Seasonal Ontario Food

Mr. Ferdzy has a new toy. He saw a small battery-operated vacuum for sale at half price, and thought it would be just the thing to suck up marauding cucumber beetles etc. It's actually working pretty well, with some modifications. He's taped a plastic straw into the intake, sticks it right in the flowers, and away they go.

Here he is demonstrating his technique. He's gone from getting over a hundred on the first effort, to under 10 each morning; about 10 minutes a day keeps him on top of the cucumber beetles. Amazing! He just has to make sure not to suck up the much larger bees who are particularly fond of cucurbit blossoms. 

The trapped bugs then go into the usual Jar of Death (water with a drop of dish detergent) which then sits on the back deck and ferments, yay. But still, it looks like we are getting squash this year and when the cucumber beetles are bad enough, we don't.

Also new this year, we are growing some corn. Apart from a squirrel gnawing on a few stalks, it is actually growing, tasseling, and forming cobs. Exciting!

Much less exciting: ongoing problems with swede midges, which attack the growing tips of brassicas, turn them to mush, and kill the plant. This is a Brussels sprouts, so it might sprout out the sides and recover. Or not, we'll see. They particularly like Brussels sprouts and cauliflower it seems, although every brassica including turnips, rutabagas (swedes), radishes, etc are fair game. 

We bought a huge, heavy roll of insect-proof cloth to cover things this spring, but since Mr. Ferdzy was engaged in his projects and I was therefore insanely busy and couldn't manage it on my own anyway, it didn't get used. Next year, I guess. This year I've been regularly dousing all the brassicas etc with diatomaceous earth. I think it helps but it's hard to say, not least because it keeps raining and washing it away.

Bean Alley is looking very beany. All the replants and survivors from that late May frost are now in full production mode. We already have anthracnose showing up on the Blue Lake which is really annoying; I regard this as at least 2 weeks and preferably 3 weeks too early. That's the cool, damp weather we've been having, I guess. Well, we will just have to watch our bean crosses closely to see how resistant they are.

Leeks have had their second transplant, and are looking good, although I'm seeing some signs of leek moth. They get sprinkled with diatomaceous earth too. The celeriac are the best looking we've ever had. 

We have been starting all the brassicas and also some other things in cut off pop bottle mini-"greenhouses". This has not been so much for extra heat, as it has been the only thing that has kept a number of crops from being eaten as soon as they germinated. I don't know what it is, but it sure is persistent whatever it is. Those ones on the right side of the photo are on some late-planted kohlrabi. The blank space should get planted with turnips and radishes very shortly. The middle bed has cabbages and broccoli, assuming they survive the ravages of the swede midge.

Here's just another view of the corn, mostly. Shallots at the back of the other bed are doing well. In the front left, we are growing kale and chard, although you can't see the chard for the kale. It's actually the Ethiopian kale which is blocking the view. It's not kale in the traditional sense; it's brassica carinata which is believed to be a cross between brassica negra and brassica oleracea. To put it another way, it's also known as Ethiopian mustard, and I can't say it's behavior has been what I expect in a kale. I don't really know how to grow it or how to eat it yet. It seems quite resistant to the swede midge, though, and I'm all in favour of that.

Same beds from a different angle, which shows more of the irrigation system (which I think we used twice before it started raining regularly) and the netted-over fruit beds in the background, behind the beans.

Speaking of the fruit beds, wow! Those are some actual blueberries, not being eaten by birds. The robins hang around the outside, gnashing their beaks, but too bad. Those blueberries are ours.

We're also kind of amazed how many berries we are getting off of our day-neutral strawberry now that they are not being eaten as fast as they can be ripened. Still a little problem with them being nibbled, by rodents or by slugs, but absolutely nothing compared to when the birds could get at them.

I mean, look at that!

As a summary of the gardening month I have to say it's been peculiar. Every month has been so distinct and so difficult in its own way this year. This month has been cool - so strange after that awful hot (mmmostly) and dry May - and rainy. The weeds have been taking over and even with Mr. Ferdzy's help we are struggling to catch up. 

The rain is good, but I feel like cooler temperatures are slowing down and reducing production of a number of things. As usual, some crops will do better than others, but at least we are getting them. Although I can't help but think the watermelon, which I particularly wanted to do well this year, are doing terribly. Many of our other breeding projects are moving along, and I think I'm spotting new crosses in the beans. Overall, considering the weather problems in other parts of the country, never mind the world, I can't complain too much; not that that's ever stopped me.

