As summer's end closes in, the farm stands are brimming with bounty, from juicy tomatoes and colorful bell peppers to eggplant and summer squash. Corn and peaches are among Long Island's highlighted summer crops. Getting in those eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day doesn't get easier or more delicious.
You can find tomatoes, celery, onions and goat cheese at many of Long Island's farm stands.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of red leaf lettuce
4 large heirloom tomatoes, each a different color, sliced into half-inch slices
1/2 pint of heirloom grape, cherry and strawberry tomatoes in assorted colors
2 celery stalks, sliced crosswise on a bias
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons peach balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Line a serving platter with the lettuce leaves. Arrange the large tomato slices in attractive circles around the platter, working from the outer edge to the center of the platter and alternating the colors for the pattern of your choice. Next, scatter the halved smaller tomatoes, the onion, the celery and the goat cheese over the tomatoes. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together and then drizzle the mixture evenly over the salad platter.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of red leaf lettuce
4 large heirloom tomatoes, each a different color, sliced into half-inch slices
1/2 pint of heirloom grape, cherry and strawberry tomatoes in assorted colors
2 celery stalks, sliced crosswise on a bias
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 ounces of goat cheese, crumbled
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons peach balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Line a serving platter with the lettuce leaves. Arrange the large tomato slices in attractive circles around the platter, working from the outer edge to the center of the platter and alternating the colors for the pattern of your choice. Next, scatter the halved smaller tomatoes, the onion, the celery and the goat cheese over the tomatoes. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together and then drizzle the mixture evenly over the salad platter.
Kohlrabi Slaw
Ingredients:
2 bulbs kohlrabi, peeled
4 carrots, peeled
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
1 bunch scallions, sliced crosswise into quarter-inch slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
Cut the kohlrabi, carrots and apple into matchsticks, and toss them into a serving bowl with the scallions. In a smaller bowl or a glass measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. Pour this mixture over the kohlrabi mixture, and then toss all ingredients to mix and coat evenly with the dressing. At serving time, sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top.
Ingredients:
2 bulbs kohlrabi, peeled
4 carrots, peeled
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
1 bunch scallions, sliced crosswise into quarter-inch slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
Cut the kohlrabi, carrots and apple into matchsticks, and toss them into a serving bowl with the scallions. In a smaller bowl or a glass measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until blended. Pour this mixture over the kohlrabi mixture, and then toss all ingredients to mix and coat evenly with the dressing. At serving time, sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top.
Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette and Toasted Pignolis
Ingredients:
1 bunch of asparagus
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pignoli nuts
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon white balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. Slice off about an inch from the woody ends of the asparagus spears. Lay the spears in a single layer across a baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Place into the oven and roast for approximately 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the pignoli nuts in a small frying pan and toast the nuts over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
Arrange the asparagus spears on a serving platter (a medium-sized oval gratin dish works well), drizzle the vinaigrette evenly over the asparagus and then sprinkle with the toasted pignoli nuts. Serves 3.
* Note: If you or a family member cannot eat nuts, simply sprinkle additional chopped fresh parsley instead.
Visit Miloski's poultry farm on Route 25 in Calverton for some fresh, boneless duck breasts and serve this up at your winter table for an easy, yet elegant, roasted dinner.
Roast Duck Breasts with Garlic, Rosemary and Fennel
Ingredients:
2 boneless duck breast halves (with the skin left on)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 medium fennel bulbs, halved, cored and sliced crosswise
additional extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 450-degrees. In a small frying pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the garlic. Sautee the garlic for about a minute, then remove pan from heat. Allow mixture to sit for a couple of minutes, then stir in the rosemary and then set aside.
Using a very sharp knife, lightly score the skin of each breast half in a criss-cross pattern, taking care not to cut through into the meat. Place the breast halves in a large roasting pan, skin side up. Smear the garlic-rosemary-olive oil mixture over each breast half. Surround, but do not cover, the breast halves with the fennel slices. Drizzle additional olive oil over the fennel, then sprinkle everything with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the duck is cooked through, juices run clear when the meat is pricked with a knife, and the fennel is caramelized on the cut edges, about 30-40 minutes. Serves 2.
