You know that quinoa has become part of the mainstream vocabulary when it shows up in a beer commercial during a football broadcast on television. Sure, the guy eating the quinoa burger refers to it as “kwee-noh” and his friend who is looking on asks,”what is that, a loofah?” Enough people “get it” to make this a funny commercial.
Quinoa, pronounced “KEEN wah” is showing up these days in everything from whiskey, to chips, chocolate bars and yes, burgers. Quinoa is an edible seed or a pseudo-grain, because it is cooked and used in recipes like a grain. It is closely related to beets, chard, spinach and even tumbleweeds. Quinoa is unique because it is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids and provides “good” fat along with fiber, potassium and iron. Since it is not a grain, quinoa is well suited for gluten free diets.
Even though most quinoa is sold prerinsed, it is a good idea to rinse it before proceeding with your recipe to remove any remaining saponin, a bitter coating that protects the plant from insects. Submerge the quinoa in a bowl of cold water, swish it around and drain it in your finest strainer. Like rice, the cooking ratio is 2:1 liquid to grain.
In this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine, nutty quinoa is combined with crisp summer vegetables, spicy arugula and a slightly sweet miso vinaigrette. I used red quinoa in this recipe but white or black would be fine too. I used the radishes from our garden. They have peaked now with the onset of the warmer weather. I also included Japanese turnips in the salad that we are harvesting now. Unlike the standard turnip, the Hakurei variety is pure white, very mild and sweet, even when raw. Don’t hesitate to add the pickled ginger, it brings just a little spiciness and acidity to the salad. This salad will be a welcome addition to picnics and potlucks all summer long.
Because of it’s nutritional profile, quinoa has been called a “superfood”.
Quinoa, Cucumber, Radish and Turnip Salad with Miso Vinaigrette
Serves six
Ingredients
2-3/4 cups plus 1/3 cup lower-salt vegetable or chicken broth
3 Tbs. white miso
3 T seasoned rice vinegar
2 T soy sauce, preferably reduced sodium
1 T Asian sesame oil
1/2 cup canola or other neutral vegetable oil
2 T chopped sweet pickled sushi ginger
1 1/2c red quinoa, any color will do
1c Japanese baby turnips
2c cucumbers, cut into bite sized pieces
2c radishes, cut into bite sized pieces
2 packed cups of arugula
Directions
Put 1/3 cup of the broth and the miso, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a blender; blend to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the canola oil to make a creamy dressing. Add the ginger and pulse a couple of times to very finely chop.
In a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, bring the remaining 2-3/4 cups broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the quinoa, cover, turn the heat down to medium low, and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Toss the quinoa, turnips, cucumber, radishes, and greens together. Add 3/4 cup of the vinaigrette, toss, and serve, passing the remaining dressing at the table. (Save the remaining vinaigrette for other salads; it will keep for at least 3 days in the refrigerator.)
The French breakfast radishes are literally popping out of the ground!The radish harvest along with a little Hakurei turnip.
Standing in line at the mushroom vendor at the farmers market on Saturday I spotted them. Among the portabellos, creminis and the morels, there was a basket of fiddlehead ferns The two customers ahead of me purchased some, so was it the power of suggestion, I’ll never know. They were being sold by the third of a pound, so I put down my five dollars and walked off with a small brown paper bag filled with fiddlehead ferns.
Fiddlehead does not refer to a specific species of fern but the coiled form of any fern that has not yet unfurled. In the United States they are ostrich ferns, mostly found across the northeastern states and the Great Lakes region, particularly along shady river banks. Wherever they grow their availability is only for about a three week period in early spring when ferns grow their new shoots.
The name comes from it’s appearance; fiddleheads look like the tuning end of a violin. They are also known as croziers because of their resemblance to the top of a shepherd’s staff. Their fifteen dollar a pound and higher price is for a good reason, they are wild harvested and not cultivated. I resisted nibbling on a raw fiddlehead when I read that eating them raw can cause stomach distress. It is advisable not to hunt for fiddleheads without an experienced forager. One variety, the royal fern, cultivated in the Far East has been linked to stomach and esophageal cancer. Boil fiddleheads for three to four minutes in lightly salted water with a pinch of baking soda. This helps them retain texture and color and removes bitterness and the possibility of gastric distress.
Fiddleheads are a good source of vitamins A, C and fiber. Their flavor has been likened to asparagus, green beans with a chewy texture all it’s own. To prepare fiddleheads, rinse, remove any residual brown paper-like coating and trim the brown ends. They do not keep well so use them as soon as possible after your purchase.
In this recipe I combined fiddleheads along with mild garlic shoots and another farmers market find, yellow oyster mushrooms, grown locally in Kennett Square, Pa, the mushroom capital of the United States.
