Tag: vegetarian

April 30, 2018 Whole Roasted Cauliflower

 

Is there any other vegetable as versatile as cauliflower? Puréed as a substitute for mashed potatoes, broken down into fine grains like rice, couscous and polenta, filling in as both pizza crust and tortilla, sometimes I think we forget how good it is without the disguises. I love to toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them until crispy brown on the outside and tender and creamy to the bite. A tray of roasted cauliflower sometimes doesn’t make it to the dinner table, we finish it off like popcorn. I shouldn’t leave out cauliflower “steaks”, thick slabs roasted in the same fashion as the florets and just as good. But the version that is visually impressive and surprisingly not that hard to do is whole roasted cauliflower. The internet has countless recipes for whole roasted cauliflower, most of the ones I read just baked the cauliflower.  This one, from Israeli celebrity chef Eyal Shani in the latest issue of Milk Street Kitchen uses two techniques, poaching in well salted boiling water and then roasting at a high heat.

Prime season for cauliflower is in the fall and the ones available at farmers markets can be as large as 4-5 pounds. Out of season we depend on the wrapped varieties in our local supermarkets. Look for a cauliflower that weighs about two to two and half pounds.  A larger head will be overcooked on the outside before it is tender on the inside. To begin the two step cooking process, get a large pot of water on to boil and preheat your oven to 475°F with the rack in the middle position.

While you are waiting for things to heat up, carefully trim off the leaves and the hard core near the bottom of the cauliflower. Leave the main stem intact and make sure not to cut through any of the florets. When the water has come to a rolling boil, add a half cup of kosher salt to the water.  Carefully lower the cauliflower into the boiling water and immediately set a timer for five minutes. Since the cauliflower floats to the top, you will need to flip it halfway through the cooking process so it will cook evenly. When the timer goes off, transfer the cauliflower, stem side down to a colander. I found that a large Chinese strainer made this process easy. Allow the cauliflower to drain for at least ten minutes, you want the cauliflower to roast, not steam.

Transfer the cauliflower to a shallow sided baking dish, stem side down of course. Sprinkle with pepper or a pepper seasoning blend and rub with olive oil. Don’t neglect the bottom florets. Place the dish in the oven and bake, rotating the dish several times during the cooking process. This will allow for even browning. Tilting the pan with a potholder, use a small spoon to redistribute any olive oil that accumulates in the pan. The cauliflower is done when it is golden brown on the outside and the center is easily pierced with a skewer. Let cool for five minutes and serve right in the baking dish. Use a knife to cut into wedges. Delicious as is, or serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Start with a cauliflower that weighs about 2 lbs.
Trim away the leaves and the hard stem.
Blanch cauliflower in a large pot of well salted water. Salting the water ensures the cauliflower is seasoned to the core.
At the halfway point flip the cauliflower to the other side.
Immediately transfer cauliflower to a colander to drain, stem side down.
The finished product.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Serves two to four

Ingredients

  • 2-pound cauliflower
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 3-4 T extra virgin olive oil

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F with the rack in the middle position. In a 6 to 8 quart pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, trim the green leaves and hard stem from the cauliflower. leaving the core and florets intact. Add a ½ cup of salt to the water and when it comes to a boil carefully lower the cauliflower into the water. Immediately set a timer for five minutes. Flip the cauliflower half way through the cooking process. Remove from heat.
  2.  Transfer the cauliflower to a colander stem side down and drain for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Transfer the cauliflower to a shallow sided baking dish, stem side down.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to rub it in. Season with fresh ground pepper.
  5. Roast in the preheated oven, rotating the baking dish  several times during the cooking process. Spoon oil that accumulates in the pan back over the cauliflower.
  6. Cauliflower is done when golden brown on the outside and a skewer can easily pierce the center, 20-25 minutes.
  7. Let rest for five minutes and serve in the baking dish.

March 19, 2018 Butternut Squash, Golden Beet. Carrot and Apple Salad

With three nor’easters bringing snow, rain and high winds over the last week or so and two more anticipated this week, it’s hard to believe that the first day of spring is tomorrow. We are months away from the heart of the summer produce season but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious fresh salad. Using this formula for a roasted vegetable salad from Fine Cooking magazine is just what you need to stimulate your cooking creativity and beat the winter blahs.

Hearty greens like spinach, arugula and radicchio form the base of this salad. Other choices could include baby greens like kale, collards and chard. I must emphasize baby (immature), because the mature greens are quite toothsome and should be used in recipes where they are cooked. This is a good time to experiment with bitter greens like escarole, endive and radicchio. They contrast nicely with sweetness of the roasted vegetables.

