Blackberry Romanoff
   
This take on a classic strawberry dish is fast and easy to prepare. The success of the dish relies on having sweet, plump blackberries.
Rather than using Cointreau, an orange-flavored liquor, fresh tangerine juice is used keeping this dish family friendly. However, any sweet orange will do.
Yields approx 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pt Blackberries, fresh
1 Tbl Sugar, granulated
2 Tbl Tangerine juice
1/2 pt Heavy whipping cream
1 Tbl Sugar, granulated
1 ea. Tangerine, segmented

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the berries, sugar and tangerine juice. Allow to macerate for 20 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, whip the cream and second measure of sugar to form medium stiff peaks. Remove a few berries to garnish each serving and fold the cream into the rest of the berries. Spoon the mixture into individual serving bowls or glasses and garnish with reserved berries and tangerine segments. Serve immediately.

Red Pepper Crostini
with Oregano & Feta    
These Hors D'oeuvres are fast, easy to make and are bursting with Mediterranean flavors. Add chopped olives, capers and/or anchovies, if desired.
Yields approx 4 servings

Ingredients:
12 ea French bread
2 Tbl Olive oil, extra virgin
3/4 C Roasted red peppers
1/4 C Goat cheese, crumbled
1 tsp Oregano, dried
To Taste Salt, kosher
To Taste Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut French bread into 1/4" thick slices. Brush both sides with olive oil, reserving a little for later, and season with salt and pepper. Lay slices flat on a sheet pan and bake until lightly golden and just crispy, not rock hard. Cool to room temperature. Slice roasted red peppers into 1/4" x 1" strips. Divide peppers among bread slices, placing an even mound on top of each slice. Sprinkle peppers with goat cheese followed by oregano. Season each with a touch of salt and black pepper, drizzle on the rest of the olive oil. Warm crostini slightly or serve as is. Feta cheese or ricotta salata can be used instead of goat cheese, if desired. Fresh basil can also be substituted for the oregano.

Mini Sweet Corn Griddle Cakes
with Zucchini "Caviar" and Romano Cheese    
These sweet and savory little bites are a great vegetarian Hors D'oeuvre sure to please everyone. All of the flavors of summer come together in one bite! Make larger and serve with lightly dressed greens for an awesome appetizer. Try mixing lump crabmeat into the zucchini or top with real caviar and creme fraiche instead!
Yields approx 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 oz Eggs, beaten
1-1/4 C Corn cut from the cobb
1/4 c Cornmeal
1/2 tsp Salt, kosher
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 C Chives, slivered finely
1.5 oz Egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
As Needed Clarified butter
2 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 ea. Shallot, minced finely
1 ea Garlic, clove, minced finely
1 C Zucchini, fine dice
1/2 tsp Salt, kosher
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/4 C Romano cheese, freshly grated
1/4 C Basil, fresh, preferably globe

Directions:
For Zucchini Caviar:
In small saute pan, slowly sweat shallots and garlic in oil until tender. Add zucchini and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

For the Corn Cakes:
Puree eggs in blender with half of corn kernels until smooth. Pour into mixing bowl and add the rest of the corn, cornmeal, salt, pepper and chives. Mix well and gently fold in egg whites.
Place large griddle over medium heat and add just enough clarified butter to barely cover griddle surface. When butter is hot, drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto griddle, leaving about an inch between spoonfuls. Cook for two minutes or until small bubbles form on top of cakes and bottom is beginning to brown. Flip and cook an additional two minutes. Remove to a clean baking pan and allow to cool slightly. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Top each corn cake with a small amount of zucchini caviar. Sprinkle on romano cheese and bake until cheese is golden in color. Garnish with small sprig or fine julienne of basil.

Cherry and Goat Cheese Crostini
   
If you are planning on throwing a summer get together during cherry season, try out these simple hors doeuvres. Slices of sugar sweet cherries are served atop mild goat cheese
and crispy crostini coming together in a simple, yet sophisticated crunch. Dark red or Rainier cherries will do.
Yields approx 4 servings

Ingredients:
12 ea French Baguette
5 oz Goat Cheese, mild and creamy
1 C Cherries, ripe, quartered
1 Tbl Chives, tips

Directions:
Slice French bread into rounds. Toss with olive oil and salt, toast until golden. Once cooled, spread an even layer of goat cheese over each crostini. Top each crostini with a few pieces of the cherries and sprinkle with chives.

Presentation:
Arrange on a simple platter for simple elegance.

Cherry, Chocolate and Sourdough Panini
   
If you never went to camp and had the pleasure of making Mountain Pies, then the closest thing is probably the panini. Using your imagination, the sky is the limit when it comes to sweet or savory fillings. Instead of the typical ham and cheese, I opted for a dessert creation of freshly pitted cherries, dark chocolate and sliced marshmallows, stuffed between two pieces of buttered and browned sourdough bread. The tang of the bread helps tone down the sweetness of the rest, making this dessert something that you may not be able to stop eating. Just clamp it all together in your panini press, throw it into the fire and get ready for crispy, gooey goodness.
Yields approx 1 servings

Ingredients:
2 slices Sourdough Bread
2 Tb. Butter, unsalted
3 Marshmallows, large, sliced into 3/8 thick coins
1/4 cup Chocolate, Dark or Bittersweet, broken into pieces
4 Cherries, large, pitted and halved

Directions:
Butter the outside of each slice of bread. Place first slice of bread, butter side down, into the panini press so that the butter contacts the metal. Start assembling the panini by adding a layer of sliced marshmallows, followed by the chocolate and cherries, and finally any remaining marshmallow slices. Top with remaining piece of bread, butter side up, and close the panini press. Clamp the panini together and place directly in or near a prepared fire. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the bread is browned and crisp and the filling melted. Remove from press, cut into wedges and serve immediately.