Fiddlehead Ferns and Yellow Oyster Mushrooms with Spring Garlic Shoots
Serves 2
Ingredients
Water
1T kosher salt
1/2t baking soda
1/3lb fiddlehead ferns
1 stalk of spring garlic
1/4lb yellow oyster mushrooms (white are fine)
unsalted butter
Directions
To prepare fiddlehead ferns
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Trim the browned ends off the ferns. If any brown covering remains on the ferns, rub it off. Rinse briskly under running water.
Drop ferns into a large pot of boiling water to which you have added 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/2t baking soda.
Boil until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Drain well.
To finish the dish
Chop the tender end of the spring garlic finely. Tear mushrooms into bite sized pieces.
Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Melt a tablespoon or two of unsalted butter in the pan. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms release some of their liquid and begin to brown. Add fiddleheads to the pan and sauté lightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
How do I love thee, fiddleheads? Let me count the ways….Unfortunately, the yellow color disappears when the mushrooms are sautéed.Spring garlic gives a mellow, mild garlic flavor.Ferns from our yard. I wonder if they could be harvested? Not going to try.
Thanksgiving evening, the turkeys and the side dishes were out and we were ready to serve dinner buffet style from the kitchen. Then I noticed it, the double steamer basket and a small container next to it. I forgot, also read, “got too busy” to make the green bean dish I had prepped ahead. Not that we would miss it. After slurping down Chesapeake Bay oysters, butternut squash soup with cider cream, homemade breads, a salad of baby greens and spinach from Joe’s greenhouse, we were ready for the main event. Turkeys, roasted, grilled and smoked, roasted vegetables, yam casserole, stuffing, zucchini, no one would starve for certain. The green beans could wait for another day.
We grow both pole and bush style beans. Green beans, yellow or wax beans and purple beans are in abundance courtesy of the garden from July to early September. Green beans are not in season now so I bought the skinny “haricot verts” that would cook quickly in the steamer basket. Always looking for a new twist on the beans, a recipe from Food and Wine magazine would fit the bill. Green beans with parsley lemon pesto sounded like a great way to feature the beautiful flat leafed parsley still thriving in the greenhouse. Like most people, when you say pesto I immediately think basil. This is a recipe for winter months without basil and combines toasted pine nuts with parsley, garlic, lemon and olive oil. The dish comes together fairly easy, the pesto can be made a day ahead and then tossed with the steamed beans.
Pine nuts are the edible seed of a pine cone. Every pine tree produces seeds but less than a third of the varieties produce seeds that are large and flavorful enough to eat. To say pine nuts are expensive would be an understatement. I read that Italian pine nuts have been going for as much as 60 to 120 dollars a pound due to bug infestations and weather conditions. The small container of Italian pine nuts I purchased was weighed by the quarter pound, by the pound I estimated them to cost about thirty eight dollars. Even Chinese pine nuts have gone up in price. If you decide to purchase Italian pine nuts for any dish just be sure they are out of harm’s way so they don’t become someone’s late night snack. Walnuts or almonds would be a more reasonably priced alternative and just as flavorful. The amount of pesto is enough for four pounds of green beans, I only cooked a pound of beans because we had quite a few side dishes. Leftover pesto could be tossed with pasta or used as a spread on a turkey sandwich.
Green Beans with Parsley Pesto
Serves 6-8 as part of a buffet
Ingredients
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 lb. green beans (I prefer using the thinner haricot verts)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat, tossing, until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a food processor and let cool completely.
Add the parsley, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice to the food processor and pulse until the parsley is very finely chopped. With the machine on, gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is nearly smooth. Season with salt and pepper and scrape into a large bowl.
Put a steamer basket in the bottom of a pot. Fill the pot with 1 inch of water, add salt and bring to a boil. Add the green beans, cover and steam until bright green and crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the beans and transfer to the large bowl. Toss with enough pesto to coat and season with salt and pepper; serve with lemon wedges.
Make Ahead The pesto can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before tossing with the beans.
Move over kale there’s a new vegetable star in town, cauliflower. Well, at least according to Bon Appetit’s trend alert in the November issue. Top chefs are now embracing the once lowly vegetable, in everything from a “ragu” atop pizza to roasted and topped with tahini dressing.
We’ve been enjoying cauliflower in new ways in the last couple of years. I like to separate it into florets, put it in a big bowl and toss it with olive oil, kosher salt and Aleppo pepper. Then I roast it on a baking sheet in a hot oven, tossing it occasionally, so that all the pieces get sweet and toasty brown. If the cauliflower gets done before the main course, I keep it warm under a heat lamp and inevitably most of it gets eaten before we sit down to dinner. I refer to it as veggie popcorn. The other method of cooking is to cook the florets in boiling water until soft. Then I put the cauliflower in the food processor with a little half and half, salt, pepper and my seasoning of choice and puree it. This time cauliflower morphs into “mashed potatoes” for a low carb treat.
