Tonight's Dinner - BBQ Grass Fed Beef Burger with Local Corn and Local Cabbage Slaw

Tonight I decided to perk up the usual BBQ Sauce I like to use on my burgers (Hoboken Eddie's) with some just picked sweet and hot peppers.

Chunky Spicy BBQ Sauce
What you need:

1 Red or Yellow Onion cut into 4 wedges
1 Sweet Pepper (Any color will do) cut into 4 wedges
1 Hot Pepper (remove seeds if the pepper is really spicy) cut in half

Drizzle with olive oil and grill in a grill pan or grill bowl until tender.

Add to a 1 cup food processor or blender with your favorite BBQ sauce with a splash of soy sauce and blend to desired consistency. Set aside.

Grass Bed BBQ Burger
What you need (this serves 4 people):
1/3 lb of Ground Sirloin for each person (If you can get local grass fed ground beef, I would suggest it. My guy has no more beef left and is raising 2 cows now for slaughter at the end of the summer. Tonight I had to go with grass fed beef from Australia.)
2 Tablespoons of Organic or Homemade Ketchup (reason being - try to avoid ketchup with high fructose corn syrup)
1 Teaspoon of Soy Sauce
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons of BBQ Sauce
4 Shallots
Leaves from 5 sprigs of Thyme
15 Rosemary leaves
Salt
Pepper

Sharp Cheddar
Tomato Slices
Brioche Rolls (or your favorite hamburger roll)

Add everything above listed before the cheddar (except the beef) into the food processor or blender (use your 1 cup processor if you have one). Blend until herbs and shallots and totally ground up. Mix this liquid into your beef and form into burgers. Set aside.

When ready, grill for 3 minutes, flip and add cheddar. Grill for 3 or 4 more minutes depending on the temperature you desire and the thickness of your burgers. I left them on for about 4 more minutes for a medium burger. Remove from the grill and set aside on a plate. Add the rolls to the grill for a few minutes to toast. Remove and smear toasted bun with the chunky BBQ sauce, and a sliced tomato.

Cole Slaw

With all the the fresh cabbage and carrots from the farm, a classic cole slaw came to mind today when deciding what to make for dinner. I decided to go with this recipe from Martha Stewart. I used the grater attachment from my cuisinart to grate the carrots.

Grilled Corn with Herbs
This recipe from Epicurious was such a hit last week, I decided to make it again tonight.
An alter

Tonight's Dessert - Local Fruit Popsicle

Mae enjoying a homemade Popsicle.

We have been making fruit popsicles almost every day this past week. The girls love them and they take less than 5 minutes to make. Just take the below ingredients and toss in the blender. Freeze (for about 4 hours).

Monday: Cantaloupe
Tuesday: Watermelon, Lime, Mint, and a touch of sugar
Wednesday: Vanilla Yogurt, Raspberries and Black Berries
Thursday: Cucumber Juice, Watermelon, Cantaloupe and Mint
Friday: Banana and Vanilla Yogurt

These have been a big hit with everyone in the family!

Tonight's Dinner - Niman Ranch Hot Dog with Local Mustard, Local Corn and Just Picked Sauteed Swiss Chard

I never make hot dogs, don't get me wrong, I like hotdogs, but I am scared of what they are made with. So when I was recently at favorite cheese shop - Lucy's Whey in East Hampton and was asked if I like hot dogs (answered yes) they told me about their favorite mustard - Miss Amy's Blue Point Mustard from Blue Point, Long Island. According to Lucy, this mustard is great on hot dogs...

Then this morning when I was eating an amazing croissant at the Amagansett farmers market, I happened upon hot dogs from Niman Ranch and some Bubbies Sauerkrautt - dinner made easy.

These hot dogs are really great, but the mustard did make the dog, it was AMAZING - how exciting that its local!

Just Picked Sauteed Swiss Chard
I have made this swiss chard before, its so easy, quick and the kids really love it.

What you need:
1 Bunch of Swiss Chard chopped
1 Yellow Onion 2 if they are small thinly sliced
1 or 2 Apples peeled and thinly sliced
Olive Oil
Balsamic
Dried Cherries

Saute the onion in olive oil until brown then add apples and continue to cook until the apples are brown as well. Add in swiss chard, and stir until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in dried apples and cherries. (This side dish is a big hit with my kids! Sometimes I pulse it a few times in a 1 cup food processor before adding in the cherries just to make it easier for them to chew it up.)

Tonight's Dinner - Local Montauk Swordfish, Fresh From the Ground "Faux" Baked Potatoes, Local Corn with Herbs and Just Picked Grilled Pole Beans

Swordfish
We love this swordfish recipe. I made last month and decided to make it again tonight for my mom and stepdad since it is so easy to make, so flavorful, and the local swordfish is so fresh.

