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  • Lemony White Bean Soup with Lots of Greens

    Ingredients:

    • 3 Tbs olive oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 1 large carrot, diced
    • 1 bunch sturdy greens, such as kale, mustard greens or collards
    • 1 Tbs tomato paste
    • 3/4 tsp ground cumin, plus more to taste
    • 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 Tbs grated fresh ginger
    • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
    • 1 quart chicken stock
    • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 cup chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, mint, dill, basil, tarragon, chives or a combo
    • Juice from one lemon, to taste

    Step 1: Heat a large pot over med-high heat for a minute or so to warm it up. Add the oil and heat until it thins out, about 30 seconds. Add onion and carrot and saute until very soft and brown at the edges, 7-10 min

    Step 2: Meanwhile, rinse the greens and pull the leaves off the stems. Tear or chop into bite-size pieces and set aside.

    Step 3: When the onion is golden, add the tomato paste, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the pot and saute until paste darkens, about 1 minute. Add ginger, garlic and salt.

    Step 4: Add stock and beans and bring to a simmer. Let simmer until the soup is thick and flavorful, adding more salt if needed, 15-25 minutes. If you like a thicker broth, smash some of the beans with the back of a spoon to release their starch.

    Step 5: Add the greens to the pot and simmer until they are very soft, 5-10 minutes (collards might take a little longer). Add a little more broth if the soup gets too reduced.

    Step 6: Stir herbs and lemon juice into the pot, taste and add more salt, cumin and lemon until the broth is lively and bright. Serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil and more red pepper flakes.

  • Green Goddess Dressing
    • 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
    • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/2 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 cup (loosely packed) basil leaves
    • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves with tender stems
    • 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves
    • 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 4 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
    • Kosher salt

    Blend anchovies, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, basil, parsley, tarragon, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 4 1/2 tsp. oil in a blender until smooth with only a few flecks of green; season dressing with salt.

  • Simple Baba Ganoush
    Simple five ingredient baba ganoush that doesn’t require a grill or gas stove. This new method saves you time and energy and is JUST as delicious – if not more – than the original. Naturally vegan and gluten free.
     
    Author:



    Serves: 4
    Ingredients
    • 1 medium or 3/4 of a large eggplant
    • 1 large clove garlic, grated or finely minced
    • 1 lemon, juiced
    • 2 Tbsp Tahini
    • sea salt
    • Optional: 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, parsley or basil, chopped
    • olive oil (for roasting)
  • Z's Potato Salad

    Salad:

    • 3 lbs potatoes, scrubbed and cut into half inch cubes
    • chopped green olives
    • a few hard boiled eggs
    • handful of chopped roasted red peppers (we roast our own and freeze them in the fall)
    • a scoop of capers
    • fresh carrots, diced up mini
    • fresh peas or greens or any other veggie (colored cauliflower is great)
    • Fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, thyme, tarragon, anything you like, in any combination)

    Steam or boil the cubed spuds until just tender (don't overcook! they keep cooking even after you drain the water). Add the rest of the ingredients to the drained spuds.

    Dressing:

    I always wing it, but I usually do some combo of the following in the blender to taste:

    • glug of olive oil
    • a couple big spoonfuls of mayo or vegenaise
    • splash of tamari (soy sauce
    • little glug of vinegar (cider or red wine is good)
    • plop of sweet pickles & their juices (we make our own in the fall and our recipe includes onions)
    • salt
    • pepper
    • dash of Cranky Baby Hot Sauce

    Blend. Pour over the potato mixture and mix together.

  • Corn Fritters with Tomato & Feta Salad

    Fritters:

    1/2 c flour

    1/4 tsp coarse salt

    3 Tbs. veg oil

    3/4 tsp baking powder

    1/2 tsp cumin

    1 egg

    1/4 c milk

    3 ears corn, kernels cut from cob

    1/4 c finely chopped green onions

    1 Tbs butter, melted

     

    Salad:

    4 tsp white wine vinegar

    4 tsp olive oil

    1/2 tsp salt

    1 pound of tomatoes, chopped

    2 Tbs chopped basil

    2 Tbs minced red onion

    1/4 c feta, crumbled

     

    1. Combine dry fritter ingredients in a bowl. Whisk to mix. In a small bowl, whisk egg, butter, milk. Stir wet ingredients into dry til just blended. Cover and rest 30 min.
    2. Whisk vinegar, oil and salt. Add tomatoes, onion, feta & basil. Toss to coat.
    3. Heat 3 Tbs oil in a fry pan. Fold corn kernels & green onions into batter. When oil is hot, spoon 2 Tbs batter into pan. Fry til golden (3-4 minutes each side).
    4. Serve with salad. Seves 4.

