Black beans are one of my personal favorites along with cannelloni and red kidney. If I had to choose three, which I don’t, because there are so many beans to choose from which are all delicious additions to soup, salad, and sides. If you haven’t eaten a lot of beans you might think they pretty much all taste the same. They all have a bean taste, I’ll give you that, but there are differences in flavor and texture between them. Some cook up firm and grainy, others softer and smooth inside, some firm and smooth and some soft and grainy. Some change color when you cook them, others grow to four times their original size. All pack amino acids, protein, fiber, vitamin c, calcium and much more. They have a high fullness factor and are very low in saturated fat. They help you lose weight. They taste good with just a little salt and pepper, and even better added to dishes. They carry flavor well and have a satisfying give under your teeth when you bite down on them. Which can help if you’re weaning off of red meat. Beans will help you with that.
Black beans in particular pack an impressive 15 grams of protein and fiber into one 1 cup serving. They have a rich, creamy texture when cooked, and good toothy mouth feel when you bite them, dark broth, and an earthy, minerality which is very satisfying paired with aromatics like onion, cilantro, garlic and strong spices like bay leaf and cumin.
Cuban Style Black Beans (Floridian Version)
Ingredients:

1 lb bag black beans, rinsed and picked over

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil, olive works fine

1 yellow onion, diced (Vidalia if you have one)

2 medium Bay leaves, fresh are ideal, dry is okay

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 bunch cilantro, minced

water

Directions:

Soak the beans overnight in a large pot. In the morning, set beans aside, but do not drain. Save the soaking liquid.

In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat, until you can begin to see little swirls running through it or smell it. Add the onion and saute for about six minutes, until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add two cloves of the garlic and continue cooking for another thirty seconds so the garlic releases it’s aromatics but doesn’t burn. Toss in the Bay Leaves.

Next add the beans to the onion and garlic mixture and enough of the soaking water to cover everything by an inch to an inch or so. Bring beans to a boil then cover (leaving a small crack open), reduce heat and simmer for one hour.

After an hour, stir the beans and add the remaining two garlic cloves. Return to a simmer and cook another hour until beans are tender and the cooking liquid is thick. Stir occasionally while cooking.

Once cooked, add salt and adjust accordingly, and the minced cilantro if desired. I prefer my black beans with freshly minced raw onion on top as well.

Additional options: Serve beans over rice, for a complete protein, puree and serve as black bean soup or save for additional uses.
This recipe serves about 6 people and freezes very well.

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I love blueberry pie. I stumbled upon this particular combination at a friends home when I lived in Minnesota. Summer is a great season for blueberries. I like my pie chock full of blueberries with no fuss. When it’s blueberry season it’s all about the berry.

• 6 cups fresh blueberries, or frozen, unsweetened blueberries (drained in a colander while thawing)
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 2 tablespoons minced candied ginger, or 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

Using your whole wheat pie crust from the previous recipe, begin making your filling when you have it set into the pie pan.

In a large bowl toss blueberries, lemon juice,  cornstarch, Splenda, and ginger together. Coat blueberries well with this mixture.

Transfer the mixture into the pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the blueberries are glossy and bubbly. Let the pie cool completely before serving.

When you’re making this pie 6 cups seems like a lot and the berries will pile up pretty high at first, but they will settle in and reduce down during the baking process.

If  you don’t care for ginger you can omit that ingredient and use the pie just as it is, or add a little cinnamon or allspice or even nutmeg.  Just a 1/4 teaspoon will do nicely.

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Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring-there are always ingredients that can go into a pie. Whether savory for a brunch get together, or sweet for dessert or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up with coffee-pie is always a welcome treat.

This recipe will make 1 single 9-inch pie or tart shell. It uses whole wheat pastry flour as well as all purpose. Using pastry flour is key to this crust as whole wheat flour or bread flour is too heavy and from harder wheat that pastry flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat that contains less protein than other types of wheat.

Mixing the flour and fat is important when making any pastry. The idea is to coat the fat particles with flour so they retain moisture. Which is why when you make pie crust from scratch, you are told to mix until the dough resembles pea sized meal.

