Category Archives: Vegetable

WATERMELON GAZPACHO

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I found this cast iron Amish hourglass at an estate sale:

One of my early blog posts — Friendship Blueberry Muffins — was also inspired by cast iron Amish figurines that I found at an estate sale.  I’m curious as to how they ended up in Houston — to my knowledge, there aren’t a lot of Amish here.  In fact, as best I can tell, there is only one small community in Texas in Beeville, started by a group from Tennessee in 1999.  I can understand why there are not more Amish in Texas — it’s not a secret that summers here can be brutally hot, and given that most Amish don’t have indoor air conditioning, I would imagine living here would not be very appealing.

According to my favorite weather guys, “August is the worst month because it is the hottest month of the year in Houston.  And we typically vacillate between the extremes of drought and flood, sometimes within a matter of hours.  There is no happy medium, There is no break from the humidity.  There is only August.”  Nailed it.  On the bright side, there’s at least a gllimmer of hope for cooler days at the end of September.

So although Halloween stuff is starting to appear in stores, and there are whispers of pumpkin spice in the air, we have at least two more months of heat and humidity to get through before we start cranking up the heat in the kitchen.  Inspired by the little Amish girl patiently sitting by the hourglass (like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our summers), this Watermelon Gazpacho is cool and refreshing, with a little kick from jalapeno, and requires no cooking and only minimal preparation.  It’s perfect for the “worst month” while watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes are still in season.

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WATERMELON GAZPACHO
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Ingredients
  • 1 medium English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks
  • ½ medium red bell pepper, seeded and ribs removed, and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped seedless watermelon
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno, seeded
  • 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
Instructions
  1. Place cucumber, red bell pepper, tomatoes, watermelon, oil, vinegar, jalapeno, and shallots in a blender, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Note: you can add more oil or vinegar, if desired.). Transfer to a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Ladle gazpacho into bowls and garnish with cilantro. Serve cold.

So refreshing

SHAVED MUSHROOM SALAD WITH PARMESAN

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I met a woman recently who told me she was getting married for the fourth time.  Can you imagine?  I asked her what happened to her first husband, and she said he died after eating poisonous mushrooms.  In a tragic twist of fate, her second husband also died after eating poisonous mushrooms.  “What about your third husband,” I asked.  She said he died of a broken neck.  “A broken neck?  How terrible!!”  “Yes,” she said, “he wouldn’t eat the mushrooms.”

This is a wonderful salad made with nonpoisonous mushrooms.  Of course, you have to love  mushrooms, which we do.  My husband is, after all, a fun guy.  I used to have a device that would lead me to the best mushrooms, but it seems I’ve lost my morel compass, so now I just buy them at the grocery store.  Use fresh, firm mushrooms, and slice them as thin as possible — use a mandoline if you have one.

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SHAVED MUSHROOM SALAD WITH PARMESAN
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 6 large white or cremini mushrooms
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Clean mushrooms, trim stem end, and thinly slice vertically (using a mandoline, if possible). Place mushrooms and parsley in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Pour dressing over mushrooms and stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to shallow serving bowl or plate, top with grated Parmesan, and serve immediately.

Ready for their parmesan topping

Dressed and ready to go