•  

    Fennel Pesto

     

    2 T fennel seeds

    2 cups fennel bulb

    1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

    2 cloves garlic

    1/3 cup walnuts

    1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

    ½ cup virgin olive oil

    Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

     

    Discard the pithy stalks (keep some top for sauce, recipe below) and cut the bottom off the fennel bulb. Roughly chop and steam for several minutes to slightly soften. Meanwhile soak the fennel seeds in a cup of hot water.

    Combine drained fennel seeds, fennel bulb, parsley, garlic, and nuts in a blender or food processor. Blend with pulsing action to mix. Add the parmesan cheese and whirl for fifteen seconds.  With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to process until pesto reaches desired consistency. Allow pesto to stand for about five minutes before serving to allow flavors to develop.

    Makes about 1 1/4 cup of pesto. Half the recipe for the sauce recipe below. 

     

    Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

     

    ¼ cup olive oil

    2 T minced onion

    1 (14 oz.) can Italian style plum tomatoes with juice, chopped

    ½ cup fennel pesto (see above)

    ¼ cup minced drained and blotted sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil

    2 T fennel tops finely chopped (fernlike tops saved from fennel)

    Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

     

    Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion. Sauté, stirring, over low heat until the onion is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the plum tomatoes and pesto; cook, stirring and crushing tomatoes, with the side of a spoon until the juices are slightly reduced and the sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Add the sun dried tomatoes and fennel tops. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss with hot pasta. Serves 4

     

  • Salad:

    • 3 lbs potatoes, scrubbed and cut into half inch cubes
    • chopped green olives
    • a few hard boiled eggs
    • handful of chopped roasted red peppers (we roast our own and freeze them in the fall)
    • a scoop of capers
    • fresh carrots, diced up mini
    • fresh peas or greens or any other veggie (colored cauliflower is great)
    • Fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, basil, thyme, tarragon, anything you like, in any combination)

    Steam or boil the cubed spuds until just tender (don't overcook! they keep cooking even after you drain the water). Add the rest of the ingredients to the drained spuds.

    Dressing:

    I always wing it, but I usually do some combo of the following in the blender to taste:

    • glug of olive oil
    • a couple big spoonfuls of mayo or vegenaise
    • splash of tamari (soy sauce
    • little glug of vinegar (cider or red wine is good)
    • plop of sweet pickles & their juices (we make our own in the fall and our recipe includes onions)
    • salt
    • pepper
    • dash of Cranky Baby Hot Sauce

    Blend. Pour over the potato mixture and mix together.

  • 2 bunches collard greens or a mixture of collards, kale, chard, spinach, turnips tops, etc.

    sea salt and freshly ground pepper

    3 medium yellow potatoes, scrubbed and diced

    3-4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)

    2 Tbs. olive oil

    1/2 onion or 1 bunch scallions, chopped

    1-2 garlic cloves, minced

    pinch of red pepper flakes

    hot pepper sauce or vinegar for the table

     

    • Strip the collards from the stem and wash. Bring a few quarts of water to a boil. Add salt and the greens and simmer for 5 minutes. Scoop collards into a bowl. Add potatoes to the cooking water and simmer until tender, 7-10 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet or in the oven. Set aside to drain.
    • Heat oil in a pan (you can use a little bacon grease, too). Add the onion and sautee about 5 minutes.
    • Chop the cooked greens, then add them to the pan along with the garlic and pepper flakes. Scoop some of the potato water into the pan so that everything cooks in a little moisture.
    • When potatoes are tender, scoop them out and add them to the greens. Add the bacon, toss everything together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve and season to taste with hot sauce and/or vinegar.

     

  • Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

     

    Salt and freshly milled pepper

    2 pounds green or yellow zucchini, freshly grated

    2 eggs, beaten

    1-2 onions, thinly sliced

    1 cup breadcrumbs

    2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

    1/2 cup parsely or cilantro, chopped

    1 Tbs. chopped marjoram or basil

    1 tsp. chopped mint

    Olive oil as needed

     

    Lightly salt the zucchini and set it aside in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients together except the oil and the pepper. Quickly rinse the squash, squeeze out the excess water, then stir into the batter. Season with salt and pepper.

