AUGUST BOUNTY

August Bounty

            This is the time of the year in Maine, when one should not blink if you don’t want to miss the end of the summer. For anyone with a garden, the months of anticipation, hard work and frustration have finally yielded results. We need to savor them with the bright sunlight and breathe a sigh of thanks for last week’s rain.

            Alas it is not time to rest on your laurels and preen with accomplishments, there is work to be done! The first tomato and eggplant were celebrated, but when your kitchen counter starts to resemble a produce stand it is time to use some of those creative recipes that use a lot of such ingredients.

            Naturally bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwiches are popular this time of the year and can be varied in terms of spread and the type of bread as a substrate. One might even sneak in some flavored goat cheese and arugula for variety.  However, when you find that from this year’s crop just a single tomato slice covers a whole slice of bread, it is clear that more drastic measures will be required to make a dent in the supply.

            The other crop that has done extremely well with heat and humidity are the Japanese eggplants, which are growing in several pots on the patio. Those sleek, thin skinned beauties are a delight to behold. But when there are 3 of them hanging from one plant at a time and there are 6 plants, you can do the math. The sight of all of them together can be almost intimidating!

            The following couple of recipes yielded delicious solutions to this garden bounty, but can be easily duplicated with ingredients acquired at any farmer’s market. Both recipes use Japanese eggplant which does not require peeling, but you can substitute medium regular eggplants, peeled and sliced in ½ inch slices.

                                                Tomato and eggplant bisque

            Trim ends of 4-5 Japanese eggplants, (do not peel) cut in half lengthwise and broil or grill after brushing lightly with oil until lightly browned.  In a large pot heat 2 Tblsp. olive oil and sauté 1 large onion chopped for 5 minutes, add 2 chopped garlic cloves and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ chopped celery stalks, 3 large ripe tomatoes cut in pieces, the eggplant, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tsp. ‘herbes Provençe, 32 oz. broth (chicken, beef or vegetable), 2 Tblsp. Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. sugar, 8 oz. tomato sauce. Bring to boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool and puré in batches with some fresh parsley, basil and 1 Tblsp. oregano. Heat again, adjust salt to taste and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

            It seems counterproductive to make eggplant Parmesan in less than a 13 x 9 inch dish, since it can be made ahead and is easily reheated. Here is my version adapted from Craig Clairborne’s New York Times cookbook and adapted to a more modern and less caloric version by broiling the eggplant first, rather than frying it in batter.

                                                Slimmed eggplant Parmesan

            Trim ends and cut in half 8-10 large Japanese eggplants (or peel and slice 4 large regular eggplants). Broil the slices after brushing with olive oil and lightly salting with garlic salt. Broil until lightly browned (5-7 min), turn the slices over and broil for additional 4 minutes. In a large bowl beat 2 large eggs, stir in 24 oz. flavorful marinara sauce, 1 tsp. each: garlic powder, dried oregano, basil and ¼ cup chopped parsley. Set aside 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded Mozzarella and 6 oz. sliced Provolone. Assemble in large baking dish: 2 Tblsp. sauce, layer of eggplant 1/3 cup Parmesan, ½ cup Mozzarella. Repeat the layers twice, ending with Parmesan. Layer a single layer of Provolone on top and bake 40 minutes in a 350 degree preheated oven. Serve warm.

            There still is September to enjoy our summer afterglow. However, the bus routes and schedules for local schools in last week’s paper signal that another summer is about to disappear in the blink of an eye.

  (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)

Summer Surprises

Summer Surprises

            Plagues have been part of myth and history since biblical times. Presumably they existed even with dinosaurs, though nobody has recorded such, except in writings of Michael Crichton, as in “Jurassic Park”.

            Our modern day plague of porcupines surprisingly did not end with the pear trees recovering and roses putting up new shoots in the wake of our two exiled miscreants. A week later one of the pear trees was again stripped of all its leaves and the Critter Catcher’s traps were re-instated in our yard. Next morning, number #3 was sent in exile as well!

            Just to be on the safe side we left the Havaheart traps up, in case #4 was lurking in the wings. So far no more sightings, but in the process I have learned to release locally one raccoon and one red squirrel, resetting the traps each time. This apparently is to be our personal “Nature Series” enacted in Mid-coast Maine!

            Another not so pleasant surprise was dealt to the garden by this year’s draught. One of it’s victims was my crop of dill, so necessary for pickling cucumbers at our house. This necessitated a trip to the Damariscotta Farmer’s market, hoping that someone else’s crop had grown with better success. Another surprise came from finding that the Friday location of the market had moved from Belvedere Rd. But we did find it in the open area next to Round Top in town.

            What a delightful surprise! The new location looked like a village fair with tents and trucks around the clearing that sports the winter ice skating rink. There were sounds of country music coming from in front of the Hootenanny Bread truck and someone had organized a children’s game on a large quilt in shade of one of the old trees. Numerous farms showed tables high with colorful produce and one had a perfect set of bunched dill heads!  Success!

            After a stop to acquire some local goat cheese, next stop was my favorite mushroom purveyor. The table at Oyster Farm mushrooms was brimming with boxes of a variety of mushrooms from local wild chanterelles to oyster mushrooms and even some fresh morels from Yukon. Most amazing were some ‘lion’s mane’ mushrooms that sported fine hair like spines all over a white body. A sample of those and fleshy ‘chicken of the woods’, with their bright surface orange cast, were destined for lunch at our house after receiving some specific instructions for their preparation.

