Summer Salad with Basil, Blue Cheese, Corn, and Heirloom Tomatoes

I am in denial that summer is basically over, and that is why I'm serving up a recipe today with some of summer's best produce--heirloom tomatoes, sweet corn, basil, and arugula. Not to mention a hearty portion of blue cheese!

My friend A introduced me to this salad a few weeks ago. She stole the idea from her neighborhood salad/sandwich spot, and made it for me one night for dinner. I brought a big bowl of this salad to a potluck recently, and my friends devoured the salad quickly. Once you make it, you'll find yourself wanting it for dinner basically every night. Which isn't really a bad thing, since you'll only find these ingredients for maybe a few more weeks. So make this summer salad for dinner tonight.

As an adult, summer isn't quite as fun as it used to be. Living in the city means no friends with pools, working means no long summer vacations, and residing in San Francisco means piling on sweaters come June. Z and I will be escaping for a week to Hawaii very very soon, so we'll have to get our fill of warm weather, swimming, and vacation then, before the long grind to the holidays.

I'm thinking of fall recipes already--items for college football tailgates, Rosh Hashanah, and cozy Sunday night dinners. Before that though, let's make this salad over and over again, holding onto summer just a little bit longer.

Summer Salad with Basil, Blue Cheese, Corn, and Heirloom Tomatoes

2 ears of corn (white, yellow, bi-color--it doesn't matter!)

1/2 tablespoon of butter

4 cups of arugula, washed, rinsed, and dried

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

2 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

3 tablespoons chopped basil

Cut the kernels away from the corn cob. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the corn, and cook until just barely cooked (3-6 minutes, depending on the corn). You just want to lose the starchiness of the corn. 

Toss the arugula with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper according to taste. Add half the corn, tomatoes, blue cheese, and all of the basil. Toss and plate on a large serving platter. Top with the rest of the corn, tomatoes, and cheese. Enjoy!

Grilled Corn Salad

Corn is the epitome of summer foods for me. As soon as the weather starts to warm up (well, warm up everywhere but here in foggy San Francisco), you begin to see piles of corn at supermarkets and farmers markets, and it disappears almost as quickly. 

As a child, we stuck to the classic boiled corn on the cob; only three minutes in hot water and a final pat of butter was all corn needed. I didn't even know that people grilled corn until I was in college, when Z and I tried Mexican-style grilled corn.

These were no ordinary corn on the cobs. They were grilled to have a dark charred exterior, and then covered with cojita cheese, lime juice, and red chili pepper. It has great flavor balance-smoky corn exterior, sweet corn kernels, salty cheese, acidic lime juice, and spicy red pepper. 

Inspired by these corns on the cob, I've created a corn salad recipe here that uses the same flavor profile. We served it on the 4th of July, and it's a perfect meal to bring for summer dinner parties, pool parties, and picnics. 

Grilled Corn Salad

3 ears of corn

3 tablespoons mayo

1 lime

1/4 teaspoon of red chili pepper

4 tablespoons shredded cojita cheese

Prep corn for grilling by shucking the corn and lightly rubbing the outside with olive oil. Place corn in a hot pan or on an electric skillet. Turn every 5 minutes until the corn is dark and charred throughout.

Next, cut the corn off of the cob, and place the kernels into a bowl. 

In a small prep bowl, combine the mayo, lime juice, and chili pepper. Top the kernels with the dressing and toss. 

Add in cojita cheese and toss again. Feel free to adjust salad to match your taste--add more pepper for heat or more lime for acidity.

Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

It's not really fair to call this a "recipe", because it's one of the easiest salads in the world to make. Chop up three things, toss them into a bowl, and you're good to go.

This salad is a popular Mediterranean combination, but it's rare to find it here in the US. I love anything with a salty-sweet flavor profile, and this dish fits the bill perfectly. This is the dish to serve at backyard barbecues, picnics, and happy hours. I even served it at my birthday!

Since there are only three ingredients to this salad, it's important that each one is top notch. Be on the lookout for ripe watermelon (look especially for a cream or green-colored bottom, and tapping the watermelon should make a sound reminiscent of a drum). Splurge a little bit on the feta, and pick up some fresh mint at the Farmer's Market.

Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad

Feel free to multiply the recipe as necessary to fit the party you're serving

1 cup watermelon, cubed

1/3 cup feta, chopped 

3 tablespoons chopped mint

Toss ingredients in a bowl. Let sit for at least an hour so that ingredients can come to room temperature. Enjoy!

Summer Produce Guide: Peaches & Nectarines

Stone fruit season is finally here--hooray for recipes chock full of peaches and nectarines! A juicy and perfectly ripe peach is the epitome of summer for me. Z and I buy peaches and nectarines all summer, and we particularly love them paired with blue cheese and bread (soooo good, trust me!).

That being said, there's nothing worse than splurging on stone fruit to find that it's not quite ripe yet, or just isn't as flavorful as you were expecting. This guide will help you not only pick out the best nectarines at the grocery store, and also make sure they stay at their peak longer.

Check back here on Wednesday for one of my favorite summer recipes that includes peaches!

Stone Fruit Produce Guide

What is a white peach/nectarine versus a normal peach/nectarine? White peaches and nectarines have a white flesh (hence the name) and a higher sugar content than traditional peaches and nectarines. If you are looking for a extra sweet treat, give these varieties a try!

Buying

Peaches and nectarines are a little more forgiving than most fruit, because they can actually ripen after they've been picked. For both peaches and nectarines, you'll want to smell them. They should smell delicious. 

Ripe peaches will also have some give when you squeeze them. If they feel similar to a tennis ball, you have one to two more days until full ripeness. If a peach looks bruised, it's already reached its peak.

