Rosy Beet/ Napa Cabbage Slaw

From Global Cookbook. Serves 4-6.
6 c. Thinly sliced Napa cabbage leaves
1 1/2 c. Minced red onion
2 med Beets, grated
1 c. Minced fresh parsley
1/4 c. Red wine vinegar
1/2 c. Water
2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/3 c. Minced fresh dill leaf
3 Tbsp. Minced fresh chives
1/2 c. Low fat lowfat sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine vegetables and parsley in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring till sugar is dissolved. Pour over vegetables and toss. Add in dill and chives and fold in well. Cover and let marinate overnight. Stir well once or twice. Just before serving, drain off excess liquid. Stir in lowfat sour cream and add in salt and pepper to taste.

Raw Beet, Carrot, Apple &/or Radish Salad

I chose this recipe out of the myriad available, because it's basic. 1 pound of whatever veggies you choose to use, dressed with a bit of olive oil, honey, and whatever acidic juice you'd like to add - it could be lemon juice, orange juice, cider vinegar, raspberry vinegar, etc etc. Just grate the vegetables and dress it with whatever suits your mood or meal today.

1 generous pound total of beets, carrot, apples or radishes trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Zest and juice of a lemon
Fresh dill, chopped
Few drops of Tabasco

Grate the beet. (There's no need to peel, the grater will just push the skins back.)
Grate or chop the carrot (or use a mandoline)
Grate or chop the radishes
Slice the apples

Toss with the remaining ingredients.

Tomato, Cucumber Salad with Buttermilk Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. White vinegar
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
Salt & Pepper

1 European cucumber, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1 head lettuce, washed, leaves pulled

Whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste until smooth, then whisk in dill.

Lay a few leaves of the lettuce on a plate, top with tomatoes and cumbers and drizzle dressing over the top.

Herbed New Potatoes

The best way to honor new potatoes is to cook them in a way that highlights their creamy goodness.

2 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed
3 TB butter, melted
2-3 TB fresh herbs (parsley, chives, oregano, dill, tarragon ...)

Add water to a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Put scrubbed potatoes in a basket steamer and cover, steaming for 25 to 35 minutes until potatoes are tender. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper and toss gently to coat.

Chilled Buttermilk Cucumber Soup

adapted from Gourmet Cookbook. You need pickled beets to make this, or it's just as good without. Serves 4.

2 c well shaken buttermilk
1/2 c sour cream
1 c milk (or more buttermilk)
1/2 tsp salt
grind of fresh black pepper
1 c chopped pickled beets
1/4 c pickled beet liquid
1 c chopped cucumber
1/2 c chopped sweet salad turnips
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp fresh minced chives
1 clove garlic, minced, optional(nice if you omit the beets)

Whisk together buttermilk, sour cream ,milk, and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate, covered at least 15 minutes, up to 8 hours. Stir to combine again before serving.

Pretty Pickled Eggs

Here's a fun pickled eggs and vegetables recipe from the Sundays at Moosewood cookbook. Yields one quart jar, doubles easily.

1 beet, trimmed and cut in half
1 parsnip or carrot, peeled and sliced diagonally
1/3 cup vinegar
2 tbsp maple sugar
1 tsp fresh dill
4 hard boiled eggs, peeled

Cook beet halves in a small sauce pan or pressure cooker until tender. Remove and set aside to cool. In the same cooking water, simmer parsnip or carrot slices until tender. Combine vinegar, sugar, dill with cooking water and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables and simmer for 2 minutes.

Layer the eggs and vegetables in a quart mason jar. Pour over the brine to cover. Add more boiling water, if needed to cover. Seal the jar tightly and place in refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours before serving.

These will keep for a week in the fridge. The eggs will be bright pink on the outside and white and yellow on the inside! Serve eggs cut into wedges and arranged with the vegetables on a bed of Pete's Greens.

Dilled Potatoes Vinaigrette

Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 4.

