Melon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Since it is so hot here in Chicago, we have been eating a lot of salads, cold soups and smoothies. I saw this  recipe in the New York Times and thought it was perfect for the current weather.  Although it might seem unusual to combine melons and cucumbers, they go very well together as this salad proves. To make it more filling, I added some Israelian couscous and we had a very light and refreshing dinner.

Melon, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
(adapted from Martha Shulman)
6 servings

1 European cucumber, peeled if desired and cut in medium dice

Salt to taste

1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded if desired, cut in thin wedges or diced

1 small ripe honeydew melon or cantaloupe, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice or shaped into melon balls

2 to 3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon mild honey, like clover, or agave nectar

4 tablespoons grapeseed oil, rice bran oil or canola oil

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon chopped chives

3/4 - 1 cup Israelian Couscous or other grain (optional)

Fresh watercress for garnish (optional)

1. Prepare the couscous according to the packaging directions. Let cool. 
Put the cucumbers in a colander set in the sink or a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.

2. Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes and melon together in a bowl. Whisk together the vinegar, salt to taste, lime juice, honey and oil and toss with the fruit and vegetable mixture. Add the couscous and mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

3. Just before serving, toss with the herbs. Line plates with watercress if desired. Taste the salad, adjust the seasonings and serve over the watercress.

Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 2 several hours ahead. Because of the salt, the vegetables and fruit will give off a lot of water, so if you don’t want the salad to be too juicy, salt shortly before serving.
If you are using the couscous, you might have to make more of the dressing. Let your taste buds decide.  

Marinated Poached Fresh Tuna with Caper and Anchovy Sauce

Are you familiar with vitello tonnato? It is composed of cold, poached veal that is thinly sliced. Then it is layered with a sauce made of canned tuna, mayonnaise, anchovies and capers. It has to marinate for at least 24 hours, during which time the flavors of tuna and veal melt and produce something that is like no other dish of meat or fish in tenderness with a sweet and tangy taste.

This dish is very similiar, only that there is no veal. The tuna is marinated in a citrus vinaigrette and comes together in a snap! It almost melts in your mouth with a light and refreshing citrus flavor.

Marinated Poached Fresh Tuna with Caper and Anchovy Sauce

(from Marcella Hazan)

1 celery rib

1 medium carrot

½ medium onion

¼ cup wine vinegar

Salt

1 lb. fresh yellowfin tuna, cut about 1 inch thick

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 to 3 flat anchovy fillets, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped capers

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon mustard

Freshly ground pepper

1. In a deep-sided skillet, combine the celery, carrot, onion, vinegar, a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 inches of water. Turn the heat to moderately high, cover and boil for 10 minutes.

2. Put in the tuna steak; when the water in the skillet returns to a boil, adjust the heat so that it simmers gently. Cover and cook the tuna until it is still pink in the center, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the garlic, anchovies and capers with the lemon juice, olive oil and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and beat with a fork to combine.

4. Remove the tuna from the skillet and pat dry. Slice it 1/2 inch thick.

5. Choose a deep glass or ceramic dish that can contain the tuna in a single layer. Lightly spread some of the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Put in the tuna slices, laying them flat, and cover with the remaining sauce, spreading it evenly. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let the tuna stand at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.

Two Cold Summer Soups

Today I have two cold soups for you. The first one is a White Gazpacho.
I have always wanted to try a White Gazpacho and my first attempt was a great success with my family. It is so rare that all four of us love a recipe equally but it was just the case with this soup. Light and refreshing, this soup makes a great dish on hot summer days. My soup turned out not to be white, but light green because I used small cucumbers and left the skin on.
I let it sit over night and found that the flavor improved over that period of time. Both soups need to be really really cold. So put your serving dishes in the fridge as well before serving the soup.

My second recipe for you is a cold tomato soup from Cooks Illustrated.  Half of the tomatoes are roasted in the oven which gives the soup an intensive sweet and aromatic flavor. There is no bread in this soup. Instead, Olive Oil is added to the pureed tomatoes which thickens the soup and gives it body.
Enjoy these soups on hot summer days and you will wish that summer never ends.

Dovetail’s White Gazpacho
Yield: 4 portions

¼ cup whites of leeks, sliced thin and washed
3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
10 green grapes, washed
¼ cup blanched almond slivers (use Marcona Almonds if you can find them)
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups cucumbers
½ cup English cucumbers, peeled and juiced
½ tablespoon sour cream
¼ cup good quality olive oil
2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon salt

1. Cook leeks in a medium-size sauté pan over medium-low heat until translucent and tender, then chill in refrigerator.

2. Combine all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. (I soaked the bread for a couple of minutes in the water first before adding everything to the blender.)