First beets out of the garden! So sweet and tasty and tender when roasted. They shrunk a bit more than I expected but perhaps they are higher in their moisture content now than they would be later in the season.

As so often is the case we ate it all as our meal, but as a side salad it would go further, and unlike a lot of salads with cheese I think it would do well in that role. Note that the only added salt is a pinch in the dressing, because the salad will be plenty salty from the halloumi. I dithered a bit about putting the honey in the dressing, but I have to say it was well worth the sugar. Truly delicious.

 

2 to 6 servings

1 hour 15 minutes - 30 minutes prep time 

600 grams (1 1/2 pounds; 6 medium) beets

3 tablespoons olive oil

250 grams (1/2 pound) halloumi cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the beets and cut them in bite-sized wedges or thick slices. Put them in a shallow roasting pan that will hold them snugly in a single layer, and toss them with the oil. Roast for 40 minutes. 

Cut the halloumi into bite-sized thick slices. When the beets have roasted for 40 minutes, give them a stir and scatter the halloumi over them. Roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is soft and browned.

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed oregano

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

1 more tablespoon lemon juice

 

Put the garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper into a small food processor bowl and process until finely chopped. Add the oil, a little at a time, processing well between each addition. Add the lemon juice slowly the same way, then add the honey. 

 

Have the parsley washed and finely chopped, then add it to the dressing and process again, until finely minced.

 

When the beets and halloumi come out of the oven, pour this dressing over them. Scrape it out well, use the last tablespoon of lemon juice to swish out the bowl of the food processor, then pour it over the beets and cheese as well. 

 

Mix the dressing gently into the beets and cheese, and let them cool for about 10 minutes.  

 

4 to 6 cups chopped lettuce

   OR mixed salad greens 

Wash and dry the lettuce or greens, and arrange them in a serving salad bowl or individual salad bowls. Arrange the roasted beets and halloumi over them, drizzling with all the dressing and accumulated pan juices. Serve at once. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Raspberry Vinegar Chicken. 

Basically, this was made by trawling the fridge and cupboards, and assembling the items found. Zucchini are starting up, beans are in full swing, I wish the tomatoes were rolling in, but not quite yet. If they were I would definitely have liked to use some. 

 

This was a full meal for the two of us. You could serve it as a side dish, maybe keeping the feta cheese down a bit, or you could add chicken or sausage and make it even more substantial. 

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour - 45 minutes prep time

 

2 cups unsalted chicken stock, vegetable stock, OR water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup bulgur

Put the stock and salt into a pot and bring them to a boil. Add the bulgur, and let it boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes. 

 

2 medium zucchini 

2 cups chopped green or yellow beans

1 medium onion, with the greens if possible

3 or 4 cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken or vegetable broth

OR 2 cups peeled and diced fresh tomato

100 grams (4 ounces) feta cheese

Wash, trim, and dice the zucchini. Wash, trim, and chop the beans. Peel and chop the onion, keeping the greens (if available) separate. Peel and mince the garlic. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until barely softened and lightly browned. Add the onion and continue cooking for a few minutes more. Add the garlic (and onion greens, if available), mixing it in and letting it cook for about a minute. 

Add the bulgur - there should be no liquid left by now, but if there is, add it too - and the green beans. Add the broth or chopped tomatoes. Mix everything well and reduce the heat to medium-low. The dish should just be simmering. Let it cook for between 5 and 10 minutes, then sprinkle the diced feta cheese over it. Cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes, until the feta is melted (it won't lose its shape) and the liquid is absorbed. 

Let the dish rest for 5 minutes, then serve. 

 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Favosalata - Greek Yellow Split Pea Dip. 

North Americans tend to scream in horror at the mere sight of savoury things moulded in gelatine. Try not to wake your neighbours, okay? 

 

Hungarians on the other hand, still seem to make quite a lot of these dishes. Possibly because they have always used plain gelatine and avoided sugary artificially flavoured mixtures (*cough* Jell-o *cough*) and avoided combining bizarre ingredients in the name of novelty. Everything here classically goes together nicely; no novelty involved, and nothing is the worse for that. This is a lovely lunch for a stupidly hot day; cool and refreshing, and substantial without being heavy. A bit of bread and salad is all it needs to be a meal, or this is the sort of thing that looks attractive and is very practical for buffet entertaining.

