Lemon Basil Pesto

Lemon Basil Pesto

Lemon basil is a variety of basil that can be found at your farmers' market. If you cannot find it, and want to add a lemon essence to your pesto, add the zest from one lemon, not the juice, as the acidity will destroy the bright green color. Enjoy with over pasta, roasted vegetables, as a dip or as a sandwich spread.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of lemon basil (about 2 loose cups)
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup asiago cheese
pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Wash basil well to remove any grit and cut the leaves off the stems. Place in a blender or food processor along with the garlic.

2. Using the feed tube, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whizzing the basil and garlic until you get a smooth puree.

3. Add the pine nuts and cheese and blitz until smooth.

4. Add the salt and pepper, taste for seasoning and serve immediately. If you have made this ahead, drizzle a thin layer of olive oil over the top to help maintain its bright green color, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Pesto also freezes well.

Green Tomato Chutney

Green Tomato Chutney

Serve this sweet, sour and spicy chutney on a cheese plate, spread it on a sandwich, or spoon it over lamb. I'm sure you'll find many uses for this tantalizing treat.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 1/2 hours
Yield: 2 pints

Ingredients:

6 cups of chopped green tomatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup golden raisins (sultanas)
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1-2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

1. Place all ingredients in a large dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until chutney is thick and golden brown in color.

2. While chutney is simmering, wash canning jars in hot, soapy water and then place on a baking sheet in your oven (pre-heated to 280 degrees) for 20 minutes to sterilize them.

3. Bring a pasta cooker (with strainer) or canning pot filled with water to a boil.

4. Remove jars from oven, and using a canning funnel, fill to within 1/4 inch of the rim with the hot chutney. Wipe rims and lids with vodka, cover with lids, secure bands and process for 15 minutes in boiling water. Listen for the tell-tale "ping" to assure jars are sealed tightly. Any jars that are not properly sealed should be refrigerated and consumed within a couple of weeks.

Patricia's Speedy Ratatouille

Patricia's Speedy Ratatouille

This recipe, adapted from At Home in Provence by Patricia Wells, has all the flavor of a slow simmered ratatouille, but in much less time. The splash of red wine vinegar beautifully sharpens the flavors of this dish. We ate this warm over pasta, but it would also be delicious chilled or at room temperature spooned over some crisp French bread.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (evoo)
1 1/2 pounds small zucchini, cut into thin slices
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
sea salt to taste
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 pound of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons of good quality red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the evoo, zucchini and 1 teaspoon of thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini begins to brown along the edges, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more, just until the garlic begins to get golden.

3. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and vinegar and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until zucchini is very tender and ingredients have melded together a bit.

4. Top with remaining thyme leaves and taste for seasoning. Serve warm over pasta or at room temperature with a hunk of good bread.

Grilled Brined Shrimp with Mango Salsa

Grilled Brined Shrimp with Mango Salsa

No shirt, no shoes, no problem!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Yield: serves 4....okay, 2

Ingredients:

1 pound of jumbo shrimp (16-20 count)
1/3 cup kosher or sea salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cups ice
1 mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons of minced red onion
1 tablespoon of minced fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
2 teaspoons evoo (extra virgin olive oil)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined and minced
pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation:

1. Prepare the shrimp. If you can find peeled and deveined shrimp, and you have the extra cash to pay for them, by all means do it. It is quite the time saver. But if you have to (or want to) do it yourself, here is what I do. I like to grill my shrimp "butterflied" so using a sharp knife, I peel them, slice open the back, remove the vein (read, intestinal tract) and open the shrimp like a book, taking care not to break it in half. For more specific instructions on how to prep shrimp check here. His cute accent doesn't hurt either....

2. Make the brine. Place the salt, sugar, water and ice in a large bowl. Gently submerge the shrimp in the brine and let them sit for 30 minutes. This would also be a good time to soak any wooden skewers in a separate bowl of water so they don't catch fire on the grill.

3. While the shrimp is brining, make the mango salsa. If you need instructions on how to peel and cube a mango look here. But basically you cut around the big, hairy pit so that you have large hunks of mango. Score the flesh into a grid pattern, invert the flesh so that the cubes pop out and remove the skin with a sharp knife. You will have little cubes of mango that way. So, place your cubes of mango into a small mixing bowl. Add the onion, cilantro, bell pepper and jalapeno and stir. Squeeze in the lime juice and drizzle over the oil. Stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and taste for seasoning.

4. Remove the shrimp from the brine and put two or three on each skewer. Spray a grill (or grill pan) with cooking spray and heat to medium high. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. They will have turned pink and be and opaque throughout. Remove from heat and serve immediately with mango salsa, over a bed of rice if desired.