vegetarian – Sue's Seasonal Palate

August 6, 2019 Zucchini Pesto “Tots”

Tater tots are a mid twentieth century (1953) invention born out of the frugality of brothers F. Nephi and Golden Grigg. Co founders of Ore-Ida, they were looking for a way to use the potato pieces left over when making their french fries. The pieces were used as feed for the livestock on the family farm or just tossed in the trash. The brothers Grigg knew that there had to be a way to consume the discards.They chopped the potato pieces, added seasonings and salt, put them through an extruder where they got their tot shape then into the deep fryer.

Fast forward to the twentieth first century and Americans consume 70 million tots a year. They are loved by young and old alike, everyone from high end chefs like Daniel Boulud to mommy bloggers. Mommy bloggers have taken tots beyond the potato. To their delight they discovered that their little ones would eat veggies they wouldn’t touch before when they were presented in tot form. Broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and zucchini have all been used to make tots.

So it was time for me to take on the tot. I chose two things we have in abundance, zucchini and basil. Basil is in season so why not make some pesto? Whatever vegetable you choose for your tots it is important to squeeze as much water out of the shredded vegetable as possible. A clean linen dishcloth is what I recommend. If time is short and you don’t have time to make the tot shape, divide the mixture evenly into well greased mini muffin pans. Make a double batch and freeze half for later. To eat, place frozen tots on a baking sheet and bake at 400°F 10-15 minutes, until heated through.Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, zucchini pesto tots make a great snack or side dish.

Zucchini Pesto Tots

Ingredients

1¼ lb zucchini
2-3 T basil pesto
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ c panko bread crumbs
½ c grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Grate the zucchini with the large holes of a box grater.
Transfer the grated zucchini to a large dish towel and strain out as much liquid as possible.
Transfer the grated zucchini to a large bowl then add the pesto, egg, Parmesan and kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Mix together until well blended.
Spoon a generous tablespoon into your hand and roll it into a cylinder. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining zucchini mixture.
Bake 18-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half way through, until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

January 12, 2019 Broccoli Salad with Sun Dried tomatoes and Feta

It’s the first full week of January so it’s time to put down those Christmas cookies and return to healthier eating habits. Quick and easy, this salad of crisp tender broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes is a good way to incorporate some great tasting vegetables into your dinner and diet. Broccoli is low in calories(30 calories in a cup) and high in fiber, potassium and iron. It is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamins A and B6.

To blanch or not to blanch broccoli is a personal choice. I am not a fan of raw broccoli in a salad ( or anywhere for that matter) so I prefer the quickest blanching possible. I blanch broccoli for less than minute and immediately after draining, transfer to an ice bath to chill. The broccoli turns a bright green and will leave it crisp-tender without the harshness of raw broccoli. To prevent a soggy salad, dry the broccoli well, give the broccoli florets a spin in a salad spinner, then blot dry with a clean kitchen towel.

I chose an easy lemon tahini dressing for the salad. Tahini is a paste made from sesame seeds and oil. In the jar they separate, leaving a very thick paste on the bottom and the oil rises to the top. Use a small whisk or a spoon to recombine the paste and oil.Now you can combine all the ingredients for the dressing. The mixture will thicken, don’t worry about this. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time and whisking well after each addition until desired consistency. Drizzle dressing over the ingredients, and toss to coat. Salad will be best if allowed to rest for at least an hour. Store leftovers in fridge.

Broccoli Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Feta

Serves four

Ingredients for Salad

6-8 cups of broccoli florets raw or blanched, cut into bite-sized pieces
½c chopped sun-dried tomatoes
½c crumbled feta cheese
¼c toasted pine nuts (can substitute walnuts)
Tahini dressing (recipe follows)

Tahini Dressing

Ingredients for dressing

¼ c tahini
2 T to ¼ c water (to thin out dressing)
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 T honey
¼ t smoked paprika (more if desired)
½ t cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions for the tahini dressing and salad assembly

Add tahini to a medium bowl along with lemon juice, honey, smoked paprika and cumin. Whisk together until combined. Taste and add salt and pepper. Thin the dressing out to a pouring consistency.
In a medium bowl combine the broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and pine nuts. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss well.
Let the salad rest for an hour to combine flavors. Store leftovers in the fridge.