 

16 slices

40 minutes prep time PLUS at least 3 hours to set

 

 

6 large eggs

1/2 cup finely diced dill pickle

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 cup ham OR chicken broth

1 tablespoon granulated gelatine

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup thick yogurt OR sour cream

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

10 thin slices (250 grams; 1/2 pound) deli ham

parsley and chives to garnish

Put the eggs into a pot with water to cover, and bring them to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then cover them and turn off the heat. Let them sit in the hot water for 10 minutes. Put them in cold water to cool. Peel them, and cut them in half. Put the yolks in one mixing bowl, and mash them. Dice the whites and put them in another bowl with the diced dill pickle, parsley, and chives. 

Put the broth into a pot and sprinkle it with the gelatine. Once it has soaked for a few minutes, heat the stock until it is steaming and the gelatine dissolves completely when stirred, but don't let it boil. Let this cool as you continue. 

Mix the mayonnaise and mustard into the mashed egg yolks, then mix in the yogurt or sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. A good hit of pepper is desirable, but keep in mind that the ham, broth, mustard, and mayonnaise all contain salt - a brief pass over the bowl with the salt shaker is likely to be sufficient. 

Pour about 2 tablespoons of the broth into a large loaf pan, and make sure it runs all over the bottom and sides. Lay a slice of ham centred in the bottom of the pan, then place a slice at each end, overlapping the first slice but hanging over the side of the pan - this will be folded over the filling to encase it. Add two more slices in the same way to each long side of the pan. Set one slice of ham aside for the top.

Mix the remaining stock into the egg yolk mixture. Add the egg whites, etc, and mix them in. There should be 2 remaining slices of ham; chop them finely and mix them in as well. Pour this mixture into the ham-lined pan and spread it out fairly evenly. Fold the ham slices up to cover it, then top with the last slice of ham. 

My ham came with a piece of waxed paper; I pressed this onto the surface of the loaf and made sure it was completely flat and covered. Seal or cover the pan and set it in the fridge to set overnight or for at least 3 hours. 

 

To serve, set the pan into a large pan of warm (tap) water for a few seconds. Run a butter knife around the edges to loosen it, then place a serving plate over it and flip it over to unmould. Garnish with a little parsley and some chives, if you like. Serve in slices. 

Last year at this time I made Polpette di Zucchine.

I think I mentioned that we have covered over the blueberry patch with bird netting, with the result that we are actually getting blueberries! Enough for a pie! 

 

This is essentially my Unbaked Strawberry Pie from way back when, only made with blueberries. I was pleased to see that the original amount of sugar is actually quite moderate, and it got even more moderate when I replaced half of it with erythritol-monkfruit sweetener. Sugar tastes better, but it sure beats no pie. Because blueberries are not as tart as strawberries, a little lime juice is required. You could use lemon or orange juice if you prefer, or if that's the citrus you happen to have around.  

 

As pies go, this one is fast and easy, with minimal baking in hot weather. You didn't hear it from me, but if sugar is no object, this would also be good with a graham cracker crust.

 

6 to 8 servings

45 minutes prep time

needs time to chill

1 1/3 cups whole spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cold unsalted butter

3 to 4 tablespoons ice cold water

Mix the salt into the flour, then grate in the butter, stopping every so often to coat the gratings in the flour. Mix the butter into the flour, then add the water a spoonful at a time, mixing gently between each addition, until the mixture comes together as a dry dough. 

Let it rest for 10 minutes, then roll it out on floured parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line a 9" pie plate with the dough, and prick it all over with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool. Meanwhile,

2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup arrowroot starch

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 cups blueberries; yes, again

the juice of 1/2 lime

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Wash and drain the blueberries, and put them in a pot with the arrowroot, sugar and water. Mash the blueberries, then stir the mixture until the starch is completely dissolved. Now turn the heat on, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently to constantly, until the mixture thickens and clears. Remove from the heat and mix in the remaining blueberries, leaving them whole this time, and the lime juice. Allow to cool somewhat, then spread the filling evenly in the at least slightly cooled baked pie crust. Allow to cool completely. 

Beat the whipping cream with the remaining sugar and vanilla until stiff. Spread it evenly over the pie. Serve slightly chilled. 

Last year at this time I made Green Bean & Bulgur Pilaf.

This idea came from a Guardian post, of comments by top chefs about the best things they had eaten in 2019. No doubt I am not a top chef, but while I thought this was good and well worth doing, it was not quite that level of mind-blowing. In any case it's a ridiculously easy way to add a little twist of flavour to beans, without taking away from their essential beaniness. 

