Five Years Without The Chef

It's been five years since we lost the master chef, my Mom. I still miss her - her culinary advice and her joy in discovering new places to  food shop and eat. She has been on my mind a lot these last few weeks as I esplore new farms and shops.

My Mom would have loved Terhune Farms in Princeton and probably would have liked a sip of their many wines instead of cider. Apple butter would have been on her list of must buys along with a good crusty bread to spread it upon. She would have been intrgued by the Asisan food Market I just visited down in Pmainsboro. How she would have felt about seeing th elive fish would have prompred a few remarks about capturing animals to cook them (although she was no vegan or even vegetarian, she did not like the idea of seeing animals suffering). The endless aisles of all sorts of Asian and Indian foods may have made an impression and I know she would have definitely bought cellophane noodles for  one of her signature dishes , a take on the Szechuan ants climbing a tree. This was always a favorite in our house, with ground beef, and later soy crumbles sauteed with scallions and cooked clear rice noodles.The endless shelves of teas would have also caught her fancy and I'm sure we would have brought home a few boxes.

As for some of my new dishes - I hoped she would have liked my  air  fried zucchini boats. She loved zucchini and tryung this way with bread crumbs and tomatoes would have also appealed to her. It's reminiscent of our family dish tomatoes provencale. She may have made ti with variations such as a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese or added the soy crumbles to the filling.she may have suggested air frying zucchini slices or coins until they're crisp for a fun side with hamburgers. How would she have dealt with the new barbecue? This is the most luxurious we've ever bought so she would be engrossed in not only barbecuing but also smoking a variety of different meats. It definitely would have cooked whole Cornish hens and possibly London Broil along with the usual hot dogs and hamburgers. She may have liked Mexican street corn or eliote and she wouldhave put her own spin on it. The ears would be brushed with butter, roasted and then sprinkled with Parmesan and maybe some oregano.

Five years is a short time in the eternal spin of things. However it is too long without her.So much has happened, so many places she would have liked visiting and so many new recipes she would have loved trying.

The Bounties of Summer

It's still summer despite the fact that many are falling forward in time. We can still grill outdoors. We still can enjoy fresh veggies. This is the time to take advantage of both in flavorful exotic dishes..

Both Melissa Clark and David Tanis did just so in their individual columns in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Ms. Clark wrote about Mexican street corn in her A Good Appetite column. This is a great recipe for those ho love corn but are tired of the traditional boiled then slathered with butter or margarine. The corn is first grilled for only seven to ten minutes, giving it a subtle smoky flavor.The ears can be grilled longer for a deeper, almost charred flavor.It also increases the crunch. They're then slathered with a mixture of mayonnaise blended with lime zest, ancho chili powder salt and pepper. You could sub in butter for the mayo if you want or to appease those purists. The Mexican cotija cheese is then crumbled over it .Feta or ricotta salata cheese can be subbed in if the first can't be found .(although Amazon and Walmart do carry it. also look in any nearby Latin American grocery).Chopped cilantro is also sprinkled on. Ms. Clark suggests that guests slather on their own mayo and toppings, adjusting the recipe to individual tastesThe kernels can also be sliced off and served in a bowl with the spiced mayo and toppings.

It's not just corn that's in abundance right now.There are still tomatoes and peppers along with squash and okra. David Tanis turns to North Africa in his A City Kitchen column, He actually adds corn to couscous along with butter and saffron,cinnamon and turmeric. The stew is a tasty melange of the traditional such as chickpeas,along with two kinds of onions, the red and the small yellow kind. Zucchini,  okra, tomatoes and a variety of different peppers round it out.Home chefs can use any kind , from the colorful bells, cubanelle, gypsy or corno del toro. Cumin and coriander are added as well as paprika and pepper flakes to give it a Moroccan flair,There is also a non traditional  pesto to be drizzled on later. It's not basil but chopped cilantro mixed with serrano chiles also spiced with more cumin and garlic cloves. Lime juice is added for some more zing,The trick to a tasty couscous is cooking it slowly, until they're soft to eat with a spoon, It's cooked in a Dutch oven for fifteen minutes which give home chefs time to create the pesto. Mr. Tanis recommends serving in large wide bowls or deep plates. Have a rose alongside this exotic dish or for more authenticity iced mint tea.

It may be September but it's still summer, ripe with harvests. Take advantage of what the garden and farmer's markets have to offer.They can be turned into exotic and delicious dishes.