Last Saturday was the last local outdoor farmers market, some of the vendors will return once a month now for an indoor market. While loading up on vegetables for Thanksgiving, I noticed one farm was offering along side the usual white variety, purple and a yellow-orange cauliflower. The young woman behind the counter referred to the orange one as “cheddar”. The shopper next to me turned up her nose and made a “yuk” face. She said the color reminded her of packaged macaroni and cheese.
If she knew the story behind this variety I think she would have changed her mind. Cauliflower belongs to the genus Brassica which includes broccoli, cabbage and yes, kale. The “cheddar” or orange variety of cauliflower was first discovered in Canada in the 1970’s. Scientists at Cornell University crossed it with the standard white cauliflower to create a vitamin rich variety, popular with farmers markets and specialty grocers. What my fellow shopper didn’t know was that the hue is from extra beta carotene. It is naturally stored in edible portion of the plant, the head of the flower buds, also known as the curd. That means it has 25% more vitamin A than it’s white cousin and second only to carrots.
Purple cauliflower had it’s origins in either Italy or South Africa. Anthocyanin pigments, also found in red cabbage and red wine gives purple cauliflower it’s color and the added benefits of promoting eye and heart health. Milder in flavor than the white variety, most varieties will retain most of their purple color when cooked.
This recipe is courtesy of Andrew Carmellini, a Food and Wine best new chef 2000. He is best known for his modern Italian dishes and his recipe combines some of fall’s favorite ingredients. The nutty flavor of roasted cauliflower is enhanced with brown butter and hazelnuts and combined with sweet pears and fragrant sage. It is a great addition to any holiday table and easy enough for a weeknight. It gains points with busy holiday cooks in two ways; one, it is a stovetop dish, freeing up valuable oven space and two, it’s delicious both warm and at room temperature, perfect for a buffet and leaving time for last minute prep for other dishes. Purple and yellow cauliflower will certainly brighten up any holiday table, but it would be just as delicious with the standard white variety.
Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Pears, Sage and Hazelnuts
1 medium head white cauliflower or 2 small heads yellow and purple cauliflower cut into small florets about 3/4 inch wide
1/2 cup toasted, skinned, chopped hazelnuts (see tip right)
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Tip:
To toast hazelnuts, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 14 to 18 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until lightly browned. While still warm, rub them against each other in a clean dishtowel to remove the papery skins.
Directions
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until light brown and bubbly. Add the cauliflower, hazelnuts, and sage.
Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, 7-8 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pear slices and parsley. Gently toss to combine and warm the pears. Season to taste with more salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Make Ahead Tips
You can prep all the ingredients several hours ahead except for the pears, which will brown if cut too far in advance.
Beautiful purple and “cheddar” cauliflower.The sage is still doing well in our fall garden.A side that would be a delicious and colorful addition to any holiday table.
Joe’s not so little greenhouse set out in the garden extended our growing season for some vegetables to the latest date ever. When he brought in the last of the peppers and eggplants on Sunday I knew I needed to find a special way to use them to commemorate the end of their growing season. The peppers, for the most part were transformed into one of his favorites, stuffed peppers and for the eggplant I turned to a recipe from Julia Child.
In her 1975 cookbook, From Julia Child’s Kitchen, among personal anecdotes and recipes for Caesar Salad (yes, Mr. Caesar Cardini actually made this tableside for a young Julia and her family), consommés, stews and apple charlotte is this gem. Tranches d’aubergine a l’italienne might put off the average cook, but eggplant pizzas, now that’s something we can all relate to. The recipe made a second appearance as miniature eggplant pizzas in her 1989 work and one of my favorite go-to cookbooks, The Way to Cook.
The classic pear shaped variety of eggplant like Black Beauty works best here. I began by cutting the eggplants crosswise into 3/4 inch planks, the skin was relatively thin so I left it on.Then I salted the slices on both sides to extract excess liquid. This is a step I would skip in the summer when the eggplants are at their freshest and not very seedy. I let the eggplants sit for about a half hour and started my sauce.
The day before I defrosted two quart bags of my roasted tomatoes, a 28 ounce can of plum tomatoes or a store bought sauce can substitute here. Step one for me is to pour off the liquid that accumulates in the bag, a little lagniappe for the chef. It’s definitely not the prettiest, but it is the best tasting tomato juice you will ever try. I sautéed one finely chopped onion and two chopped cloves of garlic until softened but not brown, about five minutes. Then the tomatoes and the rest of the liquid are added to the pan, breaking up the larger chunks of tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. When the tomatoes have cooked down sufficiently, I put them through a food mill to strain out most of the seeds. This results in a smoother sauce.
