Summer of Salads: Cucumber-Honeydew Salad with Feta

Honeydew is always hit and miss with me, usually because it is either too sweet (overripe) or not ripe enough. I came across this recipe from Rikki Snyder (via Pinterest) however and was intrigued, because I was looking for something that would accommodate honeydew at almost any level of ripeness. It did not disappoint!

I did find that I didn't have the patience to use the melon baller on the entire thing, so that's why you see chopped honeydew in my salad. I'm sure there is some home economics maven out there who is incredibly disappointed in me. I'm sorry. However, I did find the strength to make just enough for a wonderful cocktail of my own devising:

I made this with gin (Sapphire (TM))--I'd use Hendrick's (TM) next time---I muddled the honeydew and it is basically a G & T with muddled honeydew. Very subtle. And the thyme garnish? Well, I've become a big fan of garnishing my cocktails with whatever herbs I have on hand. I had a nice martini at EVOO last night that featured torched rosemary. I'm not quite up to torching my garnishes...yet.

Served with grilled halibut and asparagus. The arugula is a must, in my opinion, and the entire salad would not be the same without it. I'd DEFINITELY use it if the honeydew is very sweet and you don't want fruit salad. The dressing is really wonderful and works well with the feta cheese. This will be a summer staple.

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Winter Farmers Market: Sautéed Scallops and Herbed Rice

Somerville, MA is a great city. I love living here, and this year's new Winter Farmer's Market just added to my joy. It runs between now and March, and it has been inspiring to see people trudging out in the cold, ice and snow, to the Armory (yes, the market is inside). This past Saturday, I stocked up on locally grown leeks and potatoes, grabbed some hot Italian sausage from Stillman's , and then ventured upstairs to buy some FRESH FISH from Jordan Brothers Seafood. Yes, that's right: haddock from Gloucester, and scallops from Maine. Not frozen--fresh. When she showed me the scallops I might have cried, just a little. Oh, and I picked up a baguette, brioche, and potato bread. Scallops don't require a lot of fuss, but are easy to overcook. I pulled out my San Juan Classics Cookbook (San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest, not Puerto Rico) and went straight to the shellfish section where I found a recipe for "Sautéed Prawns or Scallops" from Thibert...

Miscellanea: Sicilian Caramelized Onions and Homemade Pita Chips

Last month, my family came to visit. My father, who has recently been getting back in touch with his Sicilian roots, is a wonderful cook and I'll admit that I've always been a little daunted cooking for people who cook really well. At any rate, we decided to have a barbeque, invited a few close friends, and I cooked...for three days. This was certainly the most cooking in which I have ever engaged for a single event. Because the attendees to our barbeque ran the gamut of dietary concerns and preferences, I wanted variety. And variety there was. The menu (aside from the meat, which we left to my dad to grill): homemade roasted peppers Sicilian caramelized onions homemade pita chips tabbouleh Amish slaw Chorizo salad watermelon and fresh mint salad To keep this blog post short and sweet, I'll only blog two recipes (the ones that are hyperlinked have been blogged before). First, the pita chips. My dad wanted to help me in the kitchen (something toward which I am usuall...

Quinoa Pilaf with Artichokes, Leeks and Sugar Snap Peas

More Quinoa! This was healthy, easy, and, "a way I actually *like* quinoa" as reported by my husband. The recipe is here , and I made the following notes: stir the quinoa in the oil and leeks for 2-3 minutes before adding the broth definitely use low-sodium chicken broth---quinoa absorbs salt very well and I found that the regular chicken broth was too salty. If you are using homemade stock or veggie broth, you are probably fine. I will add the snap peas last next time (with the artichoke hearts). I like my peas to retain their "snap." This is really a terrific meal for summer or to bring to a potluck.

THE LADY OF SHALLOTS

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