Hail to the Sheep

I have long been turned on to the magic that is goat's milk cheese. Whether its fresh chevre in a salad or the tangy hint of goat cheese in a luscious berry topped cheesecake, call me a fan. But though I frequently peruse the myriad cheese plates gracing our local restaurants' menus, I didn't fully appreciate just how darn good sheep's milk cheese can be until this weekend.

While wandering around the Dupont Farmers Market - my favorite Sunday morning pastime - I saw a stall I hadn't really noticed before, Everona Dairy, where they were handing out delicious samples of their farmstead sheep's milk varieties left and right. Not only did I walk away with a hefty hunk of nutty Piedmont, their signature cheese, but I also got a tub of their Rapidan spread, a tapenade-style dipping 'sauce' that's got the Piedmont cheese mixed right in. Dolloped into a pot of hot orzo with some fresh basil and chopped heirloom tomatoes thrown in for good measure, we had one of my favorite meals of the summer. Yay sheep.

Skinny Beach Fare

Here's a super quick weeknight dinner that's easy and - surpise! - actually kinda healthy. Well, maybe not healthy, per se, what with the mayo-based dunking sauce, but I figure baking and not frying the shrimp allows for some wiggle room. Add a big, summery salad and you've got a beach-worthy feast - sans the guilt.

Unfried Shrimp

1 lb medium shrimp, cleaned and deveined

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup flour

Salt and pepper

Cayenne pepper

2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 450. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, and salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. In another shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Toss the shrimp in the cornmeal first, shaking off the excess, then dip in the eggs and back in the cornmeal, again shaking them off. Place the shrimp on a lined and oiled baking sheet and bake directly under the broiler for 5 minutes. Turn each shrimp over, cook another minute, then pile on a platter, sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the remoulade.

Spicy Remoulade

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp ketchup

Several dashes of hot sauce

Several dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together.

Crust Convert

I have never been what you would call a "crust person." Though the delicious berry and fruit pies of summer sit near the very top of my favorite desserts list - second only to an ooey gooey chocolate cake, of course - I've never been able to get excited over the requisite bland casing holding my slice together. Frankly, it's never tasted like much to me, and - as I've always told myself - if I skip all that fat and flour, pie is downright healthy!

Enter Julia Child.

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know that Baking with Julia has been my go-to baking bible. And lo and behold, when I returned home from the 14th and U Farmers Market with a fridgeful of glossy cherries and an intense desire for a big slice of freshly made cherry pie, a quick flip through her pages revealed what Ms. Child declares as "the classic dough that earns blue ribbons at country fairs and stars at esteemed pastry shops." Skeptic though I was, I gave it a try. And you know what? It was buttery and flaky and tender and awesome. Count me among the Crust Converts. (And so much for my healthy pies).

This recipe makes enough dough for four 9- to 10-inch tarts or open faced pieces, or 2 double crusted pies. It's super easy, too - just remember to keep everything cold and not to overmix. It also freezes beautifully for up to a month, so you might as well make the whole batch - after all, there are a lot of summer fruits to look forward to.

Perfect Pie Crust
from Baking with Julia
5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 3/4 cups solid vegetable shortening, chilled (I used butter-flavored)
1 cup ice water

Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add the butter, and using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs (this will take a little while). Break up the shortening and add it in bits to the bowl, working it in with the pastry blender or your fingers until small clumps and curds form. Switch to a wooden spoon and add the ice water, stirring to incorporate it. Turn the dough onto a work surface and fold it over itself a few times, just til it all holds together. Don't overwork it!

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces, shape into flat disks, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or as long as 5 days. The dough can also be frozen for up to one month - just thaw completely in the fridge before using.

And, because I can't show you this delcious pie without giving you the recipe...

Best Ever Deep Dish Cherry Pie
2 dough disks, recipe above
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 quart whole pitted sour cherries
1 quart whole pitted sweet cherries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 tbsp milk

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cherries, lemon juice, and vanilla; set aside.

