Grilled Summer Squash

We've received a healthy dose of summer squash for the last two weeks in our CSA box. Thankfully, we opted not to plant zucchini in the backyard this year. So we are not swimming in squash as we have in years past.

But squash season and grilling season are the perfect combination. Grilling the mild squash on that outdoor BBQ gives it a flavor and texture that you can't get from the skillet. You can also keep it fairly simple (and low cal) by just using some olive oil and herbs. It's the perfect side dish to serve along whatever else you may have on the grill.

1. Pre-heat the grill to medium high heat
   
2. Slice off the tops and bottoms of the squash and then slice into uniform slices - about a 1/4" is ideal
   
3. Toss in a bowl with some olive oil, pinch of salt, black pepper and whatever dried herbs you want (oregano, basil, thyme, garlic or onion powder, or your favorite combo or seasoning mix). It's best to let this sit for a while to let the flavors get into the squash
   
4. Place slices directly on the grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side - the grill marks make it more interesting
   

At this point, you can serve as is but you can also take it up a notch by topping the grilled squash with a little something extra that will greatly enhance the flavor. Adding this after the grilling ensures that whatever flavors you add are not lost on the grill. My favorite is a generous sprinkle of Penzey's Fox Point seasoning. In fact, that is the perfect seasoning for all vegetables whether grilled or steamed. Fox Point is a blend of seasonings that does a great job "brightening" the flavor of vegetables. I love it!

But you can also look online for other ideas for that post-grill flavor addition:

• Top the grilled squash with pesto, lemon juice, and some pine nuts
• Whisk together some coarse ground mustard, lemon juice, sugar, and oil
  
• Splash a bit of balsamic vinegar over the top
• Fresh, chopped herbs such as chives or basil
  
• Melt a pad of butter on top
• Sprinkle grated Pamesan or Asiago cheese
• A little brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup if like a little sweetness (not me!)
  
• Add some red pepper flakes
  

Squash has a lot of water in it so it will cool quickly. So it's best to serve immediately.

Grilled Leg of Lamb

I know, I advertise myself as a pescetarian. So why is there a recipe for grilled lamb here? Well, we had a dinner party and the theme was spring and you can't get anymore "spring-y" than a leg of lamb. Plus, these guests were carnivores. A spring vegetable risotto was also served for those who wanted to avoid meat.

We remembered an old recipe that we used to make back when we ate meat. It was from the Los Angeles Times and I recalled many of the ingredients. But we culled all the meat recipes from our notebooks long ago. So I did some research online and found this recipe that approximates what I remembered.

The recipe (and the photo) come from the (now defunct) Cooking San Francisco food blog (and they acknowledge that the recipe originally comes from The New Basics Cookbook). It's easy to make and quite tasty (if you eat meat). And, yes, I did eat the lamb that night.

Marinated Grilled Leg of Lamb

• 1 4-5 lb. boneless leg of lamb (ask the butcher to butterfly it so that it can lay flat)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons rosemary leaves, slightly bruised, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the wine, soy sauce, garlic, mint, rosemary, and pepper in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Mix well. Place the lamb in the dish turning it over a few times so that the marinade covers all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours (I did it overnight). Turn the lamb frequently.
2. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour before grilling. Prepare grill on high heat.
3. Remove lamb from dish and let the excess liquid drain off. Keep the marinade.
4. Grill lamb over medium high heat (around 450 degrees). Baste frequently with the marinade. The internal temperature of the lamb should be around 135 degrees for rare or 145 degrees for medium-rare.
5. Remove from the heat and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. Cut the lamb (against the grain) into very thin slices and serve.
   

Mundial Cutlery, Part 2

An earlier post, made reference to a magazine review for a 10" chef's knife for under $20. I finally ordered my own and it arrived a few weeks ago and I am quite happy with the product.

I have been using an 8" Henckels for the last few years. So this 10" almost felt like a murder weapon. But after a few uses I found it to be comfortable, balanced, and I felt in control of the knife.

I ordered the knife from Mad Cow Cutlery and I think I found them in a random Google search. Their price was an incredible $17 and the service was outstanding. USPS lost the first knife and Mad Cow quickly sent another one for free which arrived a few days later.

This will be my second Mundial knife purchase. Earlier this year I picked up a bread knife for an amazing $11.

Here's a video to look at on proper knife technique:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sSSfoor6RY

Tofu Yu Burrito Mix

We recently visited the new Whole Foods store just off Lake Merritt in Oakland. It's a nice roomy store where you make a circular trip through the store and visit the various sections. Only a small fraction of the store is laid out in the traditional aisle format. Most of it fits the new model of the supermarket.

