Farmers’ Market Bounty
Let’s start with those amazing squash blossoms. So tender, fragile, beautiful. The perfect vessel to stuff, batter dip, and fry up.
I carefully stuffed them with a mixture of Kite Hill Ricotta and Miyoko’s Kitchen Winter Truffle Cheese, being mindful not to rip the blossom—yum! Preheat a pot with about 1-1/2”-2” oil to 340-360 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the batter, I sifted together equal parts cornmeal and white whole wheat pastry flour with a dash of sea salt, white pepper, and garlic powder. To that, I added just enough ice cold seltzer water to make a tempura texture-like batter. In another bowl, I poured some white whole wheat pastry flour. Taking one squash blossom at a time, I carefully twisted the open end, again being mindful not to rip the blossom. Gently roll in the pastry flour and dust off excess flour. Then dip in the batter and gently but quickly shake off the excess batter. Carefully immerse the blossom in the oil by gently placing the tip into the oil and then gently lying it into the oil. Do not drop it in as it will splash hot oil back up at you. Fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes is all it will need. Immediately remove from the oil and place on a wire rack to drain. These should be eaten immediately while still warm.
Organic, fresh-picked sweet summer corn. I dream about this during its harvest time. As soon as I get home from the market, I cut off the husks to the edge of the corn itself and wash them. Then, give them a soaking bath in cool, clean water for at least one hour. To keep them immersed in the water, you can use a plate. Soaking them in the water enables the interior silk to soak up the water, which helps to quickly cook the corn. My favorite method is to heat an outdoor grill (an indoor grill pan will work as well) on high heat. Remove the corn from the water, open the corn being careful not to tear off the husks, and remove the silk. I use a compound butter (any non-vegan creamy buttery spread mixed with fresh herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, really whatever you like) and slather the kernels. Then wrap the corn back into the husks and place on the grill. Turn every 3-4 minutes, until the husks is beginning to get grill marks on them. Do this for 10-12 minutes, then remove the corn. Husk the corn. It will be hot, so use a clean towel, but the husks will be easily removed with a gently tug.
Tomatoes. Now, being a Jersey girl, I am a bit particular about my tomatoes. There is nothing like biting into one of those freshly-picked Jersey plum tomatoes. But I have to tell you, believe it or not, that Richard and I have a mighty nice garden flush with a variety of tomatoes in our Verde Valley (just outside of Sedona, Arizona) garden. I like to serve my tomatoes simply. A quick slice and only when I am ready to sit down to eat do I give them a scant splash of salt. I can keep it elementary with a basic Himalayan sea salt, or kick it up a notch with black truffle sea salt, or kick it up a couple notches with a hot chili spiced sea salt.
Such a satisfying dinner, colorful on the plate, mouth-wateringly delicious to the palate, and satisfying to my tummy. Perfection!
P.S. If the cover photo to this blog looks familiar, it is because it is the actual photo I took of my farmers’ market bounty two years ago, and is what has become the background of my Veganification logo.
An important aspect of sharing original recipes is to give proper credit to the author(s) of the recipe(s). I hope that you enjoy using these recipes and making them your own; but please do so with that integrity in mind. With much gratitude. Linda