the people who are reading this post from another city or country.  You will have to come visit to taste for yourself, but we have a bit of a home-team advantage with this one.) I started with the best tomatoes, then paired with fresh bread from an amazing artisan bakery and bacon from a producer of local, farm-to-table cured meats, who happen to reside side-by-side on our little Main Street.  I keep waiting for the candlestick maker to move next door, but in the meantime I'll be satisfied with the tastiest fresh bread and tempting hand-crafted local bacon.  On Wednesday's the Main Street Farmer's Market is busy with farmer's and local food producers from around the region selling their goods.  So with a walk down Main Street shorter than the length of a department store parking lot, you can buy locally made bread, bacon, and all the fresh, homegrown tomatoes and basil you can eat. Local is the buzz-word among foodies, and for good cause.  But here's the cherry on top: This sandwich is AMAZING.  I scored a rare pumpernickle loaf at Niedlov's Bakery for my sandwich, but you can use whichever is your favorite. As for the bacon, there is nothing quite like this thick sliced hand-crafted goodness from Link 41.

Ingredients:

One loaf of your favorite Niedlov's bread

1 lb Link 41 bacon

One Signal Mountain Farm Tomato

Fresh basil leaves 2 Tbs Basil-Garlic Aioli per sandwich Salt & Pepper

Cook bacon, slice tomato and bread to desired thickness, and layer on bread with torn basil leaves and a generous dollop of Basil-Garlic Aioli on both slices of bread. Invite a friend over for lunch, or you might be tempted to eat it all by yourself.

Grilled Squash "Slaw" with Marinated Heirloom Tomatoes

Ingredients: 3 medium or 2 large zephyr squash 2 sweet peppers, any variety 1 yellow onion Oil Salt & pepper Fresh basil leaves, sliced (optional) 1 cup Marinated Tomatoes with liquid

Method: Slice peppers in half and remove seeds and stem.  Remove stems from the squash and slice in half lengthwise. Cut the onion in half.  Lightly brush the vegetables with oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  When your barbecue is very hot, place the vegetables on the grill cut side down.  Leave them there for 5-10 minutes, or until they begin to sweat and the cut sides have dark brown marks from the grill.  If you like softer veggies, you can turn them over and cook both sides.  When they are done, remove from the heat and let them rest until they are cool enough to handle.  Slice thinly or julienne the vegetables.  Add the sliced basil leaves (if desired) and more salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the vegetables with diced marinated tomatoes, adding some of the marinating liquid.  Serve warm or cold.