Grilled Cheese (Egg, Avocado, Pepper. Tomato)

When I was growing up my Mom occasionally made sandwiches for dinner. She was a really good cook and, with rare exceptions, I loved and ate everything she made. The sandwich dinners were invariably after a busy day or when we had leftovers —shnipzels she called them — and she wanted to use them all up.

And so, I learned that a sandwich is just as worthy a dinner as anything else. Especially when I have shnipzels to use. Or when I’ve been busy and don’t want anything fancier. Or when I was able to buy fabulous avocados that weren’t outrageously priced. Or when my garden finally burst with a few ripe tomatoes.

It all came together last night when we had these wonderful sandwiches for dinner. One of us added some hot sauce to the mayo.

Summer sandwich days are really lovely. No meat, just cheese and veggie goodness.

Grilled Cheese, Egg, Roasted Pepper and Avocado Sandwich

• 1/2 sweet bell pepper, deseeded

• 2 teaspoons butter

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise

• A few drops of hot sauce or 1 tablespoon chopped basil (or both), if desired

• 4 slices homestyle multigrain bread

• 3-4 ounces sliced fresh mozzarella cheese

• 4-6 tomato slices

• avocado slices

• 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to broil. Place the half pepper on a piece of foil and broil for 3-4 minutes per side or until crispy and tender. Remove from the oven and wrap the foil around the pepper to enclose it. Let cool, then peel the pepper, cut it in half and set it aside. Melt the 2 teaspoons butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the eggs and cook until set. Dish out, cut in half and set aside. Spread equal amounts of mayonnaise on each of the bread slices (mix the mayonnaise with optional ingredients if desired). Top two of the bread slices with equal amounts of cheese, tomato, avocado, egg and roasted pepper. Cover with second piece of bread. Melt half the remaining tablespoon of butter in the sauté pan over medium heat. Place the sandwiches in the pan. Place another, heavier pan on top. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the underside is crispy. Remove the heavier pan, lift the sandwiches with a spatula and add the remaining butter to the pan. When the butter has melted, place the sandwiches in the pan, uncooked side down. Weight down with the heavier pan and cook for another minute or so or until second side is golden brown. (If you have a panini grill, use it!)

Makes 2 sandwiches

Mushroom Pot Pie

If you’re looking for a fabulously delicious meatless meal, it doesn’t get better than Mushroom Pot Pie.

No more needs be said. Try it and see for yourself.

Mushroom Pot Pie

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/2 cup chopped shallots

• 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 pound mixed fresh wild mushrooms, chopped

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or dairy sour cream

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 sheet puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the olive oil and butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Add the flour and stir it to dissolve it completely. Add the yogurt and stir it into the mushrooms until completely incorporated as a sauce. Pour in the stock and lemon juice and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Add the parsley and thyme. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the sauce has reduced has thickened. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, cook for another 1-2 minutes and remove the pan from the heat. Spoon the mixture into a 6-cup casserole dish. Roll the puff pastry slightly thinner and cut it to the shape of the casserole used. Place the puff pastry over the mushroom mixture. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the dough is puffed and golden brown.

Makes 4 servings

 

Blueberry Scones

More treats from the piles of blueberries I’ve been buying. These scones aren’t too sweet, so they’re nice for breakfast. Sometimes I sprinkle the unbaked scones with turbinado sugar if I’m going to serve them with tea or coffee in the afternoon - they’re sweeter and prettier with the sugar crystals on top.

Blueberry Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel      

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

• 1 cup blueberries

• Turbinado sugar, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon peel in a bowl. Add the butter in chunks and work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Mix the egg and buttermilk together and add them to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms. Add the blueberries and gently mix the dough to incorporate them, taking care not to crush the fruit. Break the dough in half and place on a floured surface. Press each half into a circle about 3/4” thick. Cut each circle into six wedges and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with some turbinado sugar if desired. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the scones are browned and well risen.

Makes 12

Blueberry Torte

I read that blueberries are healthy so I’ve been making all sorts of stuff with them. Here’s one tasty way to eat more blueberries:

Blueberry TORTE

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup unflavored yogurt

• 1-1/2 cups blueberries

• lemon juice (about one tablespoon)

• 1 tablespoon sugar, preferably crystal or turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. Mix the flour, lemon peel, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and baking soda and whisk the ingredients to blend them completely. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1/2 cup sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until creamy and well blended. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for a minute or two at medium speed until thoroughly blended. Add the eggs and yogurt and beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Spoon the batter into the prepared springform pan. Arrange the berries on top of the cake, pressing them slightly into the batter. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until lightly browned and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Makes 8 servings

Peach Streusel Cake

Peaches/nectarines are in my top #5 foods of all time. One of the items I would choose if I had to “live on a desert island with only 5 foods.” So I get excited when they are ripe, ready and in season.