Chilled Sweet Corn Vichyssoise
with Celeriac, Dill & Crme Frache    
This cool, smooth and refreshing soup, similar to the classic Potato-leek soup, is perfect for a summer picnic. Dress it up by adding crabmeat if desired.
Yields approx 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 Tb. Vegetable oil
3/4 c. Spanish Onion, diced
2 ears Corn, kernels cut from cobs, scraped well, saving cobs
1 c. Celeriac, diced
1/2 c. Yukon Gold Potato, diced
1 qt. Chicken Stock
2 Tb. Crme Frache
1 Tb. Lemon Juice, fresh
2 Tb. Dill, fresh, chopped
1 Tb. Chives, fresh, slivered
2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1 tsp. Black Pepper
2 Radishes, trimmed, julienne

Directions:
In a saucepan large enough to hold all of the ingredients, sweat onions in oil over low heat until translucent and tender. Add corn and sweat 5 more minutes. Add the celeriac and potato and continue to sweat for 10 minutes longer. Cut reserved cobs in quarters and add to pan. Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until all veggies are tender. Allow to cool slightly, remove cobs and, using a blender, puree until very smooth. Only fill blender halfway when blending hot liquids. Chill well.

Once cold, whisk in crme frache, lemon juice, herbs and seasonings. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish with radish julienne and extra crme frache and chives, if desired.

Grilled Marinated Leg of Lamb
with Grilled Flatbread, Tomato-Cucumber Salad, Local Leaf Lettuce and Tzatziki    
If you like lamb, and especially gyros, you will love this. Lamb on the Barbie is one of lifes simple pleasures. With a vibrant, salsa-like salad, a cool, refreshing sauce, a few leaves of fresh, out-of-the-garden lettuce and some soft yet toasty flatbread, this is by far one of my favorite sandwich-like dishes of all.
Yields approx 8 servings

Ingredients:
Lamb:
1 Leg of Lamb, trimmed of fat, boned out, butterflied (see butcher)
1/2 c. Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
1 Lemon, juice of
3 Garlic Cloves, fresh, chopped
2 Tb. Oregano, fresh, chopped
2 Tb. Thyme, fresh, leaves picked
2 Bay Leaves
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt and lots of Black Pepper, freshly ground

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 c. Yogurt, plain, drained overnight in cheesecloth in a colander over a bowl
1/4 c. Sour Cream
1 Seedless Cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped
1 Tb. Dill, fresh, chopped
1 Garlic Clove, fresh, peeled and minced
1/2 Lemon, freshly squeezed juice of
To Taste: Kosher or Sea Salt and lots of Black Pepper, freshly ground

Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad:
4 Tomatoes, ripe and juicy, large dice
1/2 Red Onion, julienne
1 Cucumber, sliced thinly into half moons
2 Tb. Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
1 Tb. Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 tsp. Oregano, dried
1 Tb. Basil, fresh, chiffonade
To Taste: Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, freshly ground

As Needed: Pita, Naan or other fresh Flat Bread, grilled to warm and brown slightly
As Needed: Leaf Lettuce

Directions:
For the leg of lamb: Up to 3 days in advance to cooking, combine liquid ingredients and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. In a non-reactive large container with a tight-fitting lid, pour marinade over lamb and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate until one hour before ready to grill.

For the tzatziki sauce: Up to 3 days in advance, combine tzatziki ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the tomato-cucumber salad: On the day of cooking, combine all salad ingredients and toss well to combine. Season as needed, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To grill the lamb: Start with a well cleaned and oiled, preheated, medium-hot wood, gas or charcoal grill. While fire is being prepared, remove lamb from marinade and allow to come to room temperature for roughly one hour. Re-season lamb with fresh salt and pepper. Place lamb directly over heat and grill until well marked. Rotate 90 degrees and mark briefly. Flip and mark briefly on second side. Move lamb off to lower or indirect heat, rotating 90 degrees and cooking to desired doneness: 15-25 minutes to medium, depending on heat of fire. Rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Presentation:
Briefly warm and brown flatbreads over direct heat. Take a flatbread and add a leaf or two of lettuce. Add a few sliced of grilled lamb. Add a spoonful of tomato-cucumber salad and drizzle on tzatziki sauce. Roll to close and dig in.

Heirloom Tomato Panzanella
   
This dish is perfect as a light, simple summer meal or a tasty foundation for grilled fish, chicken or a crispy fried soft shell crab.
Yields approx 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb Assorted heirloom tomatoes
2 ea Shallots, peeled and sliced 1/8
thick
2 oz Haricots verts, stem end snipped and
blanched
2 oz Day old rustic bread, cubed
4 oz Balsamic, red wine or sherry
vinaigrette
1 C Fresh basil, chiffonade
To Taste Salt and pepper

Directions:
Wash and core tomatoes. Cut cherry tomato sized varieties in half and cube or wedge larger varieties into bite size pieces. Rinse bread cubes under water quickly and immediately squeeze out water. Place bread in mixing bowl. Add tomato pieces, shallots and haricots verts to bowl. Just before serving, fold in basil and toss with just enough vinaigrette to coat. Serve at once.