Beyond tots and fritters (Corn and Sweet Potato Bhajia)

As the daylight hours warmed to near summer-like temperatures and the pollen dust accumulated atop every surface it found hospitable, Mother Nature seems to be signaling the advent of spring here in the Lowcountry. Hooray! My taste buds immediately turn to memories of fresh tomatoes off the vine sliced and delicately plated with basil and homemade mozzarella as well as eating corn straight from the field and sprinkled with a bit of salt and smathered with butter. I love what summer symbolizes, most especially the dining out of doors. It heralds nightly opportunities to gather friends around a table set with a feast of local produce and the conversations lingering until no one can keep their eyes open. We've celebrated the sweet potato before on this blog from butter to cheese cake, but the kitchen experience this week was tickled by a twitpic photo from @seriouseats feauring sweet potato tots. That tweet and some encouraging words from Stevie, my favorite lady of craft brew @LadiesOCB led me to pull another Alastair Hendy creation from the cook book collection and procure the opportunity to make sambal (again). I never tire of either by the way. Thus, we located a recipe in Cooking for Friends that married a summer longing for corn and an always handy sweet potato...Corn and Sweet Potato Bhajia...do not be put off by the long list of ingredients (says Alastair). The color and combination of flavors in this dish paired with a local craft beer, Westbrook White Thai made for a delightful sendoff to winter and a big bouyant hello to Spring!

Robert Irvine in our backyard and Octopus Salad with Spiced Cucumber

News that Robert Irvine of Food Network fame will offer another haven for food lovers on Hilton Head Island speaks volumes for his commitment to contribute, participate and create vibrancy in his own back yard. Most noteable of late, he is spearheading an effort to raise funds to support an Extreme Makeover Home Edition in Beaufort County. Thus, I am pulling out a recipe from one of the cooking classes that I took at Robert Irvine's eat!. This salad reminds me of sprightly summer seasons and while sunny skies prevail here in the Lowcountry the temps are far less desirable so my rush for an injection of summer is quite intense. I may be sidetracking my resolution to respect local seasonal offerings a bit, but might as well digress from my intended path immediately (I resolve to never lose sight of my goal). I recall that one could also use scallops or grouper in this recipe for those of you not attuned to octopus. I discovered sambai oelek for my Chick Pea fries and through this cooking class at eat! so too did I develop an affection for sambal. Both are now constants in my kitchen.

sambal: chili based sauce which is normally used as a condiment; more at Wikipedia

Recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/octopus-salad-with-spiced-cucumber-recipe/index.html