A Salad to Swoon For - French Cucumber Salad + Crème Fraîche

Today, I give you French Cucumber Salad...

French Cucumber Salad with Dill and Creme Fraiche, Photo: NK

better known as one of my absolute favorite fancy (but easy to make) salads. Whether you serve it as a luxe barbecue side, for a lovely ladies lunch, bridal or baby shower, this dish is as delicate as it is delectable. I've quiet literally observed guests tilting the serving bowl in mid air in an effort to scrape clean every last bit. Nothing makes me happier, by the way. 

I've been making French Cucumber Salad for quite a while now. Years ago, I enjoyed a version of it at a cute little Brooklyn Wine Bar called The Castello Plan. Thanks to crisp, chilled cucumbers, I found it refreshing and light (yet slightly creamy because of the creme fraiche). Bright notes of vinegar and an ever so slight sweetness from a pinch of sugar were brought together with dill, which imparted an herbaceous freshness. Once I got home, I scoured the internet until I found a recipe that appeared the most similar to the dish I'd just experienced. My search brought me to a wonderful food blog that I've been referring to ever since - It's called JintanManis.

Here's how it should look before you creme fraiche-it-up: 

Photo: NK

This salad is also a favorite of mine when I'm looking for something to bring to a party that is both simple, impressive, and make-ahead. I'll include instructions on how to make this portable. Here it is at a recent barbecue: 

If you're in the market for a Labor Day side dish, I'd certainly recommend French Cucumber Salad. It's really hard not to love. Here goes...

French Cucumber Salad with Dill and Creme Fraiche

Lightly adapted from JintanManis blog

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 large cucumbers
12 ice cubes
Salt
1 large shallot  
1 tablespoon white vinegar (wine or distilled)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons freshly minced dill  + dill sprigs for garnish 

1/2 cup (4 ounces) crème fraiche

Method:  
1. Peel all the cucumbers leaving some thin strips of green skin. Cut them in half lengthwise and cut off and discard each of the ends. To de-seed cucumbers, drag a teaspoon down the length of the cucumber half (cut side up) until seeds are scraped out. Don’t be afraid to apply some pressure. Discard seeds. What you will be left with should look like a canoe shape. Slice the cucumbers very thinly until you have pile of little half-moons.  If you have a mandoline it will make things quicker!

2. Next, mix the sliced cucumbers with the ice cubes and add enough water to reach past the surface of the cucumbers.  Add 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt to the water. Mix together gently and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Drain very well.
 
3. Slice the shallot very thinly and add to the cucumber. Mix in the vinegar, sugar, pepper, dill, and another 1/2 teaspoon salt. Combine well. Allow the mixture to sit at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stop here if you are making this in advance or bringing to a party.

4. A few minutes before serving, drain away all the juices. Stir in the crème fraiche or sour cream and toss very gently. You can add extra if you prefer it more creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. To serve, spoon the salad into a shallow, pretty bowl and garnish with minced dill and dill sprigs.

Enjoy!

The Ultimate in Easy Starters - Pan con Tomate

Labor Day is almost here and even though we have a big bash planned, we are, as always, keeping things simple.  For our holiday weekend barbecue, we'll be serving up a traditional Spanish tapa to kick off our meal - Pan con Tomate. Pan con Tomate means bread with tomato, and that's really almost all there is to it. Extremely ripe tomatoes are grated into a pulp and put atop crusty slices of a toasted bread that have been liberally rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil. 

Grating the Tomatoes, Photo: NK

Basic though it may be, Pan con Tomate also happens to be insanely delicious - so much so that you really can't fathom just how good it it is until you try it for yourself. The tips below will help you to put this under-five-ingredient and absolutely to die for appetizer together with ease. 

TIPS:

To make a stellar Pan con Tomate, be sure to get yourself some really fantastic bread. I think that a large, round peasant loaf sliced about a 1/2 inch thick is the best bet because it toasts up very light and easy to bite while the crust maintains its crispiness. We like to use Eli's brand. 

Finally, the recipe hinges on having very ripe beefsteak tomatoes. Really any type of larger tomato will do, but beefsteaks have been especially flavorful this summer. A nice drizzle of good quality, fruity extra virgin olive oil is also important, as is a dusting of kosher salt. 

Pan con Tomate, Photo: NK

Serve up these toasty slices of garlic and tomato-ey goodness and watch as your guests gobble them up. It's hard to say just what makes these so good, but the fact that they are incredibly easy to makes them all the more wonderful. I hope you enjoy this dish as well as all the compliments it's sure to get you! 

Pan Con Tomate

Serves 4 

Recipe Courtesy of Saveur

Ingredients: 
1-2 very ripe tomatoes sliced in half (ideally beefsteak variety)

About 8 Slices of bread sliced 1/2 inch thick (ideally a round peasant loaf) 

Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

2 Cloves Garlic, each sliced in half

Kosher Salt 

Method:

Over a box or handheld grater set over a bowl, rub tomato halves until all the pulp is grated and only the skin remains. 

Lightly toast the slices of bread until crispy and slightly golden.

Rub the tops of each slice with a half clove of garlic. Press hard to be sure the garlic is transferred onto the entire surface of each slice (the crispiness of the bread will aid in the transfer). 

Next, drizzle slices with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Liberally spoon tomato pulp over toasts and sprinkle with kosher salt. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Simply Summer - Corn With Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter + Queso Fresco

Don't you just love it when things are simple? Today's post is about an absurdly easy yet show-stopping side that will have your guests smiling in no time.

