Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta

Whip yo' feta, gurl. // Instagram @kguymon

Last night could have very well been my last hurrah in the kitchen for quite some time. I'm having a baby in a couple of weeks, so I decided to go all out and treat my family to a meal that required hours of prep versus only twenty minutes (like I've been doing most of the summer).

I heard through the grapevine o' friends that Barefoot Contessa's whipped feta crostini was the bees' knees, and now that my tomato plants are producing some little red cherries, I thought it was the perfect addition to our menu of peach-glazed porkchops, German potato salad, and peach-goat cheese-spiced pecan salad.

Creamy, crunchy, tangy... I'm definitely digging on this crostini.




Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta [adapted from Barefoot Contessa]

-5 oz. crumbled feta
-3 oz. cream cheese
-2/3 cup of olive oil, divided
-juice of one lemon
-kosher salt
-fresh cracked pepper
-2 shallots, diced
-2 teaspoons of minced garlic
-2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
-2 10.5 oz. containers of cherry tomatoes, quartered (or about 30 from your garden)
-20 slices of baguette, cut into 1/2 slices and toasted
-2 tablespoons of pine nuts

1. For the whipped feta, place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and process until smooth.

2. For the tomatoes, up to an hour before serving, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes.

3. To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top. Put the crostini on plates, sprinkle with the pine nuts, and serve.

Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh

Photo by Katie Guymon

Is it weird to tell you that I find Israeli couscous to be the cutest food item around? I mean, they are such teensy little plumpers. (Plumpers? I dunno. I made that up.) Avery calls them "bubbles." She's got the right idea.

After becoming transfixed with the photograph of this beautiful salad in my most recent issue of Bon Appétit, I decided to make it for myself. I served it alongside steaks with chimichurri sauce. 

And even though it's semi-difficult to eat this couscous tabblouleh because it's so freaking adorable, you'll get over it really fast. I did.

Note: if you want to do a more traditional tabbouleh, here's a great recipe that uses bulgar wheat and grilled sweet peppers.

Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh [adapted from Bon Appétit]   
-1 1/2 cups of Israeli couscous 
-1 small shallot, finely chopped 
-1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil 
-fresh juice of two lemons
-1 English hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, finely chopped 
-3 cups cherry tomatoes, yellow and red, halved 
-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
-2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint 
-kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

1. Cook couscous according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water to keep the couscous from sticking together and drain well.

2. Whisk shallot, oil, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a large bowl. Add couscous, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, and mint; season with salt, pepper, and the rest of the lemon juice and toss to combine.

Note: if you'd like to make this a day ahead, don't add the herbs until you're ready to serve. 

Stuffed Red Peppers with Basil Sauce

Photo by Katie Guymon

For whatever reason--maybe it's because this dish requires slightly more work--I feel like stuffed peppers are kind of impressive. Maybe that's just me. But, if I went to a dinner party, and someone served these alongside salmon, or say, roasted shrimp cocktail, I'd give my compliments to the chef.

And that basil sauce? I would drink it like a milkshake, if it were socially acceptable. Drizzle it over the peppers or over your aforementioned salmon. You can't go wrong.

Stuffed Red Peppers [adapted from Giada DeLaurentis]

For the Peppers:
-1 box of couscous (you can use plain, or something slightly flavored like roasted garlic and olive oil)
-1 cup of canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
-1/4 cup of dried cranberries
-1 packed cup of chopped baby spinach leaves
-1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
-1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
-kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
-4 medium red bell peppers
-hot water, as needed

For the Sauce:
-1 packed cup of fresh basil leaves
-1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon of water
-1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
-2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
-1/4 teaspoon of sugar
-1/4 teaspoon of salt, plus extra, as needed
-1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, plus extra, as needed

1. Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. To make the filling, cook the couscous according to package instructions. Once finished cooking, put the couscous in a large bowl and add the beans, cranberries, spinach, feta, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir until all of the ingredients are combined. 

3. Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all the ribs and seeds. If necessary, cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up. Stuff the peppers with the filling and drizzle the tops with olive oil. 

4. Put the peppers in an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish. Fill the baking dish with 3/4-inch hot water and bake until the filling is golden and the peppers are cooked through, about 55 to 60 minutes. Note: if the filling begins to brown too quickly, cover the pan with foil.

5. To make the sauce, combine the basil, Greek yogurt, olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Remove the peppers from the oven and arrange on serving plates. Spoon the sauce around the peppers and serve.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail

Photo by Katie Guymon

Last Friday, Catherine came over for happy hour, and I served roasted shrimp cocktail. We both easily became believers in this twist on a pretty standard appetizer. The shrimp is incredibly easy to prepare (especially if you gather a weird satisfaction during the peeling and deveining process, like I do), but it looks elegant and tastes more special than the norm. Serve these shrimp with your favorite prepared cocktail sauce and a spritz of fresh lemon juice, and there you go.

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail [adapted from Barefoot Contessa; serving size: 4]
-1 pound of 16-20 count shrimp
-1 tablespoon of olive oil
-1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked pepper

1. Peel and devein the shrimp, then rinse clean with cold water.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the shrimp in a single layer on a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Roast for 6-8 minutes, just until pink, firm, and cooked through. Set aside to cool, or serve warm.

Greek Gazpacho with Sauteed Shrimp

Photo by Katie Guymon

Looking back on my recent recipe posts, it's pretty evident that I love Mediterranean flavors. I mean, nine times out of ten, you're going to find feta cheese on my shopping list. At least I recognize that a problem exists. That's the first step. With the addition of sauteed shrimp on top, this Greek gazpacho makes a well-balanced dinner. But, beware! This recipe makes enough to serve 8-10 people and your dog begging under the table. I think I'm going to freeze a batch and revisit the yummy in a month or so.