The heat during the cooking process releases the moisture in the fat, which causes steam. As the steam leaves the dough, it causes it to expand and become flaky. This is why it is important not to over-mix pastry dough.

Also as a note this particular pie dough won’t get as firm as a butter dough when refrigerated, but the gluten will relax during the chilling process, which ensures easy rolling.

You can also make this in a food processor. Make sure you pulse the ingredients together, gently, and take care not to over-process. Scrape the dough with a spatula when you get the pea-sized meal, onto your work surface, to knead 2 or 3 times into a disk.

Always roll pastry dough from the center, away from you, and never back and forth, to keep from stretching the crust. Glass or dark metal pans will make crispier pie crusts, and shiny pans make paler pie crusts.

If you need to pre-bake the pie shell, prick the bottom of the crust with a fork several times to release steam and prevent the crust from bubbling. You could also use the blind-bake method of lining the shell with parchment paper, and weighing down the crust with dry beans, or rice, and baking at 425 degrees for about 15-20 minutes.

If the pie is to be filled, and then baked, do not prick the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, or until the filling is ready.

• 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 Tablespoons brown ‘sugar’ Splenda (optional for sweet crust)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil (mild tasting so no olive oil)
• 5 tablespoons regular soy milk, chilled

In a large bowl, mix the all purpose and the whole wheat pastry flours with the brown ‘sugar’ Splenda (if using), and the Kosher salt. Stir with a fork just to combine the flours and salt well. Slowly add the vegetable oil and stir with a fork until blended, and you have pea sized crumbs. Add the soy milk, a bit at a time, and stir until the mixture comes together.

Have a clean, lightly floured work surface ready dusted with about a tablespoon of all purpose flour, and gently knead the dough 2 or 3 times into a ball. Place the dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a rounded disk, about 1/4 inch thick. Cover well with the plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes to chill thoroughly, before using.

When ready to use your whole wheat pie crust, just remove from the plastic wrap, onto a lightly flour-dusted surface, and roll out to about 1/8 of an inch thick. Use just as you would any pie or tart cruse.

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You will need a good blender for this recipe, or a food processor to puree the corn for the texture and richness of this Summery soup.

• 8 ears fresh Summer corn, kernels removed with a sharp knife and corn “milk” scraped from pods.
• [You may use fresh-frozen corn if this is easier for you as well. About 6 cups is what you want.]
• 1 bunch Swiss Chard, washed, leaves pulled from stem\vein and torn into smaller chunks.
• Stems from Swiss Chard chopped.
• 1 stalk celery, chopped.
• 1 leek, white part only, washed and chopped.
• 1 medium white onion, chopped.
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped.
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil.
• 8 cups vegetable stock.
• 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh, Thyme-or, 1/4 teaspoon dried.
• 1\4 teaspoon White Truffle oil (optional)
• Kosher or Sea salt, and freshly ground pepper, if desired. Can also use white pepper.

In a large pot, boil heavily salted water and using a colander with handles, which fits into the pot-or a pasta cooker insert, if you have one that fits, blanch the corn kernels for about 1 minute.

If you don’t have a colander which fits into a pot, carefully drain the corn like you would pasta when it has cooked for one minute. In the blender or food processor, blend 4 cups of  the corn until a thick puree is achieved. You may add a little of the hot water from cooking to help things along. You could add the truffle oil at this point while you are blending.

In a soup pot heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, chard stems, onion and leek and cook, stirring often, until they soften, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle some salt on them while they cook to help sweat them out.

Add the remaining corn kernels, the chard leaves, Thyme, and vegetable stock and the corn puree. Stir well and set to medium-low heat. If you would rather use an immersion blender and puree some of the soup in the pot before adding the chard leaves, that is okay as well.

You could also use an immersion blender to whiz things together even more once you added the corn puree.  Check for salt and add it if needed stirring well to dissolve it. Season with white or black pepper if you like. Cook until the Chard leaves soften, about 15 more minutes on low-medium heat, making sure to stir occasionally.