Roasted vegetables give the salad substance and a lot of deep rich flavor. Root vegetables, potatoes and winter squash are great for roasting, you can even add apple and pear wedges. Cut the vegetables into fairly even sized pieces so they cook evenly. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and some kosher salt. If you are using red beets, toss and roast on a separate pan. Otherwise the beets will discolor the other vegetables on the baking sheet. Roast about 20 minutes, tossing veggies halfway and rotating the baking sheet. The amount of vegetables may seem like a lot but roasting condenses them in size and concentrates their sweet flavor. I used golden beets, rainbow carrots, butternut squash and apple, all items I had in my pantry. So for me it was a “clean out your fridge” recipe.

The salad is accented with cheese and nuts that add contrasting flavors and textures. Aged Gouda brings a sharp, sweet flavor reminiscent of butterscotch and toasted slivered almonds add a wonderful aroma and crunch. An optional sprinkling of dried fruit, raisins, dried cranberries, figs give a nice touch as well.

A slightly tart white balsamic lime vinaigrette is a pleasing contrast to the sweetness of the roasted vegetables. I chose this recipe because Joe picked a large yellow, very fragrant lime from our Persian lime tree. This vinaigrette calls for an oil you may not be familiar with. High in polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E, grape seed oil is extracted from the seeds of grapes. Its flavor is neutral allowing the infused flavors of shallots and ginger to shine through.

White balsamic vinegar is made from the same variety of white grapes as dark balsamic . While the dark balsamic is simmered for hours and aged in barrels for years, white balsamic is slow cooked to avoid caramelization and is not aged. White balsamic vinegar is a good choice when you don’t want to darken the appearance of your final dish.

Toss the greens in a large bowl with a drizzle of the warm vinaigrette. Distribute the greens on two plates. Next, gently toss the roasted vegetables with some of the remaining vinaigrette. Distribute the vegetables over the plates, along with the nuts, cheese and optional fruit.

This would be a nice vegetarian lunch or dinner. Add chicken or thinly sliced flank steak if you need to include meat. The formula gives you the chance to be creative and make your own unique and delicious salad.

Butternut Squash, Golden Beet, Carrot and Apple Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients for the roasted vegetables

  • 6-7  c mixed vegetables and fruit, I used butternut squash, rainbow carrots, golden beets and apple, trimmed and peeled.
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Directions for the roasted vegetables

  1. Position oven rack in the center and preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Trim vegetables into 1-inch dice or wedges.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables and fruits with the oil and 1 t salt.
  4. Toss well and transfer to a large rimmed heavy-duty baking sheet.
  5. Spread the vegetables evenly on the baking sheet.
  6. Roast. flipping the vegetables halfway through the baking time and rotating the baking sheet.
  7. Cook until the vegetables are browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.
  8. Let cool and transfer to a large bowl.
Toss the vegetables with olive oil and salt.
Spread out evenly on a baking sheet.

Ingredients for the white balsamic lime vinaigrette

  • ¼ c grape seed oil
  • 1/3 c thinly sliced shallots
  • kosher salt
  • 1 t chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 T white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 T maple syrup or honey
  • 1 T fresh lime juice (more to taste)
  • 1 t grated lime zest
  • 1 t fine minced parsley
  • 1 t Dijon mustard
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Despite the color, this is a lime, very fragrant and juicy from Joe’s citrus trees.
Infusing grape seed oil with shallots and ginger.

Directions for the white balsamic lime vinaigrette

  1. Heat the oil in an 8-inch skillet, over medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook for 2-4 minutes, shallots should be softened and slightly browned.
  2. Add chopped ginger and cook until fragrant until softened and fragrant, 15 seconds. Take infused oil off the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. While the oil is cooling, to a heat proof metal bowl add the vinegar, maple syrup, juice, zest, mustard, ¼ t salt and a few grinds of pepper.
  4. Whisk the warm oil into the vinegar mixture until emulsified. Taste vinaigrette and season to taste with additional salt, pepper or citrus juice.

Ingredients for assembling the salad

  • 5-6 cups of sturdy greens, torn into bite sized pieces if needed
  • Kosher salt
  • Roasted vegetables from step one
  • ¼ c toasted slivered almonds
  • ½ c cubed aged Gouda

 

Directions for assembling the salad

  1. In a large bowl, lightly salt greens and toss with a drizzle of the warm vinaigrette. Taste a green and add a little more dressing if necessary. Arrange the greens on a platter or two plates.
  2. Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and dress them lightly with 1-2 T of the remaining vinaigrette.
  3. Spread the vegetables evenly over the greens, then top with the almonds and Gouda. Serve immediately, passing the remaining dressing at the table.

