By Ana Sortun, Oleana Restaurant

From her new cookbook: Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean
published by HarperCollins

Serves 8

1/2 cup of fine bulghar, soaked in 1/2 cup of hot water.
1/2 minced white onion
1 minced green bell pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove chopped garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil +1 Tablespoon
1 bunch basil, clean leaves only
1/2 cup walnuts, lightly toasted (reserve just a few for garnish)
Salt & pepper to taste

2 heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced

Place the onion, pepper, bulghar, lemon & 1/4 cup of olive oil in small mixing bowl and combine.
In a food processor, process the basil leaves with the garlic & walnuts and a pinch of salt until finely chopped. Stir into the bulghar mixture and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Spread thinly on the bottom of a platter and top with sliced tomatoes, season tomatoes with salt and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil if you want and some crushed reserved walnuts and serve.

By Joan MacIsaac, Ruby Chard Catering

Infused Grilling Oil:
2 teaspoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grind of fresh cracked black pepper

Tomato Relish:
2 cups chopped garden tomatoes, seeded
1 tablespoon chopped basil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Cracked black pepper to taste

2 pounds medium firm zucchini
2 pounds medium firm yellow squash

4 ounces of a crumbled new England Goat Cheese

Combine the thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, smashed garlic cloves, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Combine and let sit for at least 30 minutes so the olive oil infuses.

Pre-heat your gas grill on high or start an even bed of coals in your charcoal grill. Season the grates by rubbing them with a lightly oiled cloth.

Cut the tops off the squashes. With a long serrated knife or using a mandolin, slice the zucchini and yellow squash lengthwise, trying to keep a ¼ inch slice. They should be long thin pieces. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the squash on both sides with the infused oil. Set aside on a sheet pan or platter.

Combine the tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Have a cooling or baking rack ready beside the grill. Making sure the squashes are not dripping with oil, place the squashes slices on the hot part of the grill, making sure to leave space between the pieces to ensure even heat flow. Grill the squashes for 2-3 minutes or until there is a grill mark. Flip the squashes and repeat on the opposite side. Place the squashes on the cooling rack so they do not continue to steam in their own heat. Cool to room temperature.

Working on a clean surface lay out a few grilled squash pieces. Gently roll each piece into a spiral jellyroll by starting with the wide portion of the squash and rolling up to the top at a slight angle. Lay them on a serving platter.

Sprinkle the marinated tomatoes over the grilled squash rolls and crumble goat cheese over the platter. Serve at room temperature.

By Joan MacIsaac, Ruby Chard Catering

Steaming the Clams:
2 dozen Wellfleet littleneck clams
1 cup water

Garlic Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup shallots, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup white wine

1 tablespoon olive oil for the fish
2 - 3 pounds Striped Bass filets or other New England Summer Fish (Swordfish in August-Sept)
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Cracked black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Place the clams in a bowl of cold water. Rinse and scrub the clams under running water. If the clams feel gritty, repeat the process to remove all the sand.

Place the clams in a small stockpot or saucepan, covering with the water. Cover tightly and place on a high flame. Once you see steam coming from the pot, the clams will open after about 1 minute, transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Try to remove the clams before they totally open. Chill the clams in the refrigerator and pour the liquid through a sieve and reserve the liquid.

Remove the clams from their shells (save some or the shells for garnish if you like) and roughly chop the clams. Set aside.

Heat a saucepan on medium; add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the shallots. Cook the shallots until they are soft and translucent (sweating). Add the garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine and increase the flame to high, reducing the liquid by half of its volume. Remove the pan from the heat and add this to the reserved clam juices.

Cut the fish filets into serving size portions (approximately 6 ounces). Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large sauté pan on high. When it is hot (test with a small edge of the fish, it should sizzle) add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and place the fish filets, skin side up. Make sure there is room between the filets for adequate browning. Sear the filets for 2 - 3 minutes. Flip the fish, sear the other side for about 2 minutes, making sure there is browning. If the fish is thick, place the pan in the pre-heated oven and continue cooking for 4 - 5 minutes. (If the filets are thin, reduce the heat to medium, cover and continue cooking in the pan for 1-2 minutes.) Ideally you will want the interior of the fish slightly under done.

Remove the fish from the sauté pan or oven and transfer to a serving platter.

In the pan the fish was cooked in, add the reserved clam juices. Bring to a boil and using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned particles off the bottom of the sauté pan. Reduce this liquid so it just covers the bottom of the pan. If you go too far add a tiny bit more wine or water. Lower the heat and add the clams, parsley and cracked black pepper to taste. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons the olive oil (or you can substitute unsalted butter) and ladle the sauce over the fish.

Serve hot with lemon wedge on the side.

By Elizabeth Gawthrop Riely

2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
2 cups blueberries
3 cups raspberries
1 cup blackberries
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste
1/2 loaf stale firm-textured white bread, thinly sliced and crusts trimmed

Put the strawberries and firmer berries in a large pot and soften them over low heat. As the juices begin to run, gently stir in the remaining berries and sugar. Heat the berries only enough to make the mixture runny, not to make a mush. Remove from the stove and taste for sweetness, adding more sugar only as needed. Pour the fruit into a sieve set over a bowl, reserving the juices and pulp.

