Last day of summer in the Garden

Today 9/26

Mushrooms a la Grecque

Mushrooms a la Grecque During the mid 70’s when we lived at the Clarendon Hotel, Chale on the South coast of the Isle of Wight. Mum became reknowned for her food, was written about in magazines; people would come down from London and stay for a weekend of country living. Once or twice a winter she would make an hors d’oeuvres trolley, as part of her first course offerings. My favorite thing on the trolley was the bowl of Mushrooms a la Grecque. I was the meeter, greeter, drink server, as the guests chatted, waiting for their food and table to be ready. I would zip back to check on how low the mushrooms got in their bowl, worried that there would be none left for me.

I tried to make them a few times from different recipes and none of them were quite right. I like a sharper more lemony flavor, so it took some time to find the balance.

When I see the white mushrooms, looking very fresh and firm, tight capped, I know I shall make a batch for lunch. I make a humus to serve alongside it. It is so easy now to buy a good humus, any number of people make it and it is very good. But I like a little more garlic, cumin and lemon in mine and it is easy to make. 12 oz button mushrooms, wiped clean, cut into halves/quarters 4 shallots sliced 2 carrots - sliced 1 tomato, peeled and seeded, chopped 1 tablespoon tomato puree 1 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup virgin olive oil 1 bay leaf - I prefer the flavor of the Turkish Juice of 1 lemon whole black peppercorns pinch of red pepper flakes - optional sea salt Place all the ingredients with seasoning in a covered saucepan. Bring to the boil, allow to simmer a minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Adjust the seasoning. Serve well chilled.

Humus Can of Chick Pea’s - drained 1 clove of garlic juice of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon tahini 1 teaspoon cumin 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil 1/2 cup of water Combine first 5 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until combined, add olive oil and then water through the tube feeder. Serve with warm pita bread.

Storm over the Hudson

Yesterday evening as I drove down and then back up the West Side Highway, there was a storm over the Hudson and on the way back over upper Manhattan

And as I turned just past the Intrepid there was a beautiful Rainbow over Manhattan. For the only time I remember, The lights stayed green, so I could not take a photo! Sadly this was the best I could do. It was a beautiful rainbow...

Union Square Market, 1st day of Fall/Autumn

Summer's Last Visitors

Roast late summer vegetables, Pheasant Sausage and Quinoa

Through August I go to the Union Square Market, I am still buying my Local Fish, Lamb sausage etc. But there is something that puts me off buying, squash, tomato, eggplant, is it the abundance? I drift through the market looking for inspiration. I love a Tomato Basil salad as much as the next person, but how much salad can a person eat. I start to look forward to the Fall vegetables. But come September, those same Tomato, eggplant, squash begin to have an intensity of flavor that they lack in August. The plants are not withering under the harsh mid Summer Sun, the evenings are cooler, and everything is full of flavor again.

The cooler evenings mean that one can bear to put the oven back on in the apartment. We are no longer forced to grill outside and eat Salad because of the heat. Of course when I say cooler evenings, it is still 60 degrees and England could dream of these warm evenings in Summer. But they are not 70 plus, and we begin to think we might soon b4 wearing long sleeves and pants.

Last night, and it was cooler, I decided to roast a melange of vegetables and serve with Quinoa. I looked around to see what I had. In the garden we have an abundance of Japanese eggplant, Cherry Tomatoes. From Saturdays Union Square visit, nutty Romanesco and yellow Zucchini; Delicata Squash, one of the first indicators that Fall is round the corner, it is neither a Summer or Fall winter squash, but seems to fall between the two; and tends to be my favorite. Cippolini onions; German Butterball potatoes, carrots and Shishito Peppers.

I cut the carrots, potatoes, peeled the Cippolini tossed them in salt and olive oil and put them on one small roasting pan. Placed it in the oven first. I peeled the Delicata, I often don’t, cut it into 1/4 inch slices; chopped the eggplant, zucchini, shishito peppers into desirable pieces and tossed them in salt, olive oil and some fresh marjoram and thyme from the garden. Roasting them for 20/30 minutes. In the mean time I cooked Quinoa, and dry sauteed some of Quattro Farms Smoked Pheasant sausage. We cut that into similar size as the roast vegetables, mixing them all together and serving over the Quinoa.

Los Angeles

End of summer Butterflies

The Bee's and Butterflies are frantically gathering the last pollen.