3. Season with salt, adjusting amount as needed.

4. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois.

5. Serve very cold.


CHILLED FRESH TOMATO SOUP

Chilled Fresh Tomato Soup

(Cooks Illustrated)

serves 4

• 2 lbs. tomatoes, cored
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• Pinch Cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, plus extra as needed
• Pepper (optional)

To create a chilled tomato soup recipe that produced a dish with complex flavor, we used a combination of fresh and roasted tomatoes. This gave us a dish with bright, tangy freshness as well as a deep, sweet flavor. We also used a small amount of tomato paste and lightly roasted garlic and shallot to boost the chilled tomato soup’s flavor.

1.Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray.

2.Cut 1 pound tomatoes in half horizontally and arrange cut side up on prepared baking sheet. Arrange shallot and garlic cloves in single layer over 1 area of baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove shallot and garlic cloves. Return baking sheet to oven and continue to roast tomatoes until softened but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3.Peel garlic cloves and place in blender with roasted shallot and roasted tomatoes. Cut remaining 1 pound tomatoes into eighths and add to blender along with tomato paste; paprika, if using; cayenne; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil in slow, steady stream; puree will turn orange in color.

4.Pour puree through fine-mesh strainer into nonreactive bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Stir in vinegar. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled and flavors have blended, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

5.To serve, stir soup to recombine (liquid separates on standing). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar, as needed. Ladle soup into chilled bowls, drizzle sparingly with extra oil, and grind pepper over each, if using. Serve immediately.

Saffron Chicken, Boiled Lemon and Green Bean Salad

I know that I have been posting a lot of salads lately, and yet I have one more that I need to share.. This one is absolutely incredible. One of the ingredients is a cooked lemon peel which is absolutely great with the saffron flavored chicken. Additionally, there are green beans in this salad, but no other ingredients really. Make this salad for your next party and it will for sure be a hit.

Saffron Chicken, Boiled Lemon and Green Bean Salad
(from Ellie Krieger)

Makes 4 servings

1 lemon, preferably unwaxed
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste, divided
Pinch saffron
2 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1  1/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, pounded to 1/2-inch thick
1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
Cooking spray
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper

Prick the lemon in 3 or 4 places with a fork and place in a small pot with 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes or until the lemon is very tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, mix the saffron, mint, garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Pour the marinade into a sealable plastic bag, add the chicken and let it marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Steam the green beans for 4 minutes and set aside to cool. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Preheat a large skillet or grill pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool. Cut into bite-sized chunks.

Slice the ends off of the lemon and slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp. Slice the peel thinly and then again into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, lemon, green beans and thyme. In a small bowl combine the rest of the lemon juice and the honey, whisk in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Summer Blueberry Corn Salad

Every year I look forward to summer in order to try all the new recipes that I collected over the winter. This one was on my 'to make' list for almost a year until finally I got to make it.
I tweaked the recipe a little in order to intensify the flavors. The recipe calls for the cooking of corn in water, but I baked it in the oven in foil with a little butter, salt, and pepper. It turned out to be very good. You will taste a little bit of sweet, a little bit of sour, a hint of Latin America, and it will be a little spicy.
The salad should rest overnight. I made it in the morning and served it for dinner that night. The flavors will melt wonderfully. A great dish for parties, potlucks, and barbecues.

Corn and Blueberry Salad

(from Better Homes and Gardens)


6 fresh sweet corn, husked
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cucumber, sliced
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped*
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cumin

Optional: grilled shrimp or fish for serving

In Dutch oven bring salted water to boiling. Add corn. Cook, covered, 5 minutes, or until tender. When cool enough to handle, cut corn from cobs. (I baked the corn in foil at 425 F for 30 minutes)

In a serving bowl combine corn, blueberries, cucumber, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno. For dressing, in screw-top jar combine lime juice, oil, honey, cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover; shake well to combine. Add to salad; toss. Cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 24 hours). Makes 6 to 8 servings

Spaghetti Nizza

When I was looking for an easy and quick pasta sauce that didn't require too much preparation and that I hadn't made already a couple of times I stumbled upon this recipe from "On top of Spaghetti..."

Fresh tomatoes are combined with tuna, black olives, capers and herbs and the mixture is tossed with olive oil and lemon juice. The preparation was done in a couple of minutes and it tasted absolutely great. Just the right thing to cook on a day when you don't feel like preparing a complicated meal. 

