Fried Zucchini Flowers with Goat Cheese

I love Zucchini blossoms! They're just so beautiful and such a marker of summertime. I usually batter them up but wanted something just a little lighter, so I turned to Mario and, as always, he hooked me up with this delicious, easy-peasy recipe. You can see a little of the filling oozing out of the blossoms above. They browned up just beautifully. I didn't even make the sauce (though it sounds amazing!). Just added a little Fleur de Sel and they were good to go! 

Fried Zucchini Flowers with Goat Cheese

Fiori di Zucca Fritti

Serves 4

12 Zucchini flowers

1 cup fresh goat cheese, or soft goat cheese (I used ricotta since that's what I had on hand)

1 large egg

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound golden or yellow tomatoes or golden cherry tomatoes roughly chopped

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Gently open the zucchini flowers and remove the stamens (and any bugs)

In a small bowl, stir together the cheese, egg, scallions nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Using a small spoon - stuff each blossom with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling. Set aside.

Combine tomates, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, the vinegar, basil leaves and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer set over a bowl and set aside.

Preheat the over to 200ºF. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick sauté pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Place 4 flowers into the pan and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining 2 batches.

Arrange 3 blossoms on each plate. Drizzle with the tomato dressing and sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately.

Chicken Thighs with Snap Peas and Agliata

We were in NYC recently, and B had the opportunity to check out Eataly. It was a magical experience and renewed his love for all things Mario Batali. When we got home, we turned to one our favorite books to whip up a batch of grilled chicken. The garlicky bread crumbs get so beautifully crispy when grilled slowly - oh - I think I'm starting to drool just thinking about them.

Chicken Thighs with Snap Peas and Agliata

Serves 6

12 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 salt-packed anchovies, filleted, rinsed and patted dry, or 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley 

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 shallots, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 pound snap peas, blanched in boiling water until just bright green, chilled in an ice bath and drained

Olio Piccante for drizzling

Combine the garlic, 1/2 cup of the oil, the anchovies, parsley, and bread crumbs in a food processor and zap until smoothish.

Put the chicken thighs in a large bowl and sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture, turning to coat well. Arrange in a single layer on a platter and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for indirect grilling.

Place the chicken thighs skinned side up on the cooler part of the grill, cover the grill and grill - turning once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan over medium  heat (note: I used a lot less oil than this - so adjust as you wish). Add the shallots and anchovy paste and cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the snap peas and cook, stirring, just until heated through. Transfer the snap peas to a platter and set aside.

Arrange the thighs on top of the snap peas and serve with a drizzle of the olio piccante.

Modern Quilting

So - I'm not the fastest quilter in the world. Looking back on my original post for this quilt it would appear this one has taken me over a year. But, I get distracted by other projects like quilts for new babies or my nieces. And then there's the matter of those circles, which were a pain to sew together. This quilt is for us - a first! - and I've decided to go all modern, quilting in simple straight lines. I'm actually sort of proud of it. Who knows, I might even finish it before summer is over. 

Peach Jam

Who knew that peaches have "almonds" in their pits? I know. I can feel you rolling your eyes. Yup. I've sunk to a new level of cooking ridiculousness. Not only did I peel, chop and pit pounds and pounds of peaches for my latest batch of jam, but I grabbed a hammer, went outside and cracked every last one of them to extract the nuts. Don't blame me. Blame Rachel Saunders. 

Normally, I would be skeptical of any recipe calling for a hammer, not to mention grabbing branches and leaves fresh off the tree and steeping them into the jam. But, after making many recipes from Blue Chair Fruit, I have to say that this is hands down the best batch of jam I've ever made. Happy peach season!

Peach Crisp

Our neighbors have a peach tree and we love them for it! This time of year they are just bursting forth and besides making jam, my favorite way to enjoy them is in a crisp. Really - it's all about the brown sugar and the crispy chewy oats on top. Oh, and the butter. Serve warm, topped with ice cream. If you're feeling super decadent, drizzle heavy cream over top instead. It's dessert after all!


Peach Crisp
For the topping:
2/3 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, chopped (optional)

For the filling:
8-10 Peaches, peeled, and sliced into thick chunks
1 tablespoon flour
a dash of sugar

Preheat oven to 375º. Combine first 5 ingredients for filling in a medium bowl. Add butter and cut in using a pastry blender or working quickly between your fingertips until mixture begins to clump together. Add in hazelnuts. Cover and chill.

Place peach chunks in a glass baking dish (8x8x2 inch) and toss with the flour and a light sprinkling of sugar. The peaches will cook down a lot - so don't be afraid to pile them almost to the edge. Sprinkle topping evenly over filling in dish, covering completely. 

Bake until fruit is tender, juice is bubbling thickly around sides and topping begins to brown slightly (about 40 minutes). 

Transfer to rack and cool 15-30 minutes. Serve warm.

Lamb Burgers

Our friends Heather and Paul shared this recipe with us years ago. We haven't found a better recipe. Ever. Excellent with a slab of juicy tomato or crumbled feta on top. Enjoy!

H & P's Lamb Burgers

1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons fresh mint
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
1 teaspoon sherry
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and knead to incorporate. Form into patties and grill as desired. 

Cucumber and Radish Salad with Mint and Feta

My friend Lorraine is a ridiculously wonderful cook and I am forever in her debt for many recipes, such as avocado sandwiches - which completely changed my life. This little gem of a salad falls in the same category. It's so simple, and captures the essence of summer. The key is shaving the cucumbers and radishes as thinly as possible. For that, I have to thank my friend Jenn, who for once gave me a Benriner, easily one of my all time favorite birthday gifts, and most useful kitchen tool ever.

Cucumber and Radish Salad with Mint and Feta

Ingredients:
2-3 small persian cucumbers
handful of radishes
generous handful fresh mint leaves
feta (I like French)
red wine vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Thinly slice the cucumbers and radishes, chiffonade the mint and toss together in a large bowl with a splash of red wine vinegar and generous drizzle of olive oil. Add salt, freshly ground pepper and crumbled feta. Toss again gently, adjusting seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

Zig-zagging along

I'm very excited to report that I will soon be an Auntie for the 5th (!) time. Another niece is on the way!!! So naturally, a quilt must be made. My friend Emanuela turned me onto this pattern and I am really excited about it. Not only is it super cute, but it's also a great use of scraps in my stash. Woo hoo!