Mango Mousse, Tommy met the Mango man on Clark st!

Mango mousse, mango gelee, vanilla sauce, dried peach fruit flower, mango bits, sugar spiral

Mango Mousse:
1 1/4 sheets gelatin
3T sugar
1/8 c cold water
3/4 cup ripe mango puree, strained
1 1/2 t lemon juice

1 c heavy whipping cream

Soften gelatin in cold water, squeeze and set aside. Heat water, sugar, puree and lemon juice, stir in gelatin to dissolve. Strain into bowl over an ice bath to cool. When no longer hot, whip the cream to soft peaks, and gently fold into base. Pour into dessert cups or molds, or large bowl or tart, and chill at least 2 1/2 hours til set.

Heat Wave Pasta Primavera

Consumed during the doggiest day of summer. It was 100 degrees here and that doesn't include chicago humidity. We thought we were too hot to eat, but our tiny air box rocked out just enough cool to inspire appetites after both working long days. This ended up being my favorite primavera I've ever made, maybe it was the neat italian pasta I picked up @ Stanleys.

1 Zucchini, peel into long strips with a peeler
fresh young asparagus,(oh 1/2 a bunch)break at tender spot, chop into 1/2 pieces
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 c sweet onion, chopped
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2 carrots, sliced thinly on an angle
1 t quality chicken stock bouillon, or about a cup of chix stock
dash of dry white wine
salt and freshly grnd papper
long pasta (any variey) about 8oz
pasta water, reserved
1/4 c half and half
Parmesean cheese, fresh basil leaves

boil pot of water, add olive oil splash and salt well, cook pasta til al dente, reserve water

saute garlic and onion in 1T olive oil,add carrots,cook a minute,add tomatoes, wine, stock,s and p. Lower heat and add about 1/2 c pasta water...cook a minute more,toss in green veggies,stir,turn off heat and stir in half and half. Now, grate in about 1/4 c Parmesean or Pecorino cheese. Toss w tongs, if you need more liquid add a bit more pasta water. pour out onto platter and top w big chards of grated parmy and chopped fresh basil. Salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

This is so beautiful!!!

Roasted Veg Foccach

Back in the kitchen again, with the hanging garden out back!
Roasted off some eggplant, tomato and red, yellow and orange peppers - made the "5 min" dough (my fav bread recipe....1 1/2 T yeast,1 1/2 T kosher salt,3 c warm water,5 -6 c flour) made 3 baguettes for picnic sandwiches and for dinner tonight rolled some out into a disk on cornmeal, spread the topped with a blend of homegrown basil,some fresh garlic, salt and olive oil....finished with some parmy and fresh oregano (the herb garden is going nuts!).

kitchen complete!

pretty much...haha. Always a few details leftover.
The peppers are growing like crazy on the porch outside, all is beautiful.
First meal in new kitchen was arugula pesto pasta, and the juiciest strawberries, (scored the china bowl at a garage sale!) and a very dirty gin martini. Heaven on toast.