Recipe Files

April 30th

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Tarragon Syrup

Grilled Peaches with Prosciutto

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Creamy Walnut Dressing

Grilled Shrimp and Summer Squash

Summer Squash Gratin

Eggy Grits Soufflé

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup with Tarragon Syrup

Martha Stewart Living

1 large ripe cantaloupe (about 4 pounds), seeds and rind removed, cut into chunks, plus thin wedges for garnish

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons honey, or to taste

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Pinch of coarse salt

3/4 cup sugar

4 sprigs tarragon

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Make the soup: Working in 2 batches, puree cantaloupe, sour cream, honey, lemon juice, and salt in a blender until smooth. Press through a fine sieve into a bowl. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Make the syrup: Bring sugar and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Boil until syrup has reduced to 2/3 cup, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add tarragon. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate until cold, 1 hour.

Puree syrup, tarragon, and lemon juice in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use; stir just before serving.

Divide soup among bowls. Drizzle with tarragon syrup; garnish with cantaloupe wedges and tarragon sprigs.

Grilled Peaches with Prosciutto

Grilling peaches deepens their natural sweetness, and when they’re paired with prosciutto, it’s an unbeatable flavor trifecta: sweet, smoky, salty. That said, grilled peaches also pair well with vanilla ice cream.

Whole Living, July/August 2010

5 medium peaches, ripe but firm, halved, pits removed

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup small basil leaves

4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush grill and peaches with oil. Season peaches to taste with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally until charred and softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Sprinkle with basil, grind pepper over top, and drizzle with oil. Serve with prosciutto on the side.

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Creamy Walnut Dressing

Martha Stewart Living, April 2007

1 ounce walnuts (about 1/3 cup)

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 1/2 pounds small potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

6 ounces haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed

3 ounces baby arugula

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Finely chop, and set aside.

Whisk together vinegar, yogurt, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the toasted nuts in a small bowl; season with pepper. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified. Set dressing aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a colander to drain. Set aside.

Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Return pan of water to a boil. Add green beans, and cook until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 2-inch pieces.

Arrange arugula, potatoes, and green beans on a platter. Season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat.

Green Beans with Golden Raisins

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

2 tea bags (green or white tea)

4 cups green beans, trimmed

1/4 cup golden raisins

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the sesame seeds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the sesame seeds are crisp and fragrant.

In a large steamer pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add tea bags. Place green beans in the steam rack. Be sure the water doesn’t rise onto the rack. Steam at medium-high heat, covered, until beans are bright green, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle raisins into the steam basket and steam for one more minute.

In a large salad bowl, toss green beans and raisins with vinegar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Grilled Shrimp and Summer Squash

This simple lemony sauce shows off both the briny shrimp and the sweet summer squash. For an easy side dish, brush slices of rustic bread with olive oil, then grill them alongside the shrimp and squash until golden grill marks form. 

2 tsp. Dijon mustard  

Grated zest of 1 lemon 

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice  

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 

1 small serrano chili, seeded and minced 

1 tsp. minced fresh marjoram 

1 Tbs. minced fresh basil 

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 

1 1/4 lb. colossal shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact 

8 summer squash, cut lengthwise into 3 pieces each 

Soak bamboo skewers in water to cover for 30 minutes. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. 

Put the mustard in a small bowl. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix well. Gradually whisk in the 1/3 cup olive oil, then mix in the chili, marjoram and basil. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside. 

Drain the skewers. Thread about 4 of the shrimp on a skewer and then thread a second skewer through the shrimp, parallel to the first, to prevent the shrimp from spinning around on the skewers. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Place the squash and shrimp on a large baking sheet. Brush the shrimp and squash with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 

Arrange the squash on the grill, cover the grill and cook, turning once, until tender and lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook, uncovered, turning once, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp from the skewers and cut the squash crosswise. 

Transfer the shrimp and squash to a bowl and toss with the lemon-herb sauce. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 4. 

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh & Fast, by Kristine Kidd (Williams-Sonoma, 2011).

Summer Squash Gratin

Use a wide vegetable peeler to peel the squash and potatoes into wide, thin sheets. 

6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups half-and-half

1 bay leaf

1 Tbs. minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

5 zucchini, about 1 1/2 lb. total, peeled into wide, thin sheets

6 yellow squash, about 1 1/2 lb. total, peeled into wide, thin sheets

2 russet potatoes, skin peeled and discarded, potatoes peeled into wide, thin sheets

1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 6 Tbs. butter. Stir in the flour to make a paste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half, bay leaf and garlic until no lumps remain. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Stir in the thyme and parsley. Let the sauce cool to room temperature. 

In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove from the heat. 

To assemble the gratin, layer one-third of the squash (both zucchini and yellow squash) in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the onion, half of the potatoes and 1/3 cup of the cheese. Spread 1 cup of the sauce on top. Repeat the layering with one-third of the squash, the remaining onion and potatoes and 1/3 cup of the cheese. Spread 1 cup of the sauce on top. Layer the remaining squash on top, spread the remaining sauce over the squash and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Transfer the baking dish to the oven. Bake until the squash and potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown, about 1 hour. Serves 10 to 12.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Eggy Grits Soufflé

PARADE  | March 2009  by Sheila Lukins

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup stoneground grits

4 large eggs, separated

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 dashes of Tabasco sauce

Salt and pepper,to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly butter a 4-cup souffl´ dish.

2. Combine 1 1/2 cups water and the milk in a heavy saucepan and warm the mixture over medium-low heat. Slowly stir or whisk in the grits until smooth and thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Lightly beat the egg yolks in a bowl. Gradually stir some of the hot grits into the yolks to temper them. Then stir the tempered egg yolks into the grits. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Stir the Parmesan cheese, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper into the grits.

5. Place egg whites in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, and beat with an electric mixer until the whites are stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the grits until just combined. Scrape the mixture into the souffl é dish and bake in the center of the oven until the soufflé rises and is lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.