Cooking With Stanley Week 31
This week's Cooking With Stanley has a very summery meal for you. I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately. Anyway, between the grilled fish, simple salad and tasty dessert, you simply can't beat this menu. Well, unless you're me and don't have a keen taste for most types of fish. Cooking With Stanley is back and just in time to use up that end of summer produce.
MENU
Starter: Uncooked Fresh Tomato Sauce with Spaghetti
Main: Grilled Salmon
Side: Mushroom and White Asparagus Salad
Dessert: Tropiano Biscotti with Anisettes Flavoring
If there was ever a time to cook with tomatoes, it's now. They are finishing the peak of their season and the stragglers are just about ready to pick. They are large, juicy and red and just dying to be cooked. The Uncooked Fresh Tomato Sauce is perfect to use some of those more ripe tomatoes that have only a day or so left. I will warn you that the making of this sauce is quite messy, tedious and a long process but the end result is worth it. After boiling the tomatoes, you have to pull off the skins, chop finely and put in a strainer to release the liquid overnight into a bowl. I was surprised just how much liquid came out of the tomatoes, it filled up the entire bowl! Once they've drained, the sauce is ready to go. It's very simple and does't require any other ingredients except for some olive oil to toss the pasta in.
I paired the Grilled Salmon with the Mushroom and White Asparagus Salad. The salad would have been more suited for the spring when asparagus are at their peak but it was light and delicious for summer as well. I was unable to find white asparagus so I grabbed green instead which is totally fine since white asparagus has a shorter season than green. The salad has a very simple Dijon-Balsamic Dressing that paired nicely with the other flavors. Instead of porcini or cremini mushrooms, I used a portobello head. I just find portobellos more flavorful and pleasant for both mushroom lovers and non-lovers. The Grilled Salmon was prepared simply with olive oil and fresh squeezed lime juice. There was practically no prep to it and I just had to throw it on the grill so that was nice. I'm not a salmon person in the slightest. I did enjoy it well enough but about halfway through my piece, I was done. I have my limits when it comes to fish and salmon hits that limit a little faster than other types.
The dessert was probably my favorite...ok, maybe the pasta was. I love biscotti but I don't particularly enjoy making them. It's a whole afternoon's work especially since our double oven isn't working properly right now. They turned out fabulous though. The first round I baked a little too long but the second round came out perfect. I love the flavor of anise so these were right up my alley and they made the house smell incredible. It gave a little taste of fall and the holidays while it's still warm outside.
Speaking of fall, anyone get the PSL yet?
