Summer Salad with Cherries, Prosciutto, Goat Cheese and Balsamico!

Our three horses in the pasture enjoying a summer day on the acreage

Every now and then I come across a recipe that is a complete and wonderful surprise!  And since lately I've been having a love affair with salads that include fresh fruit, whether that be strawberries, dried cranberries, or apples, I've just found another unexpected delicious salad.  This salad is such an epicurean delight, I wanted to make a second helping immediately upon enjoying that last bite on my plate!  I recently discovered two recipes for a fresh greens salad with sweet summer cherries peaking out and beckoning one to taste their magic!   Sam from My Carolina Kitchen and Larry from Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings inspired the creation of this salad where I simply blended the best of both.  Sam found her recipe on Cooking Light, a resource that has never failed me either, and Larry's recipe originated from the Cooking Channel, my favorite go-to food channel.

From Sam's recipe, I used an arugula - baby spinach bedding for the salad. Following that, I also added the sliced red onions, Rainier cherries, and goat cheese. However I added slivered almonds in place of pistachios, for the simple reason that I just adore slivered almonds in my salads and always have them on hand in the pantry. From Larry's salad with cherries recipe, I added thinly sliced prosciutto and a balsamico vinaigrette.

Simple perfection.

Unbelievably complex and interesting flavors with the gentle sweetness of the cherries combined with the bite of the arugula, the tang of the balsamic, the butteriness of the goat cheese, and the velvety prosciutto.

Oh my goodness, slap me silly . . . incredible!

Sam and Larry, thanks so much for helping me find another keeper-winner recipe for my personal family cookbook. This summer salad with all of its flavorful players is amazing!

Summer Salad with Cherries, Prosciutto, Goat Cheese and Balsamico Vinaigrette

6 cups arugula and baby spinach blend
1/3 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cherries, pitted and sliced in half (do this just before serving to prevent browning)
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup slivered almonds
3 - 4 oz. prosciutto, sliced in thin ribbons
Serve with Balsamico Vinaigrette

Balsamico Vinaigrette 

1/4 cup balsamico vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. honey
1 clove garlic, minced salt and pepper to taste

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, canola and olive oils, mustard, honey, and garlic.
Season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mangia!

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Tuscany's Bistecca Fiorentina!

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"Beef . . . it's what's for dinner" is a famous advertising slogan that most Americans are familiar with.  Grilling beef is part of the American culinary scene, but most Amercians do not associate beef and the process of grilling beef with Italy.  Now when most people think of Italian meat, they immediately think of pork and/or veal, but never beef.  But sure enough beef is king in Tuscany as exemplified in the carnivore lovers' dream-of-a-steak 'Bistecca alla Fiorentina'!  There is even a grilled steak 'fair' held every summer in Tuscany where 'thousands of steaks are cooked on grills in the main park to feed the multitudes' (Flavors of Tuscany, 1998).  

Do Italians really eat steak? We thought pasta was their thing.  Italians are definitely about more than pasta. Not only do they eat and prepare steak with the same simplicity and respect for ingredients that you see in their other dishes but their preparation is given the same attention. Nowhere do they do it better than in Tuscany, home of the infamous Bistecca Alla Fiorentina or Florentine Steak, among the most classic of all Italian dishes. (Fiorentina – means in the style of Florence)

Grilling the Florentine way is what makes the difference in an average grilled steak to an incredible grilled steak.  This method is all about simplicity.  As most Italians do, Tuscans use very simple methods of preparation and always with the finest of ingredients. 

Recently I re-watched "Under The Tuscan Sun", film that allows those of us who can't get to Italy to experience a few blissful hours of imaginary life in the rolling hills of Tuscany.  This is my retirement dream . . . at least for a few weeks every now and then!  