1 pound russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider or white-wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons dry vermouth or dry white wine
3 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
2 scallions, chopped
lettuce for serving

Place whole potatoes in a steamer set over boiling water. Steam them, covered, for 15-20 minutes, or until they are just tender. When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise into 1/3 thick rounds. In a bowl whisk together the mustard, the vinegar, the vermouth, and salt to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Add the potatoes while they are still warm to the dressing and toss them gently with the dressing, dill, scallions and pepper to taste until they are coated well.

Let the potato mixture stand, tossing it occasionally, for 30 minutes and serve it at room temperature a top mesclun or lettuce leaves torn into pieces. The potato mixture may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Let the potato mixture return to room temperature before serving.

Creamy Feta Dressing

If this recipe looks familiar, it's because it originally appeared in our May 21, newsletter. It's one of Heather's favorites, so we're including it again for those who weren't in our Spring Share. If you have fresh mint in the garden, use some here. Makes about 1 cup.

1/3 cup feta cheese, finely crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup oil
2 TB cider vinegar
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
3 TB yogurt
1 TB mayonnaise
fresh black pepper
fresh minced or dry herbs: mint, dill, chives, parsley

Blend together vinegar, garlic, yogurt, mayo, salt, pepper, & herbs. Blend in the oil in a drizzle until emulsified, then stir in feta. Keeps 1 week in refrigerator.

Dilled Potato and Pickled Cucumber Salad

From Bon Appetit August 2004.

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 hothouse cucumbers, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup plus 1.5 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1.5 pounds Nicola potatoes, unpeeled
Additional coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup very thinly sliced white onion or scallions
4 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
3/8 cup mayonnaise

Small radishes with green tops

Stir vinegar and 2 teaspoons coarse salt in small bowl until salt dissolves. Place cucumbers and 1/4 cup dill in sealed container. Add vinegar mixture; seal bag. Turn several times to coat. Refrigerate overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Pour cucumber mixture into large sieve set over bowl. Drain at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Discard brine.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain. Cool potatoes completely. Peel potatoes; quarter lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place potatoes in large bowl; sprinkle generously with coarse salt and pepper. Add drained cucumbers, onion, sliced radishes, and remaining 1.5 tablespoons dill; toss to blend. Let stand 1 hour. Stir mayonnaise into salad. Season generously with salt and pepper, if desired.

Whole Trout Baked in Foil

by Martha Rose Shulman and NYT May 13, 2009
I like this recipe for its simplicity. You could fill the fish with lots of different greens and spice combos. I just made some great fresh salsa and this recipe has inspired me to serve the fish simply with rice and fresh salsa and maybe some black beans.

Extra virgin olive oil
2 small rainbow trout, boned
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemons, one sliced, one cut in wedges
4 fresh tarragon or dill sprigs, or 2 rosemary sprigs
Chopped fresh tarragon, dill or parsley for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut two sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil or four sheets of lighter foil into squares that are three inches longer than your fish. If using lighter foil, make four double-thick squares. Oil the dull side of the foil with olive oil, and place a trout, skin side down, on each square. Season both sides with salt and pepper, and open them out flat. Place two tarragon or dill sprigs (or one rosemary sprig) and two lemon slices down the middle of each, and fold the two sides together. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each fish.

2. Making sure that the trout are in the middle of each square, fold up the foil loosely, grabbing at the edges and crimping together tightly to make a packet. Place on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, checking one of the packets after 10 minutes. The flesh should be opaque and pull apart easily when tested with a fork.

3. Place each packet on a plate. Carefully cut across the top to open it, taking care not to let the steam from inside the packet burn you. Gently remove the fish from the packet, and pour the juices over it. Sprinkle with fresh tarragon, dill or parsley. Serve, passing the lemon wedges.

Yield: Serves two.

Advance preparation: You can prepare the fish and make the foil packets several hours ahead. Keep in the refrigerator until shortly before cooking.

Variation: Fill the trout with sauteed Swiss chard or other greens with garlic and olive oil and serve with more on the side.