Midsummer Recipes

ApfelPfannkuchen (German Apple Pancakes)
Fresh Broccoli Soup in Bread Bowls
Herbed Roast Chicken
Cucumber Soup with Lemon-Grass and Spinach
GooseBerry Fool
Fresh Herb Soup
Orange Honey Butter
Herbal Lemon Cookies
Metheglin
ButterMilk Scones
Zucchini Bread
Zucchini Walnut Toss

ApfelPfannkuchen (German Apple Pancakes)

• 2 large apples, any cooking variety
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• confectioner's sugar

 

Preheat oven to 475°. Peel, core and very thinly slice the apples: you should have approximately 1-1/2 cups.

Melt 3 Tbsp. of the butter over medium low heat in a small fry pan, and sauté the apples until they are just tender. Keep apples warm while preparing the batter. Place a 9 or 10 inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat for at least 5 minutes - the pan has to be very hot for this to work. When it is well heated, add the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter to melt and put the skillet back in the oven; the butter should be very hot buy not brown when you add the apples and the batter. Place the flour, milk, vanilla, salt and nutmeg in a blender and whirl until smooth. Remove the skillet from the oven, quickly arrange the warm apple slices over the melted butter, and pour the batter evenly over all. Bake for 15 min., reduce heat to 375° and bake 10 minutes longer. The pancake will puff and climb up the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, then cut in wedges and serve with maple syrup.

Fresh Broccoli Soup in Bread Bowls

• Round sour dough bread loaves, halved
• 1/2 pound Broccoli, fresh
• 1/4 cup Onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup Margarine
• 1/2 cup Flour
• 3 cups Water
• 4 tsp. Chicken Bouillon granules
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

 

Steam broccoli in small amount of salted water for 10 minutes or until crisp-tender; coarsely chop. In large saucepan, sauté onion in margarine until tender, but not brown. Blend in flour. Add water, chicken bouillon, milk, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until mixture slightly thickens. Add chopped broccoli. Bring to boiling and stir in shredded cheese until melted. Serve soup in individual hollowed out bread loaf halves. Leftover soup freezes well.

Herbed Roast Chicken

• 1/2 cup Dry white wine
• 1 Lemon (juice of)
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Dried oregano
• 4 lbs. Chicken, quartered
• 1/2 cup Olive oil
• 1/2 cup Tomato sauce
• 1 Onion, minced
• 1 Green pepper, minced
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin

 

In a shallow dish combine wine, lemon juice, garlic, 1 /4 teaspoon oregano and pinch of salt. Add chicken, turning to coat well and marinate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350°. In a saucepan combine remaining ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon oregano and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Put chicken in a baking dish and top with sauce. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, or until done.

Cucumber Soup with Lemon-Grass and Spinach

• 2 Tbsp.Unsalted Butter
• 2 Ribs Celery, strings removed; chopped
• 1 small Onion, minced
• 2 stalks fresh Lemongrass, tender middle chopped
• 2 medium Cucumbers, peeled & seeded - chopped
• 2 cups Chicken stock or broth
• 1 1/2 cups Spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro leaves
• 3 Tbsp. Whipping cream
• fresh ground Black Pepper to taste

 

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add celery, onion and lemongrass. Cook gently until onion is tender, 15 minutes. Add cucumbers and stock. Heat to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until cucumber is tender, 10 minutes. Strain solids from liquid, reserving both. Pureé solids with spinach and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Add reserved liquid, cream, salt and pepper; mix until smooth. Serve warm or chilled.
Makes 4 ~ 1 1/2 cup servings

GooseBerry Fool

Cook gooseberries in water until done (or you may use the equivalent of canned gooseberries). Mash gooseberries in blender or food processor. Beat sugar into hot gooseberries. When cold, mix with stiffly whipped cream and pour into sherbet glasses for serving.

Fresh Herb Soup

• 1 Tbsp. Butter or margarine, unsalted
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh chives, minced
• 2 Tbsp. Fresh chervil, minced
• 2 Tbsp. Lemon sorrel leaves, minced
• 2 tsp.Fresh tarragon, minced
• 1 cup Celery ribs -- finely chopped
• 4 cups Vegetable broth
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 pinch Sugar
• 4 slices Whole wheat bread , toasted
• 1 dash Freshly ground nutmeg
• Grated cheddar cheese

 

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy pot. Add the herbs and celery and cook, stirring, until wilted and soft, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Place a slice of toast in each soup bowl and pour the soup over. Dust with nutmeg and sprinkle with grated cheese.

 

Orange Honey Butter

• 2 Tbsp. Grated Orange Rind
• 3 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp. honey

 

Combine the orange rind, powdered sugar, butter and honey in a small bowl and blend until well mixed. Chill slightly and serve with scones or biscuits.

Herbal Lemon Cookies

• 1 cup Butter or margarine
• 2 cups Sugar, divided
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups Flour
• 2 tsp. Baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/3 cup Lemon Grass / Lemon Balm / Lemon Basil - chopped

 

Cream the butter and 1-3/4 cups sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs. Add to the creamed mixture and mix. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 3 inches apart, on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a fork or cup bottom. Sprinkle lightly with the remaining sugar. Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until barely browned. Cool slightly, then remove to a rack.

Metheglin

• 5 lbs. of honey
• 1 gallon of water
• 1 lemon
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 sprig of balm
• 3/4 oz. of yeast

 

Simmer the herbs and thinly sliced lemon rind for twenty minutes in the gallon of water. Strain the liquid and pour onto the honey, stirring well. When lukewarm, add the juice of the lemon and the yeast. Cover and leave for twenty-four hours, then stir and leave in a warm place until fermentation ceases. Strain the meade into bottles and keep them in a cool, dark place for one year.

ButterMilk Scones

• 3 cups Flour
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 3/4 cup Currants
• 1 tsp Grated Orange Rind
• 1 Tbsp Heavy Cream
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp Sugar

Preheat oven to 425°. Use an un-greased baking sheet. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir well with a fork to mix and fold air into batter. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender or two knives, or work in, using your fingertips, until the mixture looks like fresh bread crumbs. Add the buttermilk, currants and orange rind. Mix only until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gather the dough into a ball and press so it holds together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly 12 times. Pat the dough into a circle 1/2-inch thick.

Glaze: In a small bowl combine the cream, cinnamon and sugar; stir to blend. Brush the dough with the glaze. Cut the dough into 18 pie-shaped pieces. Place the scones 1 inch apart on the baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the tops are browned. Serve hot with Orange Honey Butter.

Zucchini Bread

• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 medium, grated, unpeeled zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

 

Preheat oven to 350°.In mixing bowl, beat eggs till frothy. Beat in sugar, oil & vanilla until thick & lemon colored. Sift in flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, & salt. Fold in zucchini & walnuts. Pour mixture in 2 greased & floured loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Zucchini Walnut Toss

• 3 medium zucchini
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter or margarine
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

 

Cut zucchini in half crosswise; cut each half into 6 spears. In large nonstick skillet over medium heat, spread walnuts into single layer. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 3-4 minutes, or until nuts are fragrant and start to brown. Immediately remove from pan; set aside. In same skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add zucchini and cook, stirring constantly, until crisp-tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and toasted walnuts; cook just until heated through. Top with parmesan cheese.