March 10, 2018 Market 17 Green Salad

A few weeks ago we took a much needed vacation to visit close friends in south Florida. When traveling we enjoy seeking out the most interesting (at least to us) restaurants a city has to offer. I have learned that you won’t necessarily find what you are looking for by Googling for the results, any restaurant can tout itself as “the best”. Checking Trip Advisor or Open Table may not produce the results you are looking for either.The Trip Advisor number one restaurant in Fort Lauderdale is a hoagie place! I have found the most reliable results come from our destination’s city or regional magazine. They supply the most critical (good and bad) reviews, plus information about restaurants that have just opened and are not under the culinary radar yet.

Over the years, one of our favorite finds in Fort Lauderdale is, or should I say was, Market 17. Located at the Portside Yachting Center, Market 17 served delicious and creative food and was one of the first true farm to table restaurants we experienced. We have enjoyed dining there many times during our visits to Florida. Sadly, we learned that the building that houses the restaurant is going to be demolished due to the expansion of the convention center. So for one last time we “ate the menu”, appetizers, tasting portions of the entrées and dessert split between six of us, with wine to accompany the meal.

According to their website Market 17 will have a new concept in early 2019, so in tribute to this fine restaurant I have reinterpreted their local farm green salad. The menu describes it as a salad of greens, rainbow carrots, apples, cucumber, radish, candied pecans topped with a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Start with the freshest greens you can find. We are not in season for our own garden produce so our salad greens come from our local supermarkets. The greens I buy for the most part are in a plastic clamshell container. Even though they are labeled “triple washed” there are always some spoiled leaves that are never missed by the disdainful eye of Joe. So I still soak them in a sink filled with cold water with an eye to remove any bad or discolored leaves. It is important to spin the greens dry, excess water will dilute your dressing. For this salad I chose baby spinach and bibb leaves, the leaves are bite sized so there is no need to tear them. I store washed greens in gallon twist tie bags with a paper towel inside to absorb any excess moisture.

Rainbow carrots add color and crunch to everyday salads. They can range in color from deep purple, crimson red, white and bright yellow. Originally carrots were mostly purple and white. Orange carrots are a strain developed by 17th century Dutch farmers and contain more beta Carotene than other varieties. I cut my carrots into matchstick julienne, if this is too fussy for you, cut into thin slices.

Radishes bring color, crunch and a little spiciness. Cucumbers and apples give a crisp and juicy element. I like to peel the cucumbers, just leaving strips of green peel for color. I used a mandolin to slice the radishes and cucumber very thinly. Choose a sweet tart apple variety like Granny Smith or Sweet Tango.

Place your greens in a large bowl, this gives you space to dress the salad without compressing the ingredients. A white balsamic dressing adds flavor but not the dark color that can muddy an otherwise bright, colorful salad plate. The finishing touch, candied pecans that are quick and easy to make. A delicious salad that brings back great memories.

Market 17 Green Salad

Serves two

Ingredients

  • 4-5 generous handfuls of baby romaine, spring mix etc
  • 1 Persian cucumber
  • 2 radishes
  • 3 rainbow carrots-yellow, purple and orange
  • 1 small apple (I used Sweet Tango)
  • candied pecans (recipe follows)
  • white balsamic vinaigrette (recipe follows)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Rainbow carrots are readily available in most supermarkets.

Directions

  1. Rinse lettuce and spin dry, removing any spoiled leaves. Place in a large bowl.
  2. Peel cucumber, leaving only thin strips of skin. Slice thinly with a mandoline or a knife
  3. Trim root ends off radishes, slice thinly.
  4. Peel carrots and cut into matchstick pieces, you will need about two cups.
  5. Cut the apple into thin slices, peel if desired (I didn’t)
  6. Shake vinaigrette to combine ingredients, taste and adjust for balance and drizzle some over the salad greens. Toss lightly.
  7. Add the cucumber, radishes, carrots and apple to the bowl. Toss with additional dressing and add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Use tongs to plate individual salads and top with candied pecans.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • ¾ c extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ c white balsamic vinegar
  • 2-3 T honey
  • ½ t kosher salt
  • ¼ t fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ t dried oregano

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well blended.

