Okra flower

Okra flower.  Come on bees, work your magic. 

 I have only harvested 2 okra and need at least a dozen to use in my favorite Gumbo recipe.  

Okra plant

Italian Candy Dish a real treaure

The Treasured Candy Dish

Italian Candy Dish with a story

I am going to share another story from my youth.  My Great Nonni and Nonnu lived in the same house as Nonni and Nonnu Prati.  This living arrangement was not uncommon.  It wasn't an apartment building, just a two story home.  Great Nonni and Nonnu G, as they were referred to, resided on the second floor in a modest space consisting of a bedroom, living room, bath and kitchen.  As a youngster, when visiting, I would sneak up the carpeted stairs into the living room.  More often than not, they were watching the Ed Sullivan or Merv Griffin show on the black and white double antenna television.  It was so loud.  I would sneak behind, what seemed to me then, their two very large over-stuffed easy chairs and crawl on hands and knees to the small two tiered wood  table, that sat directly behind their chairs.  My mission: to steal a wrapped hard candy from the covered candy dish.  So  I lifted the lid so not to make a clinging sound and reach in to take a candy, just one.  Not only did I have to be quiet but heaven forbid I break the ornate Italian candy dish.  I'd carefully replace the lid, in hopes not to be caught in the act.  Never was I caught or at least they didn't let me know they were aware of my silent sticky hands.  After they died the dish made its way downstairs had a special place on the bottom shelf of a wood bookcase. Always within reach of curious hands.  Before Nonna Prati died she gave the dish to my mother where it was placed in a glass cabinet.  Recently Mom gave it to me. I keep hard wrapped candy inside.  It makes me happy..  

Grilled Polenta with Rosemary Butter

Grilled Polenta with Rosemary Butter

Bob's Red Mill medium grind organic corn meal
 http://www.bobsredmill.com
garden grown fresh rosemary

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup medium or coarse yellow corn meal
• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 spring of fresh rosemary

Rosemary butter - Heat butter in small saucepan or microwave. Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary to melted butter and let sit to combine flavors

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Pouring corn meal into boiling water

In medium saucepan boil water. Add polenta from high in a steady stream, whisking to avoid clumps. Bring back to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and continue stirring with flat wooden spoon.  The corn meal will sputter, so be careful not to burn yourself. This may take 15 minutes or more. Polenta is done when it comes away from the sides of the pot.

Polenta  spread on flat surface to cool before cutting

Pour polenta onto a clean board, cookie sheet, tray or directly onto the counter.  Spread to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.  Any thinner and it will be difficult to handle from board to grill. Allow to cool Cut into 3" squares. Approx. 12 squares.


Lightly oil grill. Place polenta on grill and brush top with rosemary butter, close lid and cook for 5 minutes, open lid, turn over polenta and repeat with butter on top.  Close lid and grill for 5 minutes.

Remove from grill to serving platter and sprinkle with grated cheese, garnish with sprig of rosemary.

Grilled Polenta with Rosemary Butter

For those of you that want to read a bit further about polenta, please do.
My grandmother, Nonni Bianca Apino was born in Torino, Italy. Throughout her life polenta was served as a main meal, sometimes twice a day.  Maize, a crop grown in abundance in the north, makes it a staple item in the kitchen cupboard of northern Italian homes. Families own a special copper pot reserved solely for cooking polenta, along with a long wooden stirring stick.

A story that dates back with my relatives, Nonni Pasqualina Biodini Cicogna goes like this:  Nonni would spread the polenta on a wooden pastry board, cutting out a hole in the center and then filling the hole with some of the leftover meat tidbits and tomato sauce.  This was the set up for a game.  The first one to make his way from the outer edges of the polenta to the sauce would get lots of "yea's" and a pat on the back plus the bonus of eating the meat.  Making a game of eating polenta was her way of getting 6 children to eat another meal of polenta when variety in food was a luxury they could not afford.
From its humble roots, it's now featured on fine dining menus.

Too Much Zucchini...Herbamare

It's  that time of the summer when the zucchini is harvested by the bushel or for some of us gardeners, by the wheelbarrow.  One of my most favorite ways to cook zucchini is sliced, sprinkled with Herbamare seasoning, grilled and once removed from the grill drizzled with just a bit of extra virgin olive oil.   I use the leftover zucchini, (if there are any) placed between 2 layers of polenta and topped off with a sage butter.  I will post the polenta recipe soon.    But for now consider stocking your pantry with Herbamare. It's a combination of natural sea salt infused with organic fresh herbs and vegetables. In my area I find it at a natural food store, but it might be on the shelf of your local grocery store. Maybe a little pricey at about $10 for 8.8 oz, but worth it.  It is a great addition to any of your favorite soup recipes too.  I have posted a photo of it, for easy recognition.

Herbamare USDA Organic
Product of France
http://herbamare.us

Italian Salad Beans - Canning

http://www.freshpreservingstore.com

Italian Salad Beans 

In our house these beans, similar to a pickle will be served on the antipasto platter and be devoured in minutes. When serving the beans, drain off the brine and serve beans on a  dish or on a platter with antipasto.  

Don't serve beans directly out of the jar, since the olive oil will leave a film on each bean as it is pulled from the jar. 

 

4 cups fresh green beans trimmed and cut to size for jars, about 3 1/2 inches

1 3/4 cup white vinegar

3/4 cup water

4 cloves garlic, peeled

(4) 1/2 teaspoons of oregano dried 

or 4 teaspoons of fresh oregano

4 small bay leaves

8 leaves of fresh rosemary

(4 ) 1/4 teaspoons sea salt

(4) 1/2 teaspoons sugar

About 1/4 cup olive oil 

To make the brine, heat the vinegar and water in a small saucepan.  

While brine heats up, pack each clean hot pint jar with beans.  If you shake the jar as you pack, the beans will settle and it will create more space.  There should be about 1/2 inch of head space.  

After packing beans add to each jar: 1 clove garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1 small bay leaf, 2 leaves of rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Pour brine over top of each jar dividing equally.  Remember to leave space to drizzle olive oil on the top.  

Place hot seal and screw on rings.  Put jars into a medium pot, cover with warm water and replace lid.  Turn burner on high, wait for boiling to begin and boil for 12 minutes.   Keep lid on pot and keep it boiling.  After 12 minutes remove jars carefully to a cloth covered counter.  I use a kitchen towel folded on the counter.  Leave for 10 hours.  After 10 hours place beans into pantry or cupboard and keep out of the light. 

Beans will be ready to eat in 6 weeks. This time is necessary for the flavors to develop.

Italian Salad Beans in a Jar
http://www.freshpreservingstore.com

Summer vegetable garden grows in New Hampshire

Purchased seedling from UNH green house
Variety:  Millionaire
http://www.thompsonschool.unh.edu/

Sowed some old popping corn for the fun of it.
Even if it doesn't produce edible corn, watching the tassel grow is worthwhile.

OK...finally signs of okra!
With a hot summer I am keeping my fingers crossed to harvest okra.
Plan to freeze it for winter gumbo.
Seed variety:  Clemson Spineless #80/Ferry Morse Co.
Started indoors after freezing seeds to soften outer seed casing.

Lily in the rain

Rain drops on a lily are like adding jewelry to a perfect dress.

http://www.nikon.com/