Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Shaved Turnip Salad with Prosciutto



Serves 4

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive o4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Pepper
4 small turnips, about 5 ounces, peeled
8 cups arugula, wild if possible
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces.
In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and salt until the salt dissolves. Whisk in the honey, oil and pepper. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the turnips into paper-thin rounds. In a large bowl, combine turnips, arugula and prosciutto. Toss with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
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Sesame Broccoli Rabe (Rapini)




Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini)
2 medium shallots
4 large cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
Soy sauce
Chop the stems off the broccoli rabe and pull off the leaves and flowerets. Chop into smaller pieces, if desired. Peel and finely sliver the shallots, and mince the garlic. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and film the bottom with the sesame oil. Add the garlic and shallots and turn the heat to low. Cook the onion and garlic very slowly over low heat until they soften and turn golden - about 8 minutes. Add more oil if they begin to look crispy. When they are soft and fragrant, turn the heat to medium high and add the broccoli rabe, stirring constantly. You want the leaves to wilt evenly. Pour in the vinegar and enough soy sauce to dampen the leaves. Cook, stirring, until the soy sauce evaporates somewhat and the leaves are wilted enough for your taste. This might take anywhere from two to five minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. 
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Bok Choy and Green Garlic Saute



Serves 2-4

1 head bok choy
3 stems green garlic
1/4 lemon (juiced)
pinch salt and pepper
1 T olive oil
Chop the green garlic into thin slices. Discard the root end and the tips of the leaves. In a hot skillet, add 1 T. of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the green garlic and sauté on medium high heat until the greens are caramelized and browned. Add the chopped bok choy, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Stir. Turn down the heat to low. Cover the pan and let cook for 1-2 minutes or until the bok choy wilts but still has some crispness to it. Serve hot.
Variation: You can add your radish greens to this sauté too! Add them when you add the bok choy. Radish greens need to be mildly cooked to soften the spiky hairs on the leaves, but they are delicious and nutritious!
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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Honeyed Carrots and Oranges


Serves 8

2 pounds very small carrots, scrubbed; or regular carrots--trimmed, peeled, and cut into thin sticks 
1 orange, cut into 8 pieces 
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons small dill sprigs
Heat oven to 375° F. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots and orange with the oil, honey, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, tossing once, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle with the dill.

Baked Tomatoes, Squash, and Potatoes



Serves 8

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 small tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil over medium and cook onion until tender and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Arrange the onion on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Overlap tomato, squash, and potato on top of the onion. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with thyme and Parmesan, and drizzle with more oil. Bake covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, 30 minutes more.
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Parsley Root Fries



Serves 2-3

*Note: If you cannot find parsley root, this recipe is delicious with parsnips and celery root (celeriac).*
3 large parsley roots – about 1.5 lbs / 700 grams
high-heat cooking oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
fresh rosemary (optional)
Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Peel roots and cut them into french-fry sized sticks. The thinner, the crispier they will be. Toss with some oil, a few pinches of salt, pepper, and fresh rosemary if desired. Roast for 20 minutes, toss, and place back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until golden on the edges with crispy ends and a tender center. Serve immediately with Roasted Tomato Ketchup. (See link for the ketchup.)
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta




Serves 2-4

For tomato sauce:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pound plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
For squash blossoms:
1 cup whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh)
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided
12 to 16 large zucchini squash blossoms
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chilled seltzer or club soda
About 3 cups vegetable oil for frying
Equipment: a deep-fat thermometer
Make tomato sauce:
Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a 2-quarts heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, water, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.
Prepare squash blossoms: 
Stir together ricotta, yolk, mint, 1/3 cup parmesan, and 1/8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Carefully open each blossom and fill with about 2 rounded teaspoon ricotta filling, gently twisting end of blossom to enclose filling. (You may have filling left over.)
Whisk together flour, remaining 1/3 cup parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and seltzer in a small bowl.
Heat 1/2 inch oil to 375°F in a 10-inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile, dip half of blossoms in batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Season with salt. Serve with tomato sauce.

5 Ways with Green Tomatoes



Besides frying them, what can you do with green tomatoes? Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of the Splendid Table show on NPR, has some new and tasty ideas for us to try!
First off, Lynne recommends either serving green tomatoes in a raw preparation or cooking them all the way down. Anywhere in between and she says they end up rather slimy.
With this in mind, here are some of the ideas she gave a caller with a surplus of green tomatoes:
1. Green Tomato Salad - Raw green tomatoes add a great crunchy texture to late-summer salads.
2. Green Tomato Chutney or Salsa - Toss those green tomatoes with onions, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, and vinegar for a basic pickled chutney.
3. Green Tomato and Yogurt Soup - With cucumbers and garlic, this is an excellent version of the Middle Eastern and Eastern European classic.
4. Green Tomato Curry - Make a basic curry with a coconut milk base and then add the green tomatoes at the very last second.
5. Pasta with Green Tomatoes and Ricotta - This would be good hot or cold!
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Lentil Soup with Parsley Root and Carrots



