August favorites: recipes from our readers, tested in Sunset's kitchen

Sunset, August, 2004 by James Carrier

Vegetable Box Salad

HEATHER OGSTON, ROSEVILLE, CA

Heather Ogston composed this bountiful fresh chopped salad after receiving a box of beautiful summer produce from a community farm. Chop the vegetables into pieces that are roughly the same size--between 1/4- and 1/2-inch pieces.

PREP TIME: About 30 minutes

MAKES: 12 cups; about 4 main-dish servings

  2/3  cup plain low-fat yogurt
  1/3  cup mayonnaise
    2  tablespoons Dijon mustard
    2  tablespoons lemon juice
    1  teaspoon celery salt
       About 1/4 teaspoon salt
       About 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    2  cups uncooked fresh white corn kernels (see "Aw, Shucks," page
       95)
1 1/2  pounds ripe tomatoes, rinsed, cored, seeded, and chopped
    1  can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
    1  romaine lettuce heart (about 8 oz.), rinsed and chopped
  1/2  English cucumber (about 8 oz.), ends trimmed, chopped
    6  to 8 basil leaves, chopped
    4  ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
    3  hard-cooked eggs, shelled and chopped

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

1. In a small bowl, mix yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, celery salt, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

2. In a large bowl, mix corn kernels, tomatoes, kidney beans, lettuce, cucumber, basil, cheese, and eggs. Add dressing to bowl and mix gently to coat, or serve dressing separately, to spoon over individual servings. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 519 cal., 52% (270 cal.) from fat; 24 g protein; 30 g fat (9.8 g sat.); 38 g carbo (9.5 g fiber); 995 mg sodium; 202 mg chol.

Lemonade Frozen Yogurt

DENISE KNOWLES, RIDGEFIELD, WA

A geophysicist who used to work outside in the hot Southern California sun, Denise Knowles used to bring this creamy, tangy frozen treat out at lunchtime to cool everyone off. Stored airtight, the frozen yogurt will keep in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

PREP TIME: About 10 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes to chill and about 2 1/2 hours to freeze

MAKES: About 1 1/2 quarts

  1  quart (32 oz.) vanilla low-fat yogurt
 12  ounces frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
  1  cup half-and-half
1/4  cup lemon juice
1/2  cup sugar

1. In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemonade concentrate, half-and-half, lemon juice, and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Chill mixture until cold, about 30 minutes.

2. Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker (1 1/2-qt. capacity) according to manufacturer's instructions, until motor stops or dasher is hard to turn. Transfer frozen yogurt to an airtight container and freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 2 hours (see notes).

Per 1/2 cup: 190 cal., 16% (30 cal.) from fat; 4.4 g protein; 3.3 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 37 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 61 mg sodium; 11 mg chol.

Pesto-Eggplant Dip

NAHED HAMDI, MILPITAS, CA

Nahed Hamdi serves this tasty eggplant dip flavored with basil and tomato on toasted wedges of pita bread. We also loved it as a savory, healthy sandwich spread. Try it on a focaccia roll with spinach leaves and fresh mozzarella.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

MAKES: 2 cups; 6 to 8 appetizer servings

  1  eggplant (about 1 lb.)
  1  ripe tomato (about 8 oz.)
  3  to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2  cup loosely packed basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
  1  clove garlic, peeled
  1  tablespoon lemon juice Salt and pepper
1/3  cup crumbled feta cheese
  6  pita breads, toasted

1. Rinse eggplant; trim and discard stem end. Rinse and core tomato. Cut both into 1/2-inch slices. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil.

2. Place eggplant and tomato slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. Broil 6 inches from heat (one sheet at a time), turning slices once with a wide spatula, until eggplant slices are browned on both sides and tomatoes are soft, about 10 minutes total per sheet. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

3. In a food processor, whirl basil and garlic until finely chopped. Add eggplant and tomato and pulse until vegetables are coarsely chopped.

4. Spoon into a bowl and stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish top of dip with feta cheese and serve with pita breads for dipping (see note above), or cover dip and chill for up to 1 day.

Per serving: 203 cal., 31% (62 cal.) from fat; 5.8 g protein; 6.9 g fat (1.6 g sat.); 30 g carbo (2 g fiber); 308 mg sodium; 5 mg chol.

Northwest Grilled Flank Steak

MARY MASSA, EUGENE, OR

This savory flank steak marinade with soy sauce, garlic, sesame, and ginger has been a favorite in Mary Massa's family for years. Because the flank steak marinates ahead of time, it can form the basis of a fast weeknight dinner; try it with a simple green salad and a side of grilled vegetables.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes, plus at least 4 hours to marinate

MAKES: 6 servings

  2  pounds beef flank steak, fat trimmed
1/2  cup soy sauce
1/4  cup olive oil
1/4  cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4  cup minced green onions
  3  tablespoons sesame seeds
  2  cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2  teaspoon pepper
1/2  teaspoon ground ginger