If you'd like to prepare something Italian or Tuscan that might slightly parallel the American carnivore tradition of grilling steaks than this post is for you!  After watching the movie my culinary fairy hit me on the head with the reminder of what I watched on TV recently from Tuscany:   two foodie/travel shows featuring the famous beef steaks from Tuscany.  The first show was Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and the second show was David Rocco's "Dolce Vita".  Both of these chefs, on separate occasions, went to Tuscany to visit Italy's famous butcher, Dario Cecchini, in his shop in the 900-inhabitants village of Panzano in Chianti.  This butcher's specialty is native to Tuscany:  "Bistecca Fiorentina".   A very meat-obsessed man, he even has his own web-site and is on youTube for your curiosity and pleasure.  Here is a brief clip of Anthony Bourdain's Tuscany episode with Cecchini of Tuscany {link} 

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It's also about the breed of cattle that makes this steak so unique.  Even though Italy has less cattle raised due to the lack of land to graze on, there is one of nature's finest breeds in Tuscany's Val di Chiana near Arrezo:  the highly prized Chianina (kya-NEE-na) an ancient breed of white cattle.  A proper and authentic Tuscan bistecca is either a T-Bone or Porterhouse steak cut from Chianina beef, a more tender, flavorful, juicy and closely grained beef which is superb for grilling.   In addition to the rule of using Chianina beef, the cut needs to come from the vitellone or young steer, not a baby calf.  

Another differentiating factor of Bistecca Fiorentina is that the steak must be cut at least 2-1/2 inches thick (or three to four fingers thick) and cut from the rib.  The famous Tuscan butcher says that the width should be no less than 4 fingers thick, which is the perfect size for two people to enjoy.  While in the market, he meat butcher cut the steak for us as my husband and I watched.  It is so obnoxiously outrageous in size that we laughed when he handed it to us; we were almost a little embarrassed!  We only purchased one steak, it was so big!   This is one giant-sized monster of a steak!  Size really does matter for this steak!  Below you can see that it is nearly the entire size of a dinner plate.  My husband and I could only eat a fourth of it because it was just too much for us.  So we have some great left-overs to use tomorrow.

Finally, it is also the tradition of how the steak is cut that sets this apart from other steaks and makes it an authentic Tuscan bistecca:  The filet is cut out first, the the center or strip steak portion is removed.  Each section is then sliced.  The bone is remains in place.

How did it taste?  Well, let's just say, that the beef was not corn-fed, which is not only our preference, but is also the only beef used for the famous steaks at Ruth's Chris Steak House.  We can't compromise on that rich flavor and it was certainly missing from this beef that was the best that we could find in our little town.  So sadly, all we can sum this up with is:  it was just one big huge steak, period.  And that's about all that was special and unique about it.

Note:  I prepared this several weeks later according to another recipe that called for a pool of olive oil, minced garlic, and rosemary on which to place each steak, followed by another drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of shavings of fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 pound for two steaks) on top of the steaks.  I cannot tell you how incredible this was and what a huge difference in flavor that ook place!  However, the recipe below is the "purist" version of this entree.

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Bistecca Fiorentina

T-bone or Porterhouse steaks, cut 3 - 4 (man-sized) fingers thick, if possible dry-aged

Extra Virgin Olive OIl 

Freshly cracked Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon Wedges (optional)

Take steak out of refrigerator for one to two hours before grilling and bring down to room temperature.
Generously sprinkle with Sea Salt and fresh pepper to form a crust when grilled.
Prop the steaks up with chopsticks for these few hours to allow the air to flow around the meat.
Using either a charcoal or wood fire, heat up the grill to VERY HOT and nice and smokey
Place the steaks on a very hot grill 4 inches from the fire.
Cook for approximately 4 - 6 minutes per side for rare to medium-rare steaks. 
Never overcook a Tuscan steak which is traditionally served rare.
The thicker the cut of steak, the longer you need to grill it.
Caution:  the tenderloin side will cooks faster than the strip or center filet side, so move the steak around on the grill to place the tenderloin further away from the heat when necessary. 
The exact time will depend on how well done you like your steak, 7 - 8 minutes on each side for medium-rare to medium steaks, etc.  Remember that the steak will continue to cook during the final resting period.
Be sure to flip the steaks over only once.
Note:  After grilling the other side, you may want to place the steak on its side on the side with the bone and grill for an additional 3 - 4 minutes which evens out the grilling more.
Remove the steaks from the grill.
Allow the steaks to rest for 5 to 10 minutes after removing from the grill, again propping them up with chopsticks to allow air flow.
Prior to serving, drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle with freshly cracked sea salt and black pepper again.  
Slice the steak the traditional and authentic way:  Cut the filet out first, then cut the centre out and slice each section.  Keep the bone in place around the slices.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Rustic Italian Tomato Pie

In the American South is a popular dish known as "Tomato Pie".  Neither my husband nor I had ever heard of this before living here.  But lately I've seen it featured in Southern Living and on some of the food shows that I've been watching while laid up on the recliner healing my back.  We were really grateful for the kindness extended to us from our friends who are native Southerners when they baked one of these pies to give us this week . . . and that would certainly give my husband a night off from cooking while I'm on the mend from surgery.

