Saturn Peaches in Brik Paper
with Raspberry Sauce and Ice Cream    
Brik papers, similar to spring roll wrappers, are paper-thin pastry sheets that cook up golden and crisp, yet stay delicate and neutral in flavor. This makes them perfect for savory or sweet applications. Check with your local international grocer to see if these are available. If not, try spring roll or phyllo sheets for similar results.
Yields approx 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 pt Raspberries, fresh
2 Tbl Sugar
1/2 ea Lemon, juice of
6 ea. Brik pastry, sheets of
As Needed Clarified butter, kept warm
As Needed Vanilla sugar (That in which
vanilla beans have been
stored)
3 ea Peaches, large, peeled, halved and
pitted, plus additional for garnish
As Needed Vegetable oil for frying
6 ea Ice cream, scoops of, vanilla, mint
Chocolate Chip or your favorite

Directions:
The raspberry sauce that accompanies this dish can be made ahead. In a small saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. Cook the mixture until the raspberries have broken down, forming a sweet raspberry syrup. Puree, strain and chill the sauce until ready to use. Just before you are ready to prepare and serve the dessert, lay the sheets of brik pastry out flat and brush with just enough clarified butter to lightly coat the sheets. Sprinkle the sheets with sugar and place a peach half in the center of each sheet, cut side up. Fold the brik pastry over the peaches, completely encasing the peaches. Depending on the size of the peaches, trim some of the outer edge of the brik sheets so there isn't too much excess. Turn the peaches over and press down to seal the folded edges. In a wide, shallow saute pan, fry the peaches flat side down until golden and crisp. Flip the peaches over and brown on the second side.

Presentation:
Meanwhile, drizzle some raspberry sauce onto the center of individual serving bowls and place one of the fried peaches in each. Spoon on the ice cream, garnish with additional cut peaches if desired and serve immediately!

Mixed Melon Salad with Rum Syrup and Mint
   
Next time you see a wide assortment of melons at your local market, be sure to try out this simple yet exciting melon salad. Don't let the rum turn you off as the alcohol is cooked off, leaving an underlying flavor that, when paired with mint, takes melon to whole new level.
Yields approx 1 servings

Ingredients:
4 C Mixed melons, balled
4 oz Bacardi Rum
2 Tbl Sugar, granulated
1 Tbl Sugar, Turbinado
1 Tbl Mint, fresh, chopped, plus
additional sprigs for garnish

Directions:
In a small saute pan, carefully bring the rum and sugar to a boil. Once it ignites, continue to cook the syrup until the flame dies down. Cool slightly and add the chopped mint. Pour the syrup over the melon and stir well. Cover and refrigerate the melon until well chilled.

Presentation:
Serve in martini glasses, each garnished with a sprig of mint.

Asian Grilled Beef Salad
with Baby Spinach, Green Onions and Shiitake Mushrooms    
Ginger, garlic, chile and soy combine for a zesty marinade for tender grilled flank steak. Sliced thinly over a salad of baby spinach, grilled scallions and shiitake mushrooms, this entre-style salad is easy to prepare and even easier to enjoy on a hot summer day.
Yields approx 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 tsp. each Gourmet Gardens Ginger, Garlic, Chile, Lemongrass and Cilantro Spice Blends (or freshly chopped)
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 lb. Flank, Flat Iron or Skirt Steak, trimmed of excess fat
To Taste: Sea Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground
1 pkg. (3.5 oz.) Shiitake Mushrooms, stems removed
1 bunch Scallions, roots removed
1 bag (6 oz.) Baby Spinach
To Taste: Marzettis Asian Ginger Vinaigrette
To Taste: Sesame Oil

Directions:
In a non-reactive container with a tight fitting lid, whisk together ginger, garlic, chile, lemongrass and cilantro spice blends, followed by the soy sauce and vegetable oil. Add meat, flip to coat, cover and refrigerate overnight. Prepare a hot grill. Remove meat from marinade and shake off excess liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place meat on a well-cleaned, well-oiled grill, over direct heat, and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes. Rotate meat 90 degrees and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Flip meat and cook 4-5 minutes. Rotate 90 degrees and cook for remaining 4-5 minutes for medium rare. During last few minutes of cooking, grill mushrooms and scallions. Remove meat and veggies from heat and allow to rest while preparing the salad. In a large mixing bowl, toss spinach with just enough dressing to coat.

