Pecked by Ducks

Today is Cuke and Zuke Fest over at Dinner Tonight as part of their garden-food parties that they are hosting with A Way to Garden. Of course the ijits nice new neighbors behind us cut the internet cable 16 hours ago and I am not sure if I will get the chance to even post these fab recipes.

I suppose, if I were super motivated, I could go to Panera or Starbucks - if there are any left, (side note for Boston folk - hey, did you know, down here in the south, Starbucks’ have drive-thrus?) but then I would have to get a laptop or wait until Judd gets home with his. <sigh> And why should I, really, when I can just sit here and complain about it?!

Anyway, whether I get to post these or not, at least you, my loyal fans, (Hi Mom:) will get to enjoy these scrump-diddily-umptious recipes.

After Post Note: <banging head against wall> cable was not cut (this time) IE broken. Firefox working fine. So much time wasted in enjoying my complain fest. Well, at least I finished the 5 pairs of bridal party earrings for my cousin Becky and got to play a lot of spider solitaire. Must… stop… playing… video games…

Chef’s note: <giggle> called myself a chef. I’m totally not that good. Anyhoo…Chef’s note: I grew up in a Jewish home. Not religiously Jewish, my mom is a hippy, (lives in India now) but culturally Jewish. I didn’t know this until I read “Empty the Ocean with a Spoon”. Which is a great story and illuminated for me the possibility of Jewish enculturation without the religious bits.

I consider myself a spiritual person. I respect religious people in general when they follow the basic precepts common in all organized religions. Try to be a good person, try to help other people. Be good to your family and friends and neighbors. Don’t hurt yourself or other people. See, good things. Common things. Things that everyone should be remembering especially in this day and age. Everything else is just rhetoric made up by people not remembering to follow the basics.

So, my husband’s family is Lutheran. My mom’s family is Jewish. Judd calls us Jewtherans. Funny, irreverent, breaks the ice, takes the bite out of being a blended family. I am fairly sure that my kids will be pretty culturally Jewish however, which brings me back to my point. Shitarayn. Literally translated from Yiddish it means “pour it in into a bowl”, but as an expression it sort of means “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” and it is how my grandmother and mother describe how they cook (and therefore how my sisters and I cook).

Basically it means we are not so good with the measuring. If you ask them how to make something, the answer is always, well you take some potatoes and a couple of onions and an egg and… well my question is always, what is some, and how many is a couple and are they big or small etc. For example, in order to get my mom’s blintz recipe, my sisters and I literally had to give her pre-measured quantities. Then, as she mixed a little of this and a little of that until it looks like this, we had to subtract from the original measurements to get the final amounts she used. Of course mine never come out as good as hers (but ask me for my Aunt Sherri’s latke recipe, that one I got down pat!)

Unfortunately for you, this means that a lot of my recipes have “about” or “some” in them. I try to be specific, but a lot of times it depends on how much you need, what I/you have in the fridge/pantry and your personal taste. So please forgive the approximate nature of my cuisine. Thank you!

Basic and Simple Greek Salad

1 large european cucumber quartered lengthwise and sliced.

or 2 or 3 or 4 garden cukes, seeded quartered lengthwise and sliced

about a pint of cherry tomatoes or pear tomatoes halved

or about a cup or two of any other tomatoes lightly seeded (don’t be obsessive just get out most of the juicy parts so your salad isn’t too liquidy) and coarse diced.

1 very small or a half of a medium or large red onion, very thinly sliced, then soaked in salt water for 10 to 15 minutes, then blotted dry-ish.

1 block feta (I like cows milk feta, but that’s just me) cubed

Then drizzle over a good pour (2 or 3 Tbls) of EVOO and the same (or maybe a little less) of white wine or champaign vinegar and sprinkle on top a good amount of dried or fresh fine chopped oregano (2 or 3 tsps) and mix.

The ratios depend on what you have and your personal taste. You can also add green pepper if you like, but I don’t like.

Zucchini Asian Slaw

2 or 3 medium to small zucchinis either coarse grated or fine julienned.

2 or 3 cups of Broccoli heart slaw (available at Trader Joes - sometimes) or shredded cabbage, purple or green, whatever you like or both.

1/2 cup or so yellow raisins (or regular if you don’t have)

1 red pepper diced (or yellow, or orange. Not green)

1 bunch (or a half if you prefer) scallions sliced.

Drizzle over oil (about 3 or 4 Tbls) I use safflower oil and about the same or a bit less of rice wine vinegar.

Add 1 Tbls toasted sesame oil

Sprinkle over toasted black sesame seeds (or regular if you don’t have black)

Optional: 1 tsp hot pepper oil.

Toss thoroughly and adjust to taste. Sometimes a little salt is needed.

Serve immediately. If you are going to make ahead, be sure to soak the prepared zukes in salt water, then blot very dry. Otherwise salad will be too watery.