Corn on the Cob with Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter and Queso Fresco, Photo: NK

Corn on the Cob with Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter and Queso Fresco is really as easy as mixing up a few ingredients and then boiling (or grilling) one of the season's best veggies - sweet summer corn.

The inspiration for this recipe came to me years ago while I was watching an episode of Boy Meets Grill, one of Bobby Flay's Food Network shows. Bobby mixed up something quite like today's Garlic, Lime, and Jalapeño Butter for corn - which of course he grilled. Ever since then, I've been making this amazingly easy and flavor-packed compound butter each year using my own favorite ingredients and proportions. Honestly, I have yet to find a guest who doesn't love it, and it's an easy way to deliver major wow factor with almost no effort! I personally prefer the ease of quickly boiling corn, but you can certainly grill it as Flay recommends. Up to you!  Check out his version HERE.

In general, compound butters are a great make-ahead way to jazz up both proteins and vegetables. In fact, you may also want to check out our Meyer Lemon Herb Butter for Lamb HERE. 


Corn on the Cob With Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter and Queso Fresco 
Inspired by Bobby Flay 
Yield - 1 Stick of Butter + 8 Ears of Corn 
Ingredients: 

Creating the Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter, Photo: NK 

For the Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter
Zest of 2 Limes + 1 teaspoon Lime Juice 
3 Large Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
1 Large Jalapeno, minced (seeds and all) 
1 Stick of Salted Butter, sliced up and softened 


For the Corn
8 Ears of sweet summer Corn
1/4 Lb Queso Fresco (or Cotija Cheese, or even Pepper Jack)
Black Pepper
3 Limes, quartered, for serving 



Method: 
1. First, make the Butter. In a small bowl or mug, mix together sliced butter at room temperature with the first four ingredients until fully incorporated. 
Spoon onto a square of plastic wrap and shape into a a baton shape. Roll plastic over the butte carefully and seal on each end - like a party favor. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or the refrigerator for 20. Before using, slice butter into pats and bring to room temperature.

Voila! Photo: NK 

2. About 20 minutes before you are ready to serve the dish, set a very large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add the ears of Corn and cook until tender - about 5 minutes. Remove ears of corn to a platter and top with slices of Garlic Jalapeño Lime Butter (you will likely have some butter leftover). 


3. Spread pats of butter around so they begin to melt. Grate the Queso Fresco or other cheese over the platter, top with a quick squeeze of lime juice and a good sprinkle of black pepper. Serve family style with lime wedges 

Enjoy! 

In Season: Eggplant - Herb Marinated Eggplant Antipasto

My Vegetable obsession of the moment?

The Eggplant.

Ghost and Zebra Eggplant Varieties, Photo: NK 

I can't get enough of these guys, and with varieties as beautiful as this, who can blame me? The even better news is that Eggplants are in season now through early fall and ready to be loved. 

Fresh Oregano and Thyme, Photo: NK 

I already shared a Marinated Eggplant appetizer very early this summer, but I didn't see the harm in attempting another version, especially because I also happened to have a fierce craving for it! There's just something sublime about thin slices of roasted and then marinated Eggplant on a piece of pleasantly crusty bread. I don't know about you, but I call that the perfect snack. 

Today's Marinated Eggplant is a bit milder than our bold, lemony, and spicy version HERE. Additionally, Marinated Eggplant is a great vehicle for fresh herbs (which I happen to have growing like wildfire in my garden). Using White Balsamic Vinegar adds a mild yet sweet tang to this super simple starter. Make this in advance and store for several days in the fridge. The mixture even gets better with time, and you can be ready with an elegant snack at a moment's notice. 

Also - If you use the basic Eggplant baking method below, you can certainly adapt your marinade to your tastes and do plenty of experimenting with whatever ingredients you have on hand. 

Shall we?

Marinated Eggplant with Fresh Herbs and White Balsamic
Serves about 6 as a hors d'oeuvre or snack

Ingredients:
2 Medium Eggplants - a single variety or mix (we used one Ghost and one Zebra Eggplant)
The leaves from 4 Sprigs Fresh Oregano, finely minced
The leaves from 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme, finely minced 
2 Large Cloves Garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus more for sprinkling 
2 Tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar 
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt plus more for sprinkling Eggplant before baking
Black Pepper

Method: 
1. Preheat oven to 425 and set aside two large baking sheets.

2. Cut each Eggplant down the middle lengthwise and cut each half horizontally to form half moons. 

3. Lay Eggplant slices on the baking sheets and drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sprinkle with Kosher Salt and an Black Pepper. Once oven has come to temperature place baking sheets in for 15-17 minutes until the eggplant is tender. If it looks dry, don't worry as the marinade will take care of that. 

4. While Eggplant is baking, warm 2 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add the two Cloves of crushed Garlic and cook until they begin to become slightly golden, about 3 minutes. Turn off the flame and allow the oil to cool a few minutes before adding the minced Oregano and Thyme. Add the 2 Tablespoons of White Balsamic Vinegar to the pan and set aside.

5. When Eggplant is finished baking, scrape the slices carefully into a large bowl. Pour the contents of the pan into it and toss gently so slices are fully coated. Allow to cook and then store refrigerated up to 4 days. Serve over crusty bread! Enjoy!

Marinated Eggplant Crostini, Photo: NK