For perfect plating, make a batch of olive oil mashed potatoes, and mound potatoes on each of two plates. Top each mound with a duck breast half, then pile it all with the fennel. Garnish each plate with a rosemary sprig.
Will you be celebrating Christmas Eve with the Feast of Seven Fishes? Here's a recipe that will fulfill one of those dishes.
Seafood Stuffed Manicotti
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 16 ounce can imported San Marzan plum tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 cup seafood stock
3/4 pound shrimp, cooked
3/4 pound lobster meat, cooked
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
1/4 cup butter
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup seafood stock
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
2 tablespoons brandy
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino-Romano cheese
8 manicotti tubes
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms, stir and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the parsley, basil and 1 cup seafood broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. In a mixing bowl, combined the shrimp and lobster and 1 cup of Fontina cheese. Set aside. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the manicotti and cook until just al dente. Drain well and set aside.
In another pot, melt the remaining 1/4 cup butter. Add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the flour, cook and stir until bubbly. Slowly and gradually add the milk and the broth, stirring constantly, allowing the mixture to be thickened by the flour between each addition. Remove from heat and add the remaining 1 cup of Fontina, the brandy, nutmeg and pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the mixture.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread half of the tomato sauce over the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. Stuff each manicotti with the seafood mixture. Arrange the stuffed manicotti in a single layer row in the roasting dish on top of the tomato sauce. Pour remaining tomato sauce around, not over, each manicotti. Pour the white cheese sauce over the manicotti, right along the center. Cover with the Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino-Romano cheese and bake for 25 minutes.
As the fall culinary scene gets underway, we turn to heartier fare such as roasts. We also enjoy the last of summer’s bounty and the earthy, robust harvests of root vegetables, mushrooms and winter squashes. Apples make their autumnal appearance along with the pears, and the first bags of fresh cranberries adorn the produce shelves at the supermarket.
If you join the hikers along the Walking Dunes and come home with freshly picked cranberries from the bog, here's my recipe for a cranberry orange sauce that will become an annual request.
Citrus Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup ruby Port
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Cointreau
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces fresh cranberries
2 oranges, peeled and cut into chunks
Stir the sugar, Port, orange juice and Cointreau in a pot over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in ground cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in cranberries, reduce heat and simmer until about three-quarters of the cranberries have popped, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in orange chunks. Can be served immediately; or can be made up to one week ahead, store in a tight container in the refrigerator.
Citrus Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
½ cup ruby Port
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Cointreau
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces fresh cranberries
2 oranges, peeled and cut into chunks
Stir the sugar, Port, orange juice and Cointreau in a pot over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in ground cinnamon. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in cranberries, reduce heat and simmer until about three-quarters of the cranberries have popped, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in orange chunks. Can be served immediately; or can be made up to one week ahead, store in a tight container in the refrigerator.
Whether you get to visit the mushroom man at Open Minded Organics or find a nice selection of various mushrooms at a gourmet market, these sauteed mushrooms are the answer to a perfect fall side dish for accompanying steaks, pork roasts, duck or chicken.
Wild Mushroom Saute
Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms
8 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup cream Sherry
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Slice the cremini mushrooms. One by one, peel off the petal-like caps of the oyster mushrooms. Remove stems from the shiitake mushrooms and discard, then slice the caps. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the mushrooms and sauté for several minutes, until they soften and their size reduces. Add the garlic and sauté for five minutes more. Add the Sherry and the sage and stir for another two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves four.
Wild Mushroom Saute
Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh cremini mushrooms
8 ounces fresh oyster mushrooms
8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup cream Sherry
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Slice the cremini mushrooms. One by one, peel off the petal-like caps of the oyster mushrooms. Remove stems from the shiitake mushrooms and discard, then slice the caps. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the mushrooms and sauté for several minutes, until they soften and their size reduces. Add the garlic and sauté for five minutes more. Add the Sherry and the sage and stir for another two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves four.
For those who prefer to eat their pumpkin rather than pick it, consider baking up an accompaniment the enjoy with the proliferation of pumpkin spice lattes.
Here is the recipe for my grandmother's pumpkin bread, which she passed down to me when I was engaged to be married; it has become an annual fall tradition ever since.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Mix all ingredients. Divide batter between two pans. Bake for 1¼ hours. Cool before removing from pans; do not cut until completely cooled. Makes 2 loaves.