Candied Pecans

Ingredients

  • ½ c brown sugar
  • ½ t sea salt
  • ¼ t ground cumin
  • 2 T water
  • 1 c pecans

Directions

  1. In a medium non stick skillet, combine all the ingredients except the pecans. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbling.
  2. Add in the pecans, stirring to coat all surfaces in the glaze, 3-5 minutes.
  3. Remove pan from the heat and spread the pecan out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let cool completely. Break apart into individual pieces. Store in an airtight container.

 

January 21, 2018 Cauliflower Tortillas

Does any vegetable come close to having the versatility of cauliflower? It has a nutty sweetness when roasted and a creamy sumptuous quality when steamed and puréed. It’s a low carb, paleo, gluten-free option that substitutes for rice, couscous and even pizza crust. Let’s not neglect to mention the nutritional benefits as well. Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamin C. vitamin K, folate, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and dietary fiber and an entire head of cauliflower is only 156 calories!

Here’s a recipe to help keep you on track for a new year of healthy eating and a creative addition to your cooking repertoire, cauliflower tortillas. They have a texture similar to the real thing and a mildly nutty flavor.

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, a Silpat liner works too. I use a little nonstick spray on the edges to keep the parchment from curling up. Start with a medium cauliflower, the one I used was 2 lbs, including the greens. Cut the cauliflower in quarters, remove the greens and most of the core. In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower into granules finer than rice, but don’t get to the point of liquefying it. I do this in batches so no chunks are left behind. If you don’t have a food processor you can go low tech and do this step with a hand-held box grater. The cauliflower needs to be cooked to remove as much liquid as possible. You can do this in either a microwave or a steamer. The next step is crucial to get the right consistency for the cauliflower “dough”. Gather the steamed cauliflower granules in a clean cloth dish towel (a thin one works best) and wring out all the excess liquid. Use rubber gloves or an extra towel to protect your hands, the cauliflower will be very hot. If you have the time, you can wait until it cools down a bit. When you think you have squeezed out all the liquid you possibly can, squeeze some more. The end result reminds me of masa dough, the ingredient corn tortillas are made from.

Place the well-drained cauliflower in a medium bowl and mix in two well beaten eggs and salt and pepper to taste. Many of the recipes I read add additional herbs and spices at this point and you are welcome to do so if you choose. I prefer to keep mine plain like a regular corn tortilla to showcase the flavors of what I fill it with.

Divide the cauliflower mixture into six portions and use your hands to press them evenly into six small circles, about five to six inches in diameter. Bake in the preheated oven for ten minutes, take them out of the oven and flip them to the other side and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes. I used convection heat and that helped them brown in the oven. You can also brown the tortillas in a pan to give them a crispy edge and a more nutty flavor.

The resulting tortillas are soft and pliable like the real thing and they hold up well to a variety of fillings. On my first attempt I filled them with taco seasoned ground turkey, guacamole and salsa. They would be great for quesadillas or enchiladas too. You don’t have to limit your choices to just Mexican, they would make a great breakfast wrap or with some smoked turkey, avocado slices, lettuce and tomato for a low carb lunch. Joe gave them two very enthusiastic thumbs up. Today we made breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs, cheese and chicken sausage topped with guacamole and salsa, delicious! Next to try, chicken enchiladas.

 

The cauliflower head, also known as the curd.
Pulse the cauliflower into fine granules.
Gather the cooked cauliflower into a dish towel, cheesecloth works here too.
After several minutes of squeezing the liquid out of the cauliflower, the finished product looks like this.
The resulting cup and a half of liquid that was squeezed out.
Mix the dried cauliflower with eggs and salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mixture into six portions and form into circles on parchment lined baking sheets.
Cauliflower tortillas hot out of the oven.

Cauliflower Tortillas

Makes 6

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower (about 2 lbs total including the greens)
  • 2 large eggs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (I used convection heat) with racks in the upper and lower shelves of the oven. Line two large baking sheets with parchment. I use a little non stick spray on the corners to keep them from rolling up.
  2. Cut the cauliflower in quarters, remove the leaves and cut out most of the core. In a food processor pulse the cauliflower into granules, smaller than rice. I ended up with 6 cups lightly packed cauliflower.
  3. Place the riced cauliflower in a bowl and microwave on high for two minutes, stir well, microwave two minutes, stir and microwave again for two minutes.Alternately you can cook the cauliflower in a steamer.
  4. Dump the cooked cauliflower in the center of a cloth dish towel or a doubled layer of cheesecloth. Gather up the ends, careful, it will be extremely hot and squeeze out any excess liquid.  You may want to protect your hands with an additional towel or rubber gloves. When you think you have removed all the water, give it one more squeeze.
  5. Return the cauliflower to a bowl, add two beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste and mix well until combined.
  6. Scoop out the cauliflower into 6 fairly equal portions on the baking sheets and form into circles.
  7. Bake with trays in the upper and lower half of the oven for five minutes then reverse the upper and lower positions and bake for another five minutes. Remove both trays from the oven and peel the tortillas off the baking sheets, flip them over and return to the oven for another 5-6 minutes.
  8. Transfer cooked tortillas to a wire rack to cool.
  9. Heat a medium-sized non stick pan over medium heat and brown the tortillas on both sides to crisp the edges.
  10. Store in well sealed freezer bags. To use, reheat tortillas over medium heat in a small non stick pan.

