There is still a lot of stone fruit hanging from the trees, if you are lucky enough not to have been hit by a late spring freeze. But truth be told, I’ve had my fill of cobblers and pies (and don’t really race to the sweeter side even at the peak of the season). I am much more likely to turn even the sweetest of produce into something savory given the chance. So ponder this if you will – a nectarine or peach salad, made savory with fresh goat cheese and mint, and…wait for it…tossed with some luscious roasted beets! Trust me, this works.
I won’t take full credit because my pal Cindy dates it back to her Grandpa. Not sure, but I think I have made a few tweaks of my own. I love to drizzle mine with raspberry condimento. If you aren’t familiar with these, they tend to be more flavored (all kinds of fruits), cheaper, and have a higher viscosity than bona fide Balsamico. They are generally made in the traditional manner, but made in the wrong region or matured less than required for official Balsamico designation. Win-win in my books: great flavor and cheaper. And, I like the thickness. All the better to use as a judicious drizzle. The Cheese Lady has an enormous collection of flavors, though apparently in-store only. For online sourcing, I’m a big fan of O&Co.
This dish works on so many levels. The pungent earthiness associated with roasted beets is the perfect foil for the juicy sweetness of nectarines or peaches. The acidity of fresh goat cheese provides a needed contrast to any richness. And lots and lots of fresh mint truly elevate all flavors.
I love the idea of candy cane beets, which have a beautiful red and white stripe when cut into. But I have to say, their pattern is best in slices, not wedges, and their radiance smudges when cooked. There is nothing quite like a garnet-hued beet wedge up against a marigold-tinged nectarine wedge. If you haven’t roasted beets – before or lately – it could not be simpler! Preheat the oven to 400oF. Trim both ends of the beet and wrap each one, individually, in foil. Place on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, depending on size. Start testing after 30 minutes, by sliding a knife into the flesh. The knife will slide right out when they are done. Remove from the oven and unwrap, when cool enough to handle. The skin will slide right off. There is zero point in struggling with a peeler in advance – this is much easier and has the added benefit of keeping all the nutrients within.
Be warned however, that you can’t tent the whole pan of beets in one big foil envelope. I’m horrified to report that I was beat by beets once before when I tried to, with 35 pounds of beets, short cut the individual wrap. I basically created a big ass beet steamroom, and they got very sweaty and harder still as they shriveled into small rocks. Just something about that individual foil wrap that makes the difference. Sauna 1. Steam 0, if you are keeping score.
Roasted Beet and Nectarine Salad
1 pound roasted beets, any variety, peeled and cut into wedges
1 pound nectarines or peeled peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
Raspberry condimento (what’s condimento, you ask? See article above.)
Serious amount of mint, coarsely chopped*
*I like to remove the leaves from the stem, stack the leaves, and fold into a tight roll. Snip cross-wise with sharp scissors. You almost can’t have too much mint. Especially if it’s free because you steal it from a neighbor like I do.
Prep
Arrange the beets and nectarines or peaches in a serving bowl. I try not to stir too much because the colors will start to bleed.
Crumble the cheese on top.
Drizzle with the raspberry condimento.
Sprinkle the fresh mint on last, just before serving.
Serves 8.
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Nothing goes better with late summer corn and tomatoes than the slightly sweet crisp char that makes a sugar steak. This is a phenomenon (hardly any other word will do) that I never ran across until I ended up with a house on Lake Michigan. I have since heard that my Dad and a salty local perfected their technique, timing their meat-flips with the end of each martini. It was no doubt the 50s and they either ate their meat really well done or they drank a helluva lot faster than I do.
Let it be clear, this is not my creation. But I do (self-) proclaim myself as the media spokesperson on the subject. Amanda Hesser featured it on Food52 a few years back and within the last month or so America’s Test Kitchen came calling. Amanda used bourbon and flank steak, and around here we would NOT consider that to be a sugar steak. She ran my recipe alongside it. One (genius) comment favored my recipe, along with a cocktail made from Amanda’s bourbon. Amen to that.