The eggplant slices are patted dry and lightly brushed with olive oil. I baked the eggplant slices on a wire rack over a baking sheet so that both sides would cook evenly. As Julia says “not so long that the slices become mushy and lose their shape”. After twenty five minutes I removed the baking sheet from the oven and now set the oven to broil. I covered the slices with a generous coating of tomato sauce and sprinkled a combination of mozzarella and grated Parmesan. The “pizzas” are now returned to the oven until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Julia suggests these as part of a vegetarian combination or arranged around a main event, be it an omelet, a steak or a roast lamb.
Eggplant pizzas would make a good snack or a light lunch with a salad. A recipe that’s vegetarian, low carb and gluten free, as always “Our Lady of the Ladle“, Julia was ahead of her time.
Julia Child’s Eggplant Pizzas
Ingredients
2 large eggplants (about 1 lb. each)
1T salt, for drawing water out of eggplant
2T olive oil for brushing eggplant before roasting
2 t Italian seasoning, for sprinkling on eggplant before roasting
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 c finely grated low-fat mozzarella
Sauce Ingredients
1T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 28 oz. can of plum tomatoes (or use 3 cups peeled and diced fresh tomatoes)
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1/4 t dried oregano
Directions
Cut eggplant into 3/4 inch thick slices. Place eggplant pieces on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Let the eggplant sit with the salt on it for about 30 minutes to draw out the liquid. (After the eggplant sits for 15 minutes, turn on the oven to 375°F.
Make the tomato sauce while the eggplant sits. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic just until it becomes softened and fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning and oregano.
Then let the sauce simmer on low until it’s thickened. Break up tomatoes with a fork while the sauce cooks. (You can add water as needed. Let sauce simmer until ready to put on eggplant slices.)
After 30 minutes, pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and sprinkle tops with Italian seasoning. Place eggplant slices on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Roast the eggplant about 25 minutes, but “not so long that the slices become mushy and lose their shape” as Julia says.
While the eggplant roasts, combine Parmesan with mozzarella. After 25 minutes or when eggplant pieces are done, remove eggplant from the oven and turn oven setting to broil. Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the top of each eggplant slice, sprinkle with thin basil slices and top with cheese blend. Put pizzas under the broiler until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
We are still harvesting salad greens, spinach and arugula from the greenhouse.Cooking down the roasted tomatoes.Putting the cooked tomato sauce through a food mill makes a smoother sauce and eliminates most seeds.Doesn’t look like the stuff in a bottle, but it is the best tasting tomato juice you will find.Served with a simple salad of baby greens and radishes from the garden, eggplant pizzas make a delicious light lunch.
October brings more changes to the garden. The last of the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants have been harvested. A new planting of lettuces and greens are ready for salads. Root vegetables: beets, carrots and turnips are large enough to pull from the ground. Both varieties of kale we grow, Cavolo Nero, also known as Lacinato, and Red Russian will provide us with greens for months to come. Another selection from the Giardini (“gardens”) section of the menu from Ava Gene’s restaurant in Portland inspired me from the September issue of Bon Appetit, Fried Farro with Pickled Carrots and Runny Eggs.
In this dish, toasted farro is combined with spicy quick-pickled carrots, exotic mushrooms and earthy kale and topped with a runny egg. Farro is an ancient grain that I wrote in greater detail in a post last year. The recipe calls for browning the farro grains before cooking, enhancing the nutty flavor. The grain in this dish is semi-pearled farro, I was only able to find pearled farro. Pearling removes the inedible hull that surrounds the grain, but it also removes the nutritious germ and bran. Pearled farro will cook a bit quicker than the semi pearled. If you can’t find farro in your store, I think barley or cracked wheat could substitute. Just remember that farro is often translated from Italian into English as “spelt”. Spelt is not farro and will take more than twice as long to cook.
We have been growing kale long before it became a fad and on the menu at every trendy restaurant. In fact the other night it became an ingredient in the Quick fire Challenge on Top Chef. Dana Cowin, editor in chief at Food and Wine magazine included kale, along with bacon, smoked items and runny eggs in a list of “trends that are done”. Sorry Dana, kale is more than a trend for us. We were enjoying it before the masses discovered it and will continue to enjoy it for years to come. In fact it won’t be in it’s prime until after the first frost.
Maitake or hen of the woods mushrooms add a meaty dimension to the dish. Though I have used them many times before, I was not able to source maitakes in our local supermarkets. Maitakes are often called hens in the wood mushrooms because they grow in clusters that resemble the feathers of a chicken. I substituted the similar and less expensive, shiitake mushrooms. I harvested carrots from our garden for the pickle with a fresh Serrano chili. The pickled carrots are very good, don’t forget to add the pickling liquid to the final dish, it adds yet another layer of flavor.
