This past June, through the first week of July, was the busiest I’ve had in decades. Although it feels good to be at home for a while, I am already thinking back with fondness and some sadness on the month that just passed. The common thread for the weeks was food — not a big surprise I’d imagine.
I’ve already recounted a memorable evening at City House in Nashville, Tennessee. Following that I spent four days in North Carolina with 15 of my oldest girlfriends (we’re talking pre-college, back to elementary school). I organize this now-annual trip and for supper I assign cooking teams for each night. My team was the first night and I made spatchcock buttermilk marinated chicken (see The Dispatch, March 16). It was a hit and, I have to tell you again, it is the tenderest version of baked chicken I have ever had. We served my favorite faro salad with it (today.com, faro salad with roasted carrots and greens). This combination is my current go-to menu.
June was also full of family time at the lake. They are not an adventurous bunch, but I do try and slip in a few new dishes when I can. I made a no-bake strawberry icebox cake that just got better and better over the next two days. It’s as simple as this: Lay a thin layer of sweetened whipped cream in the bottom of a pan (I used a pie plate, but a square would be easier). Next, layer graham crackers over it, covering the cream, then sliced strawberries (or peaches or other juicy fruit), then graham crackers, whipped cream and more strawberries. There are three layers in all, ending with a fourth on the top of graham crackers followed by whipped cream. Decorate as you wish with fresh fruit or chocolate sauce. The variations are endless.
My granddaughter Ainsley and I also made chocolate shell topping that gets hard when you put it on ice cream. Two ingredients! The recipe is below. One word of advice: When buying coconut oil to cook with, ask for help. The brand I had, which was organic, raw and extra-virgin, had a pronounced coconut aroma and taste, which affected the taste for the kids who don’t like coconut. This is not true for all types of oil.
For friends coming to visit last week, I made the Atlantic Beach Pie from my June 29 column in The Dispatch. I have only one thing to say: Make this pie today! It is so easy and just as the column said, the combo of salty and sweet is addictive. We had pork ribs prior to eating pie, and I tried something I hadn’t done before. We used St. Louis cut ribs, which I now like better than baby-back, I think. I simply put a dry rub on them with a little bit of barbecue sauce and a splash of white wine. They were then wrapped in two layers of foil and put on a 350-450 F degree grill with the top down for 1 and one-half hours. At the end of that cooking, they sat for 10 minutes and then cooked again out of the foil to crisp up for about 10 minutes. Best ribs ever.
I had lots of good tomatoes from the farmers’ market, and my Georgia friends brought more, so I made gazpacho from my favorite recipe. It’s truly the essence of summer in a bowl. You should be able to find all of the ingredients at the Hitching Lot Farmers’ Market in Columbus and other area markets, which are loaded with delicious produce right now. Remember, the Hitching Lot is open Mondays 4-6 p.m. and Thursdays and Saturdays 7-10 a.m. at Second Avenue and Second Street North. See you there!
CHOCOLATE SHELL ICE CREAM TOPPING
Yields 3/4 cup
7 ounces semi or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
GAZPACHO
1 hothouse (or other) cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded (I used a mix of colors)
4 plum tomatoes (or other ripe fresh)
1 red onion (depending on size and harshness, use less)
3 garlic cloves, minced (it will get stronger, so use less if necessary)
23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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