Fancy 'Cue: Grilled Peaches + Crottin, Walnuts, & Truffle Honey

Pitted Fresh Peaches, Photo: NK  

Stone Fruit. 

Stars of summer. 

Making sweet and savory dishes everywhere that much more sumptuous...

like our Apricot Frangipane Tart
or Stone Fruit, Burrata, Prosciutto & Arugula Salad. 

Today's subject? 

Juicy and ripe Peaches.

Together with just a few other high quality ingredients, these beauties make one striking and simple grill-able side-dish. All in under twenty minutes.

Elegance has never been so easy.

Let's get to work:

Grilled Peaches with Crottin, Walnuts & Truffle Honey

Serves 3-4 as a Side Dish 

Ingredients:

Photo: NK   

3 Medium-sized Ripe Peaches, sliced in half and pitted.

3.5 Ounces Goat Cheese, room temperature (we like Crottin).

1/3 Cup Walnuts, chopped

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, for brushing

Salt and Pepper

Regular Honey or Truffle Honey, for drizzling

Method:

1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. 

2. Brush cut side of each Peach half with Olive Oil and then sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. 

Truffle Honey, Photo: NK 

3. Grill Peaches cut side down for 10-12 minutes on the hot part of the grill. Don't attempt to move them during the cooking or they will stick. They will release more easily once true grill marks appear. When ready to remove Peaches, you may need to help them off just a bit using a metal spatula. You can also grease the grill grates with oil if you prefer.

4. Arrange Peaches on serving plates and spoon about a heaping teaspoon of Goat Cheese into the middle of each Peach half.

5. Sprinkle with chopped Walnuts and a bit more Salt and Pepper. 

6. Finish by adding a few drizzles of Truffle Honey or Regular Honey across each Peach.

Grilled Peaches with Crottin Goat Cheese, Chopped Walnuts, and Truffle Honey, Photo: NK 

7. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Strawberry Pie with Whipped Cream, Photo: NK 

See? 

Even the easiest summer dishes can be absolutely sublime when super-fresh fruits are involved.

Just like this gorgeous Strawberry Pie made by my mom-in-law. 

The recipe, passed down through generations, originated from Sarah Gibbs of Pomeroy, Ohio. 

Delicious and simple never go out of style.

Recipe Roundup - Ideas For Your Fourth of July Feast

It's unnerving how quickly summer flies by. Still, we're looking forward to the second big fete of the season, The Fourth of July. While our celebration will undoubtedly include American favorites like Burgers (we love Pat La Frieda's Short Rib Blend), we'll always throw in a few extra twists to make sure our barbecue is one for the books. Today, we'll round up some of NK's favorite summer party recipes. Most can be made on an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Hope this get's your creative juices flowing. Happy Cooking! 

A Hot Dog Less Ordinary - Why not try our Chicago Dogs with all the fixins on the grill? 

Real Chicago Dogs 











Tacos! - Remember our recent Cinco de Mayo Carne Asada post? Well this Skirt-Steak based Taco works great on a grill: 

Tacos Carne Asada













Wings! - The winner and still champion of party foods. In our house, these Old Bay Spiced Buffalo Wings are generally baked, but you can absolutely grill them as well. So. Good. 

Old Bay Buffalo Wings














Sharable Shrimp Ceviche Served with Tortilla Chips is "a good thing." We like to lightly boil our Shrimp so you won't have any raw food worries. Bring this great app if you're attending a party.

Cooked Shrimp Ceviche











Salads with a Spin - Because barbecue Side Salads Should not be humdrum:

Watermelon Salad with Arugula, Ricotta Salata, and Mint Dressing

 AND

Grilled Pineapple Salad with Basil and Cucumber














Vegetarian Pasta Salad - This as good at room temp raw sauce pasta recipe easily morphs into a winning side or main that will please all palates - we love our Vegetarian Friends.  

Whole Wheat Pasta Crudaiola with Arugula, Cherry Tomato, and Ricotta Salata











Indoor Feast on tap for you? Just because you aren't barbecuing doesn't mean you can't have a smashing sit down meal. Here are two of our favorite Summery Seafood Dishes that get raves every time: 

Zuppa di Clams with Savory Crouton

Crab Pasta with Lemon and Chive Butter












And for Dessert?
This super easy, stone-fruit driven Tart comes together quickly with frozen puff pastry. Use it to showcase the season's best produce. 

Easy Apricot Blackberry Frangipane Tart









That'll do it. Keep us posted on your food adventures and we hope you do enjoy our Nation's birthday and all the food it brings. 

How To - "Sunny Italy" Cheese Plate

If you've been reading, I don't have to tell you that we've already featured several regionally themed Cheese Plates on Neurotic Kitchen. 

