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Garnished Tomato Rounds
Nothing could be simpler to make or such a fresh, summer treat to enjoy. Serves 2.
2 ripe tomatoes
fromage blanc
arugula pesto
sunflower oil, for drizzling
Slice tomatoes into 1/3 thick rounds. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of fromage blanc on each round. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of pesto on top of the cheese. Drizzle with sunflower oil and enjoy.
Fruited Grain Salad
6 servings.
2 cups wheat berries
3 TB vinegar
1 TB lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
1 TB honey
1/2 cup minced sweet onion
7 large fresh mint leaves, minced
5 ripe plums, sliced into little wedges
Soak wheat berries for 30 minutes. Drain and place in a saucepan with about 5 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, about an hour. Drain as needed and toss in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients, except for the plums. Cover and chill. Toss with plums just Grilled Tofu Fajitas
Serves 4.
Marinade:
juice of 3 limes
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
red pepper flakes to taste
2 garlic scapes, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 cakes tofu
2 summer squash
1 onion
4 flour tortillas
salsa
sour cream
Combine marinade ingredients in small food processor bowl. Process until pureed. Cut the tofu into strips, place in a large bowl and gently coat with marinade. Marinate at least 15 minutes. Preheat the grill.
Cut the squash into diagonal half-moons and the onion into wedges. Place the tofu on the grill and toss the vegetables with the remaining marinade in the bowl and grill. You may need to do this in batches and a grill tray works great so the vegetables don't fall through. When the tofu and vegetables are brown and tender, remove to a platter and keep warm. Quickly grill the tortillas to warm them, then serve promptly with salsa and sour cream.
Onion and Thyme Flan
Sweet onions are key for this dish. If you like, bake it in a crust and call it a quiche. Serves 4-6.
3 large sweet onions
2 TB butter
1 tsp salt
2 tsp fresh thyme
fresh black pepper
2 TB sherry or Marsala
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz grated sharp cheese
Preheat oven to 350F. Peel and chop the onions. Melt butter in a large skillet and cook the onions with a bit of salt over low heat until golden and melting soft. This will take about 1/2 hour. Stir gently and often to prevent burning. Add the thyme, pepper and Marsala and stir, cooking until the liquid cooks off. Remove from heat.
Whisk together the eggs, milk and a pinch of salt.
Without a crust: stir the onions and cheese into the eggs. Pour mixture into a buttered baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until set and a knife comes out clean.
With a crust, layer 1/2 the cheese then onions in crust and pour over the egg mixture. Then top with remaining cheese and bake as above.
Tomato Toasts with Bacon & Blue Cheese
For the bacon eaters, an over-the-top BLT! Serve with mesclun on the side. Serves 6.
4 slices bacon
6 slices bread
6 TB oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup minced leek
3 TB vinegar (sherry is nice here)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/2 thick rounds
30 small basil leaves
1 1/2 oz crumbled blue cheese
freshly ground black pepper
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Crumble when cool. Reserve bacon fat. Grill bread slices 3 at a time in same skillet, turning once, until golden brown. Add a bit of oil as needed. Remove to a cooling rack, season with salt and pepper.
For dressing heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and 3 tablespoons oil in small heavy saucepan. Add leeks and cook about 2 minutes, until soft. Whisk in vinegar and salt and pepper until well combined. Cover and keep warm.
Arrange toasts on a platter or individual plates. Layer tomatoes, blue cheese, basil and bacon, ending with a sprinkling of blue cheese on top. Spoon warm dressing over it all and season with fresh ground black pepper.
Bacon and Goat Cheese Free-Form Tart
This is one of my favorite recipes from Cooking with Shelburne Farms. One could call it onion and goat cheese tart, however, as it calls for a lot of onions and is also delicious made without the bacon. Or, try adding sliced fennel while cooking down the onions. Though the recipe calls for all-purpose flour, you could substitute 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour in the crust. Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer.