The pureed corn adds a texture of cream and a heavier mouth feel with the addition of the White Truffle oil. It adds a wonderful earthy flavor to this soup.  It can be served alone or with the addition of some fresh avocado and heirloom Summer tomatoes on top.

If  you aren’t a fan of truffle oil, you could skip that entirely and spice the soup up using South West flavors, like smoked paprika and bell peppers and Parsley and Oregano instead of Thyme. Even just adding fresh Basil leaves would be a great twist. This recipe is a base-line for many good additions and herbs and spices.

Hope you enjoy the corn while it is still in the Farmer’s Markets!

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Using beets as an ingredient in dressing lends a shockingly bright, fuscia color that is also very tasty.

• 1 small beet, trimmed and unpeeled
• 1 teaspoon minced, fresh, ginger
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and chopped
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup extra virgin Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

For sake of time and ease with only 1 beet, I wrap it in plastic wrap tightly, or in a zip-loc type bag, and microwave it for about 6-8 minutes on High. Let it cool to the touch and with a clean but not-so-important dish towel, or sturdy wad of paper towels, gently rub off the skin. There will be a lot of bright red color transfer from the cooked beet onto anything it touches, so take this into account. You could place the beet into a small saucepan, adding just enough water to cover and simmer until tender for 30-minutes.  When the skin is off, cut into chunks about 1/2 inch.

In a food processor or blender, puree the beet, ginger, shallot, and mustard. Then add in the Balsamic vinegar. With the machine running, and through the hole in the top of the blender or food processor lid, slowly add the olive oil in a stream about the width of a pencil. You will see everything become smooth and thicken up slightly. This is emulsification. Add the salt and pepper and check for taste. Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.

Variation: You could add about 3 Tablespoons of plain Greek style yogurt when you add the Balsamic vinegar for a creamy-style, dressing. Also herbs would compliment like Cilantro. If you chose to omit the Ginger, you could use Thyme, Oregano, Rosemary or Tarragon.

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Sometimes you just want a really good salad dressing more than a really good salad. So here is one of my favorites. It is made with Capri, or Chevre, or Goat-Cheese for the layman. Capri is Chevre made here in the States and I usually source mine out in Concord, MA at Verrill Farms where they sell Capri made at Westfield Farms. Try to find a locally made variety if possible, or just use the cheese you find at the local grocery or market. The ingredients are filling and add creaminess using yogurt or silken tofu. So without further ado:

• 1 garlic clove (2 optional if you really like a garlicky dressing), cut in half
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mild, soft Capri (or Chevre)
• 5 Tablespoons Plain, Greek style yogurt, or Silken Tofu
• 2/3 cup extra Virgin Olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic cloves, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Capri, and yogurt or Silken Tofu, and blend until smooth. With the blender running and through the opening of the little hole of the lid of the blender, slowly add the olive oil in a stream the approximate width of a pencil. You will see the mixture begin to smooth out and thicken-this is emulsification. Stop the blender and add the salt and pepper and pulse gently to mix well.

Store the dressing up to a week in an airtight container.

Variations: Add fresh herbs for another take on this simple dressing. I like to use a teaspoon of freshly minced Tarragon for a cool, anise-like flavor; or a teaspoon of freshly minced Thyme for a robust, earthy-herbal take. Use your imagination with this simple yet elegant dressing.

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Watermelon may not be your initial thought when thinking about a Gazpacho, but it adds a cool and refreshing flavor for a nice summer soup.

• 7-8 pounds watermelon, preferably seedless (red or yellow is fine)
• 2 slices Gluten-free bread, toasted or left out to dry for a day
• 1 green Bell pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
• 1 red Bell pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or smashed
• 1 English cucumber, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup Parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• About a teaspoon Kosher salt or to taste (varies)
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1 or 2 pinches cayenne pepper (optional)

Cut the watermelon by laying on it’s side, cut off the top, lay flat and with a large knife, cut down the top and sides while rotating the melon to remove the rind and white part. Cut the melon into 1-inch chunks. This should yield about 8-10 cups, give or take. Then in a food processor or blender, puree the melon and transfer to a large bowl.

