Good morning, readers, in the delicious days of corn on the cob and tomatoes and peaches. What are you doing with each of these seasonal delights at your house? That is the first question for the day, and it calls for speedy answers in all three categories.
We've had a hungry, repeat plea for where to find Mrs. Smith's blackberry cobbler, or how to duplicate it at home.
A.E. offered a recommendation followed by a request. "I had heard that Marsha's Backstreet Cafe on Brainerd Road has the best chicken salad in town. Went there this week and got a quart of their chicken salad. It was just right, no additions except a little finely chopped celery and maybe green onion. It was moist but not juicy. The seasoning was perfect. Would love to know how to make this chicken salad."
Finally, there is a missing recipe for tea — one like Gigi Gross requested — in Fare Exchange's inbox. It has vanished (or did I only dream of this recipe for a tall glass of Southern tea on a July day?) If you have a summer tea with "instant Lipton lemon something," please send or resend.
Tim Threadgill continued his long streak of ethnically diverse recipes with the following lentil dish.
3 tablespoons canola, coconut or olive oil
2 regular cans tomato puree or diced tomato
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced (green is fine too, but the orange or yellow makes a prettier presentation)
6 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro or coriander leaves, divided
7 cups water or broth (chicken or vegetable)
Optional: 2 cubed potatoes or sweet potatoes
Heat the oil on medium heat in large saucepan.
Add turmeric, tomato, cumin, onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt and 2 tablespoons of cilantro.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients have softened, about 5 minutes.
Add water or broth, and increase heat to bring mixture to boil.
Add the lentils, and reduce the heat to medium low.
Cover partially, and cook until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
Stir in remaining cilantro, and remove from heat.
If using potatoes, add the last 10 minutes of cook time; cook until potatoes are done.
Serve over rice, as a side or a large portion as a meatless meal.
As we are discussing the specialties of the season, Marilyn Soehl sent this sandwich, copied from the storehouse of The Peach Truck.
Whoever thought grilled cheese sandwiches were just for kids obviously never had this one. Layered with strips of crispy bacon, rich Havarti cheese and sweet, fresh peaches, this grilled cheese is created especially for the adults. For an extra-crunchy crust on the sandwiches, we like to use Duke's mayonnaise instead of butter.
8 to 12 crisp slices of bacon
4 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
Duke's mayonnaise or room-temperature butter
Assemble your sandwiches with a couple of slices of cheese, 2 to 3 strips of bacon and sliced peaches. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise or butter on the outside of the sandwich, and griddle in a skillet over medium heat on each side until browned. Serve immediately.
The following salad came from Four Square, who prefers this dish made with quinoa, not bulgur wheat.
3 1/2 cups cooked quinoa or bulgur wheat
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Toss and enjoy again and again and again and again.
A JOLT OF ICE CREAM
An unusual ice cream recipe comes to you from M.H.V. in a collection of cookbook pages she saved. You will note the use of a double boiler in this recipe. There was neither name of cookbook or date of its publishing on this contribution. I am thinking how seldom I see mention of double boilers in recipes of late. Are they still needed in a well-supplied kitchen? Your opinion, please.
This is a superior ice cream.
Scald creams in the top of a large double boiler. In large bowl, beat egg yolks until light, and add sugar gradually, beating continually. Pour the hot cream into the egg mixture, and return to the top of the double boiler. Cook over hot water, stirring constantly, until custard coats a spoon. Remove from heat. Dissolve coffee powder in hot water, and stir into custard with the vanilla extract. Chill thoroughly. Freeze in a hand-cranked or electric ice cream freezer. Serve in bowls, and offer Kahlua liqueur for topping. Makes 2 quarts, 12 servings.
Here's a final word with a stellar example to consider. Menus, not just recipes, were the topics a couple of weeks ago in Fare Exchange. This week I got a glimpse into a local home where one of the two occupants is struggling with a disease that will not improve. The one who is taking care does all the cooking, and plans ahead. A taste of this week's planning includes: "Tuesday: grilled pork tenderloin, lemony rice and Chinese cabbage. Thursday: salmon, wild rice, broccoli."
Remember that the main guest at the cook's table is one whose taste and perception are flagging, so why bother with the gourmet touch? Here's why. This is a home, more importantly, where love is unflagging. Not boiled rice but lemony rice or wild rice. Not plain cabbage but Chinese. Pork not just cooked but grilled. Salmon. These are the features of company meals. You might expect the cook to be a loving wife, daughter, mother, sister. But the sole cook in this home is the husband.
Next week: more inspiration and more good food to copy. It's a guarantee.
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