summer entertaining

On Thursday evening my husband and I hosted dinner for my granddaughter, daughter and her high school friend. This time of year makes cooking for family and friends so enjoyable. My menu of grilled figs stuffed with goat cheese and Southern Living Magazines heirloom tomato pie was a hit. I purchased fresh figs ($4.99 for a pint basket) at Delicious Orchards. The figs were ripe when I got them. After removing the stem end, on the opposite end I made a crosscut to form an X, 3/4 of the way through the fig. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon I filled the fig with goat cheese. The figs are then brushed with a bit of olive and grilled for a few minutes. As my figs were soft and ripe, I merely heated the figs until the cheese melted a bit.  Grilling the figs concentrated their sweetness and the tartness of the goat cheese was a nice play on flavors. A sprinkling of chopped rosemary gave it a woody scent and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar a tang. They were different and delicious. ​

Instead of tomatoes bruschetta, which I previous said I would make, I served Southern Living Magazine’s heirloom tomato pie. My heirloom tomatoes ($4.99/lb.) also came from Delicious Orchards. The tomatoes had a natural sweetness to them and baking them just seemed to concentrate their flavor. The filling, which is a combination of cheddar cheese, Duke’s Mayonnaise, chopped bacon, shallots and garlic was fabulous. I served it at room temperature which made the contrast of flavors and textures really shine. The next morning I heated a small piece in the microwave until it was warm and it was a great breakfast. Then last night I served the pie hot and my husband and daughter preferred that best.
 
Our dinner was grilled pork chops with caramelized peaches and basil.  I got my pork chops from Pastosa in Manasquan ($4.99/lb.). The pork chops were cooked with just a hint of pink in the center. The peaches that accompanied them were quartered and tossed with some pure maple syrup and a bit of olive oil, yum! The basil that was tossed atop the pork and peaches was a juxtaposition of unexpected flavors. To accompany the pork I made corn pudding. The natural sweetness of the corn suspend in a rich custard, with hint of thyme, was a good do-ahead side dish and a great alternative to the normal corn on the cob.
 
To keep dessert light and simple, I served chocolate dipped vanilla Madeleines. Overall, an easy dinner and tasty menu shared with great company. ​