I just saw Cook’s Country Magazine (owned by America’s Test Kitchen) ran a recipe giving credit to Bastien’s in Denver. Wrong. Theirs is only an inch thick and mostly salt with the sugar – plus it wasn’t even on their menu in the 70s. West Michigan traces to at least the mid-50s.
The directions (let’s not go so far as to call it a recipe) below are my interpretation of many old-timers that have been cooking it for years. They have generously shared a wide range of tips on technique and ingredients. Some use sirloin, some use rib-eye, I have even used CAB (on sale @ $3.99/lb) top round – most agree whatever is cheapest. Also some use white sugar, some use brown, some use both. The one thing that is agreed upon is thickness: 3-4” thick, or ‘6 inches if it’s a special occasion.’
I have distilled this down to a fool-proof technique. I have a Weber and this is one of the few times I don’t use the lid. Nor am I stingy with the charcoal. It’s really impressive when you get 3 steaks going at once (total 14 pounds of meat) though I nearly set the porch roof on fire. Rip-snorting is the official temperature for the grill.
Sugar Steak
One 3 or 4-inch thick slab o’ beef, trimmed (about 4 pounds) (see above for cut)
Kosher or sea salt
Any spice rub (I love the South African Cape Herb Company’s “Mexican Wave” and of course I have my own secret blend for some occasions)
Honey Bear (it’s all in the drizzle)
One pound brown (light or dark) sugar.
Prep
Put the meat on a small serving tray (avoid heavy plates b/c you will be flipping two plates and 4 # of meat – I love the small melamine trays). Rub with salt and spice. Drizzle with honey (1-2 Tablespoons). Pack about half the brown sugar on the top side of the meat.
Place a second tray on top and flip meat onto the second tray. Repeat the above process, using all the brown sugar. Not necessary to do the sides as it will fall off anyway.
Let this sit about 30 minutes or until sugar starts to liquefy.
Flip the tray onto the hottest fire you can build (charcoal or wood preferred) and scrape the stuck sugar onto the (now) top side. Grill until it releases enough to flip, about 7 minutes.
Continue flipping every 7 – 8 minutes, until desired doneness, about 30-40 minutes for 4 pound steak. (My dive watch has a sugar steak bezel.) If you try to do a martini every flip, you’re on your own here.
Remove and tent lightly with foil on a tray to catch juices. Rest for 10 minutes.
Slice thinly across the grain and drizzle with the jus.
This ‘Taste of the Tropics’ works all year long. Throw the shrimp on the grill in the summer, or broil when it’s too cold outside, while dosing up on the Vitamin C from the zesty tropical fruit salsa.
Plum Glazed Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa
1 1/2 cups Peanut Plum Glaze
3 cups Pineapple Salsa
2 pounds cleaned 16-20 Shrimp, tail on
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Coconut Peanut Rice
Cilantro Sprigs
Prepare the Peanut Plum Glaze:
¾ cup plum jam
½ cup crunchy natural peanut butter
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced jalapeno
Simmer all ingredients in a saucepan until reduced by about 1/3rd and thickened, about 15 minutes. Set aside and keep warm. Makes 1 ½ cups
Prepare the Pineapple Salsa:
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced papaya
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup diced mango
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
2 Tablespoons minced red onion
2 Tablespoons minced scallions
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon chopped mint
Combine the papaya with the fresh lime juice. Add the remaining ingredients, except mint, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Add the mint just before serving. Makes 3 cups
Prepare the shrimp:
Soak 12 8”-bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes. Prepare grill or heat broiler.
Thread 3 shrimp per skewer and brush with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cook the shrimp on the grill, until desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side. During the last 30 seconds on each side, brush on the glaze. Transfer to a sheet pan, and brush again with the glaze.
Prepare the Coconut Peanut Rice:
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
1 1/2 cups long grain rice, such as Basmati
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
¾ cup chopped scallion
¾ cup toasted coconut flakes
1/3 cup toasted chopped peanuts
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid.
Add the onion and sauté until transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat until the rice turns opaque, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the pan tightly and cook until all liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked through but not gummy, about 20 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in the scallions, toasted coconut and peanuts. Serve immediately
To Serve:
Mound the coconut peanut rice in the center of the plate. Cross two skewers of shrimp on top of the rice. Spoon the pineapple salsa over the shrimp.