 

2 to 3 servings

up to 1 hour brewing time

10-ish minutes prep and cooking time

 

2 or 3 pieces of star anise

1 teaspoon 5-spice powder

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

250 to 500 grams (1/2 to 1 pound) green or yellow beans

butter to serve

Put the star anise, 5-spice powder, and water into a pot and bring to a boil. Turn it off and let it brew for at least 10 minutes, up to an hour. Strain it and return the liquid to the pot. Add the salt.

Meanwhile, wash and trim the beans. 

Bring the flavoured water to a boil, and add the beans. Cover and cook for 4 to 7 minutes, until the beans are done to your liking. 

Drain well and serve them hot, with a pat of butter. 

Last year at this time I made Blueberry Pie with Coconut Topping.

This is a pretty simple and straightforward treatment for bok choy, with a classic stir-fry sauce. I've hardly ever seen local bok choy available, but it's amazing what happens when you decide to drive one town over to do your shopping. 

 

I didn't have any broth in the fridge, so I used water, with just a few drops of hoisin sauce. It ended up perhaps a little salty, but when served on top of rice that was okay. Still, something to be careful about. 

I found a lot of grit and dirt got in between the stems, especially at the base - be very careful to wash them thoroughly.

 

 

2 to 3 servings

15 minutes prep time

 

  

1 teaspoon arrowroot or corn starch

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons chicken stock or water

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

 

Mix the above ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

 

3 or 4 cloves of garlic 

125 grams (4 ounces) oyster mushrooms

450 grams (1 pound) baby bok choy

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

Peel and mince the garlic. Trim the tough stems from the mushrooms and break them into bite sized pieces. Wash and trim the bok choy, and cit them into halves or quarters. Wash them well again, being sure to get in amongst the stems. Drain them. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bok choy and cook, stirring, for a minute until just wilted. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking and stirring until both are done to your liking. Add the garlic and stir it in for a minute, then stir up the sauce and add it. Mix it in well and remove everything to a serving dish as soon as the sauce thickens, which will be almost immediately. Serve at once. 

Last year at this time I made Quinoa & Potato Starch Pie Crust.

I'm not calling this tuna casserole; it may be A tuna casserole, but it is not THE tuna casserole famed in song and story.  On the other hand, no gummy canned soup or inadvisable carbs. Lots of zucchini, which should now be rolling in, although I bought this lot as mine is behind. It's a tad on the rich side, and if I didn't find carbs as inadvisable as I do, I'd serve it on toast. You could also just cut back on the cheese a bit. 

Unusually, we didn't quite manage to eat it all. Leftovers went into a breakfast omelette, where they were very tasty. 

I have a nasty case of tendonitis at the mo, so that's all she pecked out wrote.

 

2 to 4 servings

1 hour - 20 minutes prep

 

625 grams (1.5 pounds) zucchini 

1 medium onion, with greens if available

1 large tomato

6 to 8 button mushrooms

2 garlic scapes OR garlic cloves

1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

1 teaspoon rubbed basil

1 teaspoon rubbed thyme

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Wash, trim, and cut the zucchini into bite sized pieces. Peel and chop the onion, including the greens, if you have them (but set them aside from the rest of it). Core and chop the tomato. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Chop the scapes finely or peel and mince the garlic.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the zucchini, mushrooms, and onion until softened and slightly browned, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes). Add the onion greens, garlic, and seasonings and cook for about another minute. 

Transfer the vegetables to mixing bowl.

1 tin (133 g drained) solid tuna

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 to 1 1/2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs 

150 grams (5 ounces) grated old Cheddar cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a 9" x 13" or similar shallow baking (lasagne) pan. 

Drain the tuna and add it to the vegetables along with the mayonnaise and bread crumbs; mix well. Mix in about 2/3 of the cheese. Spread all this evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. 

Bake for 30 minutes at 375°F, then let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Ham & Kohlrabi Stew with Peas.

If you are a member of the small and select group of people subscribing to emailed posts from Seasonal Ontario Food, I regret to tell you that the app I have been using is going away, and I have thus far not found a replacement. Sorry for any inconvenience. 

 

I hope to have something in place soon, and I'll let you know when I do. 

This recipe is adapted from Colette's Best Recipes, a French (for English cooks) cook book from the 1920s. Like most cooking of that time, it's not exactly bursting with exotic flavours, but it made a pleasant riff on our usual breakfast of eggs on toast and also used some of the peas currently pouring into the kitchen. I am ready for something else to be ready even though I love peas. 

