Grilled Green Bean and Heirloom Tomato Salad

When I was twenty-two and a few months into my first job as a sales assistant in the fashion industry, the VP of my department sat me down to tell me that she had to let one of the sales assistants go and that she didn’t think that I had what it took to be in sales. And in the matter of twenty-minutes I lost my job and most of my confidence.

Lucky for me, other people saw something in me and I was hired back the next day to a different department.

And while owning my own restaurant is the ultimate goal, I’ve spent the last six years trying to prove that woman wrong. There is nothing I love more than proving people wrong. And foodie friends, I have.

August 1^st was my first day as the northeast sales representative for all four of my companies brands. I will be toting my lines all over New York and the surrounding areas and spending ten days a month on the east coast.

Chachachachanges.

Of course my favorite part will be the food, but proving to myself and ahem… certain other doubters that I can do whatever I put my mind to will be pretty awesome too.

Now I know I’ve been bad at writing. I do have to sleep after all. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been cooking up some tasty delights.

We are about to hit one of my favorite times of year. That special few months when the heirloom tomato is readily available and at its most delicious. So as usual during August and September I’m trying to stick them in every dish possible.

This one happens to be the perfect blend of cool and crisp. I have no doubt it will end up in your summer rotation.

You will need…

1lb green beans, ends trimmed and halved

1lb heirloom tomatoes, diced into large but bite sized chunks

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lemon, juiced

¼ cup blue cheese

¼ cup pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill pan to a medium heat.

In a medium bowl, toss together 1 tablespoons of olive oil and the green beans and season well with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small pan, heat the pine nuts over medium heat until they are lightly browned and toasty. About 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the grill is hot, place the green beans in a grill basket or directly on the grill. Be carefully to make sure your beans do not fall through the grill grates.

Grill the beans just until they are slightly tender. About 8 to 10 minutes. You still want them to be crisp. Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool to room temperature.

When the beans have cooled, toss together the pine nuts, blue cheese, tomato and green beans.

Drizzle the salad with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.

Toss well and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Grilled Green Bean and Heirloom Tomato Salad

1lb green beans, ends trimmed and halved

1lb heirloom tomatoes, diced into large but bite sized chunks

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lemon, juiced

¼ cup blue cheese

¼ cup pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your grill pan to a medium heat.

In a medium bowl, toss together 1 tablespoons of olive oil and the green beans and season well with salt and pepper and set aside.

In a small pan, heat the pine nuts over medium heat until they are lightly browned and toasty. About 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the grill is hot, place the green beans in a grill basket or directly on the grill. Be carefully to make sure your beans do not fall through the grill grates.

Grill the beans just until they are slightly tender. About 8 to 10 minutes. You still want them to be crisp. Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool to room temperature.

When the beans have cooled, toss together the pine nuts, blue cheese, tomato and green beans.

Drizzle the salad with the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.

Toss well and serve. 

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Corn

I think I’m having some issues with denial.

Yup, I am in complete denial of the fact that summer is over and autumn is bearing down on us.

By the way. I strongly prefer the word autumn to the word fall. It just sounds so much more rich and important. Shocking. I’m off track.

The point is, autumn is now in our midst and so are the last days of my favorite summer things. Goodbye watermelon. Goodbye leaving work and still having hours of sunlight. Goodbye tan lines. And worst of all, good bye my dear heirloom tomatoes and fresh summer corn. You will all be dearly missed.

I’m sending them off with one last hurrah. Together.

And it is a damn tasty hurrah.

You will need…

2 ears summer corn in the husk (I found this pretty and tasty red corn)

3 tablespoons heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 lb asparagus, rough ends removed

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Set the corn in some water and let the husk soak for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Stir well and add in the onions. Set them aside to soak in the vinegar, stirring every so often.

After the corn has soaked, add it to the grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill. Grill until the corn is cooked through with light grill marks, turning every five minutes.

While the corn is cooking, season the tomatoes well with salt and pepper and set them aside.

When the corn has about 5 minutes left, lightly coat the asparagus with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus for about 5 minutes until they are tender and lightly grilled.

