Strawberry, Basil, & Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Yield: 6 appetizer portion
Ingredients:
1 ½ c. thinly sliced native strawberries
2 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
1 small baguette, sliced ½” thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
6-8 oz. crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature
Cracked black pepper
Fresh basil leaves, finely shredded
Toss together the strawberries and vinegar in a small bowl and let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to release juices. Preheat the oven to 400 and brush both sides of the bread generously with olive oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through, until the bread is toasted and golden (the bread can also be cooked on a medium-high grill or in a hot skillet). Top the warm toasts with goat cheese and season with black pepper. Place a few marinated strawberries on each toast and drizzle lightly with some of the juices. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately.
Variations: This recipe can be made with other soft cheeses such as blue cheese, marscapone, brie, or ricotta.
Herb Salad with Farm Eggs
Yields: 6 servings
2 c. lightly packed torn fresh herbs (such as dill, parsley, mint, chives, tarragon)
6 cups of mixed baby greens (such as spinach, radicchio, arugula, endive, beet greens, kale)
3 large farm-fresh eggs
Dressing Ingredients (yields 1 cup):
1 shallot, minced
2 Tbl. Dijon mustard
3 Tbl. Red wine vinegar
2 Tbl. pure maple syrup
½ c. + 2 Tbl. olive oil (or a blend with walnut or sunflower oil)
Kosher salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or canning jar and blend until well incorporated. Taste for seasoning and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Gently drop the eggs, return to a gentle boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and shock the eggs in ice water, then peel and coarsely chop. To assemble the salad: together the herbs & greens with enough dressing to lightly coat, and gently toss in the hard-boiled eggs.
Fresh Herb Mojo (grilling sauce)
Yield: Approx. 1 cup
Ingredients:
1 c. lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
1 c. lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 Tbl. fresh oregano leaves (or 2 tsp. dried oregano)
2 lg. cloves garlic
½-1small hot chili pepper, seeds removed (or ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flake)
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Kosher salt, cracked black pepper to taste
In a food processor combine the parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic and chili pepper, pulsing until finely chopped. With the machine running add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and blend until a sauce consistency. Taste for seasoning (sauce should be zesty and flavorful!) and serve at room temperature or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Uses: Great as a marinade, dip, or condiment for grilled meats (beef, pork, chicken), fish & shrimp, or vegetables.
Pan-Roasted Salmon:
Preheat the oven to 400 and preheat a large heavy skillet on the stove on medium-high heat until very hot. Drizzle salmon fillet with a small amount of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place the salmon in the pan flesh side down (skin facing up), and sear for 2-3 minutes without disturbing until deep brown and a nice crust develops. Use a spatula to carefully turn the fillet then transfer the pan from stove top to oven. Roast the salmon just until bright pink in center – approx. 10-12 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from the oven and serve with the Mojo Sauce.