Meemo in the Mountains: Recipes for Farmer's Market Produce

Bob and I enjoy our morning with the sun on our backs, (and in the camera's eye!)

It's Farmer's Market time and all that lovely looking produce is so tempting. My problem is that I usually buy enough for an army and after making the usual summer meals of the delicious vegetables I still have a bunch left! If you are the same way or are tired of the usual summer meals here are some recipes that are a little unusual but still yummy! I found these recipes in the August issue of Bon Appetit. I could hardly wait to try them so this weekend I tried two of them and a third one I had tried a few weeks ago. Because I live in such a remote area we do not have a Farmer's Market near by so I had to do some substituting, but I'm sure the real thing is much better! Here they are as printed in the magazine and then I will tell you what I did in case you are missing some ingredients:

CORN PANNA COTTA WITH DULCE DE LECHE

I think I read somewhere that Panna Cotta is Italian for cooked cream but I'm not sure. Anyway it is a very delicate cream dessert that I love. The corn
flavor is sooo sweet in this recipe and the caramel sauce is perfect with it.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut off and reserved, cobs cut into 4 pieces each

2 Cups plus 3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt ( I used regular salt)

3 Tbsp. water

2 1/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin (1 packet)

1/4 Cup purchased dulce de leche or caramel sauce

Special equipment: 6 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups (mine are bigger but still work)

Directions:

1. Bring milk and sugar to simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add corn kernels. Simmer until corn is tender, about 5 minutes (Up here, 8500 ft., I simmered about 10 minutes). Strain milk into a large saucepan; add 2 cups cream, salt, and corn cobs. Bring to a simmer. Cover; remove from heat and steep for 30 minutes. Transfer corn to a small bowl. Cover; chill.

2. Meanwhile place 3 Tablespoons water into a small cup. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, at least 15 minutes.

3. Remove cobs from cream mixture; discard cobs. Bring cream mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat. Add softened gelatin; stir to dissolve. Divide cream mixture among six ramekins or custard cups. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day. (I put mine in the freezer for 30 minutes and then put in refrigerator and they were set in another 30 minutes! BE CAREFUL THEY DON'T FREEZE, THOUGH)

4. Whisk dulce de leche Or caramel sauce with 3 Tbsp. cream in small bowl to blend. Spoon some sauce over each panna cotta. Sprinkle a few kernels corn over each dessert and serve. (Reserve the rest of the corn for another use)*

* I made bacon corn chowder with mine and Summer Corn Saute with Tons of Herbs (recipe for this later!)

To cut corn off the cob, cut off both ends evenly

Set cob on one end and slice off kernels close to the cob. Turn cob and continue slicing.

Put cream sugar and corn into a sauce pan to simmer.

Simmer corn until tender,

Strain milk into saucepan, add cream, corn cobs and salt.

Simmer cobs for 30 minutes

After adding gelatin, pour into custard cups and refrigerate

MMMMMM! the caramel is so good on this dessert.

A side view shows the creamy bottom layer, Yummmm!

TENDER ZUCCHINI FRITTERS with GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

The dressing recipe uses a variety of herbs you can usually find either at the Farmer's Market or in your own kitchen garden in summer. I can't grow them up here--because I'm no good at it not because they don't grow here. So I either have to buy them or use the dried variety which isn't nearly as tasty! Zucchini is always a problem to find ways to use since it is so plentiful. Here is a new way for me and, although I questioned how I would like it, we both thought it was very good! A big surprise.

Ingredients:

*Dressing:

1 Cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup fresh dill (I used dried)

1/4 Cup fresh chives ( I had to use some chopped onion)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon (my sister's favorite, but I had to use dried)

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley ( I used regular dried)

1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar

1 anchovy fillet, chopped (Not me!)

* As you can see my dressing probably didn't taste anything like the original but it still was very good!

Fritters:

1 1/2 lbs. medium zucchini (5-6) trimmed

1 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt, divided ( I used regular)

6 1/2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 Cup beer ( I used a real dark beer because that's what I had but I think a lighter beer would have been better but it was still very good)

1 4-oz. package soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled, chilled, about 1 cup. (I used blue cheese because I didn't have any goat cheese handy and it was delicious)

1/2 Cup or more extra virgin olive oil

3 1/2 Cups (lightly packed) mache (lamb's lettuce; 2-3 oz.)--I used Romaine--I never heard of mache so I will have to look for it in a big grocery store. romaine worked great. The crispness went well with the Green Goddess dressing.

Directions:

Dressing:

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a small bowl. Cover and chill. Do ahead: Can be made 1 day in advance. Keep chilled.

Fritters:

1. Using large holes on box grater coarsely grate zucchini into a large colander. Sprinkle 1 tsp. salt over and toss to coat evenly. Place colander over a large bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Press on zucchini to release as much liquid as possible. Empty zucchini into a kitchen towel. Roll up to enclose and squeeze dry

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in medium bowl to blend. Mix in beer. Scrape zucchini from towel into bowl; stir to coat evenly (batter will be thick). Mix in cheese.

3. Heat 1/3 Cup oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until very hot, about 2 minutes. Working in batches, drop batter into skillet by 1/4 cupfuls, flattening to 3-inch rounds. Saute until brown and cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to a rimmed baking sheet, Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed. Do ahead: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 375 degree oven 5-6 minutes.

4. Place mache in large bowl. Toss with 2 - 3 Tbsp. dressing. Place 2 fritters on each of 6 plates. Top with mound of mache salad. Serve fritters, passing remaining dressing alongside. ( I spread a little dressing on top of each fritter before putting salad on top).