Remove the corn and asparagus and allow them to slightly.

Slice the corn off the cob and chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Pour the onions and vinegar in with the tomatoes. Add in the corn and asparagus and toss well.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Corn

2 ears summer corn in the husk (I found this pretty and tasty red corn)

3 tablespoons heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 lb asparagus, rough ends removed

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Set the corn in some water and let the husk soak for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Stir well and add in the onions. Set them aside to soak in the vinegar, stirring every so often.

After the corn has soaked, add it to the grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill. Grill until the corn is cooked through with light grill marks, turning every five minutes.

While the corn is cooking, season the tomatoes well with salt and pepper and set them aside.

When the corn has about 5 minutes left, lightly coat the asparagus with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus for about 5 minutes until they are tender and lightly grilled.

Remove the corn and asparagus and allow them to slightly.

Slice the corn off the cob and chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Pour the onions and vinegar in with the tomatoes. Add in the corn and asparagus and toss well.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold. 

Crispy Bacon, Arugula and Melon Salad

There are certain things in life that are undeniably true.

For one thing, I think we would all agree that life is too short.

It’s pretty obvious to me that purring kittens is one of the cutest things in the world.

And here is one I don’t think anyone will argue with. Everything is better with bacon.

Even vegetarians and vegans eat versions of it.

You can put it on ANYthing. It’s that good.

So I decided to toss it together with some other really tasty ingredients and kind of just crossed my fingers that it would work out.

I mean, I wasn’t surprised it was good because there was bacon in it. But, I was surprised how well all the ingredients went together and how pleasantly tasty and refreshing this was.

You will need…

4 slices thick cut maple bacon (or any other of your bacon favorites)

2 cups chopped cantaloupe melon

6 cups arugula

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 large heirloom tomato, diced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice        

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the bacon so that it is very crisp. 

About 20 minutes over a medium low heat, flipping every few minutes.

Move the bacon to a paper towel to blot away the grease and allow it to cool enough to handle.

While the bacon is cooling, combine the olive oil and lemon juice and season it well with salt and pepper. Whisk together till completely combined or shake up in a mason jar.

Combine the arugula and tomatoes and drizzle with the dressing.

Toss well and add in the melon and parmesan. Toss until well combined.

Roughly chop the warm bacon and sprinkle it all over the salad.

Serve while the bacon is warm.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Crispy Bacon, Arugula and Melon Salad

4 slices thick cut maple bacon (or any other of your bacon favorites)

2 cups chopped cantaloupe melon

6 cups arugula

¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 large heirloom tomato, diced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice        

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the bacon so that it is very crisp. About 20 minutes over a medium low heat, flipping every few minutes.

Move the bacon to a paper towel to blot away the grease and allow it to cool enough to handle.

While the bacon is cooling, combine the olive oil and lemon juice and season it well with salt and pepper. Whisk together till completely combined or shake up in a mason jar.

Combine the arugula and tomatoes and drizzle with the dressing.

Toss well and add in the melon and parmesan. Toss until well combined.

Roughly chop the warm bacon and sprinkle it all over the salad.

Serve while the bacon is warm. 

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Brie and Balsamic Drizzle

So I have come to a conclusion. I have decided that a camera should follow me twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Not because I’m super funny or interesting. Not because I’m profound or inspiring.

I need to be followed with a camera because my every day life is some of the best slapstick humor out there.

On any given day, I slip, trip, smack, bang and bump myself COUNTLESS times. I don’t even want to put a ballpark number on it because I don’t think that would do it justice.

Just yesterday, I got into work and went straight for my first morning project. The coffee. We have a wonderful coffee machine in the office, but you have to make sure the water stays above a certain level. As I took a full cup of water and tried to move it from the water dispenser to the machine, a total of three feet, I caught the cup of water on the corner of the counter and it went flying EVERYWHERE. In the few hours following, I banged my knee four times and ran into my next-door neighbor’s cube wall, almost taking the whole thing down. And circa three in the afternoon, I went to make tea and somehow managed in one motion to launch the lid of the tin tea canister directly into my face, only to stomp it into a twisted mess the second it hit the floor.

