Fresco del Jardin: Icicle Radish Slaw

This is the last recipe from the dinner party I threw last week and it uses an ingredient that is very new to me. The Icicle Radish. I picked these up from the Kokomo Farmer's Market and their long and spindly shape interested me. I bought them without thinking what I would use them for but the idea for a slaw came to mind.

Icicle Radish, via

To make the slaw I used my nifty julienne slicer. If you don't have one of these and make slaws or any type of finely diced veggies- you should totally invest in one! It slices your items both vertically and horizontally creating the most perfect little shreds of vegetable.

Back to Icicle Radishes. These baby's are HOT as in fill your sinuses spicy. That's why I paired them with red cabbage and carrots and mixed everything the night before. Waiting a day or so really helped to meld the flavors and tone down the radishes.

I served the slaw underneath chicken that I grilled with lots of fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. I like using the sea salt because you need more of it to get the salty flavor and it kinda of crystalizes over the chicken.

Without further adieu, the recipe!

What you'll need:

2 Cups carrots, julienne sliced

2 Cups red cabbage, finely sliced

1 Cup Icicle Radish, julienne sliced

1 Tb Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tb Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

The (super easy) plan:

Combine all ingredients in a bow. Let it sit, refrigerated, for 1-2 days. Serve cold.

So, there you have it. How easy is that?

Fresco del Jardin: Pan-fried Zucchini Ribbons with Rosemary + Parmesan

One of my favorite new ways to eat zucchini (that seems to be coming in droves at my parents house!) is to slice it thin like pasta and add some Italian inspired seasoning and throw it in a hot pan. The flavors are full yet simple and there is a slight crispiness that comes from both the squash and the preparation.

To make the zucchini ribbons I used this Y peeler which is different from a peeler like this because I think it gives you more control, makes larger ribbons slices and is more ergonomically comfortable. I just ran the peeler down the zucchini, keeping the skin on, until I got to the seeds.

Here's the recipe:

What you need:

2 Medium sized zucchini
1/4 Cup olive oil + 1 Tb olive oil during the cooking proccess
2 Tb balsamic vinegar
1 Tb basil
1 Tb oregano
1 Tb rosemary
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan
salt + pepper to taste

The plan:

Using the Y peeler, slice zucchini into ribbons. Add in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and herbs mixing until fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate over night.

Heat sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 1 Tb olive oil, add zucchini mixture. Keep the zucchini moving by stirring so it doesn't get too brown. Once the zucchini is tender it is ready to go. Top with Parmesan and serve hot.

A couple tips: I like to let mine sit overnight so that all the flavors gel together and because it is a great make-ahead dish when you are entertaining. I love being able to quickly pull the bowl out of the fridge and quickly cook it for guests but I don't think it necessarily has to marinade that long. If you don't leave yours overnight when you try this, let me know how it works out!

Also, I used dry herbs for this recipe. If you are using fresh herbs you might want to adjust the quantities a bit!

Beun Provecho!

Fresco del Jardin: Green & Gold Pesto Trio

Nothing is better on a summer evening than a little bit of pesto. It goes with anything, doesn't require you to fire up the oven, and there are so many fun and tasty variations!

To add a pop of color to my plate for last week's small dinner party,  I decided to make three different pestos that could be used to pair with the chicken or mix with the Zucchini ribbons. Having three different kinds helps to mix up each bite!

Let's start with the Pea + Mint Pesto. The idea for this came to me when my mom and I were at the Kokomo Farmer's Market during one of my visits home. Every year when I was growing up we would buy pounds of fresh peas from a local farm, shuck and freeze them for this winter. I actually loved this job because I really love the taste of fresh, raw peas. When I was helping her with the latest round the taste brought back some great memories and I knew I had to turn it into something new!

Pea + Mint Pesto

What you need:

4 cups fresh (or frozen raw) peas
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/3 cup walnuts, halved
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

The plan:

Whiz your peas, mint and walnuts in a food processor pulsing 3-4 times to get everything chunky and broken up. Next, turn the processor on and add the olive oil, slowly pouring it in as the ingredients become incorporated. Mix on high for a minute or so. Add salt and pepper to taste then give it one last whirl. Serve cold or store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

This unexpectedly, sweet and salty pesto not only makes a great dipping side but also goes well with a crudites platter or even as a sandwich spread. This recipe makes more pesto than needed for the trio but I enjoyed it days later with carrot sticks!

Next, let's move on to the basil pesto. This is a traditional pesto and I made it with a recipe I know by heart, if you will. There are SO many variations of this recipe out there but here is what I threw together:

Basil Pesto

What you need:

2 cups of Genovese basil
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan freshly grated cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

The plan:

Whiz around the basil, pine nuts, lemon juice and cheese in a food processor. Over the next minute on high add in the olive oil until all the ingredients are incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste but remember the cheese is already salty so you won't need much more!

And finally, the piece de resistance, the Squash Blossom Pesto. I'll start this off by saying, this is not an original recipe, just a lucky find on another remarkable blog- The Runaway Spoon. I have to say, this is one of my favorite summer recipes that I have found! The earthy squash blossoms and salty Parmesan are such beautiful partners. I could eat this with a spoon but it was fabulous with the chicken. Be sure to check out The Runaway Spoon's recipe here for golden, glorious pesto of your own!

Check back later this week when we dive into another recipe from this plate!