A traditional Southern tomato pie

The tomato pie was delicious, but both my husband and I were taken back by the unexpected tangy flavor that resulted from combining mayonnaise and cheddar cheese baked on top of tomatoes and onions.  Really, really good and nothing like we'd ever had before.   We certainly appreciated the gesture, kindness, and friendship that was extended, however the unique taste in this version of tomato pie led me on a path to discover other presentations of tomato pie.  

lots of butter, mayonnaise, and cheese in the Southern pie

here's another photo from "eclectic recipes"

Now that's what I call a cheesy dream of a tomato pie!

From the Northeastern region of the States, I found that there is a thick pizza-focaccia bread based tomato pie that I'd like to make later on.  From the photos, it looks like a thick pizza with an equally thick layer of tomato sauce on top (not sliced tomatoes) and nothing else.  Already I could see a difference in the sub-cultural interpretation of tomato pie!

certainly MORE focus on tomatoes and not cheese!

Meanwhile within the pages of one of my Italian cookbooks, "Vegetables From An Italian Garden", I found a photo and recipe for a 'rustic' tomato pie.  It doesn't look like a pie at all, but since that's what the title stated I set out to try it.

This recipe did not fail my expectations; even my husband ate a whole 'slice'!

photo of the rustic tomato pie in my cookbook

 spread softened butter onto the baking sheet pan

saute' green onions and sprinkle onto bread

generously layer tomato slices and sprinkle herbs on bread

place top piece of bread on,

pour egg/milk mixture all over, 

sprinkle with salt and pepper

place slices of pecorino cheese randomly on bread and
bake in the oven until golden brown

This rustic Italian tomato pie is indeed the opposite of the traditional Southern tomato pie.  The latter has a heaviness to it, maybe due to the all of the mayonnaise, cheese and butter, and the tomatoes seemed a bit lost.  But it had a tangy cheese flavor that cannot be beat . . . and anything with cheese gets my attention quickly!  

For the rustic pie on the other hand, the oregano and basil sang out, there was no greasiness at all, and the tomatoes really stood out.  A wonderful crunch is heard as you bite into the egg/milk baked bread.  I think that this tomato pie truly reflects one of the important principles of Italian cooking:  keep everything simple and don't cover up the flavors, but rather -- enhance them!  I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this recipe and know that it will be made quite often!

And now, I'll just go have a piece of both tomato pies for some fresh summertime tomato bliss!

Rustic Italian Tomato Pie
(adapted from "Vegetables From An Italian Garden")

butter for greasing pan
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 scallions/green onions, finely chopped
12 thin slices good quality Italian whole wheat bread, crusts removed (I left them on)
4 - 5 fresh tomatoes, sliced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
2 jumbo eggs (I doubled this from 1 egg)
1 1/3 cups whole milk (I doubled this from 2/3 cup milk)
8 oz. pecorino cheese, sliced very thin
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spread butter all over a baking sheet with sides.
Heat olive oil in a small pan, add the scallions/green onions and sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
Lightly season with salt.
Remove from heat.
Cover the bottom of the buttered pan with half of the bread.
Spoon the scallions/green onions on top of bread.
Place tomato slices on top.
Sprinkle with dried oregano and dried basil.
Cover with remaining bread slices.
Beat eggs with the milk in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture over the bread.
Cover with pecorino cheese slices.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.
Do not burn the bread though.
Let cool slightly and then serve on a nice serving dish.

