Day in the Life of a Sag Harbor Traffic Officer

In addition to her usual duties, one Sag Harbor TCO was in charge of making sure that this fashion model didn't get flattened as she crossed the street a hundred times during a photo shoot this morning.

Last Night's Dinner: Green Beans and Chard

I did get around to making my Nigel Slater-inspired green beans last night. In Tender, he has a recipe for a chicken salad with green beans and chard, where he cooks the two vegetables in the same pot before dressing them and some chicken with a vinaigrette. I borrowed this simple and brilliant cooking method, skipping the chicken and adding some mustard to my dressing. Here is the recipe:

Green Beans and Chard
Serves 4

My chard leaves were so young and tender that there was no need to remove their ribs. If your leaves are larger, you'll have to take that step.

Salt
8 ounces green beans trimmed
One small bunch Swiss chard (about 4 ounces) tough stems and ribs removed if necessary, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
Salt
Ground black pepper

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and boil until just barely tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the card and boil an additional minute. Drain well and set aside to cool slightly.
2. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, mustard, shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and ground black pepepr to taste. Pour over the vegetables, stir to coat, adjust seasonings and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 hours before serving.

Tonight's Movie

I was away for a few days, in Portland, Maine, where I visited my favorite cookbook store and picked up a copy of Nigel Slater's newest book, with the pretty fava beans on the cover. When I got off of the ferry in Orient, I stopped at Latham Farms, where there were bushels of freshly picked green beans, so I decided to buy some, consult my new book, and make them tonight. But it will be a late dinner, because I just read in the Sag Harbor Express that the Parrish is screening Toast, the film based on Slater's earlier memoir, tonight at 5:30, and I'm not going to miss that!

Last Night's Dinner: Kale and White Bean Bruschetta

Quail Hill always seems to have an abundance of kale, a vegetable I've come to rely on for quick dinners. Last night, after a week of cooking with other vegetables from the farm, I had one lonely bag of kale left. I made a quick bruschetta topping by combining it with some white beans. It was so good, I'm not sure why I waited. I guess I was saving the best for last. Here's the recipe:

Bruschetta with Kale and White Beans
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as an appetizer

2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
3/4 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, chopped
One 14-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Salt
8 slices country bread

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in kale and 1/4 cup chicken broth, cover, and cook until kale is tender, stirring once or twice, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add beans and remainig broth to pan, stir, and mash beans with a potato masher. Cook, stirring often, until most of the broth has evaporated. Season with salt if necessary.
3. Grill or toast the bread slices, pile with the kale mixture, drizzle with olive oil, and serve
S

Celebrating with Cookies

Wishing everyone a happy Fourth of July. I celebrated with homemade chocolate sandwich cookies.

IGA Item of the Week

The IGA had plenty of brioche hot dog buns from Tomcat (to go with those natural casing hot dogs from Tim's Prime Meats!) this morning, but who knows how long they'll last.

Secrets Revealed

My story on my favorite places to grab a bite in the Hamptons in the summer is up on Zester.