Slow Food, fast dinner? It's possible

<p>When Alice Waters was at the Sebastopol farmers market earlier this month, she said something, almost an aside, a throw-away line, that continues to resonate. It is worth exploring.</p><p>In the summer, she said, with its abundant harvest, you should be able to get dinner on the table in 10 minutes.</p><p>People to whom cooking comes naturally understood what she meant. Nature is wise; summer foods need little more than a knife, salt, pepper. Summer's bounty does not require that we spend a lot of time close to fire, clearly the right thing. It is an easy pleasure to fill a table with enticing dishes that encourage everyone to linger. Slice tomatoes, chop fresh basil, grill zucchini, make a little tuna tartare, peel a peach and there you have it, an irresistible feast.</p><p>What struck me most about Alice's comment was its juxtaposition with Slow Food Nation, coming up at the end of the month in San Francisco. She is spearheading what she referred to as a green kitchen that will consist of little more than a cutting board, a knife and a small burner. Chefs from across the country will prepare simple, basic dishes, the sorts of things that people can easily duplicate at home with little effort.</p><p>This is a revolutionary statement, and coming as it did from the woman credited with transforming the way America eats, it could have a revolutionary effect.</p><p>Stay with me here, OK?</p><p>For a generation, conventional cultural wisdom has made people believe that the best food is created in restaurant kitchens. As interest in unfamiliar foods and flavors has increased, confidence in the kitchen has decreased.</p><p>The rise of Slow Food has contributed to the idea that really good food is reserved for the elite class, those with leisure time and hefty bank accounts.</p><p>Yet the impression is, at least to some degree, an accident of language. The movement actually began as a reaction against commercial fast food, and as such, the moniker nails the goal. People who have paid attention as Slow Food has gained momentum in the United States understand this, but those who have neither the time nor the inclination to follow the trail can feel excluded.</p><p>"I don't have time for slow food," they think. "I can barely get dinner on the table after picking up the kids from day care."</p><p>We live in a fast world, so how do we make slow food work?</p><p>Therein is the brilliance of Alice's nearly off-hand remark. That Slow Food Nation will highlight this point of view is great news. If we are to transform how we feed ourselves and one another, which we must do, this is a great way to start.</p><p>So how do you honor the concept? By understanding that slow food does not necessarily mean leisurely cooking, with hours of preparation in your well-appointed kitchen. More than anything, it means knowing how to choose good ingredients, those from close to home, maybe even from your own garden. These foods are by definition seasonal. They already taste good and all they want is for you to shepherd them to the table without much fuss. They will do the rest.</p><p>Burrata is a fresh mozzarella that is wrapped around an inner core of bits of cheese and rich buttery cream. It has a short shelf life, so check the date when you buy it and use it right away. I think smaller zucchini are better than larger zucchini in this dish because they have a great skin-to-flesh ratio and I find the skin delicious.</p><p>Tomatoes and Basil with Burrata</p><p>Makes 4 to 6 servings</p><p>1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters</p><p>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</p><p>1 fresh garlic clove, crushed and minced</p><p>-- Kosher salt</p><p>-- Black pepper in a mill</p><p>1 whole burrata, about 10 to 12 ounces</p><p>10 or 12 basil leaves, cut into very thin strips</p><p>Put the cherry tomatoes into a medium bowl, add the olive oil and garlic, season with salt and pepper and set aside for a few minutes.</p><p>Put the burrata in the center of a plate and scatter the tomatoes and their juices over and around it. Season all over with salt and pepper, sprinkle with basil leaves and serve.</p><p>We've gotten into the habit of calling toasted bread topped with something savory by its Italian name, bruschetta. It works for me but if it doesn't for you, think of it more simply as toast, one of the most evocative and delicious foods humans have ever come up with.</p><p>Sauteed Zucchini Bruschetta</p><p>Makes 4 servings</p><p>3 to 4 small zucchini, trimmed</p><p>2 tablespoons butter or olive oil</p><p>1 garlic clove, crushed</p><p>8 slices hearth bread</p><p>-- Kosher salt</p><p>-- Black pepper in a mill</p><p>6 ounces St. George, jack or other medium-bodied cheese, grated</p><p>6 fresh mint leaves, shredded, optional</p><p>Grate the zucchini on the large blade of a box grater.</p><p>Put the butter or oil in a medium saute pan. When it is melted or hot, add the garlic, saute 30 seconds. Add the zucchini, toss or stir and cook for about 90 seconds, until heated through and barely beginning to wilt. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.</p><p>Working quickly, toast or grill the bread until golden brown and set on a platter or individual plates. Sprinkle cheese over the toasted bread, top with zucchini and sprinkle a little mint on each piece. Serve immediately.</p><p>I like almost any cole slaw, from those that are entirely savory to those that are quite sweet. In the version I've been enjoying recently, I use grated Gravensteins instead of the grated carrots I use in the winter. The secret is to use very firm apples, grate them at the last minute and serve the slaw right away so that the texture does not deteriorate.</p><p>Gravenstein Cole Slaw</p><p>Makes 4 to 6 servings</p><p>1 small green cabbage, cored and cut into very thin strips</p><p>1 small red onion, very thinly sliced</p><p>2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley</p><p>½ cup best-quality mayonnaise, preferably homemade</p><p>2 tablespoons sugar</p><p>2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</p><p>2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar</p><p>1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional</p><p>-- Kosher salt</p><p>-- Black pepper in a mill</p><p>2 Gravenstein apples</p><p>Put the cabbage, onion and parsley into a medium bowl and set aside.</p><p>Put the mayonnaise into a small bowl, add the sugar, lemon juice, vinegar and cumin, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix with a fork or whisk until smooth.</p><p>Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss thoroughly.</p><p>Working quickly, peel and core the apples and grate them on the large blade of a box grater. Add them to the cole slaw, toss gently, taste, correct for salt and pepper and serve immediately.</p><p>When summer's harvest is in full swing, it can be hard to keep up with it. One way to take advantage of the abundance of fruit is to make a quick compote to serve neat for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can also serve it alongside ice cream, pound cake or, my favorite, angel food cake.</p><p>Summer Fruit Compote</p><p>Makes 4 servings</p><p>1 pint (2 cups) berries, a mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mulberries or whatever else is at hand</p><p>2 or 3 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and cut into ¼-inch wide slices</p><p>2 tablespoons sugar</p><p>¼ teaspoon vanilla, optional</p><p>-- Zest of 1 lemon, optional</p><p>Put the fruit into a bowl, sprinkle with the sugar, add the vanilla, toss gently, cover and let rest for at least 15 minutes and as long as two hours.</p><p>To serve, add the lemon zest, if using, and spoon into small bowls. Serve immediately.</p><p>Michele Anna Jordan can be contacted via e-mail at michele@micheleannajordan.com.</p>