For the crust:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1/2 tsp coarse salt
3 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into 4 chunks
2-3 TB ice water
milk to brush the crust
For the filling:
1/2 pound bacon
1 TB olive oil
2 pounds (about 4 large) onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3/4 cup (3-4 ounces) crumbled fresh goat cheese
To make the crust, cut the butter into small cubes and freeze for at least 15 minutes. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend the flour, cornmeal and salt. Add the cream cheese and process for about 20 seconds, or until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until no butter is larger than the size of a pea. Add the ice water and process for about 30 seconds, or until a pinch of the dough holds together. If it doesn’t, add more water, a teaspoon at a time. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead just until it holds together in one piece. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, cook the bacon in a sauté pan or skillet until it is about halfway cooked. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Put the pan with the remaining bacon fat (or 2 tablespoons of butter, if you are skipping the bacon), over medium heat. Add the olive oil and then the sliced onions and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions slowly, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and caramelized, 35-45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375F with a rack in the second-lowest position. On a nonstick baking mat or piece of parchment paper, roll the chilled dough into a rough circle about 1/8 inch thick and 14-16 inches in diameter. (The edges do not have to be smooth and neat.) Lift the baking mat with the crust onto a cookie sheet. Spread the caramelized onions over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Coarsely chop the bacon and sprinkle it evenly over the onions, followed by the thyme leaves, and finally the goat cheese. Fold the edges of the crust in over the filling, pleating the edges as necessary. Brush the crust with milk. Bake the tart for 30-35 minutes until the crust is golden. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Garlicky Mushroom Quesadillas with Tomatillo Chile Salsa
This recipe is adapted from the aforementioned A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen, by Jack Bishop. Serves 3-4.
Tomatillo-Chile Salsa
1 pint tomatillos, husked and washed
2-3 medium jalapenos
2 TB chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt
Quesadillas
4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
salt to taste
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
freshly ground black pepper
6 8-inch flour tortillas
4 ounces goat cheese
Preheat oven to 450F. Roast the whole tomatillos and chiles in a rimmed baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven, turning the veggies once, until lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly and transfer the tomatillos to a food processor. Cut off the stems of the chiles and add, (seeds and all, for extra heat), to the food processor. Pulse just until combined and still chunky. Scrape the salsa into a bowl and stir in the cilantro and salt to taste.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned lightly, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper to taste and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Set the mushroom mixture aside.
Lay 3 tortillas flat on a work surface. Sprinkle goat cheese on top, leaving a 1/2 border around the edges. Divide the mushroom mixture evenly among the tortillas. Top with the remaining tortillas. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the first quesadilla and cook, turning once, until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and repeat with the remaining quesadillas. Cut each quesadilla into quarters. Spoon some salsa into the middle of each quesadilla. Serve the remaining salsa on the side.
Greens with Yogurt
This recipe comes from a Culinate.com article that appeared in July. Though all the recipes in the article looked good, this one really caught my eye. Try marinating some tofu with olive oil, lemon and garlic and sauteing along with the greens. To make Greek-style yogurt out of the Butterworks, spoon yogurt into a strainer lined with a coffee filter. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and refrigerate for 2 hours. The whey will drain out, leaving a yogurt cheese that comes close to a Greek yogurt.
1 lb. beet greens or chard, trimmed and washed
1 1/2 TB olive oil
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 TB unsalted butter
1 small red onion, chopped, approximately 1 cup
salt to taste
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water generously and boil the greens until tender. Drain and shock the greens in ice water, then drain again. Pound the garlic to a paste in a mortar. Add the lemon juice and let sit 5 minutes. Stir in the yogurt.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the greens and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and transfer to a serving platter; set skillet aside. Spoon the yogurt like a sauce over the hot greens. Heat the butter in the same skillet and cook the onions over high heat, stirring, until brown and crisp at the edges. Season with salt and spoon the onions over the yogurt.