Beets and goat cheese are a match made in heaven. Adding the goat cheese to roasted potatoes elevates this root vegetable appetizer to a whole new level of sublime.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh beet juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, roasted at 350oF for 20 minutes, peeled
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Napoleon
1 pound beets, scrubbed
1 pound baking potatoes, scrubbed
3 ounces of soft herbed goat cheese, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 Tablespoon butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/3 cup milk, warmed
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
Olive oil
Directions
Make the vinaigrette:
Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend on high until emulsified. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
Makes about ½ cup.
Make the napoleon:
Roast the beets and the potatoes at 400oF until a fork inserts easily, about one hour. When cool enough to handle, peel both.
Press the roasted potatoes through a ricer, or mash by hand. Using a handmixer, begin to whip the potatoes, while adding the goat cheese, butter, salt and pepper and slowly drizzling in enough milk to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Thinly slice the beets and set aside.
Brush the zucchini and yellow squash with oil and grill or sauté until golden, about 1 – 2 minutes per side.
In a 3-inch ring, stack the vegetables by layering the beets, then the whipped potatoes, and finish with a layer of alternating rounds of zucchini and yellow squash. Repeat, to create 6 vegetable stacks.
Transfer the napoleons to an ovenproof dish and keep warm at 200oF until ready to serve.
To serve, place the warmed napoleons in the center of the salad plate and scatter the salad mix around the outside edge. Drizzle the beet vinaigrette from the end of spoon over the greens.
Taste the Tropics. Lime-cured fish, spicy jalapeños and tropical fruit. It’s a fruity fresh twist on a traditional recipe.
Ingredients
1/2 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 pound bay scallops, trimmed of muscle
1/2 pound salmon fillet, cut in ½ “ pieces
1 diced red pepper
3 scallions, sliced on diagonal
1 minced jalapeno
1 cup lime juice, or enough to cover
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 Tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 mango, diced
1 pink grapefruit, cut in sections and diced, juice reserved
1 orange, cut in sections and diced, juice reserved
Salt and pepper
Garnish: Fried Plantain Chips
Directions
Blanch the shrimp in boiling water, for 1 – 2 minutes, until no longer translucent. Drain and refresh in cold water. Cut into 1/2″ pieces.
Combine shrimp, scallops, salmon, red pepper, scallions, jalapeno, and lime juice. Refrigerate, covered, for 2 – 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Drain off most of the liquid. Whisk together olive oil, orange juice, and cilantro. Pour over fish and add mango, grapefruit, orange and their juices. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
This fragrant soup will warm your soul on a cold winter day. Spices and ginger create an exotic perfume and are the perfect counterbalance to roasted blueberries, with just a hint of sweetness. Coconut milk (or coconut milk drink) is a relative newcomer to the beverage market. It adds some nice richness to the soup, but only has 45 calories per cup – infinitely better than the fat-laden canned coconut milk from the tropics.
Ingredients
1 cup Black Japonica Rice
8 cups chicken broth, divided per below
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, ribs removed and minced
4 pods cardamom, slightly crushed
2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 cup yellow split peas, cleaned and rinsed
1 cup fresh blueberries 2 teaspoons plus 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided per below
In a large saucepan with tight-fitting lid, bring 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Add black Japonica rice, stir once, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 50 – 55 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand covered for an additional 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large stockpot over medium-low heat; cook onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and spices, stirring, until onion is softened and mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add remaining 6 cups of chicken broth to pot, along with carrots, potatoes, and split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 – 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard cardamom pods (they float!).
Meanwhile, place blueberries in a shallow baking dish. Combine 2 teaspoons lemon juice with honey, and drizzle over blueberries. Roast for about 7 minutes, or until blueberries are about to pop.
Blend or process soup mixture, in batches, until pureed; return to pot. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice, coconut milk, and tamarind paste; stir until heated through.
Divide black Japonica rice and roasted blueberries among 6 shallow soup bowls and ladle soup in. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
