This recipe comes from an early Christmas present, a cooked called “500 Best-Ever Recipes.” The approach may seem summery, but that may be more than welcome on our cool evenings. Plus, the ingredients are available year-round.

Sautéed Salmon with Cucumber

1 pound salmon fillet
3 tablespoons butter
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cucumber, seeded and cut into strips
4 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided use
2 tomatoes, peeled seeded and diced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Skin the salmon fillet, if this has not already been done (see note). Using a very sharp knife, cut the flesh into about 1/2-inch thin slices, then cut across into strips.

Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the salmon and cook, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes. Remove the salmons strips using a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the scallions to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cucumber and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until hot. Remove the cucumber and keep warm with the salmon.

Add the wine to the pan and let it bubble until well reduced. Stir in the cucumber, creme fraiche and half the chives and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Return the salmon to the pan and warm through gently. Sprinkle the tomatoes and remaining chives over the top. Serve immediately.

Note: To skin a fish fillet, place it on a chopping board with the tail end towards you. Hold a sharp knife at an angle down towards the skin. Cut between the skin and the flesh, keeping the blade as close to the skin as possible. As the flesh is cut away, grasp the skin firmly with your other hand and continue cutting. A little salt sprinkled on your fingers makes this task less slippery.

Serves 4 servings.

From “500 Best-Ever Recipes” edited by Martha Day

The produce section of my neighborhood supermarket has been flooded with fresh fruit lately. And I can’t seem to say no to any of it.

This morning, peaches were 88 cents a pound. And while they may not be Fredericksburg’s finest, they have had good flavor, especially if I wait a couple of days before cutting into them.

Mandarin oranges were under $1 a pound, and while the bing cherries have slipped up a little in price from a rock-bottom under $2 a pound, they were still a bargain.

Watermelon is a staple in my house, as are lemons and limes.

What do you do with all of that fruit? Cobblers? Fruit salads?

I like to make fruit salsas. Oranges chopped up with radishes, mint or fennel. Watermelon with Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Lime juice and a pinch of salt make a perfect dressing when needed.

Here are a few recipes I’ve chopped up recently and a couple I’ve planned for the near future. The first two are adapted from “Salsas: The Santa Fe Cooking School Series,” by Susan Curtis and Kathi Lang. The remainder are inspired by the way the flavors and textures in those recipes have been layered.

Mango Salsa

Great with grilled tuna or salmon as well as fish tacos. Or make a fish salad by added 1 pound of grilled tuna or salmon to the recipe.

2 large ripe mangoes
1/2 English cucumber, cut into ¼-inch dice, or 1 medium cucumber, seeded, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut in ¼-inch dice
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño or 2 serranos, minced
Lime juice, to taste
Salt, to taste

Peel the mangoes with a mango cutter or a small sharp knife. Cut the flesh away from the large flat pit in two pieces, then cut it from the narrow edges of the pit. Cut these pieces into ¼-inch dice.

In a medium bowl, combine the diced mango, cucumber, onion, red pepper, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and salt. Toss gently.

Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Makes 3 cups.

Adapted from “Salsas: The Santa Fe Cooking School Series,” by Susan Curtis and Kathi Lang

Bing Cherry-Pistachio Salsa

Serve this with quail, game, duck or good to garnish a cold soup of melon or cherries.

8 ounces fresh bing cherries, stems and pits removed, or 10 ounces frozen bing cherries, thawed
½ cup shelled, toasted, roughly chopped pistachios or ½ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup cilantro chiffonade
1 tablespoon juice from chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Pinch of coarse salt, to taste
Pinch of sugar, to taste
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, to taste

Roughly chop cherries and stir in pistachios, cilantro, chipotle juice, salt, sugar and lime juice. Serve.

Makes 1 ½ to 2 cups.

Adapted from “Salsas: The Santa Fe Cooking School Series,” by Susan Curtis and Kathi Lang

Peach and Jicama Salsa

This would be good atop simply sautéed white fish or roasted pork loin.