Seriously, where was the camera?

And I’m not even going to talk about the spilling problem.

Basically, I am absolutely a walking disaster and you are all missing out on some solid laughs.

There is no doubt in my mind or those who spend any time with me, that I’m clumsy. But somehow, the only place I seem to be able to keep it together is in the kitchen. In the kitchen, I have some finesse. In the kitchen, I’m less bull in a china shop and more elegant stallion, galloping and prancing around the kitchen with speed and grace.

All right, that last analogy was super weird, but you get the point.

This is a dish that just came along organically from a trip to the market and it just fell into place. Without any actual falling.

You will need…

1 lb heirloom tomatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped mint

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 ounces robust and creamy cheese, like Brie

1 sourdough baguette, sliced into ½ inch thick slices

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining your garlic and olive oil and let the garlic infused for 30 minutes up to 24 hours.

Preheat your oven to broil.

Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil until toasted 2 to 3 minutes a side.

Remove the bread from the oven and set it aside to cool.

While the bread is cooling, bring the vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer the vinegar until it is reduced by half. About 8 minutes.

As the vinegar is reducing, combine the garlic and olive oil, mint and tomatoes together in a bowl. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese onto the toasted bread.

When the balsamic drizzle is ready, top the toasted bread with a hearty helping of the tomato mixture.

Drizzle the balsamic over the top of the tomatoes and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Brie and Balsamic Drizzle

1 lb heirloom tomatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped mint

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 ounces robust and creamy cheese, like Brie

1 sourdough baguette, sliced into ½ inch thick slices

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining your garlic and olive oil and let the garlic infused for 30 minutes up to 24 hours.

Preheat your oven to broil.

Lay out the bread slices on a baking sheet and broil until toasted 2 to 3 minutes a side.

Remove the bread from the oven and set it aside to cool.

While the bread is cooling, bring the vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer the vinegar until it is reduced by half. About 8 minutes.

As the vinegar is reducing, combine the garlic and olive oil, mint and tomatoes together in a bowl. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.

Spread the cheese onto the toasted bread.

When the balsamic drizzle is ready, top the toasted bread with a hearty helping of the tomato mixture.

Drizzle the balsamic over the top of the tomatoes and serve. 

Heirloom Tomato and Pickled Walnut Salad

By this time, I’m pretty sure that summer is in full swing for most areas in the northern hemisphere. And I don’t know what summertime produce gets your juices flowing, but for me it is all about the watermelon and the heirloom tomatoes.

As soon as the season starts watermelon is my go to snack. I basically purchase a watermelon every time I head to the store. Which I’m sure you can imagine is often.

While I probably consume more watermelon in the summer than I do anything else all year, heirloom tomatoes are the true summer star.

They usually end up being the inspiration for most of my summer dishes.

Here they are enhanced with some extra crunch and tang for warm weather perfection.

You will need…

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

3 celery ribs, thinly sliced

½ cup candied walnuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the vinegar and the walnuts in a small bowl. Set them aside and let them pickle for 20 to 30 minutes.

In a large bowl or on a platter, combine the tomatoes, blue cheese and celery.

When the nuts are tangy and pickled, add the oil and mustard to the nuts and vinegar.

Season well with salt and whisk until completely combined.

Drizzle the tomatoes with the dressed walnuts and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Heirloom Tomato and Pickled Walnut Salad

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, chopped into bite sized pieces

3 celery ribs, thinly sliced

½ cup candied walnuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the vinegar and the walnuts in a small bowl. Set them aside and let them pickle for 20 to 30 minutes.

In a large bowl or on a platter, combine the tomatoes, blue cheese and celery.

When the nuts are tangy and pickled, add the oil and mustard to the nuts and vinegar.

Season well with salt and whisk until completely combined.

Drizzle the tomatoes with the dressed walnuts and serve.

Balsamic and Heirloom Tomato Grilled Flank Steak

Music runs deep in my veins. My dad introduced me to rock and roll at a very young age and I’ve been singing, humming and dancing ever since.