One ingredient was new to me, colatura. At first glance the word looks like coloratura, a soprano with a very nimble and high vocal range. My Google search thought I was looking for coloratura too. However, colatura, like it’s Asian counterparts, nam pla and nuoc man, is a sauce made from anchovies. In this case, anchovies are layered with sea salt in wooden barrels or plastic tubs. The fish are pressed down with a weighted lid. Over time the fish lose their liquid and mix with the salt. The liquid drips through a hole in the tub and collects in another container. The word colatura is from the Italian “colare“, to drip. It is said to be milder and more complex than the Asian anchovy based sauces. Since colatura is $16 for a 100ml bottle and currently out of stock at Amazon, I think my first taste of colatura can wait.
I did see maitakes at my local farmers market this weekend. They were five dollars a quarter pound, shiitakes, a little cheaper at four dollars a quarter pound. The finished dish, even with all my substitutions, was very good. It was a great side dish with chicken, minus the egg it would be a great picnic dish and a great vegetarian entrée. Toasted Farro with Pickled Carrots and Runny Eggs
Bon Appetit Sept 2013 -recipe from Ava Gene’s restaurant
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 medium carrots, peeled, chopped
1 Serrano chile, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2c white wine vinegar
1t sugar
1t kosher salt (plus some more)
5T olive oil, divided, you will be using it to separately cook the farro, kale, mushroom and the runny egg
1 cup farro (pearled or semi pearled)
2 garlic cloves, chopped, one is cooked with the farro, the other with the kale
6oz shiitake mushrooms, torn into 1″ pieces
1/2 bunch Tuscan kale, center ribs removed, torn into 1″ pieces
1T anchovy sauce ( I used nam pla) nuoc nam or colatura are accepted choices
1/2c fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 large eggs
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Crushed red pepper flakes
Directions
Place carrots and chile in a small heatproof bowl. Bring vinegar, sugar, 1t salt and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Pour over the carrots and chiles, let sit for at least 30 minutes. When ready to use, drain carrots and reserve the pickling liquid.
While carrots are pickling, heat 1T oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add farro and half of the garlic and cook, stirring constantly until the farro is dark brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Gently boil farro for 20-25 minutes for semi pearled, slightly less time if pearled. It should be tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well and let cool.
Heat 1T oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing often, until soft and just starting to brown, 5-7 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a plate.
Add 2T oil to the same pan, cook remaining garlic and kale until the kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the fish sauce, farro, mushrooms and pickled carrots to the pan. Cook, tossing often until everything is warmed through. Season to taste with salt, fresh ground pepper and pickling liquid. Top with parsley.
Heat remaining 1T oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Crack eggs into skillet and fry until egg whites are set but yolks are still soft and runny, about 3 minutes.
Top salad with eggs and scallions, season with red pepper flakes. Just before serving, break up eggs and mix into farro.
Tuscan kale thrives in the cooler temperatures of autumn.Carrots just harvested from the garden.Farro grains almost look like barley.Kale, stemmed and washed, cut into 1″ pieces.In the sauté pan, without the eggs and fish sauce, a dish even vegans could love!
When do tomatoes become more than tomatoes? When they become tomato raisins.
While waiting for mom at the hairdressers, I perused the September issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine. The article on the Good Things page titled “Extend the Tomato Season” caught my eye. Two of the ideas, tomato confit and crushed tomatoes were both tried and true methods of preservation I had used in the past. Another option, tomato paste, I had made years ago and didn’t have the time or attention to attempt this day. Ginger candied tomatoes was the recipe that inspired me. For years I have made oven dried and sun dried tomatoes. What made this recipe unique was the addition of sugar and a little ginger before the drying process. After a quick pick, I rinsed and halved the tomatoes with a small serrated knife, which makes for a neater cut. In a large bowl I gently tossed the tomatoes with about 1/2t ginger and since Sun Gold tomatoes are already quite sweet, just a light sprinkling of sugar I placed the tomatoes on a cooling rack, cut side up over a baking sheet. The tomatoes were dried at a low setting, 180°F in convection mode until appropriately shriveled, in my case, 3 1/2 hours, I checked every half hour or so and rotated the sheet occasionally. I was very pleased with the results. Chewy, sweet, but not too sweet and a bit gingery.
Now, how to use them? September’s issue of Bon Appetit supplied the answer. September’s issue featured restaurant and drinks editor, Andrew Knowlton’s Hot 10 list of America’s best new restaurants. Ava Gene’s a trattoria in Portland Oregon is a champion of what they call “green thumb cuisine”. In addition to hearty dishes like lamb ragu with pasta and wood grilled pork they offer a flavorful Giardini “gardens” section in their menu. One of their recipes, colorful carrot and beet slaw would use produce I had just harvested from the garden. This recipe provided a way to showcase colorful Chiogga beets also referred to as Candy Cane or Bulls Eye beets. The pink and white stripes that often bleed and fade out when cooked would stay nice and bright when julienned and raw. I julienned the beets and carrots by hand but a julienne cutter on a mandoline or food processor would speed up the process. Shredding the vegetables on a box grater would give the slaw a more rustic appearance. I used pistachios since I already had them on hand but walnuts or hazelnuts would be a good substitute. I noticed that the original recipe on the Ava Gene menu, celeriac was also included. That would make an interesting addition or even julienned baby turnips or kohlrabi. My tomato raisins worked perfectly in this recipe, adding their own special character, giving just a hint of ginger to the dish. The slaw has a pleasant balance of sweetness, a little heat from the red pepper flakes and acidity from the lemon juice and vinegar.
