Cauliflower, Corn, and Cucumber Salad

 

It really isn’t necessary to follow a recipe for a big chopped summer salad. Whatever is ripe in the garden or looks good at the farmer’s market has the power go into a bowl with a simple dressing and make your day. That being said, hear me out about a particularly satisfying crunchy combination.

This approximate recipe was out in cyberspace at valentinascorner.com, and I was intrigued. It turns out that the three different textures of crunchy raw cauliflower florets, crisp fresh cucumbers, and chewy grilled kernels of corn really make a uniquely lovely salad for the peak of summer. I liked the cauliflower chopped into small, bite-size pieces, and the cucumbers sliced thin. The corn kind of fills in the gaps between the other vegetables and balances their flavors with its sweeter starchiness. And then there’s a bit of red bell pepper for more flavor and color.

I dressed this salad rather simply, with a mixture of mayonnaise and buttermilk. It pulls the salad ingredients together and makes them a bit saucy, without overwhelming their high summer textures and flavors. Since there are only two ingredients in the dressing, if you decide you want to add or subtract from the volume of your salad based on what’s available – always a good idea when freshness is at hand – you can adjust your dressing quite easily as well.

As I implied above, just about any lovely fresh vegetables you have on hand can make a nice chopped salad like this one. Don’t let this ingredient list limit you, especially if you have a garden or a good local farmer’s market. You also could put in whatever herbs you prefer. I used thyme, just because I felt I’d been neglecting my homegrown pot of it lately, but dill would be very good, as would basil, and perhaps tarragon.

Probably the biggest surprise in this recipe is the way the corn filled a niche and contributed so well to the mix. I was especially excited because on my social media pages, I’ve declared fresh corn to be the Ingredient of the Week! Long live fresh corn! Purchased closed to the source, if you please.

Cauliflower, Corn, and Cucumber Salad

Adapted from valentinascorner.com

The amounts and ratios of the vegetables in this salad are not important. Adjust everything to taste and availability of ingredients.

You can peel the cucumbers if you want. I don't usually bother with fresh cucumbers this time of year.

3 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed

½ medium-size head of cauliflower, cut int small florets, about 2 cups

2 medium-size cucumbers, halved and thinly sliced

½ large red bell pepper, finely chopped

½ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup buttermilk

1. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill. Grill the ears of corn, turning occasionally, until they are lightly charred on all sides, and the corn is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the corn from the grill and cool until it is easy to handle.

2. Cut the corn off the cob and place in a large bowl. Add the cauliflower, cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and buttermilk. Pour over the vegetable mixture and stir well to coat. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Chopped Vegetable Salad; Crunchy Cabbage, Cauliflower, and Apple Salad

One year ago: Mocha Sorbet

Rhubarb Blondies

 

I am always looking for more ways to use rhubarb, since I have the obligatory big patch of it in my very Midwestern backyard. It’s the first thing that’s ready to eat in the spring, but it continues to grow all summer long, and I’m always a little nervous that I’m not going use it as well as I could. When I saw a “Rhubarb Blondies” recipe in Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski, I knew I had to try it.

I took a few liberties with the original recipe and ended up with a pan of soft, buttery and rich bars, somewhat cake-like rather than dense and chewy like a more traditional blondie. They can still be easily be cut into squares and eaten out of hand, however, and still have the buttery richness of a blondie, so I’m sticking with that title.

The pockets of sourness from the rhubarb balance out the hefty dose of brown sugar, and plenty of white chocolate chips bring in more sweet vanilla flavor. While I do love this combination, I’m thinking the soft crumb of these bars could also accommodate other juicy mix-ins, such as berries or stone fruits. Nuts (the Sister Pie recipe includes almonds) would also be good additions, and I think the blondie base here could hold a lot of other good things, with or without fruit, such as dark or milk chocolate, instant coffee powder, or whole grain flours.

If you think it’s too weird to put rhubarb in a blondie (I wondered about it at first), or if you can’t think of something this soft and moist as a blondie, then think of this delicious pan of sweet treats as something else. Think of them as “Rhubarb Bars,” or some such thing if you must. Just make them and call them what you want and be deliciously happy!

Rhubarb and White Chocolate Blondies

Adapted from a recipe in Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski

If wrapped tightly, these bars will be good for a few days at room temperature. The rhubarb may release more juice as they stand, however, making for even moister bars.

