Shaved Fennel Salad

Oh, the cruelty of early summer.  Yeah, cherries abound and you can find those amazing Blenheim apricots at the farmer's markets. But real summer fun has yet to begin with peaches (peach crisp, anybody?) and amazing tomatoes (nothing like Ad Hoc's gazpacho in the blender on a hot day) and super sweet watermelon (can't wait to make again this watermelon and feta salad.) 

But one of the beauties of spring is fennel which, though available year round, is at it's best right now.  And this salad (adapted from Heidi Swanson's fantastic book, Super Natural Every Day , though simple in ingredients, is very very big on flavor and presentation both.  With it's bright citrusy flavor, crunchy veggie base and salty feta thing going on, it is a perfect gateway to summer kind of salad.  And it is pretty.  Never underestimate the power of pretty in food.

Ingredients

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into paper thin coins
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and shaved paper-thin
2/3 cup loosely chopped fresh Italian Parsley (yeah, I totally forgot this step, still good.)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper 
4 or 5 generous handfuls arugula
Honey, if needed
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled


Directions

Combine the zucchini, fennel and Italian parsley in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside and marinate for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.
When you are ready to serve the salad, put the arugula in a large bowl. Scoop all of the zucchini and fennel onto the arugula, and pour most of the lemon juice dressing on top of that. Toss gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust with more of the dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, or salt if needed. If the lemons were particularly tart, you may need to counter the pucker-factor by adding a tiny drizzle of honey into the salad at this point. Let your taste buds guide you. Serve topped with pine nuts and feta.

Serves 4 to 6.

Last of Summer Fettuccine

What better way to celebrate back to school (and I mean "celebrate" with dancing around the house to cranked up tunes once the kids are safely ensconsed in their cubbies of scholasticity) than with this fabulous and aptly named tequila infused pasta dish adapted from Jesse Ziff Cool's Simply Organic cookbook?

1 lb fettuccine
1/4 c (or a bit less) olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/2 red pepper, sliced thin
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, stemmed, seed and chopped
1/4 c tequila (totally optional)
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
2 T chopped fresh oregano (I'm sure 1T dried would work, but since the stuff is overtaking my garden, I am happy to machete it for this purpose.)
4 oz feta cheese
1 avocado, chopped
Kosher salt and pepper

Cook the fettucine according to the directions.  Drain and transfer to a large bowl.  While it is cooking, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over med high heat.  After a couple of minutes, add the onion and red pepper and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic, jalepeno and tequila, if using, and cook for 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes, cilantro and oregano and saute for another 3 min or so until the tomatoes are soft.

Stir in the cheese and avocado and add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the drained fettuccine into the pan and toss over heat until incorporated.  Serve and bask in the glow of your dinner guests' praise.

Orzo with Broccoli and Feta Cheese

A family favorite, even with the dreaded broccoli. If you have been to my house for dinner more than once, you have eaten this. If you are a vegetarian, it my favorite thing to cook for you. Really, the only thing I will cook for you. While I love my vegetarian friends, I am not so inventive for them.

From Bon Appetit

1 1/2 c orzo
1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets

1/4 c olive oil
3 T pine nuts
1/2 t red pepper flakes

3/4 c crumbled feta
3/4 c pitted halved black olives (I leave this out since my family is a bunch of haters.)
1/2 c grated parm cheese
1/4 c basil, chopped

Cook orzo in salted boiling water 8 min. Add broccoli to pot, cook for an additional 2 minutes, then drain, reserving 1/2 c pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in small frying pan over med. heat. Add pine nuts and red pepper flakes. cook until golden brown (remove from heat when done as it will continue to cook a bit in the hot oil.)

Mix orzo, oil w/ nuts and remaining ingredients in a big bowl and toss everything together, adding pasta water in increments to make sure it isn't too dry. Season with lots of salt and pepper.

Israeli Couscous Salad with Feta

Israeli Couscous Salad w/ Feta (from either Bon App or Gourmet...I forgot.)

1 garlic clove
3 T lemon juice
1 t dijon mustard
1/2 c olive oil (I used less.)

2 1/2 c chicken broth
2 c israeli couscous


2 c 1/2 inch pieces asparagus, blanched 2 min, or roasted whole and cut into smaller pieces
2 c 1/2 inch pieces cuke
1/2 c chopped olives (optional)
2 large scallions, chopped
1/4 c mint, chopped
1 1/2 c crumbled feta

press garlic into a mall bowl and add lemon juice/mustard. whisk in oil. season w/ salt and pepper.

bring broth to boil, add couscous, cover and simmer for 10 min. transfer couscous to a bowl and sprinkle w/salt and pepper. let sit until it comes to room temp., tossing occasionally.

mix asparagus, cuke, olives, scallions, green onions and mint into couscous. add dressing, toss. mix in feta.