IMPROMPTU SEASONAL GATHERINGS

Impromptu Seasonal Gatherings

            Unplanned gatherings with friends or family need not cause stress in the kitchen or the unnecessary reach for the phone for a pizza delivery. Our summer garden or farmer’s market bounty has likely spilled over the kitchen counter and crammed the refrigerator. At least so it seems at our house. Thus, with a little ingenuity and not too much effort it is possible to assemble a quick supper or luncheon that will please most everyone on rather short notice.

            Recently we had occasion to rise to some challenges in quick meal preparation and the results were tasty and worth sharing. Creativity and inspiration in flower arranging is often needed by the scarcity of large bouquets of flowers leading to the imaginative arranging of a few blooms or greens. This time of the year, in contrast, one needs to be creative with the abundance of some vegetables or fruit. And I do not mean the old jokes about leaving summer squash on your neighbors back doorstep.

            But yes, the backbone of one of those dishes is summer squash, preferably picked young, tender and yet firm. The trick here is minimal cooking, so that the texture remains pleasantly between the cooked vegetable and a salad.

                        Italian sausage – summer squash ring

            Grill 8 sweet or hot Italian sausages until cooked. Cut each in 3 pieces and keep warm.  Quarter 3 green and 2 yellow 8 in. summer squashes lengthwise and chop the quarters in less than 1 inch pieces. Quarter a medium onion and slice. Cut a seeded red pepper in strips about 1 inch long. In a large sauté pan heat 2 Tblsp. olive oil to hot, then stir in onion, pepper, 2 chopped garlic cloves and the squash. Sprinkle with 1 Tblsp. oregano, ½ tsp. red pepper and sauté with stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in ½ cup marinara sauce mixed with 1 Tblsp. balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp. fish sauce or soy sauce. Continue stirring for another minute until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in ½ cup chopped fresh parsley. To serve, pile the sausage pieces on a large rimmed platter and surround with a ring of the squash mixture. Sprinkle the vegetables with 4 oz. crumbled Feta cheese.  Serves 6-8.

            Amazingly enough, peaches do grow in Maine and local ripe peaches can be had this time of the year. We are fortunate to grow one of such trees in our yard and the aroma of a tree ripened peach can not be beat. There is a small wrinkle in all of this, namely one needs to outsmart the native chipmunks, who have the innate capacity for finding the ripest peaches each morning. But we have managed to have enough for a luscious peach crisp.

                        Peach crisp with almonds and raisins

            In a bowl prepare the crumble by mixing ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar (not packed), 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. ginger and then cut in ¼ cup cold butter with a pastry cutter to form crumbs. Chill, while preparing the peaches. Scald peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to facilitate removing the skin. Skin and pit the peaches and slice in a bowl tossing with 2 Tblsp. lemon juice and the zest of 1 lemon. You should have 4-5 cups sliced peaches. Toss the peaches with ¾ cups sugar mixed with 2 ½ Tblsp. cornstarch. Layer fruit in an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with ½ cup raisins and ¼ cup slivered almonds. Top with the crumble mix and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with or without whipped cream. 

There may be intimations of the coming fall in crisp morning air and the calendar unequivocally has declared the arrival of Labor day. But seasonal local bounty is sure to please.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)