Roll out one dough disk on a floured surface to a 12-inch round, lifting and turning frequently so it doesn't stick. Transfer to a 9-inch deep dish pie dish by wrapping it around your rolling pin, and gently work it into the pan - don't pull or stretch it. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Chill crust while you finish preparing the pie.

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Stir in cherries, lemon juice and vanilla; set aside.

Roll out the second disk to a 12-inch round. Using a pastry wheel with a fluted edge, cut ten strips from the dough round.

Transfer the cherry filling to the dough-lined dish, mounding slightly in center. Dot with the butter, then arrange the dough strips on top of the filling, forming a lattice. Trim the dough strip overhang to 1/2 inch and fold the bottom crust up over ends; crimp the edges to seal. Brush the lattice crust (not the edges) with the milk and sprinkle lattice with a tablespoon of sugar.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about an hour longer. (During baking, cover the edges with a foil collar if browning too quickly). Transfer the pie to a rack and cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream.

A Trifling Dessert

Ah, late spring/early summer. It's one of my very favorite times of year. And for me, one of the happiest places to be at this exact time of year is at a farmer's market. Walking through the throngs of smiling Sunday morning people, my thought process goes something like this - "Strawberries! And asparagus! And peas! And strawberries! And green stuff!...And strawberries!"

Yes, with row after row of those insanely sweet smelling and juicy strawberries on display right now, I would be remiss if I didn't offer at least one sigh-inducing dessert showcasing these little beauties. So, other than suggesting you eat them right out of the carton in the middle of the market, I give you Strawberry Trifle Cake, a riff on a delicious trifle my parents like to serve. You can make it quick with box mixes and ready-made pudding, or you can go old school and make each part from scratch. Either way, it's one of the best desserts I've ever had. (Seriously, I'm thinking about making another one right now). So enjoy, and please share any favorite strawberry dishes you have with me - I will try to keep my hands off my newest batch long enough to try yours out!

Strawberry Trifle Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced, divided
2 tbsp sugar
2 8-oz packages cream cheese
4 3-oz cups vanilla pudding
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

Pour cake batter into two greased 8-inch cake pans. Cook according to package instructions. Turn out onto wire racks and cool completely. Meanwhile, place half the sliced strawberries in a bowl. Sprinkle with sugar, stir to combine and place in fridge while cake is cooling.

For the icing: In a stand mixer or large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese and pudding until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, being sure to break up any lumps. Add the vanilla extract; stir to combine.

Place one cake round on a cake plate. Smooth a cupful of icing over the top. Cover with a layer of the unsweetened sliced strawberries. Top with second cake round and finishing icing the top and sides of cake. Let chill for several hours.

To serve: Mash up the chilled sweetened strawberries with the back of a fork until a thick sauce forms. Slice the cake and serve with the strawberries.

Quick Dish: Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

Great with fish, chicken or beef for dinner and then folded into an omelette the next morning, there's never a better time to whip up this mix of potatoes, beans and tomatoes than September when the farmers markets are at their peak.

Skillet Potatoes and Green Beans

2 tbsp olive oil

3 slices of pancetta, diced small (optional)

2 shallots, sliced fine

3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1 large very ripe tomatoe, diced

1/4 cup water

1/2 pound green beans, trimmed

1/2 pound small new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

Salt and pepper

Fresh parsley

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until getting crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook for a few minutes until soft. Add the diced tomato and the water and stir to combine. Toss in the beans and the poatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss to coat, and cover to let simmer/steam for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still firm. Remove from heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Quick Dish: Ravioli with Sausage, Corn, Ricotta and Basil

This post just goes to show you why all those food magazine cluttering your house are sooo worth the bitchy comments from your housemate. (Love you, Rory!)

