TOMATOES FOR COLOR AND FLAVOR

 

                                    Tomatoes for color and flavor

 

          It was difficult to miss the overwhelming bounty of bright colorful tomatoes when shopping at the local farmers market before this Labor Day weekend. Barbara Kingsolver in her book “The Prodigal Summer” colored the month of August “tomato-red” speaking of rural Virginia. We find it equally abundant arriving only a bit later up-north here in Maine. 

This bright abundance of tomatoes makes it tempting to include that color in as many dishes as possible to make our taste memories of both color and flavor last for the coming months. Tomato caprese salad is simplicity itself with just sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella dressed lightly with oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar and basil. Tomato bisque made with fresh tomatoes or in combination with roast peppers or eggplant remains one of my favorite soups and homemade Marinara sauce is worth the effort if you have an abundance of fresh tomatoes on hand. Another way to enhance the naturally intense flavor of tomatoes is roasting them in the oven. The roasted product is wonderful in combination with pasta and adds another dimension to a variety of dishes.

                                        Ravioli with oven roasted tomatoes

This recipe is for Roma tomatoes, but others may be adapted by varying time and temperature for baking. In a medium bowl mix: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar (optional), 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp. fresh stripped thyme leaves, 1tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes. Cut 4-6 Roma tomatoes in quarters lengthwise and toss lightly in the oil mix. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spread the tomatoes skin down in a single layer. Roast in a 450-degree preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Cook premade ravioli from the deli case according to directions and plate in shallow bowls. Distribute the roasted tomatoes on top and crumbled Feta cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. The roasted tomatoes will keep three days in the refrigerator for use in other dishes or can be frozen for several months.

                                   Fresh corn salad with bacon and tomato

Render 2-3 thick slices of bacon to crisp, drain on paper towel and keep the fat in the pan. Cut kernels from 2 ears of corn. Cut 2 medium tomatoes and 1 large avocado in wedges, line along the rim of a shallow bowl and squeeze the juice of ½ lime over them. In a medium bowl combine 2 tbsp of the bacon fat with 1 tbsp. lime juice ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. lemon pepper. Toss corn, the crumbled bacon and 1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley in the spice mix and mound in the center of the shallow bowl with tomatoes and avocado. Serve with crusty bread for lunch or as a side with grilled meat.

Summer recipes are never complete without a hearty zucchini recipe. These cheese fritters and a tomato caprese salad make an unbeatable lunch and even a light vegetarian dinner. 

 

                                         Cheesy zucchini fritters

          Grate 1 medium firm zucchini on a box grater, sprinkle with 2 tsp. kosher salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse the zucchini twice, drain and squeeze in a paper towel to remove as much liquid as possible.

          In a medium bowl whisk 1 egg with 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/3 tsp. garlic powder and oregano each and ¼ tsp. lemon pepper. Stir in 1 small seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper (optional), 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp. sharp cheddar cheese and the zucchini. Mix thoroughly and fry on medium in 1tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter, shaping heaping tbsp. in patties. Garnish with a dab of sour cream and chives.

          Sadly, our meteorological summer ended on August 31^st, 2026, while fortunately the astronomical summer will continue until 8:05 p.m. on September 22^nd , which sounds so much more appealing.

 

I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

SOUTHWESTERN FLAVORS FOR AUGUST

 

                         Southwest flavors for August

 

          The geographic American Southwest includes Arizona, Texas, New Mexico and parts of California and Nevada. The landscape is dry; climate is hot but made steamy by monsoons in late summer.  Altogether it is very different from what we experience in Maine. And yet, in August the differences seem less apparent as we swelter on sunny days and look for rain to help our parched lawns. Thus, it is easy to look for Southwestern flavors in food that are well adapted to the climate and helped by our current global distribution and familiarity with food from other locales. Long gone are the days when tacos were a novelty in the Northeast.

          Southwestern cuisine comes from Native American, colonial Spanish and Mexican roots, but along the way has adapted many Mediterranean and American cowboy ingredients in interesting and flavorful combinations. Principally Southwestern food features corn, beans and squash with generous helpings of tomatoes, onions and peppers including chiles to add some heat. Meat is often grilled as well as some vegetables and corn and wheat flour account for the ever-present tortillas. 

           Having spent a number of years in the Southwest, breakfast eggs are likely to arrive at our house in August with fresh salsa and warm tortillas or scrambled with diced onions, peppers and crumbled bacon. Huevos rancheros are a Saturday feast for poached eggs in a lightly cooked mix of onions, peppers, tomatoes and jalapenos, sprinkled with shredded jack cheese and served with warm flour tortillas.

          A recent dinner from my kitchen featured a Southwestern dinner of grilled ham, zucchini lightly grilled with olive oil and garlic salt, Southwestern lentils and black-eyed peas, all garnished with a lightly grilled peach. 

                                  Southwestern lentils and black—eyed peas

          Rinse 1 and ½ cup beluga (black)lentils and cook covered with 2 inches of water, 1 tbsp. onion flakes, 1 bay leaf and 6 cloves for 30 minutes on medium low heat. Drain and discard the bay leaf.

