July 2016 Recipes

July Recipes

Prosciutto-Wrapped Crostini with Melon Salsa Crudo

Julie Courtney

1 long loaf country-style bread, such as Pugliese

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup Parmesan

q small red onion, minced

2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar

1 ripe cantaloupe

Salt

2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

12 slices prosciutto, sliced in half crosswise

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the loaf of bread in half crosswise, then cut each half lengthwise into 1-inch slices. Lay the slices in a single layer on baking sheets.  Generously drizzle the top of each slice with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle the Parmesan over the slices.  Bake until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.

Marinate the onions in the vinegar for 5 minutes.  While the onion is marinating, peel, seed and dice the melon and place in a bowl.  Add the diced melon to the onions, season with salt and stir to blend together.  Add the minced parsley and stir to combine.  Wrap the end of each crostini with a piece of prosciutto.  Arrange on a platter and spoon a tablespoon of melon salsa on each and serve.  Serve remaining salsa on the side.

Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail

Julie Courtney

¼ cup hot red jalapeno pepper jelly

1 tablespoon lime zest

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 pound peeled, large cooked shrimp (31/40 count)

1 cup diced mango

½ cup diced red bell pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 small avocado, peeled and diced

Garnishes:  lime slices, fresh cilantro sprigs

Whisk together pepper jelly, lime juice and lime zest. Pour into a large zip-top freezer bag.  Add shrimp, mango, red pepper and cilantro.  Turn to coat.  Seat and chill 4 hours, turning occasionally.  Add avocado.  Garnish as desired.

Berry Triffle

Julie Courtney

2 containers (16 ounces each) strawberries

2 containers (6 ounces each) raspberries

1 container (6 ounces) blackberries

¾ cup granulated sugar, divided

1/3 cup water

½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Pinch Kosher salt

8 ounces cream cheese

2 cups heavy cream

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 prepared angel food cake (about 12 ounces)

Confectioners’ sugar for garnish, optional

1 ½ tablespoons apple jelly or apricot preserves, for garnish, optional

Trim and quarter one container of strawberries and set aside.  Combine half the raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup water, lemon zest, juice and salt in a medium sauce pan.  Simmer over medium heat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the berries break down and the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from the heat and cool.

Place the cream cheese, ¼ cup cream, the remaining ¼ cup sugar and the vanilla in a large bowl and beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.  In a second large bowl, whip the remaining cream until stiff peaks form.  Fold about one-quarter of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until lightened, and then fold in the remaining whipped cream.

To assemble the trifle, cut the angel food cake into 2-inch pieces.  Place half the cake pieces in the bottom of a 12 to 14-cup trifle dish or a large bowl. Top with about half the berry sauce, half the cream and half the berries.  Repeat the layers with the remaining cake, berry sauce, cream and berries.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill 8 hours or overnight.  Before serving, either dust with confectioners’ sugar or heat the jelly in the microwave for 25 seconds to loosen, and then brush over the strawberries.

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Beverly Pearson

Beverly made Virginia Frazier’s recipe from The Charlotte Herb Guild Cooks Again, page 123.

Parmesan Herb Toast

Beverly Pearson

Beverly used Marsha Capp’s recipe in The Charlotte Herb Guild Cooks Again, page 10.

Peach Pie with Streusel Topping

Beverly Pearson

Yield:  Serves 8

Pie:

1 Pillsbury refrigerated piecrust, room temperature

3 cups peeled and sliced peaches or 1 can (29 ounces) peach slices, well-

   drained

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Streusel Topping:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie plate with piecrust and flute the edges.  Mix peaches, confectioners’ sugar, flour and cinnamon and spoon into the pie.

Using a fork or pastry blender, mix topping ingredients until crumbly.  Sprinkle over pie filling.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes until top is golden brown.  After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge to prevent excessive browning.

Watermelon Gazpacho

Susan Poel

6 cups cubed seeded watermelon

2 English (hothouse style) cucumbers, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup pineapple juice

20 small mint leaves

Reserve 20 small pieces of watermelon for garnish. Working in batches, place the remaining watermelon, the cucumbers, red bell peppers, onion, jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, 3 tablespoons of fresh mint, the ginger, honey and pineapple juice into a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds per batch. The mixture should be well blended but retain some texture. Pour into a large pitcher or bowl and refrigerate 1 hour. Serve in bowls, and garnish each bowl with a couple of chunks of the retained watermelon and 2 small mint leaves.

Mini Pavlovas
Susan Poel

2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped nuts
½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add sugar gradually. Beat till very stiff. Fold in chopped nuts and vanilla.

Spoon meringue mixture into 35 mounds (about 3 tablespoons each) onto 2 very large parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, create an indent in each meringue. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn off oven; let meringue dry in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove and cool completely.

Top with lemon curd and fresh berries

Mango Blueberry Quinoa Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing

Susan Poel

Yield: Serves 2

Assemble this salad just before serving. Gently toss the quinoa, fruits and cucumbers together. 

Salad:

½ cup quinoa           
1 cup water

½ cup fresh blueberries
½ cup cubed ripe mangoes
½ cup cubed cucumbers
½ tablespoon dried cranberries

Lemon Basil  Dressing:
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2½ tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon lemon zest
10 basil leaves, chopped finely (chop and add just before serving)
Salt and pepper

Place the quinoa and water in a medium skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, and simmer covered for about 15 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Let it cool to room temperature.

Combine the fruits in a bowl and refrigerate till you are ready to serve the salad.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients except the chopped basil. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Chop and add the basil to the dressing just before serving. If you add it earlier, it will go black. Add dressing to the quinoa and mix gently.  Add the fruits and cucumbers and gently toss again.