August Random Food Bites

I've been so busy lately in the garden, (mostly weeding); cooking; eating; writing and even working at my day job (yes, I have one, believe it or not!).

It's been one busy summer and it's more than half over.
:(

Here are some delicious and pretty dishes that I have made with my garden's produce these past few weeks.

Yesterday, I made a beautiful ratatouille in the oven (much better than the stove-top version).
I served it on couscous and am taking it to the beach today for lunch!

As you know, I harvest a ton of beets, weekly.

I roast them so I have them ready for salads and other recipes.
I love them and don't care if you don't. (I am sick of people telling me they HATE beets!, so don't eat them!).

Here is yesterday's beet salad with oranges and pistachios....so good.

I never get tired of a Caprese Salad.

All you need are some ripe Jersey heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella (the kind packed in water), basil and other fresh herbs.
Drizzle all with good olive oil and a sprinkle of fleur de sel.


A pretty plate of my garden cucumbers with pickled herring from the jar.
Some pansy flowers and other herbs.

Believe it or not, my husband loved this as a first course!


The last of my garden's fingerling potatoes.
Boiled with the last of the broccoli in the garden.

Tossed w/ some sundried tomatoes, pesto and finished with my favorite boquerones (marinated white anchovies).

No, they are not WORMS (but I agree, they look like worms in the photo!).


Here's another twist on a Caprese Salad.

I roasted my cherry tomatoes until they were nice and jammy (375F for 30-40 minutes).

Add in some fresh basil and sliced kalamata olives.
Spoon over fresh mozzarella.

SO GOOD.

and with the leftover roasted tomatoes, I made a Margherita Frittata, after seeing Marie's photo of her version on instagram.

5 eggs with the roasted cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella blobs, basil, salt & pepper.

Finish under the broiler.
Makes the best summer breakfast.


On the summer restaurant front, we scored a table for 4 at the much loved Marc Forgione Restaurant in Tribeca.
Why did I wait 6 years to try this place? (because I don't listen to people when I am told to do something!).

It was one of our favorite meals in the city to date.
All the fish we ate were caught that day by one fisherman in Montauk, and it showed.

The freshest crudo and beautifully in-season cooked fish we have had in a while.

Halibut, scallops, swordfish and tuna. All amazing (and the little amuse bouche bread you see with the spoons are mini bagels infused w/ herb cream cheese and some ceviche!!!).

It's also a beautiful restaurant, located on a quiet street in Tribeca with outdoor seating and a great wine list and all farm to table ingredients.

Can't wait to go back.

Enjoy the rest of the summer. Hope you are doing something fun!