Now what to do with the other bag of to-ma-sins? Another recipe in the September issue from the restaurant Fat Rice, calls for a half cup of golden raisins. Hmmm….
Sun Gold tomatoes are placed cut side up on a rack over a baking sheet.Chiogga beets are an interesting and colorful addition to this dish.Julienned beets and carrots along with my “tomasins”, ready to add to the slaw. They really do look like golden raisins!
Carrot and Beet Slaw with Pistachios and Raisins
Ava Gene’s, Portland Oregon one of Bon Appetit magazine’s “Hot Ten”
Ingredients
3/4c salted raw pistachios
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/4c white wine or rice vinegar
1lb carrots, peeled and julienned
1lb beets, peeled and julienned
1/2c fresh flat leafed parsley leaves
1T chopped fresh mint leaves
3T fresh lemon juice
1/4t crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3c extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread pistachios out on a small rimmed baking sheet; toast stirring occasionally until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Let the pistachios cool then coarsely chop them.
Combine garlic, raisins and vinegar in a large enough bowl to hold the salad, let the mixture set for one hour.
Remove the garlic from the raisin mixture, discard the garlic. Add carrots, beets and pistachios, parsley, mint. lemon juice and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss to combine. Add oil and toss gently. Taste and correct seasonings as needed.
When you grow big zucchini, make zucchini lasagna. In this recipe, zucchini or yellow squash “noodles” replace the usual pasta. I cut the zucchini in half lengthwise first so that I would have a flat surface to work with. A mandoline works best here. In case you didn’t know, a mandoline, also spelled mandolin is a hand operated kitchen tool with adjustable blades that produces uniform slices. They can cost anywhere from about two hundred dollars for a professional stainless steel style model all the way down to less than twenty dollars for a plastic model. The more expensive models will slice, julienne and waffle cut, the less expensive ones just slice. Whatever model you choose, use the hand/finger guard when you run the food against the blade, believe me, I speak from personal experience. If you have steady hands and no slicer, use a sharp knife and be sure to use a cutting board to stabilize the squash to ensure even slices. Since zucchini is 95% water it is best to precook it to reduce excess moisture that will end up in your finished dish. Some of the recipes I saw suggested parboiling, sautéing, but I found that grilling worked well for me. My version is totally vegetarian. If you want something more substantial, add ground beef, turkey or sausage to your sauce. Just like regular lasagna, it tastes even better the next day, if it lasts that long!
Zucchini Lasagna
Serves four to six
Ingredients
3-4 long zucchini/yellow squash
4 c thick tomato sauce
1 15 oz container of regular or low-fat ricotta cheese
3 lightly beaten eggs
2 T fresh chopped basil
2 T fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1 t dried oregano
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 ½ c grated Parmesan cheese or other similar grated cheese
1 lb grated mozzarella cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Place baking rack in the lower position.
Cut squash into ¼ inch thick slices, to fit the pan lengthwise, if your squash is shorter, just orient the slices in the opposite direction, just be sure they cover the pan. You should have enough slices to make three layers.
Heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill to medium high heat. Brush both sides of the slices lightly with olive oil.
Grill squash slices on both sides so that they have grill marks, 3-5 minutes each side. Squash should be cooked but not falling apart.
In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, eggs, parsley, basil, oregano and a cup of the Parmesan cheese. Reserve the rest for the top layer.
In a 9×13 glass or ceramic dish, spoon a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan.
Place the first layer of squash over the sauce. Spoon a third of the ricotta mixture over the squash. Sprinkle with a third of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers two more times, sauce, “noodles” ricotta, ending with the mozzarella cheese and reserved Parmesan from step four.
Bake for one hour, rotating pan half way through cooking time. Let lasagna rest for at least a half hour before serving.
I used my Matfer mandolin slicer, a gift many years ago to get neat uniform slices.Slices should be 1/4″ thickUse the grill or a grill pan to slightly cook the zucchini.Fresh zucchini with tomato sauce, delicious!
On rainy days like today that cute little zucchini that you decided to leave on the vine for just one more day will now resemble a baseball bat when you go to the garden to look for it tomorrow. Don’t get me wrong, I love zucchini. I dream of zucchini in the winter and bemoan that I have to pay $1.29 or more a pound for a vegetable I had buckets of only a few months ago. Our current glut of zucchini/yellow squash called for a new recipe. This summer we have gone the usual route and sautéed them with garlic and basil, cut large ones like spaghetti and tossed them with pesto and even breaded and fried them, a throwback, and might I say a delicious one, from Joe’s childhood.