Spanish Cheese Plate
Spanish Cheese and Meat Plate II
French Cheese and Charcuterie Plate

I love a cheese plate, and I don't plan on stopping my obsession anytime soon. Behold the latest, my homage to the Cheeses of Italy. This selection is mostly from cow's milk cheeses. The flavors range from mild to pleasantly tangy and piquant. Try it for a sunny addition to your next cocktail party.

Sunny Italy Cheese, Fruit, & Nut Plate
Clockwise from Top Left - Casera Valtellina, Gorgonzola Dolce, Bra Tenero, Tallegio, and Ubriaco

Not a whole lot wrong with that, right? 

Here's how you do it - 

The Cheeses
Casera Valtellina
Gorgonzola Dolce
Bra Tenero
Tallegio
&
Ubriaco

Fruits & Nuts
Shelled Pistachios - the history of this nut and Italian history crossed paths
Mission Figs, pitted
Sicilian Blood Oranges (or alternately, Cara Cara Oranges)
And Carambola - better know as Starfruit (these are not Italian but they add to the sunny character of the plate!)

Garnish with Italian Parsley.

Starch - I like to serve this plate with Carr's Rosemary Crackers and Slices of Crusty Italian Bread

I hope you enjoy!

Lazy Days of Summer - Two Simple Seafood Starters

Super local greens, Photo: NK 

Is there anything better than a lazy Summer weekend? 

This last one was a winner thanks to beautiful weather, a Super Moon, and doing a whole lotta nothing. 

Some of the highlights: 



Fresh and delicious local greens from our neighbor's garden - Thank you, Freddie!




Checking out some beachy yard sale kitsch

Photo: NK 

And of course, a nice bottle of this  (goes great with seafood, but we'll get to that soon).  

Lieb Cellars, bridge lane rose, Photo: NK 

My perfect weekend will almost always include a nice home-cooked dinner. Staying on theme with our ever-growing seafood obsession (check out our previous fish feast HERE), I chose to make two deceptively simple light and elegant appetizers.

For each of these recipes, all you'll need is about 20 minutes, a grill or grill pan, and a very good fish market. Lazy summer evening approved. 

Grilled Scallop Salsa Cruda

Grilled Baby Octopus with Orange, Chile, & Olives 

Grilled Scallop Salsa Cruda
Lightly Adapted from the New York Times
Serves 2-3 as an appetizer 

Ingredients: 
8 large dry Sea Scallops, small side muscle removed and discarded
2 Tablespoons fruity Olive Oil + extra for brushing Scallops 

Photo: NK

1 large very ripe Tomato, roughly chopped
1/2 Tablespoon finely minced Garlic
1/3 Cup Italian Parsley, chopped
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced Jalapeno, optional
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Crusty Bread or Tortilla Chips for serving 

Method: 
1. Heat a grill or stovetop grill pan until very hot. 

2. Brush Scallops on both sides with some Olive Oil and sprinkle them with Salt and Pepper. 

3. Sear Scallops on one side for about 3 minutes until grill marks appear. Flip them to the other side and cook another 1-2 minutes until firm and opaque. Set Scallops aside and allow to cool. 

4. Meanwhile, mix all other ingredients together in a medium bowl to create the Salsa. 

5. Cut Scallops into quarters and toss them into salsa. Stir. 

6. Taste and season with Salt and Pepper. Serve room temperature or slightly chilled. 
Enjoy!

Grilled Scallop Salsa Cruda, Photo: NK 

Next up, delicious Baby Octopus with Spicy Chile, Orange, and Oil-Cured Olives. If you are averse to Octopus you could easily adapt this recipe to Calamari. The cook time may change just a bit and Calamari is done when it is opaque white and firm but not overly rubbery. Enjoy! 

Grilled Octopus with Orange, Chile & Olives
Adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill (which is a great cookbook, by the way)
Serves 2-3 as an appetizer 

Ingredients:
About 6 Baby Octopi - 1/2-3/4 Lb total, depending on size
2.5 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for brushing Octopus
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
About 12 Oil Cured Black Olives, pitted and roughly chopped  
1 dried Red Chile, finely chopped (or 3/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper)
Zest of 1 Medium Orange
4 Orange Slices
1 Tablespoon Orange Juice
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Chives, chopped (optional) 

Method:
1. For the dressing - Combine Oil, Vinegar, Dried Chile, Orange Zest, Orange Juice, a generous pinch of Salt and Pepper and the Olives. 
2. Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Brush Octopi with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. 
3. Place Octopi on the hottest part of the grill and cook until charred and crispy, about 4 minutes per side.
4. To serve, plate Octopus with Orange Wedges and drizzle the Octopus with dressing (you may not need it all). Garnish with optional Chives and serve immediately. 

Bon appetit! 

And happy summer.