Put the bread into the processor or blender, and blend until crumbs form. You could also use the pulse setting to gently pulse the bread to the desired crumb.

Stir into the watermelon puree the bread crumbs, the green and red pepper, the jalapeno (optional), the onion, the garlic, the cucumber, the parsley, the vinegar, and the Olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper and add the cayenne if using. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

Chill the soup before serving. It will last about 2-3 days, but it best the day of. You can also add crumbled Feta cheese on top of each serving if you like. I find Feta and Watermelon very complimentary. Just a Tablespoon will do!

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Delicious tomatoes are ripening in markets, grocery stores and farm stands all over the country right now.  A quick and simple summer meal can be made right on top of your grill. The fastest way to do this one is to buy some whole wheat pitas or flat breads, and assemble the ingredients in a few minutes.

• 4 whole wheat pitas
• Heirloom tomatoes, 2\3 large ones, or 4\5 small\medium ones–sliced
• Fresh basil, about 1 cup, tear leaves in to chunks
• 1 jar roasted red peppers
• 3 Tablespoons Chopped walnuts (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, rough chop
• 1\2 cup olive oil
• 1\2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Get your grill ready outdoors, or if you prefer to use your oven’s broiler setting that is fine. Use a foil lined baking sheet if using your oven.  In a food processor or blender toss in the garlic cloves, the red peppers and grated Parmesan cheese and whiz until pasty. If it’s a little thick, add a Tablespoon of warm water at a time until smear-able consistency is achieved. On low speed slowly pour in the olive oil until emulsified and toss in a pinch of Kosher salt and a little cracked black pepper. Taste to make sure it’s all set.

Schmear the red pepper, cheese ‘pesto’ onto each pita and arrange big slices of fresh Heirloom tomatoes in generous amounts. Grill each pita for about 5-7 minutes or until the tomatoes begin to release their juices, and the bread gets toasty. Remove with a metal spatula and sprinkle generously with torn basil leaves. If using the broiler, cook until the tomatoes begin to release their juices, about 6 minutes, and do the same with the basil.

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This recipe is a variant on the classic tuna Nicoise without salad and substituting Salmon for Tuna. An excellent Summer entree, which is easy to prepare.

You will need:

• 2 pounds Salmon, skin on, pin bones removed ( fishmonger or grocer will do this)
• 2Tablespoons Canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 Summer tomatoes, seeded and diced (a quick way to seed them is to cut them in half, give a decent squeeze, and fling out the seeds into a bowl, then proceed to dice them)
• 1/2 lemon, cut into thin rounds
• 4 bunches basil, removing 8-10 of the best looking leaves, save the rest on the stem for later use
• 1 large bulb fennel, thinly sliced ( chop off green top about 1/4 into the white bulb part, discard. Slice bottom root end and discard. Slice in half, and there is a thick core which you can make a ‘V’ cut with a knife tip to remove, then lay flat and thinly slice across.)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Kosher salt, white pepper and black pepper
• 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 20-25 Nicoise olives, pitted

Preheat oven to 350F and pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Rub the flesh of the fish with the olive oil and season with Kosher salt and about 1 teaspoon white pepper.

Place the fish on an oven proof tray (or cookie sheet) lined with parchment paper, and place in the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the fish is cooked to about medium. (There will still be a hint of extra light pink in the middle but not overwhelming) Remove from oven and let rest.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat the Canola oil over medium heat. Add the fennel and lemon, and cook until the fennel begins to soften but Not brown. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, or heat resistant spatula.

Add chicken stock and basil stems you reserved. Cook this over medium heat until the entire volume is reduced by about 60%. Discard the basil stems at this point and continue reducing the stock some more–to a thick consistency, where it would stick without running quickly to the back of a spoon. Take of heat at this point, and let sit to room temperature.

Add tomatoes, olives and olive oil to the sauce and heat through. Pour the sauce over the salmon and serve warm. This is a dish where everyone can serve themselves from the side of salmon. It also works, for the sake of convenience to purchase fillets from your store instead of a 2 pound side.