Spaghetti Nizza

(serves 4)

2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to toss with pasta

1 1/2 cups best-quality canned tuna packed in olive oil, drained

1 t dried oregano, crushed between your fingers

2 t finely chopped fresh oregano

1 to 2 fresh hot peppers, seeded and chopped, or 1/8 to 1/4 t cayenne

1 t capers packed in salt, rinsed, dried, and finely chopped

16 black oil-cured olives, pitted and chopped

2 T finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 small cooked and peeled potatoes, cut into 1/4 inch dice (1 cup) (I left them out)

1 pound dried spaghetti

Lemon wedges (optional)

Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the tuna, dried and fresh oregano, hot pepper, capers, olives and parsley. Add the potatoes and toss to combine. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Generously slat the water and drop in the pasta. Cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain the spaghetti, reserving a scant cup of cooking water.

Toss the pasta in a large, warmed bowl with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to moisten and coat the spaghetti. Add to potato-tuna mixture and toss well. Serve right away in warmed bowls. Pass lemon wedges at the table to spritz more juice over the spaghetti if you like

Green Couscous

Since it seems that spring has already arrived in Chicago (something very unusual here at this time of the year), the time for stews and heavy soups came to an end...
In order to welcome this early arrival of spring I decided to make this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi. It is a simple couscous dish with lots of different herbs. The savory component of spring onion and green chile is balanced with sweet caramelized onions. The dish tastes so fresh that it always leaves you wanting more! I made it with Israeli couscous that I cooked for 10 minutes (instead of the smaller version of couscous) and loved it that way.

Green Couscous

(Yotam Ottolenghi)

Ingredients

• 1 cup couscous
• 3/4 cup boiling water or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 
  
• Herb Paste

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped

• 3 scallions, finely sliced
• 1 fresh green chile, such as jalapeno, finely sliced
• 1 1/2 cups arugula leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Place couscous in a large bowl and add boiling water or stock. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion; cook, stirring, until golden and soft. Add salt and cumin; stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Herb Paste

1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth, scraping down the sides and adding more oil as necessary.
2. Uncover couscous and stir in herb paste, using a fork to fluff. Add onion mixture, pistachios, scallions, chile, and arugula; gently mix to combine. Serve at room temperature.

What to do with Corn

The season of fresh corn is almost over but I still have to tell you about this easy and amazing recipe. Maybe you will bookmark it for next year's season. Fresh corn cobs are baked in the oven with husk and all, then stripped and roasted in a pan until golden, soft and tender. The dish is finished with grated Manchego cheese (I had only Parmesan cheese and it was still great), chile and lime juice. The combination of the lime juice, cheese and chile gave this dish and intense blast of flavor.

Roasted Corn with Manchego

Jean-Georges Vongerichten
serves 8

Ingredients

• 6 ears of sweet yellow corn, unhusked
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, finely diced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 cup finely grated Manchego cheese
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced chives
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 450°. Roast unhusked corn on a baking sheet, turning occasionally, until heated through and crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Shuck corn and cut kernels from cobs. Discard cobs.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add corn kernels and sauté until heated through and light-golden in spots, 3-5 minutes. Add butter; stir until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer corn to a large wide bowl or deep platter; sprinkle jalapeño and crushed red pepper flakes over. Squeeze lime wedges over; sprinkle with cheese, chives, and lime zest. Serve immediately.

Bye, bye Summer Salads

Fall is almost here and before the tomato season is totally over you have to give one of these fresh salads a try. One of them has a very mediterranean touch to it with kapers, olives, lots of herbs and anchovies. I burned my vinegar reduction a little and didn't want to make it again, so I just drizzled some balsamic vinegar over the finished salad and I think it was as great as with the balsamic reduction.

The other salad has an Indian touch. Tomatoes are paired with pieces of juicy mango and the vinegraitte is spiced with coriander, clove powder, mango juice and lemon juice. These salads will really make you miss the summer...

MANGO AND BABY TOMATO SALAD

(Bal Arneson)

serves 4

• Dressing
• ¼ cup mango juice (I took orange juice)
• 3 tablespoons flaxseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Pinch coriander powder
• Pinch clove powder
• Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Salad
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
• ¼ cup minced red onion
• 1 cup baby tomatoes (cherry or grape), cut in half
• 1 cup ripe mango chunks
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the mango juice, oil, lemon juice, coriander, clove powder, salt, and pepper together in the bottom of a salad bowl. Add the mint, onion, tomatoes, mango, and cilantro and toss well. Taste the dressing and season again with salt, and pepper, if necessary. Let the dressing sit for 5 minutes before serving.

