Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Chilled Buttermilk Cucumber Soup

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.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Grilled Chicken on Sauteed Greens

Grilled Chicken on Sauteed Greens


Heather enjoys grilling as much as possible so that she can avoid too many pans to wash in the kitchen! She also loves sweet and savory combinations, especially with the bitter greens. Enjoy! Serves 4.

CHICKEN
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

GREENS
2 tbsp oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bag braising greens, or other bunch of greens roughly chopped
1 additional bunch of greens (beet is good) or 1/2 head of Napa, cut into shreds
vinegar or juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup cherry halves
minced scallions

Brush chicken with 1 tbsp oil. Whisk together the honey, wine, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, basting with the honey spice mixture, until cooked through. Lightly sauté the greens with the oil and garlic; season with lemon juice or vinegar. Arrange plates with the cooked greens and a piece of chicken garnish with cherries and scallions.

Published in Dinner
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Braised Kohlrabi

Braised Kohlrabi


Braising kohlrabi in white wine really brings out the sweetness of this vegetable. Makes a wonderful accompaniment to grilled chicken or fish. Serves 4.

1.5 lb. kohlrabi, peeled and chopped into 1 pieces
2 garlic scapes, chopped into 1/4 pieces
2 TB butter
1.5 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled)
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine
chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a medium-sized skillet set over medium heat. Add the kohlrabi, scapes, tarragon, salt and pepper, and toss to coat with butter. Pour in white wine. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cover. Continue to cook, adjusting heat to keep pan contents at a slow simmer, approximately 10-15 minutes, until slightly tender. Uncover and turn the heat up a bit. Cook until the kohlrabi is slightly colored. Remove from heat and transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Published in Light Sides
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Fruited Grain Salad with Grilled Tofu Fajitas

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.

Published in Lunch
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

White Bean and Escarole Soup

White Bean and Escarole Soup


Paired with some fresh sliced bread and a side salad, it's the perfect light supper. Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 4.

1 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 purple pepper, cut into small dice
1 green pepper, cut into small dice
2 garlic scapes (or cloves), minced
3 cups (packed) 1-inch pieces escarole (about 1/2 large head)
4 cups (or more) vegetable or chicken broth
3 1/4 cups cooked white beans, such as Soldier or Jacob's Cattle
1 lb tomatoes, cut crosswise, seeds removed, then diced
2 tablespoons freshly grated local, sharp, hard cheese, or Parmesan

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch over medium-low heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic and sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Add escarole; stir 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until escarole is tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Ladel soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Kale Quesadillas

Kale Quesadillas


Serve these with your favorite fresh or canned salsa and a dollop of creme fraiche. The Indian Cabbage and Carrot Salad, below, would make a perfect side dish. Approximately 4 servings.

1 TB sunflower oil or bacon fat
1/2 a sweet onion, minced
2 garlic scapes, minced
One bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
1 large green pepper, stems and seeds removed, chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp kosher salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 TB minced fresh oregano, or 1 tsp dried, crumbled
8 oz Neighborly Farms Monterey or Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
2 extra large (12) flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 375F. Heat oil or bacon fat in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and scapes and saute until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add kale, green pepper if using, salt, pepper, cumin and oregano. Toss to combine and continue sauteing until kale is nicely wilted, about 3-5 minutes more. Taste mixture and adjust seasonings.

Lay bottom tortilla on a greased cookie sheet or round baking stone. Spread kale mixture evenly over tortilla and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover with second tortilla. Place in heated oven and bake until cheese is nicely melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cut into wedges and serve with salsa and creme fraiche or sour cream.

Published in Dinner
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Tomatoes and Feta

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Tomatoes and Feta


Grilling the vegetables adds pizzazz to this Mediterranean-inspired salad. Approximately 4-6 servings.

1 lb. snap beans, ends removed
1/2 a sweet onion, sliced thin
1 small zucchini or eggplant sliced crosswise or 1 large green pepper sliced into 1/2 thick wedges
2 TB sunflower or olive oil
1 large tomato, seeds removed, cut in 1 dice
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 TB toasted pine nuts
3 TB red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove mashed to a paste with kosher salt
salt and pepper to taste
6 TB sunflower or olive oil

Preheat barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Shock beans by placing in a large bowl of ice water. Drain and pat dry with a dishtowel. Toss beans and eggplant, pepper or zucchini in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill or broil oiled vegetables until beginning to brown, turning frequently, 2-5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add onions and tomatoes. Make dressing by combining the vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Then whisk in oil. Toss vegetables with dressing, adjust seasonings and sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve at room temperature.

Published in Salads
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Spanish Gazpacho

Spanish Gazpacho


Nothing beats a bowl of gazpacho for a light, summer meal. Serve each bowl with a dollop of crème fraiche and a slice of crusty bread on the side. Adapted from Culinate.com. Serves 4.

2 lb. ripe tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 medium sweet bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1/2 - 1 whole small jalapeno (to taste), deseeded and chopped
1 cube (about 2 inches square) crustless bread from a firm-textured, French-style loaf
2 TB apple cider vinegar
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp honey
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish

Put half of the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, bread, vinegar, salt, cumin and honey. Blend until no large pieces remain. With the motor running, add the remaining tomatoes and when well processed, gradually add the oil. Process until smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley or cilantro. Cooks Note: gazpacho can be chilled overnight. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar, if necessary.

Published in Soups and Stews
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Young Turnip and Apricot Salad with Toasted Nuts

Young Turnip and Apricot Salad with Toasted Nuts


Adapted from Farmer John's Cookbook. Serves 4.

1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 bunch salad turnips, greens washed, spun dry and set aside
1/2 cup finely sliced dried apricots
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup minced sweet onion
1 small hot pepper, minced, or to taste
1 clove garlic
1 tsp dry mustard
scant tbsp grated horseradish
1 tsp soy sauce
salt
pepper
mesclun

Toast walnuts in a dry heavy skillet stirring constantly until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a dishtowel to cool. Wash turnips and cut into thin matchsticks. Combine with apricots and walnuts in a large bowl.

Coarsely chop turnip greens. Put the parsley, chopped turnip greens, oils, vinegar and yogurt into a blender; process briefly, until the ingredients are just combined. Add the onion, hot pepper, garlic, mustard, horseradish, and soy sauce; process until thick and creamy. Pour the dressing over the turnip mixture; toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Line individual plates with a generous amount of salad greens; spoon the turnip salad on top. Serve immediately.

Published in Salads
Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00

Potato, Roasted Pepper and Mizuna Salad

Potato, Roasted Pepper and Mizuna Salad


Adapted from Epicurious.com. You can roast and peel red and yellow peppers following the directions below. The skins on purple and green peppers may be too thin for this method. Instead, consider roasting them at a lower temperature and skipping the peeling step. Serves 6.

3 pounds purple potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 mixed colored sweet peppers
1 3/4- to 2-ounce can flat fillets of anchovies, drained, minced
6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3/4 cups olive or sunflower oil
1 green onion bunch, sliced
1 bunch mizuna, sliced
preparation

Place potatoes in large pot. Cover with water. Boil until potatoes are just tender. Drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in white wine. Char red or yellow peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bag and let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed. Rinse if necessary; pat dry. Alternatively, grill green or red peppers at a lower temperature to color and soften, without a lot of char. Cut peppers into 3/4-inch squares. Transfer to medium bowl.

Combine anchovies and vinegar in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Pour 2/3 cup dressing over peppers. Add remaining dressing, green onions and mizuna to potatoes and mix gently. Season peppers and potatoes with salt and pepper. Let stand 30 minutes. Gently mix peppers into potatoes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Published in Salads
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