BRIGHT IDEAS

 

Bounty  of Bowls

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    With all the talk about “going green,” the emphasis on buying local produce, and the wide variety of fruits and vegetables now in season, summer is the perfect time to look to the garden for containers to hold our favorite foods.


    Years ago, a summer party was not complete unless a resourceful hostess had beautifully carved a basket from a melon for her fruit salad.  The classic watermelon bowl is wonderful, but think outside the melon as you bring the beauty of the garden to your table.


    Some new ideas for produce bowls include:

  1. •Large onions are perfect for a dip or sauce.

  2. •Tomatoes are perfect for a summer buffet: Use tiny cherry tomatoes scooped out to hold a small dollop of cream cheese, pimento cheese, or another rich filling. Medium tomatoes can hold tabouli, and large tomatoes can be used for a dip or tuna salad.

  3. •Bell peppers are wonderful filled with Spanish rice or sautéed ground beef and cheese or then baked in the oven.

  4. •Zucchini can be cut lengthwise, with the seeds scooped out, and filled with cooked meat, cheese, breadcrumbs, and fresh herbs.  Bake and serve as individual servings.

  5. •Cabbage heads are perfect for dip on a crudite platter, or they can also be filled with coleslaw, spinach dip, or another spread.

  6. •Honeydew or cantaloupe are beautiful to hold fruit salad, chicken salad, or a yogurt dip for a fruit platter.

  7. •Orange or lemon peels can be filled with sorbet or ice cream.


    For most produce bowls the steps are very similar, but these instructions will walk you through preparing a cabbage bowl:


  1. 1.Remove any imperfect leaves from the outside.  Also remove a few to serve as additional “bowls” on the platter.

  2. 2.Cut the bottom (where the leaves meet the stem) so it is level and the “bowl” will sit steady without rocking.

  3. 3.Remove the top quarter of the cabbage (one even cut) and remove this “lid.” 

  4. 4.Very carefully hollow out the cabbage, leaving a half-inch shell to act as the bowl.  A melon scoop can help with this process. 

  5. 5.Fill the cabbage with the dip of your choice and place on platter surrounded by the leaves you removed for a garnish as well as other fresh vegetables.