Summer's Last Breath

Well this is it, September, summer's last breath. There is a bittersweet feeling as the nights stay cooler and get darker a little earlier, a sure sign that autumn is closing in. But there are still glorious days with warm summery sunshine to warm the skin. There is football starting up and leaves slowly starting to turn but the grill is still getting a work out and flip flops are still in my daily dress line-up. September is the perfect blend of summer and fall coming together - giving us the best of each season.
"You're gonna need a bigger boat"

The summer/fall yin yang has been showing up in my cooking. We just had our 2nd annual "Shark Night" dinner and a movie where we watch "Jaws" and eat and drink a lot! This year we started with Dark and Stormy's and my friend Susie's stuffed, baked clams. Then we had traditional lobster rolls and a summer corn salad. We ended with Susie's blueberry pie for dessert - so New England summer! The next night though, we had a more autumnal dish of roasted Porterhouse steaks with warm mushroom and blue cheese salad and coriander and rosemary roasted potatoes and carrots and a fun side of blistered padrone peppers! Next week we'll gorge ourselves at the Champlain Valley Fair (a definite indicator that summer is bowing out) and the night after I will prepare a summery grilled trout dish that is flecked fall flavors, herby rosemary, smoky bacon, and creamy white beans. Get some of the recipes I've mentioned below!

In just a few weeks the last of summer with fade and I will fully embrace Autumn. Soon enough we'll be talking football, raking leaves, and hearty meals...but not yet, we've still got some beautiful end of summer to enjoy!

Traditional New England Lobster Roll
Serves 4
*This lobster roll has zero filler, no celery or cucumber, just lobster, mayo and a sprinkling of chive – perfection!

Ingredients:
16 ounces cooked lobster meat, chopped into bite-size pieces
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoon butter, room temperature
4 hot dog rolls

1. Combine lobster meat and mayonnaise in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and chives.

2. Butter outside surfaces of hot dog rolls. Heat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Place rolls, 1 buttered side down, in skillet; cook until browned slightly, about 2 minutes per side. Open rolls, fill with lobster mixture and serve.

I added cukes and tomatoes which are overflowing
in my garden!
Summer Corn Salad with herb vinaigrette:
Serves 4-6
*I realize I did a corn salad last post but this one is definitely different and when you have an abundance of sweet summer corn, you find lots of way to use it up! Credit to Bobby Flay for this recipe inspiration.

1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 to 2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 large ears corn, husks and silks removed
1/4 cup light olive or canola oil
2 cups baby mixed greens
6 scallions, green and pale green parts thinly sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta or farmer's cheese

1. Combine the mint, cilantro, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of the honey and some salt and pepper in a blender, and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Taste, and then add more honey, salt and pepper as desired. Set aside for later use.

2. Boil and drain corn and let cool until you can easily handle them. Remove the kernels from the corncobs. Combine the corn, greens and green onions in a bowl, and then season with salt and pepper. Add some of the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the cheese and another drizzle of dressing. Serve immediately.

Roasted Porterhouse Steaks with Warm Mushrooms and Stilton Salad:
Serves 6
*This is one of my favorite recipes that I have been using since I first found it in Bon Appetit’s April 2005 edition for a Party Improv. It’s pretty straightforward but produces a big “wow effect”.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
3 tablespoons each chopped fresh thyme and rosemary
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 two-inch thick Porterhouse steaks
Olive oil

Mushrooms:
2 oz. pancetta, chopped
3 large shallots, chopped
1 lb wild mushrooms chopped, (I like to use a mix of shitake, baby bellas, and chanterelles if I can get them)
2 oz. Stilton (or other blue cheese), crumbled
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
3 tablespoon Sherry wine vinegar, divided
One 4-5 oz bag of arugula
1.  Put toasted coriander and peppercorns in mortar or spice grinder and crush until broken into coarse pieces. Mix in a small bowl with thyme, rosemary, and salt. Set aside.

2. Place steaks on a heavy rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil, then rub 1 ½ tablespoons of coriander spice rub into each side of each steak.

3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roast steaks until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 125 degrees for rare, about 25 minutes. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes. 

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and shallots; sauté until beginning to brown. Add 2 more tablespoons olive oil, then mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until the mushrooms are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon Sherry wine vinegar and boil until evaporated, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

5. Pour arugula into a shallow salad bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar, season with salt and pepper and toss. Add the mushrooms and crumbled blue cheese.

6. To serve, cut the 2 whole pieces of meat (known as the loin and the fillet from each steak and slice. Give each person a few slices of the loin and the fillet. Top with a mound of the warm mushroom salad.

Grilled Trout with white beans and bacon vinaigrette:
Serves 2

*If you’ve got some fresh-caught trout, this is just the thing! You can use store bought fish of course: In that case, you should ask your fishmonger to bone and butterfly the whole trout for you.

4 ounces thick-sliced smoked bacon, small dice
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 15-oz can of white beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
2 10-oz cleaned, boned, butterflied trout
1 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoons of the fat. Add butter and swirl to incorporate. Add the shallot, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the vinegar and rosemary; remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add beans, lemon peel, and 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette in a separate medium skillet. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Brush a little vinaigrette over flesh of trout; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place skillet with beans on edge of grill to warm through. Grill trout, flesh side down, until brown, about 2 minutes. Turn trout over and; grill until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer trout to plates. Mix spinach into warm beans; spoon alongside trout. Rewarm remaining vinaigrette and spoon over trout and beans.







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