Eating for the Season

Eating with the season

by Robin Goldstein, chef and author of A Taste of Ojai cookbooks, shares inspiration for summer

Summer entertaining is my favorite kind of gathering — relaxed, laid-back, and casual. I love assembling a group of friends for an informal reunion. row on a few patterned tablecloths, large tea towels for napkins, and a variety of colorful bowls to bring a showy display to a long, weathered outdoor table. Aside from the decor, I let the menu do the decorating; the food is always my favorite part of a get-together.

Prep items in advance and keep things simple so you can enjoy yourself — e.g., with a specialty cocktail for everyone to help themselves and some yummy shrimp kebabs with this Moroccaninspired Chermoula Sauce. Add some grilled veggies or salad and a great loaf of bread and you are set!

CHERMOULA SAUCE

Traditionally paired with sh or seafood, this chermoula sauce is a delightful mix of fresh herbs, earthy spices, and salty preserved lemon. Makes about 2 cups 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1 cup parsley leaves 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems 3 cloves peeled garlic 1 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika) 2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon rind 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice ½ cup olive oil 1 teaspoon harissa chili paste (or your favorite hot sauce) ½ teaspoon sea salt Sprinkle the cumin seeds in a skillet and toast them over medium heat, stirring until fragrant, 1–2 minutes, being careful not to burn. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor (or in a mortar and pestle), place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, pimentón, preserved lemon, lemon juice, olive oil, chili paste, and sea salt, along with the toasted cumin. Blend or grind until smooth. Be sure to taste and adjust seasoning as needed (note that preserved lemons are salty). Add more olive oil, if necessary, until the sauce becomes a loose, pesto-like consistency. Store the chermoula sauce, covered, in a nonreactive glass jar. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Use chermoula as a marinade for sh or seafood, or toss onto vegetables before roasting or grilling.

Summer

SHRIMP KEBABS

Makes 4 kebabs

½ cup good quality olive oil ½ cup white wine 2 cloves minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon crushed red chile, optional 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped ½ teaspoon sea salt freshly ground pepper 20 large shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled and deveined 4–8” bamboo skewers, soaked in warm water for at least ½ hour

Mix the marinade ingredients and toss together with shrimp in a medium bowl. read 5 shrimp on each skewer; continue with the remaining shrimp. Place them in a at dish. Pour any remaining marinade over skewers. Allow to sit and marinate for at least one hour, or up to 8 hours. Grill or broil the kebabs over medium heat until cooked through and pink. Serve with chermoula sauce on the side.

by Robin Goldstein