Presentation:
Divide spinach by individual serving plates. Slice beef thinly across the grain and lay slices over cool greens. Slice mushrooms and scallions and scatter around meat. Drizzle salad with a touch of sesame oil and serve.

Summer Stone Fruit and Melon Salad Parfaits
with Yogurt-Berry Puree, Crunchy Granola & Low-Fat Whipped Cream    
Although any truly ripe fruit will work in this dessert, look for items that are at their peak of availability and freshness for the best results. Right now, cherries, nectarines, plums and other stone fruit are a good way to go, as well as specialty melons of all colors and sizes. Be sure to use several different varieties of fruit for greater flavor, color and texture. Recipe makes enough for a crowd.
Yields approx 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb. Cherries, stemmed and pitted, halved
3 Nectarines, ripe, pitted, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Plums or Pluots, ripe, pitted, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Peaches, ripe, pitted, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 of two different kinds of Variety Melons, ripe, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Orange, juice of
1/4 cup Sugar, granulated

As Needed: Berry or Banana-Flavored Smoothie (for sauce)
As Needed: Cereal or Granola (I like lighter blends, with Puffed Rice and Almonds for example)
As Needed: Low-Fat Whipped Cream
As Needed: Mint Sprigs

Directions:
Combine first group of fruit items, sugar and orange juice in a large mixing bowl and toss well. Chill for 1 hour. Re-toss and spoon mixture into chilled serving glasses. Drizzle on smoothie. Top with a sprinkling of cereal. Add whipped cream and garnish with fruit slices and mint, if desired.

Chicken, Chorizo and Seafood Paella
   
This is a dish that can be as simple or as over-the-top as you like given your budget, but regardless of the garnishes, paella is always great, no matter the occasion or crowd.
Yields approx 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup Chorizo, sliced 1/2 thick
1/2 lb. Shrimp, large 16-20 size, peeled and deveined
1 Catfish Filet, cut into chinks
4 Chicken Thighs, boneless, cut into 1 pieces
1/2 Onion, Spanish, medium dice
2 cloves Garlic, peeled, minced
1 Red Pepper, roasted, peeled, medium dice
1 Tomato, ripe, skinned, seeded, chopped
Pinch: Saffron, threads
1/2 tsp. Pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
1/2 cup White Wine, dry
3 cups Clam Broth
1 cup Short-Grain Rice, Bomba or Arborio
1 doz. Clams, little necks, cleaned well
1/2 lb. Mussels, de-bearded, cleaned well
1/2 cup Peas, fresh but blanched or frozen
1/2 cup Edamame, shucked, frozen
2 Tbsp. Cilantro, fresh, chopped
To Taste: Sea Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, over medium-high heat, in olive oil, fry chorizo on both sides until golden brown. Remove sausage to a plate, leaving oil in pan. Season shrimp with salt and pepper and quickly brown shrimp on both sides, removing to the same plate with the chorizo when half-cooked. Repeat with catfish pieces. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add chicken to pan. Brown chicken on all sides. Add onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add roasted pepper, tomato, saffron and pimento and cook for 1 minute. Add white wine and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Add clam broth and return to a boil. Stir in rice, coating each grain well. Bring back to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and maintain at a simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Add clams and mussels to the pan, along with peas and edamame. Bring back to a simmer cover and cook until the shellfish begins to open. Add browned shrimp, fish and chorizo, and cover. Cook until shrimp and fish is cooked through, all shellfish is open and rice is tender. For an authentic touch, allow the bottom of the pan to begin to crackle a touch before removing from the heat. This is when all of the extra liquid has absorbed and where the bottom layer of rice is beginning to brown (not burn!)

Presentation:
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Pan-Roasted Free Range Chicken
Stuffed with Grilled Eggplant, Roasted Red Peppers, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil    
This simple, flavorful and rustic chicken preparation is a perfect center-of-the-plate item to feature on any festive, buffet-style spread. Sliced and served with a few simple sides or over a hearty green salad, the tender yet boldly flavored ingredients within keep things moist and tasty, eliminating the need for heavy sauces.
Yields approx 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 Organic Young Spring Chickens, roughly 3 lbs. each
1 Eggplant, large, sliced 1/4 thick lengthwise, seasoned with salt and pepper, brushed with 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and grilled till well marked and tender
1 Red Pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, cut into 4 filets
8 Basil leaves, fresh
1 Mozzarella, fresh, ovaline-sized, cut into 1/2x 1/2x3 batons
To Taste: Sea Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp. Blended Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, unpeeled

