SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 ISSUE
Mountain Living
Plant Black and Blue Sage for the Hummingbirds
Sage nectar attracts late summer hummers.Lowell and I enjoy the beautiful of the blue flowering sages, but we really grow them for the hummingbirds. The bright cobalt blue blossoms of Salvia guaranitica are lovely and their darkest blue, almost black, calyxes are very showy. Black and Blue is one of the aptly named varieties that grow very well here.
It is a large plant with dark green wrinkled leaves that grows up to five feet tall. Listed as hardy only to zone 8, its overwintered roots have often sent up sprouts that bloom even better than the first summer. Small stems root easily in water or soil, and it is good to have a backup in case the plants do not survive the winter cold. Originally from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, they are more likely to live over winters with deep snow cover and limited early spring thaws.
Flowering sages thrive in full sun with good drainage and respond well to rich soil. The plant sprouts rather late in the spring, so mark where it grows and don't disturb that area until you see shoots or give up on overwintering. It grows more and more stems until late July, when dark buds begin forming at the tip of each one.
The plants attract swarms of hummingbirds that are a joy to watch as they hover and drink nectar from the colorful tubes.
It is always interesting to see questions come in bunches. All of a sudden many of you have questions about prosciutto, the delicious dry Italian ham. It is a luxury item but has so much flavor, and it is often used sliced very thinly, so you get a lot from a small quantity. This Italian dry ham can be used where you would use more common hams. Try tucking a slice into a grilled cheese sandwich before frying or cut into ribbons and add to any creamy pasta sauce. Wrap a slice around a perfectly ripe peach quarter or melon wedge for a classic taste.
Wrap thin slices around asparagus before roasting or cover a pizza with it before you add the top layer of cheese. Prosciutto chips are easy and fast. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush thin slices of prosciutto with olive oil and place, in a single layer, on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp, but don't brown. This will take about 14 to 17 minutes, depending on how thick the ham is and how hot your oven runs. Use the chips in scrambled eggs, or in any pasta sauce or just serve them, well, like potato chips for a delicious different snack.
Each Caprese Salad tastes different, and cooks from the island of Capri would probably have some constructive criticism if they reviewed them. Like most traditional recipes, this delicious salad elicits strong opinions like “you have to use Buffalo mozzarella” or “you are forbidden to add basil.” We love them all, especially when made with garden fresh tomatoes and, now that we have had ripe ones for weeks, it is easier to find the fresh cheese. When local Brandywines and Cherokee Purples begin ripening, the fresh mozzarella section is often bare. Layering prosciutto in with the tomatoes and cheese takes an already fabulous dish to even greater heights.
End of Summer Caprese Salad
When the first big tomatoes ripen, we eat them plain because it has been so long and we want to savor each juicy bite. After a few big plates filled with tomato goodness, it is time to add salt and pepper for a new taste treat. Soon after that, the gold and red slices receive a little olive oil and vinegar bath and a few basil leaves because their spicy scent brings out the best in the tomatoes. This year we are so pleased to be slicing big, beautiful tomatoes for so long and can combine them with fresh soft cheese and sweet ham. Some like to prepare this in advance to let the tomato juices run and combine with the oil and vinegar. To me, the tomato flavor is best just after slicing, and the juices still have plenty of time to combine and to coat the ham and cheese. If you have yellow, orange green (when ripe) and red tomatoes, combine them for a salad as beautiful as it tastes.
Ingredients:
4 very large beefsteak or heirloom ripe tomatoes (or the equivalent in small tomatoes)
½ pound fresh mozzarella cheese
¼ pound very thinly sliced prosciutto ham or other dry ham
about 16 large fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Preparation:
Wash the tomatoes and cut into big, beautiful slices. Cut the cheese into thin slices. This is a composed salad, so use a separate plate for each serving.
Place a slice of tomato on the plate, followed by a slice of cheese, then the ham and last the basil leaf. Repeat until you have used all of the ingredients. Sprinkle the salads with the salt and pepper, drizzle with the olive oil and the vinegar and serve.
Makes four servings.
Scallops in Prosciutti
You don't really need a recipe for this, but you do want to treat these special ingredients carefully and certainly want to make sure that the results are delicious. You can add garlic or herbs like thyme and rosemary to the melted butter or dip the cooked seafood into a creamy garlic dip, but when you have sweet fresh scallops paired with prosciutto this is a good time to enjoy the simple elegance. Consider using extra large shrimps instead of or in addition to the scallops for a nice variation. This recipe originally used bacon instead of ham, so that's another wonderful possibility.
Ingredients:
1 pound large sea scallops
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto ham or other dry ham
about 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation:
Wash the scallops and dry very well. You don't want any moisture to be visible on the surface of the seafood. Sprinkle each scallop with a little salt and pepper, then wrap each one in a thin slice of the special ham. The ham usually makes a nice, neat bundle but if you are having trouble keeping everything tidy you can use a toothpick speared through it all.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Use medium heat and watch everything carefully the entire time. Place the scallops into the pan and cook each side until the prosciutto is crisp. By the time the ham is crisp the inside of the scallop will be perfectly cooked.
Serve hot as an appetizer or use to top pasta with fresh tomato sauce or a perfect cheese pizza or...
To make a comment, ask a question or find out more about sources, contact Amy at amycookehcp@bellsouth.net.
Community Interest
News & Notes
Events
Arts & Entertainment
