Monthly Archives: August 2014

Grilled Okra with Lemony-Basil Dip

Posted on by

Grilled Okra

Last weekend we harvested grapes for friends in Tyler and we had a harvest of our own. The green beetles have really been voracious eaters this year. If we had picked a week earlier, I’m sure we’d have harvested twice the grapes. It felt like we were racing the beetles to get to the fruit first.

Meager as the harvest was, it is always a relief to have it finished. Now I can catch up on all the other work that needs to be done. I can work on my garden again and get it ready for fall. I can tend to my flowerbeds that have overgrown with weeds. I’m also dreaming of cooler days that are perhaps a little less hectic.

Enough dreaming, so I kicked off fermentation on my red grapes. Punching down the cap at least twice each day adds air into the must (very early wine with skins, seeds, etc.) which helps the yeast do its job. Also keeping the skins mixed into the must brings out more color and flavor. By this time next week, we’ll have begun the malolactic fermentation, converting malic acid in the must to lactic acid and thereby reducing the acidity.

It seems that while some things may be winding down, others are just getting started. Clearly okra is doing well in the heat. We pick almost every day and have to throw out okra that is too large and woody because we either skipped a day or didn’t see it. I have many recipes for okra, but stumbled across one for an hors d’oeuvres or appetizer.

Can you imagine serving okra and a dip at a party or even to the gang watching football? The recipe brings out the snazzy side of okra and dresses it up with a lemony-basil dip.

Lemony-Basil Dip
32-oz. container yogurt, strained
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 lemon zested and juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1⁄2 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. pepper

Place several layers of cheese cloth (or a large coffee filter) in a strainer and place over a bowl. Pour yogurt in and let it strain in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Then add the remaining ingredients, stir well and chill before serving.

Grilled Okra
2 lbs. small okra, cleaned
1-1/2 or 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Toss the okra in olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Let cool and serve with chilled lemony-basil dip.

I love snacking on fried okra and the grilled version tastes just as good, and it’s better for you. The dip is low-calorie, tasty and fresh. I would certainly serve this at a get-together instead of fatty fried chips and dip. Hmmm, is that why no one comes over?

Black-eyed, purple-hull and pink-eyed peas

Posted on by

purplehull peas

Black-eyed peas are often eaten on New Year’s Day to bring good luck. They are usually served with greens and cornbread, representing money and gold. The protein-rich legumes in that pea family are a good source of soluble fiber, and contain vital nutrients of B vitamins, vitamin E and iron.

I grow purple-hull peas, a variety of the black-eyed, in my garden. I don’t remember how many seeds I planted, but I sowed 8 rows, 4 feet apart. I thought that would keep a path for easier picking, but I was wrong. They are so large they meet in the middle of each path. I can’t keep up with picking or shelling.

I sold peas last weekend at the Sunrise Market in Sulphur Springs, gave a few pounds to family members, put away nine pounds in my freezer and had them for dinner on Sunday night. Driving by the garden Monday morning, I saw purple pods everywhere, needing to be picked. Plant those peas and your family will not go hungry!

I like to sauté chopped onion, green pepper and garlic while browning about 4 slices of chopped bacon. Then I add peas to the pot and cover with water. Adding a couple of bay leaves to anything cooked low and slow is also a good idea. Once the water boils, I turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook for about an hour. I don’t like the peas to over-cook, so I start tasting them about 45 minutes into the cooking process, while adding salt and pepper.

Sunday’s dinner also included oven-roasted okra and sweet potatoes, both from the garden. With 3 pounds of cooked peas, I planned on leftovers. Those are wonderful in a marinated salad. The great thing about the salad is there are many variations and a cook can substitute with ingredients on-hand.

Marinated Pea Salad
4 cups cooked black-eyed or purple-hull peas
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1⁄2 cup red wine vinegar
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1⁄2 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 green onions chopped
2 jalapeños, minced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 4 hours; however overnight is best. Remove from the refrigerator, stir and let sit 30 minutes before serving. Sometimes I add chopped avocado, fried okra, tomatoes and/or cilantro as a garnish.

With pea production at its height, I’m in need of a pea sheller. I just don’t have hours to commit to that process. In fact, the only time I sit that long might be during a Sunday morning service. I’m pretty sure some would frown upon my shelling peas during the sermon. If you have a sheller and are looking to get rid of it, I’m interested.

Quesadillas with Refried Beans and Pico de Gallo

Posted on by

Quesidillas

August can be a really rough time of year for folks who work outside. I personally am afraid to work in the garden or vineyard after 12:00 noon, since spontaneous combustion is very probable. Seriously, reality is that the unusually cool and rainy weather in July has made it hard for me to get used to the summer heat.

Vineyards in Northeast Texas are also suffering from the unusual July. If the mid-April frost that killed off blooms wasn’t enough, now the grape clusters are bursting with too much moisture, and they are rotting on the vine. Add the usual June- and green-beetles to the mix, and you have very poor harvests all around. I heard one of the local wineries is absolutely “trolling” for grapes. Wish I could help them, but I’m in the same boat.

Luckily my chickens are still laying (less, but still laying) and my garden is still producing. Those two are more financially solid than the grapes. What’s up with that? Lesson learned, specialty crops have their ups and downs, but the basics carry you through. I’m adding more hens next year!

As I work picking the different vineyards’ harvests with which I’m associated, our family dinners are simpler. I can’t wait for September and grape-harvest season in Texas to be over. We may make some wine, but wine-grape jam is sounding pretty good too. In the meantime, refried-bean quesadillas with pico de gallo makes a great quick dinner.

