Gourmet Garden-Cooking

Today was one of those days I was happy to be done with work, to come home to my family, and to spend some time in my garden, harvesting veggies for dinner and dreaming of the upcoming recipes I can cook.

Squash and squash blossoms, chocolate brown and green bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, jalepenos, tomatoes, green beans, and herbs. Some of the produce soon to be harvested from the Anderson Farm! Here is what I harvested today...

Still a mystery to me why we have a subscription to Food and Wine but I am not complaining. The August 2010 issue had a recipe for Spicy Avocado-Cucumber Soup. I tried it, omitting the Thai green curry paste for both the fear of it being too spicy and the lack of it in my pantry. The result was creamy, cool, refreshing, hints of spiciness and sweetness.


The dinner I made was a somewhat invented recipe, I call Pineapple Crusted Salmon. I had some leftover Pineapple Salsa that I used to baste the salmon before dusting it with a corn meal coating and frying it. Served over a bed of blanched green beans and some extra pineapple salsa drizzled, and coconut flakes as garnish.


Both are recipes I am considering making at our upcoming neighborhood cooking club.

Spicy Avocado-Cucumber Soup

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded and chopped
1 Hass avocado, coarsely chopped
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp lime zest
1/2-1 jalepeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 can light unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 Tbs fresh lime juice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
garnish options - toasted coconut flakes, diced red bell peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, cilantro

Puree the cucumber until smooth. Add the avocado, sugar and lime zest, blending. Add the coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups water, and lime juice. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into a bowl and chill in fridge for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toast coconut flakes or prepare other garnish options. Pour into glasses or small bowls, garnish and serve.


Pineapple Crusted Salmon

5 Tbs pineapple salsa (recipe below), divided in half
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 salmon fillets
butter or EVOO
toasted coconut flakes

Put 2-3 Tbs of the pinapple salsa in a small pot and reduce over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Combine the flour thru the pepper in a shallow bowl. Rinse and dry the salmon fillets. Brush each side of the salmon with some reduced pineapple salsa. Then coat in the corn meal mixture on both sides. Warm skillet with some butter or EVOO and then fry salmon few minutes per side. Serve, topped with remaining pineapple salsa and toasted coconut flakes.


Pineapple Salsa
Puree 1/4 fresh pineapple with 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 1/4 cup cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill. Keeps in fridge up to 2 days. Great as a marinade for shrimp, grilled on the BBQ!