summer Archives - The Petite Gourmande

Tag Archives: summer

Watermelon Salad with Feta and Mint

Posted on July 21, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

Summer is here and this refreshing salad—with sweet watermelon and fresh mint—is just the thing to lighten up any meal. It goes wonderfully with an outdoor barbecue or can even be served as a dessert salad. Serves 6

Salad

7 pound seedless watermelon

7 oz package solid feta

1 cup fresh mint

Dressing

4 TB extra virgin olive oil

4 TB champagne vinegar

2 TB honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper and whisk together. Set aside.

2. Cut fruit into one-inch cubes, taking care to remove rind.

3. Cut feta into half inch cubes.

4. Roughly chop mint and combine in bowl with watermelon and feta.

5. Lightly toss and drizzle with dressing.

6. Chill for 30 minutes to let flavors combine.

7. Divide salad into six portions and serve.

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Cherry Salad with Goat Cheese

Posted on July 7, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

My cherry salad with goat cheese is a colorful, easy to make start to any summer meal.

From deep red to bright yellow, cherries are all bursting with flavor and nutritional benefits. On a recent visit to San Francisco, one of the local merchants had thousands of huge red and yellow cherries on display and I couldn’t resist.

I was very excited to bring them home to make not only desserts, but also this wonderful cherry salad. It’s the perfect accompaniment to any summer meal. Serves 4

Salad

3 cups red cherries, pitted

3 cups yellow cherries, pitted

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

5 oz candied walnuts

10 oz mixed spring salad, rinsed and drained

Dressing

4 TB olive oil

2 TB champagne vinegar

2 small shallots, chopped

2 tsp honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk together dressing ingredients and chill for 10 minutes.

2. In large mixing bowl combine salad greens, cherries, and dressing. Toss lightly to evenly coat salad.

3. Divide into four portions on individual serving plates.

4. Sprinkle goat cheese and walnut over each salad and serve immediately.

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Grilled Watermelon Pizza

Posted on June 30, 2018 by admin Leave a comment

My Grilled Watermelon Pizza is such a fantastic way to stay fresh this summer. The flavor combination on this watermelon pizza is truly unique, the sweet fruits accented with the salty cheese and peppery arugula are sure to delight any palate. Serve this as an unexpected treat at a summer barbecue, or as an appetizer at a more formal get-together, and all your friends will be asking for more! Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

– 1 medium sized watermelon, sliced into 1/2inch thick wheels

– 1 8oz pack of crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese to taste

– 1 container of baby arugula

– 6 figs, sliced

– 4 tablespoons of olive oil

– balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the grill on medium-high.

2. Brush watermelon slices with very little olive oil.

3. Put each slice on the grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from grill.

4. Place on a serving platter and top with arugula, cheese, sliced fig.

5. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Enjoy!

The Petite Gourmande

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All About Figs

Posted on July 17, 2015 by admin Leave a comment

figs, one whole purple fig and two open halves

I love to cook with figs in every form: dried, as a sweet jam, and when they’re in season, fresh! The texture of tiny crunchy seeds bursting through the chewy, yielding pink flesh of the fruit makes any dish interesting, from pastries and sweets, to savory applications like stews and salads.

Here are a few great recipes that make the most of these delicious fruits:

Fig and Goat Cheese Mini Croissants from The Culinary Chase

Fig & Brie Grilled Cheese from Last Ingredient

Prosciutto and Fig Pizza with Arugula from A Family Feast

Fig & Watermelon Salad with Honey Vanilla Cashews from Nom Nom Paleo

Fig Glazed Chicken Sauté from The Naked Kitchen

Broccoli Fig and Goat Cheese Pasta from Big Eats Tiny Kitchen

What are your favorite ways to enjoy figs?

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July Flowers

Posted on July 9, 2015 by admin Leave a comment

Bunch of zinnia flowers in red, pale green, yellow, pink, salmon

How I love July flowers! Your garden and table design doesn’t have to suffer just because we’re entering the peak of summer heat. There are so many colorful, vibrant flowers that flourish this time of year. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cornflower

Magnolia

Delphinium

Gerbera

Dahlia

Zinnia

Remember that summer flowers typically love sunlight and lots of water. What are your favorite July flowers?

Summer Corn Round-up

Posted on June 25, 2015 by admin Leave a comment

close up of yellow corn on the cob in a green husk with a blue sky

Our summer memories are so often about food. The tastes, the smells, the fond remembrance of lazy days in the sun and meals eaten outside. For so many, corn plays a big part of summer and there are so many great ways to celebrate the season with those hearty kernels.