Simple Summer Fiesta

by Faith Heinauer

Olé! It’s time to celebrate the arrival of summer’s long days, warm sunshine, and Mother Nature’s abundant goodies by preparing a garden-fresh meal with a sunny, Spanish twist. It’s simple, tasty, and festive.

This light, healthy, and quick-to-make fare is also portable -- try stuffing the paella into a pita, pouring the cocktails in a cooler, and wrapping up sliced pound cake. These are the longest days in the year; take advantage of them by going on a picnic or eating outdoors.

Grab some friends, a pitcher of sangria and a little mariachi music… celebrate the season, Spanish style.

 

Sunshine sangría

Sip on this fruited, fizzy wine while you shake your bon bon.

1 bottle white wine

3 Tbsps sugar

2 Tbsps lemon juice

1/2 cup orange juice

2 lemons, sliced thin

2 oranges, sliced thin

3 1/2 cups club soda

ice cubes

  1. In a large punch bowl or two large pitchers, combine the wine, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, lemon slices, and orange slices. Refrigerate for at least one hour, or until well chilled.
  2. At serving time, add the club soda and ice cubes and pour into glasses. ¡Salud!

Serves 4

 

Paella

Paella, a Spanish dish that is typically made with meats and shellfish, has been summer-ized by incorporating fresh garden vegetables.

1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 large onion, chopped

3 1/2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. saffron

1 cup arborio or risotto rice

2 large tomatoes, chopped

2 cups green beans, cut in half (w/ ends cut off)

2 medium zucchini, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

  1. Drain marinade from the artichokes into a large skillet. Set artichokes aside. Heat marinade over medium heat. Add garlic and onion. Cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the vegetable broth, salt, pepper, cumin, saffron, rice, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini and red pepper. Stir. Place lid on dish and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add garbanzo beans and artichoke hearts. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Taste for additional salt and pepper.

Serves 6-8

 

Almond pound cake with brown-sugared peaches

Pound cake originally got its name because one pound each of butter, sugar, and eggs were used in the recipe. This updated version got its title because of the reaction it generates -- random people will pound on your door for a slice of this moist, tender, and oh-so-yummy cake. Make the succulent dessert even better by using sweet, juicy peaches.

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp almond extract

1 cup sour cream

  1. Heat the oven to 300° . Grease and flour a bundt pan.
  2. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream butter for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat for one minute. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and almond extract and beat until well combined. Add sour cream and mix for 30 seconds.
  4. Add dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined.
  5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, until golden brown, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  6. Cool cake for 20 minutes. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
  7. Once cooled, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and top with peaches.

 

Peach topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cups peaches, peeled and sliced

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

  1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, stir together the brown sugar, peaches, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Turn heat off and let peach mixture cool. Serve with pound cake or refrigerate until ready to use.

This dessert is extra good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8

Faith Heinauer is a caterer, cookbook author, and head cheese at Bitchin' Kitchen. She's committed to developing quick and sassy ways for folks to work and play with their food. Check her out on the Web at http://www.bitchin-kitchenonline.com/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting Saffron scoop -

Saffron -- the yellow-orange stigmas from a small purple crocus -- is the world's most expensive spice. Each flower provides only three stigmas, which must be carefully handpicked and then dried, which is an extremely labor-intensive process. It takes over 14,000 of these tiny stigmas for each ounce of saffron. This pungent spice is used to flavor and tint food. Fortunately, a little goes a long way. It's integral to hundreds of dishes (like paella), and flavors many European foods.

 

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