Healthy
August always delivers an overabundance of zucchini which, for a cook, calls for a little creativity if you want to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary. That may sound like a tall order, but here is a quick and easy zucchini recipe that delivers a bright refreshing zucchini main course for a late summer supper.
Meyer lemons may be unfamiliar, but I’m here to make their case with the hope that you will give them a try.
Meyer lemons are a centuries old Chinese hybrid of citron, the mother of all citrus fruits, pomelo, and the mandarin orange. Meyer lemons are less acidic than a true lemon with a hint of mandarin and scent of citron.
Nicolas Meyer, an American horticulturist, developed the Meyer lemon in 1908 and this is the variety you will find here in the US. Alice Waters and her restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley popularized California cooking and introduced Meyer lemons to American home cooks In the early ‘70s.
Meyer lemons are now widely available and generally identified by a softer paler yellow skin with a sweet citrus scent. If you live in California or Florida where Meyer lemons are commercially grown you are likely to encounter various varieties and sizes. I have include a photo of two varieties I’ve found in my local farmers market a here in Hawaii.
For the recipe that follows you may of course use true lemons, but the Meyer lemons are well worth seeking out. I have found them at Whole Foods as well as and various specialty produce purveyors on the mainland as well.
Zesty Sauteed Zucchini with Meyer Lemons and Garlic
Equipment: a large stainless skillet with lid.
- 2 medium green or yellow zucchini, ends trimmed, and sliced into paper thin rounds
- 3 Meyer lemons, trimmed and sliced into paper thin rounds, seeds removed and discarded
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled, thinly sliced and quartered
- 3 plump garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- flaked sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- fresh cilantro leaves
- wedges of Meyer lemons
Prep all the ingredients and set them out on a platter.
Set the skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and swirl the pan until melted. Add the olive oil and swirl to combine.
Add the onions and saute until they begin to wilt. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add the lemon slices and saute briefly and then add the zucchini. Using bamboo or silicone spatula begin turning the ingredients continuously until they begin to color ever so slightly. Add 1/4 cup water and continue sauteing until the water has evaporated.
Add the wine and saute for a few minutes until the wine has parochially evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
Lower the heat and cover the pan with the lid and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes. The zucchini and lemons should have a slight golden color around the edges.
Serving: Transfer to individual shallow pasta plates. Garnish with cilantro leaves and lemon wedges and serve.
I like serving this sauteed zucchini with meyer lemons with small baked mottoes topped with a good splash of olive oil, flaked sea salt, and dollops of G reek yogurt.
This, to me, a perfect light summer supper!
For 
some reason I keep returning to potato salads this summer. Chilled meals just make more sense. I like to get whatever has to be cooked out of the way in the morning so I’m home free when evening rolls around and I have supper on the table pronto!
Planning summer meals is so easy with the abundance of all the fresh herbs and salad greens available in local farmers markets. Herbs add that taste of summer to marinades, dressings and, of course, pesto! A chilled basil pesto dressing turns a potato salad into the main attraction on the table.
And don’t stop there. Make hay while it shines and squirrel away batches of pesto in your freezer. There is nothing like bringing the taste of summer to the table in the dead of winter!
A Summery Pesto Potato Salad with watercress
Plan to cook the potatoes several hours before making the potato salad. The potatoes must be well chilled before making the salad.
- 2 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut into a bite size wedges
- water to cover
- sea salt
Put the cut potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover. Add salt and bring to a low boil. Cook until the potatoes are al dente. Gently pour the potatoes into a large colander and drain well. Once cool, transfer the potatoes to a large bowl, cover with cling film, and put them in the fridge to chill for several hours.
Basil Pesto
- 3 cups chopped fresh sweet Italian basil leaves
- 2 plump garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- juice of 1 lemon
- ½ to ¾ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup pine nuts, macadamia nuts. or cashew nuts, chopped
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmigiana cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
- cold water if needed
Place the chopped basil, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a food processor, blender, or a bowl if using an immersion blender. Blend until emulsified.
Add the nuts and blend until smooth. Add the parmigiana and black pepper and pulse until combined.
Taste the pesto and add salt if needed. If the pesto seems a little thick add a little olive oil or
cold water and pulse until the pesto is the consistency you prefer.
Basil Pesto Dressing
- 1 cup basil pesto
- 1 tablespoon Grey Poupon mustard
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup full fat Greek yogurt
combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir the dressing by hand until well combined. cover and refrigerate.
Refrigerator freeze the reaming pesto for later use.
Basil Pesto Potato Salad
- 3/4 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- precooked diced potatoes
- basil pesto dressing
- fresh watercress
Place the onions, celery, and potatoes in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients using your hands and set aside, or refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the salad.
Serving
Add generous dollops of the dressing to the salad and toss gently using large wooden salad spoons.
Line a large serving bowl or platter with fresh watercress Top with the potato salad and chill the salad until the very last minute before serving!
You are probably thinking where am I ever going to find purple sweet potatoes where I life? Well, Whole Foods does have them on their website, but Okinawan purple sweet Potatoes are gaining popularity so you may find them showing up in your local farm markets. They are delicious baked, or mashed ( see recipe below), But with summer’s arrival why not splash out with a Colorful “Hawaiian†Purple Sweet Potato Salad!
