Nectarine Cake

It was definitely a busy summer for me with a flurry of activities. Although I enjoy fall, I am a bit sad that summer days are over. Once again, it is time to bid farewell to hot summer days, lemonade stands, and beach parties. The past few days have been gloomy, chilly, and dark, marking the beginning of fall. Sweat pants and sweaters days are here to stay. Hopefully we will get some Indian summers before we dive into deep freeze.

As we transition into fall, I find myself craving for summer cake. A simple nectarine cake fits the bill as it is quick and easy to prepare. This cake is commonly made with apples but it’s also made with stone fruits like peaches, nectarines, and plums. And as nectarines ripen towards the end of summer, this is one last cake to say goodbye to summer days!

My mother makes the best nectarine cake. Big chunks of nectarine nestle into a moist light cake. The cake gets better the second day, when the nectarines juices seep further into the cake. I love the last taste of summer with these juicy fragrant nectarines, and now that summer has ended, I wanted to use those ripen summer fruits in a cake and savor it with a cup of coffee on those chilly morning days. So here’s one last summer cake… enjoy!

Ingredients: 

3 medium ripe nectarines, cut into cubes
1 cup 1 1/2 Tbsp (250 g) butter, at room temperature
zest of 1 lemon
1 cup (200g) sugar 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (250 g) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease a 24 cm (9 1/2 inch) spring pan.

Beat butter and sugar together until very fluffy and white, about 4 minutes. Mix in the eggs slowly, one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon zest.

In another bowl sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Add the flour mixture slowly to the egg mixture. Don't over mix. Fold in nectarines with a spatula.

Pour batter in the pan and level the top. Bake for about 50-60 min or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Gâteau aux nectarines

Ingrédients: 

3 nectarines mûres de taille moyenne, coupées en cubes
250 g de beurre à température ambiante
zeste d'un citron
200g de sucre

1/4 càc d'extrait de vanille
4 œufs, à température ambiante
250g de farine
1/2 càc de levure chimique
une pincée de sel

Préchauffez le four à 180ºC. Beurrez un moule de 24 cm.

Battez le beurre avec le sucre environ 4 mn. Ajoutez les œufs, un à un en battant après chaque ajoût. Ajoutez l'extrait de vanille et le zeste de citron.

Dans un saladier, tamisez la farine, le sel et la levure chimique. Ajoutez le mélange aux œufs et mélangez délicatement. Ajoutez les nectarines.

Versez la préparation dans le moule. Enfournez 50 à 60 mn ou jusqu'à ce qu'un cure-dent inséré ressorte propre.

Saupoudrez de sucre glace avant de servir.

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Potato & eggplant salad

Eggplants are such a staple in the Mediterranean diet, and even though they're available all year round, I love to eat them in summer. And now, with the summer coming to an end, this is a great recipe if you still have all these garden vegetables on hand. The addition of garlic, coriander and lemon juice brings a bright, warm, citrus flavor to the salad. It's perfect accompanied with meat, fish or chicken... and it can be a light night meal.

Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 medium eggplants, cubed
1 cup of frozen or fresh green beans
a handful of corandier, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
a pinch of paprika
salt, to taste

In a large skillet, heat some oil and fry the potato cubes. Once browned, set aside.
In the same skillet, fry the eggplant cubes. Set aside.
Finally, fry the green beans and set aside.
Put the fried vegetables in a salad bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, salt, garlic and coriander. Add this mixture to the vegetables and mix slowly. Sprinkle some paprika and serve.

Salade d'aubergines et de pommes de terre

Ingrédients:

2 pommes de terre moyennes, coupées en cubes

2 aubergines moyennes, coupées en cubes

1 tasse d'haricots verts, frais ou surgelés

une poignée coriandre, haché

3 gousses d'ail, écrasées

75 ml de jus de citron

60 ml d'huile d'olive

une pincée de paprika

sel, selon goût

Dans une grande poêle, faites chauffer de l'huile et faites frire les cubes de pommes de terre. Réserver.

Dans la même poêle, faites revenir les cubes d'aubergines. Réservez.

Enfin, faites y revenir les haricots verts.

Dans un bol, mélangez le jus de citron avec l'ail écrasé et la coriandre. Salez. Versez sur les légumes frits, et mélangez délicatement. Saupoudrez de paprika et servez.

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Pasta alla Norma

This vegetarian pasta dish originates from Sicily. It was named after Sicilian composer Bellini's hugely successful opera "Norma". Pasta alla Norma is a typical Sicilian dish with eggplants, sweet & ripe tomatoes, ricotta salata, fresh basil, olive oil and pasta. It is usually made with Ricotta Salata cheese, which gives a distinctive original flavor. However, you can substitute it with pecorino or feta, but you know it won't be the same.
Some insist that the pasta must be maccheroni… Well, I used spaghetti (this is what I had in my pantry). A delicious easy dish to enjoy on a weekday night...

2 medium eggplants, cut into cubes
1/2-cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/2 tsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped or 1/2 tsp dry oregano
6 leaves fresh basil, shredded
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
2 lbs tomatoes, ripe, seeded and chopped or canned Italian tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated ricotta salata or pecorino...
1 lb spaghetti or maccheroni

Sprinkle the eggplant cubes with salt.
Place in colander and let stand for an hour or so.
Place on paper towels to drain.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Brown eggplant cubes on both sides. Set aside.
Alternatively, brush both sides of eggplant cubes with olive oil, place on cookie sheet, bake in a pre-heated 450º F oven for 15 minutes or till nicely browned. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Add onion and sauté till golden. Add garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes.
Add the tomato, fresh oregano, red chili flakes and basil. Cook about 10 to 15 minutes at high heat; do not allow sauce to dry out.
While tomato sauce cooks, bring water to a boil. Cook pasta and drain when done. Place in a bowl, pour tomato sauce and eggplant cubes and mix. Sprinkle the cheese and serve.

Pâtes alla norma

2 aubergines, coupées en cubes

120 ml d'huile d'olive

1 oignon, haché

4 gousses d'ail, écrasées

1 1/2 càc d'origan haché ou 1/2 càc d'orgian séché

6 feuilles de basilic, hachées

1/4 càc de piment d'Espelette

1 kg de tomates mûres, épépinées et coupées en dés ou une boite de coulis de tomates

sel et poivre

3/4 tasse de ricotta émiétté ou de pecorino...

500 g spaghetti or maccheroni

Saupoudrez les aubergines avec du sel.

Laissez-les dégorger de sel pendant environ 1 heure.

Placez-les sur du papier absorbant.

Faites chauffer l'huile d'olive dans une sauteuse. Faites frire les aubergines.

Vous pouvez les badigeonner d'huile d'olive et les glisser au four pendant 15 mn à 220ºC.

Faites chauffer 2 càs d'huile d'olive et faites revenir l'oignon, puis l'ail.

Ajoutez les tomates, l'origan, le piment et le basilic, et laissez mijoter 10 à 15 mn.

Faites cuire les pâtes dans de l'eau salée bouillante. Egouttez et placez dans un saladier. Versez la sauce tomate dessus, ajoutez les dés d'aubergines. Mélangez et parsemez de fromage. Servez.

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