For nectarines, I recommend looking for a slight softening along the seam. Unlike peaches, you should avoid soft nectarines. 

Storing

Peaches and nectarines are best left on the counter, out of direct sunlight. This will allow them to ripen, and it will also prevent a mealy texture. If your peaches are mealy, it's likely because they were picked too early, stored in a refrigerator, and then brought back to room temperature by the grocery store. Never a good sign! 

Iced Coffee Mint Mojitos

Despite the fact that I saw more rain this week than I probably have in my entire life living in San Diego, I am in full spring and summer mode. Bring on the bright colored shorts! Bring on the sunscreen lotion and tennis matches! Bring on the iced coffee mint mojitos!

That's right. Iced coffee mint mojitos. basically, sweet and creamy iced coffee with a subtle mint taste thanks to some mint syrup and a giant fresh sprig of mint. It's the ultimate summer coffee drink.

Philz out in the Bay Area perfected this drink a long time ago. Since I am doubtful a Philz is going to open up in DC anytime soon, I realized I needed to learn how to make iced coffee mint mojitos myself. 

Now, I've already shared how to make a perfect cup of coffee here. However, there is an even easier way (!) to get your caffeine in the mornings, it just requires a little bit of foresight.

Cold brew coffee is my absolute favorite for iced coffee. It has a smoother, sweeter taste in comparison to other brewing methods. Also, it is much more concentrated in flavor and caffeine than traditional drip coffee, which means you won't dilute the taste of the coffee when you add milk or cream. 

I combined my cold brew iced coffee with some cream, mint syrup, and a fresh sprig of mint to get a delicious treat.

What are your warm weather favorite drinks? 

Iced Coffee Mint Mojitos

Adjust the recipe to your tastes--swap the cream for almond milk, add more mint syrup if you want yours sweeter, etc!

Cold-brew coffee (recipe below)

Cream

Mint syrup (recipe below)

One fresh sprig of mint

Add mint sprig to a tall glass. Fill the cup 3/4 of the way with your cold brew coffee. 

Add at least one tablespoon of cream, and one tablespoon of mint syrup.  Stir together, and then slightly muddle the mint leaf.  Add ice as desired.

Cold Brew Iced Coffee

1/3 cup coarsely ground coffee beans

1 1/2 cups water

Place coffee grounds into a container. Add water, and then stir to ensure all the coffee grounds are moist.

Let sit for 12 hours, either in the fridge or on the counter. In the morning, strain twice through a fine mesh sleeve lined with either a coffee filter or a cheesecloth. Keep any extra coffee in the fridge!

Mint Syrup

This syrup is not just for iced coffee--add it to iced tea, club soda, or cocktails!

1 bunch fresh  mint, ends trimmed

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup water

Place all of the ingredients in a small sauce pan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved and the syrup has thickened. 

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, then store in the fridge until  ready to use!

Summer Beers

With summer in full swing, I have been reaching for a beer at dinner to help beat the heat.  Allagash White is a light, Belgian-style wheat ale that I particularly enjoy in the late afternoon before dinner.  Anderson Valley's Summer Solstice is my favorite summer beer, and I recently converted my father and brother over as well.  It has strong caramel notes, and as one friend says, "it tastes like a chocolate chip cookie."  Lastly, Widmer Brothers Marionberry Hibiscus Gose is pink, with fruity and citrusy overtones that are nicely balanced with tartness and wheat flavors.

Cheers!

Homesickness Cures

I arrived last week in San Diego, my home from the age of three until college.  Despite the fact that I am living in my childhood house, I could not feel farther away from home. I love my family.  I love my periwinkle room. But San Diego and the sleepy suburb of Rancho Boring Bernardo, no longer feel like home.  San Francisco, with its restaurants, beautiful views of the Bay, and eclectic neighborhoods, now is the place I call home.

On Saturday, I was feeling particularly homesick, so I pulled out a cookbook from one of my favorite SF ice cream stores, Bi-Rite Creamery.  My boyfriend and I would often end our evenings in the city with a stop at Bi-Rite to get a hot fudge sundae.  I thought making some of their scrumptious ice creams might make me feel a little less homesick.  I mean, Brown Butter Pecan ice cream solves everything, right?

Brown Butter Pecan Ice Cream

(from Bi-Rite Creamery's Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones)

Ingredients:

5 large egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar (I recommend splitting the sugar into two bowls, with six tablespoons in each)

1 3/4  cups heavy cream

1/4 (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 

3/4 cup 1% or 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

1.  In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up, then whisk in half of the sugar (6 tablespoons). Set aside. Set the cream by the stove. 

2.  Put the butter in a heavy nonreactive saucepan and put the pan over medium heat. The butter will melt and bubble, and after a few minutes it will start to turn brown. Continue to cook until it has a rich, nutty smell and the butter solids (the little specks floating around in the liquid) have turned a dark brown, 6 to 8 minutes total. 

     Add the cream to the pan and stir until blended. (It's important to mix in the cream before adding the milk to prevent the mixture from breaking.) Add the milk, salt, and the remaining sugar (6 tablespoons) and increase the heat to medium-high. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer (meaning bubbles are just starting to break around the edge of the pan), reduce the heat to medium.

3.  Carefully scoop out about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the yolks. Repeat, adding another 1/2 cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan. 

4  Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your finger across the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes longer.  

5.  Strain the vase through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is cool. Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 

6.  Add the vanilla to the chilled base and stir until blended. 

7.  Freeze in your ice cream maker's machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. While the ice cream is churning, put the container you'll use to store the ice cream into the freezer. Add the pecans in the last minute or so of churning, or fold them in by hand after transferring the ice cream to the chilled container. Enjoy right away, or for a firmer ice cream, freeze for at least 4 hours. 

Brown Butter Pecan Ice Cream