Paradox Blog

A full season of sunshine ripens the tomatoes and cucumbers in my garden and brings fresh and gorgeous produce to the farmer's markets. After a trip to the garden and the farmer's market, cooking becomes a medium to the creation of pleasure. Putting together a dish full of summer's fresh bounty excites not only the taste bud but the creative inner child in you and me. Sauté an eggplant with tomatoes, cucumbers and tofu, a dish that pleases the eyes as well as the mouth. Scrambled eggs with mushrooms and bok choy encompasses the textures of soft and fluffy egg, chewy but juicy mushroom and the crunchiness of freshly picked and quickly cooked bok choy. Here are a few examples of my experiment with summer's bounty.

Sautéed Tofu and Summer Vegetables

8 ounces of tofu, cut into cubes
1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into cubes
2 medium tomatoes, cut into cubes
2 medium Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut into cubes
1 table spoon of cooking oil
1 table spoon of vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil, sauté garlic first, add eggplant, stir for a minute. Add cucumber, stir for a minute. Add tofu, stir gently to mix ingredients but not to break tofu too much. Add tomatoes and vinegar, cover and simmer with medium heat for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and serve warm. Make 4 one cup servings.

Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms and Bok Choy

4 large eggs
1 cup of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup of bok choy, chopped into small pieces
1 table spoon of cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Break eggs into large bowl. Beat eggs to mix egg whites and yolks. Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Add egg mixture. Tilt pan and lift solidified portion of eggs to allow running portion to get under and make contact with pan. Push solidified eggs to the side of pan, add mushrooms and bok choy, stir to mix all ingredients. Cover and simmer in medium heat for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and serve warm. Make 4 three-quarter cup servings.

Scrambled Eggs with Basil, Tomatoes and Mushrooms

4 large eggs
2 medium tomatoes, cut into little cubes
1/2 cup of sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup of fresh basil, slivered
1 table spoon of cooking oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil, add egg mixture and cook eggs as described in the previous recipe. Push eggs to the side of pan, add mushroom and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for three minutes. Add basil. Stir to mix all ingredients well. Turn off heat and serve warm. Make about 4 three-quarter cup servings.

Stir-fried Snow Peas, Cucumbers and Mushrooms

1 cup of snow peas
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
1 cup fresh mushroom, sliced
1 table spoon of cooking oil
1/2 table spoon of vinegar
1/2 table spoon of soy sauce

Heat oil, add snow peas, stir for a minute. Add cucumbers, stir for a minute. Add mushrooms, stir for a minute. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Cover and simmer in medium heat for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and serve warm. Make about 4 three-quarter cup servings.