Greek Gazpacho with Sauteed Shrimp [adapted from Barefoot Contessa's recipe]

For the Gazpacho:
 -4 thick slices of a baguette
-6 large cloves garlic, chopped
-2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
-2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
-5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
-5 tablespoons good olive oil
-1 red bell pepper, seeded chopped
-1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
-1 white onion, chopped
-1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
-4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
-1 cup pitted kalamata olives, divided
-1 46 ounce can tomato juice
-4 teaspoons kosher salt
-2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1. Place the bread, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a food processor and process until everything is finely chopped. Add the vinegar and olive oil and process again until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

2. Place the peppers, red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, and 3/4 cup of the olives separately in the food processor and process until very coarsely chopped. (Unless you have a very large food processor, you might need to process this step in two batches.) Add to the mixing bowl.
3. Add the tomato juice, salt, and pepper and stir well.
4. Taste for seasoning, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
5. Garnish with the crumbled feta, extra olives, and sauteed shrimp.

For the Shrimp:
-1/2 lb. of 12-15 count shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-dried oregano, to taste
-kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat.
2. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry.
3. Sprinkle the shrimp with the dried oregano, kosher salt, and pepper. 
4. Cook on each side, 2-3 minutes, or until shrimp is bright pink.

Tabbouleh Salad with Grilled Sweet Peppers

Summer calls for healthy salads. Here's one that's great for many lunches in row (God bless leftovers) or as a side with grilled shrimp, or lamb chops if you're a fancy pants home cook.

Tabbouleh Salad with Grilled Sweet Peppers
-1 cup of bulgar wheat
-1 large red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
-1 large yellow bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
-1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced
-3 green onions, thinly sliced
-1 large tomato, seeded and diced
-1/4 cup of flat leaf parsley, chopped
-1/4 cup of mint, chopped
-3 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
-1 lemon, juiced
-salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the bulgar wheat according to package instructions. Drain and cool.

2. Preheat grill pan to medium high. Brush peppers with a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill until soft. When cool enough to handle, dice.

3. In a large bowl, combine the wheat, cucumber, onions, tomato, peppers, parsley, mint, lemon juice, and remaining olive oil. Adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.

4. Chill for at least two hours and let come to room temperature for about thirty minutes before serving.

Greek Caponata

Growing up, my dad always had a garden that produced enough zucchini and squash to kill a small horse. If you're looking for a great way to get your veggie fix (and perhaps use the overabundance from your summer stash), this Greek Caponata is it. I served this as a main dish (probably to Matt's dismay) for dinner, but it would also work as a great side. I'm thinking with grilled fish.

A word to the wise: make sure you cut your potatoes smaller than the rest of the vegetables, or they won't cook through. Or, if you're worried about that, you can leave them out entirely and double up on your bread.

Other than those pesky potatoes, this dish is beyond easy, and it makes enough to have leftovers for a couple of days.

Greek Caponata [adapted from Giada's recipe]
-1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
-2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
-2 summer squash, cut into 1-inch rounds
-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
-1 large Japanese eggplant, cut into 1-inch rounds
-1 red onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch wedges
-1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
-3 garlic cloves, minced
-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
-1 1/2 teaspoons salt
-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-4 to 6 slices French baguette

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Pour the canned tomatoes into a casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom.

3. In a large bowl combine the remaining ingredients (excluding the bread and only 1/4 cup of the olive oil). Toss to coat. Pour the vegetables over the canned tomatoes in an even layer. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil over the vegetables. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the edges of the vegetables are golden, about 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Serve with a few slices of bread.

Mediterranean Steak Salad

My friend Britt gave me this recipe via e-mail almost two years ago. And today, I realized that this recipe sat in my cluttered inbox for far too long. The Mediterranean Steak Salad made its debut tonight. It's easy and healthy and combines many of my favorite things: briny artichokes, salty feta, juicy steak... Sigh. It's the next best thing to Santorini, right? Right?

Mediterranean Steak Salad

Marinade and Steak:
-2/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

-4 garlic cloves, pressed

-1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

-1/8 tsp. salt

-1 lb. beef flank steak

Salad:

-1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

-2 tomatoes, cut into wedges

-1 cup cucumber slices

-1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges

-1 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives

-1 bag (8 cups) hearts of romaine lettuce

-4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

-7-8 pepperoncini 

1. Combine marinade ingredients and whisk. Pour over steak in a resealable storage bag. Marinate in refrigerator 6-8 hours or overnight.

2. Remove steak from marinade. Grill over medium coals or on a grill pan on the oven until steak is medium rare. Remove steak from grill and carve diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

3. Arrange lettuce on large serving platter. Top with steak, artichokes, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives, and pepperoncini. Top with feta cheese and drizzle with dressing.

Greek Salad

Yesterday, my friends and I celebrated the dawning of Loufest II with a little pre-music festival lunch. Of course, I picked a Barefoot Contessa recipe to bring to the par-tay because, really, Ina's never done me wrong. It was the first time I've really used the kitchen in our new house, and it was the first time that I've put my camera together in a long, long while. It felt good to make something yummy and then creepily take 15 million pictures of the finished product. I'm back, baby!

I think this lettuce-free Greek salad is a fantastic late summer recipe. All the veggies are ripe and tasty, and it's about the most colorful salad I've ever seen. (Please notice that the color black is missing from the above picture in the form of black olives. I forgot to buy them at the grocery store.) I think next time around, I'll have to add some pepperoncini. It would only be right.

Greek Salad
Salad:
-1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
-1 red bell pepper, large-diced
-1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
-1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
-1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
-1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
-1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

Vinaigrette:
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon dried oregano
-1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
-1 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1/2 cup good olive oil

1. Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.

2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly.

3. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.