Flavors of Summer

If you had to choose your favorite flavor, the best taste imaginable, what would it be? It’s hard to pick just one, but for us, it would have to be the bright and delicate flavors of summer, perfect to enjoy on warmer days.

Recipes and photos by Kaitlin Gooding 

Raw Oysters with Blood Orange Mignonette

Servings: One dozen oysters

1 blood orange (juice)

1 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 shallot (thinly sliced)

4 tsp rice wine vinegar

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a small

bowl until it is well combined. Serve

with 12 oysters on the half shell over ice.

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Haricot Verts with Tahini Drizzle

Servings: 2-3 side dishes

12 oz haricot verts

2 shallots (thinly sliced)

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp pistachios (chopped)

1-2 radishes (thinly sliced)

mint leaves for garnish (can use herb of choice)

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a

boil over high heat. While it is heating

up, add ice water to a separate bowl.

2. Place the beans in the boiling water and

cook for 5-6 minutes. Once finished

cooking, drain the water out and add

them to the ice water. After the beans

have cooled, drain the water, and set aside.

3. Create your sauce by adding all the

ingredients into a bowl and mixing until

smooth. Add one spoonful of water at a

time to thin, until you have reached the

right consistency and then set aside.

4. In a sauté pan, add two tablespoons

of butter and the sliced shallots. Cook

on medium heat until fragrant

and then stir in the beans and radish.

Stir in the pan until they are

warmed through and fully coated.

5. Remove the haricots from the pan and

place in a bowl or plate. Drizzle tahini

sauce over top, sprinkle the pistachio

crumbles, add salt and pepper, and

garnish with any herb of choice. Serve

immediately while the beans are warm.

Tahini Drizzle

1/4 cup tahini

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove (minced to a paste)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

pinch of fresh ground pepper

pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup

2 spoonfuls of water (can add less or more)

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Roasted Branzino

Servings: 2

2 branzino whole fish (scaled & gutted)

1 lemon & lime (1 in slices)

1 sweet onion (diced)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

6 sprigs thyme

2 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

4 bay leaves

handful of parsley

sea salt & pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Add the fish to a baking sheet

lined with parchment paper.

2. Drizzle olive oil over the fish and rub

it all over the skin of the fish. Use your

fingers to spread one tablespoon of

Dijon mustard to the inside of the fish.

3. Season the fish inside and out

with salt and pepper.

4. Stuff the inside with the diced onions,

garlic slices, chopped parsley, bay

leaves, and lemon/lime slices. Use the

rest to lay over the top of the fish.

5. Add to the oven for 20-22 minutes.

Once finished cooking, remove from

the oven, and allow to cool until you

can handle it with your hands. Drizzle a

little lemon juice over top and sprinkle

with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!

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Tomato Farcies

Servings: 2-3

6 large tomatoes

1 lb ground chicken

2 garlic cloves (minced)

2 shallots (finely chopped)

3/4 cup milk

2 slices stale bread (prefer sourdough,

cut into small cubes)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

2 tbsp parsley (roughly chopped)

+ extra for garnish

2 tbsp grated parmesan

extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Slice the top off each tomato, setting

aside for later. Use a spoon to scoop

out the seeds and insides of the tomatoes

but be careful not to pierce the

skin. Sprinkle the inside with salt and

flip the tomatoes over on a paper towel

to allow the excess liquid to drip out.

3. Add the bread to a bowl and

pour milk over top to soak.

4. In a large mixing bowl, add your

ground chicken, salt, pepper, garlic

cloves, shallots, parmesan, and Dijon

mustard. Drain the milk from the bread

and mix it into the large bowl until

well combined, creating the stuffing.

5. Fill each tomato with stuffing, replacing

the tops. Place the tomatoes on a baking

dish or tray and spray or drizzle each

tomato lightly with olive oil. Add to

the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes.

6. Once they are finished cooking, remove

from the heat, and allow them to cool

for about five minutes. Sprinkle the

tomatoes with sea salt, pepper, and

garnish with chopped parsley. Serve

while the tomatoes are still warm.

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Strawberry Mascarpone Galette

Yields: 1 galette

4 cups strawberries (halved)

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup sugar + extra for sprinkling

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp butter

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp honey

CRUST

2 cups flour

2/3 cup chilled unsalted butter

2 eggs

pinch of salt

2-4 spoonfuls of water

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the

salt and flour. Add the butter into the

dry ingredients. Crack the eggs and mix

into the dough mix. Add 2-4 spoonfuls

of water depending on how wet

or dry the mix is. Knead the dough

for a few minutes and then form into

a ball. Place in a covered bowl and

put in the fridge for 20 minutes.

3. In a mixing bowl combine the strawberries,

sugar, balsamic vinegar, cornstarch,

salt, cinnamon, and thyme. Set aside.

4. Remove dough from the refrigerator

and roll it out on a lightly floured

surface into a round, about 12-14

inches. Slide the dough onto a baking

sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Spread the mascarpone into the

center of the dough and leave about

1.5 inches from the border.

6. Pour the strawberry mix into the center

of the dough leaving the 1.5 in border

uncovered. Fold the dough over the

filling as you pleat around the edges.

7. Melt the butter and brush it along

the pie crust. Sprinkle with additional

sugar. Bake for 30-35 minutes

or until the crust is golden brown.

8. Allow the galette to cool completely and

drizzle honey over top before serving.

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Grapefruit Fizz

Servings: 1

5 mint leaves

1.5 oz gin

2 tsp honey

1/2 grapefruit (juice)

1 lime quartered

sparkling water to top

Directions

1. Lightly muddle the mint leaves,

1 quartered lime, and honey

in the bottom of a glass.

2. Add the grapefruit juice and gin and

combine by stirring to dissolve the honey.

3. Add ice, top with sparkling water, and

garnish with a mint sprig. Enjoy!