Dan's Papers - August 3, 2007 - Silvia Lehrer's Cooking Column

With all the hoopla of summer bashes and roaming feasts I just want to settle down to a simple summer supper. With farmers markets in their season of glory it's so easy to have a nutritious well-balanced dinner at home.

Included in my CSA selections at the Green Thumb in Water Mill this week were baby bok choy, little red new potatoes, berries and peaches. I would steam the pretty cabbage-like bok choy then serve it with a sizzling hot oil drizzle of ginger root julienne. Roasted rosemary potatoes would benefit from the beautiful rosemary plant in my herb garden and mixed berries and peaches under a mantle of mascarpone cream would complete the dinner.

Wild salmon is certainly not local but it is available at local fish markets. My concession here to the wild salmon is that it is in season from the Pacific Coast. Prepare a simple mix of lemon juice, fresh herbs and extra-virgin olive oil with a light bread crumb crust on the grilled salmon; serve with steamed bok choy and roasted potatoes, and that's dinner!

Bok choy, sometimes confused with Chinese cabbage have smooth rounded stalks and leafier green tops than its cabbage counterpart. The diminutive baby bok choy is as pretty to look at as they are delicious to eat.
Serves 4-6

4-6 even-sized baby bok choy
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons julienne of fresh ginger root

1. Trim away any bruised outer leaves if necessary and rinse. Arrange the bok choy on a steamer rack over simmering water and steam about 5 minutes, or just until tender at the base. Transfer to a warm platter and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile put oil and ginger in a small saucepan and heat until a haze appears on the surface of the oil. Simmer until the ginger is golden brown. Be careful not to allow the oil to smoke. Pour the hot ginger oil over the vegetable and serve.

Salmon may not be a local fish but wild salmon from the Pacific Coast is currently available at your local fish market.
Serves 6

2 1/4 - 2 1/2 pounds salmon filet with skin on
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoon thyme leaves
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons plain dry bread crumbs

1. Have salmon cut into approximate 6 6-ounce portions. Place on a plate and season with salt and pepper.

2. Mix lemon juice, parsley and thyme in a small bowl and whisk in 4 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the dressing equally over each fillet and coat with breadcrumbs. Gently press the crumbs into the salmon fillets.

3. Heat grill until coals are ashen or preheat gas grill to medium-high. Brush grill rack with oil. Place salmon, skin side up, on the grill and cook about 4 minutes on each side, carefully turning once with a fish spatula for medium doneness. Serve with steamed baby bok choy and rosemary roasted new potatoes.

Roast farm fresh new potatoes until crusty without and tender within.
Serves 4-6

2- 2 1/2 pounds small new red potatoes
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1. Scrub the unpeeled potatoes and pat dry with paper towel. Place, one layer deep, in a baking dish with good heat retention, such as tin-lined copper or aluminum. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes and sprinkle with chopped rosemary.

2. Place baking dish containing potatoes in the preheated oven and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Potatoes will stay hot in the turned off oven for 20-30 minutes.

Serve this easy to assemble fruit dessert over slices of buttery store-bought pound cake, if desired.
Serves 6-8

6 cups mixed berries and freshly cut-up assorted fruits, such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches and bananas.
Mascarpone cream
1/2 cup heavy cream, chilled
2 tablespoons sugar
Freshly grated lime jest
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/2 pound mascarpone cheese

1. Wash and dry all fruits eaten out of hand except raspberries. Whatever combination of fruits you are using, prepare a bowlful up to several hours before serving or early in the day. Refrigerate, covered in a suitable container.

2. Meanwhile prepare the mascarpone cream: With electric beaters, beat cream in a cold bowl slowly adding the sugar until firm peaks form. Fold in the lime zest and limejuice.

3. In a separate bowl whip the mascarpone with a wooden spoon then fold into the whipped cream, blending well.

4. To serve, divide berries into required number of dessert dishes and top each with a healthy dollop of the mascarpone cream. Or, spoon berries over slices of pound cake and top with the cream.