|
SUMMERTIME
The sun has reached its zenith here in the north country. The other night it was still light about the time I was going to make it an early night about 9:30. Summertime and I have been waiting for the onslaught of the 17 year cicada. No, cicadas yet. I do have an extremely noisy little green tree frog. The frog has an unusual high-pitched screech for a little critter the size of a half dollar. After a screech I can locate him or her clinging to the screen on the patio door. The warm rain and summer temperatures have brought on all kinds of munching critters. Something stripped my little marigolds to the stem. Yuk, who would want to eat marigolds? I was reading the Sunday paper this morning and it seems I am not alone. According to the garden writer, the warm winters we have had has helped develop a bumper crop of insects. My dad used to say a good week of subzero winter weather helped control the bugs. No single insect could be blamed but a combination of them. The one thing I know about my garden and backyard is the birds have been busy and doing their best to help me out. The droppings on the benches and trellis are ample proof of their efforts. I am easily amused and love to watch the birds popping in and out of the vegetables and flowers. You can also tell summer is here when I drag trash bags full of plastic pots back to the vendors at the farmers market. Red ladies mantle, red sedums, brown centered day lilies, a half a dozen angel ferns, a couple of Japanese ferns, a striped mini hosta, and numerous flats of annuals. I have a couple of things to transplant and then I can sit back an enjoy. My wish is that you have found new things to add to your garden. I'd like to continue my reviews of cookbooks and writers. I wrote about Ina Garten last month. My husband came and sat down to watch her television program with me and all of a sudden I am being compared to this lovely lady. It was back-handed praise and he didn't even realize it. The name Lee Bailey is a very well known one in the culinary world. I don't know the exact number of cookbooks to his credit but I'd venture a guess of twenty or more. I don't remember when I brought my first Lee Bailey cookbook? Back in the 80s, COUNTRY WEEKEND was a visual feast and the recipes from a gentleman raised in the south. He is a designer by trade and a graduate of Parson's School of Design. While I was growing up, the tomato sandwich was roughly the equivalent to chicken soup in my family - guaranteed to cure any ailment, from bee stings to depression. I have six or seven books of Lee's on the shelf; the pages are sticky. The last one I purchased was THE WAY I COOK, a collection of 1,300 favorite recipes and two dozen new menus. You can never go wrong when you purchase one of his books. One or the recipes I use again and again is for white bean sandwiches. I sort of cheat and use ready cooked canned white beans. You just have to remember that the canned beans are very salty and adjust accordingly. I make this without the salt pork for my non meat eaters or if I am going to a pot luck and wish it to be meat free. WHITE BEAN SANDWICHES: 1 POUND OF SMALL DRIED WHITE BEANS. 1/2 POUND SALT PORK 2 BAY LEAVES 2 GARLIC CLOVES 2 WHOLE CLOVES 1/2 TEASPOON DRIED THYME 2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL 1 TABLESPOON FINELY CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY 2 TABLESPOONS FRESH LEMON JUICE 1/2 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER 1/2 TEASPOON SALT 8 DROPS OF TABASCO SAUCE Soak the beans overnight and drain. Pour on fresh water to come about two inches over them. Add the salt pork. bay leaves, garlic, cloves and thyme. Simmer, skimming as needed, for 1 1/2 hours or until tender. Drain, reserving the liquid. Remove the bay leaves and the pork, discarding the fat and rind. Put the pork in the food processor and chop coarsely. Then add the beans, along with the olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, pepper, salt and Tabasco sauce. Puree. Correct the seasoning. To make sandwiches, spread on thickly sliced bread and top with watercress and green onions. Enjoy. Store in the refrigerator with a lick of olive oil on top to keep it from drying out. You can make soup of this by adding reserved bean liquid and chicken stock to the desired consistency. Makes about approximately 4 cups. You can also add thick slices of fresh tomato, sliced radishes, spicy Colby jack cheese, and lettuce rather than watercress, but the bean spread is good on its own. I like it in a good dark rye bread with slices of onion and a bottle of beer. This recipe can be found in the GOOD PARTIES edition. Success in the kitchen follows a trip to the garden. Kind friends remember to apply extra kindness, speak the truth and eat good food. Ciao. Dateline June 25, 2007
|
