First off I wanted to give a heads up on this:
DISEASE OUTBREAK! If you like/use/have fresh basil read this now!
“The Centers for Disease Control is investigating a multistate outbreak of Cyclospora infections linked to fresh basil. Infections have been reported in 11 states, and restaurant patrons have been infected in 4 states.” [. . .]
CDC is advising that consumers do not eat or serve any fresh basil from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico. This investigation is ongoing and the advice will be updated when more information is available.
- Consumers who have fresh basil from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico, in their homes should not eat it. Throw the basil away, even if some has been eaten and no one has gotten sick.
- Do not eat salads or other dishes that include fresh basil from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico. This includes dishes garnished or prepared with fresh basil from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico, such as salads or fresh pesto.
- If you aren’t sure the fresh basil you bought is from Siga Logistics de RL de CV of Morelos, Mexico, you can ask the place of purchase. When in doubt, don’t eat the fresh basil. Throw it out.
- Wash and sanitize places where fresh basil was stored: countertops and refrigerator drawers or shelves. Follow these five steps to clean your refrigerator.
- The FDA strongly advises importers, suppliers, and distributors, as well as restaurants, retailers, and other food service providers to not sell, serve or distribute fresh basil imported from Siga Logistics de RL de CV located in Morelos, Mexico. If you are uncertain of the source, do not sell, serve or distribute the fresh imported basil.
The diary was posted this morning and I reblogged it to WFD (thanks strawbale for alerting me and queuing it) as it is important.
Summer food. So many things come to mind that it’s hard to pick favorites! But I found myself working on a collage bit for my journal and it really pointed me in the right direction.
Blueberries. Tomatoes. That’s a good prompt for me.
I just happened to pick up some nice big blueberries last week and decided to make blueberry pancakes. Always easy if you have a good mix on hand (I like Krusteaz complete). You can make your own from scratch with this Kid-Friendly Fluffy Blueberry Pancakes recipe.
I also posted about a lovely coffee cake I made last summer when I had some blueberries:
Blueberry Crunch Coffeecake
-from The Joy of Cooking -1997 ed. p.781
Position a rack in the lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350°.
Grease an 8½ x 4½-inch (6-cup) loaf pan.
Combine and sprinkle in the bottom of the pan:
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
Whisk together in a large bowl:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Add:
- 5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Cut butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Whisk together in another bowl:
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Pour over the flour mixture and stir until about three-quarters of the dry ingredients are moistened. Add:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Fold (gently!) just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the berries are distributed. Spoon into the pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake for 55-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a bit of crumb. Let cool in pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes. Loosen around the edges of the pan with a sharp thin blade and turn out upside-down on the rack. Serve warm or let cool for a cruncher topping.
Blueberry Crunch Coffee Cake
Ok, tomatoes. Oh, so many wonderful recipes for summer’s bounty! I will give you this delicious and decadent brunch treat:
from www.savorysimple.net/…
INGREDIENTS
- 1 store bought pie crust, or you can use your favorite recipe
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup half & half
- 1 large egg plus 1 yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup goat cheese
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chives, chopped finely
INSTRUCTIONS
-
Preheat to oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
-
Roll the pie dough into a 9-inch fluted tart pan, preferably with a removable bottom. A standard 9-inch pie dish will also work. Use a fork to prick numerous holes in the bottom of the dough and up the sides. Bake the dough for 10-15 minutes, keeping an eye on it to make sure the bottom doesn't puff up with air (if it does, carefully use a fork to press it back down). The dough does not need to be completely baked through but the bottom should feel solid. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, toss the cherry tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil together. Place the tomatoes cut side up on the baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the tomatoes for 30 minutes.
-
Reduce the oven to 375 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half, egg, yolk, salt and pepper.
-
Crumble about 1/4 cup of the goat cheese evenly along the bottom of the cooked tart shell. Layer the tomatoes on top. Pour the custard on top and then sprinkle the chives and remaining goat cheese on top.
-
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the custard has set. It's fine if it's still a bit jiggly in the center when you remove it from the oven.
-
Allow to cool almost completely before serving.
Corn is another favorite summer food memory!
I recently made these savory corn pancakes for dinner!
from www.seriouseats.com/…
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 ounces bacon, cut into fine dice
- 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears of corn)
- 1 to 2 red or green jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 8 scallions, thinly sliced (divided)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup (about 5 ounces) fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (about 5 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons honey, plus more for serving
- 2 eggs
- 10 ounces (about 1 1/4 cup) cultured buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling pan or griddle
- 4 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
Directions
- Heat butter, bacon, and 1 tablespoon water in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until water evaporates and bacon begins to crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Add corn, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring, until tender and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add jalapeño peppers and half of scallions and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool slightly.
The sauteed veggie mixture
2. Combine cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, baking powder, baking soda, honey, eggs, buttermilk, 2 tablespoons oil, half of corn/bacon mixture, and half of remaining scallions in a large bowl and stir and fold until no dry streaks of flour remain but batter is still lumpy. Fold in cheese cubes.
3. Heat griddle or large non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of oil to the griddle and spread with a paper towel. Ladle 1/4 to 1/2 cup of batter onto the griddle, spreading it into an even circle. Repeat to fit as many pancakes as you can. Spread a 1 tablespoon-sized portion of the bacon/corn mixture on top of each pancake.
Nice color!
4. Cook undisturbed until edges of pancakes begin to set and bubbles start to break the top surface, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes with a thin, flexible spatula and cook on second side until golden brown and completely set, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a warm oven while you cook the remaining pancakes. Serve, garnished with remaining scallions and drizzled with honey.
And then there are cucumbers. I love cucumbers and their flavor. This is a lovely and refreshing salad that is a nice combo of savory and sweet:
from thishealthytable.com/…
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cantaloupe, halved and deseeded
- 1 large cucumber, halved
- 2 ounces crumbly feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice of one lemon
- pinch of salt
- 10 basil leaves, coarsely chopped or chiffonaded
INSTRUCTIONS
- Using a melon baller, create as many balls from the cantaloupe as possible. Add them to a large bowl.
- If cucumber has large seeds, use the melon baller or a spoon to scrape them out. Cut the cucumber into thin half moons and add to the melons.
- Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and whisk.
- Add the vinaigrette to the fruit and toss to combine. Then top with the crumbled feta and basil leaves.
I know it’s common to gain weight in the winter with all the hearty comfort food and holidays feasts but I find I have a bigger appetite and enjoy things so much more in the summer when they’re at peak perfection!
What about you? What are your favorite summer foods/memories?
As always, thank you for stopping by our table! Please join us and share tips, recipes, questions, pics!
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS! Please consider writing a post about your favorite recipes, memories, or other food adventures!
Our Upcoming What’s for Dinner Schedule:
date |
post# |
diarist |
08/03 |
14.04 |
esquimaux |
08/10 |
14.05 |
OPEN |
08/17 |
14.06 |
OPEN |
08/24 |
14.07 |
OPEN |
08/31 |
14.08 |
OPEN |
09/07 |
14.09 |
OPEN |