Enjoy the best of this season's produce with these late summer recipes.
Raspberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Raspberry Salad Ingredients: • 1/2 cup fresh raspberries• 3 cups mixed salad greens
• Balsamic vinaigrette (see below)
Method: Combine raspberries and greens; drizzle with desired amount of balsamic vinaigrette, tossing to coat. Chill leftover vinaigrette to use for other salads.
Yields 2 servings. Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients: • 1 onion, finely diced (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1 cup olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
Method: Sauté onion in 1/2 cup olive oil 10 to 15 minutes or until brown. Stir in thyme and next 6 ingredients; pour onion mixture into a bowl. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup oil, stirring with a wire whisk until well blended.
Yields 1 3/4 cups.
Grilled Summer Vegetables and Goat Cheese Pizzetas
Ingredients: • Pizza dough (see below)• 2 heirloom tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 small zucchini
• 1 small yellow squash
• 2 portobello mushrooms
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 12 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Method: Preheat a grill to hot, allowing 10 to 15 minutes to heat. Place each portion of the pizza dough on an inverted cake pan or baking pan and press gently into a circle. Invert the pans on the grill so that the dough circles rest on the grill. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes or until the dough is set. Remove the pans and turn the crusts over. Grill until the other side is marked. Remove from the grill.
Cut the tomatoes, onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms into chunks. Combine with the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat evenly. Grill the vegetables until tender-crisp. Chop into bite-size pieces and sprinkle over the pizza crusts. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the vegetables.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pizzetas until the cheese melts and the crusts are crisp. Sprinkle with the basil. Cut into wedges to serve.
Makes 4 or 5 pizzetas. Pizza Dough Ingredients: • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon quick-rising dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
Method: Combine the flour, sugar, garlic, basil, rosemary, tarragon, olive oil, vegetable oil, and salt in a mixing bowl; mix with a dough hook. Add the yeast and mix at low speed. Add 1/2 cup of the water gradually, mixing constantly. Add the remaining water gradually, mixing constantly until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Mix at low to medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes longer.
Remove to an oiled bowl, turning to coat the surface. Let rise, covered with a clean towel, until doubled in bulk. Punch down the dough and let rise again until doubled in bulk. Punch down to remove air bubbles and divide in to 4 to 5 equal portions.
Makes 4 or 5 pizzeta crusts. Winemaster's Suggestion: Serve with Biltmore Sauvignon Blanc.
Watermelon Sorbet
Ingredients: • 4 cups water• 2 cups sugar
• 8 cups chopped, seeded watermelon
• 1 (12-ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
Method: Bring 4 cups water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Cool.
Process sugar syrup and watermelon in batches in container of an electric blender until smooth. Stir in lemonade concentrate. Cover and chill 2 hours.
Pour mixture into freezer container of a 1-gallon electric freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Yields 2 1/2 quarts.