While many readers are experiencing spring at this time of year, here in the deep south it is summer – hot -90’s already! Here are some ideas for supper when it gets hot in your region.
Sliced Smoked Salmon
Ingredients
2 large slices of smoked salmon per person. Place the slices of salmon on a serving plate.
Sprinkle the salmon slices lightly with fresh lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and chopped fresh dill.
Cantaloupe
Slice or cube a ripe cantaloupe and place in a serving bowl.
Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus additional leaves for garnish
½ teaspoon black pepper
Salad
Salt
8 oz whole wheat penne pasta
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
½ cup shredded carrot
3 scallions, finely diced
½ cup finely chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
Directions
Cook the penne in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.
In a large casserole dish with a cover, mix together the dressing ingredients. Add the hot pasta and mix well. Stir in the vegetables. Cover the dish and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Just before serving, mix the salad again and garnish with parsley.
Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
4 large eggs
2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 scallion, finely diced
1 tablespoon of finely diced celery
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Paprika, for garnish
Directions
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until the water begins to boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Let the eggs rest in the covered pan for 14 minutes, then place in a pan of ice water. under cold water
When cool carefully peel the eggs and gently dry them with paper towels. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks to a medium bowl, and place the whites on a serving platter. Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add mayonnaise (only enough to bind the mixture), mustard, scallion, celery, and pepper, and mix well.
Evenly spoon heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.
Modern-day Native American cuisine encompasses all the traditional foods of long ago, such as cornbread, turkey, cranberries, blueberries, hominy, and mush and many of these recipes have been adopted into the cuisine of the United States. The most important native American crops include corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, wild rice, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, peanuts, avocados, papayas, potatoes, and chocolate. North American native cuisine can differ somewhat from Southwestern and Mexican cuisine due to its inclusion of ramps, wild ginger, miner’s’ lettuce, and juniper berries that add subtle flavors to the cuisine.
Staple foods of the Eastern Woodlands Native Americans were corn (also known as maize), beans, and squash. This combination is referred to as the “Three Sisters” because they were planted interdependently: The beans grew up the tall stalks of the maize, while the squash spread out at the base of the three plants and provided protection and support for the root systems. A number of other domesticated crops were also popular during some time periods in the Eastern Woodlands, including a variety of amaranth, sumpweed (marsh elder), little barley, maygrass, and sunflowers. Maple syrup is another example of an essential food staple of the Woodland Indigenous peoples whereby tree sap was collected from sugar maple trees at the beginning of springtime.
Southeastern Native American cuisine forms the cornerstone of Southern cuisine from its origins right up to present times. From Southeastern Native Americans came one of the main staples of the Southern diet: corn (maize), either ground into meal or limed with an alkaline salt to make hominy. Corn was used for cornbread, grits, and liquors such as whiskey, which were important trade items. Though a lesser staple, the potato was also adopted from the Native Americans and used in many ways similar to corn. Native Americans introduced Southerners to many other vegetables still familiar on southern tables, such as squash, pumpkin, many types of beans, tomatoes, many types of peppers, sassafras and many other wild berries.
Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains relied heavily on American bison (American buffalo) as a food source. The meat was cut in thin slices and dried, either over a slow fire or in the hot sun until it was hard and brittle. Since it could last for months, it was the main ingredient to be combined with other foods, or eaten on its own. Other foods included pemmican, a concentrated mixture of fat, protein, and fruits such as cranberries, Saskatoon berries, blueberries, cherries, chokeberries, chokecherries, and currants. Staple foods also included turnips, wild berries, potatoes, squash, dried meats (venison, buffalo, jackrabbit, pheasant, and prairie chicken), and wild rice. Great Plains Indians also consumed deer and antelope.
In the Northwest Native Americans used salmon and other types of fish, mushrooms, berries, and meats such as deer, duck, and rabbit. The generally mild climate meant they did not need to develop an economy based upon agriculture but instead could rely year-round on the abundant food supplies of their region. Acorns were ground into a flour that was the principal foodstuff for about 75 percent of the population, and dried meats were prepared during the season when drying was possible.
Puebloans lived in southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado and practiced subsistence agriculture by cultivating maize, beans, squash, and sunflower seeds. They utilized locally available wild resources such as pine nuts from the pinyon pine and hunted game including deer, hare, rabbits, and squirrel. They were also known for their basketry and pottery to hold agricultural surplus that needed to be carried and stored, as well as clay pot cooking. Grinding stones were used to grind maize into meal for cooking.
Chef Sean Sherman, a winner of a 2019 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award, preparing apple blossoms.
Recently, The James Beard Foundation (JBF) announced that Sean Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota would receive a Leadership Award for his work in helping Native Americans reclaim historic food and agricultural systems. The award acknowledges Sherman’s efforts to recognize the Native American diet and revitalize traditional indigenous food systems in North America.
