Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

"Clocks slay time... time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels;

only when the clock stops does time come to life." - William Faulkner

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

When we arrived to open the Cape house a few months ago, we noticed that the kitchen clock had stopped working.  This wasn't terribly surprising, since it had been around for quite some time.  To fill the empty space, a platter in the shape of a fish was propped up against the wall.  Eric and his brother like to joke about it. "Hey, what time is it?" one asks... to which the other replies "I think it's half past a fish."

It never gets old.

I've grown to really appreciate the absence of the clock.  So much of my day is spent scheduling that to be in a place that doesn't have a visible clock is refreshing. Somehow life slows down in the most miraculous way when you aren't always checking to see what time it is.   Eating when you want to.  Drinking when you want to. Napping when you want to.  It's a wonderful thing.

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

Squid with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

(mildly adapted from Tom Colicchio's recipe in Food and Wine Magazine, August 2013)

Servings 8-10

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 1/2 pounds mixed cherry tomatoes 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 pounds small squid, cleaned, bodies cut into 1/3-inch rings and tentacles halved 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 cup lightly packed small basil leaves

Instructions

1. Add the oil to a skillet and set over medium heat.  Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes blister, approximately 4 minutes.

2. Add the squid and cook on low heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until they become opaque.

3. Stir in the rice wine vinegar and basil and season with salt and pepper.

Peach and Lavender Sangria Popsicles

Peach and Lavender Sangria Popsicles

A text came in from my mother the other week with a picture of my niece.  She was holding her first popsicle, which, not surprisingly, she was enjoying tremendously. It brought back such sweet childhood memories.  As a kid, I could eat those one after the next on a blistery summer day and never get tired of them.  Ones with pieces of fruit in them were pure perfection.  I'd plop down in front of the television and lick and chomp and slurp before it melted all over the floor.

One of the many fun treats that came out of my cookbook shoot from a few weeks ago was a popsicle maker. I'd been holding back on purchasing one, thinking that it was kind of lame and gimmicky. That was until, of course, I actually tried making my own... on a 90 + degree day. And how magnificent that first bite was. Eric and I immediately looked at each other and blurted out with big silly grins on our faces: boozy popsicles.  He suggested making a batch with sangria, which I thought was a fabulous idea. Instead of sweetening it with regular simple syrup, though, I decided to infuse them with some beautiful lavender my friend sent me from their trip to Hawaii.

There were a few points during the heat wave we experienced last week when these came in handy.  At five o'clock (or - ahem - maybe a little earlier than that), we'd get home and rush to the freezer.  Needless to say, I expect a few more batches will be prepared over the next month and a half.

Enjoy and stay cool everyone!

Peach and Lavender Sangria Popsicles
Peach and Lavender Sangria Popsicles
Peach and Lavender Sangria Popsicles

Peach and Lavender Sangria Popsicles

Servings
10-12 ice pops, depending on the size of the mold

Tools
Ice pop molds
Food processor
Whisk
Mixing Bowl
Pitcher

Ingredients

1 cup water
3 tablespoons dry lavender
1 cup sugar
2 ripe peaches
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 bottle of dry white wine

Instructions

1. Make the simple syrup by bringing the water and lavender to a boil in a pot.  Whisk in the sugar until fully dissolved.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let steep for another 30 minutes.  Once it has cooled, strain the syrup.

2. While the syrup is cooling, peel one ripe peach and cut it into large pieces.  Place the peach into the bowl of a food processor along with the orange juice.  Puree until blended smooth.

3. Transfer the peach mixture to a pitcher. Add the white wine and 1/2 cup lavender simple syrup.  Stir to combine.

4. Thinly slice the remaining, unpeeled peach.  Place three peach slices inside the cup of each popsicle mold.  Fill each mold with the sangria and put in the freezer until frozen.

An Evening with Grafton Street + Berkshire Mountain Distillers

Grafton St

Grafton St6

This week, I was invited to a very special dinner at Grafton Street in Harvard Square where their chef, Eric Gregory, and bartender, Morgan Carney, created a menu pairing dishes with cocktails using gin from Berkshire Mountain Distillers.  As a fan of BMD and the folks at Grafton, I was excited to see what they would present.  I was struck by how naturally the cocktails worked with the food, in particular the first drink that incorporated muddled watermelon.  It was a bright, refreshing beverage that worked beautifully with the smoked salmon.  Neither overpowered the other, and that's an impressive feat especially when working with such delicate flavors.  I hope the photos show just how enjoyable the food and cocktails were... it also helped that we were sitting outside on the patio.  The perfect way to spend a summer night.

Grafton St4

Grafton St8

Grafton St2

Grafton St3

Grafton St5

Chef: Eric Gregory

Bartender: Morgan Carney

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Menu

FIRST COURSE

Hot Smoked Atlantic Salmon

Rhubarb Pickle, Grilled Romaine Heart, Juniper Vinaigrette

Paired With:

Greylock Gin, Aperol, Muddled Watermelon, Fresh Lemon

SECOND COURSE

Berkshire Pork Hock Cake

Pistachios, Rosemary, Cherry and Black Pepper Preserves

Paired With:

Ethereal Gin #8, Cherry-Peppercorn Shrub, Cherry Bitters, Fresh Lime

MAIN COURSE

Harissa Rubbed Flank Steak (not pictured here)

Coriander, Watermelon & Cucumber Panzanella

Paired WIth:

Ethereal Gin #9, Lillet Blanc, Sparkling Wine, Muddled Cucumber

DESSERT COURSE:

Grilled Peaches & Brie

Spiced Cardamon Honey, Candied Rosemary

Paired With:

Greylock Gin, Sap House Sugar Maple Mead, Orgeat Syrup, Fresh Lime