1 ¼ sticks (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup chopped rhubarb stems

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon fine salt

1 cup white chocolate chips, or finely chopped white chocolate

Coarse sugar to sprinkle on the top of the batter, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch baking dish or pan with parchment paper. Leave some excess parchment overhanging, so that the bars can be easily lifted out of the pan. Set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set aside to cool.

3. In a small bowl, toss the rhubarb with the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or another large bowl if mixing by hand) combine the melted butter, dark brown sugar, and light brown sugar. Beat together on medium speed for a few minutes, or until very smooth. Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure that everything is incorporated.

5. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the sugar mixture until the flour is just moistened. Stir in the rhubarb mixture and the white chocolate.

6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if desired.

7.  Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs and no wet batter. Cool completely. Lift everything out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into squares.

Makes 9-12 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Rhubarb Custard Bars, Rhubarb Pudding Cake, Walnut and White Chocolate Blondies, Apple Cinnamon Blondies, Peanut Butter Butterfinger Blondies

One year ago: 13 Favorite Stone Fruit Recipes

Strawberry Galette

 

This is the simplest way to put a fruit pie together. If you’ve got some pie dough on hand (even a store-bought one will do) you can complete it in a flash. There’s just some rolling, slicing, filling, and folding to do. Oh, and I added a quick bit of spreading, too, in the form of a cream cheese layer between the sweetened berries and the crust.

I took the idea for the cream cheese layer from Sister Pie by Lisa Ludwinski. A lot of fruit pies in that book start with a thin layer between pie and fruit. I spread mine on a little bit thicker, which added some tang and richness to my galette without making you think you’re eating cheesecake. I really does seem to help keep the crust from getting soggy as well.

 

I also borrowed my crust formula and method from Sister Pie. The book makes pie crust drudgery into a labor of love, and with the proper care and attention, the resulting pastry is well worth the added effort. I highly suggest you get a hold of this book and see for yourself! That being said, this crust dough, and the one in this post or this post will certainly do just fine for your Strawberry Galette. I made the full recipe for Ludwinski’s “All-Butter Pie Dough”, which is enough for two crusts (or a top and a bottom crust), made this quiche with one of them, and stashed the other in the freezer to await my pie-making pleasure.

And so it was ready for me when I found local strawberries at their sweet, juicy peak. I didn't need to add much to make this wonderful deliciousness - bursting, exuberant summer captured in a golden pastry! Pure, sweet strawberry satisfaction!

You could add some other flavors like fresh basil, lemon verbena, or mint. You could adjust the sugar to taste. You could add other in-season berries or make a whole other fruit galette (see recipes listed at the bottom of the page). Just don’t let summer go by without enjoying something as much as I enjoyed this luscious strawberry dessert!

Strawberry Galette with Cream Cheese

Egg wash – a mixture of beaten egg and a little water, milk, or cream -  and a sprinkling of coarse sugar aren’t strictly necessary, but they do help make a shiny, golden, tasty crust. I also like to bake a galette like this until the crust is quite dark and crisp.

3 cups hulled and sliced or chopped fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/3 cup sugar

1 single-crust pie dough, unbaked, kept chilled until ready to roll out

¼ cup cream cheese, softened

Egg wash and coarse sugar for the crust, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper.

2. In a medium-size bowl, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, cornstarch,  and sugar. Toss together to combine well. Set aside.

3. On a well-floured surface, roll out the pie dough into about a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking pan.

4. Spread the cream cheese evenly on the dough, stopping about 2 inches from the edges all the way around. Mound the berry mixture on top of the cream cheese, stopping where you stopped spreading the cream cheese.

5. Fold the uncovered edges of the pastry up over the strawberry mixture, crimping and slightly overlapping as needed. The folded pastry should just form a rim encasing the fruit around the whole diameter of the pie, not cover all of the filling.

6. Brush the egg wash over the folded crust if desired and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 425 F for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is a dark golden brown, the filling is bubbly, and the berries are soft. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve warm or completely cooled. Whipped cream and vanilla ice cream are good accompaniments. (This should go without saying!)

Makes 6-8 servings.

Other recipes like this one: Berry and Rhubarb Galette, Rhubarb Ginger Galette, Pear and Blackberry Galette, Plum and Grape Galette with Almonds

One year ago: Spiral Shredded Salad with Miso Ginger Dressing and Scalloped Corn with Sour Cream and Chile