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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.

  • Warm Beet Salad with Dill

    Serves 4

    The colorful salad makes a delightful first course, or it can be enjoyed as a side dish with grilled London broil.

    Ingredients

    • 6 medium beets with tops (about 2 pounds)
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
    • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dillweed
    • 1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia)

    Preparation

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off tops from beets and reserve. Wrap beets in large sheet of heavy-duty foil, enclosing completely. Cut off long stems from beet leaves and discard. Thinly slice beet leaves. Rinse leaves under cold water. Wrap leaves in small sheet of heavy-duty foil, enclosing completely.

    Place foil package of whole beets directly onto oven rack. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes. Add foil package of beet leaves to oven and bake until beets are tender and leaves are wilted and tender, about 15 minutes longer. Open foil packages and let beets and leaves stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Rub beets to remove skins. Cut beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

    Whisk vinegar, oil and dill in large bowl until well blended. Add beets, beet leaves and onion and toss to coat. Serve warm or room temperature.

     

    Bon Appétit  | May 1996

  • Fennel recipes

     

    Fennel Pesto

     

    2 T fennel seeds

    2 cups fennel bulb

    1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

    2 cloves garlic

    1/3 cup walnuts

    1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

    ½ cup virgin olive oil

    Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

     

    Discard the pithy stalks (keep some top for sauce, recipe below) and cut the bottom off the fennel bulb. Roughly chop and steam for several minutes to slightly soften. Meanwhile soak the fennel seeds in a cup of hot water.

    Combine drained fennel seeds, fennel bulb, parsley, garlic, and nuts in a blender or food processor. Blend with pulsing action to mix. Add the parmesan cheese and whirl for fifteen seconds.  With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to process until pesto reaches desired consistency. Allow pesto to stand for about five minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop.

    Makes about 1 1/4 cup of pesto. Half the recipe for the sauce recipe below. 

     

    Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

     

    ¼ cup olive oil

    2 T minced onion

    1 (14 oz.) can Italian style plum tomatoes with juice, chopped

    ½ cup fennel pesto (see above)

    ¼ cup minced drained and blotted sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

    2 T fennel tops finely chopped (fernlike tops saved from fennel)

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

     

    Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion. Sauté, stirring, over low heat until the onion is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the plum tomatoes and pesto; cook, stirring and crushing tomatoes, with the side of a spoon until the juices are slightly reduced and the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the sun dried tomatoes and fennel tops. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with hot pasta. Serves 4

     

  • 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.

  • Collards with Potatoes

    2 bunches collard greens or a mixture of collards, kale, chard, spinach, turnips tops, etc.

    sea salt and freshly ground pepper

    3 medium yellow potatoes, scrubbed and diced

    3-4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)

    2 Tbs. olive oil

    1/2 onion or 1 bunch scallions, chopped

    1-2 garlic cloves, minced

    pinch of red pepper flakes

    hot pepper sauce or vinegar for the table

     

    • Strip the collards from the stem and wash. Bring a few quarts of water to a boil. Add salt and the greens and simmer for 5 minutes. Scoop collards into a bowl. Add potatoes to the cooking water and simmer until tender, 7-10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet or in the oven. Set aside to drain.
    • Heat oil in a pan (you can use a little bacon grease, too). Add the onion and sautee about 5 minutes.
    • Chop the cooked greens, then add them to the pan along with the garlic and pepper flakes. Scoop some of the potato water into the pan so that everything cooks in a little moisture.
    • When potatoes are tender, scoop them out and add them to the greens. Add the bacon, toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and season to taste with hot sauce and/or vinegar.

     

  • Winter Squash Rounds with Dates and Pistachios

    1 large butternut (3 pounds) or several Delicatas

    3 Tbs. olive oil

    salt and pepper

    2 Tbs. butter

    2 shallots or onions, finely diced, about 1/3 cups

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1/3 cup slivered almonds

    1/3 cup peeled pistachios, preferably unsalted, slivered or chopped

    1 Tbs grated zest from one Meyer lemon or orange

    6 dates, pitted and chopped

    2 Tbs. finely chopped parsley

    1 Tbs chopped mint

    1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

    juice of 1 Meyer lemon

     

    Preheat oven to 400. Lightly butter a large baking dish. Peel the neck of the squash and slice into rounds about 1/3 inch thick. Heat the oil in a wide nonstick skellet. Add the squash in a single layer and cook over medium heat until golden, then turn and brown the second side, 8 to 10 minutes each side. When the pan becomes dry, add 1/3 cup water. Cover the pan and steam the squash until tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Check while it's cooking and add more water as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

     

    Melt the butter in a med. skillet over med-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook without browning, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes.

     

    Add the nuts, zest, dates, herbs, and cinnamon and raise the heat. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes then add the lemon juice, cook for 1 minute more, and turn off the heat.

     

    Arrrange the squash rounds in the baking dish and scatter the dates and nuts over them. Add 1/4 cup water and bake until heated through and the toppin gis barely crisped, about 15 minutes.