But I overdid it on the peach order recently.

Really, there are just so many I can eat in one day.

After a few days some were softening quicker than I planned and I had to use them. So I baked this cake — based on one that I usually make with apple slices and applesauce. Only I used peach slices and pureed peaches.

Perfect.

Peach Streusel Cake

Streusel:

• 1/3 cup quick oats

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Mix the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (food processor on pulse is fine). Set aside.

Cake:

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1/2 cup pureed peaches

• 1/3 cup plain yogurt

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8” square cake pan. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon peel and set aside. Beat the sugar and butter together with a hand mixer or electric mixer at medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the peaches, yogurt, egg and vanilla extract and beat for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. Add half the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat until well blended. Add half the milk and beat until well blended. Repeat until all the ingredients are used up. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 minutes then invert onto a cake rack. Turn the cake right side up to cool completely.

 Makes 8-10 servings

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

Vegetable salads are a big deal at my house during the summer. I make them at least 3-4 times a week. They go with everything: meat, fish, poultry, vegetarian dinner. They’re colorful. They can be made ahead. They’re dairy-free, (although you can certainly add some crumbled cheese to most of them, including in the recipe below).

I’ve made this particular salad dozens of times, adding ingredients here and there if I have them — cucumber, canned chick peas, celery, crumbled feta or goat cheese (and once I made it with blue cheese), etc.

All good. This dish is a good pick for a July 4th weekend barbecue. We eat it at room temperature, when the flavors are at their best.

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

• 2 ears of corn (about 1 to 1-1/2 cups kernels)

• 1 small red bell pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 3-4 scallions, chopped

• 1 avocado, cut into bite size chunks

• 2 cups cut up grape or cherry tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil

• 2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steam, poach or grill the corn, let cool and scrape the kernels into a bowl. Add the bell pepper, scallions, avocado and tomatoes. Pour in the olive oil and toss the ingredients to distribute them evenly and coat them with the oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the white wine vinegar, the thyme and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Taste and add more vinegar if desired. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Blueberries

I’ve been buying lots of blueberries lately — for muffins, cake, pie, soup —- and also this roasted sweet potato-baby arugula salad, among others. My family loved the combo of sweet and earthy. I added some red onion for crunch but you can also throw in some pepitas if you want more.

Sweet Potato Salad with Baby Arugula and Blueberries

• 3 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks

• 5 tablespoons avocado or olive oil

• salt to taste

• 2 cups packed baby arugula

• 1 cup blueberries

• 1 avocado, chopped in chunks

• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped

• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese, optional

• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• pepitas if desired

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potato chunks on the parchment and pour 2 tablespoons of the avocado or olive oil over them. Toss to coat all the chunks. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 22-25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and crispy, turning them once or twice during cooking time. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool, then place them in a bowl. Add the baby arugula, blueberries, avocado and red onion. Pour in the remaining avocado oil and toss the ingredients. Pour in the white wine vinegar and toss again. Add the cheese, if desired. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. scatter pepitas on top if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

I’ve read a lot about the health benefits of blueberries so I’ve been using more of them recently in recipes. More about that in the next month or two —

Meanwhile, this lemon-blueberry cake will do! The sweet berries and the tangy lemon are a perfect pair and the cake’s texture is dense, like pound cake, but also is fabulously moist.

It got rave reviews from my tasters.

I’ve made this recipe with and without the extra lemon sauce. I love the powerful tang of lemon, so I prefer it with —- but it is still delicious without.

This is a good dessert for sure and a good bet for a buffet or brunch meal.

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 pound butter

• 2 cups sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

• grated peel of 2 medium lemons (about 1/4 cup)

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 cup blueberries

Lemon Sauce (optional):

• 1/2 cup lemon juice

• 1/4 cup sugar

Grease a 10-cup bundt pan, then sprinkle the insides with flour or plain dry bread crumbs. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the yogurt. Beat after each addition and scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the lemon peel and lemon juice and stir into the batter. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 60-70 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven. Mix the Lemon Sauce ingredients and brush some onto the surface of the cake while it is cooling in the pan. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a cake rack. Brush the remaining Lemon Sauce over all the remaining surface area of the cake. Let cool and serve.

