Green Dilly Beans:

Not a lot of news on the knitting front. The minisweater has been done, and is now undone (more to come on that later). The muggy heat that has befallen NY does not lead itself to picking up the needles. Having grown up in a part of Michgan that gets some serious snow, I have always been better suited to dealing with wind chill than heat index. This weather does nothing for my cheery disposition. I am coping by making dents in my summer reading. Case in point: I am currently at the limit for books checked out and on hold at the NYPL. On the bright side, with all the summer heat, Mother Nature's bounty is in full swing. I have happily lugged home pounds and pounds of CSA produce each week. Here's what's on the menu this weekend:

Angel Hair with Tomatoes, Summer Herbs, and Shrimp

Toss together:
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2/ c feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 c scallions
1/4 c torn fresh flat leaf parsley
2 T torn fresh dill
2 T torn fresh mint leaves
1 T capers
minced zest of 1 lemon

Saute in 1 t extra virgin olive oil:
1/2 lb lg shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and freshly ground pepper

Add and saute:
3 T extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
pinch of red pepper flakes

Toss 4 oz cooked angel hair pasta with garlic oil, shrimp, tomato herb mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

A sudden bout of frugalness prompted me to get unshelled shrimp of the small, shrimpy variety, which introduced me and B to the pain in the ass process known as peeling and deveining. All I have to say about that experience is ... never again.

The weekly CSA deliveries continue to roll in and I have been having a blast coming up with new ways to store and ingest the influx of produce. Last week's delivery heralded the arrival of the first fruit harvest, which in this case was cherries, about 5 lbs of them! I love cherries as much as anyone, but the thought of eating 5 pounds of cherries could only lead to one thing....humpus gumpus. Context clues prove to be invaluable here, but just in case, I'll fill you in. Googling the term humpus gumpus does not yield any results, so although I can provide you with no corresponding website link, I will credit my grandfather, who is known to the world as Poppa, with coining this phrase. Humpus gumpus, as it is known in my family, is another term for the runs, more specifically when the trips to the bathroom are the result of eating way too much fruit. Humpus gumpus was a common childhood affliction growing up in a family that defined desert as unlimited quantities of fresh fruit. Thankfully, humpus gumpus did not ensue last week because I found a delicious chutney recipe to temper the cherry consumption. It was a great addition to 4th of July feasts as a grilled chicken glaze and sauce. Enjoy, and may all your trips to the bathroom be regular.

Fresh Cherry Chutney

3/4 cup cherry preserves
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Mix preserves, vinegar, and allspice in medium bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup of preserves mixture for glaze (use this glaze for grilling chicken or pork); reserve remaining preserves mixture.

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté 1 minute. Add cherries, cayenne, and reserved preserves mixture. Boil chutney until thick, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve with grilled chicken or pork that has been glazed with previously mentioned preserves mixture. Makes 4 servings.

This recipe comes from the June 2005 issue of Bon Appetit. I found it on Epicurious as an accomaniment to grilled pork tenderloin. I used a vidalia onion, extra cayenne to taste, and added a sprig of fresh rosemary to the simmering pot.

March 2008