     

    Adapted from Deborah Madison's "Local Flavors"

  • Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves

    2.5 to 3 pounds butternuts

    1/4 c olive oil, plus extra for the squash

    6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

    12 whole sage leaves, plus 2 Tbs. chopped

    2 onions, finely chopped

    Chopped leaves from 4 thyme sprigs or 1/4 tsp dried

    1/4 chopped parsley

    salt and pepper

    2 qts. water or stock

    1/2 c fontina, pecorino, or ricotta salata, diced into small cubes

     

    Preheat oven to 375. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the surfaces with oil, stuff the cavities with garlic and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30 minutes.

     

    Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil until nearly smoking, then drop in the whole sage leaves and fry until speckled and dark, about 1 minute. Set the leaves aside on a paper towel and transfer the oil to a wide soup pot. Add the onions, chopped sage, thyme, and parsley and cook over medium heat until the onions have begun to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Scoop the squash flesh in to the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1.5 tsp salt and the water/stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more water/stock to thin it out. Taste for salt.

     

    For a more refined, smooth soup, pass through a food mill or use a hand blender or regular blender to puree. Ladle into bolws and sprinkle with the cheese. Garnish each bowl with the fried sage leaves, add pepper, and serve.

  • 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.

     

     

     

  • Warm Green Bean and Potato Salad with Summer Savory
    • 8 ounces green beans, rinsed and ends snapped off
    • 1 1/2 pounds Yellow Finn potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
    • 2 tablespoons minced purplette onions
    • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
    • 1/4 cup olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons summer savory leaves, chopped
    • Salt and fresh-ground pepper

    Preparation

    1. 1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until bright green and tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well and rinse with cold water until cool (or plunge in ice water); drain again.
    2. 2. In same pan, bring 2 quarts water to a boil over high heat. Add potato slices and cook until tender when pierced, 10 to 12 minutes; drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
    3. 3. Meanwhile, in a 1-cup glass measure, combine onions and vinegar. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over medium heat, combine olive oil and summer savory. Stir occasionally until savory is limp and slightly darker and oil is fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. If oil sizzles, reduce heat slightly.
    4. 4. Pour half the oil mixture into vinegar mixture and stir to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over warm potatoes and mix gently to coat. Top potatoes with green beans and drizzle remaining oil mixture over beans. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Borrowed from Sunset

  • 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.

     

  • White Bean and Winter Tarragon Soup with Fennel

    White Bean and Winter Tarragon Soup with Fennel

    serves 4

     

    8 ounces Great Northern white beans

    2 Tablespoons olive oil

    1 medium onion, diced

    1 small fennel bulb, diced, about one cup

    2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    7 cups chicken stock

    1 Tablespoons fresh winter tarragon leaves, chopped*

    3 Tablespoons thinly sliced ham, julienned

    salt and pepper to taste

     

     

    Sort through the beans to remove rocks and other items. Put in a container and cover with four inches of water. Soak overnight. Drain off the water.

     

    In a stainless steel pot heat the olive oil. Saut the onion and the fennel until golden. Add the grated lemon peel and the garlic. Cook for one minute to release the flavors. Add the stock, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the beans until soft, about one hour.

     

    Stir in the tarragon, reserving 1/2 teaspoon to use for garnish. Add the ham, stirring to blend all flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into decorative soup bowls and garnish with the remaining tarragon.

     

    * French tarragon can be substituted for winter tarragon.

  • Chilled Indian-Spiced Tomato Soup with Crabmeat

    yield: Makes 8 first-course servings

    This soup can be pureed by pressing it through a strainer or a food mill. It can also be pureed in a blender and then strained.

    Ingredients

    Spice mix

    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

    Soup

    • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 4 stalks chopped celery
    • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion or shallot
    • 1 cup chopped carrots
    • 1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger (from about 3-inch-long piece)
    • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 pound bell peppers, chopped
    • 1 3/4 cups chopped fresh fennel bulb
    • 3 pounds tomatoes, diced (about 8 cups)
    • 5 1/4 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 teaspoons (about) hot pepper sauce
    • 1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over
    • Thinly sliced radishes (optional)
    • Chopped fresh chives (optional)

    Preparation
    For spice mix:
    Toast all ingredients in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until spices darken slightly in color and start to pop, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Cool in skillet. Transfer to spice mill and grind finely.
    For soup:
    Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion/shallots, and carrots. Sauté until vegetables soften slightly, about 8 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and fennel. Stir 2 minutes to coat. Add tomatoes; cook until tomatoes soften and break down, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add broth and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Add ground spice mix; return soup to boil. Remove from heat; cover and steep 20 minutes.
    Place coarse sieve over large bowl. Working with 2 cups at a time, strain soup into bowl, pressing liquid and most of solids through sieve. Season soup to taste with hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate soup until cold, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
    Ladle soup into 8 shallow bowls. Divide crabmeat among bowls. Garnish with radish slices and chives.

