Grilled Summer Peach & Corn Salad
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 3 ears sweet corn, shucked
- 3 peaches, each cut into 4 wedges
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 Fresno pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1/4 vidalia onion, finely minced
- 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta (2 ounces)
- 1/2 head of romaine lettuce rinsed and chopped
- Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Drizzle some olive oil on the corn and peaches and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the corn and peaches, turning them periodically, until they develop dark grill and char marks on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes for the peaches and 10 to 12 minutes for the corn. Let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, Fresno pepper, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl.
- Cut the corn kernels from the cobs and discard the cobs. Slice the peach wedges crosswise so each piece has some grill marks. Add the corn kernels and sliced peaches to the large bowl of dressing along with the almonds and feta. Toss gently to coat. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange a bed of romaine on a large platter. Top with the peach and corn salad.
Zucchini Gratin
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for topping
- 3 vidalia onions, cut in 1/2 and sliced
- 3-4 zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup hot milk
- 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 3/4 cup grated Gruyere
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Melt the butter in a very large (12-inch) saute pan and cook the onions over low heat for 20 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Add the zucchini and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes. Stir in the flour. Add the hot milk and cook over low heat for a few minutes, until it makes a sauce. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 10-inch baking dish.
- Combine the bread crumbs and Gruyere and sprinkle on top of the zucchini mixture. Dot with 1 tablespoon of butter cut into small bits and bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and browned.
Herbed Muscadine Sauce
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 container muscadines, skins & pulp separated, seeds removed
- 1 tsp chopped thyme
- 1 Tbsp minced mint
- 1 tsp tarragon
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup honey
- Melt butter in a medium sauce pan.
- Sweat shallots and garlic in the butter until fragrant & translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile puree muscadine skins in a mini processor or blender.
- Add pulps and skin puree to shallots and garlic along with herbs, mustard, cayenne, paprika, salt, and honey. Stir to combine.
- Simmer over medium heat stirring occasionally for about ten minutes.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired with honey and salt.
- Simmer five minutes longer.
- Puree sauce in a blender or a mini food processor, and pass through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl with the back of a ladle using a swirling motion. If the sauce is not as thick as you’d like, place it back on the eye and boil until thickened.
- Remove from heat and store in a clean glass jar in the fridge
NOTES: Goes great over Hunter Cattle porkchops or sausage.
