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This is a refreshing soup for a hot summer day; one of my Mom’s go-to meals for weekend  guests. Diners customize their portion with the garnishes.

Ingredients:

2 (10 oz.) packages of frozen peas, set 1/2 cup aside for garnish.
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 cloves garlic – minced
1T chile powder
2 cups ice water
2T kosher salt

Method

1. Put garlic and peas in food processor, pureé til smooth
2. Add yogurt, oil, lime and chile powder, process to combine well
3. Stir in water and salt, refrigerate
4. Serve with garnishes on the side:
   • reserved whole peas
   • chopped tomato
   • fine chopped red pepper
   • minced jalepeño
   • shredded cilantro

The literal meaning for garam masala is hot spice; hot meaning pungent but not spicy like chiles. You can buy of-the-shelf garam but it tends to contain large amounts of the not so expensive spices and they do not keep well. This recipe uses fresh, whole spices in the right proportions.

In addition to using in recipes calling for commercial curry powder, I use this as a rub on meats and fish for the grill.

1 T fenugreek seed
1 T cumin seed
1T yellow mustard seed
1T coriander seed
1 t cardamom seed
1t whole black pepper
1/2 t red pepper flakes

toast seeds in dry skillet until fragrant and lightly browned.
remove from heat and add:

1 t dry ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
1 t cinnamon
1T ground turmeric

when cool grind to a powder in coffee mill or spice grinder.

stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place, the spices will last several months.

For a few years in the early 2000’s, my college pals have gathered in Cape May at an event we call ‘Peenksterfest’. Heather’s pesto was one of the highlights of our family dinners. She uses the traditional pignoli nuts, but walnuts will work just as well. Kick it up a notch with boutique basil from chileplants.com.

five peenk ladies

Ingredients:

2 cups loosely packed basil, washed and dried thoroughly
1/3 cup pine nuts, (pignoli)
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method:

In the bowl of a food processor, combine basil, muts, garlic and cheese until it is a rough paste

with the machine running, slowly pour in oil, until you have a thick, moist paste. Season w/ salt and pepper

Notes:

to serve, toss with hot pasta, top with toasted pine nuts

If you are not using the pesto right away, store in plastic container, and top with a film of olive oil. wil keep several days.

You can also freeze the pesto, omit the nuts and cheese until after thawing

Yield = 2 – 4 cups

the ingredients, ready to be simmered

At the end of a good growing season, my friend Janie (aka the chile goddess), sends me a box of fresh chilies, usually the really small ones. I developed this sauce to take advantage of these super hot chilies, but wanted it to have some depth of flavor too. I modeled this on Chris Schlesinger’s Inner Beauty Sauce, which is modeled on the classic West Indian scotch bonnet sauce using fruit and mustard to balance the habaneros. I also throw in  chipotles, which add a smoky dimension.

This is a flavorful and thick sauce. You can control the heat level, by removing some or all of the seeds before cooking. Remove all the seeds for a mild sauce. If you need a supply of heirloom chiles, visit my friend Janie’s  website,  chileplants.com

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. mixed hot peppers, any variety
12 each chipotle peppers, dried
2 cups cider vinegar
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 over ripe bananas
1 T mustard seeds
12 each whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick, broken
4 bay leaves, broken
8 whole allspice berries
2 T sugar
1 T kosher salt

Method:

Wash and drain peppers, split and seed, if desired.
Rough chop the peppers into appx. 1″ chunks, you should have about 8 cups.
Put them in a large sauce pot with the cipoltle, banana, vinegar, garlic and spices.
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
Continue simmering, covered over medium heat until very soft, stirring occasionally about 45 minutes.

Press the mixture through a sieve, or ideally use a Foley Food Mill.
Discard seeds, pulp and spices. This sauce is fairly thick, about the consistency of ketchup.

Store and seal sauce into canning jars while boiling hot.
The flavor and heat will develop over time.

yield: enough to marinate about 2 pounds of meat, (chicken, beef, lamb or pork).

The debate continues – Which is better? a wet marinade or a dry rub? One thing everyone seems to agree on the essential ingredients: ground allspice, thyme, lime juice, scallions and scotch bonnet peppers. I have used this wet marinade, adapted from “Sugar Reef Caribbean Cooking” for a number of years and have become quite partial to it. I make a large batch at the beginning of summer – this marinade keeps well in the fridge for weeks, and is great to have on hand for those impromptu bbqs.

Ingredients
1 T ground allspice, (use true Jamaican pimento if you can get your hands on it)
1 T dried thyme
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
1 1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 t ground sage
3/4 t ground nutmeg
3/4 t ground cinnamon
2 t salt
2 T garlic, minced
1 T sugar
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c soy sauce
3/4 c white vinegar
1/2 c orange juice
juice of 1 lime
1 Scotch Bonnett or habanero pepper, (leave seeds in for hotter marinade)
1 c chopped white onion
3 green onions, finely chopped

Method
Combine the onions, garlic, hot pepper and scallions in a a food processor or blender until they are roughly chopped.

Add the remaining ingredients, and continue to blend, making sure that all the ingredients are fully integrated.

Marinate meat for at least 1 hour, longer if possible.