The following recipes developed by Pat Dailey in the Tribune test kitchen will help keep the heat out of your kitchen without sacrificing the flavor of good food.
ORANGE PAPAYA SOUP
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 2 3/4 cups
1 large ripe papaya
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup each: buttermilk, sour cream
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon each: honey, sweet white wine
Fresh cilantro sprigs and additional sour cream for garnish
1. Peel papaya and remove seeds. Cut into chunks and puree in a food processor or blender. Add orange juice, buttermilk, sour cream, lime rind and juice, honey and wine and mix until smooth. Soup can be served immediately or refrigerated overnight. Serve with sprig of cilantro and small dollop of sour cream.
SANTA FE SALAD
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Dressing:
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced
6 tablespoons safflower oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
Freshly ground pepper
Salad:
1 medium Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla or Texas Sweet onion
1 medium zucchini
1 small red pepper
1 celery stalk
1 can (15 or 16 ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, diced
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 ripe avocado
Red leaf lettuce for serving
1. For the dressing, combine all ingredients and mix well.
2. For the salad, dice the onion, zucchini, red pepper and celery into pieces that are roughly the size of the beans and corn. Combine in a large bowl with the beans, corn, cheese and cilantro. Just before serving, peel and dice the avocado and add to the salad along with the dressing. Mix gently and adjust the seasoning. Serve on lettuce leaves.
GAZPACHO
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Yield: About 10 cups
1 large cucumber
2 large tomatoes
1 each: small green and red pepper
1 large Vidalia, Maui, Walla Walla or Texas Sweet onion
2 medium celery stalks
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
4 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons each: fresh lemon juice, olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1. Split the cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Core the tomatoes, cut in half crosswise and squeeze gently to remove the seeds. Dice the cucumber, tomatoes, red and green pepper, onion and celery. Combine in a bowl with the remaining ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 rolls
The sauce recipe is from ”The Foods of Vietnam” by Nicole Routhier
(Stewart. Tabori and Chang, $35.).
Rolls:
2 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
4 pieces (8-inch square) rice paper
8 medium cooked shrimp, peeled, split in half lengthwise
4 leaves red leaf lettuce
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup each: finely julienned cucumber, carrot, sweet onion
8 fresh chives
2 tablespoons each: minced fresh mint, fresh cilantro
Sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce, available at Orietal specialty stores)
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced into paper-thin rings
2 tablespoons finely chopped dry roast peanuts
1. For the rolls, put the noodles in a small bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let stand 15 minutes to soften. Drain well. Arrange 2 sheets rice paper in a jelly roll pan. Cover with hot tap water and let stand 5 minutes to soften. Drain and repeat with other sheets of rice paper.
2. Lay rice paper on a flat surface and arrange 4 shrimp halves across the center of each, cut side facing up. Cover with a lettuce leaf. Divide sprouts, vegetables and herbs among them. Carefully roll up and arrange on a plate so shrimp is facing up.
3. For sauce, combine hoisin sauce, chicken broth and nuoc mam. Add sliced hot pepper to taste and the peanuts. Serve with spring rolls.
KIWI PINEAPPLE SHERBET
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Freezing time: Several hours
Yield: 2 cups
3 ripe kiwi
1/2 ripe pineapple
1/4 cup sugar or more to taste
1 egg white
1/4 cup whipping cream
1. Peel the kiwi and pineapple and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Place in freezer until solid.
2. Combine frozen fruits and sugar in a food processor. Process continuously until mixture is completely smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the processor. With processor running, add egg white through feed tube and mix 1 minute. Add cream and mix just until combined. Serve immediately. Sherbet can be frozen though it will not have the same smooth consistency. To restore the texture if it has been frozen, soften slightly and return it to the food processor.
