Jovina cooks Italian: Summer eating

Here are some suggestions on how to use July’s bounty to create delicious, seasonal meals. Not great for November unless you live in Florida or the Caribean? Come back next year!

Cold  Salad Plate For 2

Cantaloupe Rounds Filled with Tuna Salad

Cantaloupe:

Cut 2 rounds from a the center of a ripe, peeled cantaloupe and remove the seeds. Center the rounds on 2 dinner plates.

Mix the tuna salad:

Combine one 6.4 oz package of tuna, ¼ cup diced onion, ¼ cup diced celery, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard and ½ cup mayonnaise.. Place half the tuna salad in each cantaloupe round.

Make the deviled eggs:

Cut 3 hard-boiled eggs in half. Remove the yolks to a small bowl and mash them. Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion and 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery.

Add a little sprinkle of salt, ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.

Mix well and use the fillings to stuff the egg whites. Arrange on the salad plate and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Add sliced fresh tomatoes to the salad plate and serve with warmed cornbread or rolls.

 Summer Chicken Salad

Ingredients

• 8-9 oz boneless chicken breasts
• ½ sweet onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 cup red grapes, halved
• 1 tablespoon lemon Juice
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whole pecans, toasted
• Parsley for garnish

Directions

I like to poach chicken in broth for salads. Place 2 cups of water with a salt free chicken bouillon packet in a medium saucepan. Add a little salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and add the chicken. Lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook the chicken about 15-20 minutes or until they are white through the center.

Cool in the broth. Drain the chicken and dice. Save the broth for when you need chicken broth for a recipe.

Place the diced chicken in a mixing bowl with the remaining ingredients, except the pecans. Chill.

To serve:

By hand, break half of the pecans into pieces and stir into the salad. Arrange the salad on a serving plate and decorate with the remaining pecans and garnish with parsley.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

• 8 oven roasted tomatoes, finely chopped, see recipe
• 1 jalapeño chili, finely diced
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Directions

Mix the ingredients together and allow to rest at room temperature until serving time for the flavors to blend.