Smoky, salty, and addictive, these soybeans were inspired by a recipe for griddle-roasted peas in the pod in My Bombay Kitchen: Traditional and Modern Parsi Home Cooking (University of California Press, 2007) by Niloufer Ichaporia King. Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes.
1. If using fresh edamame (skip this step with frozen soybeans), bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add edamame and boil 2 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. Heat a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. Toss in edamame, half at a time, and roast, turning with tongs, until blackened in several spots, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour into a bowl, toss with salt to taste, and serve immediately. To eat, pop peas out of pods with your fingers or teeth.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1/2-cup serving.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
The essence of sweet, just-picked summer corn. Serve it hot or cold. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours to chill if served cold. Notes: Trombetta zucchini is pale green and curvaceous. Queso fresco is a mild, Mexican-style cheese.
1. Turn on broiler. Put poblanos on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast 4 in. from heat, turning once, until blackened, 10 to 15 minutes total. Put poblanos in a bowl, cover, and let sit 30 minutes to loosen skins; then peel, stem, and seed. Cut poblanos into 1/2-in. dice and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, slice corn kernels from cobs. Heat olive oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat and add onion, serranos, and 2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and corn kernels and cook 3 minutes more.
3. Pour just enough water into pot to cover corn. Bring to a simmer, covered, and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Put diced zucchini in a small saucepan with just enough salted water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain.
5. In batches, whirl corn soup in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh colander into a bowl, mashing to press out liquid. (If too thick, add some water.) Season with salt. To serve the soup hot, return to pot and reheat gently (do not boil); to serve cold, chill at least 2 hours.
6. Divide among 8 bowls. Top each bowl with 2 tbsp. diced poblanos, 2 tbsp. diced zucchini, and 2 zucchini blossom halves. Sprinkle each with 1 tbsp. cheese and serve the extra on the side.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
This is the salad to make with tomatoes from the farmers' market or your backyard, ideally when they're still warm from the sun. The surprise is the easy homemade cheese. Prep and Cook Time: about 20 minutes (excluding cheese).
1. Slice large tomatoes; leave small tomatoes whole, or cut in wedges or halves. Arrange on a platter with cheese.
2. In a small bowl, whisk 1 tsp. salt, the vinegar, and honey until salt is dissolved; whisk in olive oil. Spoon over tomatoes.
3. Strip marjoram leaves and flowers from sprigs onto salad. With kitchen scissors, snip basil leaves and flowers over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
A thin, golden brown "cake" of sliced potatoes cooked in a heavy skillet, potatoes Anna typically calls for butter. We used our own olive oil instead. Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour. Notes: You can make this ahead and keep it warm in a 200° oven for up to 2 hours.
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/8-in. slices. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a 10-in. ovenproof nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Arrange about one-fifth of the potatoes in a circular pattern in the pan. Potatoes should sizzle when you put them down; if they don't, wait for the pan to get hot enough. Mix salt and rosemary in a bowl. Sprinkle potatoes with about one-fifth of the rosemary salt. When potatoes begin to brown around the edges, reduce heat to low. Repeat layering 4 times, sprinkling with a little of the rosemary salt each time (brush final layer with remaining 1 tsp. oil before sprinkling with last of salt).
2. With a heatproof spatula, gently pull back potatoes to see if the bottom layer is starting to brown. If it is, transfer pan to oven and bake until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 45 minutes. If it isn't, increase heat to medium-high and cook until bottom layer is browning before transferring to oven. If potatoes start to look dry or curl up, cover with foil.
3. Run spatula between potatoes and pan sides and invert potatoes onto a plate or flat platter. Serve hot or warm, cut into 8 wedges with a serrated knife.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
These adorable baked egg cups are made from pattypan squash, cousin to the better known crooked neck squash. Simply scoop out the insides of squash, bake until tender, then crack an egg into the center of each squash and bake until eggs are set.
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cut tops (stem ends) off squash and reserve. Scoop out and discard insides of squash, leaving a shell at least 1/4 in. thick. Brush squash and tops with about 1 tbsp. olive oil, set on a baking sheet, and bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and 3/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add thyme and cook, stirring, until combined.
3. Set squash tops aside. Divide onion mixture evenly among the squash. Crack 1 egg into each squash, lifting out any white that doesn't fit. Sprinkle eggs with remaining salt. Bake until eggs are set, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately, with tops replaced or set to the side.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per squash.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
This sorbet is only as good as your melon, so use the best fruit you can find (or grow). Prep and Cook Time: about 1 hour, plus at least 20 minutes in an ice cream maker. Notes: The sorbet is creamiest when eaten as soon as it's frozen.
1. Whirl melon in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover, and chill until cold.
2. In a small saucepan, bring herbs, if using, and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in honey. Pour into a bowl and chill until cool. Strain into melon purée.
3. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions. Serve immediately.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1/2-cup serving.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
This aromatic tisane (herbal infusion) makes a soothing, caffeine-free finish to a meal. Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes. Notes: Peppermint's leaves are darker and more slender than those of common, grocery-store mint (spearmint) and much more flavorful. Find peppermint at upscale grocery stores and some farmers' markets, or grow it yourself.
1. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Meanwhile, peel 2 or 3 tough outer layers off lemongrass and mash core with a meat mallet or bottom of a small, heavy skillet. Cut into 2-in. pieces.
2. Remove boiling water from heat, add lemongrass, and let steep, covered, 2 minutes. Crush 6 cups mint in your hands and add to pot. Cover and let steep 5 to 8 minutes. Pour through a strainer into a large heatproof pitcher and stir in honey if you like. Divide among 8 cups and top each with a sprig of mint.
Note: Nutritional analysis is per 1-cup serving.
Sunset AUGUST 2008
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At the Homegrown Table
