By Chef Michael Kiss of Whole Foods – Arlington.
He has a cooking class next Tuesday: 29 1/2 minute meals – Steak House Salad.
-JAY
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Let’s Party! I love getting the garden all cleaned up, the deck all swept off and of course getting the menu prepared for amazing little bites of fun. It doesn’t matter if you have acres of land or a little patio or even nice access to urban green space, it all counts as outside!
When it starts to get hot, we don’t want to make things hotter by heating up the kitchen. We also don’t want make heavy food that will make us feel even heavier in the heat and humidity. I want to show you 3 little dishes today that are like taking your tongue to the pool for the day. Refreshing is the order of the day!
Vegan?!? Are you sure?
Recently at our house Katie, my wife, has gone vegan. She is amazing and has really put a lot of thought and effort into changing her lifestyle. I have been very supportive and took on the challenge to learn how to cook a whole different way. It has been really fun and rewarding!
One of our newest finds is a recipe for vegan deviled eggs, think of it as a hand held mini potato salad. And with great products like “Veganaise” you can still get classic taste and textures without the animal products.
Katie’s Vegan Deviled Eggs
Makes 12
6 small red new potatoes
2 to 3 Tbs. veganaise
½ tsp yellow prepared mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs. minced onion
1 tbs. minced celery
1 tsp chopped dill pickle
Paprika for garnish
Boil potatoes in a sauce pan until tender. Drain and let cool. Carefully slice in half and with a melon baller or a measuring spoon and gently scoop out the space for the “yolk”. I just make 1 small round scoop near one end.
Next mix together the potato scoopings with the rest of the ingredients and mash it until it makes a thick deviled egg yolk like mixture.
Using a spoon or a pastry bag, mound a small bit of the “yolk” into the potato hollows. Shake a little paprika over top for that classic garnish.
Inspiration comes at the oddest times.
Sometimes I know for weeks and weeks what I am going to teach for a particular class, and sometime it hits me the morning of class. This recipe is the latter. I was thinking of making a great Asian flavor inspired tuna tartar tonight, but then I thought “what would make a great seasonal add in?” I started thinking watermelon and peaches. Then I thought let’s kick the tuna out and make a vegetarian tartar.
Peach and Melon Tartar
1 peach peeled, pitted, and diced into ¼ inch cubes. (add a small squirt of lemon juice to help keep them from browning)
1 C. watermelon dice into ¼” cubes
1 tbs. minced chives
1 tbs. minced cilantro
1 tsp prepared rice wine vinegar(sushi vinegar)
¼ tsp toasted sesame oil
Gomasio for garnish
Rice crackers for serving
Gently toss together all the ingredients keeping the cubes of fruit as perfectly shaped as possible.
Heap a small spoonful on a rice cracker and garnish with a shake of gomasio.
Party with Friends as often as you can!
Katie and I are very excited to go visit our friends this weekend for a summer fun day! We are extra excited that she is making one our favorites of her many fantastic dishes. Sunshine, friends, and a round of mini golf or two, now that is summer living!
Amanda’s Fresh Cherry Salsa
2 C. Fresh Cherries pitted, roughly chopped
3 Tbs. chopped fresh Cilantro
½ tsp chopped jalapeno (optional)
2 Tbs. chopped red onion
1 tsp fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Plantain chips for dipping
Gently toss together all of the ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning. Let stand and come together for at least 10 minutes.
Enjoy with plantain chips and some sangria.
Is it the weekend yet?!?!
I hope you are inspired to call up some friends and make plans this weekend.
Eat Well!