Do you know how many songs I sang over and over in my head while I spent hours of solitary swimming a day?

A lot.

And even though I’m pretty much in love with music, I have never been a huge concertgoer.

You have to be really awesome to get me to shell out money to go see you when I could go jam out to a great live band at a bar for free while I dance three feet from where they are playing.

Of course there are people who I have decided are worth the money.

Obviously I have seen Billy Joel. Three times. And it would be way more if he would just go back on tour already.

Imogene Heap was phenomenal.

But last night Wes and I shelled out a whopping seventeen bucks a piece to see this guy and were completely blown away.

 

Best seventeen dollars I’ve ever spent.

Wes and I have been listening to Eric Hutchinson for about a year now and he is pretty much our go to for any occasion. But nothing could have prepared us for how great he would be live.

We spent almost two hours moving and laughing and singing along.

He has an unbelievable stage presence and an obvious zest for life and fun.

With a bunch of recently added dates to his extended tour, I HIGHLY recommend you check him out.

And you can make this dish before you head out to rock out.

You will need…

2 lbs flank steak

½ cup balsamic vinegar plus 3 extra tablespoons

2 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced

¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley

2 heirloom tomatoes (or vine ripened if you don’t have heirloom) chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by seasoning your meat liberally with salt and pepper.

Drizzle ½ cup balsamic vinegar over the steak and let it marinate for 15 minutes. Flip the steak and let it marinate for another 15 minutes.

While the meat is marinating, combine your tomatoes and your parsley in a bowl and season them well with salt and pepper. Toss and set aside.

After the meat has marinated, heat your grill to high heat or heat a grill pan over high heat.

Lightly oil the grill or grill pan with 1 tablespoons olive oil and place the meet on the hot grill.

Cook the meat about 6 to 7 minutes so that it gets a really nice sear on both sides.

After the meat has a good sear, cook until the meat is medium rare in the center. About 20 minutes total (meat will read 135 degrees F in the center).

When the steak is done, remove it from the heat and cover it with foil to rest for 10 minutes.

While the meat is resting, heat the remaining oil and the butter in a medium pan over medium heat.

After the butter has melted, add in the shallot and reduce the heat to low.

Cook the shallots until they are translucent, about 1 minute.

Add in the remaining balsamic vinegar and simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly.

After the liquid has reduced slightly, remove it form the heat.

By now the meat has rested. Cut it against the grain into 1/2-3/4 inch slices.

Top the steak with the tomato mixture and then drizzle the balsamic shallots over the top.

Serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Balsamic and Heirloom Tomato Grilled Flank Steak

2 lbs flank steak

½ cup balsamic vinegar plus 3 extra tablespoons

2 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, minced

¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley

2 heirloom tomatoes (or vine ripened if you don’t have heirloom) chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by seasoning your meat liberally with salt and pepper.

Drizzle ½ cup balsamic vinegar over the steak and let it marinate for 15 minutes. Flip the steak and let it marinate for another 15 minutes.

While the meat is marinating, combine your tomatoes and your parsley in a bowl and season them well with salt and pepper. Toss and set aside.

After the meat has marinated, heat your grill to high heat or heat a grill pan over high heat.

Lightly oil the grill or grill pan with 1 tablespoons olive oil and place the meet on the hot grill.

Cook the meat about 6 to 7 minutes so that it gets a really nice sear on both sides.

After the meat has a good sear, cook until the meat is medium rare in the center. About 20 minutes total (meat will read 135 degrees F in the center).

When the steak is done, remove it from the heat and cover it with foil to rest for 10 minutes.

While the meat is resting, heat the remaining oil and the butter in a medium pan over medium heat.

After the butter has melted, add in the shallot and reduce the heat to low.

Cook the shallots until they are translucent, about 1 minute.

Add in the remaining balsamic vinegar and simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly.

After he liquid has reduced slightly, remove it form the heat.

By now the meat has rested. Cut it against the grain into 1/2-3/4 inch slices.

Top the steak with the tomato mixture and then drizzle the balsamic shallots over the top.

Serve hot.