Shallow Seas Rosé and a Smoky Corn Side Dish recipe

It’s September 10, and I don’t know how the time flew by so fast! I hope everyone had a fantastic summer, and that we are enjoying these last long days of sunshine before we are back to Portland winter weather and getting the much needed rains after this hot and dry summer. I am trying to get in as many more days of dinners on the outside front porch as I can, and I have a really amazing rosé wine I’ve enjoyed a couple times that I wanted to recommend to you. The Shallow Seas Rosé from Real Nice Winemakers, is a local wine that has really stood out this summer from multiple rosés I have had – I’ve brought it twice to two different parties with many foodies as attending guests, and at both parties, it was a huge hit.

Shallow Seas Rose from Real Nice Winemakers

The Shallow Seas Rosé has an AVA that is 100% Willamette Valley, sourced from Hyland Vineyard, Olsen Family Vineyard, and Westmount Vineyard. I first had it in the spring where I brought it to a friend’s birthday party and we paired the wine with roast pig and other side potluck dishes, including my smoky corn side dish that I’ll share the recipe shortly.

Shallow Seas Rosé with roast pork and smoky corn? Yes, it is an unusual pairing I know but it worked because this rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling, and has a beautiful blush pink color. The Riesling grapes in the blend gives this rosé and extra acidity and minerality that paired well with the crispy skin of this Chinese roast pig  and smokey corn. These crisp flavors ground the slightly sweet strawberry and peach of the wine, and is what makes it stand out so much from most rosés and pair excellently with a wide variety of dishes. With an SRP of $18 it’s also incredible value too.

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Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad

Besides strawberries,which I’ve already written about a couple weeks ago with two new recipes, the other summer bounty I love so much is summer corn and tomatoes. This recipe for Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad is my favorite go to during summer and fall to really showcase both these ingredients and letting them shine.
Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad recipe, an easy summer recipe that takes advantage of the fresh taste of summer corn while its sweet and heirloom tomatoes at their juiciest and is perfect for a picnic, potluck, and can be served cold or room temperature
Fresh corn during the summer has a wonderful sweetness that you just can’t beat if you are able to get your ears quickly after they are picked. Cook them how you’d like – Grilled is my favorite but I also provide an optional cheat to add a little sear and smokiness if for convenience you steam or boil them instead, or you want to use niblets to save yourself cutting them from the cob.

As for tomatoes, the ones you get from the Farmers Market are the best – you can get all sorts of different heirloom varieties you may never see at your regular grocery store. This recipe leaves the tomatoes raw and asks for grape tomatoes but you can easily substitute larger tomatoes – I just like grape tomatoes more so they can burst in your mouth as fun texture.

Even better, this batches up really well making it perfect for picnics and potlucks with a larger group, and can be served cold or room temperatures.
Tortellini Corn and Tomatoes Salad recipe, an easy summer recipe that takes advantage of the fresh taste of summer corn while its sweet and heirloom tomatoes at their juiciest and is perfect for a picnic, potluck, and can be served cold or room temperature
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Oregon Strawberries in the Summer

Every year, in the state of Oregon, there is the anticipation and then the lines in the morning (including people lining up even before the Portland Farmers Market opens) for the famous Hood Strawberries. They only have a season of a few weeks in June, but are so sweet, red, and juicy and clearly, people think so worth it. But of course Hoods are not the only strawberries Oregon has to offer. Let’s look at some more Oregon Strawberries in the Summer. Overall, I truly do believe after eating strawberries in many a state that Oregon strawberries truly are the best. Unlike other states, they spend a long time on the plant that distinguishes Oregon strawberries overall from other strawberries, and they are more sweet thanks to our season of warm days and cool nights and plenty of rain.

Oregon Strawberries at the Portland Farmers Market. Oregon Strawberries at the Portland Farmers Market.

About Oregon Strawberries

Last month at the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, the Oregon Strawberry Commission had a stand at the market. Visitors were invited to taste four kinds of strawberries, and then with a sticker vote for their favorites. In the running that day included the varieties of (with some photos to show the comparison when they cut up):