I decided as a change of pace this time to serve zucchini raw or crudo as the Italians say. Which is quite apropos since many of the summer squash varieties we grow are from Italian varieties. One of the characteristics I appreciate about some Italian varieties is that they grow longer, not fatter if they are left on the vine for a longer period of time. I use a special peeler for the zucchini spaghetti-like noodles that I toss with pesto, this recipe requires nothing fancier than an everyday vegetable peeler. Wash and trim the ends from your squash. Our yellow variety has a bumpy skin that I peel off first and discard. It’s easy to make several flat planes to peel off thin ribbons of squash. Just stop peeling before you get to the seeds.
The recipe called for some torn basil leaves. To intensify the lemon flavor in the salad, I harvested some of our Mrs. Burns’ lemon basil. It was first grown by, surprise, Mrs. Burns in southwest New Mexico as early as the 1920’s. Mrs. Burns’ is an heirloom variety (grown prior to 1940) that is taller and has larger leaves than other lemon basil varieties. Mrs. Burns’ lemon basil is also known for it’s intense lemon fragrance and flavor.
The tender squash ribbons are combined with some creamy and salty feta and summer squashes’ most frequent companion, basil. Though the Mrs. Burns variety has larger leaves that most lemon basil varieties, they are still small enough to add whole leaves to the dish. The salad is tossed with a simple dressing of fresh lemon juice and a flavorful olive oil and topped with crunchy sunflower seeds. The salad is light with a satisfying crunch. It’s quick to assemble and visually pleasing, especially if you use both yellow and green squash. Try other combinations with the ribbons, halved cherry tomatoes and some Parmesan, corn and avocado, the possibilities are limitless. A different and healthy way to use the bounty of the garden at it’s peak.
Shaved Summer Squash with Sunflower Seeds
Bon Appetit August 2013
Serves four
Ingredients
2 large or 4 medium zucchini and/or yellow squash
2T fresh lemon juice
2T extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 to 1/3c crumbled feta
1/4 c basil leaves, torn if large, left whole if very small
2T salted, roasted sunflower seeds
Directions
Shave squash lengthwise with a vegetable peeler, stopping before you get to the seeds.
Toss squash ribbons with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Top with feta, basil leaves and sunflower seeds.
A sharp vegetable peeler is all you need to make the squash ribbons.Mrs. Burns’ lemon basilMrs. Burns’ son, Barney, was one of the founders of Native Seeds/SEARCH and introduced this heirloom variety to growers everywhere.
Every good meal deserves some delicious and interesting side dishes and our Middle Eastern feast was no exception. I combined some past favorites with new additions.
Every Middle Eastern country seems to have their own variation of an eggplant dip, baba ghanoush (also spelled ghanouj) is the Lebanese variety of this classic. This dish, often referred to as eggplant caviar is smooth, creamy and smoky. Char your eggplants first over a grill or a gas stove top to give it’s classic smoky flavor. The creamy eggplant flesh is combined with tahini (sesame seed paste), fragrant cumin and tart fresh squeezed lemon juice. Whether purple, white, speckled, fat and round or long and thin, choose eggplant that have firm, taut exteriors with unblemished glossy skin. So what does baba ghanoush mean? Middle Eastern cooking authority, Clifford Wright states the phrase “baba ghanoush” is untranslatable. Everyone agrees that baba is the Arabic word for an endearing form of the word father, think daddy… So Wright’s premise is that the eggplant is the “daddy” of the Arabic vegetable kingdom. Ghanoush, well that’s another story. I have seen everything from cute, coquettish, to spoiled or pampered. Could the originator of this classic been a privileged sultan? We may never know….
Correctly stated, tabbouleh is a Lebanese herb salad with bulgur and not a bulgur salad with herbs. My second side dish is similar to, but not tabbouleh since it does start out with copious amounts of garden fresh parsley, mint and cilantro combined with bulgur wheat. This recipe swaps out the traditional tomatoes and cucumbers for tangy sweet apricots and delicately nutty pistachios. Bulgur is whole wheat grain that has been cracked and sifted into four sizes ranging from fine to coarse. It is sometimes referred to as cracked wheat, but that is a misnomer. It differs from cracked wheat since bulgur has been partially cooked by parboiling or steaming. Cracked wheat is uncooked wheat that is dried and coarsely cracked, preserving the bran and germ layers. Bulgur cooks in half the time of cracked wheat. Bulgur is a nutritional powerhouse, high in fiber, protein, iron, magnesium and B vitamins. Perfect as a take along for picnics and potlucks, bulgur salad with apricots and pistachios could become a main dish with the addition of chicken or shrimp. To properly eat your bulgur salad, scoop it up with a leaf of romaine lettuce, not with a pita or fork and knife.
