Sunday Morning

Blueberry Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
A perfect breakfast treat for a leisurely Sunday morning.


These classic buttermilk pancakes are enhanced with the nutty flavor of cornmeal, which contrasts exceptionally well with blueberries.
When making any pancakes there are few key things to remember. First, do not over mix the batter – it is best to have some lumps. Second, make sure your griddle is not overly buttered – otherwise the pancakes will fry up too quickly and will be cooked on the outside but raw in the middle. Finally, know that it is time to flip the pancakes when the entire surface of the batter has lots of tiny bubbles that are just starting to burst. Don’t be tempted to flip the pancake before the bubbles start to burst, yet don’t wait until all of the bubbles have burst either. It’s all about the timing here, as the portions in the recipe are just so in order to produce a light and fluffy pancake.

Make 10 pancakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 large eggs, beaten
4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
3 cups low fat buttermilk
2 cups fresh blueberries
real maple syrup, slightly heated

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and cornmeal. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs, melted butter and buttermilk. Whisk the ingredients together and do not over mix.
To make the pancakes, heat a griddle or large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of butter to the pan. Use a paper towel to soak up any excess butter. Pour the batter into a pitcher or use a ladle to pour approximately 1/3 cup batter into the pan. Immediately place 6-8 blueberries on the pancake batter. When the surface of the pancake is covered with tiny bubbles that are starting to burst, it is time to flip the pancake. Use a large heatproof spatula to flip the pancake in one quick swoop. Cook the pancake until light golden brown, about 1 minute more. Repeat this process, until all of the batter is gone.
Cooked pancakes can be placed on a heatproof dish kept warm in oven preheated to 175 degrees F, or served immediately. Top pancakes with warm maple syrup and a few more blueberries.

Panzanella

Another Italian late summer favorite.


Panzanella
Panzanella is an Italian Bread salad that is commonly made in the Tuscan region of Italy. It consists of toasted bread, fresh tomatoes, basil and a light vinaigrette along with whatever leftover ingredients may be on hand – perhaps roasted peppers, cucumber, olives, lettuce, garlic or whatever one prefers. The amounts here are approximate, as this type of dish is really one where you can add as much or as little of anything. The only musts here are the toasted bread, tomatoes, basil and dressing. The key to a successful panzanella, besides best quality ingredients, is adding the right amount of dressing – just enough to moisten the bread and not so much that it is soggy. The richness from the buttery olive oil should cause the bread to just melt in your mouth.


Serves 6

1/2 pound stale rustic bread, cubed
1/2 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2-3 tablespoons best quality extra virgin olive oil
4-5 medium size heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the bread cubes onto a baking sheet and toast until slightly golden, about 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
To make the dressing, combine the mustard, salt, pepper and lemon juice. While whisking, slowly pour the olive oil into vinegar mixture. This dressing can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator.
Combine the tomato, cucumber, onion, basil, parsley and garlic in a salad or serving bowl. Pour over half of the dressing. Add the toasted bread cubes and enough of the dressing so that the salad is well dressed but not soaked. If the salad seems underdressed drizzle over a bit more olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

For the End of Summer

Hand Cut Pasta with Basil Pesto, Green Beans and Potatoes
As the curtains close on this summer's stage, I thought it would be appropriate to share my adaption of a classic Italian summer dish.


Green beans and potatoes may seem like an odd addition to pesto and pasta, however they are commonly found in this classic dish that originated in Genova, Italy. The first time I ate this dish was in one of the beautiful towns of La Cinque Terra, on the Linguaria coast of Italy. I was fifteen, at the time, and food was low on my lists of interest. So the fact that over 10 years later I can distinctly remember devouring this pasta, washing it down with an ice cold sprite, while sitting over the cliffs of the Mediterranean sea on a warm summer day, is a testament to how truly wonderful this dish really is. At an age where little impressed me, the rich flavors of this dish certainly left an impression on me.
In the recipe that follows, I cut fresh lasagna sheets by hand, yet any long fresh noodle will be wonderful too. And of course, store-bought linguine or spaghetti will work perfectly too. Just make sure to adjust your cooking time –fresh pasta takes a few minutes unlike dried pasta.
The key for this dish, as usual, is using the best quality ingredients. That means – fresh, fragrant basil; cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, and real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Using anything less in this classic pesto is really just a waste of your time. I also like to use the small haricots verts, green beans, but if you can’t find them (as I couldn’t this time), any type of green bean will do. Creamy white or Yukon potatoes are best. In traditional Pesto Genovese the green beans and potatoes are cut up fairly small and play a lesser role against the pasta and pesto, however in this rendition of the dish, I wanted to serve the vegetable course and pasta all in one, so I went heavy on the green beans and potatoes. You can adjust the amount of vegetables to your own taste.




Hand Cut Pasta with Basil Pesto, Green Beans and Potatoes

Serves 6

1 large bunch fresh basil leaves (about 3 cups)
1/3 cup raw pine nuts, plus more for garnish
1 large clove of garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
3/4 cup of freshly graded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 pound fresh pasta sheets, cut into strips or fresh pasta noodles
2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2 pieces
3-4 small white potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes


To make the pesto, place the clean basil leaves (stems removed), pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper in a large food processor. Blend until chopped. With the machine running, pour the olive oil into the small hole on the top of the food processor in a slow and steady stream. When the mixture is smooth and creamy add Parmesan cheese. Pulse until just combined. This mixture should be me made no more than one hour ahead of time or the basil will oxidize and turn black.
Fill both a medium and large pot with water. Bring both to a boil and add a teaspoon of salt to each.
Place the peeled potatoes in the medium pot of water and cook for about 5 minutes; then add the green beans. Cook for another 5 minutes or until both the potatoes and green beans are tender. Test with a fork. Drain the water from the potatoes and green beans, season with a bit of salt and pepper and set aside.
Meanwhile, add the fresh pasta to the large pot of boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes, or until al dente, but cooked through. Place the noodles and 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water in a large serving bowl or platter. Pour the pesto over the noodles and toss together. If the pesto is still clumpy add another 1/2 cup or so of the pasta water. Gently toss in the warm potatoes and green beans. Serve in individual bowls and garnish with more Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a few pine nuts, if desired.