Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Marjoram and Feta

I usually make this salad in the summer with fresh corn and sun-ripened tomatoes, but the knotted marjoram in our garden is about to flower and there are good cherry tomatoes at my local grocery store, organic corn in the freezer and feta in the fridge.

How could I resist making it to go with the Red Lentil Burgers we had for dinner the other night?

Marjoram adds a wonderful base note to the sweetness of the corn and the saltiness of the feta. It's worth growing this aromatic herb for this salad alone.

Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Marjoram and Feta

10 oz package frozen organic corn
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup diced feta
1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram

Cook corn briefly according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool.

Whisk together olive oil and red wine vinegar. Stir in cooled corn, tomatoes, feta and marjoram.

Serves 2-3

Goat Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Extravaganza

I'm not sure what to call the delicious vegetarian entrée I served at Thanksgiving. Layers of phyllo pastry top and bottom, a filling of spinach, goat cheese and mushrooms - all baked free form on a cookie sheet. I think Extravaganza is the only word for it.

I'm not really good with phyllo - to make it good and crispy requires a lot of melted butter, and I find myself going with the minimum. It's still delicious, even if the layers of dough don't hold together as well as they could.

Like lasagna, once all the parts are assembled, it's a quick dish to prepare. The longest part is cleaning the spinach and mushrooms. Working with whole food takes more time, but it's worth it for the great taste.

This dish is great leftovers - fortunately because it makes enough for 8-12 people. I've been enjoying it cold for lunch - the crust is not as crisp, but the flavor is great.

Here's the recipe in case you want to serve your own Extravaganza!

Goat Cheese and Spinach Phyllo Extravaganza
1 packet whole wheat phyllo (16-18 sheets)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
1/2 red onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced, divided use
3/4 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
2 bunches spinach, washed and heavy stems removed
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, marjoram and thyme
1 lb ricotta
2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1/4 cup melted butter (or more)
1/3 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/4 lb goat cheese, crumbled

Take phyllo out of freezer to thaw in its box.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes until onion begins to soften and release its moisture. Add half the garlic and cook another 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat another tbsp in the unwashed skillet. Sear mushrooms over high heat with 1/4 tsp salt and a little pepper. Cook about 7 minutes until golden-brown. Add remaining garlic and sauté another minute. Add wine to deglaze pan and cook until pan is nearly dry again. Add the mushrooms to the bowl of onions.

Again, don't wash the skillet. Add the spinach, 1/2 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook over high heat, letting the spinach wilt. Then drain well and let cool a little. Squeeze out the moisture - it should be damp but not wet. Coarsely chop and add to onions. Stir in the fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the parmesan. Mix thoroughly.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Unfold phyllo and cover with a damp towel.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking sheet. Lay a piece of phyllo on it, brush lightly with butter, and sprinkle with a few pistachios. Continue with 8-9 more sheets, brushing butter and sprinkling nuts, using about half of each.

Spread the ricotta mix on the phyllo, almost to the edges. Spoon the spinach mixture on top. Sprinkle the goat cheese over all.

Layer on the last sheets, brushing each lightly with butter and scattering with nuts. Brush the top layer thoroughly with butter.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Cut off excess dough at edges if necessary. Cut the Extravaganza into 8 squares, but don't separate them. This makes it easier to serve.

Bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Cut each square into triangles or rectangles, and serve.

Serves 8-12

Egg Salad Sandwich

For too long, eggs have had a bad rap. People wrongly believed they were too high in fat and dietary cholesterol to be part of a healthy diet.

Fortunately people are now realizing that eggs are a healthy food.

Of course, it depends on the eggs you eat. We eat eggs from chickens that live in an apple orchard: eating bugs, scratching in the dirt, nibbling on weeds, eating a little grain to supplement their diet. I bet these are really healthy eggs. Most so-called free-range or organic eggs are from chickens whose diet is mainly soy and corn. Not as natural, but at least they're not eating ground-up chicken feathers like factory-farmed chickens do.

Anyway, no matter what kind of egg you can find, eat the whole thing. The yolks are the richest source of choline known. Choline is essential for brain health, and for brain and memory development in the fetus (attention pregnant and nursing moms).

Eggs are also anti-inflammatory, and they have compounds that break homocysteine down so they're good for the heart too.

To set the cholesterol myth to rest, a recent study in northern Mexico found that eating eggs can actually improve cholesterol levels, even when combined with a high intake of fatty foods like hydrogenated oils.

This egg salad sandwich is not traditional - it includes fresh herbs and mushrooms - but it is scrumptious. I served it on homemade white bread because it's nice to have squishy bread to hold the sandwich together. But feel free to use nutritious whole grain bread instead.

I adapted the recipe from Season to Taste, an accomplished book on herbs and spices in American cooking that Jeannette Ferrary and Louise Fiszer wrote in 1988. I've dipped into it regularly over the years, and always learn something new and get a good recipe. (Rosemary garlic bread - mmm!)

Egg Salad Sandwich
1 tbsp butter
1 spring onion, chopped
1/4 lb mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh marjoram leaves, chopped (or 1/4 tsp dried)
2 eggs, hardboiled and shelled
2 tbsp mayonnaise
red onion rings
baby spinach or butter lettuce
4 slices bread

Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter in a small skillet for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice and stir in marjoram. Allow to cool slightly.

Chop eggs coarsely. Combine with mushrooms and mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the egg mixture on two slices of bread. Top with red onion rings and spinach leaves. Top with other two slices of bread.

Makes 2 sandwiches.