And now here's the recipe for the traditional Southern Tomato Pie


Southern Tomato Pie

1 pre-made pie crust
1 large sweet onion, diced
5 – 6 very fresh, preferably farmer’s market or garden-fresh tomatoes, sliced
(Tip: Slice tomatoes in half first and squeeze out excess juice before slicing to reduce water in the pie)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup sliced fresh Monterey Jack cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pie crust in pie plate.
Arrange onions in the bottom of the pie in a circular formation.
Then arrange sliced tomatoes, around in a circle, and some in the middle.
Add salt and pepper.
Combine mayonnaise, cheddar cheese and dried Italian seasonings in a small bowl.
Mix well and spoon over tomatoes, leaving about 1 inch gap in between mayo and the edge of the pie so you can still see the tomatoes.
Place sliced cheese on top of mayonnaise layer.
Bake for about 30 minutes, at 350 degrees, or until cheese is golden.


Mangia!


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Wild Mushroom Agnolotti in Basil Pesto Butter

"You are not to cook for 8 weeks!" and "No BLT's" stated the nurse at the Carolina Neurosurgical and Spine Center in a pre-surgery class filled with a group of patients and their primary care takers preparing for upcoming lumbar fusion surgery.

"Oh my God," I said to my husband during the class that took place two weeks ago prior to the back surgery.  This rule for recovery was just as much of a shock as learning the amount of pain that would be encountered for the first 4 days after surgery.  Cooking requires a lot of "bending, twisting, and lifting . . . the three BLT's", the things that you cannot engage in for 8 weeks while wearing a back brace and healing the wounds of surgery.

"Prepare lots of frozen meals ahead of time, or have someone cook for you,  or order take-out" continued the nurse.

Well, ordering take out every single day was not an option due to the expense, the huge portion sizes, and the amount of salt and fat included.  And as far as having someone else cook in this household, let's just say that my husband's cooking skills are almost non-existent except for Sunday morning pancakes and sausage.

So that really put the emphasis on preparing lots of frozen meals.  And I'm not talking about frozen pizzas or frozen boxed dinners either!

Truthfully I do make and freeze a lot of frozen homemade meals, but I thought that I'd get creative this afternoon for lunch while my husband was at work.  These new rules for recovery from surgery are proving to be like a little cheat sheet in the kitchen . . . to give yourself permission to use frozen ingredients too!  So since I was in the mood for feel-good carb-laden pasta, I slowly went to visit my happy freezer to see what I could put together.

One shelf of my freezer is filled with frozen pastas, both filled and un-filled.  Naturally since my husband fixed spaghetti in a batch of my frozen Bolognese sauce two nights ago, I went straight for the filled pastas.

Hmmmm?  Should I bathe these little pillows of beauty in a sage-butter bath?  Sounds good . . . but hey!  My drugged up head came up with a better idea!  How about using up a small container of frozen homemade marinara sauce?  Even better, my GPS location system went to the shelf where little plastic containers of my frozen home-made basil pesto was crying out to be used.

The pesto won!

So while the wild mushroom agnoletti were swimming in the boiling water on the stove, I melted a half stick of butter and stirred in about a tablespoon of my thawed out basil pesto sauce.  Not too much now; these are delicate pastas.

PERFECTION!  What a delicate and sublime flavor combination!

"So there!  I can still cook while in recovery . . . just a little more creatively with the help of my friend, the freezer!"

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti in Basil Pesto Butter

1 9 oz. package of Buitoni pre-made, frozen wild mushroom agnolotti
1 stick of butter
1 - 2 Tbsp. basil pesto sauce

Cook the mushroom agnolotti according to package directions.
Thaw out frozen basil pesto sauce.
Melt butter.
In a medium bowl, mix the hot butter and the basil pesto sauce.
Gently place the agnolotti in the warm pesto butter.
Toss lightly to cover the pasta lightly with the pesto butter sauce.

  

Mangia!

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Fresh Watermelon Salad

watermelon is one of the best things to enjoy in the summer!    There is nothing quite like biting into sweet, cold, juicy watermelons!    As a child I remember my father taking us to nearby produce stands where there were huge tin water troughs filled with ice and watermelon.  Wow, just like a cold beer in a ice-filled beer tub!   I pity anyone who lacks a memory of eating a slice of ice cold watermelon . . . simple with nothing added!  Yea, now that's summer eaten'!


However, for a recent gathering with friends, I prepared a heavenly watermelon with goat cheese salad, a sweet and savory combination that is so delicious you may not stop eating it!  I know that this combo sounds really weird, but all of the different textures and flavors combine perfectly and the balsamico vinegar lends a nice kick to smack those taste buds of yours!