3 freestone peaches, peeled, seeded and cut into ¼-inch dice
½ cup peeled and cubed jicama
1 medium red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 tablespoon mint, cut into chiffonade
1 jalapeño, minced
Lime juice, to taste
Salt, to taste

Combine peaches, jicama, onion, mint, jalapeño, lime juice and salt. Let sit 20 minutes.

Cucumber-Lime Salsa

This would be good on white fish or as a side salad.

1 English cucumber, cut into ¼-inch dice, or 1 1/2 large cucumbers, seeded and cut ¼-inch dice
1 red onion, chopped
Salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes, or to taste
¼ cup flat Italian parsley chiffonade, sorrel chiffonade or mint chiffonade (or a combination of any of the three), divided use
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime

In a bowl, mix cucumber, onion and a sprinkling of salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. Drain any juices. Mix in chile flakes, all but 1 tablespoon of herbs and lime juice. Let sit for another 10 minutes for flavors to settle. Garnish with lime zest and reserved herbs.

Last Saturday morning, I took a cruise up I-10 to Boerne Stage Road and dropped by the farmers market at the Leon Springs Baptist Church parking lot. On a sunny morning it was easy to park and not yet steamy hot, so I could enjoy making the rounds of vendors.

Even at a distance, the plants and flowers displayed were a welcome eyeful of color in our currently dusty landscape. There were two tents with beautiful, healthy looking herbs, Hibiscus, and an intriguing flowering plant named a Rangoon Creeper.

I met Mario Obledo as I photographed some of the produce. He is the vice president of the Hill Country Farmers Market Association, the organization that promotes this market and three other markets in the area (see below for details). I learned that the Leon Springs market is year-round, 2 1/2 years into its growth and development, still with room for new additions and new ideas.

Every day you hear about “going green,” and at The Green Brownie company they are doing green in brownies! No, this isn’t a St. Patrick’s Day gimmick; these are delicious treats made with all-organic ingredients so you can feel good about indulging. Owner Tracy Carlson told me that they even used packaging that is eco-friendly. If you are in a more playful mood, the stand also has Brownies-on-a-stick (they are cute) as well as gluten-free brownies.

But the vision that most of us hold about a farmers market includes lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. As it should be, there were three well-stocked displays of bright, fresh, produce. I saw some good looking squash that were named Sunburst and White Scalloped, very much like a pattypan squash, at Bob Mishler’s Uncertain Farms. Lots of people were buying peaches and tomatoes, cucumbers and okra, potatoes and green beans, plums, bell peppers, jam, wow!

But there were baked breads, pecans (even pecan oils at Circle H Orchards), and some super yummy granola at Cowgirl Granola. Heather Hunter, the Head Cowgirl, has been making her toasty, oaty, nutty, tasty, amazing granola for about 8 years. She is out at Leon Springs every week, as well as the other three markets in the association. You can also contact her at cowgirlenterprises@gmail.com.

There is usually a grass-fed beef dealer, but he was out-of-town that morning. He’s expected back soon; meanwhile, there are other vendors with free-range eggs and various goodies to keep you busy until then.

I have been to a few farmers markets in our area and in other states — and even other countries. Leon Springs is not the biggest, but it has a good variety, easy to get service, and just a friendly, can-do, attitude. Go see for yourself and try something new!

Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Leon Springs Baptist Church
24133 Boerne Stage Road (behind the H-E-B)

The other markets affiliated are:

• Boerne, Kendall County Fairgrounds, 1307 River Road, Boerne TX  Wednesdays 2-6 p.m., now through Nov. 18
• Bulverde-Spring Branch, The Branches Church, 4594 Highway 281 North, Bulverde, TX  Saturdays, 2:30-5:30 p.m., year-round.
• Helotes-Grey Forest, Helotes Hills United Methodist Church, 13222 Bandera Road, Helotes, TX  2nd & 4th Fridays, 3-6 p.m., now through Nov. 13

Go Hyang Jib Korean Bar-B-Q House may off the beaten dining path, but I have been going there off and on for many years.  Nothing fancy on the interior, but still comfortably appointed and with adequate lighting.  The noise level is low enough to enjoy a conversation and the service is polite and timely.