     

     

     

  • Zucchini & Fresh Herb Fritters

    Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

     

    Salt and freshly milled pepper

    2 pounds green or yellow zucchini, freshly grated

    2 eggs, beaten

    1-2 onions, thinly sliced

    1 cup breadcrumbs

    2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

    1/2 cup parsely or cilantro, chopped

    1 Tbs. chopped marjoram or basil

    1 tsp. chopped mint

    Olive oil as needed

     

    Lightly salt the zucchini and set it aside in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients together except the oil and the pepper. Quickly rinse the squash, squeeze out the excess water, then stir into the batter. Season with salt and pepper.

     

    Film two large skillets with olive oil. When hot, drop in the batter - 1/4 cup makes a fritter about 3.5 inches across - and cook over medium heat until golden on the bottom. Turn and cook the second side. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro or parsley.

     

  • Potato Leek Soup
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
    • 2 large potatoes (about 18 ounces total), peeled, diced
    • 4 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

    OPTIONAL:

    • Saute sliced fennel with the leeks
    • Add herbs to the pureed soup: basil, cill or chives
    • Add cream or milk to substitute for part of the liquid


     

    Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

    Puree soup in batches in processor until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.

    Serves 4.
  • Caprese

    A simple, easy, and delicious way to enjoy the best flavors of summer: basil & tomatoes!

     

    An array of tomatoes, preferably different colors

    A handful of basil

    Mozzarella - fresh or packaged

    Good olive oil

    Sea Salt

     

    • Slice your tomatoes about 1/4" thick, into rounds. If the tomatoes are really big, you can cut the rounds in half.
    • Slice your mozzarella into rounds, 1/4" thick.
    • Arrange your tomatoes atop your mozarella, garnish with a basil leaf (or sliced ribbons of basil, for a slightly less intense flavor)
    • Arrange on a plate and drizzle all over with good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.
    • Enjoy as an appetizer or center-of-the-plate treat!

     

  • Too many veggies? What can a geek do?

    Being the web guy for Valley Flora has it's benefits. Each week brings cucumbers, radishes, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, squash and any number of odd but tasty items that pile up -- hey a geek can only eat so many vegetables between pizza and espresso!

     Oh I grill and salad to my hearts content but each Wednesday yet more produce comes and I'm still left over with whatever I didn't get around to gnoshing on the previous week. Fresh food is wonderful but what's worse is watching it slowly wilt into mush so I hit on a simple solution: Vinaigrette Slury

     I have a big covered stainless steel bowl in my fridge filled with vinegar, olive oil, chopped up garlic, some basil, cilantro, black pepper, a bit of marjoram, some jalapeno or crushed red pepper and Dijon mustard -- a classic vinaigrette but heavy on the vinegar (I use a combo of red wine and apple cider vinegar). As the Valley Flora Veg get a little on the squishy side I just chop them up and throw them in the bowl. Cucumbers, tomatoes & onions do especially good in this bath, but squashes, and even spinach will soak up the goodness for quite a while without turning to yuk.

     So whatever I'm making, I just grab out some of that pickled veg and add it. For fresh salads it's great as a bit of spice and vinegar, it's freaking awesome on hot bagels with creme cheese and even better as a crunch on a taco or as a side to a nice bit of lamb. Best part is, it doesn't go bad!

     

    So don't despair if your veg are going soft -- just open up a vinegar spa in your fridge and let them soak

     

    BTW: Lee's Bees Honey just went live with a bunch of Oregon honey just south at Cape Blanco so check out the new site.  Still working on it but I think it's going to be pretty cool.