  • Zucchini and Cilantro Soup with Chile and Mint

    Ingredients
    1 poblano or Anaheim or jalapeno chile (de-seed the jalapeno if you don't like things too hot)
    2-3 zucchini, 10-12 oz
    1 bunch cilantro
    1 large onion
    3 Tbs. sunflower seed or olive oil
    3 Tbs. chopped parsley
    3 Tbs. chopped mint
    2 corn tortillas
    sea salt
    5 cups water or chicken/veggie stock
    juice of 1 or 2 limes
    sour cream, optional
     
    Instructions

    • Roast the chiles and remove the seeds, then chop coarsley. Quarter the zukes lengthwise, then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Wash the cilantro thoroughly, including the stems. Finely slice the stems and chop the leaves, setting aside  few for garnish. Thinly slice the onion.
    • Heat half the oil in a soup pot over med-high heat, then add teh onoin, zukes, cilantro stems, parsley and mint. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onoin is limp and the zukes are fairly soft, about 10 minutes. Tear one of the tortillas into pieces and add it to the veggies.
    • Add 2 tsp. salt and the water or stock and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the zucchini is completely soft, about 15 minutes, then add the remaining cilantro. Let cool at room temperature, then puree until smooth. Season with salt and lime juice to taste.
    • Cut the remaining tortillas into skinny strips and heat the remaining oil in a skillet. When hot, add the tortillas and cook until crisp. Set them on paper towls to drain. Serve the soup garnished with a dollop of sour cream, a little mound of tortillas strips, and a sprig of cilantro in each bowl.

     
     

  • 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

     

  • Cabbage Kimchee (Korean Pickles)

    Ingredients:
    1 head red cabbage, cut into 2" pieces
    A few radishes, cut into half moons
    5 c water
    2 Tbs. sea salt
    2 Tbs. ginger, minced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 green onion, chopped
    1/2 tsp cayenne
     
    Instructions:

    • In a large bowl combine water, 1.5 Tbs. salt, cabbage & radishes. Set aside on counter for 12 hours.
    • Remove cabbage & radish from soaking liquid and combine with ginger, garlic, onions, cayenne & 1/2 tsp. salt.
    • Put into a jar or crock. Pour soaking liquid over vegetables up to 1 inch from the top.
    • Cover loosely with a clean cloth and set aside on the counter for 3-7 days.
    • Enjoy plain as or as a condiment with other foods.

    From "Healing with Whole Foods," Pitchford 2002.
     
     
     

  • 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.
     

  • Red-leaf Lettuce and Celery Salad
    • 1 cup water
    • 1/2 cup chopped onion
    • 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 1 head of red-leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
    • 3 large (outer) celery ribs, very thinly sliced on a long diagonal (about 3 cups)
    • 1 cup tender inner celery leaves, coarsely chopped

    Simmer water and onion in a small saucepan, uncovered, until onion is softened and most of water is evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Purée in a blender with vinegar, caraway seeds, sugar, mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream and blend until dressing is emulsified.
    Combine lettuce, celery, and celery leaves in a large bowl and toss with just enough dressing to coat.
    Adapted from epicurious.com

  • Rack of Lamb with Swiss Chard

    For swiss chard filling

    • 1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
    • 1/2 cup golden raisins
    • 1 medium onion, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 large bunches Swiss chard (1 pound total), stems and center ribs reserved for another use and leaves coarsely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

    For lamb

    • 4 (8-rib) frenched racks of lamb (each about 1 1/2 pound), trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat
    • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
    • 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
    • Equipment: kitchen string

    Make swiss chard stuffing:
    Bring vermouth and raisins to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and let steep until raisins are soft and plump, about 15 minutes.
    Cook onion in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender but not browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add chard, raisins with any remaining vermouth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat, turning chard constantly with tongs, until chard is tender and liquid has evaporated, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in nuts, then cool.
    Prepare lamb:
    Cutting as close to bones as possible, make 1 long incision to separate meat of each rack from bones, stopping 1/2 inch from bottom (do not cut all the way through). Roll meat away from bones to create a long opening, then season inside with salt and pepper and fill with stuffing. Roll meat back over stuffing, then tie meat to bones with string (between every 2 ribs).
    Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
    Stir together mustard, thyme, and rosemary and spread over both sides of each rack. Put racks of lamb in a large shallow heavy baking pan, pairing racks so that they stand up with their bones interlocking but leaving space between them at base.
    Roast lamb until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat (do not touch bone) registers 130°F for medium-rare, 25 to 35 minutes. Let stand, loosely covered, 15 minutes.
    Cut each rack into 4 double chops, discarding string, and serve.
    Cooks' note: Stuffing can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

    From epicurious.com
     

  • Squash and Black Bean Stew with Tomato and Green Beans
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 2 cups diced tomatoes
    • 2 pounds winter squash, peeled and chopped
    • 4 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
    • 1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño chili
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

    Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juices; bring to boil. Stir in squash and green beans. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are almost tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in black beans and jalapeño. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
    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.

  • Tomato-corn relish

    Makes 2 1/2 cups
    2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
    1 cup corn kernels
    1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
    1/2 cup diced celery (optional)
    1/3 cup diced onion
    2 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1/2 tsp. sugar
    1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
    1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    salt, to taste
     
    1.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marry for 30 minutes.
    2.  Serve as picnic side dish, or as condiment to hot dogs and burgers.