Serves 4-6

1 lb  Dried lentils, -washed and drained
1/4   c  Lard, bacon drippings, -or oil
2 md  Onions or leeks, chopped
1 parsley root or parsnip, chopped
2  md Carrots, sliced
1 c  Sliced fennel or celery
8 c   Water
1 t Salt to or to taste
Several whole black pepper-corns
2  Whole cloves
2  Bay leaves
1 lg Potato, peeled and grated
2  lg Links (or 4 small) smoked -sausage, skin pricked-with fork
 2 tb Good vinegar
In a large pot, heat fat and add carrots, root vegetable and onions. Saute until onions are golden. Add lentils, water, celery, and seasonings. Grate the potato into the mixture and add sausage. Simmer covered 1 hour until lentils and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves. Add vinegar just before serving and adjust salt. Serve with a crusty bread and salad.  
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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Kale and Quinoa with Creole Seasoning



Serves 4








Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan; stir in quinoa. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan; cook kale in boiling water until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir shallot until softened, about 5 minutes. Add kale, cooking and stirring, until desired doneness. Mix quinoa into vegetable mixture and season with salt and Creole seasoning.

Mashed Parsnips and Potatoes




Serves 6

4 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2 pounds parsnips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Directions
Peel and cut the potatoes and parsnips into even sized pieces. Put them into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the vegetables are fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small pot gently heat the cream and butter over low heat. When the vegetables are done drain them well. Put the vegetables back into the pot over medium heat. Gently stir them to remove any excess moisture; be careful not to burn them. While the potatoes and parsnips are still warm, press them through a potato ricer or food mill into a bowl. Add the warm cream a little at a time and beat with a wooden spoon until the potatoes are fluffy. Season with salt and pepper and gently stir in the chives. Serve immediately.
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Grilled Garlic Artichokes



Serves 4






Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice from one lemon wedge into the water. Trim the tops from the artichokes, then cut in half lengthwise, and place halves into the bowl of lemon water to prevent them from turning brown. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Add artichokes to boiling water, and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain. Squeeze the remaining lemon wedges into a medium bowl. Stir in the olive oil and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Brush the artichokes with a coating of the garlic dip, and place them on the preheated grill. Grill the artichokes for 5 to 10 minutes, basting with dip and turning frequently, until the tips are a little charred. Serve immediately with the remaining dip.
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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad



Serves 4

2 medium ruby grapefruits
1 teaspoon finely grated grapefruit zest
1 medium shallot, minced
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
2 medium Hass avocados, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Chervil leaves, for garnish
Using a sharp knife, cut the skin and all of the bitter white pith off of the grapefruits. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Squeeze the juice from the membranesinto the bowl. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the juice to another bowl. Add the zest, shallot and vinegar; let the dressing stand for 10 minutes. Season the avocado with salt and arrange on plates with the grapefruit sections. Stir the oil into the dressing; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle onto the grapefruit and avocado, garnish with the chervil and serve.

Roast Potatoes, Parsnips, and Carrots



Serves 6

1.2 kg potatoes
6 parsnips
6 carrots
1 bulb garlic
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
To prepare your vegetables:
If you're cooking these separately and not as with my perfect roast chicken, preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Peel the vegetables and halve any larger ones lengthways. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled, and bash them slightly with the palm of your hand. Pick the rosemary leaves from the woody stalks.
To cook your vegetables:
Put the potatoes and carrots into a large pan – you may need to use two – of salted, boiling water on a high heat and bring back to the boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then add the parsnips and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain in a colander and allow to steam dry. Take out the carrots and parsnips and put to one side. Fluff up the potatoes in the colander by shaking it around a little – it's important to 'chuff them up' like this if you want them to have all those lovely crispy bits when they're cooked.
Put a large roasting tray over a medium heat and either add a few generous lugs of olive oil or carefully spoon a little of the fat from the meat you're cooking. Add the garlic and rosemary leaves. Put the vegetables into the tray with a good pinch of salt and pepper and stir them around to coat them in the flavours. Spread them out evenly into one layer – this is important, as you want them to roast, not steam as they will if you have them all on top of each other. Put them into the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until golden, crisp and lovely. Serve immediately, with your roast dinner and your gravy.
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Garlicky Collard Greens



Serves 4

This technique of blanching the collard greens in boiling water, then sautéing them takes away any bitterness.
1 lb. chopped collard greens
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 tsp.)
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add collard greens, and simmer 5 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in same pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown and fragrant. Add greens, and sauté 5 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Roasted Parsnips and Carrots


Serves 4

2 pounds parsnips, peeled
1 pound carrots, unpeeled
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. If the parsnips and carrots are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each diagonally in 1-inch-thick slices. The vegetables will shrink while cooking, so don't make the pieces too small. Place the cut vegetables on a sheet pan. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Roast for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the vegetables, tossing occasionally, until the parsnips and carrots are just tender. Sprinkle with dill and serve hot.
Source

Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce



Serves 2-4

2 large fresh artichokes
1 large lemon, cut in quarters
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 dried bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
Sprinkle of kosher salt
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2-3 fresh whole garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
Prepare artichoke for cooking
To prepare whole artichokes, cut the top one third off with a serrated knife. The teeth of a serrated knife make it easier to cut through the tough exterior. Discard the trimmings.
Trim the bottom stem flush with the base. Next, trim off the prickly point of each leaf with a pair of kitchen scissors. Rub a cut lemon over the artichoke to prevent it from turning brown.
How to cook an artichoke
In a deep pan wide enough to hold artichokes, place trimmed artichokes stem side up in the bottom of the pan (or place on a steamer rack). Fill pan with a few inches of cold water. Squeeze lemon juice over the artichokes and put rinds in the pan. Drizzle in olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, add bay leaf, black peppercorns, thyme sprigs and garlic. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and bring to a boil. When steam starts coming out of the pan, turn the heat down to low and cook artichokes until you can pierce the center of the stem with a paring knife. The timing will depend on the size of the artichokes. For big ones test at 20-25 minutes and continue if needed for a few minutes. Another way to tell when an artichoke is ready is to pull off and outer leaf. It should come off easily. Remove the artichokes from the pan and drain on a towel. At this point, you can arrange the artichokes on a platter and serve them hot, at room temperature or chilled.To finish by grilling, split the artichokes in half from top to bottom, remove the fuzzy choke, brush with a little olive oil and place on the grill for a few minutes until a little charred. This enhances the earthy, nutty flavor and makes for a great presentation.
Serve with lemon garlic dipping sauce, recipe below
Lemon Garlic Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup of your favorite reduced fat mayonnaise, (I like Veganaise)
1 large garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley or chives for color and flavor, as you prefer
Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth. Can be made ahead of time, covered and refrigerated until serving time.
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Kale and Pink Grapefruit Salad


Serves 4

pink grapefruit
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 cups thinly sliced kale (center ribs and stems removed)
avocado, halved, pitted, sliced into 1/2-inch wedges
Using a sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from grapefruit; discard. Working over a small bowl, cut between membranes to release segments into bowl. Squeeze juice from membranes into another small bowl; add any accumulated juices from bowl with segments (there should be about 1/4 cup juice total). Whisk oil into juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place kale in a large bowl and drizzle 3 Tbsp. dressing over. Toss to combine and let stand for 10 minutes while kale wilts slightly. Toss once more, then arrange grapefruit segments and avocado slices over kale. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.
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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Salad with Homemade Tortilla Chips


Servings vary

For the salsa
1 pound tomatillos, papery husks removed
1 large yellow onion, quartered
3 green onions
1 jalapeno pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 green tomato (optional)
olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro
Juice from 1/2 lime
1-2 large, ripe avocados
salt, to taste
For the chips
1 package tortillas
oil, for brushing
salt
For the salsa
Place tomatillos, yellow onion, jalapeno, green onions, tomato (if using) and garlic cloves on a sheet pan. Drizzle with a little olive oil and broil until vegetables start to blister, turning as needed. To remove the skin from the jalapeno, throw it in a bag for about 10 minutes and then peel it off. Place roasted vegetables in food processor, along with cilantro, lime juice and avocado. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Season with salt, to taste and add more lime juice if needed.
For the chips
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush each tortilla with a little oil, cut them in wedges, sprinkle with salt and bake in the oven until browned and edges start to curl. (about 10 minutes, but check them often).
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Steamed Artichoke with Blood Orange-Almond Dressing



Serves 1 (or 2 as an appetizer)

1 artichoke (select globes with tight leaf formation that look fresh)
2 lemon slices
2 tbsp flaked raw almonds
1 blood orange (or any variety)
1 tbsp almond oil (or another nut oil)
1 tsp herbs de provance (or your favorite fresh herb)
pinch of salt
Rinse an artichoke and shake off excess water. Lay the artichoke on its side and, using knife, trim the top portion by 3cm / 1.5in to get rid of sharp ends. Using scissors, trim the top ends of the outer leaves, cutting away any dry or sharp ends. Use the lemon slices to rub the top and sides of the artichoke to prevent from browning. Bring 4cm / 2in of water to a boil in a pot and place the artichoke inside vertically, adding used lemon slices to the water. Cover with a lid and steam for 35-40 minutes, depending on artichoke’s size.
In the meantime, prepare the dressing: squeeze the orange to get about quarter cup of juice, add almond oil, spices or herbs, and salt. Whisk for few seconds to combine. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and toast almonds for couple of minutes (they’ll brown quickly so don’t walk away!).
Once the artichoke feels soft the touch, drain the water and slice artichoke in half lengthwise (or keep it intact if you prefer), pour the dressing and sprinkle toasted almonds. To eat, pull one leaf at a time and eat only bottom (soft) part, discarding the top (fibrous) part. When you get to the core, be sure to remove the fuzzy, sometimes almost sharp, center with a spoon. There you’ll discover the best part – tender, flavorful artichoke heart!
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