                                                Wild mushrooms for lunch

            To cook lion’s mane required only slicing each with a serrated knife in thick bread like slices and  frying the slices briefly in a hot mixture of oil and butter. The delicately browned outside held a delicious softer texture and an intriguing taste.

            Chicken in the woods is a more firm bodied mushroom and requires some liquid to be fully cooked. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel to remove any loose dirt, slice them in ¼ or ½ inch slices and fry in 1 Tblsp. each butter and oil for a few minutes together with some chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and add 1/3 cup white wine and 1/3 cup water (or 2/3 cup water and 1 Tblsp. lemon juice). Simmer covered until all the liquid is absorbed. Serve on toast or couscous. As the name implies, it tastes somewhat like white meat of chicken, except it is vegetarian.

                        Lemony couscous

            Couscous is made of semolina wheat granules and is a real boon in the kitchen when time and minimal effort are of essence. Heat 2 Tblsp. olive oil in a pot with a lid, sauté a chopped clove of garlic for a minute, then add 1 ¾  cups chicken or vegetable broth and bring to boil. Stir  2 finely sliced scallions with the green tops and 2 cups couscous in the boiling liquid and remove from heat. Allow to steep for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stirring in 2 Tblsp. lemon juice. Serve topped  with sautéed mushrooms or a meat or vegetable medley.

            Summer surprises seem to come in all flavors. However, to quote king Gama in Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Princess Ida”:

 ”And don’t the days seem lank and long

When all goes right and nothing goes wrong

And isn’t your life essentially flat

With nothing whatever to grumble at!”

.

 (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)

SUMMER COMFORT FOOD

Summer Comfort Food

            The steamy weather last week combined with most aggravating garden guests was enough to send anyone looking for comfort food that was cool, refreshing but substantial and did not require much effort.

            The first indication of such unexpected unpleasantness was revealed one early morning, when trying to avoid the un-Maine like heat and humidity, I attempted some garden chores when the sun was just coming up over the Medomak. Part of our pear tree was stripped of it’s leaves with several small, broken branches swinging gently in the morning breeze. I certainly had not invited a local porcupine for breakfast.

            Unfortunately, that was just an indication of what was to come. Each successive night was a testament of our uninvited guest’s voracious appetite.  The three pear trees must have been voted tops for flavor, a small apple tree lost its lower branches, but was too small to support the significant weight of the diner and was left leaning over,  Amazingly, unripe peaches were not to this visitors liking, but the bark must have provided a tasty snack or condiment to the pear twigs I saw him munching high up in a tree one morning.

            The straw that broke this gardener’s back was the complete removal of all the new growth and shoots from two rose bushes next to our patio. Enough! On advice from The Green Thumb, and the able deployment from The Critter Catcher, the next day our yard sported no less than 5 Have-a-heart traps. And, while no additional damage occurred, the next morning two of the traps contained our unwelcome diners. Mr. and  Mrs,. Porcupine’s dining adventure was over!  The wood’s, to which they were transported,  will likely provide them with a more natural and less exotic fare.

            Such aggravation can make a human turn to Salade Niçoise, which can easily classify as one of the easiest refreshing summer dinners or even satisfying lunches. In France and elsewhere in Europe it seems every café has it’s own variant in the summer. My version is adapted from “Mediterranean Light” by Martha Rose Shulman, and has served me well for many years.

                                    Light Salade Niçoise

            First prepare the vinaigrette.  Combine 2 Tblsp. fresh lemon juice, 3-4 Tblsp. red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. garlic salt, 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, 3 Tblsp. low fat yoghurt, salt and pepper to taste, 2 Tblsp. chopped fresh herbs (such as basil and parsley or tarragon with thyme). Whisk in 2 Tblsp. olive oil. Scrub and dice 2-3 medium potatoes and quickly boil until barely tender.  Drain potatoes and toss with the vinaigrette. Blanch for 3 minutes ½ lb. string beans and chill in cold water, then drain and cut in 2 inch pieces. To the cooled potatoes add: the string beans,  ½ green or red pepper thinly sliced, 1 small cucumber (pickling sized) sliced, ¼ cup chopped red onion, 1 small can water packed tuna drained, 2 anchovies drained and finely chopped, 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half. Toss all ingredients to mix thoroughly. Serve on a bed of lettuce and garnish with 2 hard boiled eggs cut in quarters lengthwise.

            The ultimate Maine summer comfort desert is of course blueberry pie. However, the abundance of fresh prune plums in stores at this time of the year made me retrieve an old plum cake recipe.

                                    Summer Plum Cake

            In a medium bowl: sift together 1 cup flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, 1-2 Tblsp. sugar. Cut in 3 Tblp. butter.  In another bowl: fork beat 1 egg with 1/3 cup milk and 1 tsp. lemon flavoring. Pour liquid in the flour mixture and mix quickly to dampen the ingredients. Spread batter in a buttered 8 inch cake pan. Cut plums (~ 1 lb.) in half, pit and arrange on batter cut side up. Mix ½ cup chopped almonds or pecans with ¼ cup sugar and 1 Tblsp butter and sprinkle on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.

            “All is well, as ends well” to quote that wise man Shakespeare. Comfort food can do wonders even in summer. And, the pears are putting out new leaves after their summer pruning. As for the visitors – I wish them happy munching in Maine woods far away.   

(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)