January 13, 2018 Herbed Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli

  

Normally I wouldn’t share a recipe for zucchini in the middle of January, but this time I had to make an exception. I am always looking for new ways to prepare for the buckets of zucchini that our garden produces every summer, so I had to try out this recipe I saw on The Chew, “Herby” Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli. In this recipe, very thinly shaved zucchini slices take the place of pasta and are filled with a herbed ricotta filling.

The zucchini could be sliced on a mandoline, but to simplify things, a Y peeler works just as well. Remove the first strip of skin, then a few more slices until you have a flat surface. Make slices down the length of the zucchini until you reach the seedy core. Look for medium length zucchini. I found that strips 5-6 inches long and 1½ inches wide were the right size to accommodate a generous tablespoon of the filling. Place the slices on baking trays lined with paper towels and lightly salt to draw out any excess liquid.

The filling is very simple, ricotta cheese with an egg, grated Parmesan and seasonal herbs. Fresh ricotta is always best but one without preservatives is a good second choice. Drain the ricotta in a fine strainer to draw out excess liquid then squeeze it out in cheesecloth to make it as dry as possible. There aren’t any fresh herbs in the garden on this very cold January day, but Joe has brought some into the conservatory. For this recipe I used parsley, thyme and a little dried oregano. Let the ricotta herb mixture sit for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Now it’s time to make the bundles. Put enough tomato sauce on the bottom of your prepared pan to lightly coat it. Blot any excess liquid from the zucchini. On a clean work surface, lay two strips of zucchini so that they slightly overlap lengthwise. Lay two more noodles on top perpendicular to the first two strips, it should look like a plus sign. Place a generous tablespoon at the intersection where the strips meet. Starting with the bottom strips, fold them over the center, repeat with the second set of strips. Place the ravioli seam side down in the prepared baking dish and repeat with remaining zucchini strips until you fill the baking dish. Top with sauce and sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes, take out of the oven and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan.

The verdict? Joe and I both thought they were delicious and didn’t feel cheated with the zucchini wrapper. As Chew co host Clinton Kelly said,” this is an amazing alternative to pasta.” The calorie savings are pretty amazing too with regular ravioli coming in at 785 calories while the zucchini ravioli is 260 calories! The portion size wasn’t mentioned though. This is not the best dish for the freezer. Zucchini is 95% water so I think this dish would best be served fresh. This is a great meatless dish whether for lunch, dinner or as a side. Pesto would be a good addition to the ricotta filling and a cheesy Alfredo sauce could take the place of the tomato sauce. Can’t wait until summer to try these with zucchini from the garden and my own variations.

Drain the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve for a half hour.

 

Wrap the ricotta in cheesecloth and squeeze out any excess moisture.

Using a Y peeler, slice the zucchini into long thin strips.
Combine the ricotta, beaten egg, herbs, spices and cheese.
Slightly overlap 2 strips of zucchini and overlap two more strips, forming a plus sign.
Place a generous tablespoon of filling where the strips intersect.
Fold the bottom strips over the filling.
Fold in the other 2 strips to the center to completely enclose the filling.

Add the ravioli, seam side down to a baking dish lightly coated with tomato sauce.
Top with additional sauce.
Top with mozzarella cheese and bake .