  • Sweet Ann: this relatively new varietal of has a firm shape that is a little more elongated (for instance, versus the more heart shaped photogenic Seascape, or the rounder Hoods) and a berry flavor that is not too sweet or tart and a medium firm texture. You may find these around all summer.
  • Shuksan: these strawberries are among the first to appear in the market in mid to late May. With its more firm texture they are better for heat and freezing then Hoods which make them great for preserves and jams, baking, or let them soak with a little balsamic vinegar and sugar (a tablespoon per cup or two of strawberries) and pour them over desserts, or you can use them to make strawberry bruschetta. These I think had the best aroma of the four I tried here.
  • Seascape: these have a longer season from late May to September – which means you can still get them now! – and have the best looking shape I think because it is a bit more firm then the others varietals (except for Albions, and many California strawberries you may find at the chain grocery stores, California has bred its strawberries to be a lot of firmer to stand up to shipping). The Seascapes has good body but not too hard. This is the type that I used in the two recipes I share below, and have a bit of tartness along with the sweetness.
  • Hood: very sweet thanks to high sugar content, but are best uncooked since they are more fragile and can get mushy easily. I like them with cream, , and in ice cream, and even when they aren’t looking as pretty I just muddle them in a cocktail. They have a brief 2-3 week period when they are available may be among the most famous variety of the Oregon strawberries. Hood Strawberries are delicate so can’t withstand shipping long distances, and are always on sale to you within a day of being picked because they ripen so quickly. Hood Strawberry season is over now (though you may find it frozen or in jams and such)
    Oregon Strawberries - Sweet Ann strawberries Oregon Strawberries, Shuksan varietal of strawberries Oregon Strawberries, Seascape varietal of strawberries Oregon Strawberries, Hood varietal of strawberries

Voting results!

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Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes

I’ve always wanted to make a tomato pie or tart. Particularly, one with the farm fresh cherry tomatoes during the peak of their season. But, I have a unique problem in using tomatoes at my home: F loves them. Loves them so much that he always makes sure he knows which bag they are in and that they are at the top, and then as soon as the groceries are in the car he grabs the cherry tomato container and eats them on the way home. He can finish a Costco size container of cherry tomatoes before we’re even in front of our house as he eats them like an addict, popping them in his mouth one after another.
Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes

One time we bought them right at the farm and as we were stuck in the traffic leaving Sauvie Island, he complained his mouth felt a bit muddy. But he still finished all the tomatoes before we even crossed the bridge. Clearly he has a serious problem… Cherry tomatoes never last long in our home.

For this recipe, I purchased 4 pints of tomatoes the night before. Since they were gone by morning, I forced him to go get replacement ones, and finally I was able to make the tomato pie I’ve been waiting for. The 4 pints of cherry tomatoes that he brought back and you see partially in these photos, both on the Pie I made for lunch and the “extras”, were gone before dinner.

I used cherry tomatoes here because I love how they burst with a bit of pop of flavor. And, I particularly love this recipe because you only have to cook the pie crust- the tomatoes are NOT cooked (although they can be) so that you can taste them at their most juicy.
Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes

This recipe was inspired by a few things. Southern Tomato pie is a concoction with tomatoes in pastry with cheese and mayo – and I wanted one less rich, aka without the mayo (though there’s nothing wrong with mayo!). I saw a version of Southern Tomato pie that included along with those requisite ingredient also adding in summer corn kernels and I loved the idea of that extra texture. I additionally seared mine ok the pan for extra smokiness.
Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes and (optionally) seared corn to really celebrate the flavors of freshness

Also, similar to tomato tarts, I picked a cheese combo other than the regular cheddar and mozzarella because I wanted different flavors than essentially a variation of pizza or bruschetta – instead here we’ll be using goat cheese and ricotta mixed with scallions (as inspired by O&O Eats’ Tomato Tart with a Scallion Goat Cheese Filling) and the previously mentioned corn. The best ricotta is one you make yourself – it’s super easy, and you can find my version here for homemade ricotta on this blog post. Using fresh cheeses like goat cheese and ricotta adds creamy texture but still tastes light.
Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes and (optionally) seared corn to really celebrate the flavors of freshness

You can make your own pie crust if you’d like (or make this a tart), but I used premade pie dough. Because of that this entire process took about 35 minutes for me as I did the prep for the filling while the Pie Crust baked.