Purple sweet potatoes are generally identified as Okinawan sweet potatoes where thy are revered for their nutritive contribution to the islander’s historic longevity. The Okinawa’s are more likely to attribute their longevity to their warm tropical climate and their easy lifestyle. But that said, these purple sweet potatoes are just loaded with nutrients and antioxidants and have replace rice in the local Okinawan diet.
The purple sweet potato’s origins goes back thousands of years to Central and South America where native farmers cultivated purple sweet potatoes. After the Spanish Inquisition Spanish merchants brought the purple sweet potatoes to the Philippines, and from there to China in the late fourteen hundreds, Okinawa in the sixteen hundreds and onward into south East Asia and East Asia.
Here in Hawaii purple sweet potatoes arrived with Polynesian island settlers. Over time the original plantings were replaced with the Okinawan variety that are grown on the island of Molokai. They available in local farm markets and some super markets across the Hawaiian-islands.
Okinawan Sweet Potato Salad
The recipe that follows is my own riff on a… Colorful “Hawaiian†Purple Sweet Potato Salad
- 1 ½ lbs. Okinawa purple sweet potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into ½ inch cubes. Place then in a saucepan and cover with water. Add a little salt and bring the water to a low boil. Cook until the potatoes are softened but still holding their shape. Purple potatoes will take longer to soften so be patient and attentive.
When the potatoes are done, drain and set them and set them aside to cool. when cool transfer them to bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
For the salad
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced sweet Maui onion, or yellow onion
- 1 six inch fresh red chile, seeded and finely diced
- ½ cup diced canned pineapple, reserving the remaining rings that will be halved for garnishing before serving the salad.
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate.
For the Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup full fat Greek yogurt
- ½ teaspoon lime zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice + more as needed
- 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
- sea salt to taste
- ¼ cup sliced fresh cilantro leavesÂ
Combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Taste and add more lime juice and salt to taste. Cover the dressing and refrigerate.
Assembly and Serving Â
- several large lad leafy salad greens
- ¼ cup chopped roasted macadamia nuts, cashews or pine nuts
- sprigs of fresh cilantro leaves
- halved pineapple rings
Line a serving platter or large shallow bowl with fresh salad greens leaves and set aside
Remove the bowl of salad ingredients and add the cubed purple potatoes and fold everything together until combined.
Add the dressing and fold the salad together until is evenly coated with dressing.
Spoon the salad onto the prepared serving platter or bowl and garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro. Place half slices of pineapple rings around the the edge of the salad. Scatter the macadamia nuts lightly over the top of the salad and serve!
Â
Mashed Okinawa Sweet Potatoes Â
This couldn’t be simpler and absolutely delicious.
- Â 4 Okinawan sweet potatoes
- Â 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
- sea salt to taste
Peel the potatoes and cut them into one inch chunks. Put them in a pot and add water to cover. Add some salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer until the potatoes are soft. Transfer the potatoes to a colander and drain. Then then using either aa potato ricer or a hand mashing tool, mash the potatoes into or in a mixing bowl. Pour the olive oil over the mashed potatoes. Add the garlic and salt and, using a silicone spatula, fold the ingredients together without overworking to retain the fluffiness of the potatoes. Taste and season with more salt to taste. That’s all there is to it!
Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexico’s colorful history, culture, customs and of course its irresistible food that is celebrated around the world on the 5th of May.
So let the celebrations start in your very own kitchen. The first thought that always comes to mind is guacamole that has been part of the Mexican diet since Aztec times and pairs well with any Mexican meal you may be planning. The process is quite simple and the results are sublime if you taste as you go. Avocados and chiles can vary greatly but can be brought together with a balance of heat, lime juice, salt, and an attentive palate. I’ve always find this ritual as comforting as it is ultimately delicious.
Ingredient quantities are approximated and will vary to suit your own taste preferences.
Above all keep in mind this is an adventure in cooking that will continue to evolve every time you make a guacamole!
Best to prepare guacamole several hours before serving as it is best when chilled.
Ingredients
- 2 or 3Â ripe hass avocados, green with lumpy skin or Puebla avocados ,dark with smooth skin
- a small yellow onion, finely diced, amount to tasteÂ
- serrano, jalapeno, and or red chiles, seeded and finely diced, amount to tasteÂ
- sea salt to taste
- freshly squeezed lime juice to taste
- chopped cilantro leaves to taste
-  a tablespoon of avocado or olive oil ,optional, but it does add a nice richness and texture.Â
Cut avocados in half around the seed and and twist to remove the seeds, saving one to use later. Spoon the flesh into a mixing bowl and mash together with a bean or potato masher just until combined.Â
Add the diced onions, dced chiles, and salt and mash together bearing down enough to release the liquid in the onions and chiles as you mash away.
Add lime juice and swirl in until combined. Then add the cilantro and mix until well combined.
Taste and add more chile, salt, and lime juice as needed until the guacamole’s flavors dazzle like a chilled fresh lime juice margarita wit an assertive lingering heat.
Transfer the guacamole to a non reactive container and place the reserved avocado seed in the center. Legend has it that this will help keep the guacamole fresh and green. Press cling film directly onto the surface of the guacamole. Put the lid on the container and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Serve the guacamole along with margaritas and appetizers, with the main courses or a buffet. And do not be afraid to include guacamole with non Mexican meals as well. I’ll be having guacamole and salsa verde (see recipe here) with my Chinese stir fry tacos later this evening!
Chinese stir fry with guacamole
Buen Provecho!