ROMAN SUMMER SALAD

(Giada de Laurentis)

serves  4

• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup pitted green and black olives, halved
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 8 fresh basil leaves, shredded
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)

1.Cook the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until thick, syrupy, and measuring 1/4 cup, about 20       minutes. Set aside to cool.

2.Combine the olives, parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and toss to combine.

3.To serve, slice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place, slightly overlapping, on a serving plate. Spoon the olive and parsley mixture over the tomatoes. Drizzle the reduced balsamic over the salad and serve.

Corn Chowder

Like most of Cooks Illustrated recipes this soup is a little bit more time consuming than other recipes, but the result is so incredibly delicious that you shouldn't hesitate a minute to invest the extra time. You will be rewarded with a sweet and aromatic soup, not a flour and cream heavy kind of soup, but light and full of sweet corn flavor. You will get the best result if the corn for this soup is very fresh and juicy.

CORN CHOWDER

From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Starting our Lighter Corn Chowder recipe with sautéed bacon lent our base a sweet smokiness. Dialing back on the dairy allowed the fresh corn flavor to come through. To make up for the body that our Lighter Corn Chowder lacked after losing most of the dairy, we pureed a portion of the chowder in a blender. Highlighting the corn was the ultimate goal of our Lighter Corn Chowder recipe. To do this, we made a homemade corn broth using the juice from the cobs after stripping them of their kernels. (less)

SERVES 6
Be careful to remove only the part of the corn kernel sticking out of the cob; cutting deeper will pull off fibrous material. Yukon gold potatoes can be substituted for the red potatoes, minced chives for the basil. Depending on the sweetness of your corn, the finished chowder may need to be seasoned with sugar.

INGREDIENTS
8ears corn , husks and silk removed
3tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion , chopped fine
4slices bacon , halved lengthwise then cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1/4cup all-purpose flour
5cups water
3/4pound red potatoes , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1cup half-and-half
Sugar
3tablespoons chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Using chef’s knife or corn stripper, cut kernels from corn; transfer to bowl and set aside (you should have 5 to 6 cups kernels). Holding cobs over second bowl, use back of butter knife to firmly scrape any remaining pulp on cobs into bowl (you should have 2 to 2 1/2 cups pulp). Transfer pulp to center of clean kitchen towel set in medium bowl. Wrap towel tightly around pulp and squeeze tightly until dry. Discard pulp in towel and set corn juice aside (you should have about 2/3 cup juice).

2. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, bacon, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and edges are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add water and bring to boil. Add corn kernels and potatoes. Return to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes have softened, 15 to 18 minutes.

3. Process 2 cups chowder in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return puree to chowder; add half-and-half and return to simmer. Remove pot from heat and stir in reserved corn juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and up to 1 tablespoon sugar. Serve, sprinkling with basil.

Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho

Are you looking for a nice refreshment on a hot summer day that is even simpler than a gazpacho? This soup is a mix between a smoothie and soup. It is simply prepared in a blender and suprises with a flavorful mix of watermelon and tomato. Feel free to add tiny Olive Oil Croutons, slivered basil, mint, or
edible flowers as a garnish.

Watermelon and Tomato Soup
(adapted from The New Spanish Table from Anya from Bremzen)


4 cups cubed seedless watermelon, about 1 1/4 pounds
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
1/4 cup fragrant extra-vergin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup chopped celery (2 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Finely slivered basil, for garnish


Working in two batches, purée all of the ingredients except the garnish in a blender for two minutes or longer until frothy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, making sure you have used enough salt and lemon juice for a vivid flavor. Transfer to a bowl, and chill for several hours. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle the soup into pretty glasses, drizzle olive oil on top, and serve sprinkled with basil.

Yield: Four to six regular servings, or 8 to 12 aperitifs.

Advance preparation: You can serve this soup the day after you make it. Leftovers are good for two or three days.

Spanish Tapas - Tomato Bread and Chocolate Bread

CATALAN TOMATO BREAD

I have to tell you about this amazing snack that you eat in Catalunya all the time. A Catalan meal is unimaginable without a slice of bread rubbed with a tomato half and drizzled with good fruity olive oil. It is served in Spain as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is called pan tostado con tomate or pa amb tomaquet and has almost achieved the status of a Catalan national dish.
Sometimes it is topped with anchovies, cheese or ham, so feel free to add this to the bread if you like.

