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Flag Day is the perfect excuse to be festive, so why not prepare dinner with foods that are red, white and blue? Years ago, George Carlin did a stand-up comedy routine and declared there are no blue foods. Well, he is sort of right. Blueberries and purple plums have a bit of blue, but they are not the navy of the flag.
I’ve seen blueberries from Naples, Fla., in the market for $4 a pint. Wait until the end of June or early July for the Jersey kind.
Local tomatoes are coming into market, so it’s time to prepare classic salads with just a handful of ingredients. The celebrated Caprese salad is one of my favorites, with nothing more than slices of the freshest mozzarella possible, tomatoes and few torn basil leaves drizzled with vinaigrette.
A simple pasta is a welcomed second course or whip up a side dish of cauliflower with a medley of olives. Cream-of-cauliflower soup is delicious. If serving it cold, make it early in the day or the night before.
Caprese Salad
Ingredients:
2 large, fresh mozzarella balls, sliced
2 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced
Handful of basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup of olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Arrange the mozzarella and tomato in concentric circles around the rim of four chilled salad plates. Scatter the basil.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice together. Add the salt and pepper and mix. Drizzle over each of the salads.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: Add Dijon mustard to taste in the dressing, if desired. Go easy because it’s a strong ingredient.
Cauliflower, Fennel and Olive Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets and blanched in boiling water for five minutes
1 large fennel bulb, sliced
Handful of pitted olives
1/2 cup of olive oil
3 teaspoons of white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Place the cauliflower in a plastic container and chill for at least four hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, place the cauliflower, fennel and olives in a salad bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil and vinegar together. Pour over the salad. Add the salt and pepper.
Serves four to six.
Note from Phyllis: Gaeta, kalamata and Sicilian olives are good choices.
Hungarian Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
2 English cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
Small handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
Small handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
4 tablespoons of white balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sugar
Directions:
Place the cucumbers in a serving bowl. Top with the mint and parsley leaves.
>Whisk the oil, vinegar and sugar together in a small bowl. Pour over the salad and toss well.
Serves four to six.
Chilled Blueberry Soup
Ingredients:
4 pints of blueberries, rinsed
4 cups of water
1 small cinnamon stick
2/3 cup of honey
Juice of 1 lemon
Sour cream, for garnish
Directions:
Place the blueberries in a large, heavy pot. Add the water and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in the honey. Reduce the heat and simmer, with the lid askew, for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and bring to room temperature. Throw away the cinnamon stick.
Place in the bowl of a food processor. Process using the pulse lever, just until the berries are crushed.
Place in a serving bowl. Add the lemon juice and blend well. Chill for at least six hours.
Serve in chilled bowls and garnish with a dollop of the sour cream.
Serves six.
Note from Phyllis: Substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream, if desired.
