It is officially summer in St. Louis. It is a great time of the year with too many events to name and too little time to attend them all. It is also a great time for backyard barbecues and meals on the patio or deck with family and friends. However, these cool, enjoyable summer evenings won't last. So, periodically, I will share some secret family recipes with you for quick, enjoyable summer meals.
SHOPPING FOR INGREDIENTS - SOULARD MARKET AND THE HILL
For today's recipe, you will need some very simple ingredients. Since part of the summer fun is walking and exploring, we start the trip at Soulard Market located in the Soulard neighborhood at 730 Carroll Street, approximately 5 blocks East of Lafayette Square and 2 block East of the Georgian Condominiums (former City Hospital). Soulard Market, dedicated in 1838, is the oldest farmer's market West of the Mississippi River. The vendors at the market are varied and range from green grocers to meat markets to spice purveyors and more. For more information on vendors, click on Vendor List. The market is open: 8 a.m. (6:00 a.m. on Sat. only) to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays and is handicap accessible.
At Soulard Market, purchase the following items:
- Heirloom Tomatoes
- Lemons
- Pine Nuts
- Arugula
- Basil
- Oregano
After shopping in open air market, proceed to The Hill by taking Highway 44 West to the Kingshighway exit. Proceed staight or West on McRee and turn Left on Kingshighway and Right on Shaw Ave. Proceed 4 blocks to J Viviano & Sons located in The Hill neighborhood at 5139 Shaw Avenue. At Vivianos, not much has changed since this Italian grocery store opened in 1949 - great service, fine homemade sausage and pastas, and imported wines, cheeses and more.
At J. Vivian & Sons, purchase the following items:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic Gloves
- Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Bocconcini from buffalo mozzarella
- Balsamic Vinegar
NOW FOR THE RECIPES
Recipe # 1:
- 2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes (about 4 large), sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced1/4 inch thick
- 1/4 cup packed fresh basil or arugula leaves, washed well and spun dry
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled, if using arugula instead of basil
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- fine sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- balsamic vinegar
Preparation: On a large platter arrange tomato and mozzarella slices and basil leaves, alternating and overlapping them. Sprinkle salad with oregano and arugula and drizzle with oil. Season salad with salt and pepper. Finish with a sprinkle of Balsamic vinegar.
Recipe #2:
For the salad:
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and left whole
- Olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 lb. fresh mozzarella or burrata (mozz's milky cousin)
For the pesto:
- 3 handfuls of basil leaves (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, plus 1/4 cup extra, toasted
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Preparation: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place your cherry tomatoes in a large cookie sheet or baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss until the tomatoes are evenly coated. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are burst and blistered, with a few dark spots. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. To make the pesto: in a food processor, combine the garlic, pine nuts, and basil. Pulse until slightly pureed. Pour in the olive oil gradually, pulsing with each addition until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, parmesan, and salt. Taste as you go, making sure it's balanced. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator. Slice your mozzarella or burrata--you can do long slices, or 1-inch size pieces. Arrange the cheese on your salad plates. Spoon the cooled tomatoes over the cheese, evenly distributing them between each plate. Add the pesto over the tomatoes and cheese. Top with a sprinkle of roasted pine nuts and some freshly-ground black pepper.
Recipe #3:
- 12 plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise in half
- 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 6 cups fresh basil leaves, plus a few leaves for garnish
- 4 tablespoons pine nuts
- 8 large bocconcini (from buffalo mozzarella) or 2 pounds buffalo mozzarella, cut into quarters
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200°F. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1/2 cup of the olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place cut side down on a small baking sheet and bake for about 2 hours, or until the tomatoes are softened. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let cool. Transfer the cooled tomatoes to a colander and set aside to drain while you make the pesto. Combine the garlic and Parmigiano in a blender and pulse until the garlic is roughly chopped. Add the basil and pulse 7 or 8 times, or until the leaves are shredded. With the blender running, slowly add the remaining 1 cup olive oil, blending until smooth. Toast the pine nuts in an 8-inch sauté pan over medium heat, tossing frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. To serve, arrange 3 tomato halves cut side down on each plate. Place a ball of mozzarella in the center and spoon 2 tablespoons of the pesto onto each ball of mozzarella. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and garnish with basil leaves.
For each recipe, garnish with basil leaves and a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar.
OTHER GOURMET FOOD STORES TO VISIT WHILE ON THE HILL
For other great Italian markets and food suppliers on the Hill, visit:
- Digregorio Italian Foods - 2232 Marconi Ave., (314) 776-3954, www.digregoriofoods.com
- Eovaldi's Deli and Catering - 2201 Edwards St., (314) 771-5707
- Hautly Cheese Company, Inc. - 5130 Northrup Ave., (314) 772-9339, www.hautly.com
- John Volpi Company - 5250 Daggett Ave., (314) 772-8550, www.volpifoods.com
- Missouri Baking Company - 2027 Edwards St., (314) 773-0468
- River Town Foods, Inc. - 4601 Mcree, (314) 776-5646, www.rivertownfoods.com
- Urzi's Italian Market - 5430 Southwest Ave., (314) 645-3914
- Vitale's Bakery - 2130 Marconi Ave., (314) 664-6665, www.the-hill.com/vitales
- Oldani Brothers Sausage Company, Inc. - 2201 Edwards St., (314) 772-2125
THE PERFECT SUMMER SALAD NEEDS THE PERFECT HOME
Now that you have explored two great city neighborhoods, have visited two St. Louis culinary landmarks, and have three great recipes to prepare the perfect summer salad, there is only one thing missing. You need a great home with a beautiful deck or patio to enjoy this perfect meal.
Interested in purchasing a new home in Soulard, Lafayette Square, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, The Hill or the Central West End to name just a few of the great city neighborhoods? Contact Ryan Shaughnessy at PREA Signature Realty at 314-971-4381 or send an e-mail to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com. For information on city neighborhoods, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com.
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PREA SIGNATURE REALTY
PREA Signature Realty is a full service brokerage located at 1709 Park Avenue in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of the City of St. Louis. PREA Signature proudly serves the following city neighborhoods: Lafayette Square, Soulard, Benton Park, Benton Park West, Downtown Loft District, Forest Park Southwest, Central West End, Tower Grove East, Tower Grove South, Compton Heights, Shaw, The Hill, Dogtown, Carondelet, Holly Hills, St. Louis Hills, Dutchtown, and the Other Historic Neighborhoods of the City of Saint Louis, Missouri.
The opinions expressed herein represent the opinions of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of PREA Signature Realty. All photos and written content were produced by PREA Signature Realty. All Rights Reserved - PREA Signature Realty (2009). This content may not be reproduced or reprinted, except for Active Rain re-blogging, without express written permission of PREA Signature Realty.
For more information, visit our website at www.PREASignatureRealty.com or contact Ryan Shaughnessy at 314-971-4381 or send an email to Ryan@PREASignatureRealty.com.
