Enhance...enhance...enhance...

Summer nights dining al fresco

This month I've found myself garnishing, saucing, and enhancing. In primetime summer, when you are surrounded by the freshest and most amazing quality ingredients you can cook them simply and then top with a little something for maximum yum results. Vinaigrettes, salsas, tapenades, and sauces are easy to whip together and make any veggie or protein a dinner superstar.

The recipes below feature wild salmon with a crisp cucumber 'salad', that is more like a super chunky sauce, and grilled eggplant with a full-flavored vinaigrette with capers and raisins. But this theory of of saucing something simple and highlighting the bounty of summer's fruits and veggies doesn't need to stop there. Try Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa or Roast chicken doused with Italian Salsa Verde.  I've made all of these recently and am finding that it's not only easy but satisfying and impressive.

I've been hugely inspired by Joshua McFadden's cookbook Six Seasons which has veggies strutting their stuff on every page. He says simply, 'to jump on the joyful ride of eating with the seasons' - something I am definitely on board for.


Grilled Eggplant with Raisin Caper Vinaigrette and couscous

Serves 4

*This is a filling vegetarian dinner packed with flavor. It’s smoky, earthy, salty and savory and can be served hot or at room temperature.


Ingredients
1 ½ lbs eggplants (a variety of shapes and colors if possible)
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup golden raisins
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 Tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
One 2-oz can anchovy fillets, drained
¾ cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 cup couscous
A handful of fresh mint leaves, larger leaves torn


Prep
Trim the ends off the eggplants, halve them lengthwise and sprinkle with a generous dose of salt. Set them on a rack or a large colander and leave for about an hour. Put the vinegar and raisins in a small bowl and let the raisins plump for about 30 minutes.

Put garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the capers, anchovies, and parsley and pulse until completely chopped. Add the raisins and vinegar and pulse until the mixture is blended but still coarse. Scrape mixture into a bowl and whisk in ⅓ cup olive oil to make a chunky dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside while you prepare eggplant and couscous.

Put couscous in a medium bowl. Bring some water to a boil, add 1 cup to the couscous, mix well and cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes. Fluff the couscous and drizzle with remaining olive oil, set aside until ready to use.

Heat a grill to medium-high. Blot excess moisture from the eggplants. Grill eggplants, unoiled, until they are lightly charred, about 8-12 minutes total, depending on the size of the eggplants.

Arrange couscous on a platter, top with eggplant and drizzle with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with mint leaves and serve.




Seared Salmon with Cucumber Salad

Serves 2
* This comes together quickly and is quite nice with grilled veggies and rice or couscous on the side. It may be more expensive at times, but wild salmon really makes a difference in flavor (farm-raised tastes fishier) so go wild given the chance.


Ingredients
2 salmon fillets (preferably wild) approx. 6-7 oz each
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 small cucumbers (such as persian, or substitute 1 medium cucumber)
1 small shallot, sliced

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
¼ cup mixed fresh chopped herbs (such as cilantro, basil, and dill)

Prep
Preheat oven to 450 degrees and prepare a baking sheet with foil and cooking spray. Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper.

Trim the stem end of the cucumbers, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Slice cucumbers into half moon slices about 1/8 -inch thick. Put slices in a colander with sliced shallot. Salt vegetables generously and let sit about 20 minutes. While veggies soften, prepare the salmon.

Heat olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add salmon, skin-side up to hot pan. Cook undisturbed until browned, 2-3 minutes. Flip salmon and place skin-side down on prepared baking sheet. Roast until salmon reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil and set aside until ready to use.

Pat veggies dry with a paper towel and add to a medium bowl. Add vinegar to bowl with cukes and shallot and toss well. Add the yogurt and toss again. Add herbs, season with salt (if needed) and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Plate salmon with a mound of cucumber salad on top.