Here is something I never thought I would say in Canada: It is brutally, unbearably hot in here! So much so that for the past one month most of our days and even nights had to be spent outside: in the park, by the lake, under the huge maple tree at Kits beach, at my regular
coffee shop and
favorite bookstore...
...just anywhere that is slightly cooler than our south-facing, sun-and-heat filled home. (which I adore in winter months :)
So when I woke up this morning feeling the cool breeze coming in from the window by our bed, I said:
Finally! I can spend the day at home.
I really missed that. I also missed to be in the kitchen. In the past one month, I rarely cooked anything exciting. Most of the time we had light meals: quick sandwiches, cold mezes, lots of salads and grilled food on the barbie.
Saying that, there had been a few exceptions. Like this time when I found fresh
BC Spot Prawns, a seasonal delicate that you can enjoy only for a very short time between late May and early July. For me, the best way to enjoy their sweet flavour is to go simple and have them grilled with garlic, sea salt and a touch of olive oil. But this time, I decided to try something new and followed the
"Spot Prawns with tomato confit, garlic and chile" recipe I adapted from
"
Sunday Suppers at Lucques" - a wonderful cookbook that celebrates the simple, seasonal cooking of Suzanne Goin.
Encouraged by the hot weather, I forced myself to be a bit more creative with cool summer salads we have been eating almost everyday. Among the recipes I tried these two were definite winners:
~
Beet, Cucumber and Yogurt Salad and
~
Arugula Salad with Couscous Cakes and Goat Cheese 
For the
beet salad, I first decided to make a traditional
cacik but then one careful look at our fridge reminded me that the beets I got from UBC farm earlier that week need urgent attention before they lose their fresh firm texture. So I decided to make a few changes in my basic cacik recipe: I placed 3 large beets in an oven-proof baking dish, added 1/3 cup of water, covered very tightly with foil (I used double foil), and roasted them for 45-50 min in a preheated oven at 400F. While the beets are roasting, I mixed 1 cup plain yogurt with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon (each) salt, red pepper flakes, mint and sumac. I peeled and cut one med-sized cucumber first lenghtwise that into half-moons. Once the beets are cooked, I drained and peeled them and cut them into four. Then I mixed the cucumbers, beets and the yogurt dressing in a bowl and drizzled olive oil before I served.
Continue Reading...
I adapted the second salad recipe from FineCooking magazine. It immediately became a favorite of B. Light and tasty, we had it twice in one week...
Arugula Salad with Couscous Cakes and Goat Cheese
For the dressing:
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs plain yogurt
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh mint
5 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
For the cakes:
3/4 cup couscous
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup canned chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
zest of 1 medium lemon
3 Tbs canola oil (to fry)
For the salad:
1 large bunch arugula, washed and torn
10-15 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
In a small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients. Season to taste.
Put the couscous and 1 tsp salt in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water, cover and let sit for 10 minutes. In a food processor, chop the garlic and parsley until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, 1 tsp salt and pulse until coarsly chopped. Uncover the coucous and fluff with a fork. Stir in the chickpea mixture, eggs and lemon zest until well combined. Using your hands make cake balls out of the mixture.
Heat 2 Tbs oil over medium heat until shimmering hot. Add the cakes and use a spatula to flatten them a bit. Cook, flipping once, until golden and crisp. (3-4 min each side)
Assemble the salad: In a salad plate, place the aragula and cherry tomatoes. Toss with half of the dressing. Season to taste. Add the couscous cakes on top (you might have more cakes than needed, in this case you can keep them in the fridge for 3 days) Sprinkle with goat's cheese and the remaining dressing. 
In spring, we planted three Heirloom plants and before mid-summer our beloved balcony was conquered by them. They have grown into huge plants - taller and wider than myself. We had to re-decorate the balcony and take the BBQ out to accommodate them. Well, love - and curiosity - make you do things. Watching them grow up right in front of our eyes made me somehow feel very connected to them. I wonder if farmers are feeling like this all the time or do they just get used to it. Anyhow, this is our 4th year growing produce (whatever we can) in our tiny balcony and it gives great satisfaction and pride. So far, we only planted for summer but this year I'll try to grow winter produce as well. I have leafy greens and fingerlings in mind..we'll see.