A Native American Dinner
Grilled Wild Salmon
The foil packets may also be baked in a 375-degree F oven for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
3 whole juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
Top greens from 1 bunch scallions, cut into one-inch pieces
2 wild caught salmon fillets, skin on (about 12 oz total)
Salt
Black Pepper
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill.
Cut two pieces of foil big enough to hold the fish with a couple of inches overlapping all around the fish. Divide the scallion tops in half and place them on each piece of foil. Place the salmon fillets on top, skin side down.
Sprinkle each with salt and pepper.
Finely crush the juniper berries and mustard seeds in a mortar.
Brush each fillet with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and sprinkle the top of each fillet with the crushed seeds.
Close the foil and seal the ends. Place foil packets on the grill and cover the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
Use tongs or a metal spatula to remove foil packet from the grill and set it on a plate or cutting board. Allow it to cool enough to handle, then unwrap the foil.
Wild Rice Blend
The blend is a combination of Long Grain Brown Rice, Sweet Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Whole Grain Wehani® Rice, Whole Grain Black Japonica™ Rice.
Ingredients
1 cup (Lundberg) wild rice blend
1 3/4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
Combine rice, water, salt, and butter in a pot and bring to a boil.
Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low-simmer, and cook 45 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat (with the lid on!) and steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Puréed Squash
Ingredients
One 1 lb butternut or acorn squash
2 tablespoons soft butter
Salt and black pepper to taste
5 sage leaves minced
1 long chive leaf, minced
Directions
Halve the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds and strings. Rub the insides with the butter; season with salt and pepper. Place on a roasting pan, skin side down. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until fork tender. Remove the squash from the oven, scoop out the flesh and place in a food processor or blender and process until smooth; or mash the squash in a large bowl using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with minced sage and chives.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Oil 3 baking dishes, each just large enough to accommodate the fish, the broccoli and the rutabaga cubes.
Oven Roasted Salmon
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets, about 12 oz total
Topping
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Directions
Combine the breadcrumbs with the oil and the seasoning ingredients.
Press the breadcrumb mixture evenly on the salmon.
Place in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes.
Oven Roasted Rutabaga Wedges
Rutabagas are in season now, so they make a good choice for a vegetable side. If you are not a fan of rutabaga, use Yukon Gold potatoes in this recipe.
French Seasoning
I use a blend that comes prepared and contains the following herbs: shallots, chives, green peppercorns, dill weed, basil, tarragon, chervil, and bay leaf.
1 rutabaga, about 1 ½ lb
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon French seasoning or seasoning of choice
Directions
Peel the rutabagas and cut them into 2″ chunks and place them in the prepared baking dish.
Add the rest of the ingredients and toss with a spoon until all the pieces are evenly coated.
Spread the rutabaga in a single layer in the baking pan, making sure there is plenty of room between the pieces of rutabaga to allow them to brown.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, then remove the foil, lower the heat and continue baking, stirring 2 or 3 times during the process, until the rutabaga is fork tender and starts to caramelize around the edges, about 15-20 minutes.
Oven Roasted Broccoli Florets
Ingredients
12 oz bag of fresh broccoli florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Place the broccoli in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss well and roast for 15 -20 minutes in the preheated oven until crisp-tender and the edges are starting to brown, tossing occasionally.
Pour the cheese sauce over the broccoli or serve it on the side.
Really Easy Cheddar Cheese Sauce
ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Combine all the ingredients in a glass dish and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir well. If all the cheese is not melted, repeat the process.
Serve with a green vegetable or a mixed green salad.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 (6-oz) salmon fillets, skin removed and patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes (seeds removed)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon prepared basil pesto
Thin Spaghetti, cooked
Directions
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Season salmon all over with salt and pepper.
When the oil begins to shimmer, add the salmon skin-side up and cook until deeply golden, about 6 minutes.
Turn over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to low and add the butter. When the butter melts, stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the shallot and cook until tender.
Add the chopped tomato and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan, and pesto and bring mixture to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Return the salmon back to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the fish. Simmer until the salmon is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes more.
Place some cooked spaghetti on each serving plate and place the salmon on top. Pour the sauce in the skillet over the fish and spaghetti.
Depending on where you live you’ll find everything from the first apples of the season to fresh broccoli, pumpkin and other squashes, grapes, cauliflower, root vegetables, melons, and sweet potatoes to just name a few. Incorporate these foods throughout your menu: try apples in your pancakes, stuff, and roast an acorn squash, add grapes to your chicken salad, make broccoli or cauliflower soup or add roasted root vegetables to your homemade pizza. There are endless possibilities.
Salmon Saltimbocca
2 servings
Ingredients
Olive oil
2 salmon fillets about 6 oz each, skin removed
Salt & pepper to taste
2 slices prosciutto
4 sage leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Pat the fish dry with paper towels and place in an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the salmon with salt & pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Lay two sage leaves on the non-skin side of the fillets and place a slice of prosciutto on top of each fillet.