  • Fettuccine with Shiitakes, Peas, and Prosciutto
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 6 green onions, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 cup minced shallots
    • 1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced (or substitute wild mushrooms like morels)
    • 1/2 cup dry white wine
    • 8 ounces fresh peas, shelled
    • 1/2 cup whipping cream
    • 1 pound fettuccine
    • 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into thin strips
    • Chopped Italian parsley

    Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions and shallots and sauté until onions soften, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and wine. Cover skillet and cook until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add peas and cream; simmer until peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain well.
    Return pasta to same pot. Mix in mushroom sauce and prosciutto; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl; sprinkle with parsley and ser

  • French peas

    Makes 6 servings
     
    3 Tbsp. olive oil
    1/4 cup finely chopped romaine lettuce
    1 1/2 cups shelled peas
    1/4 cup minced shallots or chopped green onion
    1 large sprig of parsley
    2 tsp. sugar
    1 tsp. salt
    1/8 tsp. white pepper
     
    1.  Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add lettuce, peas, shallot or onion, parsley, sugar, salt and pepper.
    2.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes, or until peas are just tender.  Stir occasionally.  Remove parsley sprig before serving.

  • Simple cucumber-tomato salad

    Makes 6 servings
     
    3 medium cucumbers
    4 riped tomatoes, cut in 1 inch chunks
    1/2 onion, diced
    1/4 cup white vinegar
    1/2 cup sugar
    salt and black pepper, to taste
     
    1.  Peel cucumber and quarter lengthwise.  Remove seeds.  Cut into chunks and place in serving bowl.
    2.  Add tomatoes and onion to bowl.
    3.  Whisk together vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper until sugar and salt dissolve.  Pour over vegetables.
    4.  Refrigerate 30 minutes; serve.

  • Potato-zucchini fritters

    2 medium russet-style potatoes, scrubbed
    2 zucchini
    2 eggs
    1 tsp.  onion powder
    1 1/2 Tbsp.  olive oil, divided
     
    1.  Shred potatoes and zucchini.  Place in bowl.  Add eggs and onion powder; mix well.
    2.  Heat 1 tsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Working in batches, spoon mixture, 1/4 cup at a time, into heated skillet.  Leave an inch or more betweet fritters.
    3.  Cook 5 minutes or until light brown on bottom;  turn and cook on second side 3-5 minutes or until browned.  Replenish oil in skillet as needed.
    4.  Serve with your choice of condiments;  marinara sauce, ketchup, apple sauce, sour cream, etc.

  • Oven-roasted summer squash

    Makes 4 servings
     
    2 Tbsp.  olive oil
    2-3 Tbsp.  lemon pepper
    1 Tbsp. dried rosemary
    1 lb.  new potatoes, scrubbed and dices
    1 1/4 lbs. summer squash;  combination zucchini, crookneck, etc., in 1 inch cubes
    1 large red onion, cut into 1 inch chunks
     
    1.  Put oil, lemon pepper, rosemary (crush first) and potatoes into plastic bag.  Shake well to coat.
    2.  Add squash to bag;  shake again to coat.
    3.  Spread veggies on shallow baking pan.  Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.  Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees, stir vegetables, and continue roasting until brown, about 20 minutes. 

  • Southwestern style squash

    Makes 6 servings
    1 large onion, chopped
    1/2 cup bell pepper, minced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 Tbsp.  corn oil
    1 cup corn kernels
    1 lbs. summer squash and/or zucchini
    4 roasted hot peppers, seeded and peeled (optional)
    1/2 cup hot water
    salt to taste
     
    1.  In heavy skillet over medium-high heat, saute onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in oil.  Add corn;  cook and stir until uniformly browned. 
    2.  Cut squash into matchsticks.  Cut chilies into long thin strips (try kitchen scissors).  Add squash, chilies, water and salt in skillet.
    3.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.  Serve with hot tortillas.

  • Couscous and radish salad

    Makes 4 servings
     
    1 1/4 c. water
    1 c. couscous
    2 c. radishes, quartered
    1/2 c. parsley
    1/3 c. mint
    1/2 tsp lemon rind, grated
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/8 tsp pepper
    2 Tbsp olive oil
    1 clove garlic, crushed
    2 Tbsp. green onion, thinly sliced
     
    1.  Bring water to a boil in saucepan;  stir in couscous.  Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, 10 minutes;  fluff with a fork and set aside.
    2. Mince radishes by hand or in a food processor.  Place in a large bowl.  Mince parsley and mint.  Add to radishes and stir in couscous.
    3.  Whisk together lemon rind, salt, pepper, lemon juice, oil and garlic.  Add to couscous mixture, toss.  Top with green onions.

  • 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.

  • Broccoli stir-fry

    Makes 6 servings
     
    2 Tbsp.  sesame oil
    1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    1/4 cup chopped onion, shallot, or leek
    4 cups broccoli florets
    1/4 cup sweet pepper strips
    2 Tbsp. soy sauce
     
    1.  Heat oil in skillet until hot.  Add walnuts and onion;  stir-fry for 1 minute.
    2.  Add broccoli;  continue to toss for 3-4 minutes.
    3.  Add pepper and soy sauce;  cook 1 minute longer.  Serve immediately.
     

  • Buttercup Thai Curry

    I winged it the other night with the ingredients I had on hand, and this curry came out deeee-lish!
     
