A Hot Summer Soup

Even though we're gliding towards summer, we can still enjoy some cold weather dishes. That includes a minestrone.This is not one , made for snowy days  but one that's a nice repast after a hot day , whether at work or at the beach. Like Tuesday's column all it takes is updating it to make a dish perfect for now.

This was the premise of David Tanis column A City Kitchen in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. He takes one of the heaviest soups , minestrone and lightens up for hearty summer dining. How does he do so? By subbing in fish broth for beef or chicken stock. Making fish stock is easy Take the bones from any meaty white fish  and rinse them well. You should have two pounds of bones by now and then cook them for half an hour with eight cups of water. Mr. Tanis recommend add ing an onion for more flavor. After cooking then just strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer.

As with minestrone, you can use more onions , celery and carrots. Mr. Tanis also  has saffron and garlic cloves for  flavor  and spice. The meat are littleneck clams and squid to re emphasize the brininess,Beans are a must here too and Mr. Tanis uses cannellini and fava beans. Instead of topping the finished bowls with cheese , he returns to the garden , employing a dollop of fresh pesto.He keeps this simple too , using only parsley , basil and garlic and avoiding the heavily invasive cheese and pine nuts. The end result is a hot satisfying soup, but one that is incredibly light.

There's nothing better than a hot soup for lunch or dinner. Even though it's summer , you can still make a delicious, smelling and tasting minestrone,Sub in lighter ingredients and you have this the perfect summer soup.

Frying On The Grill

Everyone us enamored with their grills. After all this method of cooking has always been the most satisfying. Yet any barbecue chef can explore a new way - frying of creating delicious dishes on an outdoor stove. Not only that , frying is also healthier too in this case. There's a wide range of foods that can be easily pan fried too, increasing a grill's versatility.

This was the subject of an article in today's New York Times Wednesday Dining section. The piece, cowritten by  regular contributors, John Willoughby and  Chris Schlesinger explore frying as an alternative to  grilling, especially on the larger grills.The technique works the best of you have a propane fueled stove . It should have in or about 30,000 BTUs enough to heat up a frying pan full of oil. As far as frying pans, don't use your regular kitchen one. Try an outdoor one from such brands as Sportmans Outdoor Skillet and or Camp Chef LumberJack Skillet.These are heavier and can stand up to the intense heat.

What fries well outside? Both writers Willoughby and Schlesinger recommend fish thanks to an eccentric named Captain Ned. This barbecue guest brought fish along with  his skillet as well as the ingredients for a fish fry. It turned out to be one of the best fried fishes that the authors had.. Frying  in th e great outdoors proved a crispy exterior and and  melt in your mouth tender inside. They also recommend scallops which prove to be perfectly tender. However don;t limit outdoor frying to just fish. You can make paella as well as schnitzel and of course chicken. The last will be better than indoor and you won't have the messy kitchen to deal with afterwards

Think about frying this grilling season. Doing so will add variety to your barbecue.  You can have a tasty fish fry or enjoy a seafood or chicken paella. This is a lot better than the average grill fare.

Cooking Through Summer

Summer comes and our favorite winter meals and recipes disappear. It is hard , however, with sweltering temps and the lethargy that comes with muggy days to create elaborate dishes and sides. Plus it's just hard to commit to an hour or two of prep time when you and the family would rather be at the beach.Luckily there are short cuts to take to create those tasty cold weather dishes we  all love so well..

One of the most favorites that we all miss is the holiday dinner. Who doesn't enjoy a roast complete with homemade gravy and a savory stuffing? You can more or less have the same thing now. Instead of a roast, buy freshly sliced London Broil,  or turkey  at your supermarket's deli counter. Have ready  made gravy and Stove Top Stuffing. These last two only take five minutes each to create and heat up. Serve the already sliced meat with these , toss in a nice salad and voila, a summery version of a holiday meal. For veggies, get the steamed in the microwave kind. You can drizzle melted butter or heated cheddar cheese on them for that tasty holiday meal flavor.

Spaghetti is another cold weather dish that everyone misses now. Luckily pasta is easy to heat up, Just toss it  in a pot of boiling water, sprinkle in some sea salt and boil. However it's the sauce that's always considered labor intensive. You can add jarred sauces. Many do have that homemade flavor however they do have  a lot of preservatives in them. Another is putting an al fresco spin on your sauce..Ccreate a quick one by sauteing fresh plum tomatoes (these are the best and are used in longer cooking sauces) and  olive oil. Add garlic and oregano for flavor.  If you want to add meatballs buy them pre made , so it's less work for you.

Even though the temps are high, you can still have a tasty winter dish.  All you have to do is take short cuts to get that special taste you crave. It's easy, when you can use either your deli, or quick to make  dishes. and sides.

Healthy Mall Eating

Is there such a thing as healthy mall eating? Surprisingly yes.It;s not just sugary cinnamon buns and oil soaked fries. There are some good choices out there  that are both healthful and tasty.It's just a matter of finding what works for you. Anyone can have a fun treat after a hard day of shopping.

Salads are always the best bet for healthy mall eating. Every stand has at least one salad dish on their menu.There are even stands, such as Green Leaf that specialize in customized salads.The trick is to make it healthy. be wary of all those creamy dressings like French and Russian.Stick to a lemon and oil  one instead.Also avoid croutons and cheese too. Think veggies .Think variety. Try to have your salad bowl filled with peppers, broccoli florets and grape tomatoes. Beans are always a good add on. If you want to continue in the vegetarian vein then consider  Burger King. It's one of the rare fast food joints that's offering veggie and turkey burgers. Have them with just tomatoes , onions and lettuce, Nix the special sauces and use mustard and a small spattering of ketchup.

