The good foods of summer! - Special Section - recipes

Sunset, June, 1989

Sharing the cooking makes a summer supper for eight or more a breeze. Flavors of the Southwest accent roast turkey breast served cold with a golden papaya salsa and a hearty black bean salad. Homemade bread is crunchy with corn tortilla flour, and dessert is a dense, moist, chocolate-nut cake lavished with scoops of frosty ice cream.

Blue Corn Tortilia Chips

Jicama Sticks with Lime Wedges

Turkey Breast Picante with Papaya Salsa

Black Bean and Red Popper

Salad

Mixed Green Salad with Sliced Avocados

Crusty Masa Broad

Jack Choose with Chilies

Chocolate-Pecan Torte

Beer Soft Drinks Coffee Simplifying summer tasks, everything in this menu can be prepared ahead and served cold or at room temperature. Roast the turkey in the oven, or for an appealing smoky flavor, in a covered barbecue.

TURKEY BREAST PICANTE WITH PAPAYA SALSA

1 bone-in turkey breast half (about 3 lb.)

1 large orange

2 tablespoons salad oil

1 tablespoon each crushed dried hot red chilies and chili powder

Papaya salsa (recipe follows)

Salt

Rinse turkey and pat dry; pull off and discard lumps of fat. Grate 1 teaspoon orange peel and set aside; ream juice. Mix together orange juice, peel, oil, crushed chilies, and chili powder; brush mixture generously over all sides of turkey Reserve remaining orange juice mixture. Insert a meat thermometer against bone in thickest part of breast.

To roast in an oven, place turkey breast half, skin side up, on a rack in a 12- by 15-inch roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 350' oven, brushing occasionally with reserved orange juice mixture, until thermometer registers 160[deg], 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

To cook in a covered barbecue, ignite 50 charcoal briquets on the firegrate with lid off and dampers open. When briquets are lightly covered with gray ash, about 30 minutes, bank half of them on each side of grate. Add 5 briquets to each side of hot coals. Position grill 4 to 6 inches above coals. Set breast on grill between (not over) coals. Cover barbecue. After 30 minutes, add 5 more briquets to coals on each side. Cover and continue cooking until thermometer registers 160[deg], 50 to 60 minutes; brush occasionally with reserved juice mixture.

Cover cooked turkey with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes before slicing to serve warm. To serve cold, let cool slightly, then cover and chill until cold, 4 hours or up to 1 day Accompany with salsa. Add salt to taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Per serving of turkey: 262 cal; 34 g protein; 12 g fat; 2.2 g carbo.; 83 mg sodium; 87 mg chol.

Papaya salsa. Peel 1 firm-ripe papaya (about 1 Lb.); cut in half, then scoop out and discard seeds. Cut fruit into 1/4-inch cubes. In a bowl, combine papaya, 1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), and 1 small hot green chili (such as jalapeno or serrano), seeded and very finely chopped. Serve, or cover and chill up to 1 day Makes 2 cups.

Per 1/4-cup serving; 4.8 cal; Og protein; 0 g fat; 0 g carbo.; 0.6 mg sodium; 0 mg cboL

BLACK BEAN AND RED PEPPER SALAD

2/3 pound (1 1/2 cups) dried black beans, rinsed and drained

GarLic-oregano dressing (recipe follows)

1 large red onion, finely chopped

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch-long slivers

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Salt and pepper

Romaine lettuce leaves, rinsed and crisped

In a 4- to 5-quart pan, combine beans and 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil over high heat; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove ftom heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain beans.

To beans in pan, add 6 cups water; bring to a boil over high heat. Partially cover and boil gently until beans are tender to bite, about 1 hour. Drain and add garlic-oregano dressing.

Cover and chill until cool, at least 3 hours or up to I day Mix onion, red pepper, and parsley with beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl lined with romaine leaves. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Per serving: 231 cal; 8.4 g protein; 11 g fat; 26 g carbo.; 61 mg sodium; 0 mg cboL

Garlic-oregano dressing. Combine 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons dry oregano leaves, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed), 1/4 cup salad oil, and 2 tablespoons olive on; mix until well blended.

CRUSTY MASA BREAD

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (110[deg])

1 tablespoon salad oil

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dehydrated masa flour (corn tortilla flour)

2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over 1/4 cup of the warm water; let stand for about 5 minutes to soften.

In a large bowl, blend oil, honey, and Salt; add reMaining 3/4 cup warm water, yeast mixture, masa, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour. With an electric mixer or with a heavy spoon, beat until stretchy Gradually mix in about 1 cup more flour to make a soft dough.

To knead with a dough book, beat until dough is no longer sticky and pulls ftom bowl sides about 4 minutes; add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as required.