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Dinner #1
Mead Pairing: Dry Peach Honey Wine
Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Fresh Herbs
Grilled Summer Vegetable with Rosemary and Garlic
Not your Grandma’s Vinegar Cucumbers
Roasted Free-Range Chicken with Lemon and Fresh Herbs
1 Free-Range Chicken (3-5 lbs)
1 Fresh Lemon
5 to 7 Sprigs of Fresh Herbs (mix of Oregano, Parsley and Rosemary)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cracked Pepper
Sea Salt
Preheat Oven to 350° Fahrenheit
Clean the chicken to remove any remaining pin feathers, pat dry and set on a rack inside a roasting pan. Rub the chicken inside and out with a generous amount of olive oil, then sprinkle entire bird with sea salt and cracked pepper. Quarter one lemon and squeeze each into the cavity of the chicken, then place quarters inside along with the fresh herb sprigs. (Note: If you like other herb combinations, feel free to experiment!)
Roast chicken uncovered in the oven for 1 ½ to 2 hrs, depending upon size of bird, until a meat thermometer reads 185° Fahrenheit. Remove from oven, carve and enjoy!
Serves 4 - 6
Grilled Summer Vegetable with Rosemary and Garlic
Vegetables
2 medium Zucchini
2 Medium Summer Squash
3 Chinese or Japanese Eggplants (long and slender varieties)
Basting Oil
1 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4-5 medium Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tbsp Dried Rosemary (may substitute fresh)
Generous pinch of sea salt
Preheat grill and place on low heat.
To prepare the basting oil, place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Take off heat and set aside.
Slice zucchini, summer squash and eggplant ¼ inch thick lengthwise. Place vegetables on grill, baste with the infused oil on both sides. Grill for approximately ½ hour, turning and basting frequently, until all are lightly browned and pliable.
Serves 4 - 6
Not your Grandma’s Vinegar Cucumbers
3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Honey
1-2 tsp Sea Salt
4 small cucumbers (pickling variety, as these have less seeds and will stay crisp)
Slice cucumbers into ¼ inch rounds and set aside. Combine balsamic vinegar, honey and sea salt in a shallow bowl, add the cucumber and let marinade in the refrigerator for at least two hours (does best overnight), stirring often. Serve chilled for a refreshing summer time meal accompaniment.
Serves 4 - 6
Dinner #2
Mead Pairing: Dry Raspberry Honey Wine
Hazel Nut Encrusted Free-Range Pork Loin
Baked Turnips and Kale
Hearts of Palm Antipasto
Hazel Nut Encrusted Free-Range Pork Loin
1 ½ lb Pork Loin Roast, Free-Range
1 ½ c Hazel Nuts, chopped
1/4 c Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/8 c Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
pinch Sea Salt
pinch Freshly Ground Pepper
1 stick Butter, unsalted
4 oz Dry Red Raspberry Honey Wine
Preheat oven to 400º.
Finely chop hazel nuts and parsley. Finely grate Parmesan cheese. Combine all three in a shallow bowl with olive oil until moistened. Completely coat pork loin in hazel nut and Parmesan mixture. Bring oven proof skillet to medium high heat, add 1/3 stick of butter (be certain not to allow butter to smoke) and brown loin (apx. 2-3 minutes on each side).
Once browned, add several pats of butter (1/4 stick) to top of loins and place skillet with loin into 400º oven, uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes. (Be certain to check with meat thermometer to prevent overcooking – times will vary depending upon thickness of loin.)
Remove from oven and remove loin from skillet to rest for 5 minutes. For sauce, deglaze skillet over low heat with the honey wine. When all solids are dissolved, add remainder of butter until melted.
Serve loin thinly sliced, with several tablespoons of sauce poured over the top.
Serves 4 - 6
Baked Turnips
6 medium Turnips, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
6 leaves Kale, chopped
2 medium Yellow Onion, chopped
2 tsp Paprika
pinch Sea Salt
pinch Freshly Ground Pepper
¼ stick Butter
Preheat oven to 400º.
Place chopped vegetables into oven proof casserole dish. Sprinkle seasonings and place ¼ stick of butter over top (in chunks). Bake covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until turnips are tender. Remove lid and stir to incorporate spices and butter. Serve immediately.
Serves 4 - 6
Hearts of Palm Antipasto
1 can Hearts of Palm
½ c Kalamata Olives, sliced (or any other marinated olive of your choosing)
1 c Yellow Onion, minced
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Vinegar, red wine or golden balsamic
pinch Sea Salt
pinch Freshly Ground Pepper
Combine above ingredients and marinate for a minimum of 1 hour (up to 24 hours), stirring frequently. Serve chilled.
Serves 4
Dinner # 3
Mead Pairing: Dry Blueberry Honey Wine
Simple Grilled Salmon
Green Bean and Purple Potato Sauté
Sultry Summer Salad
Simple Grilled Salmon
4 Salmon fillets, Alaska wild-caught (Coho, Sockeye, or King)
1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Brush fillets with olive oil and sprinkle flesh side with sea salt and pepper. Cook skin side down until skin is crispy (4-5 minutes), then turn over and cook for another 4 minutes (depending on thickness of fillets). Flesh should be opaque when it is cooked.
Remove from grill and serve immediately. It’s just that easy!
Serves 4
Green Bean and Purple Potato Sauté
1 lb Fresh Green Beans, cleaned and snapped in half
5 medium Purple Potatoes, cut into chunks (or the equivalent volume in mini potatoes)
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted
1 Yellow Onion, sliced
4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Fresh Oregano, minced
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme, stripping leaves from stems (discard stems)
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
extra Olive Oil and/or butter
Note: You can use Yukon Gold, Banana or other heirloom varieties that are a waxy variety versus a russet style, the purple makes a nice color contrast to the green beans.
Steam the potatoes until cooked through (about 10 minutes) and set aside.
Heat large a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and butter; heat until shimmering (don’t let it smoke), then add the garlic and onion and cook until soft but not browned. Add green beans, potatoes, paprika, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until green beans are done to your liking (we like our al dente), stirring occasionally to incorporate seasonings. (You may find the need to add more olive oil and/or butter during cooking if you find your pan becoming too dry.) Serve immediately.
Serves 4 - 6
Sultry Summer Salad
Go crazy here and get your hands on as many fresh greens as possible for this salad! Summertime is the best time to find an overwhelming bounty of interesting greens that you may have not ever tried before. Ask your local farmers market vendors for their suggestions.
Salad
½ lb mixed Summer Greens, torn into bite sized pieces
2 small Cucumbers, thinly sliced (I like using the pickling cukes, as they stay crisp longer.)
handful of Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, sliced in half
handful of Raw Nuts and Seeds, whatever you like (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond slices, walnut pieces, etc)
1 Tbsp Capers
½ C shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, Aged Gouda, or another of your favorite cheeses
½ C fresh Blueberries, optional
Dressing
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Fresh Cracked Pepper
You can make this salad either in one container or in individual serving bowls. The latter makes for a prettier presentation, but either tastes great!
If making one large salad, combine all of the salad ingredients and toss with enough olive oil and balsamic vinegar to coat lightly. Crack some pepper over the top and serve.
If you are preparing individual salads, layer ingredients in the order they are listed, finishing with the optional blueberries. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and top with a bit of pepper.
Note: The quantity of greens may vary according to your liking. If you want more greens, add more!
Serves 4 - 6