    I buttercup winter squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
    any other veggies you have on hand (I had some last late-season eggplants and peppers from the greenhouse, as well as all this stuff):

    • brussels sprouts, halved
    • hakurei turnips, quartered
    • carrots, cut into 1" chunks
    • parsnips, cut into 1" chunks
    • celeriac, cut into 1/2" chunks
    • kale or chard, cut into ribbons
    • onions or leeks, diced

    1 can coconut milk
    dash of fish sauce
    Thai curry paste, to taste
    salt, to taste
     
    Sautee all your veggies in a large saucepan coated in olive oil, starting with your onions/leeks, celeriac and squash. Cook for 5-10 minutes on medium heat. Add carrots and parsnips and other hearty veg. After everything has begun to soften slightly, push the veggies to the corner of the pan and pour the coconut milk into the skillet. Stir in the Thai Curry paste to taste and fish sauce. Get a good even coconut milk slurry going, then mix all the veggies up with it. Simmer together until the veggies are tender. At the last minute, add the chard or kale and cook just long enought to wilt it down. Add salt to taste.
     
    Serve over rice or quinoa. Tastes great with a cashew garnish.

  • SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH CELERY ROOT AND PARSNIPS

     
    Serves 4 to 6.   Published September 1, 2007. Cooks Illustrated.
    The quickest way to slice the vegetables is in a food processor fitted with an 1/8-inch slicing blade. If the potatoes are too long to fit into the feed tube, halve them crosswise and put them in the feed tube cut-side down so that they sit on a flat surface. If the potato slices discolor as they sit, put them in a bowl and toss with a couple tablespoons of the cream and chicken broth. If you like, use Parmesan instead of cheddar.
     
    INGREDIENTS
    2 TB butter
    1 onion, minced, about 1 cup
    1 TB chopped fresh thyme
    1 1/2 tsp salt 
    1/2 tsp pepper
    8 oz celery root (about 1/2), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
    8 oz parsnips (about 2 medium), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
    1 cup chicken broth
    1 cup heavy cream
    2 bay leaves
    1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
    4 oz grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees.
    2. Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add celery root, parsnips, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, bring mixture back to simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of potato slice with some resistance), about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
    3. Transfer mixture to 8-inch-square baking dish (or other 1 1/2-quart gratin dish) and press into an even layer; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
    4. To Make Ahead: Once the scalloped vegetables have been transferred to the baking dish and pressed into an even layer in step 3, they can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, add the cheese, cover with foil, and bake in a 400-degree oven until the mixture is hot and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the cheddar begins to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

     

  • Winter Squash Curry

    You can toss any veggies you like into this basic curry. It would be great with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, romanesco, potatoes, other winter squash or any root vegetable.
     
    Serves 4.
     
    2 Tbs. oil
    1 onion or 1 large leek, chopped
    1 Tbs. curry powder
    1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
    1.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
    1 c. coconut milk, stock or water
    salt and freshly ground pepper
    chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
     
    Put the oil in a pot or deep skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the curry and ginger and cook until the onion just starts to brown, about 2 minutes more.
     
    Add the squash and coconut milk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat down to low. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Check periodically to make sure there is adequate liquid. If the squash is done and there is ample liquid, turn up the heat, take the lid off and cook down until the consistency is thicker than stew.
     
    Taste and adjust seasonings, garnish and serve warm.

  • Acorn Squash with Wild Mushroom Cranberry Stuffing

     

    4 Servings

     

    Ingredients

    • 2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
    • 1 cup dried cranberries or currants
    • 1/2 cup hot water
    • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
    • 8 ounces fresh wild mushrooms (such as shiitake), stemmed, chopped
    • 1/2 cup chopped onion
    • 2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
    • 2 cup fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs

     
    Preparation
    Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake squash halves face down until soft. Turn squash halves cut side up. Season cavities with salt and pepper.
    Combine dried cranberries and hot water in small bowl. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and sage and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and stir until crumbs brown lightly, about 3 minutes. Mix in cranberries with soaking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    Mound stuffing into squash halves. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until heated through and crisp on top, about 10 minutes.

  • Beet Soup in Roasted Acorn Squash

    Adapted from Gourmet...
     

     
    Makes 8 servings (about 10 cups)

    The roasted acorn squash tastes fabulous when scooped up with spoonfuls of the beet soup. But if oven space is limited, simply serve the soup in bowls.

     
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    Ingredients
    For roasted squash

    • 8 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) acorn squash
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

    For soup

    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 5 medium beets (about 2 pounds without greens), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 red apple such as Gala or Braeburn, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 4 to 5 cups water
    • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

    Preparation
    Roast squash:
    Preheat oven to 375°F.
    Cut off "tops" of squash (about 1 inch from stem end) and reserve. Scoop out seeds and discard. Cut a very thin slice off bottoms of squash to create a stable base. Brush "bowls" and tops all over with oil and sprinkle salt inside. Arrange squash bowls, with tops alongside, stem ends up, in 2 large shallow baking pans.
    Roast squash in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until flesh of squash is just tender, about 1 1/4hours total.
    Make soup while squash roast:
    Cook onion in oil in a 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add beets and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
    Add broth and 4 cups water, then simmer, uncovered, until beets are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in vinegar and brown sugar.
    Purée soup in 3 batches in a blender until very smooth, at least 1 minute per batch (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl. Return soup to pan, then season with salt and pepper and reheat. If soup is too thick, add enough water to thin to desired consistency.
    Serve soup in squash bowls.
    Cooks' notes: • Squash flesh shrinks during baking; if a small hole forms, serve soup in squash but set in a soup bowl.
    • Soup can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

  • 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.
     