Quesadillas with Refried Beans and Pico de Gallo.
8 tortillas (flour or wheat)
1⁄2 can fat-free refried beans
1 small onion, chopped
2 mild chili peppers, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
6 oz. cheese, grated
Butter or cooking spray

Melt a small amount of butter in a frying pan or coat with cooking spray. Turn heat to low and let the pan heat up while you prepare the quesadilla. Spread half of two tortillas with refried beans. Sprinkle chopped onions, peppers, avocado and cheese over the beans. Fold the tortillas over and lay them side by side in the hot pan. Pay close attention and don’t let them burn. Check by lifting up an edge. When the tortillas are golden brown, it is time to flip.

Continue making the quesadillas two at a time. Usually each family member stuffs the tortillas choosing the fillings. I usually slice a jalapeño for mine. There are at least 4 servings and I garnish with sour cream, salsa or pico de gallo.

Pico de Gallo
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lemon or lime juiced
Salt and pepper to taste.

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Turn up the heat by adding another jalapeño – I usually do.

Italian Meatloaf with mashed potatoes

Posted on by

Italian meatloaf

While cleaning the fridge last weekend, I found the leftover panzanella salad from a previous dinner using basil, parsley, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers from my garden. I had added onions, garlic, mozzarella, olives and capers along with leftover French bread from another night’s dinner. By then the bread was soggy and the salad most likely wouldn’t be eaten. I realized that except for the cucumbers, those leftovers would make a fantastic Italian meatloaf.

Strange but true, I picked out the cucumbers and threw them in the compost bowl while removing the soggy bread to a smaller bowl where I broke it up and added 1 egg. That mixture went back into the remaining panzanella ingredients along with 1-1/2 pounds of ground meat. I mixed it all together and shaped it into a loaf topping it with tomato salsa spruced up with a little Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. It baked for 50 minutes in a 350-degree oven.

While the meatloaf cooked, I boiled about 2 pounds red potatoes, one large peeled sweet potato from my garden and 6 garlic cloves in salty water for 15 minutes. I mashed them with a little leftover goat cheese and heavy cream – we were out of butter and my goal was to clean out the fridge.

As I was writing this, I realized that dinner sounded like something from a Chopped episode where cooks have to create a meal from miscellaneous ingredients. Regardless, the Italian meatloaf served over creamy mashed potatoes was fabulous, possibly the best I’ve ever eaten. The recipe below is my effort to recreate it without the benefit of leftover panzanella salad.

Italian Meatloaf
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1⁄2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
1 Tbsp. capers
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 cup mozzarella cheese, cubed
1-1⁄2 lb. ground meat
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 cup marinara sauce

Sauté the garlic, onion, pepper and tomatoes in olive oil with salt and pepper until tender. Then in a large bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients together – except for the marinara sauce. Shape into a loaf and place on a rack in a baking pan. I used very lean ground beef and skipped the rack. Spread marinara sauce over the top of the loaf. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 50 minutes or until the internal temperature is 160 degrees. Let the meatloaf rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Canning for the Rains County Fair

Posted on by

Canning for the fair

A reminder for all the canners out there, entries for the Rains County Fair Creative Arts categories are due September 2-3. It always sneaks up on me, but this year I have pickled squash, salsa and spicy tomato jam ready. I’ll be working on kosher dill pickles next. Are you with me?

OVEN-FRIED CATFISH AND SIDES

Posted on by

Oven-fried Catfish

Once again, I was lucky to be the recipient of fully cleaned and filleted catfish. There must have been about two pounds. I decided to oven-fry them because my stovetop was occupied with both a pressure canner and a pot of boiling hot water-bath. When it is too hot to work outside, I bring the outside in by heating up the kitchen – at least that’s my husband’s complaint. He didn’t complain about dinner, though.

Oven-fried Catfish
2 lbs. catfish fillets
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
1 cup milk
1 egg

Mix the dry ingredients together in a shallow pan. Whisk the egg and milk together in another shallow pan. Lightly coat a foil-lined sheet pan with cooking spray. Dip each fillet in the milk and then into the dry mixture. Lay the breaded fillets on the sheet pan with space between each – no crowding. Use another pan if necessary.

Finish with a light coat of cooking spray on the top of each fillet. Place the sheet pan in a 415-degree oven and cook for 15 minutes. Check the fish after 10 minutes and flip the fillets. I used my convection setting and did not turn the fish over; however, I only cooked them for about 12 minutes. They were nicely browned on both sides.

While the fillets cooked, I made a side of chopped tomatoes. I started by sautéing onions and a mild chili pepper in olive oil. I added minced garlic and cooked for about a minute. Then I added chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and continued to cook for about 3 minutes on low heat.

Turn the heat off, cover with a lid and let it sit. The tomatoes should still be firm. Before serving, I added a little balsamic vinegar and chopped kalamata olives.

Red potatoes sounded good too, so I sliced them, added a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of garlic salt and cooked them covered in the microwave for 5 minutes. Then I stirred the potatoes and returned them to the microwave for another 4 minutes. (If I had thought to toast bread slices in the toaster oven, I’d have had every heating appliance in the kitchen working. No wonder David gripes that I’m heating up the house!)

Anyway, I served the catfish with the red potatoes, chopped tomatoes and a dollop of tartar sauce. I made the tartar sauce by stirring together mayonnaise, chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped dill pickles and sauerkraut. Season with salt and pepper. Adding the sauerkraut may seem like an odd choice, but the texture and zest it gives is amazing. Garnish the plate with freshly chopped dill weed.

The next day we had fish tacos for lunch. Just reheat the leftover catfish and place on a wheat tortilla. Spread with tartar sauce and top with chopped cabbage. Yum!