But none of the above would make me go back there. I go to restaurants, particularly ethnic restaurants, to try new tastes and concepts.  In a recent visit I did just that and ordered a couple of old favorites as well.

First, an order of Yakimandu (potstickers) were brought to the table in a short while and were just yummy!  Hot, with a good browned side on the cute little dumplings and a familiar, satisfying richness inside.  The dipping sauce was rich and a great match with the dumplings.  As good as I remembered.  You have to try some old faves to get perspective, particularly if the ownership has changed, as it did here two years ago.

Next, the hottie that was with me ordered the Korean Shrimp Pancake.  (My wife goes easier on me when I call her a hottie.)  This has been the “go to” dish when bringing other people to this restaurant.  Has been.  The flavor was really pretty good, though it has morphed from a pancake/omelet to more of a potato-style base.  Unfortunately, it had absorbed more than a little oil.  The shrimp were quite ample on top of the pancake, but it was overall too heavy to really serve as an appetizer.

Pork stir-fry caught my eye, and it was visually pretty, with bright colors and a dramatic presentation on a hot iron skillet.  A side of plain white rice in a covered bowl was simple and perfect and stayed hot.  The accompanying condiments of pickled cabbage, spicy dried squid, seasoned bean spouts, cucumbers, daikon radish, broccoli, etc. proved equally easy on the eye.

While you eat first with your eyes, you eventually do taste the food.  It was richly seasoned, not too spicy hot, and the mixed vegetables were cooked perfectly.  The pork was tender and all was in bite sizes for chopstick dining.  Indeed, the only thing I would ask them to change is the amount of oil used; it drenched the entire dish, leaving a puddle in the skillet.

The new owners of Go Hyang Jib offer good flavors, decent service, and a nice setting.  The criticisms we faced are easily fixed.  I am hoping they do so quickly.

4400 Rittiman Road
(210) 822-8846
Open Monday-Saturday for lunch and dinner.

The caller was urgent. “What kind of hors d’oeuvres should I serve at a cocktail party this time of year?” he wanted to know.

The gathering would be later in the evening and feature little more than snacks and drinks. “I’m hoping everybody’s had dinner by then,” he said.

Yet he also wanted to serve something meaty.

My first thought was pork tenderloin, which you can season to your taste and make ahead of time. Just slice it up and serve cold or at room temperature with a few condiments, ranging from mustard to pickled red onions.

Ceviche also came to mind. This marinated seafood dish looks great, is coolly refreshing, and can be put together at the last minute, all the while suggesting you’ve been slaving over the food.  (The accompanying recipe is from Jonathan Parker’s “The Manhattan Ocean Club Seafood Cookbook.” Parker has cooked in several San Antonio restaurants, including Pesca on the River and Ounce.)

If you want to rely on the deli to help, find the best roast beef you can afford, such as the house-made version at Central Market, 4821 Broadway. Have it sliced relatively thin (not as thin as prosciutto) and fold a piece on top of a garlic bagel crisp. Crumble blue cheese and toss some arugula on top. Serve horseradish sauce, a flavored mayonnaise or two, chimichurri sauce and/or mustard on the side. Your entire snack is done and you didn’t have to turn on the oven.

Italian lovers might want to get together an antipasti selection, including grilled or oven-roasted asparagus with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan cheese on top as well as grilled squashes, roasted peppers, tomatoes, skewers of garlic potatoes, eggplant, and jalapeños. This is another approach that should be done ahead of time, because the vegetables taste best when served at room temperature.

Complement the tray with various salami, olives and rustic cheeses, both hard and soft.

Don’t forget the power of fruit. So much is in season now, from melons to cherries. Serve strawberries with chocolate-flavored whipped cream. Stuff fresh figs with goat cheese and wrap in a slice of prosciutto. Grill peach halves and pineapple slices (see the accompanying recipe for Grilled Pineapple With Sweet Rum Glaze).