Tuck the edges of the prosciutto underneath the sides of the salmon. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the salmon for 10 -12 minutes.
Roasted Broccoli With Creamy Italian Dressing
Ingredients
1 large head of broccoli (4 stalks)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Pinch of sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
To make the dressing:
Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dried seasoning, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the parsley and cheese. (The dressing will keep, refrigerated, up to 1 week.)
For the roasted broccoli:
Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalk and slice into 2-inch pieces.
Place the broccoli florets on an oiled baking sheet large enough to hold them all in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt and red pepper flakes. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and.serve with the dressing.
Garlic Butter Sautéed Rutabaga or Potatoes
Rutabaga is a great fall root vegetable to serve. If you don’t care for this vegetable substitute Yukon gold potatoes in the recipe below,
2 servings
Ingredients
1 ¼ lb rutabaga or Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish
Directions
Peel the rutabaga. Trim the ends, and then cut into 1-inch cubes. Put the rutabaga in a large pot and cover with cold water.
Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cover, turn down the heat and cook until just tender, but not soft or mushy, about 20 minutes.
Drain the rutabaga in a colander and then place on paper towels for a few minutes to dry.
.Heat the butter in a medium skillet and add the garlic. Cook for a minute. Add the dried rutabaga cubes, salt, and pepper to taste. Saute the cubes until brown and crispy, turning them over several times, about 15 minutes.
Asian Salmon
2 servings
2 center-cut skin-on salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each
1 teaspoon Asian chili oil or vegetable oil
Glaze
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh garlic
Directions
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.
Place the salmon fillets, flesh-side down, in the skillet and cook until well browned about 1 minute. Using a fish spatula ora flat spatula, carefully turn the salmon over and cook on the skin side for 1 minute.
Remove the skillet from the heat and spoon the glaze evenly over the salmon fillets. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the center of the thickest part of the fillets are cooked and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of fillets registers 125 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer fillets to individual plates and serve with Asian fried rice.
Asian Fried Rice
4 servings. Makes a great leftover for lunch,
Ingredients
4 cups leftover cooked rice or uncooked cauliflower rice
2 bacon slices, cooked and diced
2 large eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons Asian chili oil or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced banana pepper or other thin-skinned pepper
1 teaspoon Asian Fish Sauce
Directions
Heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add the beaten eggs and cook, without stirring, until fully cooked on one side, about 30 seconds. Turn the omelet over and cook for 15 seconds. Transfer the omelet to a cutting board and cut into ½-inch pieces.
Add 1 tablespoon chili or peanut oil to the pan along with scallions, ginger, and garlic; cook, stirring until the scallions have softened, about 30 seconds. Add banana pepper and celery; cook, stirring, until just tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer everything to a large bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon chili or peanut oil to the pan; add the rice and stir-fry 2 minutes.
Return the vegetable mixture, bacon and eggs to the pan; add soy sauce, fish sauce and remaining sesame oil and stir until well combined. Serve with the salmon.
Roasted Salmon With Chive Sauce
This chive sauce makes salmon so delicious.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the oven roasted salmon
1 large skinless salmon fillet (about 675g | 1-1/2lb), cut into 4 equal pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pats of butter
For the chive sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (240ml) chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
Directions
For the salmon:
Preheat the oven to 450°F; place the salmon in a baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each piece of salmon with a pat of butter. Roast in the preheated oven until the top of the fish starts to brown, about 15 minutes.
For the chive sauce:
While the fish is in the oven, heat the butter in a small saute pan set over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Cook until golden then add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer; simmer for about a minute then whisk in the mustard.
In a small container, whisk the cornstarch in the cream and then add this to the simmering sauce; whisk until well incorporated and the sauce thickens, about 45 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the fresh chopped chives.
Remove the roasted salmon from the oven and pour the chive sauce over the fish. Garnish with more chopped chives and serve.
Pan-fried Potatoes and Onions
Serves 4
To keep this dinner low carb, I used rutabaga instead of potatoes for this typical potato recipe. Either vegetable works well.
Ingredients
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 ½ lbs red potatoes or rutabaga, peeled
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Cut the potatoes or rutabaga into thin slices about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced potatoes or rutabaga and cook until the bottom layer begins to brown. Keep an eye on it because they will burn. Once the browning begins, turn the slices over with a metal spatula. When the potato or rutabaga start to soften, add the onions and turn the entire mixture with the spatula to mix.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Continue frying until the slices are evenly browned and soft, and the onions are caramelized.
Green Beans with Mushrooms
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
4 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Place the green beans in a large skillet with a cover. Pour water into the pan to just cover the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a strong simmer, cover the pan and cook the beans for 2 minutes. Drain the beans and set aside.
Add the oil and garlic to the empty skillet and heat for a minute. Add the mushrooms and thyme. Saute until the mushrooms are no longer releasing their liquid. Add the drained green beans and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until they are tender. Don’t overcook. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