December 2, 2018 Roasted Grape and Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

Fall is just flying by. Especially for me. I have spent the last few months off my feet recuperating from a fractured pelvis. I missed the last steps coming down from the bedroom while holding on to my coffee mug. Sad to say the mug didn’t fare well either. Now that I am back on my feet, it’s time to get back in the kitchen.

First on the agenda, a seasonal salad for Thanksgiving dinner. Most autumns we are enjoying green salads to the end of September, kale even later in the season. Too much rain this summer put an end to garden salads much too early.

Joe doesn’t like raw kale in salads so I chose a combination of spinach and arugula as the base to the salad. The next ingredient came from the garden, butternut squash. I peel the squash and cube it into 1 ½”inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, tossing the squash halfway through the cooking time and rotating the baking sheet. The amount of squash may seem like a lot but roasting condenses their size and concentrates their flavor.

Speaking of concentrated flavor, if you have never tried roasted grapes you will be in for a real treat. Like roasted vegetables, roasted grapes have a deeper richer flavor. Roasted grapes can be added to a cheese tray, salads or to chicken and pork dishes. Just rinse and pat dry, removing any damaged grapes. Toss grapes with a little olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast on a sheet pan at 425° F for about 30 minutes. Shake the pan halfway through to ensure even baking.

If you are going to roast butternut squash, why not save the seeds? Peel the squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. I use a grapefruit spoon with its serrated edges to help the process along. I put all the seeds in a bowl of water, they aren’t as slippery and it’s easier to separate the seeds from the membrane. Drain the seeds in a colander, then lay out on paper towels cover with another towel. If you have the time, lay them out overnight to make them as dry as possible. Place seeds on a baking sheet and roast until they begin to pop and turn a light brown in color. Having a second larger baking sheet on the bottom shelf catches most of the ones that pop off the baking sheet. Alternately, use raw pumpkin seeds and follow the same procedure.

I dressed my salad with an easy to make maple balsamic dressing. A sprinkling of cheese is always nice, feta or blue works well here. For Thanksgiving I used cubed cheddar for something a little different. Different components of the salad, roasted grapes,the dressing, butternut squash cubes and roasted seeds can be made several days in advance. Add grilled chicken or shrimp for a nice lunch or light supper.

Roasted Grape and Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

Serves four

Ingredients for the roasted grapes

3-4 cups of either red or black seedless grapes
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Directions for the roasted grapes

Preheat oven to 425°. Destem the grapes, wash and pat dry.
Place the grapes in a bowl. sprinkle lightly with olive oil and kosher salt.
Transfer grapes to a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Shake pan and move front to back halfway through the baking process. Store in an airtight container if not using right away.

Ingredients for roasted squash

1 medium butternut squash 3-4 lb
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Directions for roasted squash

Peel, halve and seed the squash, cut it into 1 inch cubes. In a large bowl toss the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until golden brown, about 20 minutes, at the halfway point carefully move the cubes around on the sheet to ensure even browning. Set cubes aside to cool. You will have enough for several days worth of salads.

Ingredients for toasted squash seeds

Peeled and halved butternut squash from the previous step.

Directions for roasted squash seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Use a spoon ( a grapefruit spoon works well) to remove the seeds and pulp. Use your fingers to separate the seeds from the pulp. Put the seeds in a small bowl of water. I find this makes it easier to separate any stubborn pulp from the seeds. Transfer the seeds to a colander and rinse.
Put squash seeds on a layer of paper towels and pat them as dry as possible.
Toss seeds with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Place seeds on a dry baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast for about 15-20 minutes, stirring a few times, . Keep a close eye on them as they can burn easily.
Cool before using, 5 to 10 minutes, the seeds will become crisper as they cool.
Store in an airtight container.

Ingredients for Maple Balsamic Dressing

1 T pure maple syrup
½ c mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
¼ c balsamic vinegar (I used pomegranate balsamic)
½ t fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions for Maple Balsamic Dressing

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl . Whisk until smooth.