 

Herby Ricotta Zucchini Ravioli

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • Olive oil for greasing the baking dish
  • 2 c ricotta – whole milk or part skim
  • 4-5 medium zucchini
  • 1/3 c plus 2 T grated Parmesan (divided)
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ c fresh herbs, finely chopped (parsley, thyme, chives etc.)
  • ¼ t freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 2 ½ c tomato sauce-homemade or your favorite store brand
  • 1 c shredded mozzarella
  • Basil chiffonade for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • Cheesecloth – that will be used with the ricotta

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Lightly grease a 8×12 baking dish with olive oil.
  2. Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium bowl and add the ricotta. Set aside and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
  3. Using a Y vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise into thin strips, avoiding the seedy core. Place strips on a paper towel lined baking sheet, lightly sprinkle with salt and set aside.
  4.  In a medium bowl, add ricotta, 1/3 c Parmesan, egg, chopped herbs, nutmeg and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to let the flavors combine.
  5. Blot excess moisture off zucchini slices. On a work space, overlap 2 strips of zucchini and then overlap 2 additional strips on top and across the first 2 strips, forming a cross shape.
  6. Using a spoon or cookie scoop, place a generous tablespoon of the ricotta mixture into the center of the zucchini formation.
  7. Fold the bottom layer of the zucchini strips over the filling and into the center so that they are overlapping. Fold in the other two strips to the center so that the filling is completely enclosed. Repeat process with remaining filling and zucchini.
  8. In prepared baking dish, spread ½ cup sauce evenly over the bottom. Place zucchini seam-side down. Pour remaining sauce over zucchini. Top with remaining Parmesan and mozzarella. Transfer to oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until zucchini is al dente.
  9. Garnish  with basil and serve.

August 11, 2017 Green Beans and Cucumbers with Miso Dressing

I couldn’t bear to do it, smash the cucumbers and green beans as called for in this recipe that is. This very easy and flavorful dish from the June issue of Bon Appetit uses a technique popular in many Asian countries. Smashing the cukes and beans with a cleaver or a rolling pin tenderizes them and makes lots of nooks and crannies for the dressing to permeate. But not with the first green beans and cucumbers from the garden this season. Maybe in a week or two but for now I will use a more traditional approach. This recipe is quite similar to pau huang gua, a Sichuan cucumber salad, typically served with rich spicy food.

Start the recipe by peeling the cucumber, I like to leave a small strip of skin for color contrast. Chop into bite sized pieces and toss with a little salt to draw out excess moisture. The beans were an interesting addition, the original recipe in Bon Appetit didn’t call for cooking them, I presume they thought dressing them would do the job of tenderizing them. I chose to blanch the beans for just a few minutes to make them crisp-tender and ready to absorb the dressing.

The dressing couldn’t be easier, the ginger, garlic and serrano pepper are all grated, a Microplane makes quick work of that. Combine these ingredients with white miso, rice vinegar, olive and sesame oil. Miso is a fermented soybean paste traditionally used in Japanese cooking. White miso will provide a more delicate flavor, switch in a red miso for a stronger and saltier flavor. You will find miso in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery and health food stores.

Place the well-drained cucumbers and green beans in a bowl and toss with some of the dressing, just enough to coat the vegetables. You will have more than enough, which is a good thing. Toss sautéed eggplant and zucchini with halved cherry tomatoes with the dressing for another version of this dish.

Cucumber vines in the greenhouse, circa 2015.
Joe is growing both bush and pole beans.

Green Beans and Cucumbers with Miso Dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 Persian cucumbers or 1 English hothouse cucumber
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
  • 1 1½ piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 serrano or Fresno chile, finely grated
  • 1 garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1/3 c unseasoned rice vinegar
  • ¼ c white miso
  • ¼ c olive oil
  • ½ t toasted sesame oil
  • Toasted sesame seeds and scallions or thinly sliced shallots for serving

Directions

  1. Peel cucumbers and chop into bite-sized pieces. Toss with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Let sit to allow salt to penetrate.
  2. Bring a medium sized pan of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add beans and cook until just tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain beans in a colander.
  3. Whisk ginger, chile, garlic, vinegar, miso, olive and sesame oils in a medium bowl until smooth.
  4. Transfer the beans to a bowl for serving and toss with the dressing. Drain cucumbers well and add to the bowl, toss again. Top beans and cucumbers with toasted sesame seeds and scallions.
Toss cucumber chunks with a pinch of salt to extract excess water.
The beans I used were just picked, blanching them for a few minutes tenderizes them and brings out their flavor.
The original recipe used scallions, I used shallots from our garden.

 

July 15, 2017 Tomato Salads

This is a space to record Joe’s creative tomato salads throughout the summer. The pictures won’t always be the best since they are taken in the kitchen. Just a way to commemorate these wonderful salads.

July 10 salad – Sun Gold, Gold Nugget and Super Sweet tomatoes, raspberries, purple basil, mozzarella with peach vinegar and blood orange olive oil.

July 12 – Sun Gold tomatoes, ricotta and purple basil with peach vinegar and blood orange olive oil.