Here are a few other ideas from SavorSA writers that are easy yet elegant for summer parties:

• If you are serving crudités, add some color to the tray with an old Cuban recipe that friends and I have enjoyed on many occasions: Take ham slices and wrap them around pickles. Vary that with asparagus or hearts of palm.
• Pick up empanadas from Beto’s Comida Latina, 7325 Broadway.
• Chicken salad sandwiches and cucumber sandwiches, tea party-style, are great with many white wines.
• Last, but certainly not least: Salsa, guac and chips — c’mon, it’s San Antonio!

What do you like to serve at cocktail parties during the summer? Post your comments below.

Judy Baum had never made pickles before Easter of this year.  All that work sterilizing jars, fussing with boiling water and second guessing whether the lid actually sealed was too much for her.

And why put up pickles when there’s only one at home?

But she ran across a recipe for Cucumber Apple Pickles on the Internet during one her routine recipe searches. And she just had to try them.

This difference is that these were fresh pickles,  small batches of pickles you make up and eat within a couple of days or weeks. You don’t have to seal the jar. You don’t even have to sterilize it, though if you’re reusing a jar,  it might help to wash it out. You wouldn’t want any leftover peanut butter tainting the flavor.

Baum, who lives in Live Oak, stayed away from making pickles because too many of the recipes called for a gallon of this or a bushel of that, far too much for a single person to think about.

Plus, fresh pickles take no longer to make than any other side dish. And they can add plenty of tangy flavor.

What can be pickled? You’re limited only as far as your imagination, of course. You can make pickled beets or chowchow, green tomatoes or piccalilli with cauliflower.

Pickled green beans can be used as on a relish tray or in a Bloody Mary.  Cabbage is the basis or a tart curtido, or Salvadoran slaw, like the one you find at the various La Playa restaurants in town.

Pickled red onions, as most Mexican food fans know, are great with cochinita pibil. One place you’ll find this flavorful treat is at Guajillo’s on Blanco Road at Loop 410.

Even if you have a bountiful harvest, you may want to think of fresh pickles for some of it, because you are able to cut back on the amount of sodium and sugar, both of which are used as preservatives, and without sacrificing any flavor.

Raw food fans out there, you can also do raw pickles if you like, using agave nectar instead of sugar for pickled cucumbers, onions or radishes.

Play with the recipe to suit your needs. For her Cucumber Apple Pickles, Baum used small cucumbers and cider vinegar, which she found a great match for the apple.

“I combined the brine in a baggie, then added the squeezed-out cucumbers and apple, put the baggie in a bowl and turned it around several times,” she said.  “I also used more than a pinch of the red pepper threads.  It didn’t seem to be too much heat.”

She served the pickles at Easter dinner, and her friends ate most of them that evening. The rest were gone by the end of the week.

The pickles may be gone, but Baum’s hunger to make more remains.

Links to Recipes:

• Pickle Recipe: Curtido, or Salvadoran Slaw
• Pickle Recipe: Pickled Red Onions
• Pickle Recipe: Pickled Radishes
• Pickle Recipe: Cucumber Apple Pickles

Cucumber Apple Pickles get a little kick from Korean hot red pepper threads, which can be found at Asian markets. The pickles remain fresh for 5 to 7 days.

1/2 pound Japanese or small cucumbers – unpeeled
1 teaspoon salt (kosher or sea salt), or to taste
1/2 Granny Smith or Fuji apple, unpeeled
2  cups water
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon thin peeled ginger or minced ginger from a jar
1/4 cup sugar or agave nectar, or to taste
Pinch Korean hot red pepper threads or red pepper flakes

Slice cucumbers 1/8 inch thick or use box grater or food processor.
Toss with salt and let stand 30 minutes.  Then rinse well and squeeze out water with your hands.  Halve apple lengthwise and cut out core.  Slice slices 1/8 inch thick.
Combine water, vinegar, ginger, sugar and hot pepper threads in a glass jar or baggie, mix well.  Add cucumbers and apple.  Refrigerate for a day, then eat!

Adapted from epicurious.com.