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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.

  • 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

     

  • 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.

     

     

     

  • 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!

     

  • 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.

  • 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

     

  • Sicilian Pesto with Arugula

     
    Sicilian Pesto
     
    Recipe adapted from Marcella Says (2004) by Marcella Hazan
     
    2 oz. (about ½ heaping cup) whole, roasted almonds
     
    2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
     
    4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
     
    2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano cheese
     
    ½ cup tightly packed fresh arugula leaves
     
    ¼ tsp. dried red chile pepper flakes
     
    3 to 4 firm, fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
     
    1 tsp. fine sea salt                
     
    Put all ingredients in a food processor and process to a creamy consistency. Taste and correct for salt. Toss with drained pasta that is still piping hot in a warm bowl. Serve immediately.
     
    Makes enough pesto for 1 pound of pasta. 
     
    This was always very popular at The Breadworks. Nice and spicy is best. Lots of red pepper flakes!
     
    Also refreshing made with fresh mint leaves. Yum!
     
    Enjoy.

  • Green Bean and Roasted Tomato Salad
    • 5 plum tomatoes, each cut lengthwise into 4 slices
    • 1/4 pound green beans, trimmed
    • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
    • 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
    • a heaping 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon minced shallot
    • 1 cup mixed baby salad greens or torn lettuce leaves

    Preheat oven to 450° F. and lightly grease a baking sheet.
    Arrange tomatoes in one layer on baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until edges are browned, and cool.
    While tomatoes are roasting cook beans in salted boiling water 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. In a colander drain beans and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain beans and pat dry.
    In a bowl whisk together juices, zest, mustard, oil, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste.
    Arrange tomatoes, overlapping them, on 2 plates and mound mixed baby salad greens and beans on top. Drizzle salads with vinaigrette. Serves 2 as a first course or side dish.
    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

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Asparagus with tomato pesto dressing

    Makes 4 servings
     
    1 lb. fresh asparagus
    1 qt. water
    1 Tbsp. salt
    1/4 lb. sun dried tomatoes (non-marinated)
    2 chipotle peppers (dried)
    1/2 to 1 cup olive oil
     
    1.  Bring water to boil with salt.  Add asparagus, and boil for 2 minutes to blanch.
    2.  Drain and plunge into cold water to stop cooking.  Drain.
    3.  Cover tomatoes and peppers with an inch of boiling water; let soak until soft, about 20 minutes.
    4.  Drain tomatoes and peppers and put in food processor with 1/2 c. oil.  Puree until minced.  Blend in additional oil to acheive desired consistency.
    5.  Arrange asparagus spears on plate;  pour pesto over the top.  Serve war or cold.

  • 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.
     

  • 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.

  • 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.
     

  • 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.