July 15 – Super Sweet 100’s, Sun Gold, Gold Nugget, Snow Cherry, Chocolate Cherry, Fourth of July, mozzarella, purple basil, raspberries, blueberries, Cascadian raspberry vinegar, Persian lime oil.

July 16 – Brandywine, Sun Gold, Super Sweet, Gold Nugget, Snow Cherry, Chocolate Cherry, purple basil, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan, purple basil, Cascadian raspberry vinegar, Persian lime oil.

July 17 – Fourth of July, Gold Nugget, Snow Cherry, Super Sweet, burrata, Persian cucumbers, purple basil, Cascadian raspberry vinegar, Persian lime oil.

August 14

August 16

August 17

July 12, 2017 Swiss Chard Quesadillas

Tuesday evening is Joe’s night to work late and although we don’t sit down for dinner when he comes home, I like to have a little snack ready. We sip a little wine, catch up on the days activities, maybe watch some television in the kitchen. This quesadilla was inspired by what I had in the fridge and the garden that summer evening. I have used spinach in a quesadilla in the past, why not some Swiss chard this time? A little sweet onion, sautéed until caramelized would be a good contrast to the earthy flavor of chard. All I needed now was a wrapper and some queso. I didn’t have tortillas on hand but I did have some sandwich wraps that could fill in. I always have several varieties of cheese in the fridge, the sharp flavor of cheddar worked well here.

We are still in the process of thinning the chard plants out. They are supposed to be 9-12 inches apart so it didn’t take long to pick what I needed. The chard is still relatively young so it wouldn’t need the long cooking that late summer chard does. I discuss basic chard preparation in this post. I also used some of the finely chopped stems for texture and their brilliant color.

I think a sweet onion works best with this flavor combination. I used a Vidalia, but whatever variety your market is featuring this week is fine. Sweet onions are low in pyruvic acid, the component that makes your eyes tear. I recently read that one of the best ways to store Vidalias is wrapped separately in a paper towel and stored in the refrigerator. I will be trying this method out.

If you are making a quesadilla you can’t forget the queso. If you prefer not to use cheddar, a Jack cheese would be a good choice too. I served the quesadillas plain, sour cream or a tomatillo salsa would be a good accompaniment. Next time I might add a few slivers of pickled jalapeno to the mix. Cooked black beans would be a good addition or some sautéed mushrooms. This recipe is just based on what I had on hand that evening. Golden crisp on the outside with healthy greens, a little sweetness from the onion with the creaminess of cheddar, this is a winning combination for a quick and delicious light meal or snack.

 

Swiss Chard Quesadillas

Makes two 8″ quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 16-18 medium to small chard leaves
  • 1 medium sweet onion
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Butter
  • Tortillas or wraps
  • ½-1 cup shredded cheese, I used cheddar, mozzarella or jack works too

Directions

  1. Wash chard leaves in several changes of water. Separate the chard leaves from the stems. Chop the leaves roughly. You should have 5 cups loosely packed leaves and ½-1 cup finely diced chard stems.
  2. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a 10 inch non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add stems and a sprinkle of salt and cook until softened, 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add the chard leaves and the water that still clings to the leaves and cook until wilted. Add a tablespoon more of water if necessary to wilt the leaves. Move stems and leaves to a plate and keep warm.
  4. Slice a medium onion very thinly, a mandolin or food processor is good for this. You should have 3 cups loosely packed thin slices.
  5. Wipe out the pan, add another tablespoon of oil and heat over medium high heat, cook onion until softened and brown. Reduce heat to medium if necessary. This should make about 1 cup of caramelized onion.
  6. Let the skillet cool off a bit and wipe out with a paper towel. Over medium high heat melt a teaspoon or so of butter and a little olive oil. When the butter is melted, add the first wrap or tortilla, spread out one half of the chard over this as evenly as possible.
  7. Evenly spread the cooked onions over the chard and then sprinkle the cheese over. Place the second wrap over the cheese and press down with your hand or a spatula to melt the cheese and make it adhere.
  8. Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side, it’s okay to peek to make sure it isn’t browning too much. With the help of the spatula, flip and cook on the other side, about 2 minutes, adding a little more butter and oil if necessary.
  9. Move the quesadilla to a platter and keep warm, repeat cooking process with the second quesadilla. Cut quesadillas into wedges 4 to 8 pieces as desired.  Serve warm.
Chop the stems.
Sweet onion sautéed until golden brown.
Sautéed chard and stems are first to go on.
Then the sautéed onion.
Then a sprinkling of cheese.
A second tortilla or wrapper in my case, goes on top. Press down to help the cheese adhere. This was taken after this first quick flip.
Let it get golden brown.