     

    -Zachary the VF web geek

     

  • Fresh Pea Pod, Broccoli and Rice Salad

    Salad:
    6 oz. long grain or wild rice
    1.5 c chopped broccoli
    1/3 c sliced red or green onion
    1/4 c simple vinaigrette (recipe below)
    1/2 tsp. lemon pepper
    1 - 1.5 c sugar snap peas
    1/3 c slivered almonds
     
    Vinaigrette:
    1/4 c. olive oil
    juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (to taste)
    1 tsp. dijon mustard
    dash of sweetener, like honey, maple syrup or sugar (to take the bite out of the lemon acid)
    dash of basil, oregano or thyme - fresh or dried
    Whisk all together until blended smooth.
     
    Directions:
    Prepare rice according to package directions. Cool slightly. Steam broccoli lightly until crunchy-tender. Toss with remaining ingredients and refrigerate 2-24 hours. Serves 4.
     

  • Corn pudding
    • 4 cups corn (from 6 ears)
    • 1 cup  fresh basil leaves, torn
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    • 1 cup milk
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten

    Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
    Pulse half of corn in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in basil, flour, sugar, remaining corn, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in milk, cream, and eggs until combined.
    Pour into baking dish and bake until center is just set, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand 15 minthes before serving.
    Adapted from epicurious.com

  • Sweet corn and basil soup
    • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 2 sweet onions (such as Maui), chopped
    • 8 ears white corn, kernels removed from cobs (about 8 cups), cobs reserved
    • 10 cups water
    • 3/4 cup whipping cream
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

    Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add half of onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add corn cobs and 8 cups water. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 4 cups, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Refrigerate overnight. Strain corn broth; discard cobs.
    Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another heavy large pot over medium heat. Add remaining onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and sauté until almost tender, about 15 minutes. Add strained corn broth and remaining 2 cups water. Simmer uncovered 40 minutes. Cover and simmer until corn is very tender, about 20 minutes longer. Cool slightly.
    Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to pot. Stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Divide soup among 6 bowls. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

  • Beet burgers

    Makes 6-8 servings
    4 medium sized beets
    2 sprigs of basil, chopped
    1/2 onion, chopped
    2 eggs, beaten
    salt and black pepper, to taste
    1/4 to 2/3 cup flour
    olive oil
    mozzarella cheese
    burger buns
     
    1.  Trim beet tops and root.  Shred the beet in a food processor; transfer to a bowl.  Add basil, onions, eggs, salt and pepper; mix.
    2.  Mix in just enough flour to make the mixture stick together.  Form into 4-inch patties about 1/2 inch thick.  (Don't make them too thick or the centers won't cook well.)
    3.  Heat 1/4 inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry patties 2-3 minutes on one side, until crispy.  Turn, place a slice of mozzarella on top and fry 2-3 minutes more, until crispy.
    4.  Place hot on bun; serve immediately.

  • Tomato basil tart

    Makes 6 servings
     
    4 large tomatoes
    1 1/2 tsp. salt
    1 9-inch pie shell, baked
    1 cup fresh basil leaves
    2/3 cup ricotta cheese
    2 large eggs
    1/4 lb. mozzarella, grated
    1/2 cup grated parmesan
     
    1. Slice tomatoes.  Place on sturdy paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for 1/2 hour.
    2.  Layer half the tomatoes inside the pie shell.
    3.  Puree basil and ricotta in food processor or blender.  Add the eggs, mozzarella and parmesan.  Blend.
    4.  Pour the basil-cheese mixture over the tomatoes in the shell; cover with the remaining tomatoes.
    5.  Bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees, or until golden.

  • Basil pesto

    Makes about 1 cup
     
    2 cups fresh basil leaves
    3 cloves garlic
    2 Tbsp. pine nuts or English walnuts
    1/2 c. olive oil
    salt, to taste
    1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
     
    1. Place basil, garlic, nuts, oil, and salt in food processor or large mortar and pestle.  Puree until smooth.
    2. Stir in parmesan.

