Heirloom Tomato Pasta

Sometimes the simplest things are the best.  You could stand all day at the stove, stirring a simmering pot of tomato sauce.  Or you could whip this up in the time it takes to boil the water for your pasta.  Of course, you need some really flavourful tomatoes. You can find some great old-fashioned tomato varieties at most nurseries if you're up for growing your own, or you can buy a mix of tomatoes at a farm market (or even at the grocery store).  This is a great use for ugly or less-than-perfect tomatoes since you chop them all up anyway.  The inspiration for this recipe comes from pasta genius Ross Patterson, aka The Noodle Guy.  Ross worked as a waiter in the early days of Union Street Cafe but he couldn't keep his nose out of the kitchen and we just loved him for it.  If I remember correctly, his version included a touch of anchovy. 

What makes this particular sauce so unusually delicious is that the tomatoes are essentially raw.  Barely cooked by the heat of the pasta, their sensual flavours bloom.  When I made this for myself last week, I added some fresh herbs that I collected by flashlight from my ridiculously overgrown garden and left out the anchovies because I didn't have any.  Locally grown, quality garlic will certainly make this all the better.

 This time last year: Grilled Summer Vegetables

Heirloom Tomato Pasta for 2

1 lb. mixed ripe Tomatoes, cut in 1" pieces (halve any cherry tomatoes)
2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 t. Salt
1 juicy clove minced Garlic
2 T. slivered Red Onion
2 T. chopped fresh Basil
2 T. chopped fresh Parsley
1/2 of a 375 g. box Whole Wheat Spaghetti or Spaghettini
Freshly ground Pepper and Parmesan Cheese, for serving

Combine the tomatoes, oil, salt, garlic, onion and herbs in a bowl.  Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta.  Cook until just tender, then drain.  Put the tomato mixture into the still-warm pot, then add the hot pasta.  Return to the turned off burner for a moment before tossing the whole glorious mess together.  Divide between bowls, adding generous grinds of pepper and Parmesan cheese to each serving.

Creamy Peach and Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil

This time last year:  Zucchini Muffins and Zucchini with Olive Oil, Garlic and Parmesan

This soup doesn't have a story.  It's just what results when you're driving to work with a bushel box of peaches from the Peach Pit Farm Market in the front seat and an enormous basket of fresh basil from your Dad's garden in the back.  Before you know it, you're standing in the kitchen making a soup that's even better than you hoped it might be....

 

Creamy Peach and Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil

2 T. Butter
1 Onion, diced
4 Ripe Peaches, diced
8 C. diced fresh Tomatoes or 2 Cans  Tomatoes (540 ml each), pureed
1 t. Salt
3 C. Chicken or Vegetable Stock or Water
1 C. Cream (optional)
1/4 C. Fresh Chopped Basil

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat and add the onion.  Cook and stir until the onion is tender, about ten minutes. Don't let it brown too much!  Stir in the peaches, tomatoes, salt and stock.  Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for twenty minutes or so.  Stir in the cream if using, and the basil.  If you like, use an immersion blender to smooth the soup out a bit, though a few discernible chunks of peach are lovely.  Taste for salt, and serve.  This soup is great hot, at room temperature, or cold.  Chill to store.

Niçoise-Inspired Potato Salad

This time last year: Raspberry-Blueberry Shortcakes and Blueberry Gumbo

 

 August is my favourite month for eating!  Mostly right now I'm gorging on the huge raspberries at Gatehill Farm, finding new uses for Swiss Chard daily and eyeing my garden for the first ripe tomatoes. At Nova Scotian farm markets it is high season for cucumbers, broccoli, green and yellow and Roma beans, kale, basil and the first carrots and potatoes.  With all this abundance, it is our duty to get into the kitchen and whip up some delicious, indulgent, once-a-year high-summer meals!  With that in mind, I give you this lovely potato salad.  Nicoise Salad is a classic French salad, usually "composed", meaning that all the ingredients are beautifully arranged.  It contains potatoes, beans, tuna, eggs, capers, olives, sometimes anchovies, and fresh herbs dressed with vinaigrette.  This is a simplified version, though you could certainly add any of what I've left out.  I love how the yolk of the egg enriches the simple dressing.