Directions:
Start by butchering the chicken. Bone out the breasts, keeping the wings attached to the breasts as they are removed. Cut off the wing tips, as well as the second section of wing, leaving a skin-on breast that has the drumstick portion of the wing attached. Trim the cartilage from the wing bone if desired for a clean, frenched effect. Save these wing parts plus the remaining carcass for stock. Save the legs for another meal! To stuff, place eggplant slices flat on a work surface. Lay filet of roasted red pepper over each. Top with two leaves of basil each, followed by a baton each of fresh mozzarella. Roll the eggplant up and over the other ingredients, rolling to form a tight, cigar-like package. Using a sharp boning knife, carefully cut into the back of each breast, directly under where the wing meets the breast, at the fattest part or dead center of the back of the breast. Plunge the knife in by about 4-5, trying hard not to cut out of the breast. Carefully slice to either side, making space for the eggplant roll-up. Remove the knife and carefully slide the eggplant roll-up into the cavity created in the back of each breast. Once in, carefully pinch the end closed and secure with toothpicks to keep closed. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.

In a large saute pan, over medium-high heat in the blended oil, saute the chicken breasts, skin-side down, until the skins are crisp and golden brown. Flip the breasts and cook briefly to brown underside. While the chicken is browning, add unpeeled garlic cloves. (Since the cloves are unpeeled, the oil and therefore the chicken gets flavored with garlic, while the peel prevents the garlic from burning and contributing to a bitter flavor.) Place pan directly into a pre-heated 375-degree oven and pan-roast to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from oven, remove chicken to a rimmed plate and cover loosely with foil. (Discard garlic or save for another use.) Slice the chicken and serve with any drippings that may have accumulated.

Sweet Italian Sausage
with Local Plum Tomato-Caper Pomodoro, Shaved Parmesan and Soft Polenta    
Nothing could be more rustic yet satisfying than this Italian staple of a dish. When cooked with love and paired with the right accompaniments, even low-budget Italian sausage deserves a place on high-end tables.
Yields approx 6 servings

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Spanish Onion, medium dice
4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. Capers, rinsed well
4 cups Plum Tomatoes, ripe, peeled, seeded, pureed through food mill
1 sprig Basil, fresh
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt
1 tsp. Sugar (If needed)

24 oz. Chicken Stock
4 oz. Butter
4 oz. Yellow Corn Meal
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
12 Italian Sausages, 5 or 6 links, mild or spicy

As needed: Parmesan, wedge of, for shaving over sausage
Optional: Basil Sprigs, for garnish

Directions:
For the sauce: In a wide, shallow sauce pan, sweat onions slowly in oil until tender and translucent. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes until fragrant. (Do not brown.) Add capers and cook 1 more minute. Add fresh tomato puree and basil sprig and bring to a simmer. Cook until tomatoes have broken down and reduced to a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and add sugar only if necessary. Set aside.

For the polenta: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan large enough to hold all of the ingredients, bring chicken stock and half of butter to a boil to melt the butter. Turn off heat and allow the stock to cool briefly. In a steady stream while constantly whisking, pour corn meal into warm stock-butter mixture and whisk well. Add a touch of salt. Bring to a boil while whisking and reduce to a low simmer. Using a wooden spoon (wood will not scrape your pans, darkening the light-colored polenta mix when you scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent burning), frequently stir the mixture, scraping the bottom as you go, until the grains of corn meal have swelled, the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is creamy. Stir in remaining butter and season to taste with additional salt, if needed. Cover and hold warm.

For the sausage: In a large frying pan, brown the sausage links in oil until well browned on all sides. Proper browning will contribute tons of flavor and help tenderize the sausage skin. Pour off half of the oil from the pan and add the tomato sauce to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Using the wooden spoon, scrape the tasty brown bits from the sausage off of the bottom of the frying pan into the sauce. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pan, leaving it cracked with a lid, and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the sausage is completely tender. Add a touch of water, if needed, throughout the cooking process to keep the tomato sauce from reducing and becoming too thick.

Presentation:
Spoon a mound of hot polenta into each of six preheated wide-rimmed bowls. Place two links of sausage over the polenta and top with marinara sauce. Shave on a decent amount of Parmesan cheese and garnish with basil, if using.