It doesn't matter if you buy from the bustling Greater Springfield Farmers' Market or a roadside stand, right now fresh produce is at its peak.
You'll find bushels of red and green bell peppers, big juicy tomatoes plucked fresh from the vine, and as you walk past herbs, if the wind blows, you can catch a whiff of fragrant dill or basil.
Enjoy it while you can.
For the next two weeks, I will devote my column to farmers market finds and create recipes based on summer's sweet produce.
This week, I feature cantaloupe coated in yogurt, honey and cardamom. One of my coworkers said "cantaloupe should always be served like this." It's ready in minutes and makes a great snack, dessert or breakfast.
Love cold soups? Try my chilled tomato and leek bisque with fresh herbs. Note: you need to make this a day in advance.
A quick and flavorful salad is my bell pepper, cumin and chickpea salad. It comes together in 10 minutes.
Or my personal favorite, is my almond Pavlova with Grand Marnier peaches and berry sauce. Pavlova, a meringue dessert, is named after famed Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. They have a crispy exterior and a soft, almost marshmallow, center. Usually made with vanilla, I make mine with almond and top them with peaches marinated in Grand Marnier and a berry sauce. You can use raspberries or strawberries to make this sauce. Every element in this dessert is delicious. Enjoy.
Almond Pavlova with Grand Marnier Peaches and berry sauce
makes 10
6 egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Peach Filling
4 large ripe peaches
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon sugar
Berry sauce
16 ounces of frozen raspberries or strawberries (either works)
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
FOR THE PAVLOVA:
When making Pavlova, fol?low the same principles as making meringue. You want to use a clean work station, clean spoons and beaters. If you drop a shell in, try not to fish it out with your hands.
Use a spoon or spatula.
Eggs will whip better when they are room temperature.
Personally, I prefer to separate them and then allow them to get to room temperature but either one will work.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Stir together the cornstarch and sugar and set aside. Sepa?rate your eggs and then allow them to rest for 20 minutes.
Place egg whites in a large bowl and set your beaters on the lowest speed. Add cream of tartar to your egg whites and beat 2-3 minutes, until mixture is frothy.
Then, increase speed to high and add a little of your sugar mixture. Continue to beat and add sugar mixture, about every minute, until the white have formed stiff peaks and are glossy. Add your almond and vanilla extracts and beat again for another 1-2 minutes.
Lay a piece of parchment paper over your baking sheet. Scoop a pile of eggs whites onto the parchment paper and make an indenta?tion in the center with a spoon. You basically want a little cloud of egg whites with a well in the center. Do this until you have used all the whites. You will make 10. Bake for 45-50 minutes.
When done, turn off the oven, but leave the oven door open for 10 minutes.
Leave the meringue in there for 10 minutes and then remove and allow them to finish cooling on the counter. While you bake the pavlo?vas, marinate your peaches.
Slice peaches into desired size (you can also finely chop them), add sugar and Grand Marnier. Set aside.
FOR THE BERRY SAUCE:
Place ingredients in a pan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes if you?re making raspberry sauce and closer to 10 minutes if you are making a strawberry sauce.
When fruit begins to fall apart and sugar is dissolved, turn off heat. Allow to cool for 15 minutes and then puree the mixture in a blender to make the sauce.
When time to assemble everything, place a Pavlova on a plate, top with peaches and drizzle with berry sauce. Serve immediately.
BELL PEPPER, CUMIN AND CHICKPEA SALAD
serves 4
1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained
2 / 3 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 / 3 cup chopped green bell pep?per
1 / 4 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 1 / 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 / 4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 / 4 teaspoon salt
1 / 8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (or to taste)
Drain can of chickpeas and place in medium size bowl.
Chop red bell pepper, green bell pepper and red onion and toss into bowl.
Stir together both oils, apple cider vinegar, cumin seed, cumin, salt and pepper and pour over chickpeas. Toss to coat. Chop your cilantro and then stir into the salad.
Serve immediately or for best results, cover and refrig?erate for 2 hours.
CANTALOUPE WITH CARDAMOM KISSED YOGURT
serves 3
3 cups cubed cantaloupe
6 ounces plain, sweetened yogurt
1 tablespoon honey
1 / 4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Stir together the yogurt, honey and cardamom until combined. Chop your melon and then add to yogurt. Stir to thoroughly coat. You can serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
CHILLED TOMATO AND LEEK BISQUE
3 large Arkansas or beefsteak tomatoes
1 large clove of garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 / 8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 leek
1 potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1 / 2 cups chicken broth
1 1 / 3 cup water 3 tablespoons fresh basil, sliced thin 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Take two, only two, of the tomatoes and slice them in half. Place in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and salt.
Quarter the garlic clove and tuck it into the center of each tomato. Bake for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the bottom off your leek and then pull leek apart and wash it. You must wash a leek because dirt gets between the layers.
Slice only the white and white-green part of the leek and discard the rest of the green part.
Heat canola oil in a pot over medium heat. Saute your leek for 5 minutes.
Peel and thinly slice your potato, almost as if you are making potato chips. Add broth and water to pot and bring to a boil for 10-12 min?utes or until potatoes are tender. While those boil, chop your herbs.
When tomatoes from the oven are done, remove and allow to cool. When the stock mixture is done, remove from heat and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
Then take your remaining fresh tomato and quarter it.
Add cooked tomatoes (with the garlic), leek mixture, fresh tomato and herbs and place in a blender. Pulse until nearly smooth or desired consistency. You will have to do this in two batches.
Place in a glass bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight before serving.
Contact food columnist Juliana Goodwin at jlgoodwin@news?leader.com or call 836-1124.