A great addition to this dish would be an Arugula Avocado Pistachio Salad with Champagne Dressing, as follows:

• 1/2 cup Brut champagne
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces baby arugula leaves, washed and dried
• 1 ounce fresh basil leaves, stems removed
• 1 large orange, peeled and sliced (Naval work best-no seeds)
• 2 medium avocado, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup pistachio nuts, chopped

Ina non-reactive, small sauce pot, reduce the champagne over medium-high heat, by boiling until only 1/4 cup remains. Let it cool to room temperature. In a food processor, mince the garlic, then add lemon juice, Dijon, and salt and process. Gradually with the machine running, pour in the olive oil to create an emulsification. Add basil and process to mix.

Arrange the arugula on a platter, spread the orange and avocado slices over the arugula, top with some basil leaves, and drizzle with the champagne dressing. Top with the pistachios.

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This recipe is Provencal in style and combines Summer vegetables with an easy, savory roasted chicken.

You will need:

• 3 Cornish game hens (or 1 regular sized chicken, prefabricated)
• 1/4 cup olive oil leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 6 fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 cup parsley leaves (flat or curly)
• 1/2 lemon, sliced
• 4 large cloves fresh garlic, sliced thin

First begin by washing and drying the birds\bird with a clean sink and Kosher salt. Remove any giblets that may reside in the cavity, and pat dry. (I usually save these and give them a quick saute for my dog, she goes nuts for them!) You always want to work with dry protein. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the birds into quarters or halves with a heavy chef knife or cleaver depending on how many you are serving. If using a whole fryer sized chicken, then remove the breast and thigh\drumstick from the carcass with a sharp boning knife, or buy pre-fabricated chicken from the market. (Save the carcass in an airtight freezer bag for later use in making chicken stock).

Mix the olive oil, herbs, garlic, and lemon in a large bowl. Place the birds in the marinade for up to 24 hours maximum, 20 minutes minimum.

When ready to roast the birds, remove from the marinade, pat dry gently with a paper towel, and season with salt and pepper, and place on a large sheet tray (cookie sheet with sides all the way around) or a shallow roasting dish, lined with parchment paper, along with a few slices of lemon underneath the pieces of chicken. Make sure not to crown the pan, if necessary use two. There should be at least an inch and a half to two between pieces. Roast for about 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature on a calibrated thermometer reads 160-165 degrees. (If using a fryer chicken take it up to 170) Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10-15 minutes before cutting or serving, as there will be “carry-over” cooking during the cooling process, and the juices will redistribute evenly, yielding a juicier bird.

To make the Ratatouille which you will serve alongside the chicken you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups eggplant, diced about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inches
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup zucchini, diced, 1/4 inch
• 1 cup yellow jumbo onion, diced, 1/4 inch
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced, 1/4 inch
• 3 Tablespoons fresh garlic cloves, sliced
• 12 basil leaves, torn into chunks
• 1 Teaspoon dried oregano, or 2 Teaspoons fresh
• Pinch of dried chili flakes
• 1/4 cup dry which wine
• 1 cup good quality canned tomatoes, diced and in juice
• Kosher or Sea salt and pepper

Begin by salting the eggplant with about 1-2 tablespoons salt. I prefer Kosher for almost everything. Let it drip in a colander line with a paper towel, for about 30 minutes so the bitter juices can be extracted. Gently press to help it along.

In a large, non-reactive skillet (i.e. NOT aluminum), heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for several minutes, until you can begin to smell an olive aroma and see small ripples in the oil forming. Dry the eggplant as best you can with more paper towels, and brown it lightly. The add the zucchini, squash, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, and chili flakes.

Saute until all vegetables begin to color and are just cooked, about 7- 10 minutes. I find a wooden spoon, or high heat tolerant rubber spatula work great to stir things around.  Add the wine and tomato and cook until the liquids have evaporated, about another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

This dish looks lovely with the ratatouille served as a bed for the roasted hen or chicken. It serves 6-8 people depending.

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