Roasted Garlic and Dill Dressing

Roasted Garlic and Dill Dressing

Adapted from: Naturally Ella

Makes 1 cup of dressing

• 1/2 cup whole milk greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 heads roasted green garlic
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Grilled Summer Squash and Fingerling Potato Salad

Grilled Summer Squash and Fingerling Potato Salad

• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 3 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound small fingerling potatoes, unpeeled, halved lengthwise
• 1 pound summer squash, cut on the bias into 1/3 inch thick slices
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into 1 inch thick strips

Make the dressing:

1. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, 1 tablespoon of the basil and the lemon zest.
2. While whisking continuously, pour in 1/4 cup olive oil.
3. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper and set aside.

Make the Salad:

1. Heat your grill to high. 
2. Place potatoes in large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover. Salt the water heavily (it should taste like sea water) and bring to a boil. Boil just until almost tender, about 4 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a work bowl. Add 1 teaspoon basil and 1-1/2 tablespoons oil. Toss with salt and pepper.
4. Combine squash and bell pepper in large bowl; add remaining 1 teaspoon basil and 1-1/2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
5. Toss potatoes in a grill basket or, using tongs, carefully arrange them in a single layer on your grill.
6. Grill until tender, about 10 minutes (5 minutes per side if cooking directly on the grill. If using a basket give it a good shake every minute.) 
7. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and set aside.
8. Repeat with the squash and bell peppers. (If cooking directly on the grill turn them a few times with tongs, being careful not to tear the squash.) 
9. Transfer squash to the bowl with potatoes and the bell peppers to a cutting board. Cut the bell pepper strips into 1-inch bite sized pieces and add to the vegetable bowl.
10. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cucumber & Thyme Vinaigrette

Cucumber & Thyme Vinaigrette

• 1 cucumber
• 3 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped 
• ½ teaspoon salt
•  Freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel the cucumber and make juice: either run the peeled cucumber through a juice extractor or place in a blender and pulse until liquified and strain through a piece of cheesecloth into a bowl to separate out the solids. You should have about 1 cup of juice. 
2. Whisk together the cucumber juice, lemon juice, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.
3. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Greek Broccoli Salad

Greek Broccoli Salad

For the Salad

• 1 head of broccoli, florets removed and sliced into bite-sized pieces
• ¼ cup shallot, chopped
• ¼ cup kalamata olives, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ⅓ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
• ¼ cup slivered almonds

For the Dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pinch red pepper flakes

1. Toss together the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, shallot, feta, olives and almonds in a large salad bowl.
2. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well.
4. Let the salad rest on the countertop for 30 minutes before serving to bring all the flavors together. 

Cucumber Ice Cream

Cucumber Ice Cream

• 1 cucumber 
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 
• 2 eggs  
• 1/3 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup honey 
• 1 cup whole milk 
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

1. Peel and seed the cucumber, chop finely and place in a blender with lemon juice and purée until very smooth. 
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or with an electric hand mixer) beat eggs, sugar and honey for two minutes or until light and foamy.
3. Add puréed cucumber, cream, milk and vanilla and mix for 30 seconds. 
4. Strain through a sieve or cheesecloth set over a bowl to remove any solids. 
5. Whisk in nutmeg.
6. Pour liquid mixture into an ice-cream maker, following the machine's directions.
7. Transfer to an air-tight container and freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 3 hours.

Fennel, Parsley, and Red Onion Salad

Fennel, Parsley, and Red Onion Salad

• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 
• 1 cup parsley leaves
• 1 small red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced 
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• Juice and Zest from 1 lemon 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Prepare an ice-water bath in a large mixing bowl.

2. Soak the parsley leaves and sliced fennel and onion in a colander set in the ice-water bath. Let soak 10 minutes. This not only chills the final salad down for a nice treat on a summer night, it also smoothes the onion's intense flavor. 

3. Drain, and transfer to a salad spinner. Spin until dry, and transfer to a serving bowl.

4. Add the celery seeds, lemon juice, lemon zest, and olive oil. Toss to combine.

5. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Watermelon Radish Salad

Watermelon Radish Salad

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 2 watermelon radish, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. burrata or fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 teaspoons fresh green onions, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the shallot and stir frequently, about 5 -7 minutes, or until light golden-brown.
3. Remove at once with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate covered with a paper towel. 
4. Layer the watermelon radish slices around the bottom of each plate.  Add the half of the burrata or mozzarella to each plate and drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice.
5. Sprinkle the lemon zest, chopped green onions, shallots, salt, and pepper to taste.

Garlic Scapes 2 ways

Garlic Scapes 2 ways

01. Garlic Scape Pesto

• 10 large garlic scapes
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup Basil
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. In a food processor, pulse the Garlic Scapes for 30 seconds.
2. Add the sunflower seeds and pulse for an additional 30 seconds.  Scrape down sides of the bowl.
3. Add the oil and run on high for 20 seconds.
4. Add the cheese and pulse until combined.
5. Add the basil and lemon juice and pulse til you reach the consistency you like.
6. Add the salt to taste and serve immediately (The pesto keeps in the fridge, covered, for 1 week or frozen for a month.)

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02. Garlic Scape Compound Butter

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• about 2 garlic scapes, minced
• about 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste

In a bowl, mix the herbs and salt with the butter a little at a time making sure to taste as you go. Get the ratio of garlic to dill to salt the way you like it. Once you are satisfied with the flavor turn out the bowl onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and work into a rolled log. Roll up and seal the ends, making it easy to slice and use later. You can store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or even longer in the freezer.

Try it on bread for a stunning Summer appetizer or finish off a grilled steak (we think NY Strip works best) with a big slab of the butter while the meat rests.