Niçoise-Inspired Potato Salad

3 lb. small New Potatoes
4 Eggs
1 lb. Green or Yellow Beans, trimmed and snapped in half
4 T. Olive Oil
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 clove Garlic
2 T. Dijon Mustard
1/4 t. Salt
Freshly ground Pepper
1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
1/2 C. slivered Red Onion
1/4 C. Chopped Parsley
2 Cans Tuna, left in chunks (optional)
Handful of fresh Basil, shredded (optional)

Cut the potatoes in half if they are larger than 1" and place in a pot with the eggs and 2 t. salt.  Add cold water to cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and fill the pot with cold water to cool the eggs and potatoes quickly, then drain.  Steam or boil the beans until just tender.  Peel the eggs and cut into eighths.  Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, and plenty of pepper in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, beans, eggs, tomatoes, red onion and parsley and toss well in the dressing.  Taste for seasoning, then add the optional tuna and toss again gently.  Top with the basil if using, and another good grind of pepper.  This is lovely served right away, while still slightly warm, or
chilled in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Veggies at Keji

Lyss at our Kejimkujik Kitchen

We went camping last week. That's why I've been missing. We left for Kejimkujik National Park on Saturday and didn't return until Thursday afternoon. That's a lot of advance food planning, and a long time to keep a cooler cold. Camping at Keji has been a longstanding tradition with my family, my parents taking my sister and I nearly every year when we were kids. As I've told you, my mom is an excellent and adventurous cook, and cooking over a campstove in the middle of the woods with no running water is not going to deter her from making exactly what she wants, be it Coconut Curry with Cauliflower and Dhal, or Hodge Podge, or fresh Guacomole. This, after all, is the woman who has made risotto (for the first time!) during a power outage caused by a snow storm raging outside, using the same stove and hoping for the best as far as carbon monoxide goes.

I'm my mother's daughter, so I had to have a few essentials: Pepper Grinder, Homemade Granola Bars, Lobster, Pesto, Chocolate, Fresh Dates, Blueberries, Raspberries, Kale, Swiss Chard, New Potatoes, many Zucchini, Fresh Basil, Cilantro, Peanut Ginger Baked Tofu, Curry Sauce from the Cafe, Tomatoes, Lemons, Toasted Almonds and Cashews, a Baguette, some Pesto Hummus (my new invention), Roasted Eggplant, Mango Chutney, Bananas, Garlic, and of course, Sweet Thai Chili Sauce. And some hot dogs. I didn't panic when I discovered that I forgot the Parmagiano and a little cheese grater, because I knew my mother would show up with both.
My cousin Melyssa and my sister Meagan were among my camping companions, along with husbands, children, and an ever-changing roster of dear friends new and old. We did a little advance planning to cooperate on meals and Melyssa and I spent a few hours preparing some of the longer-cooking, more complicated menu items at home. My garden was exploding, so I did my best to hold it at bay by cramming many more vegetables than we could possibly eat into our cooler.

That first night, we enjoyed my Chicken and Vegetable Curry with Melyssa's Dhal and some Naan bread that she toasted over the flames, along with amazing Samosas my friend Melissa brought along. The meals all week continued in the same way. Every evening at dinner time, we laughed at ourselves for being so ridiculous, but also felt gratitude for being in the company of others who find such pleasure in these small luxuries. After all, we've got to eat! Might as well make it good.

Peanut Ginger Baked Tofu

Wrap this up with veggies, basil and cilantro and Thai Chili Sauce for a wonderful wrap, or serve it with steamed vegetables and rice. The tofu keeps for a week or two in the fridge, or forever in the freezer.

2 lb. Tofu (if you live here, use Acadiana!)
2 T. Peanut Butter
3 inch piece of Ginger
8 cloves Garlic
½ C. Soy Sauce
½ C. Canola Oil
½ C. Sugar
1 T. Sesame Oil
Blend everything except the tofu in the food processor. Cut the tofu in 1x2 inch pieces, and place on a baking sheet. Pour marinade over and bake at 350 until crispy...but not burned, about 25 minutes.


Granola Bars that are Good for You

This is a very flexible recipe-the last 7 ingredients can be changed up as you see fit. Try dried apricots, figs, dates, dried cherries or dried blueberries for the fruit. Cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts, really anything goes for the nuts. Just do not omit the chocolate. My daughter insists it is key to the success of this recipe.

1/2 C. Peanut Butter (or half Peanut and half Almond Butter)
1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Milk or Soy Milk
1/2 C. Honey
2 T. Oil
2 t. Vanilla
3/4 C. Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 C. Plain Soy Protein Powder (Look in the health food section or substitute whole wheat flour)
1 1/2 C. Oatmeal
1 t. Baking Soda
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 C. Raisins
1/2 C. Dried Cranberries (Terra Beata uses NS Fruit)
1 C. Chocolate Chips
1/2 C. Chopped Almonds
1/2 C. Ground Flax Seed or Sesame Seeds
1/2 C. Sunflower Seeds
1/2 C. Coconut

Grease a standard size cookie sheet with canola oil. Combine everything in a large bowl and mix well, then pack evenly into the pan. Use wet hands to smooth it down, then bake at 325 for 20 minutes. Cool for about half an hour, then cut into 32 bars. Freeze in an airtight container. These are great straight from the freezer, so hide them well. They will also keep for at least a week on your next camping trip, or in the glove box, or your gym bag.


Pesto Hummus

This is way easy if you have pesto, and really yummy, too!