Catalan Tomato Bread
(The New Spanish Table)

1 piece (9 to 10 inches long and at least 2 inches in diameter
dense, chewy baguette, cut in half lengthwise
Fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves (optional), cut in half
1 large ripe but firm tomato, cut in half crosswise
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

1. Light the grill and preheat it to medium or preheat the broiler.

2. Brush the cut side of each baguette half very lighly with olive oil and rub it with garlic, if using.
Grill or broil the bread until golden, about 45 seconds, watching out that it doesn't burn around the edges.

3. When the bread is just cool enough to handle, rub the cut side of each half with the cut side of a tomato half, pressing down on the tomato to extract some of the pulp. Drizzle more olive oil over the bread and sprinkle it with salt. Cut each baguette in half on the diagonal into roughly 1 1/4 inch pieces and serve at once.
serves 4


CHOCOLATE TOSTADA WITH OLIVE OIL AND SALT

Catalan people love to mix sweet and salty flavors. I do too, and when I first tasted this incredible bread I was in chocolate heaven. Combining bread, melted dark chocolate, salt, and olive oil is a Catalan tradition and is fun and unusual.

Try it and see for yourself why the combination of these flavors is so irresistible. Serve it for breakfast, tea, or as a dessert

Chocolate Tostada with Olive Oil and Flaky Salt
Tostada de chocolate con aceite de olivia
(The New Spanish Table)
serves 4 - 6


5 to 6 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 % cacao), grated
1 piece (9 to 10 inces long and least 2 inches in diameter) dense, chewy baguette, cut in half lenghtwise
fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and melt it over simmering water. (or do it in the microwave.

3. Brush the cut side of each baguette half very lightly with olive oil. Broil the bread until golden, watching out that it doesn't burn around the edges. (Alternatively, you can toast the bread.)

4. Spread the cut side of each baguette half with the melted chocolate, drizzle a little olive oil over the chocolate, and judiciously sprinkle it with salt. Cut each baguette half on the diagonal into roughly 1 1/4 inch pieces and serve at once.

Espresso Granita

Here is a very inexpensive dessert using espresso, sugar, and amaretto called Granita. Granita is a semi-frozen dessert, similar to a sorbet with a grainy texture. It is easily made in a pan in the freezer and perfect for a hot summer day. No ice cream maker or special tools are needed!

Espresso Granita
serves 2

Ingredients
200 ml hot espresso or strong coffee
30 ml amaretto
35 - 40 g brown sugar

Decoration
shaved chocolate or whipped cream



Directions

Combine all the ingredients and stir until sugar melts. Let cool. Pour mixture into a container that can go into the freezer.
To speed up the process, chill the bowl or tray before adding the liquid. The wider the tray, the faster the mix will  freeze. Cover the bowl and freeze for 30 minutes. When ice crystals begin to form at the edges, gently scrape the mixture with a fork. Continue to stir and scrape every 30 minutes or so. Once the mixture is thoroughly frozen, fluff with a fork and allow flakes to freeze another half hour before serving. Serve with shaved chocolate or whipped cream.

Fava Bean Summer Salad

Fava Beans are, despite their name, a member of the pea family and very popular in the Mediterranean cuisine. They are at their peak in July and have a lovely, nutty flavor, a slight bitterness and creamy texture. They are great steamed and served with olive oil, salt, lemon and parmesan. They can also be added to soups and pastas or ground into purees. Although they should be shelled and pealed before eating, there is no need to do this if you can find tiny Baby Fava Beans. Those are especially tender and are also sold frozen.

Fava Bean Summer Salad
serves 2 - 4


3 small onions
100 g bacon
300 g baby fava beans, fresh or frozen
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
sherry or red wine vinegar
1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel and dice the onion. Dice the bacon into small pieces. If you are using fresh, regular sized Fava Beans, cook them in salted water until almost tender. Drain, peel and set aside. If you are using frozen Beans, prepare them as indicated on the package.

Heat very little of the olive oil in a pan. Add the bacon and fry on very low heat for approximately 4 minutes. Add the onions and let fry for another 6 to 8 minutes or until golden and crisp. Take the mixture out of the pan and put on paper towels.

Then add the beans to the same pan and let cook for a couple of minutes until the beans are tender.
Let cool slightly then add the tomatoes. Taste with the vinegar, a little olive oil and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and the onion mixture and serve warm or cold.