 

Colette wanted you to cut your bread into little stars, fry them, then use them to garnish the eggs. Uh, no. Toast is just fine, thanks. I used a mix of broth and milk as I had some of both to use up, but Colette just used water. I think a little extra flavour couldn't possibly hurt this, but obviously water will do. You could also slide a slice of cheese onto the toast before you put on the eggs and peas; I promise not to tell.

I used 3 eggs, as they were extra, extra large, being duck eggs. And yes, I am eating quite a lot of eggs these days.

 

2 to 4 servings

20 minutes prep time NOT including shelling the peas

 

 

2 cups shelled peas

2 tablespoons flour

2 green onions OR 3 tablespoons minced chives

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup unsalted broth OR milk OR water

4 extra large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 or 4 slices of bread, toasted

 

Boil some water and put the shelled peas in a colander. Pour the boiling water over them, and let them drain. When they are drained but still damp, toss them with the flour. 

 

Meanwhile wash, trim, and finely chop or mince the green onions or chives. Whisk the eggs in a bowl with the salt and pepper.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, and cook the green onions or chives just until softened. Add the broth, milk, or water. Add the peas and stir well to keep the flour from forming lumps. Bring up to a simmer and simmer until the peas are cooked close to your liking. Now is the time to start toasting the bread. 

Slowly whisk the eggs into the simmering peas. Continue whisking or stirring until the mixture thickens - ideally this is sort of a cross between a rich sauce and scrambled eggs; it should not get too curdy. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as they thicken, as they will continue to cook a little more. Keep stirring for minute or so after they are off the heat.

Serve the eggs and peas over the toast. 

Last year at this time I made White Beans with Bacon, Turnip Greens & Onion.

At this time of July the peas are slowing down, and the beans and zucchini have not really gotten going yet, at least in my garden. However, there's lots of purslane. Lots and lots of purslane. Following my new policy of actually eating some quantity of it, it has gone from being an annoying weed to, well, being an annoying weed that I can eat. 

 

Once this soup came to my attention as a result of searching for purslane recipes, I found quite a number of (fairly similar) versions out there. If you don't have purslane, for instance, Swiss chard seems to be a pretty common substitute. All the recipes I saw want you to cook the chick peas, lentils, and wheat separately to which I said, not bloody likely. The chick peas do need to be cooked on their own, but that can easily be resolved by using a tin of them. People do use different tomato products, or none, in this. I used some of my own tomato sauce and thought it was a good addition.

I should note that I used and am calling for bulgur, but most recipes call for ashura wheat, which appears to me to be a kind of soft wheat berry. As ever, since there were no wheat berries in the cupboard, but I did have bulgur, I used bulgur. Wheat berries might need a little longer cooking.

 

Maraş is a city in southeastern Turkey, north of Aleppo and Gaziantep. It is now known as Kahramanmaraş, but people don't seem to have transferred that name to the soup. In Turkey this is a winter soup, not surprisingly, but here you are not going to get purslane or Swiss chard in the winter.  It mostly seems to be served without any yogurt, but perhaps because we are eating it in the summer, we found it an excellent addition. Ours was plain, but if you feel deprived of garlic (ha!) you could add a minced clove and a bit of salt to about 1 cup of yogurt. Speaking of which, 1 head of garlic is not a typo - 5 to 7 cloves is what you want.

 

4 to 6 servings

40 minutes - 20 minutes prep time

PLUS time to cook the chick peas and soak the bulgur and lentils 

2 cups (1 540 ml tin) cooked chick peas

1/4 cup bulgur

1/4 cup red lentils

3 cups water

 

You can cook the chick peas yourself, or use a large tin. 

 

Put the bulgur and lentils in heavy-bottomed soup pot, and add the water. Bring it up to a boil, then cover and let them soak overnight.  

The next day, add the chick peas with cooking liquid to cover them, and simmer until the lentils disintegrate (probably not much more than half an hour).

 

1 head garlic

3 or 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon (more or less) Aleppo pepper

2 tablespoons sumac

 

Peel and mince the garlic. Wash and pick over the mint, and chop it finely. Set both aside. 

 

Mix the other spices in a small bowl and set them aside. 

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons tomato paste OR 1/3 cup tomato sauce

2 cups picked over purslane leaves 

OR finely chopped Swiss chard leaves and stems

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

yogurt to garnish (optional) 

 

Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the tomato sauce and let it simmer until thick, then add the spices and cook into the oil for a minute or so. Add the garlic and mint and cook for another minute or so, stirring constantly, until the garlic no longer smells raw. Remove from the heat at once and add to the soup. 