So last night I was tired, broke and hungry. I needed to make something for dinner, but after a weekend away, all I had in the fridge was some corn from last weekend’s farmer’s market trip, two leftover chicken sausage links, some fresh artichoke ravioli from Trader Joe’s, and a half-eaten container of ricotta cheese. Slim pickins’ for sure, and definitely not ingredients I would normally think to toss together.

But then I remembered a recipe for pasta with corn, ricotta and roasted garlic I'd recently read about in one of the myriad food magazines gracing my coffee table. Pasta – check; ricotta and corn – check; and what do you know, the chicken sausage just happened to be ROASTED GARLIC chicken sausage. Kitchen karma. I threw it all together, tossed in some fragrant basil, crossed my fingers – and damn, did I make a good quick dish.

Ravioli with Sausage, Corn, Ricotta and Basil
1 10-oz package of your favorite fresh stuffed pasta – ravioli, tortellini, etc.
2 chicken sausage links, halved and sliced – preferably roasted garlic flavor, but a spicy sausage could work, too
½ cup ricotta cheese
Handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Put a medium saucepan of salted water on the stove to boil. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta, basil and sausage links. When the water is boiling, add the pasta. (Fresh pasta only takes a minute or two to cook – you’ll know it’s ready when it floats to the top). Remove the ravioli with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with ricotta mixture; toss gently.

Add the corn kernels to the reserved boiling water and cook just to heat through, about a minute. Strain and add to pasta. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and toss gently. Enjoy!

Quick Dish: Presto Pesto

Pesto is one of my all-time favorite go-to quick dishes. You can whip it together in literally 1 minute and use it a thousand ways: it’s great on hot or cold pasta, mixed into scrambled eggs, as a base sauce for pizza, dolloped on baked fish or as a ‘marinade’ for grilled shrimp…the list goes on and on. You can also feel free to vary the ingredients based on what you have on hand – walnuts or pistachios instead of pine nuts, parsley, cilantro and/or spinach for the green, etc. However, as an addict of the summery zing of fresh basil, I tend to stick with my basic version. (Though one word of caution: don’t use purple basil. Pretty as it is prior to blending, nobody finds brown gloop very appetizing).

Even better - pesto freezes well. I make at least a double batch each time, pour some into a baggie and toss it in the freezer for another night. (This is also a great way to have "fresh" pesto come fall when farmers' market basil is long gone).

Presto Pesto
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Zest and juice of one lemon, optional
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, depending on your chunky/smooth preference
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth.

Quick Dish: Goat Cheese-Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Curry Powder

Much as I love squash blossoms, until this past weekend, I had yet to buy the little beauties this summer. A recent trip to the 14th and U Farmers Market changed that. One stall had pristine blossoms in plastic boxes, as well as the flowers still attached to baby squash. I stocked up on the former, and even got a free recipe to boot, as the nice man I bought them from shared his favorite preparation with me – stuffed with goat cheese, sautéed for just a minute in a little olive oil, and sprinkled with curry powder. No batter? “Never,” he said. “It ruins their delicate flavor.”

He was right - rather than simply being a vehicle for the gooey filling, the fresh, grassy flavor of the blossoms themselves could shine through. My only addition – a little chopped basil mixed into the cheese.

Summer's Perfect Fruit: White Peaches

Check out this excellent article on Saveur.com about the awesomeness that is white peaches. Here’s an excerpt:

“White peaches are low in acidity. Bite into one and you'll taste no tartness—only an aromatic, floral sweetness. A ripe white peach has an undertone of raspberries, and if it matures for a few days, the flavors deepen and it starts to taste a little like muscat grapes. Eating good white peaches is the real thing—a rare experience.”

If you haven’t already, you’ve got to get yourself some of these summer beauties before they’re gone. (Toigo Orchards’ white peaches, which I've picked up at the Dupont Farmers’ Market, have been especially luscious).

Love Dish: Goat Cheesecake with Balsamic-Basil Blackberries

Goat cheese? Balsamic vinegar? Basil? That’s right, dear reader. The ingredients may be a little unusual, but this is a wow ’em dessert, and I guarantee it’ll be your new favorite summer cheesecake recipe.