  • Kale and White Bean Soup

    Kale and White Bean Soup

    yield: Makes 6 main-course servings
    active time: 1 hr
    total time: 3 hr

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb dried white beans such as Great Northern, cannellini, or navy
    • 2 onions or leeks, coarsely chopped
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
    • 5 cups chicken or veggie broth
    • 2 qt water
    • 1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
    • 1 lb smoked sausage such as kielbasa (optional), sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
    • 8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
    • 1 lb kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

    Preparation
    Cover beans with water by 2 inches in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. Drain beans in a colander and rinse.
    Cook onions/leeks in oil in an 8-quart pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beans, broth, 1 quart water, cheese rind, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and rosemary and simmer, uncovered, until beans are just tender, about 50 minutes.
    While soup is simmering, brown sausage (if using) in batches in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, then transfer to paper towels to drain.
    Stir carrots into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in kale, sausage, and remaining quart water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.
    Cooks'notes: •Soup is best if made 1 or 2 days ahead. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, covered. Thin with water if necessary.

  • Corn Chowder with Bacon, Crab and Chanterelle Mushrooms

    Fall is when the wild mushrooms, particularly Chanterelles, start mysteriously popping out of the dark forest duff around here. It's also when the corn is ripe, making a perfect marriage. This soup would go great with a pile of steamed kale, drizzled in olive oil and a splash of cider vinegar and salt.
     
    Corn Chowder with Bacon, Crab and Chanterelle Mushrooms

    Ingredients

    • 4 ears fresh yellow corn
    • 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
    • 3 cups whipping cream (or milk or milk substitute if aiming for a lower fat soup)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 7 bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (optional)
    • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
    • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 medium)
    • 3/4 cup finely chopped celery (i didn't have any and went without - it was fine)
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 3/4 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
    • 1-2 colored sweet peppers, diced
    • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
    • 6 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, thickly sliced
    • 2 tablespoons dry Sherry
    • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp. dried
    • 1 pound fresh crabmeat (optional)
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

    Preparation
    Cut kernels off corn cobs. Set kernels aside and put the cobs into a large heavy saucepan. Peel the potatoes. Set diced spuds aside and add peels to saucepan. Chop the leeks. Save the butt ends and the leaves, chop up, rinse and combine with the corn cobs, broth, and cream. Simmer 5 minutes, being careful not to scorch the cream. Remove from heat.
    Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons pan drippings; add onion, leeks, celery, and fennel seeds to pot. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes and sweet peppers. Strain cobs, leek leaves and potato peels from cream mixture; add strained stock into potato mixture. Simmer until potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn kernels. Simmer chowder until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
    Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in Sherry and thyme. Add mushroom mixture to chowder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    Sauté crabmeat in same large skillet over medium-low heat just until heated through, about 3 minutes. Divide crabmeat, reserved bacon, and parsley among bowls. Ladle chowder over and serve.

  • Late Summer Minestrone

    This is a somewhat-involved soup, made entirely from scratch, but it relies on all your current veggies, plus a few that are still to come.

    Vegetable broth

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 large carrots, peeled, sliced
    • 2 medium onions, sliced
    • 1 medium fresh fennel bulb, sliced
    • 1 medium celery root (celeriac), peeled, sliced
    • 1/2 head of garlic, crushed (with peel)
    • 6 large fresh Italian parsley sprigs
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 1 large fresh rosemary sprig
    • 2 large tomatoes, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 16 cups water

    Garlic croutons

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
    • 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes baguette or rustic country-style bread

    Vegetable soup

    • 1 cup dried cranberry beans or cannellini (white kidney beans)
    • 4 small carrots, peeled, sliced
    • 3 large shallots, thinly sliced
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 medium white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
    • 1 cup sliced trimmed Italian pole beans or green beans (about 5 ounces)
    • 1 cup 1/2-inch cubes peeled celery root (celeriac)
    • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
    • 4 kale leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
    • 2 1/2-pints red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
    • Freshly shaved parmesan or asiaggo cheese

     
    Preparation
    For vegetable broth:
    Heat oil in very large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots and next 7 ingredients. Sauté until vegetables are golden and begin to soften, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste; stir to blend. Add 16 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 2 1/2 hours.
    Strain vegetable mixture, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer. Measure 13 cups broth and pour into large bowl (reserve remaining broth for another use). Season broth with salt. DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.
    for garlic croutons:
    Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add bread cubes; stir until crisp and golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
    For vegetable soup:
    Place cranberry beans in medium bowl; add enough cold water to cover beans by 2 inches. Let stand at room temperature overnight. Drain. Place beans in large saucepan; add enough cold water to cover beans by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Drain beans; set aside.
    Bring 13 cups vegetable broth to simmer in large pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots and next 7 ingredients to broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Soup and beans can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill beans. Cool soup slightly, then chill until cold. Cover and keep chilled. Rewarm soup over medium heat before continuing.
    Add cranberry beans and kale and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in cherry tomatoes and parsley; simmer just until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper.
    Ladle vegetable soup into bowls. Garnish with garlic croutons and shaved cheese and serve.