What you need:
Swordfish Steak
Salt
Pepper
Balsamic
Butter
Honey
Juice from half a lemon

Season the fish and either grill or saute for about 10 or so depending on the thickness of the cut of fish.

While the fish is cooking make your sauce. Brown the 3 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan. Be sure not to let it burn. Remove from heat and whisk in about half a teaspoon of honey and about a teaspoon or so of balsamic and lemon juice. Set aside.

"Faux" Baked Potatoes
You can thank my husband and the left over bacon in my fridge (yes, we actually had a few slices of bacon) for these faux baked potatoes.

What you need:
2 onions sliced
a few slices of bacon chopped
a heaping spoonful of sour cream
large handful of the grated cheddar cheese
2 garlic cloves minced
olive oil
fingerling potatoes
salt and pepper

Fill a pot with cold salted water and boil whole fingerling potatoes until tender. Saute the sliced onions in olive oil until caramelized. Then add in the garlic. Add sour cream and cheddar to a large bowl. Then add in the warm potatoes and onion mixture. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.

Corn with herbs
This recipe from the now defunct Gourmet is really great and while I typically wouldn't serve corn and potatoes, who can resist at this time of year?


Green "Pole" Beans
I prefer picking beans from a pole as opposed to a bush. These beans from the farm have been amazing this year.

Take a grill basket add beans, salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil and grill until tender. Squeeze with lemon juice and serve.

Tonight's Appetizer - Everything Local Grilled Corn, Tomato, Basil, & Mozzarella Salad

Inspired by all local ingredients, I took corn still in the husk, grilled it and then removed the kernels from the cob and added them to a traditional tomato, basil, mozzarella salad drizzled with balsamic and olive oil. The salad was served along-side crostini crackers.

Tonight's Dinner - Local Potato Crusted Red Snapper, Local Eggplant & Tomato Sandwich, with a "Not So Local" Broccoli

Let's start with the "not so local" broccoli. Today my almost 4 year old started crying when I told her what we were having for dinner. When I asked her why she was so upset, she answered, "we never have broccoli anymore!"
I tried to explain that the broccoli at the farm isn't ready yet and that we have a lot of wonderful seasonal vegetables and that I could make her favorite sauteed zucchini, but she was not having it. So instead of trying to seek out a local early broccoli at the various farm stands near our house, we drove to the local grocery store and bought some plain old non organic, have no idea where it was grown or who grew it broccoli. She of course blurted out in the store, "broccoli is too in season!" as we put it into our basket.

Chloe's Favorite Steamed Broccoli
Steam, then add salt and pepper with a little butter (and if you are in the mood) top with grated parmesan or cheddar.

Local Potato Crusted Day Boat Red Snapper
What you need:
Red Snapper Fillets
a large plate with flour seasoned with salt and pepper
a shallow bowl with an egg lightly beaten
4 fingerling or other new potatoes
salt
pepper
lemon

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Using a mandolin thinly slice the potatoes. Heat your sauté pan. Then take the fish and put each side into the flour, then into the egg, and then take your potatoes and wrap them around (or just on top of) the fillet. Add oil to your pan and put the fish in potato side down and sauté until golden brown on that side, flip over, and cook a few more minutes. Remove from pan. Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the fish and season with salt and pepper.

Eggplant and Tomato Sandwich
What you need:
1 large eggplant (or 2 small ones)
Sliced Fresh Mozzarella
Sliced Tomato
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 (convection if you have it). Slice the eggplant into half inch rounds. Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes (or 15 if using convection). Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes. Assemble sandwiches and drizzle with balsamic and season with salt and pepper.

Tonight's Dessert - Lemon Pudding Cake with Fresh Local Blueberry Sauce

Freshly picked blueberries make a wonderful sauce for this light and airy lemon pudding cake. I have been making this recipe from Bon Appetit for almost a decade.

Lemon Pudding Cake

What you need:

2 large lemons

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

a little less than a 1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1 1/3 cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Finely grate 1 tablespoon zest from lemons, then squeeze 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons juice.

Whisk together flour, salt, and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together yolks, milk, zest, and juice in a small bowl and add to flour mixture, whisking until just combined.

Beat whites in another large bowl with an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. Whisk about one fourth of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly (batter will be thin).

Pour into a buttered 1 1/2-quart ceramic gratin or other shallow baking dish and bake in a Bain-marie (hot water bath) until puffed and golden, 45 to 50 minutes.

Blueberry Sauce

1 Pint of Blueberries

1 tablespoon of Sugar

Mix together blueberries and sugar in a small sauce pan and stir over medium heat until the blueberries pop and sauce begins to thicken.

Pour over the top of the pudding cake.

Tonight's dessert was made for a good friend's 35th birthday. Happy Birthday Keith! It went very well with an earthy and fruity Côtes du Rhône.