Ingredients for Salad Assembly

Baby spinach and arugula
Roasted grapes
Roasted butternut squash
Roasted squash seeds
Crumbled feta
Maple balsamic dressing

Directions for Salad Assembly

Place greens in a large salad bowl, toss lightly with dressing. Add grapes, butternut squash seeds and feta, toss again. Using tongs, transfer salad to individual salad plates. Pass freshly ground pepper and additional dressing.

September 6, 2018 Zucchini Crisps

Fellow vegetable gardeners, we’ve all done it. You diligently pick small to medium-sized zucchini, sometimes even with the blossom still in tact. Then it happens, you get busy doing other things, it rains for several days or you just forget. The once compact little fruits now resemble a major league baseball bat. If you are running out of ideas, zucchini chips are a quick and easy way to use up “the ones that got away”.

This recipe works best with medium to large zucchini because the chips shrink as they bake. Slice into 1/8 inch rounds, a mandolin works best here for uniform slices. Place the slices on paper towels and top with another layer of paper towels. Press down lightly to remove excess liquid. Move the slices to parchment lined baking sheets that have been lightly coated with olive oil or olive oil spray. I used half sheet pan (18×13) sized trays. Brush rounds lightly with extra virgin olive oil and season lightly with salt or your favorite seasoning blend. Bake in a 235°F oven for about 1 ½ hours, rotating trays at the half way point. If some of the chips are not ready, remove the crisp chips and put the damp chips back in the oven to finish baking. Let the chips cool a bit before devouring. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Chips can be stored in zip-lock bags, that is, if any are left over.

A mandolin is perfect for achieving even slices.

Line zucchini slices on paper towels to blot excess moisture.

Zucchini Crisps

Makes about 80 crisps

Ingredients

2 or 3 medium to large zucchini
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher Salt and any spice mix

Directions

Preheat an oven to 235°F (convection is best). Cover two large baking sheets with parchment and lightly coat with olive oil or olive oil spray.
Wash and dry off the zucchini and cut off the stem end. Thinly slice (1/8 inch) the zucchini, a mandolin makes this easy.
Lay the slices out on paper towels and cover the slices with a second layer of paper towels.
Press down lightly on the paper towels to blot up excess moisture.
Place the sliced zucchini on the baking sheets, being careful not to overlap.
Brush the slices lightly with extra virgin oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake until crisp and golden, 1½ to 2 hours, At the halfway point, switch the pans around to ensure even baking.

August 28, 2018 Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan

Rain happens. And when it does day after day I am less likely to make my way out to the garden. Unfortunately that doesn’t stop the veggies from growing. A prime example of this is the bush and pole beans Back in the early spring it’s easy to dream of vines loaded down with beautiful slim beans. Haricot Verts, as the French call them, only need a quick steaming, finished with butter, garlic, thyme and squeeze of lemon.

The beans I picked that first day without rain were well beyond their haricot verts stage but still usable. Since we love just about every other vegetable roasted, why not green beans? Using the method I use for other vegetables, I was certain they would turn out great.

Start with about a pound of beans, we have green, yellow and purple beans this year. Purple beans are pretty on the vine but when you cook them they do not stay purple, they become a very dark green color.

After you have rinsed the beans lay them out on paper towels and pat them dry as possible. This will allow for the beans to be thoroughly coated with the olive oil. Place the beans in a bowl large enough to toss them in. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and toss the beans well.Then add kosher salt and fresh ground pepper and toss again. Place the beans on a lined baking sheet spread out as evenly as possible.

Roasting time is a function of how old your beans are. Slimmer beans may only ten to fifteen minutes, larger ones fifteen or more. When I made the first batch I timed them for ten minutes and rotated the pan, then every five minutes so they wouldn’t burn. As soon as the beans are close to being done, take them out the oven and sprinkle with cheese. Return the pan to the oven to melt the cheese. Serve warm.

Joe is growing both bush and pole beans.

Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan

Ingredients

1 lb green beans, medium to large in size
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
½ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F
Rinse beans in a colander with cool water. Removing all stems and blemishes, then blot with paper towels to remove off excess moisture.
Transfer beans to a bowl large enough to toss them in. Use enough oil to lightly coat all the beans. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and toss them again to coat.
Put beans on a parchment lined baking sheet. Spread the beans evenly on the sheet.
Roast for ten minutes, then pull out the oven and toss the beans in the pan again.
Return the beans to the baking sheet and continue to roast until the beans are browned in spots.
Remove pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan as evenly as possible. Return pan to the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve warm.

August 8, 2018 Spicy Cucumber Avocado Soup

Nothing is more refreshing to start a meal on a hot and humid summer day than a chilled soup. It’s even better when those ingredients can go right into the blender, no need to spend time cooking over a hot stove. This recipe combines crisp juicy cucumbers and creamy avocado with tangy lime and garlic chives.

All the “green” in the recipe is courtesy of the garden, except the avocado and possibly in the future we will have those as well. Our wonderful and very thoughtful sister-in-law Jody, gave Joe an Avoseedo, an ingenious seed starting device that helps you sprout an avocado pit. With minimal attention, changing the water every 1-2 weeks, in a few months you will have an avocado plant. He’s planted two in pots so far. Certainly beats the old toothpick over a glass of water method. Be sure to use a ripe avocado for a smooth puree.

This is primetime for cucumbers in our garden, just wish they didn’t come in all at once. Since our cukes were more mature they were a bit seedy and the skins thicker, I peeled and seeded them for this recipe. First trim the ends, peel, then cut in half. I found a melon baller (small side) to be the best way to scoop out the seeds. Cut the sections into half-inch chunks. I used three cups of peeled and seeded chunks.

The jalapeno and other hot peppers are making an earlier than usual appearance in the garden. That’s good but there is a rabbit that is taking a bite out of quite a few of our peppers before we can harvest them. Time to put up the chicken wire. Half of a jalapeno added to the soup was the right amount for our taste. Peppers can vary in heat so taste a small piece of the pepper first and add accordingly. Our Persian lime tree is producing the most fragrant and juicy fruit, about two dozen on the tree at last count. Fresh lime juice adds the right acidity and brightness to the soup.

Garlic chives, also known as Chinese chives are the perfect herbal accent for this soup. If you are not familiar with them, common chives are tube-shaped and bright green while Chinese chives are a darker green and flat. Common chives have pinkish-purple globe like flowers that appear in the spring while Chinese chives have white star-shaped blossoms that are only starting to appear now. The flavor as the name indicates, is garlicky, but milder than a garlic clove.

The soup couldn’t be simpler to make, put all the ingredients in the blender and puree until the soup is smooth. Add yogurt to your liking, anywhere from a half to a full cup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a bowl and refrigerate for 4-6 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Before serving you may need to thin the soup out with a little water or milk. Garnish with chopped garlic chives and flowers. Makes a delicious first course or light lunch.

Garlic chives are flat with white flowers.

The heat in the jalapeno comes from the white ribs.

I used the smaller end of the melon baller to scoop out the cucumber seeds.

Spicy Cucumber Avocado Soup

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

3 cups cucumbers, peeled and seeded, cut into ½-inch chunks
1 medium ripe avocado
½-1 c Greek style low-fat plain yogurt
2 t fresh lime juice
½ chopped jalapeno (or to taste)
2 T chopped garlic chives
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Peel and pit the avocado. Cut into chunks.
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired. Thin the soup out with a little cold water if necessary.
Refrigerate the soup for several hours to blend the flavors. Serve garnished with chopped garlic chives and flowers.

July 18, 2018 Purslane Salad

The next time you are weeding, take a second look, you may be unintentionally pulling out the most nutritious green in your garden. Purslane, also known as duckweed, fat weed, little hogweed and pursley, is the only weed that can claim “superfood” status. Purslane is a rare plant source of omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish and flax seeds. It is also a good source of vitamins A, C and B, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Did I mention it’s low in calories and a good source of fiber? Not bad for a plant that is an uninvited guest everywhere from fertile garden soil to the cracks in your driveway.