We picked up a new brand of baked, flavored tofu that we were not familiar with. It was billed as a jalapeno smoked tofu. The company was Tofu-Yu and it's located right here in the Bay Area. Visit their web site and you'll find that it's a new company looking specialize in gourmet tofu. They sell at various farmer's markets and are trying to get into the distribution channels of local stores.



This tofu is quite good and "meaty" in texture. The seasonings are bold which is a good thing with tofu. The outer, browned coating tends to separate but the flavors permeate deeply.

I made a burrito mix containing:

• 1 8 oz. package of jalapeno smoked tofu, diced
  
• small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 can of red kidney beans
• 3/4 can of corn kernels
• garlic
• seasoning - use what you have. I used some seasoning from a Rancho La Puerta mix
  
• grated cheese
• thinly sliced romaine lettuce (from the backyard!)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• fresh tortillas - Trader Joe's Truly Handmade Tortillas are what we used
  
• your favorite salsa - currently on a tomatillo salsa kick
  

Good tofu that we'll have to look for in the future.

Roasted Carrots

It seemed that Nantes carrots were arriving every week. We try to add some diced or sliced carrots to the salad each evening (along with the yummy radishes!) but sometimes we feel like there are more carrots than we can use.

Such are the times to remember the beauty of roasted vegetables. This week's carrots got roasted as a side instead of raw in the salad. This was the second batch of roasted carrots. Last week's carrots got peeled but were left whole. This week's carrots were just cleaned and cut into 1 inch slices. Both were good. Roasting vegetables is so simple yet it brings out so many complex flavors. Carrots, asparagus, parsnips, potatoes, onions are all excellent candidates. Alice Waters, as usual, provides the best guidance:

Cook the vegetables in a hot oven preheated to 400 degrees. A lower temperature will dry out the vegetables while they cook, making them leathery before they are done; a higher temperature will burn them before they are cooked all the way through. Stir the vegetables a few times while they are cooking, turning those along the edges into the center. Cook them until they are tender and nicely browned here and there. Don't let them get too far: a little browning makes them sweeter, but if you let them get too dark they will taste bitter.

When the vegetables are done you can also add some fresh herbs. With carrots, thyme is a good choice.

Mundial Cutlery

It was a little over twenty years ago that we got a Chicago Cutlery knife set for our wedding shower. Complete with walnut handles (which I dutifully oil every few years), they have served us well. One boning knife fell into the running disposal a few years ago which chipped up the handle and blade but, other than that, they have been good. But after twenty years of daily use, I found myself wondering how long should a good knife last? And what's the best way to maintain a sharp knife (more on this later).

A few months ago, I was talking to a friend and we both had read this review of a $20 chef's knife in Bon Appetit. He got one for Christmas and has found it to be a great knife. I plan on ordering one myself and found it online for under $20 at Mad Cow Cutlery.

A few weeks ago, another friend brought over some homemade bread. He pulled out the trusty Chicago Cutlery bread knife and made some unsuccessful attempts to slice the bread. "You need a new bread knife!" he told me. We scoured around to try to find something else that could work.

Later, I wondered if Mundial also made bread knives. After some online research I found that not only did they make a serrated bread knife but that it came with a price tag of just $10! There is one now resting in the slot where the Chicago Cutlery bread knife used to reside. So far, it's a great buy. It's quite sharp and I did a few side-by-side tests with the old knife and the difference is day and night.

In the Garden: April 2010

I was able to get a head start this last weekend by planting a fair amount of the vegetables in the raised beds. It was a beautiful sunny weekend that had lots of us at the nursery. The selection at the nursery was still somewhat limited.

There are a few empty spots in the beds still for new things. But I am a month ahead of where I was last year. Of the six romaine lettuce plants I planted in November, two are still going. They are getting a bit tough so if I pull those up there will be even more room.

So far:

• Tomato - Two Roma and one Brandywine.
• Basil - Six plants. Two less than last year so I may plant a few more in pots.
  
• Lettuce - I liked the Red Sails that I planted last year so I bought a six-pack again.
• Broccoli - Nothing better than fresh broccoli.
• Strawberries - I have one in the ground and two pots with three each. I am concerned that the squirrels will get them but I thought it was worth a shot.
• Soy Beans or Edamame - First time attempt on these. Not sure what to expect. This site offers some growing tips.
  
• Herbs - Last year I planted a bunch of parsley in the bed and it was too much for the two of us. This year I opted to use a pot we picked up at the Alameda Antique Fair and plant a mix of parsley, oregano, and chives. I left room for thyme which was not in stock at the nursery. This herb pot will sit out on the back porch where I can easily access it whenever I want to add some fresh herbs to a recipe.