Alternative: for my fellow chocolate lovers out there, substitute 1 cup of chocolate chips for the raisins. I came up with this idea and acted on it one year, to the delight of my chocolate-loving husband. Grandma loved chocolate as well, so I do not think she would disapprove! My mother has now tried it with dried cranberries instead of the raisins. I think my next go with this will be omitting the raisins and using white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with the walnuts.
I created this recipe for fennel when I thought to infuse the flavor of apple by adding a generous amount of The Crushed Olive’s apple balsamic vinegar. The result was a winner that pairs well with pork roast or poultry.
Braised Fennel with Apple Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients:
4 fennel bulbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper
¼ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1/2 cup apple balsamic vinegar
Chop off the finger-like stalks from the fennel bulbs. Stand each fennel bulb on that cut side for stability and cut the bulb in half. Remove the tough core. Now cut each half into quarters or thirds, depending on the size of the fennel bulb. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Brown the fennel bulbs in the skillet. Once all of the cut sides have lightly browned, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the wine and allow to reduce by half. Add the broth, reduce heat to simmer and cover the skillet. Allow to simmer until the bulbs are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and add the apple balsamic vinegar. Raise the heat to medium-high and allow to boil until the liquids have reduced and become syrupy. Place fennel into a serving dish and spoon the balsamic mixture over. Serves eight.
Here's a way to use up some of those apples you picked at Woodside Orchards.
Cranberry-Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 pie crust
1 ¼ cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¾ teaspoons cinnamon
1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
3-4 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a pie pan.
For the streusel topping, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients, mashing repeatedly with a fork, until the ingredients are combined and the mixture resembles a bowl full of crumbles. Set aside.
Line the prepared pan with the pie crust. Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Gently stir in cranberries and apples and toss lightly until the fruit is incorporated into the sugar mixture. Place mixture into the pan. Cover with the entire surface evenly with the streusel mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes.
Here is the recipe for my grandmother's pumpkin bread, which she passed down to me when I was engaged to be married; it has become an annual fall tradition ever since.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two loaf pans. Mix all ingredients. Divide batter between two pans. Bake for 1¼ hours. Cool before removing from pans; do not cut until completely cooled. Makes 2 loaves.
Alternative: for my fellow chocolate lovers out there, substitute 1 cup of chocolate chips for the raisins. I came up with this idea and acted on it one year, to the delight of my chocolate-loving husband. Grandma loved chocolate as well, so I do not think she would disapprove! My mother has now tried it with dried cranberries instead of the raisins. I think my next go with this will be omitting the raisins and using white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with the walnuts.
I created this recipe for fennel when I thought to infuse the flavor of apple by adding a generous amount of The Crushed Olive’s apple balsamic vinegar. The result was a winner that pairs well with pork roast or poultry.
Braised Fennel with Apple Balsamic Vinegar
Ingredients:
4 fennel bulbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper
¼ cup white wine
½ cup chicken broth
1/2 cup apple balsamic vinegar
Chop off the finger-like stalks from the fennel bulbs. Stand each fennel bulb on that cut side for stability and cut the bulb in half. Remove the tough core. Now cut each half into quarters or thirds, depending on the size of the fennel bulb. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Brown the fennel bulbs in the skillet. Once all of the cut sides have lightly browned, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the wine and allow to reduce by half. Add the broth, reduce heat to simmer and cover the skillet. Allow to simmer until the bulbs are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and add the apple balsamic vinegar. Raise the heat to medium-high and allow to boil until the liquids have reduced and become syrupy. Place fennel into a serving dish and spoon the balsamic mixture over. Serves eight.
Here's a way to use up some of those apples you picked at Woodside Orchards.
Cranberry-Apple Pie with Streusel Topping
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flour
1 pie crust
1 ¼ cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
¾ teaspoons cinnamon
1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
3-4 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a pie pan.
For the streusel topping, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients, mashing repeatedly with a fork, until the ingredients are combined and the mixture resembles a bowl full of crumbles. Set aside.
Line the prepared pan with the pie crust. Mix the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Gently stir in cranberries and apples and toss lightly until the fruit is incorporated into the sugar mixture. Place mixture into the pan. Cover with the entire surface evenly with the streusel mixture. Bake for about 45 minutes.