A day or two ahead, marinate your goat or feta cheese (I use goat cheese because I find it more mild and so it soaks up all the herbs and olive oil more genuinely; plus my husband hates feta cheese . . . remember he's still "Mr. Meat and Potatoes"). . . I mean after all . . . feta?  Nothing but cheddar or mozzarella cheese for my guy!  Yet reluctantly and surpisingly he enjoyed his one bite of this salad and then proceeded to cut that tried-and-true slice of watermelon to enjoy while I noshed on this salad.


This is superb and I highly recommend this incredible watermelon salad!


And as with all recipes, to achieve mouth-watering results, please remember to use quality ingredients:    extra virgin olive oil instead of regular olive oil (unless specified), freshly ground black pepper instead of already ground pepper, freshly ground sea salt instead of regular salt, etc.


It really makes a difference in the end-resulting flavors and final dish.  You'll be so glad that you did!

at our local produce stand:   a 'refrigerated' trailer full of cold, sweet watermelons!

the goat cheese happily marinating in all of the herbs, spices, and olive oil

Watermelon Salad with Fresh Herb Marinated Goat Cheese


Watermelon cut into 1 - 2" cubes
1 small roll of goat cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. fresh herbs, finely chopped (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary)
3 tsp. red chili pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup of fresh basil, broken into pieces by hand
Balsamico vinegar -- to drizzle on salad


Prepare the marinaded goat/feta cheese at least 2 hours earlier than serving the salad.
In a clean glass jar, pour the oil into it.
Add the chopped feta/goat cheese.
Add all chopped fresh herbs.
Add red pepper flakes and minced garlic.
Gently, very gently swish the cheese cubes around in the marinade.
Place in the frig to chill for 2 hours.
Just before serving, cut watermelon into cubes.
Sprinkle the marinaded cheese cubes over the watermelon cubes.
Drizzle with balsamico vinegar or pass it around to guests.

Stay Cool ! 

  Mangia!

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Peaches and Cream Ice Cream with Fresh Raspberry Coulis!

Stopping at local roadside produce stands in the summertime is so much fun!  Everyone seems to have their favorite little places where our cars automatically turn on their own into crowded parking lots.  When July arrives Bill and I know that it's time to drive to the roadside stands to fill up the back of our Jeep with several bushels of 'free-stone' or 'cling-free' peaches.  I love this variety simply because they are so easy to remove the pit than the earlier varieties that are available in June.  'Free-stone' peaches seem to have a more tender texture too.  But from what everyone is saying, both the June and July peaches have been super sweet this year.  And that's such a good thing!  

More peaches are grown in South Carolina than any other state in the U.S., and a healthy, but competitive rivalry exists between Georgia and South Carolina despite Georgia's infamous nick-name of 'the peach state'.  I guess that everyone has their own preference, and yea, I'm slightly biased about S.C.'s super sweet, tender, and juicy peaches.  My husband (not a S.C. native) found out that the reason for the extra sweetness of S.C. peaches is that more of this state's peaches are grown closer to the mountains, in the foothills where the temps are slightly cooler, especially at night, which peach trees thrive on.   


I've read and even prepared several recipes for fresh home-made peach ice cream, but thus far, my husband and I believe that the hands-down best recipe out there is from David Lebovitz that he shares in his bible on ice cream, "The Perfect Scoop".   This time I decided to add a fresh raspberry puree to top off the ice cream simply because we love the flavor combo of  the classic 'peach melba'.  Mmmm, can't go wrong with this pair!

Fresh Peach Ice Cream
(adapted from "The Perfect Scoop")


6 large fresh peaches (or frozen, we freeze peaches ever summer)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice


Place a large bowl or metal container in the freezer to chill before you begin.
This container is what you'll put the finished ice cream in and so it will be already be pre-chilled.
Peel, slice and pit the fresh peaches.
Add the sugar to the peaches.
With an immersion blender or hand-held electric beater, blend peaches and sugar with sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla extract and lemon juice.
Blend only until peaches are nice and chunky, not pureed.
Pour the peach mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Freeze for several hours or overnight until your desired level of firmness is achieved.