Italian and Chinese restaurants abound in malls. The food is fun and easy to eat. However some choices may not be good for you. if you're craving Italian, then stick with smaller dishes of spaghetti. Stay away from the cheesier pizza and calzones.Chinese is also good however be careful with what to order. Egg rolls are usually fried. Some like General Tso's chicken is loaded with sugary sauces and fried meat.Try to aim for noodle soups or Buddha delight which is all veggies, from broccoli to snow peas. Aim for dishes that have very little sauce . Mexican is actually the healthiest and you can always find something that is not only low calorie but delicious. Think plain tacos or burritos with just tomato, lettuce  and guacamole. Don't ask for cheese and sour cream/.

Mall eating can be just as healthy as eating at home. Choose wisely after your shopping spree.  Eat the right foods. Not only will you feel better but you'll be able to fit into all those new duds.

Tis The Season For Picking

June is here and with it a plethora of fruit to pick. This is the times when farms all over the United States open their grounds to fruit lovers and foodies . Pick it yourself offers a wide range of having the best fruit and either eating it fresh or creating tasty and also healthy dishes.It's also a fun way of spending time and making memories with family and friends.

The first step is scouring the Web to see what farms allow picking.  Check to see if there are age restrictions (some places will not allow children under ten or twelve)  along with any fees. Some farms will charge you for gloves or baskets. Others will just hand you a basket and you pay per pound at the end. Another aspect is dressing for it. wear sneakers and socks, You don;t want to step on something or get bit (snakes do occasionally slither in and out of rows and orchards - especially in my state New Jersey).Also take plenty of water and sunblock. Picking on a hot sunny day is no different than time spent at the beach. If you feel light headed  or faint, stop , pay for whatever you picked and head for the car.

Pickings right now are good . This is the start of the strawberry season and some states such as Texas are in full bloom. Blueberries  and blackberries will be ripening towards the middle and end of the month . Peaches are also currently good for the picking too.One important thing to remember is don;t get too carried away. Fruit spoils quickly and if you and your group picked too much,  then you could wind up with throwing  away half of your bounty. Luckily you can freeze fruit, along with making it into a yummy compote..You can also turn it into relish or chutney for your barbecues too.

Make a date at your local farm to go fruit picking. It;s a fun way of bringing together family and friends.It's a great way of enjoying the healthy bounty of the season too.

Cool Ades

Now with the hot weather and here with a vengeance , it's time to cool off.Nothing fits the bill better than a large icy glass of either an ade  fruit infused ice tea.A drink made with fresh fruit juice is a wonderful thirst quencher , especially during a hot , sweltering day. They're also easy to make

Lemonade is the classic summertime drink. Surprisingly it has been around since 700 AD and was first imbibed by the Chinese and Northern Indians. This is pure simplicity to make.Just take five lemons (any will do) extract the juice and heat with sugar.The sugar should be completely dissolved ,b basically making a variation of a simple sugar.  Wait until this cools  and then add it and four cups of ice water to a jug Add ice and lemon slices. Another satisfying ade is lime. Again this is an easy recipe. As with lemon, take four to five limes and zest. Add this,along with granulated sugar to a saucepan of water. When this is boiled  then pour into a pitcher already filled with the lime juice and iced water.

Fruit infused ice teas are also good during these hot as Hades days.,There are even pitchers you can buy that have special chambers to put fruit. You can also finely mince fruit too (and there's the added treat of eating it after you've finished the tea).The best tea to  use is Earl Grey. This has the basic tea flavor without any added ones. Use  whatever fruit you have which, right now is plenty, Try fresh cut strawberries or blueberries.  Before you add the fruit, sample it , to make sure that it;s not tart.if that's the case , you can first cook it in a simple sugar and water bath. Use this syrup as a flavoring them to your tea..

This is definitely the time for a cooling ade to get you through these hellish days.Whip up an ade or a fruity tea. You';ll feel made in the shade with a big ice glass of refreshment at your side.

Your Meat Primer

This is the season for cooking and serving all kinds of meats.It pays to know what's out there and how to buy it. Most home cooks and barbecue chefs usually wind up with the wrong cut for what they want and that can lead to disaster. Be meat savvy before you shop. It'll make for a better meal or a better barbecue.

Finding the right meat was the subject of Mark Bittman's Flexitarian Column in yesterdays New York Times Dining section. This is a  small comprehensive guide to buying everything from chops to burgers. It's good to bookmark online for future reference.Mr. Bittman also explains the various grades as well as where meat comes from. According to him ,it pays to go  for meat that's the product of sustainable farms.The animals are treated and fed better and that means a more tastier, more organic meat. This also means more expensive cuts, a true deterrent in eating more red meat.

There's also explanations about how to cook everything from chops to  burgers. Mr. Bittman is a big advocate of less is more so the amount of veal and beef is decreased. Vegetables an d spices make up for it ,He has created a semi veggie burger that has ground pork mixed with portabello mushroom pieces. He also has a Chinese vegetable and veal stew.This has a wide melange of different Asian veggies that you don;t mind it not bursting with veal. The last is a grilled quesadilla that is not only has the added goodness of steaks but also avocados, peppers. radishes and scallion to name a few.

It is meat season.Be armed and ready with tasty artesan meats balanced with an equal amount of veggies and spices. You'll not only have tasty barbecues and dinners but also healthy ones too