  • Tomato Seafood Soup Infused with Fennel

    2 T. olive oil
    2 fennel bulbs, sliced paperthin
    2 leeks (white part only) sliced paperthin
    1 lg sweet onion
    3 tsp. dried oregano
    1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
    1 T. chopped jalepeno pepper
    4 lg tomatoes chopped
    1/2 cup orange juice
     2 cans chopped clams plus liquid
    1 pound sea scallops
    1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
    1.  Warm oil over medium heat in a heavy, large pot.
    2. Add next 6 ingredients (through peppers), saute until tender, about 7 min.
    3. Add tomatoes and orange juice.
    4. Add clams and scallops.  Cover pan, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Be careful not to overcook.
    5. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve. 
    Makes 8 servings.
     

  • Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto

    Ingredients:

    • Cherry Tomatoes
    • Garlic
    • Olive Oil
    • Parmesan
    • Basil

     
    Preheat oven to 350. Cover the bottom of a pie pan with whole cherry tomatoes and put in oven. Put 10 peeled cloves of garlic in a ramekin and cover with olive oil. Bake in the oven with the cherry tomatoes  for about a half hour.
     
    Pull the roasted tomatoes out of the oven and put into a blender. Pull the garlic out of the oil (save the oil and use it for cooking later) and add to the tomatoes in the blender. Throw in a handful of parmesan and a handful of basil and blend.
     
    Serve over pasta, on bread, or anywhere you would normally use pesto.
     
     
     

  • Sourdough Panzanella with Summer Vegetables

     
     
    Ingredients

    • Sourdough bread, cut into 1″ cubes (about 3 cups)
    • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
    • 2 summer squash, sliced on a diagonal
    • 1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1″ cubes (use red, orange, or yellow for nice color!)
    • 6-8 cherry tomatoes cut in half, or chopped heirloom or slicing tomatoes
    • 1/2  onion, cut in 1″ cubes
    • 4-5 fresh basil leaves, cut in strips

    Vinaigrette

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • Salt and Pepper to taste

    Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, spread out the chopped garlic, onion, squash, peppers and tomatoes and coat with one tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 15-18 minutes, stirring once, until just starting to soften and release juices.
    2. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil. Toss in the bread cubes and season lightly with salt and freshly-ground pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the cubes are crusty and slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
    3. To make vinaigrette dressing, firmly whisk together all ingredients until blended. Season to your tastes with salt and pepper.
    4. In your serving bowl, toss together the bread cubes and vegetables. Pour dressing over the bread and vegetable mixture and then set aside for thirty minutes to let it absorb the flavors. Before serving, stir in strips of fresh basil.
  • Finocchio

    2 big fennel bulbs, sliced up
    5 Tbs. olive oil
    1 onion, sliced
    3 tomatoes, chopped
    8 basil leaves, finely chopped
    salt and pepper to taste
    2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
    ½ cut pitted black or other cured olive

    In a wide skillet, sautee onions in olive oil over med-low heat for several minutes. Add sliced fennel and sautée covered for about 15 minutes, until melted together and soft. Add chopped tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, vinegar and olives. Stir, re-cover and cook for another couple minutes. Serve hot or warm.
    Serves 4-6.
     

  • Nicoise Salad

    Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) is essentially a French composed salad, much like our American Cobb Salad but with tuna, green beans, and potatoes, instead of chicken, bacon, and avocado. Salad Niçoise hails from Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea, though like so many foods we enjoy here of French origin, has changed a bit to adapt to our tastes. Like its American Cobb salad cousin, the Salad Nicoise takes some time to prepare, given all of the ingredients. This is one dish where setting up your mise en place (all ingredients chopped and ready to go) will help the salad come together smoothly.
     

     
    Vinaigrette
    Rounded 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste, mashed with 1 clove of garlic
    1/2 cup lemon juice
    3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1/2 small leek, minced
    1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
    2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
    2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     
    Salad
    2 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks* (8 oz each) or 2-3 cans of tuna
    6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered
    1.5 pounds new potatoes, each potato scrubbed and diced into 1" cubes
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    2 medium heads butterhead lettuce or other leaf lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
    3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
    1 small red onion, sliced very thin
    1 sweet pepper, sliced into long, thin strips
    3/4 lb. green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
    1/4 cup niçoise olives
    2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)

     
     
    *Marinate tuna steaks in a little olive oil for an hour. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, or place on a hot grill. Cook the steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
    1 Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
    2 Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
    3 While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter (I used two serving platters, shown in the photos). Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
    4 Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
    5 Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

  • Spinach, Zucchini, and Fresh Herb Gratin

     
    Recipe from The Café Brenda Cookbook, 25th Anniversary Edition.
    Permission to share recipe given by Brenda Langton.
     