Fresh Raspberry Coulis


2 baskets of fresh raspberries
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. raspberry jam/preserves


In a medium bowl, puree the raspberries with an immersion blender.
Pour the pureed raspberries into a medium sauce pan.
Using a sieve, pour the mixture through and press lightly to separate the juices of the berries from the skin and seeds into a bowl.
Discard the seeds and flesh (put them in your composite pile if you have one).
Add sugar to the juice that has the seeds and skin/flesh removed.
Return to the pan on a medium to high temperature burner on the stove.
Add raspberry jam/preserves.
Bring to a boil and stir for about 3 minutes.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Serve with your favorite flavor of ice cream or pound cake.

add sour cream to the sweetened peaches

 add heavy cream

 add vanilla

 with immersion blender, give it all a whirl and keep the peaches fairly chunky, not pureed

Mangia!

have some fun and take a trip to your favorite roadside produce stand this summer!

I haven't joined in a foodie blog hop for some time now due to a year of serious career demands, 

but I'm sharing this today over at

The Tablescaper's 'Seasonal Sundays' and 

A Slice of Southern's 'Southern Sundays'.  

After all, it's nice to share isn't it?

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Grill~Roasted Corn Salad with Black Beans, Avocados and More!

As my husband and I were having breakfast at our favorite local diner this morning, our server said to us, "Happy 4th!  Aren't you excited about all of the good eats on the grill today?"   I thought about her statement and the way her words reflect how we simply and traditionally connect food with every holiday and ritual of our lives!  And the 4th of July (in the States) is one of our favorite foodie holidays!  What's not to enjoy in our tummies today?  Grilled steaks, burgers, and hot dogs . . . yummy berry pies and trifles . . . ice cold watermelon, popsicles and fresh ice cream . . . perfect potato and side salads.

Besides our own favorite tried and true recipes, deciding which 'new' recipes to try among the 1000's in this summer's magazines, TV food shows, and foodie blogs and web-sites can be overwhelming.  Once I read the following recipe over on Jessica's blog, Kitchen Belleicious, I was instantly inspired to make a similar side salad to add to my 4th of July recipe line-up.

Jessica's recipe for her corn and black bean salad uses roasted corn on the grill  which is the base for the recipe that I developed.  I used TV grill king, Bobby Flay's process for grilling corn on the cob.  A cilantro vinaigrette is also provided if you need that extra smack of flavor!  This was truly a yummy summer salad!

I made two versions of this corn and black bean salad.  The first version is more similar to Jessica's in that there is no avocados added since my husband doesn't like avocados, and I also added some of my preserved roasted red peppers (frozen from last summer's garden).  The second version does include avocados since I love them so much and Ro-Tel tomatoes with lime and cilantro thrown in for added zing!

Both versions are delicious!

This is version #1 which more close to the recipe by Jessica on Kitchen Belleicious

(roasted red peppers and tomatoes were added and no avocados were included)

Grill-Roasted Corn Salad with Black Beans, Avocados and More!

6 ears of grill-roasted corn kernels off the cob
1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, diced, or 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 avocados, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (I freeze a batch of these every summer)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup fresh chives, chopped
2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes with lime and cilantro

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately as a salad or with tortilla chips for an appetizer.
This gets better after it sets for a few hours if you have the time.

this is version #2 with avocado added in and a small can of Ro-Tel tomatoes with lime and cilantro

Bobby Flay's Method for Grilled Corn on the Cob
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Click here for Bobby's video showing his grilling procedure
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6 ears corn (or the number of ears that you prefer)
salted pot of cold water

Heat grill to medium.
Fill large pot with cold water and 1 Tbsp. salt.
Place ears of corn with husks attached in pot for 10 minutes.
Remove corn from water and shake off excess.
Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender when pierced with a paring knife.
Remove the husks and eat on the cob or remove the kernels, or remove kernels to add to a salad.

If desired, here is a nice, tangy recipe for a cilantro vinaigrette to lightly drizzle on the salad.  Adjust ingredients where you like.

Cilantro Vinaigrette

1/4 cup champagne vinegar

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, minced

1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 Tbsp. fresh jalapeño pepper, minced

2 Tbsp. green onions, minced

2 tsp. garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. freshly ground sea salt

1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper

1/4  tsp. ground dried chipotle pepper

2 Tbsp. sugar

Combine all ingredients.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.





Mangia!

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