July 4, 2017 Quick Pickled Baby Beets

The hot days of July are upon us so it’s time to harvest the root crops planted in early spring. that are still in the ground. We said good-bye to the radishes several weeks ago after the first heat wave of the summer. Warm temperatures cause radishes to bolt and become woody in texture. They will be planted at the end of summer for a fall harvest. The first planting of Japanese turnips have been harvested and now it’s time to harvest the rest of the beets.The”life cycle” of our beet consumption began with very small thinnings we add raw to our salads. The second thinning produces slightly larger leaves the size of spinach that are sautéed in olive oil with a little garlic and red pepper flakes for a wonderful side dish. Baby beets are sliced as thinly as possible or julienned and added to green salads.The Chiogga beets look pretty in salads, a slice looks like a candy cane bulls-eye and the Golden beets bring a pop of bright yellow.

I love beets, especially pickled ones. I have canned pickled beets in past summers for long storage, this year I thought I would make refrigerator pickles. Quick pickled baby beets couldn’t be simpler to make. These refrigerator pickles require very little prep and they are ready to eat after a few hours in the brine. Divide your beets by colors or they will bleed into each other. The brine is a touch sweet with a little spice. These pickles will last for several months in the refrigerator.

Just picked beets from the garden.
After a good clean up.

 

Quick Pickled Baby Beets

Makes 2 pint jars

Ingredients

  • 1 lb baby beets,  separated into colors
  • 1 c white wine vinegar
  • 2 t kosher salt
  • ½ c sugar
  • 2 T honey
  • Fresh ginger slices
  • 1 t coriander seed
  • 1 t black peppercorns
Trimmed and ready for pickling.

Directions

  1. Wash beets well, trim off the leaves and leave about an inch of stem on the beets. Separate beets into colors if you don’t want them to bleed into each other.
  2. Bring a medium pan of water to a boil. You can put all the beets of one variety in the pan, start checking the smaller beets at the two minute mark. Beets should be easily pricked with the tip of a knife, larger beets will take a few more minutes.
  3. Drain beets well in a colander. Place in a heat proof container like a canning jar, separating out the varieties.
  4. Combine vinegar, salt, sugar, honey and spices and bring to a boil. Pour the hot canning liquid over the beets and set aside to cool. Once cool, store in the refrigerator.

 

June 11, 2017 Carrot Top Pesto

Spring is an ideal time for planting root vegetables like turnips, beets and carrots. They especially love the cooler temperatures that we have been blessed with this spring. We try to be frugal with seeds, so the ones that aren’t planted are saved from season to season. I catalog them alphabetically like a card file in clamshell plastic containers that in a previous life held spinach or lettuce from a big box store. I use 3×5 cards to separate them into specific categories, beets, cucumbers, fennel etc. This year I even did a little clean up, getting rid of all packets before 2013.

Last year a friend gave Joe quite a few packets of carrot seeds he purchased on sale. Some were planted but most went into storage in the fridge over the winter. He wasn’t certain how many of them would germinate this season so he planted them very densely. As luck would have it, every carrot seed germinated.  Now it was time for some serious thinning.

Thinning is a necessary step in vegetable gardening if you want to have mature healthy plants. This can be done in stages. Armed with my Cutco scissors, I did the first thinning when the plants were about four inches tall. Pulling out the unwanted seedlings can often pull out the ones you wanted to leave growing. I snipped the plants at the soil line. With a colander full of the lacy feathery tops I thought about how I could use them. I remembered that parsley and carrots are related so I tasted a few of them. They have an herbaceous flavor, that to me was reminiscent of parsley.

I have made pesto with basil and arugula, why not carrot tops? I used a basic formula that I have used to make other types of pesto, herbs or a green, in this case carrot tops, garlic, nuts, a hard cheese and olive oil. Baby carrot greens are more delicate in flavor and are a special reward for the gardener. Organically grown full-sized carrot greens can be used too, eliminating any thick stems. I used my pesto as a topping for roasted salmon. It would work with chicken breasts and of course, roasted carrots.

Time to thin the carrots.
The first thinning of carrot greens.

Carrot Top Pesto

Makes about a cup

Ingredients

  • 3 cups lightly packed carrot tops
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 3 T pine nuts
  • ¼ c extra virgin olive oil, more if needed to make a paste
  • ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Place the carrot tops, garlic and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor.
  2. Pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add olive oil until a paste forms. Add cheese and pulse several times to combine.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.