Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes(14)

He pushed off the doorframe and walked toward the dining alcove. She saw that he’d placed a couple of folders and an open bottle of wine on the butcher block table.

“Shall we?” he asked, holding out a chair.

“Sure.”

She took the seat he offered, then nodded when he held up the wine bottle. Maybe sipping the excellent cabernet would settle her nerves. It wasn’t that she was nervous, she told herself. This was a new situation—that was all. She was being forced to share her dream. That would be uncomfortable for anyone. Her fluttery tummy had nothing to do with being around Greg.

He sat across from her and picked up his glass of wine. “To the Fool’s Gold Cookbook,” he said, touching his glass to hers.

Before she could respond, he chuckled.

“What?” she asked.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this. After all these years.” He shrugged. “I still remember the first time I saw you. We’d just moved to town. I was seven and I didn’t know anyone. My mom told me I should sign up for the second-grade play as a way to make new friends. I walked into tryouts and there you were. All blond curls and big eyes.”

He sipped his wine. “I went home and told my mother I’d fallen in love.”

Ana Raquel felt herself blink. “With me?”

“Yup. When I was picked to be Prince Charming, I knew it was meant to be.” He smiled again. “Of course, I was only seven.”

Move Directly to Chapter 5

summer

Warm Weather Meals

Grilled Cheese, Pear and Prosciutto Sandwiches

End-of-Summer Tomato Tart

Summer Garden Wheatberry Salad

Memorial Day Chicken Salad

Curried Chicken Salad

Caramelized Onion, White Bean and Wilted Arugula Crostini

Ten-Minute Crisp Chopped Salad

Heidi’s Arugula, Corn and Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese

Caprese Pasta Salad with Balsamic Chicken

Green Pasta Pesto with Zucchini Carpaccio

Buttery Tilapia with Dijon Dill Green Beans

Grilled Loin Lamb Chops with Cool Cucumber Sauce

Garlicky Grilled Steaks

Flank Steak and Balsamic Spinach Salad

Marinated Green and White Bean Salad with Garlic Shrimp

Crunchy Pork Chops with Beet and Carrot Slaw

Pan-Seared Turkey Cutlets with Creamed Corn and Bacon

SUMMER

Grilled Cheese, Pear and Prosciutto Sandwiches

This is a sophisticated version of the classic grilled cheese sandwich. The clever cooking technique means you can make sandwiches for the whole family all at the same time.

Serves 4

8 slices challah or other firm white bread

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces Jarlsberg or fontina cheese, thinly sliced

4 large slices prosciutto

1 ripe pear, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place two rimmed baking sheets in the oven to warm for at least 10 minutes.

2. Spread 1 side of 4 bread slices with a thin layer of butter. Carefully lay slices, buttered-side down, onto one hot baking sheet. Top evenly with cheese, prosciutto and pear slices. Top with remaining bread. Spread remaining butter on top of those bread slices; place second hot baking sheet over the sandwiches, rim side up. Place “sandwich” of baking sheets in oven. Bake 6 minutes, until cheese is melted and bread golden. Carefully remove the hot baking sheets; transfer sandwiches to cutting board.

TIP: Bartlett pears are a good choice—just make sure they’re ripe.

SUMMER

SUMMER

End-of-Summer Tomato Tart

Don’t think twice about making this tart crust—you whip it up in the food processor in seconds, then just press it into the tart pan. Serve this elegant tart with a crisp green salad and, for heartier appetites, grilled sausage.

Serves 4

Crust

1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, chopped

1 large egg

2–3 tablespoons cold water

Filling

⅓ cup crème fraiche

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 medium heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes

Salt and black pepper

6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

For crust:

1. In a food processor, pulse flour and salt until combined. Add butter and egg; pulse until dough forms tiny balls. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, just until dough holds together when you pinch it with your fingers. Scrape dough out of the bowl and shape it into a disk. Wrap disk in plastic; flatten slightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Press dough into and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan, either metal or ceramic.

For filling:

In a small bowl, whisk crème fraiche and mustard until blended. Evenly spread this mixture over the dough. Thinly slice tomatoes. Using a small spoon or your fingers, carefully remove as many of the seeds as possible and wet pulp from the middle of the slices. Arrange slices in tart; season with salt and pepper. Randomly top with mozzarella slices. Bake 30 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese is bubbling. Sprinkle tart with basil.

TIP: The crème fraiche–mustard base guards against a soggy crust and adds a creamy bite.

SUMMER