Purslane looks a bit like a miniature jade plant with small oval-shaped fleshy leaves that grow on thick succulent stems. Early season purslane leaves and stems are tender and edible, snip branchlets from heavier stems. The plant produces yellow flowers that will eventually produce tiny black seeds. Later in the summer separate larger leaves from mature stems. Most important, be sure you are harvesting purslane from areas that are not treated with herbicides. When in doubt, don’t pick!

Purslane is native to India and Persia and is widely used in both cuisines. In Mexico purslane is known as verdolagas where it is combined with pork to make a classic stew. Purslane’s succulent-like leaves have a refreshingly crisp texture with a slightly tart finish. You can use it raw in salads or cooked as a side dish.

Purslane is abundant in our garden this year. I am using it as a “transitional green” between the greens we harvested for salads in the spring and the new crop that will be ready to pick soon. I harvest it daily but it can be kept in the refrigerator for several days. Since purslane grows so close to the ground it should be rinsed very well in several changes of water. I fill a sink with cold water and submerge the purslane and swish it around to loosen the dirt that may be attached to it. The purslane floats and the dirt (most of it) sinks to the bottom. At this point you can remove any bruised or damaged leaves. Then I lift it out and give it a second quick soak it in the salad spinner. now it is ready to spin.

In this salad, purslane is combined with a little flat leaf parsley, baby arugula (ours will be ready soon) and cucumbers and sweet Sungold tomatoes from our garden. Walnuts add a little crunch, garnish with edible nasturtium blossoms for additional color.

Purslane has popped up next to the cucumbers.

Up close and personal for better identification.

Purslane Salad

Serves two

Ingredients

2 c purslane leaves and tender stems
½ c Italian parsley leaves
2 c baby arugula
1 medium cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeds removed, cut into 1″ pieces
1 dozen small tomatoes like Sungold, cut in half
1/3 c chopped walnuts
lemon juice or a light vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Nasturtium blossoms for garnish.

Directions

Combine greens, cucumber, tomatoes and walnuts in a large bowl. Sprinkle with some kosher salt and toss.
Add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar and a tablespoon or so of olive oil and toss. Taste a leaf and correct seasoning as needed.
Divide on two plates and season with fresh ground pepper. Garnish with nasturtium blossoms and serve.

June 24, 2018 Carrot Top Chimichurri Sauce

When I exercise on our elliptical machine I catch up on my version of “must-see t.v.”. Right now I am watching the current season of Iron Chef America. For those not familiar with the show, two chefs, a world-class “Iron Chef” competes against an up and coming chef. The chefs create a menu in one hour from appetizer to dessert that prominently features that week’s secret ingredient. Two weeks ago it was ” Battle Kobe Beef”. This weekend I tuned into “Battle Carrot”. The show is fun to watch and also stimulates my own creativity in the kitchen. I’m pretty sure when I went to the farmers market after my workout I had carrots on the brain. So along with all the other goodies I found, a lovely bunch of recently harvested carrots went into my bag.

My plan was to roast the carrots and in the spirit of “root to stem” cooking, use the greens as well. Carrot tops are edible and rich in vitamins A,C, calcium, iron and dietary fiber. They have an earthy, herbal, slightly bitter taste. Carrot top pesto was a success last year, this time I was looking for something a little bit different. Chimichurri sauce was a natural for this dish. This rich herby sauce from Argentina was already a favorite of ours. I have served as an appetizer at parties, spooned over rare beef tenderloin on crostini. It was easy enough to swap out the parsley in the original recipe for carrot tops. After all they are both members of the same plant family, along with fennel, dill and coriander.

Wash the greens well and pat dry with paper towels. The most time-consuming part of this recipe is separating the leaves from the slightly harder stems. Aim for a lightly packed cup, if you want this thicker to use as a dip, either cut back on the olive oil or add a quarter cup more of leaves. Blend all of the ingredients until smooth in a food processor. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Give the chimichurri at least an hour to fully combine the flavors, over night is even better. If you don’t have carrot tops, substitute the traditional parsley or a combination of parsley and cilantro.

I served my chimichurri over roasted carrots. Traditionally this is served with steak but I think it would be just as good as a sauce with grilled chicken or lamb chops. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Carrot Top Chimichurri Sauce with Roasted Carrots

Makes about a cup

Ingredients for Chimichurri Sauce

1 c lightly packed fresh carrot top leaves
¾ c extra virgin olive oil
3 T red wine vinegar
1 T dried oregano
2 t ground cumin
1 t salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ t smoked paprika
½ t dried crushed red pepper

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Refrigerate for at least one hour but tastes even better the next day. Store in an airtight container. Use within a week.

Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

1 lb fresh carrots, scrubbed well, tops reserved for chimichurri sauce
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a large baking sheet with non stick spray.
In a bowl large enough to accommodate the carrots, mix together the olive oil and honey.
Add the carrots to the bowl and toss them with the oil and honey. Salt and pepper to taste.
Spread carrots evenly on the baking sheet and use a spatula to scrape the rest of the honey-oil mixture over the carrots.
Roast carrots for about 15 minutes, shaking pan halfway through the cooking process for even browning.
Remove carrots from oven, allow to cool slightly. Serve carrots topped with chimichurri sauce.

June 12, 2018 Kohlrabi Slaw with Honey Lemon Mustard Dressing

With temperatures consistently in the eighties and more than our share of rain, it was time to do a final harvest of the spring vegetables. The heat, rain and deer damage sadly ruined our edible pod pea crop. On the positive side we have enjoyed a variety of lettuces, spinach, radishes and small white Japanese turnips. Also in the harvest, those funny looking space alien looking vegetables, kohlrabi.

Translated from the German, cabbage turnip, it is the bulbous above ground stem that gives the “turnip” name to the crispy green and sometimes purple vegetable. Oddly enough, it doesn’t taste like cabbage or turnips. When young, about the size of a tennis ball, it is thin-skinned, sweet and juicy with a mild flavor reminiscent of broccoli stems. Older, larger kohlrabi should be peeled, and the flavor is still sweet but a bit peppery.

Kohlrabi is a natural shredded or julienned in a slaw. This time I combined it with another ugly ducking vegetable, jicama. “HEE-kah-mah” is the edible tuberous root of a vine native to Mexico. Resembling a round potato, the papery brown skin needs to be peeled away before eating. The texture of the flesh is similar to an apple or a pear with a flavor that is mild and slightly sweet.

You can either shred or julienne the vegetables. Since the kohlrabi I used was on the small side, I shredded it in the food processor. The kohlrabi were still young and tender, so there was no need to peel, preserving the purple color. Larger kohlrabi with thicker skin should be peeled.

I was looking for a new twist on dressing the slaw so I turned to The Flavor Bible for some inspiration. I saw that both mustard and lemon were compatible flavors so I thought a honey whole grain mustard dressing would add the right texture and tang to the recipe. A little juice from one of our Ponderosa lemons gave the dressing brightness.

This simple slaw is a great addition to any buffet or picnic because it stays crisp long after it is dressed.

Just picked kohlrabi, love that purple color!

The kohlrabi need to be trimmed before they are shredded.

Nicknamed the “five pound lemon” they usually weigh two to four pounds. Ponderosa lemon is a citrus hybrid of a pomelo and a citron.

Kohlrabi Slaw

Serves 4-6

Ingredients for slaw

3-4 small or 1 large kohlrabi
1 small jicama
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Honey Lemon Mustard Dressing

Ingredients for dressing

2 T honey
2 T whole grain mustard (can add another T if desired)
3 T olive oil
¼ c freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of salt

Directions for dressing

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Directions for slaw

To prepare the kohlrabi, trim the root stem to the base. Cut the leaf stems from the globes. Wash leaves if using in another preparation. If the kohlrabi is mature, peel, if smaller leave skin on.
To prepare the jicama, peel.
Grate kohlrabi and jicama in a food processor or on a box grater. Squeeze out any excess water with your hands. You should have about 6 cups total.
Place shredded vegetables in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss to combine. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Refrigerate until serving.

May 13, 2018 Baked Parmesan Panko Asparagus Fries

Our spring vegetable garden includes several varieties of lettuce, spinach, radishes, Japanese turnips, beets, kohlrabi, sugar snap peas and cooking greens. However there is one spring vegetable that we don’t grow that makes my trip to the farmers market worthwhile, fresh local asparagus. Asparagus is a real sign that spring is here. and the season is fleeting. I will serve it roasted, grilled, raw in salads, in stir fries and a new way (at least for me) I heard about from a new “friend”, Alexa.

Alexa is a digital assistant that performs tasks, like turning on Sirius radio when I’m in the kitchen. “Alexa, play Seventies on Seven”. You can ask her the score of the game, will it be sunny today and even turn the lights on if you have the right smart home device. Our Amazon Echo has a screen that always shows the time, weather and rotating news headlines, fun facts and even recipes. One afternoon I noticed that a recipe for oven baked asparagus fries popped up. I was too busy at the time but thought that this was one I needed to try. On line I found many recipes, this is my interpretation of this popular dish.

Look for medium-sized asparagus for this recipe, twenty spears weighed about a pound. If you are storing the asparagus for any length of time, leave the rubber band on, trim about an inch off the bottom. Stand the spears up in a jar with about two inches of cool water and cover loosely with a plastic bag.

When you are ready to proceed with the recipe, preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up and brush with a tablespoon of oil or coat lightly with cooking spray. Set up your breading station by lining up three containers that are long enough to accommodate the asparagus spears. Place the flour in the first container. Add the beaten eggs to the second container. Combine panko and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper for the third container. Trim off the tough ends and lightly rinse the asparagus. Coat the spears with flour, dip in the egg then turn to coat in the Parmesan panko mixture. Place on baking sheet, lining up in a row but not touching. Lightly coat the spears with olive oil cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven, turning spears over halfway during the cooking process to ensure even baking.

In the category of “in case you didn’t know” panko is a Japanese style white breadcrumb that is light and airy with a texture like crushed corn flakes. You can easily find them in the Asian section of your supermarket. I prefer to only put a third of the breadcrumb mixture in the dredging pan at a time. After you have rolled several eggy spears in the crumbs, they tend to make the crumbs wet, so adding more dry crumbs as needed makes the process easier and neater. Remember the rule of wet hand dry hand. Designate one hand to do the dry steps, flour and breadcrumbs and the other to do the wet step-the egg mixture.These are best served right from the oven. Serve plain or with smoked paprika aioli.

I love my Williams-Sonoma interlocking stainless steel pans for my breading station.

Baked Parmesan Panko Asparagus Fries

Serves four

Ingredients

1 lb asparagus-medium thickness
½ c or more unbleached all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 T fresh lime juice
1 c panko breadcrumbs
1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Non stick spray or olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and lightly coat with a tablespoon of olive oil or olive oil cooking spray.
Rinse the asparagus and snap or cut tough ends off.
In a large bowl stir with a fork to combine the Parmesan and panko
Set up your breading station: line up three shallow bowls or dishes that are long enough to accommodate the spears. Put the flour in the first dish. Place the beaten eggs in the second and lightly beat in the lime juice. Place the Parmesan panko crumbs in the third, season crumbs with salt and pepper to taste.
Dredge the spears first in the flour, dip in the egg mixture and roll in the crumbs to coat on all sides, pressing crumbs in.
Place asparagus on the prepared baking sheet, spears close together but not touching. Coat lightly with olive oil cooking spray.
Bake the asparagus until browned, crisp and crunchy, about 10-12 minutes. Flip spears over halfway through the cooking time for even baking.
Serve immediately with smoked paprika aioli or your favorite dipping sauce.

Smoked Paprika Aioli

Makes about a cup

Ingredients

4-5 cloves roasted garlic
¾ c mayonnaise (homemade or prepared)
1 t smoked paprika
1 t fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

To make roasted garlic, cut off top third of a head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and bake in a 375°F oven for about 40 minutes or until garlic is soft and brown.
With a fork, mash 4-5 roasted cloves in a medium bowl. Add mayonnaise, smoked paprika, lemon juice and whisk to combine. Adjust seasonings and salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate for at least an hour to meld the flavors.