(The cheesecake recipe was adapted from a version by Tyler Florence, and the basil-blackberry topping was inspired by a crumble dessert created by Jamie Oliver. Thank you, gentlemen).

Crust:
2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
¾ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
8 ounces fresh goat cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 pint (2 cups) sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of one lemon

Topping:
2 pints fresh blackberries
1 handful finely chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp honey

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Set a sauce pan filled with water over high heat to boil.

For the crust:
Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a fork. Pour into the pan and press the crumbs down into the base and about 1 inch up the sides, using the bottom of a flat glass or measuring cup. Refrigerate while preparing the filling.

For the Filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add the sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix briefly to combine. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Be careful not to overbeat the batter. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan and pour the boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan (the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake). Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook it. Remove cake from the water bath and let cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours.

Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula or knife around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Pour the blackberries over the top (recipe below). Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.

For the blackberries:
In a small saucepan, add the balsamic vinegar, sugar and honey and stir to combine and dissolve the sugar. Slowly bring to a boil over medium heat; allow sauce to boil gently for 1 minute. (Be careful not to boil too long as the sauce will become a syrup). Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Pour over blackberries, add the chopped basil, and stir gently to combine.

Love Dish: Lasagna Primavera

While quick dishes are perfect for late nights and lazy days, sometimes you just feel like spending some time in the kitchen. Hence, Love Dishes - dishes that require a little bit of love (because in cooking, time = love. Just ask Grandma).

This lasagna is an excellent way to showcase summer's beautiful vegetables. Baking the cherry tomatoes in the lasagna gives the dish an unexpected, intensely tomato pop, and mixing goat cheese with the traditional ricotta provides a nicely balancing tang. The prep time is only 15-20 minutes, but it does need about 45 minutes in the oven. So toss it together, pour yourself a glass of wine, and get ready to enjoy the labors of your love.


Lasagna Primavera

1 package no-boil lasagna noodles (Trader Joe's has a good version)
1 jar good quality pasta sauce (or go crazy and make your own tomato sauce...but seriously, stick with me on the store-bought noodles)
1 package - about 3-4 loosely packed cups - baby spinach
8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 garlic cloves
2 medium zucchinis, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Several handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
6 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
6 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 handful basil leaves, chopped
Parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

For the bechamel sauce:
1 1/2 cups milk
4 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the spinach; sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the spinach to evenly distribute the garlic. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the sliced mushrooms. Remove and set aside after all leaves are wilted, but not overcooked, about 2 minutes. (The mushrooms will still be very firm). Increase the heat to high, add another 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add the zucchini and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, tossing frequently, until the zucchini begins to get a little color, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together, cooking about 1-2 minutes. Add the milk, and whisk again to incorporate the butter/flour mixture. Increase the heat to medium-high, and bring sauce to a boil, stirring often. (Boiling the flour/butter mixture will thicken it - you'll know the sauce is ready when it can coat the back of a spoon). Let cool slightly.

Spread some of the bechamel sauce on the bottom of a large lasagna dish, enough to fully cover. Place lasagna sheets on the bottom of the pan, overlapping slightly. Top with more bechamel sauce - about 1/2 cup - and some of the pasta sauce - also about 1/2 cup. Add the spinach/mushroom mixture, spreading evenly. Spoon the ricotta sauce in dollops over the vegetables and sprinkle with half the chopped basil. Top with another layer of noodles, pressing down gently. Repeat bechamel and pasta sauce, this time adding the zucchini/tomato mixture and dollops of the goat cheese. Sprinkle with remaining basil and cover with one more layer of lasagna sheets. Pour remaining pasta sauce over the top of the lasagna, coating evenly. Dust with Parmesan cheese.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake on center rack of the oven for 35 minutes. Remove, uncover and baked for another 10 minutes. Serve with basil sprigs.

A great accompaniment for this dish is a fresh, simple salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette.