Cool Summer Foods for Princeton’s Sticky Summer Heat – Menu II

Princeton, NJ – Things are looking up: The heat wave has passed, at least temporarily. The forecast is for temperatures “only” in the mid-80s for the next week or so. And we have had our needed rain storm.

Biden has dropped out and we have a whole new contest. That heavy humid cloud that was in my mind and body is feeling a little less intense and so I think this menu is fitting. It’s a bit more unusual and "young" and with this cooler weather why not turn on your oven and create something cool.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE FREE TAPINTO.NET NEWSLETTER

Menu II The Young Englishman (for 6 to 8)

This one goes with a little story: I was sliding around on Instagram and this adorable young Englishman appeared on my phone and started preparing a courgette ricotta tart. Courgette is apparently the word they use in England for zucchini.

I can get a bit frustrated with Instagram recipes because I don’t know how to retrieve the recipe. So I have to play it over and over again and try to memorize all the ingredients -- a big challenge. But watching this handsome, young Englishman making this tart over and over again was fun and I finally got it. Here it is.

Courgette tart (each tart serves 4 so I would make at least 2 )

DOWNLOAD THE FREE TAPINTO APP FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS. AVAILABLE IN THE APPLE STORE AND THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE .

1 yellow and 1 green thin zucchini and squash (also known as courgettes) or asparagus spears

Olive oil to toss in with the courgettes and with asparagus also to make the basil oil to brush on tart, or mint and chives mixed with oil to brush over asparagus

1 tin of ricotta (I went to D’Angelo’s for real authentic Italian products and their ricotta is so fresh)

Fresh or packaged parmesan to sprinkle over top of tart

1 cup fresh basil or mint and chives if making an asparagus tart

1 clove of garlic sliced thin

1 sheet of puff pastry (McCaffrey’s sells it in sheets or make a “basic” simple puff pastry using your Cuisinart -- simple butter, salt, flour, and cold water. So much tastier)

Slice the 2 courgettes horizontally (yellow and green) using a potato peeler, into long thin strips and toss them with salt and pepper and a little splash of olive oil. Then mix the ricotta and add a squeeze of lemon and some lemon zest (2 tea spoons). Chop up the basil (or mint and chives if you're making asparagus tart) and add that in, maybe ½ cup, and stir that, add a pinch of salt.

Roll out the puff pastry. Use a knife to score a border around the pastry, and then fill that space inside the border with the ricotta spread and top it with the zucchini (courgette) slices or spears of asparagus. Add some thin slices of garlic and cover them with more courgette slices or under the spears. Sprinkle it with some parmesan. Egg wash the border of the pastry and bake for about 25 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown. Brush a little chopped basil and olive oil on top or mint and chives and oil if asparagus is tart and slice and serve.

You can also use this recipe and use Jersey tomatoes sliced on top instead of asparagus or courgettes.

Cold Poached Salmon with remoulade sauce

1 side of salmon skinned and cut up into portions (McCaffrey’s guys are happy to skin it for you, and portion for you). They will even poach the salmon for you at no extra charge. Just call the fish department and they’ll have it ready for you in less than an hour.

Poached salmon is wonderful in this heat. Make sure to have room in your frig for the salmon. If not, an ice chest lined with Ziplock bags full of ice works well. Serve it cold on a tray decorated with thin sliced lemons and limes and a bunch of fresh dill. Because the salmon is light, it complements the heavier ricotta in the tart. You can also make the asparagus tart with this salmon menu since asparagus and salmon complement one another.

Remoulade sauce

1 tablespoon capers (chop a bit)

1 tablespoon of relish or chopped cornichons or gherkins

2 teaspoons of chervil

2 teaspoons of tarragon

¾ cup Hellman's mayo

Green bean and red onion salad -- simple but straight forward for those “fussy eaters”

1 lb green beans blanched in water with salt and olive oil in water boil until dark green then drained and iced to keep dark green color

½ large red onion sliced thin

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup olive oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

Toss the blanched green beans with mustard vinaigrette and red onion add salt and pepper

Mixed green salad

1 head red leaf

1 head green leaf

½ head of radicchio

1 endive (broken up into leaves)

Balsamic

Olive oil

Break up leaves but just in half, keeping the lettuces on the larger side, chop the radicchio and add the leaves of endive. Dress just before serving by tossing salad, not pouring over top. Dress lightly since balsamic is a heavy ingredient.

Herbal Iced tea and lemonade combined

We always served herbal iced tea and lemonade separately so people could mix if they want. Here I’ve mixed it together, so you choose. There are also a lot of wonderful alcoholic drinks like Sangria and Pomegranate martinis, (Ina Garten) so I’ll let you add your favorite drinks. I like it when there’s a big clear glass jug of some margarita or some special drink that I can fill up my clear plastic glass with all evening.

Enjoy your summer, stay cool, and eat well. I know I will.

For more local news, visit TAPinto.net