Spanish Tortilla
From Eating Well Magazine. Don't confuse this with the flour or corn tortillas you use to make wraps. A Spanish tortilla is a potato-and-egg omelet found on numerous menus throughout Spain. Traditionally these are cooked in heaps of olive oil. Our version uses less oil, so it's lower in calories. Serves 6.
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked diced potatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup shredded Manchego or Jack cheese
3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add potatoes, thyme and paprika and cook for 2 minutes more.
Lightly whisk eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Gently stir the potato mixture into the eggs along with cheese, spinach, salt and pepper until combined. Wipe the pan clean; add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and heat over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture, cover and cook until the edges are set and the bottom is browned, 4 to 5 minutes (it will still be moist in the center).
To flip the tortilla, run a spatula gently around the edges to loosen them. Invert a large plate over the pan and turn out the tortilla onto it. Slide the tortilla back into the pan and continue cooking until completely set in the middle, 3 to 6 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Active time: 25 minutes | Total: 40 minutes | To make ahead: Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Blue Cheese, Apple & Leek Tart with a Spiced Whole-Wheat Crust
I recently came across this recipe in the 2007 Appetizer issue of Fine Cooking Magazine. I plan to serve it, as adapted, as an appetizer for Christmas dinner. Serves 8-10.
For the tart shell:
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) sifted unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (2 oz) sifted whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground mace
pinch cayenne
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into bits
4 - 6 TB ice water
For the filling:
1 medium leek, light and green parts only, split lengthwise, sliced crosswise, washed and drained
1 TB unsalted butter
1 medium apple, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/4 dice
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 lb blue cheese, trimmed of rind and crumbled
To make the shell, stir the two flours, coriander, mace, cayenne and salt together in a medium bowl or food processor. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the butter bits resemble oatmeal. Mix in just enough ice water to form a ball of dough. Gently flatten into a smooth disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Once chilled, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and place over a 10-11 fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Fit into pan, trimming any excess, making sure there are no holes in the pastry dough where the filling may leak out. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge while you prepare the filling.
Preheat the oven to 375F. To make the filling, heat butter in a medium skillet; add the leeks and apples. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the leeks are brightly colored and the apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Lightly beat the eggs, half-and-half, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Place the tart pan with dough on a cookie sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper. Distribute the cooled leek mixture evenly over the tart dough. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese over the mixture. Pour the custard over the top. Bake until the custard has set in the middle and the top begins to turn golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
Tomato and Potato Frittata
Great served with a shoot and roasted root salad with a Sweet Chai vinaigrette. Serves 4.
6 whole large eggs
2 large egg whites
4 oz creme fraiche
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried crumbed oregano
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 oz frozen tomatoes, thawed, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup finely grated sharp, hard cheese
Preheat broiler. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, creme fraiche, salt, pepper and oregano. Cook garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet (preferably nonstick and ovenproof) over moderate heat, stirring, until translucent, and beginning to turn golden about 3-5 minutes. Add potatoes to skillet and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until just tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon oil and tomatoes to skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until tomatoes begin to brown and liquid has evaporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon oil and potatoes with garlic to skillet, spreading evenly. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cook over moderately high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 3 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and cook, covered, 5 minutes more (center will be moist).
Remove lid and broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle top evenly with grated cheese, then broil until cheese melts and frittata is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Slide onto a platter and cut into 4 wedges.
More...
Apple Butter and Cheddar Crostini
These crostini are the perfect combination of this week's share ingredients. Serve along side a shoot salad.
pain au levain, thinly sliced
apple butter
minced shallots
Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 350F. Lay thinly sliced bread on a cookie sheet. Bake for 3-5 minutes, until just beginning to crust, but not turn color. Spread lightly with apple butter, sprinkle on a few pieces of minced shallots and place thinly sliced cheese on top. Place back in oven until cheese begins to melt.
