Roasted Potatoes and Sage

Ingredients:
2 lb. potatoes
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
30-40 fresh sage leaves
1 tsp. coarse sea salt

4 servings

Preheat oven to 425°F. Scrub and dry the potatoes. Pour the oil into a heavy oven-proof skillet, preferably of cast iron, and spread evenly. Lay the sage leaves flat on the oiled surface, completely covering the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the salt over the sage. It may look like too much salt, but it’s not. Cut small potatoes in half or large ones in quarters and arrange, cut side down, on the sage. Bake, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and the cut sides are crusty brown, about 35 min.

Chinese Broccoli Recipes (Gai Lan)

1 pound of Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan)
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled and gently smashed but left intact
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 inch of fresh ginger, cut into 1/8? coins and smashed with side of cleaver
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

To wash the gai lan, trim 1-inch from the ends of stalk and discard. In large wok or pan (large enough to hold all stalks), heat just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil over medium heat. When the oil is just starting to get hot (the garlic should sizzle upon contact) add the whole garlic cloves and let them fry until golden brown on all sides. Be careful not to burn the garlic, you just want to toast them – if the garlic starts turning dark brown, turn the heat to low. Toasting the garlic should take about 2 minutes. While the garlic is toasting, in a small bowl mix the stock, wine and sugar and set aside.

Turn the heat to high and add the ginger, fry for 30 seconds. Add the gai lan stalks and use your spatula to scoop up the oil so that every stalk has been bathed with the ginger/garlic-infused oil for 30 seconds.

Pour the stock mixture into the wok and immediately cover the wok with a tight fitting lid. Turn the heat to medium and let the vegetable steam for 3-4 minutes, until stalks can be easily pierced with a paring knife or fork.

Remove the gai lan to a plate, leaving any remaining stock mixture in the wok. If you want, pick out and discard the ginger coins. To the wok, add the oyster sauce and sesame oil and bubble and thicken on high for 1 minute. Pour the sauce mixture over the gai lan and serve.

Beet Greens and Bacon

Ingredients

• 1 pound beet greens
• 1 strip of thick cut bacon, chopped (or a tablespoon of bacon fat)
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/6 cup of cider vinegar

Method

1 Wash the greens in a sink filled with cold water. Drain greens and wash a second time. Drain greens and cut away any heavy stems. Cut leaves into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

2 In a large skillet or 3-qt saucepan, cook bacon until lightly browned on medium heat (or heat 1 Tbsp of bacon fat). Add onions, cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occassionally, until onions soften and start to brown. Stir in garlic. Add water to the hot pan, stirring to loosen any particles from bottom of pan. Stir in sugar and red pepper. Bring mixture to a boil.

3 Add the beet greens, gently toss in the onion mixture so the greens are well coated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-15 minutes until the greens are tender. Stir in vinegar. (For kale or collard greens continue cooking additional 20 to 25 minutes or until desired tenderness.)

Serves 4.

Potato Carrot Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon oil
2 small cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2-3 large carrots, chopped
4 smallish potatoes, cubed
basil, oregano, garlic powder to taste
vegetable broth (about 2 cups)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in pan; sauté onion, garlic, and celery until tender.

2. Add potatoes and carrots; cook 3-5 minutes

3. Add broth, herbs, and garlic; bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

4. Blend all broth and approx. 1/2 potatoes and carrots until creamy.  This ensures that there are lovely chunks in your soup so that you can chew on something.  If you want creamier soup, blend everything.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a dash of red pepper just before blending to give the soup some spice, but this is completely optional.

6. Serve.

Serves: 2

CUCUMBER AND DILL SALAD

Ingredients:

1 cucumber
1 garlic clove
1/3 c. plain yogurt
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 sm. onion
1 sm. bunch fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Cut cucumber into thick slices; cut each slice in thin strips. Place cucumber strips in a large salad bowl. Crush garlic.

In a small bowl, beat together yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. Grate onion into yogurt mixture. Chop fresh dill, reserving 1 sprig. Stir salt, pepper and dill into yogurt mixture. Pour yogurt mixture over cucumber. Garnish with sprig of dill.  Makes 4 servings.

Summer Squash Bake

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 hard cooked eggs, chopped
• 3 summer squash, diced, about 3 cups
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup soft bread crumbs tossed with 1 tablespoons melted butter

Preparation:

In a saucepan, sauté onion in butter. In a large bowl, combine onions and butter with summer squash and chopped hard cooked eggs. Place squash mixture in a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole. Mix beaten eggs with half-and-half; pour over squash in casserole. Sprinkle top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
Recipe for summer squash casserole serves 6.

