Okay, it’s HOT, DAM HOT! And to quote Robin Williams “It’s so damn hot a person in orange burst into flames. In fact, we are doing some “crotch-pot” cooking down here,”~ Good Morning Vietnam. Of course it’s hot, it’s the summertime for heaven’s sake. Now nothing says summertime like a nice fresh bowl of cool ice cream. I know everyone is looking for an Ice cream recipe or maybe a SemiFreddo…
TIME OUT!
Rick Bakas already has my lemon Semifreddo recipe, and it’s a a damn good one too. Check it out at backbakas.com
TIME IN!!
Let’s remember: there is more to summer than the perfect frozen concoction. Gardens are bursting and farmers’ markets are abound with great vegetables: zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, corn. Many times people feel all these vegetables need to be grilled since it is the grilling season; however, this is not always true. In fact, a lot of these vegetables are great raw and are extremely versatile. Not to mention it is always good to diversify what we eat and how we eat it (but that is a later post). Lastly, raw vegetables retain more of the components that make them healthy.
Vegetables are versatile. They are so much more than a side dish; they can slated as a the focal point or be great as a snack. My opinion? Vegetables can be considered a “magical” ingredient that is often overlooked. Often vegetables are thought of as boring, but when vegetables are mixed together with other vegetables and “jazzed” up they become far from boring.
“What vegetables go together?” can be asked and there is a proverb that can be said in answer – “if it grows together, it pairs together”
A recipe with “no cooking required” is priceless in the summertime. Again, it’s HOT! Why would you want to cook and heat up the house. My wife, especially, is one of the ones who hates the heat and cooking in the summertime. Like many of my recipes I have posted thus far, this one was also inspired by my wife; rather created for my wife. This recipe was also a great way for me to utilize the the hoard of tomatoes from my garden.
Tomato-Cucumber Salad
10 each Cherry Tomatoes
1 each Cucumber
2 tp EV olive oil
1 tb white balsamic
1/4 cup Shredded Parm
salt
cracked pepper
1. cut tomatoes in half
2. cut the ends of the cucumber and quarter length wise, then slice into 1/2″ chunks
3. mix all ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. ENJOY
As my kids like to say, “Easy, peasy, quick and easy.” As I mentioned before, this is great for an afternoon snack or a side for a lunch. A simple adaption would be add some arugula or spinach for a full size salad. Or take it to the next level and top it with some grilled chicken or seafood (shrimp or scallops would work best but a filet of fish would be good too) for an entree salad. And after my wife finishes editing this post I know what I will be making for dinner! How about you?
Lastly, “what about the wine?” Wine is always good. There is ever rarely an occasion when wine can not be served. For this recipe I recommend a lighter white, but something capable of holding up to the acidity of the dish. A glass of Rousanne would fit the bill nicely. A Rousanne has a floral nose and it has a subtle opening with a good finish. Some might say it is very similar to a Chardonnay, but without the oak and tannins; it has an almost buttery feel on the palate. It is a lovely wine that pairs easily with this recipe, as well as many other foods. Remember, there is no right or wrong in wine pairing, just better and best. Happy non-cooking and drinking!
dinnerbyjr 