Cheese Souffle with Celeriac, Radish, Apple and Walnut Salad
I found this recipe on the Food Network site. I think it perfectly combines many of this week's ingredients. The recipe is from Mark Gregory, One Aldwych Hotel, London, England. Please note that the site warns the recipe, in these proportions, has not been tested, and I did not have time to test it either. But, at worst, you'll end up with a fallen souffle, but still delicious meal. Serves 4-6.
Souffle base:
1 tablespoon soft butter
1 tablespoon flour
6 ounces milk
9 egg yolks
2 ounces Ben Nevis or blue cheese, grated
1 teaspoon mild mustard
Salt and pepper
8 ounces egg whites
1 teaspoon corn starch
Pinch salt
Salad:
2 cups celeriac, finely sliced into sticks
1/2 cup apple, finely sliced into sticks
1/2 cup valentine radish, finely sliced into sticks
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for garnish
1/2 teaspoon mild mustard
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons + 1 tsp mayonnaise
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. To make the souffle base, mix together the flour, butter, milk, egg yolks, cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix until smooth and set aside. This maybe be prepared a day ahead of time.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites, corn starch, and salt until stiff but fluffy. Add a small amount of the egg whites to the souffle base and blend. Add the remaining egg whites to the mixture and fold gently. Gently spoon in the mixture into 6 buttered ramekins and place in the oven. Bake souffles for approximately 10 minutes until they have risen and are golden. Once you remove them from the oven, allow to rest for 1 minute before serving.
To prepare the salad, mix all of the ingredients together. To serve, place the salad on each plate on the side and remove the souffle from the ramekins and invert 1 onto each plate. Top the souffle with chopped walnuts.
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serve these lovely pancakes with a roasted beet and greens salad and/or applesauce on the side. Makes 20 (3-inch) pancakes.
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups whole-milk cottage cheese
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
Preheat oven to 200°F. Cook onion, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in 2 tablespoons butter in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, then add cottage cheese, eggs, flour, 1/4 cup butter, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and whisk until combined.
Brush a 12-inch nonstick skillet with some of remaining butter and heat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 5, scoop 1/8-cup measures of batter into skillet and cook until undersides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until undersides are golden brown and pancakes are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Brush skillet with butter between batches if necessary.
Apple and Spring Greens Tart with Feta and Sweet Onion-Thyme Confit
Adapted from the Rebar Modern Food Cookbook by Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz, c. 2001. Rebar is a hip restaurant in Victoria, BC. Savory and sweet strike a nice balance in this tart. A small portion of rich onion confit served alongside is an indulgence, and not necessary because the tart stands on its own (but rewarding if you choose to go the extra step).
1 pre baked whole wheat tart shell
1 TB butter
1 TB olive oil
1/2 cup onion puree
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 bunch of greens (original recipe called for spinach - a combo of turnip greens and pac choi leaves would be great)
3 eggs
1 cup light cream (or milk)
1 cup crumbled feta (or blue cheese!)
3 apples
1 egg white, beaten
Heat the oil and butter in a pan large enough to hold the greens and saute the onions just a bit to flavor them up even more. Chop the greens and toss them in with the onions and wilt the greens. Next lightly beat eggs in a bowl. Add cream (or milk), salt and pepper and whisk together. To assemble the tart, evenly distribute the feta over the bottom of the prebaked shell. Follow with the onion/greens mixture. Then pour in the egg mixture over top. Quarter and core the apples and thinly slice each quarter into 6-8 wedges. Starting at the outer edge of the tart, overlap the apple slices, skin facing out in a circle around the edge. Spiral the overlapping slices toward the center of the tart to cover the entire surface. Beat the egg white in a small bowl and brush over the aples. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes until the egg is set and the crust has browned. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Onion Thyme Confit
2 TB butter
1/2 cup onion puree
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1/3 tsp thyme (or 1 tsp fresh minced)
1 TB balsamic vinegar
Melt butter in a skillet, add onion puree and saute for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook 5-10 minutes on medium-high heat until the onions are golden.