Cauliflower and Broccoli Salad

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons brined capers, minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 medium shallot, minced
• 3 cups broccoli, stems removed and chopped into small florets
• 3 cups cauliflower, stems removed and chopped into small florets

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.
2. Meanwhile, place olive oil, parsley, capers, lemon juice, and shallot in a large nonreactive bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper; set aside.
3. When the water is boiling, add broccoli and cauliflower and cook until fork tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and spread out on a baking sheet until cooled slightly, about 5 minutes.
4. Add vegetables to vinaigrette and toss to evenly coat. Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Caramelized Turnips

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced peeled turnips
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 tablespoon butter, or more as needed
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Place the turnips into a skillet with the water and chicken bouillon cube over medium heat, and simmer until the water has evaporated and the turnips are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the butter, let melt, and sprinkle on the sugar. Gently cook and stir the turnips until the butter and sugar cook into a brown, sticky coating on the turnips, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
• Lemon juice from half a lemon
• Olive oil
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan cheese

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn’t reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has.

2 Place casserole in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese.

Cabbage in sage butter

Overcooked cabbage can develop a flavor and texture which many people do not like. The secret is to shred the cabbage finely, then cook it for a very short time. The cabbage then has a subtle, sweet taste. Combined with an herb and garlic butter, this makes a delicious side vegetable.

Ingredients

1 cabbage
2 Tbl. butter
2 cloves garlic
6 fresh sage leaves (or a good pinch of dried sage)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Crush the garlic and chop the sage leaves (if using fresh).
2. Melt the butter in a small pan and gently cook the garlic, sage, salt and pepper for a few minutes.
3. Finely shred the cabbage. Place in pan, cover with boiling water and simmer for just 2 minutes.
4. Drain and serve the cabbage, pouring a little of the sage butter over each portion.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

• For the Filling:
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped finely
• 10 ounces. crimini mushrooms, chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup fresh herbs, such as thyme or rosemary
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 8-12 large napa cabbage leaves, rinsed well
• For the Sauce:
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 1 ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 cup vegetable stock, store bought or homemade
• ¾ cup (12 T.) tomato paste
• 2 T. sugar
• 2 t. Herbes de Provence, or other dried herbs of choice
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Make the filling. In a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat the oil, adding the onion and garlic once hot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are slightly tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3-4 minutes more. Add the wine and herbs, bring mixture to a boil and cook until the almost all of the liquid is evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the ground almonds and process until combined. Set aside.

3. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium-sized stock pot or sauce pan. In a colander or steam basket set over the pot, steam the cabbage leaves until just soft and wilted slightly, about 3-4 minutes, working in two batches if necessary. (Essentially, your leaves should be soft enough that they will not crack when you roll them, but not so soft that they tear.) Transfer the leaves to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.

4. Make the sauce. In the same skillet you used for the mushroom mixture, heat the oil over medium heat, adding the onions once hot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the wine, bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by one third. Add the stock, tomato paste, sugar and Herbes de Provence, stirring until well combined. Turn the heat down to low and let the sauce simmer while you assemble the rolls.

5. Assemble the rolls. Place several tablespoons of the mushroom filling about 1 inch from the bottom of a cabbage leaf, fold in the sides and roll up the leaf holding in the sides as you would with a burrito. Repeat with the remaining rolls and place seam-side down in the simmering sauce. Cook the rolls for 30 minutes, stirring the sauce occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, ladling extra sauce over top.

Tahini Dressing

Equipment:
Food processor with metal blade or blender

Ingredients
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic or scapes, chopped
1/2 cup tahini
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
fresh black pepper (a couple of dashes)
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
1/2 cup cold water

Directions
Heat garlic(scapes) in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small sauté pan over low heat for 2 minutes, just until it’s fragrant.

Add garlic and all ingredients except parsley to the food processor and blend until smooth. Add the parsley and pulse until parsley is very finely chopped but not blended in.

Refrigerate at least an hour in an airtight container.

Summer Kohlrabi

1 c. finely chopped onions
1 lb. peeled kohlrabi, cut into stick pieces about 1 1/4 inches long and 1/4 inch thick
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
About 1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1/3 c. finely chopped fresh parsley

In a heavy frying pan over medium heat sauté onions and kohlrabi in butter until well coated with the butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly and cook, stirring occasionally until kohlrabi is tender, about 25 minutes.

Sprinkle with flour and turn to mix. Gradually add milk and cook and gently stir mixture until milk thickens to a smooth sauce. Correct seasoning, adding salt and pepper generously. Stir in parsley. Makes 4 servings.