1 Can Chick Peas, drained
2 T. Lemon Juice
1/4 C. Pesto

Throw this all in the food processor and blend, adding water as necessary, until smooth. Scrape it into a serving dish, or divide into 1 Cup plastic containers and freeze. The top will discolour quickly from the pesto, but stir it up just before serving and you will find it deelish!

PS My Mom and Dad wrote a great song about camping at Kejimkujik with deluxe food and the company of raccoons. They are famously clever at Keji and they always manage to get something, no matter how careful you are! Here are the lyrics, as my special bonus to you. Sing it to any tune you want, or buy a copy of the Lustre Brothers CD Live at the Whittle at the Cafe.


RACCOON BLUES
© Anna & Don Osburn 1994

Raccoon raid on our camp last night
Raccoons came, took everything in sight
Took my fresh-made pesto and a cheesecake, too
But they left the avocado, guess they didn’t know what to do

CHORUS:
With the avocado, the tequila, and the lime
I think they would’ve figured it out, if they only had the time
Well, the scene bordered on the bizarre
Some might say it was sublime
I saw `em feastin’ in the moonlight
Gettin’ mellow on my wine.

We had a merry little band of masked marauders
Every one one of them a sophisticated robber
Broke into the cooler with skill and ease
Solved a combination lock, and absconded with the cheese....

CHORUS:
But they left the avocado.... etc.


Breakfast this morning was kind of lean,
`Cause the raccoons left us with low cuisine
No bagels, no bacon, took the brandied jam
Now guacamole and a shot glass are lookin’ like the plan....

CHORUS:
`Cause they left the avocado.... etc

Basil

When I was young, a friend of my dad's would often roar up from Delaware on his bike, blast into our lives for a week, and make everything interesting for a while. Often with a new pretty girlfriend in tow, Redz would soak up a year's worth of Nova Scotian life, telling ridiculous jokes, making my dad swear more than usual, and cooking. He also had a lot of energy for my sister Meagan and I, referring to us mostly as Rug Rat and Linoleum Lizard, names he had given us as infants. He drew us silly pictures and took us for rides on his motorcycle. Once he answered the phone with his Delaware accent, and the person on the other end thought they had dialed Luigi's, the pizza place in town. “Do you guys have turkey subs?” the poor sucker asked. “Well, we do”, he said, “only problem is, them turkeys are still runnin' 'round out back. Ain't had time to kill 'em today!”
Whether Redz introduced us to pesto or not is of some debate. I know he did, my mom isn't sure. Anyway, my mom was really into her herb garden at the time, and since basil is the queen of herbs, it was held in high esteem. She would sprinkle shreds of it on a tomato and mozzarella salad, and stir it chopped into green beans stewed with garlic and tomatoes. However we discovered pesto, even as kids, Meagan and I were hooked.
More recently, I've been including basil in wraps with baked peanut tofu and as a garnish for Pad Thai. I'm also growing Thai Basil this year, which has a hint of licorice flavour, and Ruben Basil, which is dark purple and makes a shocking pink herb vinegar. Basil is amazing in a grilled pineapple salad, and in my favourite sandwich: Just toast two slices of good bread, rub it with a cut garlic clove and a smear of mayonnaise. Top one with thick slices of tomato and whole basil leaves, then put on the top. Cut in half and devour!
Basil is easily frozen. Just strip off the leaves, put them in a food processor with about 1/4 C. olive oil to each 8 cups basil leaves. Pulse until well chopped, then transfer to small bags and freeze.

Pesto

Here is a good basic pesto recipe, one you can freeze in small bags for a taste of summer anytime!
8 C. loosely packed Basil
8 Cloves Garlic
½ C. Sunflower seeds
½ teaspoon Salt
1 ½ C. Olive Oil
2 C. Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (I use Holmestead)

In a food processor, pulse all but the cheese until smooth. Stir in the cheese by hand. Package into small freezer bags and freeze. Pesto can also be stored in the fridge for a week or two. Make sure to tamp down the solids so there is a good layer of oil on top.


Green Beans with Tomato and Basil

1 T. Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large Tomatoes, chopped (or half a 28 oz can)
1 lb. Green Beans, steamed or boiled until just tender
1/4 to 1/2 C. chopped Basil

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and beginning to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they have broken down into a sauce-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and basil, along with salt and pepper to taste, and let cook a few more minutes. This dish is great hot or at room temperature.

Thai Pork Burgers

1 lb. Ground Pork (we love Meadowbrook!)
1 t. Salt
1 T. Fish Sauce
1 T. Sugar
1/2 C. chopped Basil
2 cloves minced Garlic
1/2 C. chopped Green Onion, optional

Combine everything in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties, or for cute mini burgers, form into 12 patties. Grill or panfry until no longer pink in the centre. Serve with Sweet Chili Sauce and sprigs of Cilantro, Red Onion slices, Mayonnaise and whatever else suits your fancy!