From stalk to pot, in a flash

Some recipes from chefs who know their way around the garden - and right into the kitchen:

MONKFISH WITH CURRY SQUASH

AND HERB SALAD

Four 5-ounce monkfish pieces

1 cup olive oil, seasoned if

possible*

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 210 degrees (or use very low heat on stove top).

Season monkfish well with salt and pepper and put in baking dish (fit snugly). Cover with seasoned olive oil.

Confit (immerse in oil and cook) in oven for roughly 10 minutes, until just cooked. Remove and cover until ready to plate.

*In advance, add 1 strip lemon rind, 2 crushed cloves garlic and 1 halved shallot to olive oil and let steep overnight in an airtight glass jar or plastic container.

To serve: In a nonstick frying pan, saute the confit monkfish on one side until brown. Spread some curry sauce on each plate, then top with some of the curry squash (recipes below). Place monkfish on plate and garnish with herb salad (recipe below). Serves 4

CURRY SQUASH

1 small zucchini, large dice

1 small yellow squash, large dice

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 leek, cleaned and sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 large sprig of fresh basil

(Note: This step can be done a day in advance.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place all ingredients except cream and basil in baking dish, cover and bake until everything is soft, about 25 minutes.

Strain liquid, combine with heavy cream and reduce over medium heat until you have sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Puree 1/4-cup of the liquid and 1/4-cup of cooked squash with the basil in a blender to make sauce.

HERB SALAD

2 cups mixed fresh garden herbs

2 zucchini blossoms, shredded

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Mix lemon juice with olive oil and toss with herbs and shredded blossoms. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Source: Chef/owner Daniel Stern, Gayle

ALMOND MINT PESTO

1 1/2 cups toasted slivered almonds

4 cups fresh mint leaves

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup mint jelly

1/4 cup chopped fresh garlic

1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

Blend all dry ingredients in food processor until finely chopped. Add oil and mint jelly and blend until smooth.

Yield: 3 cups

Serve with rack of lamb, but it can be used as a garnish for chicken, fish, grilled vegetables - or even ice cream.

Source: Chef Chris Beall, Lambertville Station

ROASTED PEACHES WITH LAVENDER

4 to 6 ripe summer peaches

3 sprigs lavender, picked

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 bottle dry riesling or French

vermouth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve the peaches lengthwise, pit them and reserve. Over medium heat in a large nonstick pan, bring sugar to a light brown and place the peaches cut side down in the sugar.

Sprinkle in some lavender, let them take a little color around the edges, toss the pan quickly and roast in oven for 4-6 minutes (depending on the ripeness of the peach). Remove peach halves to cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook just to thicken the sauce a bit.

Serve immediately with ice cream or mascarpone, or reserve in refrigerator for a few days. This also make a great garnish for duck or grilled pork chops. Serves four.

Source: Chef Peter Nowakoski, Rats

GULF SHRIMP AND CHICKEN WITH THAI AND LIME BASIL

AND CHILIES

3 large (U10) white Gulf shrimp

1/4 pound chicken breast

3 Thai chiles, sliced

1 Serrano chili sliced

1 sweet cherry pepper, sliced

1 lipstick chili (or jalapeno)

1 tablespoon red onion, julienne

3 Thai basil tops (pinched from

top, or 6 leaves)

3 lime basil tops (pinched from

top, or 6 leaves)

1 tablespoon finely chopped

lemongrass (peeled, white

part only)

2 spring pattypan squash

3/4 cup soybean oil

Cut the chicken into eight pieces. Peel and devein the shrimp leaving the tail shell on. Then fold the chicken and the shrimp in the slurry (recipe below).

Slice the chili peppers into rings and julienne the red onion. Pick the basil leaves and set aside. It's important to finely slice the lemongrass crossways into small rings and then chop very fine.

Put 1/2-cup of soybean oil in a wok or seasoned pan. Over medium heat, sear the chicken and the shrimp on all sides till golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Add rest of oil to hot pan and sear lemongrass, onions, chilies, red onions and pattypans. Remove from pan and set aside. Lower heat, add the sauce (recipe below) and simmer until it is reduced by half.

Return the chicken, shrimp and cooked vegetables to pan and simmer for three minutes. Add Thai and lime basil and spoon mixture onto a plate. Garnish with tempura squash blossom (recipe below). Serves 2.

SLURRY FOR CHICKEN AND SHRIMP

1 egg white

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup soybean oil

1 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together and keep refrigerated.

SAUCE

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup Thai fish sauce

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons tamarind juice

4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

Combine all the ingredients in a pot and bring up to simmer.

TEMPURA SQUASH BLOSSOM

1 pattypan squash blossom

1 egg

1/2 cup corn starch

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup water

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Wisk all ingredients except squash blossom until smooth. Dip the squash blossom gently into the tempura batter. Preheat oil in a frying pan, then deep fry squash until crispy. Set aside for garnish.

Source: Chef/partner Patrick Feury, Nectar

ORANGE MINT MOJITO

5 orange mint leaves

1 slice fresh orange

1 teaspoon sugar

1 ounce vanilla rum

1/2 ounce Triple Sec

7UP

Spring of mint

Muddle the orange mint, orange slice and sugar with a couple of ice cubes. Fill glass with ice. Add rum and Triple Sec. Top with 7UP. Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serves 1.

Source: Rachel Salgado, Lambertville Station