Makes 16 servings

Country Captain (Curry Chicken)

Country Captain

A few years ago I cooked a recipe for Country Captain — a curry chicken dish that’s very popular in the South.

We liked it so much that I made it many times over the years and in fact, used to include the recipe in a few of my cooking classes.

Then, “knowing how way leads onto way” I prepared other recipes, new ones, experimental ones, riffs on old ones — and forgot about Country Captain.

Recently, when I was cleaning out some files, I found my old recipe (computer paper version, sauce-stained of course).

I made the dish for dinner recently and lo and behold! We liked it again!

Country Captain started as an Indian dish but somehow, because of its popularity in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia it became a Southern specialty. There are all sorts of stories about the recipe’s provenance and why it became such an iconic regional dish. I’m not sure of the whys and hows. All I know is how delicious it is. Apparently it was a favorite of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and General George Patton.

Basically Country Captain is braised chicken and tomatoes with curry seasoning and served over cooked white rice. There’s usually a garnish of toasted almonds, which add some crunch and flavor, but I’ve made the dish without the nuts and it’s just fine!

Country Captain

• 1 broiler-fryer chicken, cut into 8 parts (or 4 breasts or whole legs)

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1 medium bell pepper, cut into chunks

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

• 2 teaspoons curry powder, mild or hot or a combination

• 1-1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves (or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

• 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

• freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1/2 to 2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock or tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

• 1/4 cup raisins or currants

• Cooked white rice

• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, optional

• chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Wash the chicken and dredge the pieces in the flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add pieces of the chicken a few at a time and cook for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned, turning pieces occasionally. Remove and set aside on a plate. Heat the remaining vegetable oil in the pan. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and cook briefly. Add the tomatoes, curry powder, thyme, salt and pepper, and stir to combine ingredients. Pour in 1/2 cup of the stock. Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the pan ingredients over the chicken, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the parsley and raisins or currants. Add more stock if the pan seems dry. Cook another five minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over cooked white rice.  Sprinkle with the almonds and parsley if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Pashtida

If you haven’t tried Pashtida, you’re missing out. This dish — so popular in Israel — is kind of like a cross between a quiche, a frittata and a kugel. Sometimes it’s made with meat, sometimes dairy and sometimes just vegetables. Any way at all — this is one delicious treat!

Pashtida is filling and hearty enough for dinner (add a side salad) but light enough for lunch. It’s also the kind of dish that’s made for weekend brunch. Leftovers are good too — easily reheated for weekday breakfast.

If you’re looking for a new dairy dish for Shavuot (and, thinking ahead, during the Nine Days or for your Break-the-fast) I encourage you to try this one. My recipe is a melange of eggs, cheese and veggies that you spoon into a casserole and bake until the eggs are set and the top is crispy.

This dish is also amazingly versatile, so I’ve listed a variety of options for substitution.

Vegetable Pashtida

• 1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 medium onion, chopped (3 scallions; 2 shallots)

• 1 cup chopped fresh: spinach; kale; (diced) zucchini; or chopped cooked veggies (such as green beans, carrots, bell pepper, asparagus; eggplant); or thawed frozen peas or corn

• Halved mini-tomatoes (such as grape or cherry; about 7-8); chopped sun-dried tomatoes, optional

• 4 tablespoons cream cheese, cut into small pieces (or 1/3 cup dairy sour cream or 1/2 cup cottage cheese)

• 5 large eggs

• 1 cup whole milk or half and half

• 1/2 cup shredded meltable cheese such as Swiss, cheddar, Havarti or mozzarella

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (dill, basil)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a casserole dish (such as approximately 8”x 6” or a 6-cup round) and set aside. Cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for about 3 minutes or until barely tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and looks foamy, add the onion and cook for a minute. Add the potato and cook for 5-6 minutes or until the pieces are lightly crispy, stirring occasionally. Add the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have softened. Add the tomatoes, if used, and cook for another minute. Add the cream cheese and continue to cook and stir until the cheese has melted into the vegetables. Remove the pan from the heat and let the ingredients cool slightly. Beat the eggs and milk together and pour over the vegetable-cream cheese mixture. Add the shredded cheese and stir gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Sprinkle to taste with salt, pepper and parsley. Spoon the ingredients into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is crispy.

Makes 4-6 servings