I’m Not Ready for Pumpkins!
There were fake pumpkins for sale at Lowe’s in June, surrounded by statues of goblins and blow-up Frankensteins.
While I was just beginning to welcome in the high-summer vegetables like eggplants and tomatoes, commercialism was already begging that I switch my attention to what’s next.
Stop. We’re not there yet.
Ahead of us are four more glorious weeks of summer — the season we all pine for when the freezing snow is gathered on our stoops and we’re wrapped up tight in flannel blankets. During the dark months, the nights of stringed lights dangling from oak trees, the night song of crickets, and the scent of summer peaches feel miles away.
But we’re here. Now.
So let’s not rush forward into what’s next just yet, shall we? Even as school schedules and the need for sharpened pencils return, there are still days ahead of tanned shoulders, roses, and perhaps most importantly… harvest.
In today’s recipe, I’ll be scouring the weedy vegetable patch for cucumbers, greens, onion tops, bell peppers, and tomatoes. (Luckily, this recipe is very versatile — in case the grasshoppers have already taken their own harvest…)
We will eat supper outside tonight, on a red-checked tablecloth that reminds me of Italian summers, soaking in these wonderfully long, light-filled August days.
Black Rice and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Yogurt
For the dressing:
3 cloves garlic
2 cups Greek yogurt
⅓ cup tahini
Zest from 1 lemon, minced finely
Juice from 1 lemon (or to taste)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the salad:
2 cups black rice
4 cups water
Pinch sea salt
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
Cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, spinach, roasted red pepper, crumbled feta cheese, for serving
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine all of the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Whisk to combine, season to taste with additional salt and lemon if needed. Set aside.
Combine the black rice, water, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and allow the rice to cook for 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
While the rice cools, combine the chickpeas, olive oil, and curry powder together. Spread them on the prepared baking sheet and broil the chickpeas until they’re toasted and crispy, about five minutes.
Finally, assemble the salads by putting an array of vegetables on each plate, along with a scoop of sprinkling of chickpeas, andeas, and a generous dollop of dressing.
Off to pickle some eggplant and drink a glass of Prosecco under this August moon…
