Tart-sweet local plums, dripping in caramel syrup, adorn this rustic tart. A simple twist on a French classic. With a basket of fresh plums and a package of frozen puff pastry, you’re on your way to an elegant finale to a summer solstice celebration.
Broccoli isn’t typical Indian fare, but it works well with the mix of spices. Cook this dish quickly, with a light touch—you want the broccoli to keep it’s bright green color and crisp texture, while taking on a bit of caramelized goodness from browning in the pan. If you don’t have mushrooms, you can leave them out, or substitute another quick-cooking vegetable such as bell peppers or carrots.
Succotash is an old-fashioned American dish composed of corn cooked with lima beans. You may have seen it at a Thanksgiving buffet, happily situated along-side jello-molds and marshmallow-topped yam casseroles. This version takes the spirit of the original down a divergent path, more Italian than American—sautéing the vegetables with garlic, summer squash, creamy cannellini beans and handfuls of fresh basil. The vegetables caramelize in the pan as they cook, and the end result is full of deep flavor—a far cry from Thanksgiving. Just right for summer.
Leave out the squash if you prefer, or substitute bell peppers in season. Arugula would be a nice addition as well.
Unseasonably rainy weather this week had me thinking soup. Again. Doesn’t take much to point my wagon in that culinary direction. This time inspired by one of the classic tomes of vegetarian cooking, The Moosewood Cookbook (edited and compiled by Mollie Katzen)—the original vegetarian cookbook in my collection, and still a trusty resource after more than thirty years. This recipe is a favorite—you’ll find versions plastered all over the internet, tweaked in various ways.
Rhubarb and strawberries are an old-fashioned American combination. Think lattice-weave-pastry-topped pie wedges served up with scoops of home-churned vanilla ice cream—an early summer stand-by at any number of small-town, middle-America diners of yesteryear. Perch on a Naugahyde-covered stool at the counter, sip a mug of black coffee (no latté please) and tuck into a forkful. Nothing better on earth. While this exact experience might be a relic of the past, the taste is easy to recreate with a simple crumble topping instead of the pie crust. Serve some up with this week’s ruby-red rhubarb. You won’t find this spring jewel in the markets much longer.