Vietnamese Cucumber Salad

Salad Crazy
I have a new salad obsession—which is a big deal because I am not a salad person. Well, I’m not a traditional salad person, in the leafy sense. I like the chunky type chopped salads like a corn salad or tomato salad…you get the idea.

Over the weekend we were up at Tahoe for my daughter’s softball tournament along with my sister and her family, who were there ‘cause, it’s Tahoe and Tahoe is awesome.
My sister is my best friend so having her along was great just in and of itself. One of the other benefits is that she likes to make dinner. So, I knew that after a long day of watching softball in the heat we were coming home to a pretty tasty meal. And, I was correct.

One of the dishes she prepared was this Vietnamese Cucumber Salad. I couldn’t stop eating it. I mean literally. I just kept going back for more. I am a fan of cucumbers so it’s not that big of a surprise that I enjoyed this salad. But, this was on a whole different level.

Cucumbers on a hot day are always a welcome addition to any meal because they are cooling, crunchy and refreshing. In this case they were also spicy and paired with peanuts. so good!

Vietnamese Cucumber Salad is one of those dishes that will become part of my normal rotation as a dinner side, as well as a great cooling lunch during hot weekdays. Bonus: it’s good for you, too.

The recipe is adapted from the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat. And I recommend the book to anyone who wants to really learn how to cook well. It’s fantastic.

Vietnamese Cucumber Salad
It is important to use the Persian or Japanese cucumbers because the skin is thin and mild-flavored. If you are using conventional cukes, peel all the skin away. Also, we couln’t find any cilantro in Taho, and the Vietnamese Cucumber Salad was still amazing without it. So, if you are not a cilantro lover, go ahead and omit it. Read more…

Gam’s Zucchini Fritters

I’m All A Fritter
If you planted a backyard garden this year, chances are you are knee deep in squashes. All this lovely weather we have been having has produced an abundance of patty pan, crookneck, eight ball and of course, your classic zucchini squash.

I have always loved squash, even as a kid. Still love it but I am in the minority in my house. Nothing better to me than fresh steamed squash with a little butter and salt. The rest of my family? Not so much. Event though I enjoy eating it that way, one does grow tired of the same old thing.

My grandparents had a huge garden. They grew everything: tomatoes, melons, asparagus, artichokes, blackberries, strawberries and, of course, zucchini. My grandmother was another crazy squash lover. She had a killer recipe for zucchini bread that I still use for my kids. One of my favorite zucchini recipes of hers was something she didn’t make all that often: Gam’s Zucchini Fritters.

Any time you see the word fritter you know it’s going to be good because the word fritter implies fried. Deep fried, in fact. Southern Style! How can you go wrong with that? They know what’s up in the South….

These fritters are so good—be warned you can’t just eat one. They are best served while still warm alongside your favorite BBQ. Just don’t burn yourself when you pop them in your mouth rapid fire like…

Gam’s Zucchini Fritters
Yields approximately 2 dozen depending on size
Read more…

Amy’s Fresh Corn Salad

Yellow Gold
The season of corn is upon us and that makes me very happy. We just got our local Brentwood corn in the store which means it is now officially summer.

I will admit that I am a corn snob. I only eat it during the “corn months” (June-August/September or so) which means for 8-9 months out of the year you will not see corn in my house. Sure, I will occasionally use frozen corn in recipes when it is called for. But, eating straight-up frozen or canned corn? Nope. Can’t do it. Please understand there is nothing wrong with frozen or canned corn. I’m just a corn snob.

With this in mind I have a tendency to go kinda corn crazy because the window of opportunity is short. Fresh steamed corn on the cob is by far and away my favorite way to consume this warm weather treat. You just can’t top the flavor of super-sweet fresh corn with melted butter. Doesn’t mean that’s the only way I will eat it, though. There are so many other ways to enjoy it.

This Ina recipe for Confetti Corn is great for a backyard BBQ or Potluck. And, for something totally different there’s this Corn Pie. Every summer, I try to find a new way to enjoy corn. So, I developed this recipe for Amy’s Fresh Corn Salad.

Bonus: It’s also a good way to eat your ripe garden tomatoes….

Amy’s Fresh Corn Salad
This salad is a perfect dinner side for a hot night and also good as lunch the next day.
Yields 4 to 6 servings Read more…

Spring Pea Soup with Burrata

Golden
My parents celebrated their 50th Anniversary over the weekend. Stop and think about that for a minute. 50 years. How much of their world has changed and what have they experienced since 1967? (And not just the birth of my sister and me!)

In 1967, Lyndon B. Johnson was the 36th President, and the Vietnam War was in full swing. Ronald Reagan was sworn in as our new Governor in January. A fire killed the crew of the Apollo 1 spacecraft while they were testing on the launch pad, and halted the space race in the US for almost 2 years. The Pirates of The Caribbean attraction opened at Disneyland, in California. The Bee Gees released their first international album. Lastly, Elvis and Priscilla got married. But that wasn’t the biggest wedding of the year. The biggest event, at least to my sister and me, happened March 18th in Oakland, CA.

To be married for 50 years is no small feat. It’s not as common an occurrence as it used to be. Frankly, the fact that my mother has survived my Dad’s snoring for that long without smothering him with a pillow is mindblowing…

There is no way you can let such a milestone like this pass like it is any other day. We celebrated as a family, in style. ‘Cause that’s how we roll. There was a limo and there were fancy clothes. And, because it’s us, there was food. Really good food. And plenty of good things to drink with it, courtesy of Boulevard in San Francisco.

If you ever have the opportunity to dine at Boulevard, do it. I have been there multiple times, and it is always fantastic. That particular night, I enjoyed a green English Pea soup that was amazing. Like, lick the bowl amazing. Alas, that particular recipe is not in their cookbook. (I happen to own a copy…shocking, I know) Nancy, if you or any of your fantastic staff are reading this (‘cause why wouldn’t she?) I would love to have the recipe or maybe even an updated cookbook?

For now, I am on the hunt for something that might come close. I am working with the recipe I posted below—perhaps it’s the closest yet? But we’ll see. The first-of-the-season English peas should be in the market soon. Though, with the return of the rain, who knows? In the meant time some quality, organic, frozen peas will be used. When you do get your hands on some fresh peas, grab as many as you can. And try this cream-free soup as a perfect spring lunch or light dinner.

Spring Pea Soup with Burrata
Yields 4 servings