Summer is a time for light meals: cold soups, lemonades, ice tea, salads. Today I will share what we cook in our Spanish-Russian family living in the US during summer months. These summer recipes are easy, quick in preparation and quite filling.
Spain
On our summer menu, we have a cold Spanish soup salmorejo. It is similar to gazpacho, but thicker and creamier in texture and is usually served with eggs and jamon.
photocredit: Maryviblog You will need:
1 kg of ripe tomatoes
200 g of white bread
2 cloves of garlic
50 ml wine vinegar
200 ml of olive oil
4 slices ham (jamon)
2 boiled eggs
Preparation:
Peel tomatoes and blend them to mashed potatoes texture. Add the bread, garlic, vinegar and olive oil, grind until smooth. Place in the refrigerator. Cut eggs and ham into small cubes. Pour the chilled soup into bowls, add the eggs and ham.
Russia
Many parts of Russia have hot summers and okroshka is traditional cold Russian soup. The name comes from the verb “to chop”, ie finely chop, chop.Vegetables (e.g., potatoes, turnips) and herbs, boiled eggs and meat make a perfect combination for a nutritious meal.
photocredit: wikipedia
You will need:
500 g of boiled beef
2-3 potatoes
2 eggs
4 pickled cucumber
10-12 radishes
100 g of green onions
1 bunch of dill
half of bunch of parsley
1 liter of kvass or kefir
salt, sour cream
Preparation:
Boil potatoes with their skins in lightly salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Cool them, peel and cut into small cubes. Wash, dry and chop green onions, dill and parsley. Place potatoes and greens in a large bowl, sprinkle with salt, mix thoroughly.Cook hard-boiled eggs. Rinse with cold water and clean from the shell. Cut the eggs and salted cucumber cubes. Wash and grate radish. Cut meat into thin strips. Add eggs, cucumber, radishes and meat in a bowl with potatoes. Stir, add salt if necessary. Add kefir or kvass to the bowl and serve.
USA
Living in a third country is always and opportunity to try new dishes and add something to our family cooking menu. I arrived thinking American food was boring and not healthy due to spread of fast food chains in Europe that created this false image. Here I learned how to make delicious salads and fruit-infused drinks.
One of our favourites American salads is with brussel sprouts and bacon
photocredit:www.thehousewifeintrainingfiles.com
You will need:
2 lbs brussel sprouts
1 cup walnuts
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
⅓ cup California Raisins
Vinaigrette:
¾ tsp dijon mustard
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Preparation:
Cut each brussel sprout into very thin slices by stem end. Add to a large bowl, toss to separate layers. In a saute pan toast walnuts over medium heat. Once fragrant, 5 minutes, remove from the heat and add to brussel sprouts. Add the bacon and raisins to the bowl and toss.
To make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the dijon, maple, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk or blend until well combined.Toss the salad with the vinaigrette and serve immediately.
We hope you have enjoyed these summer recipes. Happy Cooking!!!!
The following two tabs change content below.
Anna blogs at Multicultural Kitchen (http://www.multiculturalkitchen.org/) about her family of three: Spanish father, Russian mother and California-born daughter (Bilingual family living in a different language environment). To help their daughter create an emotional bond with her heritage languages, Anna has concentrated on food as the interconnecting point in their Spanish and Russian heritages, as food is important in both countries. For her family, meal preparation is a process when they fill all the ingredients with love and energy that is transmitted to other family members. Cooking and sharing a meal at home is the key to enjoy family company and raise children.
photocredit: wikipedia
photocredit:www.thehousewifeintrainingfiles.com
I love these summer recipes – and the photos, too! Thank you.