 

If you use tomato paste rather than sauce, add it immediately after the spices go in rather than before as it does not need to cook down.  

The soup can be finished now, or held until closer to serving time. 

At some point by now, you should have washed and chopped the purslane or chard very finely. Add it to the soup and cook it in until done to your liking; about 5 to 8 minutes for me. Add the lemon juice. Add a bit more water if the soup seems too thin, and a little more salt if needed. It will depend on how much was used in cooking the chick peas.

 

Serve, if you like, with a dollop of thick yogurt. Add a minced clove of garlic and a little salt to the yogurt or not, as you like.

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Eggs with Peas Chinese Style. 

Just like North American egg salads, this has only a few simple ingredients and goes together very quickly. It's quite different though. No goopy mayonnaise, but a zingy lemon vinaigrette. Lots of fresh and sprightly herbs instead of, uh, nothing really. Instead of a smooth finely chopped texture, lots of big tasty chunks. 

Most of the recipes I looked at didn't call for either potatoes or peas, although a number included some other vegetable. Like most really simple recipes, you do it your way, with your way having a lot to do with what's around at the time. I used potatoes this time, but I plan to use peas soon, because this is something that's likely to become a regular menu feature.

 

4 servings

15 to 30 minutes advance prep

15 minutes to finish

 

225 grams (1/2 pound) new potatoes

OR 2 cups shelled peas, snap, or snow peas, blanched 

5 large eggs

If using potatoes, choose ones of equal size. Put them in a pot with water to cover, and boil them until tender; 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse them in cold water and let them cool. 

If using peas, shell or trim them and blanch them in boiling water until tender. Rinse in cold water and drain very well. 

Put the eggs in a pot of water to cover them, and bring them to a boil. Boil them for 1 minute, then remove them from the heat. Leave them in the water, covered, for 10 minutes then transfer them to cold water and allow to cool completely.

the juice of 1/2 large lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground sumac

1/4 teaspoon rubbed basil

1/4 teaspoon rubbed dried mint

Aleppo pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl or jam jar and set aside until needed.

2 or 3 green onions 

1 or 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill

1 cup finely chopped parsley

Wash, trim, and finely chop the onions, dill and parsley. Put them in a salad bowl. 

Peel the potatoes, if using, and cut in bite-sized chunks. Add them to the herbs, or the peas if they if they are being used instead. Peel the eggs and cut them in bite-sized chunks and add them to the salad. Mix gently and drizzle with the dressing.

This has been a crazy busy year in the garden - they all are, but with Mr. Ferdzy engaged in building a fence and installing drip irrigation, it's been worse than usual - and I have been leaning hard on making dips and spreads such as Hummus and Red Pepper Paté once a week to have with bread and crudités or salad for lunches all week. Deviled ham works well as one of those spreads.

It requires a little - only a little - effort to make, but a piece of ham will be less expensive to buy than deli slices, and quite possibly better quality too, providing you choose carefully. As ever, avoid anything pre-cooked or pre-sliced, or full of brine and gelatine. 

This is quite a lot like my favourite Ham Salad, but smoother and spicier, although just how spicy is up to you. You could make sandwiches with it, but I like to put it out and have us serve ourselves as part of the experience.

 

6 to 8 servings

20 minutes prep time

PLUS 3 hours to set

1/4 cup ham or chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon granulated gelatine

200 grams (1/2 pound) diced cooked ham

1 shallot OR 2 garlic scapes

1 tablespoon or more Dijon or hotter mustard

1 tablespoon or more prepared horseradish

chile-garlic or other hot sauce to taste

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon relish or sweet pickles 

2 allspice berries

Warm the stock, and put it in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatine over it, and set it aside for the moment. 

Cut the ham into dice, and put it in the bowl of a food processor. Peel and chop the shallot or scapes and add it as well. Add the mustard, horseradish, hot sauce to taste, the mayonnaise, and the relish. Grind the allspice berries finely, and add them. Process until the mixture is fairly smooth. Add the stock and gelatine, and process briefly again until blended. Taste it, and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Transfer the deviled ham to a serving dish, ideally with a lid, and keep chilled until serving time; allow several hours to rest. 

 

 

 

 

Last year at this time I made Green Pea Cutlets & Shirazi Salad.