Israeli couscous is a subject I covered extensively last summer in this post. Pearled or Israeli couscous, like regular couscous is a whole grain made with semolina or wheat flour. It has a slightly chewy texture. In this recipe, Israeli or pearled couscous is combined with the garden’s first of the season yellow beans and pickled red onions. Toasting the grains before cooking gives them a nutty flavor. I found it is best to drain the pickled onion before adding to other ingredients to prevent the vinegar from overwhelming the dish. The pickled red onions will turn your couscous pink. One thing is certain, I have found no “written in stone” cooking proportions of Israeli couscous to water or broth, but I have found that 2 to 1, liquid to Israeli couscous works for me, otherwise the couscous retains too much liquid and doesn’t mix well with the other ingredients.
Chickpeas are a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine and the base for two of the classics, hummus and falafel. Chickpea, carrot and parsley salad took advantage of our carrot and radish harvest and made a colorful side with our meal. Fresh cooked chickpeas are a revelation. The first time I had them was as a part of a Valentine’s day dinner my dear husband cooked for me many years ago. I’m not saying that canned are bad, in most instances I prefer the convenience of canned. Just cook them sometime to appreciate the wonderful nutty flavor of fresh chickpeas.
Mash 1/2c chickpeas into a coarse paste with a potato masher or wooden spoon.
Toss in the remaining chickpeas, parsley, carrots, radishes and scallions. Stir to combine.
Whisk together the lemon juice, spices, 1/2t salt and a generous grind of pepper. Whisk ingredients while adding the olive oil in a slow steady stream. Pour over the salad and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with feta cheese and pine nuts and serve.
Israeli Couscous, Yellow Bean and Pickled Red Onion Salad
Serves six
Adapted slightly from Fine Cooking magazine
Ingredients
1/2c red onion in small dice
1/4c red wine vinegar
1T granulated sugar
Kosher salt
3/4lb yellow or green beans trimmed and cut into 1/2″ pieces\
1/2c pearled or Israeli couscous
1c water or broth
2T coarsely chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley
2T extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Untoasted and toasted pearled or Israeli couscous.
Directions
Put the onions in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and 1/2T salt to a boil. Pour the mixture over the onions and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid.
Bring a medium saucepan of well salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the beans until crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Drain beans in a colander.
Toast the couscous in a dry skillet stirring over medium heat until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. In a small saucepan bring water or broth to a boil. Cook the couscous in the boiling water until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
In a medium bowl toss the couscous, beans, onion, parsley and olive oil and toss. Add a little of the reserved vinegar to the salad if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Bulgur Salad with Herbs, Pistachios and Apricots
Serves 8 as a side dish
Adapted from Fine Cooking magazine
Ingredients
2c medium bulgur
Kosher salt
2/3c plus 2T extra virgin olive oil
1/3c minced shallots
1T minced garlic
1/2c medium chopped dried apricots
1c coarsely chopped fresh flat leafed parsley
1/2c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2c coarsely chopped fresh mint
1/2c chopped roasted pistachios
1/3c fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley from the garden that has been washed and spun in a salad spinner. Next I lay them out to further dry on clean cloth dishtowels.Just a rough chop is needed for the parsley.
Directions
In a large skillet, toast the bulgur over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until aromatic and a shade darker. Transfer to a bowl.
In a medium saucepan bring 2 cups of water and 1t salt to a simmer over medium high heat.
While you are waiting for the water to come to a simmer, heat 2T oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallot and the garlic and cook, stirring until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the bulgur, apricots, 1t salt and the now simmering water.
Put a lid on the skillet and remove it from the heat. Let stand until the bulgur is tender and has completely absorbed the liquid, 35-40 minutes. Gently fold in the herbs and pistachios.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with a 1/4t each salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2/3c olive oil in a slow stream.
Drizzle the salad with the dressing, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. Salad can be made a day ahead. Bring to cool room temperature before serving. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Baba Ganoush
Serve 6-8 as a side dish
Ingredients
2 large eggplants
5 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt
1/2c tahini
1/2t ground cumin
1/2c fresh lemon juice
1T extra virgin olive oil
Fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F
Char eggplant over a grill or a gas cooktop, turning occasionally until the skin turns black, 5-10 minutes.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and bake until very soft, 15-20 minutes. Cool the eggplant and peel the skin.
Place the pulp in a food processor and pulse to make a smooth paste. Add garlic, salt, cumin, tahini and lemon juice to taste and pulse to combine. Season with additional lemon juice or salt if needed.
Spread the puree on a plate. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired and sprinkle with parsley. Serve at room temperature with pita bread.
