During that short period when both nectarines and corn
are in season at the same time, I make this almost every day. Sometimes the
corn is so sweet I don’t even cook it; otherwise I grill it briefly to bring
the sugars to the surface. It’s a casual, family-style starter, but honestly, I
like it so much I’d make it my lunch and dinner! It’s everything I love about
summer food.
2 small ripe nectarines, cut into small wedges.
⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
1 fresh Fresno or serrano chile,
thinly sliced
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive
oil, plus more as needed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
8 slices from a rustic Italian loaf
4 ears of corn, shucked and silk
removed
8 ounces fresh burrata, drained and
patted dry
½ teaspoon flake salt, such as
Maldon
In a medium bowl, combine the
nectarines, basil, chile, vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and the kosher salt,
and combine gently. Set aside and let the mixture marinate for at least 30
minutes at room temperature or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Heat a stovetop grill pan over
medium-high heat. Brush the bread slices with oil and grill until lightly
marked on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes total. Add the corn to the pan and grill
on all sides until warmed with a few charred spots. Use a sharp knife to slice
the kernels off the cobs and add them to the bowl with the nectarines.
To serve, spoon the nectarine
mixture onto a platter. Tear the burrata into 8 to 12 good-size pieces and
arrange them over the salad. Sprinkle the flake salt evenly over the cheese and
drizzle the cheese with a little extra olive oil. Serve with the grilled bread.
Antipasti in a jar :
Although the ingredients are familiar, these jars make the
standard antipasto fare—cheese, veggies, olives—a little more stylish and
formal. I prepare them ahead of time and put one at each place setting when
guests arrive, or you can set them out with toothpicks for people to share. I
also like to bring a jar or two to a friend’s dinner party as a hostess gift.
The part I love most about these is that Jade enjoys both making them and
eating them for lunch! And the longer this sits, the better it gets, so keep a
couple assembled in the fridge.
1 cup ciliegine (baby mozzarella balls)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
⅛ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon kosher
salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
½ cup pitted green olives
In a small bowl, toss together the
mozzarella, olive oil, ⅛ teaspoon salt, the oregano, and red pepper flakes. In
a separate bowl, toss the tomatoes with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the
basil. Allow both mixtures to sit for 5 minutes so the flavors can marry.
Divide the marinated mozzarella
balls evenly between two 10-ounce glass jars. Spoon the tomatoes over the
cheese and top with the olives. Cover the jars with their lids and refrigerate
until ready to serve, up to 3 days.
Candied prosciutto :
If you like sweet/salty treats, you are going to find this
addictive. The prosciutto gets crunchy and crispy, and because it’s so thin,
you can crumble it on a salad. I also make this for Jade as a snack and add it
to my antipasto platters for a fun twist.
¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto di San Daniele (5 or 6 thin
slices)
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the slices of
prosciutto on the parchment without overlapping them. In a small bowl, mix
together the sugar, cayenne, allspice, and salt. Brush each slice of prosciutto
with some olive oil and sprinkle with the spice mix.
Bake the prosciutto for 16 to 18
minutes, or until it is beginning to crisp and the sugar is caramelized.
Transfer the slices to a wire rack to cool completely. Blot with a paper towel
if beads of oil form on the prosciutto.
Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto spiced prunes :
This is an elegant appetizer from Tuscany. Decadent, salty, and
nutty little bites, and the prunes get plump and juicy from the poaching
liquid—plus it makes the house smell good!
½ cup port wine
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 strips of orange zest
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
20 pitted prunes
¼ pound Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut
into bite-size pieces
5 thin slices prosciutto di Parma,
each cut in 4 pieces
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup
of water with the port, vinegar, cloves, cinnamon, orange zest, sugar, and
salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add
the prunes. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the prunes have softened and
plumped. Allow to cool in the liquid for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon,
remove the prunes from the poaching liquid to a plate and allow them to cool
completely.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Using a paring knife, make a slit
from stem to tip in each of the prunes. Stuff the prunes with a piece of the
Parmigiano-Reggiano. Wrap each prune in a quarter piece of prosciutto and place
it, seam-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or
until the prosciutto is crispy and the Parmigiano-Reggiano is soft and melted.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Grappa-Poached pears with speck :
If you enjoy serving melon and prosciutto in the summer months,
try this cold-weather version with fall fruits and spices. Use petite Forelle
pears, if you can find them because they are the perfect size, but Bosc or Red
Bartlett works well, too. Buy the pears a touch underripe because you don’t
want them to get too soft and fall apart when you cook them. You can substitute
any kind of cured ham for the speck as long as it is very thinly sliced.
2 cups grappa
½ cup sugar
8 whole cloves
⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
flakes
8 black peppercorns
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3 small Forelle, Bosc, or Red
Bartlett pears, peeled, halved, and cored
12 thin slices speck
1½ cups baby arugula
In a medium Dutch oven, combine 2
cups of water with the grappa, sugar, cloves, red pepper flakes, peppercorns,
rosemary, orange zest, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring
occasionally with a wooden spoon to help dissolve the sugar. Simmer for 5
minutes. Carefully place the pears in the poaching liquid, cut-side down. Place
a circle of parchment paper on top of the liquid to keep the pears submerged
and continue to simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow
the pears to cool completely in the liquid.
Cut each pear half into 4 wedges.
Cut each piece of speck in half lengthwise. Bundle a few arugula leaves together
with a pear wedge. Lay the bundle on one end of a halved piece of speck and
roll the speck around the bundle; secure it with a toothpick. Repeat with the
remaining pears, arugula, and speck.
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