  • 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.
     

  • Roasted Jalapeño and Tomato Salsa
    • 3/4 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 3 medium)
    • 1 bell pepper, seeded and stemmed
    • 1-2 fresh jalapeño and/or serrano chiles, stemmed
    • 1/4 of a small onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
    • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
    • 1/8 cup water
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
    • 1/2  teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar



    Preparation
    1. Heat the broiler. Lay the whole tomatoes, sweet pepper, and jalapeños out on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Set the pan 4 inches below the broiler and broil for about 6 minutes, until darkly roasted — even blackened in spots — on one side (the tomato skins will split and curl in places). With a pair of tongs, flip over the tomatoes and chiles and roast the other side for another 6 minutes or so. The goal is not simply to char the tomatoes and chiles, but to cook them through while developing nice, roasty flavors. Set aside to cool.
    2. Turn the oven down to 425 degrees. Separate the onions into rings. On a similar pan or baking sheet, combine the onion and garlic. Roast in the oven, stirring carefully every couple of minutes, until the onions are beautifully browned and wilted (even have a touch of char on some of the edges) and the garlic is soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes total. Cool to room temperature.
    3. For a little less rustic texture or if you're canning the salsa, pull off the peels from the cooled tomatoes and cut out the "cores" where the stems were attached, working over your baking sheet so as not to waste any juices. In a food processor, pulse the jalapeños (no need to peel or seed them) with the onion and garlic until moderately finely chopped, scraping everything down with a spatula as needed to keep it all moving around. Scoop into a big bowl. Without washing the processor, coarsely puree the tomatoes — with all that juice that has accumulated around them — and add them to the bowl. Stir in enough water to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Stir in the cilantro.
    4. Taste and season with salt and vinegar, remembering that this condiment should be a little fiesty in its seasoning. If you're planning to use your salsa right away, simply pour it into a bowl and it's ready, or refrigerate it covered and use within 5 days.

  • 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.

  • Fennel Vichyssoise

    Modified from a recipe on epicurious.com
    yield: Makes 8 servings
    The inclusion of fennel and a dash of Pernod puts a sophisticated spin on the classic chilled potato soup. 

     
      Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 5 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 3 small fennel bulbs)
    • 2 onions or leeks, sliced
    • 1 pound small potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    • 4 cups chicken stock or canned low– salt chicken broth
    • 2 tablespoons Pernod
    • 2 cups half and half

     
    Preparation
    Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add sliced fennel and onions/leeks. Cover and cook until fennel is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken stock; increase heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in Pernod. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Transfer soup to large bowl. Mix in 2 cups half and half. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Chill soup uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

  • Vichyssoise

    CRÈME VICHYSOISSE
    Modified from a recipe courtesy  of Frances Sotak, Bethlehem, PA
        2-3 tbsp. butter
        2 leeks
        1 medium sized onion
        3-4 medium sized potatoes
        1 tbsp. salt
        3 cups chicken stock
        1 ½ cup whole milk
        1½ cup half-and-half
        1½ cup cream
    In a Dutch oven melt two to three tablespoons of butter.  With a mandoline, thinly slice the white part of the leeks.  Then thinly slice onions.  Sautee the leeks and onions in butter until golden.
    To the leeks and onions add the potatoes, peeled and diced.  To this add salt and chicken stock (canned is fine).  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 35 minutes.  Cool to room temperature.
    After cooling, blend until all lumps are gone.  Return to the stove and put on lowest heat setting.  Add whole milk and half-and-half.
    Refrigerate.  When completely cooled add cream.
        
    Serve hot or cold, garnishing with chopped fresh chives just before serving.

  • Molly's Famous Kaleslaw

    When we make kaleslaw - which is alot, especially in the fall and winter when the lettuce is gone but the kale, cabbage and carrots still persist - we kind of just wing it each time, using whatever we have on hand. The basic trio is kale, cabbage and carrots, but it's great to add apples, nuts, feta or anything else to jazz it up.
     
    Slaw
    1 bunch kale, stems trimmed, leaves finely chopped
    1/2 of a red cabbage, thinly sliced
    1 bunch carrots, grated
    Handful of currants, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, toasted pinenuts (or any other nut) or any other treats you like
    Optional: chopped apple, celery, onions or any other veggies you're fond of
     
    Dressing
    1 cup olive oil
    1/3 cup rice and/or cider vinegar
    splash of tamari or soy sauce
    splash of sesame oil
    spoonful of tahini
    a few big spoonfuls of mayo or vegenaise
    2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
    dash of chile flakes or fresh minced chiles
    Tbs. of sesame seeds
    Glug of maple syrup, or a heaping Tbs. of brown sugar
     

    • Prep the slaw and mix together
    • Make the dressing, pour it over the slaw and toss.
    • YUM.

