As much of my life revolves around food in one way or another – growing, sourcing, planning or cooking it – I find myself surprised by the number of people who enjoy good food, but don’t know how to make it for themselves.

This time of year, when the garden is brimming with the next new crop as the old one dies away, my excitement over wavy, maroon lettuce, deeply hued blueberries or green- and yellow-striped tomatoes carries me straight through to the next meal without a single stop in the center of the grocery store for a frozen dinner or canned salsa.

It’s a two-fold thing really, this business of convenience eating. First is the life skill required to make food for oneself, however simple it might be, and the other is the will to actually do it.

Making food for our families is one of the most mundane and also sacred things we can do each day to foster healthy bodies and healthy families. Sitting down to the table for dinner can sometimes be trying when dealing with busy schedules, but it is also a way we bring our families together.

Dinner with our families is just like life, sometimes wonderful and sometimes just plain messy.

It is my hope that by creating recipes that are easy and wonderful, they will nourish your hearts and bodies as they do ours. I wish you happy hearts and full bellies around your kitchen tables.

PROSCUITTO AND GRILLED ASPARAGUS SALAD

Grill the asparagus and prepare the salad before grilling the clams in the next recipe.

4 ounces proscuitto, diced

1 bunch asparagus, stems removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

2 small heads or one large head of red leaf lettuce, cut and washed

VINAIGRETTE:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Steam the asparagus for 4 minutes. Plunge into ice-cold water, drain and pat dry. Brush the asparagus with olive oil and place on the grill. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Grill for 4 minutes, turning once. Cool slightly and cut into 1-inch pieces on the diagonal. Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette. Place on platter or divide evenly onto plates. Arrange the proscuitto and asparagus on top and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

GRILLED CLAMS AND MUSSELS WITH PARMESAN AIOLI

To make the clams and mussels sweeter and purge their sandy grit, soak them in a cornmeal and water mixture (directions below). You can also serve this as an appetizer with the aioli and fresh bread for dipping.

4 pounds of clams and mussels combined

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cornmeal

GARLIC BUTTER:

1/4 cup salted butter

2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 4 cloves

Juice from one lemon

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Place the clams and mussels in a large bowl and cover with ice-cold water. Sprinkle with cornmeal and salt and let sit for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Remove any “beards” or fuzzy bits you see on the edges of the mussels and then rinse. Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Saute butter and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the garlic has simmered for 30 seconds or so, add the rest of the ingredients.

Place all of the shellfish on the hot grill in one layer. When they start to open, drizzle half of the garlic butter over them, reserving half.

Remove them from the heat when they are fully open and drizzle the remaining garlic butter over them. Serve immediately.  

Use the aioli for dipping shellfish or spreading on bread.

Serves 4 to 6 or 8 to 10 as an appetizer

PARMESAN AIOLI:

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Put all ingredients except for the oil in a food processor. Once everything is blended, very gradually pour the oil into the spout. Mixture should thicken. If it becomes too thick, add a teaspoon of water.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

GRILLED BRUSCETTA WITH GREEN OLIVE TAPENADE AND PARMESAN

1 loaf fresh French-style bread

1 cup green olive tapenade

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat grill to medium heat. Cut the loaf of bread in half length-wise and then, cutting on a diagonal, divide into 6 equal pieces on the top and bottom to make a total of 12 pieces. Spread each piece with tapenade and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Grill for two minutes with the cover down and then move to a cooler part of the grill until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

GREEN OLIVE TAPENADE:

You can make the tapenade up to two weeks in advance. It gets better with time. This spread is great as an appetizer with goat cheese as well.

1 cup pitted green olives

2 tablespoons capers

2 anchovy fillets

1/2 cup packed fresh Italian parsley

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Fresh black pepper to taste

Because the olives and capers are so salty, soak them in fresh water for a few minutes to release some of the salt. Drain them after soaking.

Puree all the ingredients in a food processor. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup. Serves 6 to 8.

BLUEBERRY LEMON BREAD

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon peel

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

GLAZE:

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

GARNISH:

Powdered sugar

Lemon zest

1/2 cup creme fraiche or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch loaf pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with 1 cup sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add the lemon peel.

Mix the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk (about one-third at a time), into the sugar/egg mixture. Be sure to add the dry ingredients last.

Fold in the blueberries and spoon into the pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the bread springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Leave in the pan.

When the bread is out of the oven, bring the glaze ingredients to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pierce the top of the hot loaf several times with a toothpick and pour the lemon mixture over the loaf.

Cool completely, and remove from the pan. Slice and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche. Garnish with powdered sugar and lemon zest.

Makes one loaf.

 

Anne Mahle of Rockland is the author of “At Home, At Sea.” She can be reached at: chefannie@mainewindjammer.com

 

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