Apple Jalapeno Salsa

Apple Jalapeno Salsa

This salsa is an explosion of bright flavors. It's crisp and tart, sweet and sour and has a little kick from the jalapeno peppers too. Serve it over grilled sausages or chicken breasts, or even with chips as an appetizer.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: about 1 cup

Ingredients

1 medium tart, green apple, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded if desired and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons light olive oil
pinch of salt
2 pinches of raw sugar

Preparation:

1. Mix apple, jalapeno, bell pepper, green onion and cilantro in a medium bowl.

2. Add the lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt and sugar and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately, or refrigerate and use within one day.

Summer Squash, Olive and Feta Tart

Summer Squash, Olive and Feta Tart
adapted from Martha Stewart

This dish makes a wonderful main course when served with a salad, or cut it into smaller squares and serve it as an appetizer. Using a mandoline slicer to cut the squash really speeds up preparation time, but a sharp knife does the job too. Martha's version doesn't call for cheese, but I think it adds a rich,salty edge to the otherwise mild squash.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 main course servings

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh thyme, plus a few sprigs for garnish
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 small zuchini, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
2 small yellow summer squash, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
6 sheets phyllo dough (each 12 by 17 inches), thawed if frozen
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Unroll the phyllo dough on the counter, count out six sheets, and cover them with a clean, damp cloth. Re-roll the remaining dough, wrap with plastic and refrigerate or re-freeze. Brush a large baking sheet with butter, then carefully lay down one sheet of phyllo. Brush it lightly with the melted butter, top it with another sheet and brush it lightly with butter. Continue in this way until all the phyllo is stacked together on the baking sheet.

3. In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, oregano, thyme, garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper and the olive oil. Spoon the mixture over the phyllo dough, leaving a 1 inch border all around.

4. Spread the squash slices evenly over that, again leaving a border. Drizzle the squash with olive oil. Sprinkle over the olives and the feta cheese and another pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until edges are crisp and the squash is tender. Serve immediately, or at room temperature.

Devils on Horseback

Bacon Wrapped Dates

These to be quite fashionable some time ago and are making a comeback for good reason--the soft date, almost too sweet on its own, marries beautifully with the tangy melted gorgonzola and the salty crunch of smoked bacon. They taste, in a word, heavenly, which seems awfully appropriate for a fruit born in the fires of heaven, doesn't it?

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen appetizers

Ingredients:

5 ounces of soft dried dates, or approximately 24
4 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese
1 pound of apple wood smoked bacon

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Make a slice down the length of each date and remove the pit. Stuff with a small hunk (about 1 teaspoon) of cheese. Cut each slice of bacon in half crosswise and wrap around the dates. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down.

Bake for 6 minutes on one side, remove from the oven and carefully turn dates with tongs, securing any loose bacon with toothpicks if necessary. Return to the oven and continue to bake until the bacon is crisp, another 6-8 minutes. Serve immediately.