     

  • Carrot Top Soup

    Don't just throw them away! The tender tops on your carrots are great in soups! Here's one rendition, based on a recipe from Local Flavors:
     
    1 bunch carrots, the tops and the roots
    2 Tbs butter
    3 Tbs. white rice
    1 bunch purplette onions
    2 thyme sprigs
    2 Tbs. chopped dill, parsley or celery leaves
    sea salt and freshly ground pepper
    6 cups veggie stock or chicken stock
     

    • Pull or pluck the lacy leaves of the carrot greens off their stems. You should have between 2-3 cups, loosely packed. Wash, then chop finely. Grate the carrots, or chop them finely.
    • Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the carrot tops and carrots, rice, onions, and herbs. Cook for several minutes, turning everthing a few times, then season with 1.5 tsp. salt and add the stock.
    • Bring to a boil and simmger until the rice is cooked, 16-18 minutes.
    • Taste for salt, season with pepper and serve.
  • 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.
     

  • Creamy Broccoli Soup with Almond Romano Pesto

    I recently purchased this cookbook. The first recipe I attempted was this soup and it was fabulous.  I DID substitute half and half for the cream, I must admit. 
    I wrote and asked permission from the authors to share it with everyone, they were delighted to.  Was able to use 4 items from my weekly basket!
    serves 6
    6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable stock (p. 35)
    2 tbsp (3O mL) vegetable oil
    1 yellow onion, diced
    6 garlic cloves, minced
    1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh thyme
    1 112 tsp (7.5 mL) salt
    1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) red chile flakes
    1 large potato, peeled and diced
    4 broccoli stalks (2 cups florets
    reserved)
    1/2 lb (225 g) spinach, stemmed
    1 cup (24O mL) heavy cream
    1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) cracked pepper
    pesto
    1/2 bunch ltalian parsley, stemmed
    1/2 cup (12O mL) toasted, sliced
    almonds
    2 .garlic cloves
    1/2 cup (12O mL) grated Romano
    cheese
    1/4 cup (60 mLi olive oil
    salt and pepper, to taste
    Heat stock and keep it warm while preparing the soup. Heat oil
    in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saut6 the onion until
    translucent. Add garlic, salt, thyme and chile flakes and saut6
    until golden. stir in broccoli and potato; cook for several minutes.
    Add warm stock to cover; bring to a simmer and cook, paftially
    covered, until the broccoli and potatoes are just tender.
    stir in the spinach leaves and turn off the heat. Let the soup rest
    until the spinach wilts, then pur6e until smooth. Reheat the
    pur6e, add cream and more stock to thin, if necessary. Season
    to taste with salt and pepper.
    Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a hard boil. Add the
    salt and reserved broccoli florets and blanch until just done and
    bright green (about 1 minute). Strain immediately and plunge the
    florets into a bowl of ice water. Let them cool off, then strain
    and spread out on a clean, dry towel to drain. Set aside
    To prepare the pesto, place the parsley, almonds, garlic and
    cheese in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the
    olive oil and pur6e, stopping short of making it completely
    smooth. Blend in salt and pepper to taste.
    Serve the soup hot, with a swirl of pesto in each bowl and
    garnished with broccoli florets.

     

     
     

  • Braised Fennel with Arugula and Feta Cheese

     
    Olive oil
     

    2 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
    1 tbs balsamic vinegar
    ½ cup  chicken stock
    Handful of arugula
    2-4 oz. marinated feta, crumbled
    ¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
    ¼ large red chilli, thinly sliced
    1 tsp finely grated lemon rind 
    Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle 

    • Heat 2 tbs of oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add fennel and cook, turning, for 2-3 minutes or until fennel caramelizes a little, season with salt and pepper. 
    • Add balsamic vinegar and chicken stock, cover and cook for 8 -10 minutes or until tender. 
    • Transfer braised fennel to a bowl, add arugula, feta, red onion, chili, lemon rind and dress with olive oil. Toss gently to serve.
  • Braised Broccoli with Olives

    This is a recipe that can be enjoyed as a side dish, smothered over bruschetta, or tossed with pasta and parmesan cheese.
     
    1.5 pounds broccoli
    salt and freshly ground pepper
    1/4 c olive oil
    1 onion
    1 T choped marjoram or oregano, or 1 tsp dried
    3 garlic cloves, coarsley chopped
    2 T olive paste or finely chopped Gaeta olives (or any kind of brined olive)
    grated zest of 1/2 lemon
     

    • Separate the stalks from the broccoli crowns. Thickly peel and trim the stalks and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Peel the base of the crowns and separate into florets.
    • Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil; add salt, then the broccoli. Cook for 5 minutes (even if the water doesn't return to a boil), then scoop into a colander and drain, reserving a cup of the water. Chop into small pieces just smaller than bite sized.
    • Warm the olive oil in a wide skillet, then add the onion, herbs, and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until the onion is softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the olive paste or olives; add the broccoli and stir to coat well. Taste for salt, season with pepper, and add the lemon zest. Add the reserved broccoli water and simmer gently until the broccoli is very tender, 15-20 minutes.
  • Jo Rieber's Chard Pasta

    1 large bunch chard, stems removed, chopped
    1/2 large onion, chopped
    4 cloves garlic, diced
    1/2 c feta
    8 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
    olive oil
    butter
    salt and pepper
    grated parmesan

    Cook onion in a small amount of olive oil.  Add a little more oil, chard and garlic.  Cook, stirring, till chard is wilted.  Remove from heat and add feta, pasta and a couple of pats of butter.  Toss and serve with crusty bread.

  • 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