          In a large bowl mix the dressing: 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. honey, 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. kosher salt and 1 tsp. lemon pepper. Stir in the drained lentils while hot and 1 (15.5 oz.) drained and rinsed can of black-eyed peas. Mix thoroughly.

In addition, stir in ½ cup chopped red onion, 2-3 sliced green onions, ½ green and ½ red large peppers seeded and diced, 1/3 cup crumbled Mexican Cotija or Feta cheese and 1 -1 ½ cups mixed red and yellow grape tomatoes cut in half. Mix and serve warm or room temperature garnished with parsley and additional cheese.

                                                 Southwestern ratatouille

This could be considered a Southwestern cousin to the French ratatouille we all love at the end of summer with plentiful squash, eggplant and other garden produce. It has acquired extra protein in the form of Mexican chorizo.

Roast 1/3-inch slices of 1 medium zucchini and 1 peeled eggplant brushed with olive oil and garlic salt in a 425-degree oven, turning once until browned. Cut slices into bite size pieces.

Remove casing from 2 fresh chorizo sausages, crumble and brown in a large pan and set aside. In the same pan add 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté 1 coarsely chopped onion 4 minutes, stir in 3 chopped garlic cloves for 1 minute, ¼ each red and yellow pepper diced, zucchini and eggplant, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. oregano, 2 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 and ½ tsp. chipotle powder and 2 tsp. white vinegar. Cook with stirring for 5-7 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Stir in 2 cups frozen corn kernels, chorizo and 2 tsp. pesto (optional). Cook for 3minutes more, transfer to an 8x8x2 baking dish and cover with 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm on corn tortillas.

          It is easy to see how a tortilla could wrap anything, as long as it is served with love.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

 

IT IS TIME FOR CORN

 

                                                 It is time for corn

 

          “The corn is as high as the elephants eye,” sings the hero of Oklahoma by Rogers and Hammerstein in my mind, as I see the baskets brimming with corn in farmers markets and grocery stores. Our steamy mid-August also reminds me of driving through the Mid-West many summers ago in South Dakota where the two-lane highway passed for miles through stands of such corn fields as far as the eye could see.

          Corn was developed by selective breeding of a grass teosinte in Mexico some 9,000 years ago to give us those plump white or yellow kernels that we enjoy each summer. Sweet corn as we know it, is a more recent introduction by selective breeding.  Before 1980 you had to have a boiling pot on the stove, run out to the cornfield to pick a few ears and quickly boil them to retain sweetness, in order to quickly stop the immediate conversion of sugar to starch when picked. Today sweet corn has a more extended shelf life, though fresh is still really the best.

          Corn on the cob is the easiest side dish for most August meals, and grilled corn features in salads and makes an interesting vegetable mélange with sautéed zucchini and peppers. Mexican street corn has caught recent attention, as a simple but tasty corn dish that is amenable to many variations with satisfying results. The following recipe was inspired and adapted from a recent issue of Bon Appetit.

                                              Street corn with pork

          The two less common ingredients in this recipe are Kewpie mayonnaise (creamy flavored Japanese mayonnaise) and Cotija cheese (salty crumbly Mexican cheese similar but less tart than Feta). Both items are available in local supermarkets but may be substituted by regular mayonnaise and Feta.

          Slice 2 center cut pork chops across the grain on diagonal in ¼ inch or less slices. Mix thoroughly with 1 tbsp. Kewpie mayonnaise, ½ tsp. kosher salt and ½ tsp. paprika (use ½ tsp. chili powder for spicier version).

Cut kernels from 4 ears of husked corn. In a large pan heat 2 tbsp. vegetable oil to hot but not smoking and stir in the corn with 1 tsp. canned chopped jalapeno pepper. Fry corn for 4 minutes stirring a few times until some of the corn is slightly charred. Transfer to a large bowl.

Wipe out the pan, add 1 tbsp. vegetable oil and fry the pork in a single layer on hot for 2 minutes, turning once. Add pork to the corn and stir in ½ tsp. kosher salt, 2-3 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tbsp. grated Cotija cheese. Toss all ingredients together. Top with 1 tbsp. Cotija cheese and garnish with parsley (or cilantro) and lime. Serve with additional Cotija and lime if desired and cool cucumber salad.

                                               Dilly cucumber salad

          Thinly slice a seedless long English cucumber or several young pickling cucumbers. Toss with ½ tsp. salt, 1-2 tbsp. chopped dill and 1-2 tbsp. chopped chives. Stir in 2 tbsp. sour cream and 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve.

          Creamy puddings or ice cream topped with fruit are easy summer deserts, however plain Greek yoghurt easily substitutes for such and makes a less caloric but equally colorful and tasty desert. 

                                 Yoghurt with blueberry syrup and raspberries

          Blueberry syrup: bring 1and ½ cups blueberries, ½ cup water,1 cup sugar, and 1 tbsp. lemon juice to boil, simmer for 5 minutes, stir in ½ tsp. lemon zest and cool.

          Spoon creamy plain Greek yogurt in a dish, top with 1-2 tblsp. blueberry syrup, dot with raspberries and enjoy.

          “August brings the sheaves of corn Then the harvest home is borne….” to quote Sara Coleridge (1802-1852).

    (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)