Ingredients:

  • 1 9″ Pie Crust (your own recipe or purchased)
  • 4 ounces of plain chevre / goat cheese
  • 4 ounces (about half cup)  fresh Ricotta
  • 2-3 chopped scallions (about half cup)
  • 1/2 cup of Cooked corn kernels (approximately one ear of corn)

Directions:

  1. Pre-bake the pie crust according to your recipe or instructions on the package. Make sure you use pie weights or other weights like beans, rice, etc. to weigh down the Pie (placed atop parchment paper) after using a fork to make an even amount of holes.
    Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes starts with a pie crust that you prebake before adding the cheeses and tomatoes
  2. Meanwhile, while chopping the scallions, you can additionally sear the corn kernels like I did –  a teaspoon of butter melted in a pan on high heat, add in blanched corn kernels and let sit there untouched for at least 7 minutes before stirring to sear. Alternatively steam or grill the corn per your preference because they should already be cooked.
    Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes uses optionally some summer corn, I like to sear mine for an additional little bit of smoky flavor
  3. In a bowl, mix together the goat cheese, ricotta, scallions and if you choose to add it, corn (let it cool a little, don’t add it to the cheese fresh from cooking so it doesn’t melt the cheese mixture too much). For other flavor variations you might try flavored chevre instead of plain.
    Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes uses a mix of chevre, ricotta, and scallion or green onion
  4. Spread it carefully in the pie than top with the cherry tomatoes- I placed them in whole to get the burst with every spoonful, or you can choose to halve them. You may also want to consider already cutting the Pie into six pieces before topping with the tomatoes so each piece has nice whole grape tomatoes.
    Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes
  5. Sprinkle a little corn on top to fill in gaps between tomatoes.
    Tomato Pie Recipe with Fresh Cheeses and Uncooked Cherry Tomatoes and (optionally) seared corn to really celebrate the flavors of freshness

Pair this with a glass of white and eat this al fresco to fully celebrate all the bounty of this late summer and early fall season!

Have you had tomato pie before? What is your favorite recipe using cherry tomatoes?

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Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado

Recipe for Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado, vegetarian and gluten free and healthy and easy!
When I was gifted a few avocados from the California Avocado Commission, I knew that I wanted to try one of the recipes I’d seen and pinned a while ago from A House In the Hills: Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado.
Recipe for Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado, vegetarian and gluten free and healthy and easy!

I added ginger and red pepper flakes for mine for a little more heat and burn, and used the kale that I could find even though she had recommended dino kale. After prepping and mixing it, I then put it in the refrigerator to chill for a couple hours to make for a refreshing lunch on a hot summer day that is also healthy!
Recipe for Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado, vegetarian and gluten free and healthy and easy!

Make sure you taste your miso avocado sauce several times- the guidelines here may vary based on how salty your miso may be and your preference levels. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 package of buckwheat soba noodles (enough for 4 servings – usually 1/2 a bunch is 1 serving. I used King Soba Organic Sweet Potato and Buckwheat Noodles)
  • 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
  • 1 small bunch of kale – mine came out to about 4 cups
  • 1 ripe avocado
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons miso – I used shiso miso
  • Juice from 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 3/4-1 cup of water
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds plus additional to garnish
  • freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Cook the soba noodles according to directions in unsalted boiling water. Be careful that you do not overcook them as when you add the avocado miso dressing later it will be adding a lot of moisture and can make them soggy (unfortunately I made that mistake with this batch, but I’m warning you not to!). After they are ready, drain and rinse with running water at least twice to wash off the extra starch. I might even recommend using chopsticks or a fork to lift and swish the noodles a little bit in the new water to make sure the starch is washed off all the noodles. Then mix with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, distributing well so the noodles will not stick together. Let cool.
  2. While the soba noodles are cooking, cut the kale leaves from the stalk and into either ribbons or small bite size pieces. I then mixed in the kale leaves with the still steaming hot noodles and sesame oil so they did wilt a little. Depending on how much you like kale, you could also consider a quick blanch to soften it further, but the mixing with the hot soba for me was enough.
  3. In a food processor, combine the pitted avocado, 1 clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil, juice from the 1/2 lime and 1/2 cup of water. Puree, and then taste and continue to add the water and mixing until to your taste. The consistency should be a silky sauce. I happened to have used 1 cup or so to balance out the saltiness of my miso. bring large pot of salted water to boil, add noodles and follow the package instructions to cook
  4. In a large bowl, mix the soba noodles, kale, and avocado miso dressing until well combined. This is when I also added the ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and tablespoon of sesame seeds and ground pepper to taste.
    Recipe for Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado, vegetarian and gluten free and healthy and easy! Recipe for Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado, vegetarian and gluten free and healthy and easy!
  5. When well mixed, chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours if you can, and enjoy cold! When serving, feel free to garnish with another little sprinkle of sesame seeds. You could also add tofu or fish or other protein of your choice on top!

Recipe for Soba Noodles with Kale, Miso, and Avocado, vegetarian and gluten free and healthy and easy!

This goes well with a crisp white wine and sitting outside on a summer day.

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