     
    Topping:
     
    1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup bread crumbs
    1/4 cup pine nuts
    1 tablespoon olive oil
     
    Mix the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and pine nuts together with the olive oil. Set aside.
     
    Gratin:
    1 1/2 pounds fresh spinach (approximately 2 cups cooked)
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    3 shallots, minced
    1 small onion, minced
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 medium zucchini, diced
    2 eggs
    1/2 cup half and half or soy milk
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon star anise powder
    1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
    fresh cracked pepper
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs: basil, thyme,marjoram, or oregano (or 1/2 tablespoon dried herbs)
    1 cup grated cheese: Swiss, Gruyere, or your favorite kind
     
    Wash spinach and pick off stems. Briefly steam the spinach until it is wilted. Set it aside in a colander to drain. Gently squeeze out excess liquid.
     
    Sauté garlic, shallots, and onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat until onion is translucent. Add zucchini, and continue cooking until zucchini is lightly cooked, approximately 3 minutes.
     
    Combine all of the cooked vegetables in a food processor or blender. Add eggs, half and half or soy milk, salt, anise, orange rind, pepper, and herbs. Puree until just smooth.
     
    Pour spinach mixture into a buttered 2 1/2 quart dish or individual gratin dishes and top with bread crumbs.
     
    Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes for quart dish or approximately 20 minutes for individual dishes. Gratin is done when the center is firm to touch.
     
    Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.
     

  • New Potatoes with Basil

    This recipe celebrates the wonderful flavor of new potatoes, in all their buttery glory!
     
    3 lbs. new potatoes, cut in to small cubes
    1 stick (8 Tbs.) sweet butter
    salt and reshly ground black ppper, to taste
    chopped fresh basil
     
    Scrub the potatoes and dry. Melt butter in a heavy flameproof casserole with a tight-fitting cover. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Coat with butter. Cover and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes, shaking occasionally - until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced with the tip of a sharp knife. Toss with the basil and serve at once.
     
    You can also add a little minced garlic to this recipe for extra kick.

  • Beet Risotto with Greens

    If you love the color pink, this risotto is for you! And if you don't love the color of it, you'll love the flavor!
     
    5.5 to 6.5 cups stock
    3 T butter, or mixture of butter and olive oil
    1/2 c finely diced onion
    1.5 c Arborio rice
    1/2 c dry white wine
    2 T chopped parsley
    2 T chopped basil or 1 T dried
    2-3 medium beets, peeled and grated (about 2 cups)
    2-3 cups beet greens - stems removed, washed & finely chopped
    salt and pepper
    grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
    1/2 c freshly grated parmesan
     
    Have the stock simmering on the stove. Heat the butter in a wide pot, add the onion, and cook over med. heat fo 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the rice, stir to coat it well and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until it's absorbed, then stir in half the parsely, the basil, and the grated beets. Add 2 cups of the stock, cover and cook at a lively simmer until the stock is absorbed. Begin adding the remaining stock in 1/2 cup increments, stirring contanstly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. When you have 1 cup left, add the beet greens. Taste for salt, season with pepper, then stir in the lemon zest and juice to taste. Serve dusted with cheese and the remaining parsley.
     
    Serves 4
     
    From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

  • Arugula Pesto

    This is a great use for the bag of arugula in your share this week!
     
    1/2 lb. arugula (the whole bag in the share)
    1/2 cup walnuts
    1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
    1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
    a couple cloves of garlic
     
    1.  Toast the walnuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown.
    2.  In a food processor, combine the arugula, walnuts, Parmesan, salt, and garlic.  Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor.
    3.  Scrape the pesto into a bowl and enjoy as a topping for pasta, a sandwich spread, or any other way you would use basil pesto.
    4.  Optionally, you could add basil or mint to the arugula pesto.