Cut the bread to fit a 6- to 8-cup pudding mold or bowl with steep sides. Put a round piece on the bottom and fan-shaped pieces around the sides, fitting them evenly. One piece at a time, dip both sides of the bread in the reserved juice, then put it back in place. Fill any chinks with leftover bread, so the bowl is completely lined. Spoon the fruit solids into the mold almost to the top. Trim any bread that extends over the sides, and cover the top of the pudding with bread.

Cover the pudding tightly with plastic wrap and set a saucer on top that just fits inside the rim. Place a heavy can on top to weight the pudding and press the juices into the bread. Chill overnight or longer, weighted. Cover and chill the leftover juices.

To serve, run the tip of a knife around the edge of the pudding, invert the bowl onto a serving platter, and jerk it down once or twice to unmold the pudding. Paint out any pale spots with the reserved juices; spoon the rest over or around the pudding. A few whole fruits, green leaves still attached, make a pretty garnish, but this is not necessary. Pass heavy cream or lightly whipped cream on the side.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

By Joan MacIsaac, Ruby Chard Catering

For this upside down layered savory tart you can use the following pie dough recipe or you can substitute sheets of puff pastry. Both work great!

Pate Brisee/ Pie Dough (This recipe makes two tart shells)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
8 ounces (2 sticks) cold butter cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
Approximately 3/4 cup ice cold water, as needed

In the bowl of a Cuisinart, measure flour and salt. Add butter and process on very quick pulses, about 5 - 6 pulses, or until the butter is broken down into even smaller pieces.

Add approximately ¼ cup of ice water and pulse. Drizzle a bit more water, and pulse a few more times. Add the water until the dough comes together. You can stop the processor and feel the dough. If you make it come together in your hand, then it is ready to turn out on your baking table.

Note: the idea is to not over manipulate the dough. You do not want the butter to get warm and pliable.

Place the dough on a board and make a ball. Divide it into two equal portions and form each into a round flattened ball. Wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least a half hour before rolling out.

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, to an even 1/8 of an inch thickness. Try to make the dough round so it can fit over your sauté pan. Transfer the dough to a plate or cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before baking. You can also freeze the dough in the pie or tart shell for future use.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium sweet onions, peeled and sliced top to bottom into ¼ inch slices
1 large fennel bulb, cleaned, cored and sliced into ¼ inch slices
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
4 medium beets, roasted, peeled and sliced into thin ½ inch rounds (see note below)
2 teaspoon chopped sage
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces Great Hill Blue cheese, crumbled
1 egg, lightly beaten for brushing the dough

Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a large 12-inch sauté pan heat the butter on high. Add the onions and fennel and toss to coat. Sauté the onions and fennel for 4 minutes, or until they begin to sweat and loose moisture. Make sure to stir the vegetables every now and then for even cooking.

Add the thyme and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to lightly brown or caramelize.

Add the wine and scrape up any browned pieces off the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid reduce to almost a syrup consistency. You should be able to see some liquid on the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat. Add salt and pepper. Adjust your seasonings accordingly.

Sprinkle the beets with the chopped sage, salt and pepper. Lay the beets over the fennel and onion mixture, crumbling the blue cheese between the beet layers. Finish crumbling the blue cheese over the beets.

Lay the chilled tart dough over the cooled sauté pan. Trim any excess dough that falls over the pan edges and let the dough fall naturally over the filling. The dough should be about ½ inch wider than the filling. This extra dough can be tucked into the sides of the filling so that a lip occurs naturally.

After tucking the dough into in the sides of the filling, cut 4 small ½ inch steam holes evenly in the dough.

Brush the tart with the egg wash and bake in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes. The dough should be golden brown. Reduce the heat to 350 and continue to cook for 8 minutes or until you see juices bubbling. Remove the tart from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

While the tart is warm, place a round plate over the pan. The tart comes out easily because there is no sugar to brown and stick to the pan. Using potholders, sandwich the pan and the plate with your hands and flip the tart onto the plate. Make sure to keep the handle of the pan to your side. You can then transfer the tart to a flat serving platter or cutting board. Let the tart cool to room temperature before cutting. Cut into wedges and serve with the blue cheese cream on the side. Sprinkle with chopped chives

Roasting Beets

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove the greens from the beets, wash the beets and trim any long roots. Lay a large piece of aluminum foil on a work space. Place the beets on the foil and begin to wrap them. Before they are completely wrapped, add 1 tablespoon of water and then seal tightly. You may need another sheet of aluminum foil. Place the beets on a sheet pan and bake in the oven for 60 - 75 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in the center of the beet comes out easily. Open the aluminum foil and let cool. Peel the beets while they are warm, the skin comes off very easily. Plus there are no messy pans to clean!

Blue Cheese Cream
2-3 ounces Great Hill Blue cheese
1 cup heavy cream
Chives for garnishing

Place the blue cheese in a bowl of a Cuisinart and pulse to break it down. Add the heavy cream gradually, scraping down the sides of the bowl as need be. This will make a thick creamy sauce.