     

    Film two large skillets with olive oil. When hot, drop in the batter - 1/4 cup makes a fritter about 3.5 inches across - and cook over medium heat until golden on the bottom. Turn and cook the second side. Serve hot, garnished with cilantro or parsley.

     

  • A really different, simple recipe for all the green stuff:

    Braised Greens with Dried Fruits and Nuts

    1/2 lb (about 5 cups) fresh green such as kale, chard, nappa cabbage
    2 T. olive oil
    1 shallot, finely chopped
    1/4 c. raisins
    1/4 c. chopped apricots
    1/2 c. pine nuts
    2 cubes veg. or chicken bouillon
    1/4 c. dry white wine
    1 cup hot water
    1 t. salt
    Freshly ground black pepper.

    1.  Wash greens and coarsely chop, removing thick stems.

    2.  Heat oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallot and saute until fragrant.  Add raisins, apricots and pine nuts.  Saute 5 minutes.  Add bouillon cubes, smashing them into mixture.  Add white wine.  Boil 1 94 2 minutes.  Add greens and toss.  Add hot water, salt and pepper.  Stir and cook over low heat until greens are wilted and liquid has thickened, about 8 - 12 minutes.  Serves 6.

    Note:  I made this with water instead of oil.

  • Fresh Pea Soup
    makes 6 cups

    We use organic frozen peas to make this beautiful bright-green soup. Adding them to the pot at the tail end of the cooking time preserves their sweet flavor and vivid green color. It's lovely garnished with lots of snipped fresh chives, dill or chervil. Adding a small dollop of creme fraiche, sour cream, or whipped cream to each serving is pretty delicious, too.

    2 tablespoons butter
    1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced
    1 russet potato, peeled and cut into small pieces
    4 cups chicken broth
    2 pounds (6 cups) frozen peas
    Salt and pepper

    Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft but not colored, about 10 minutes.

    Add the potatoes and chicken broth to the pot and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the peas and season with some salt and pepper. When the peas are heated through, about 1 minute, remove the pot from the heat.

    Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender. For a smoother texture, pass it through a strainer into a bowl, discarding the solids. Taste the soup and season it with more salt, if you like, as it will probably need it.

    Return the soup to the pot and warm it over low heat. Or, cover and refrigerate it until cold. Serve the soup hot or cold.

  • yield: Makes 8 first-course servings

    This soup can be pureed by pressing it through a strainer or a food mill. It can also be pureed in a blender and then strained.

    Ingredients

    Spice mix

    • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
    • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
    • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

    Soup

    • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 4 stalks chopped celery
    • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion or shallot
    • 1 cup chopped carrots
    • 1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger (from about 3-inch-long piece)
    • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 pound bell peppers, chopped
    • 1 3/4 cups chopped fresh fennel bulb
    • 3 pounds tomatoes, diced (about 8 cups)
    • 5 1/4 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 teaspoons (about) hot pepper sauce
    • 1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over
    • Thinly sliced radishes (optional)
    • Chopped fresh chives (optional)

    Preparation
    For spice mix:
    Toast all ingredients in heavy medium skillet over medium heat until spices darken slightly in color and start to pop, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Cool in skillet. Transfer to spice mill and grind finely.
    For soup:
    Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion/shallots, and carrots. Sauté until vegetables soften slightly, about 8 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and sauté 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and fennel. Stir 2 minutes to coat. Add tomatoes; cook until tomatoes soften and break down, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add broth and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Add ground spice mix; return soup to boil. Remove from heat; cover and steep 20 minutes.
    Place coarse sieve over large bowl. Working with 2 cups at a time, strain soup into bowl, pressing liquid and most of solids through sieve. Season soup to taste with hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate soup until cold, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
    Ladle soup into 8 shallow bowls. Divide crabmeat among bowls. Garnish with radish slices and chives.

  • Being the web guy for Valley Flora has it's benefits. Each week brings cucumbers, radishes, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, squash and any number of odd but tasty items that pile up -- hey a geek can only eat so many vegetables between pizza and espresso!

     Oh I grill and salad to my hearts content but each Wednesday yet more produce comes and I'm still left over with whatever I didn't get around to gnoshing on the previous week. Fresh food is wonderful but what's worse is watching it slowly wilt into mush so I hit on a simple solution: Vinaigrette Slury

     I have a big covered stainless steel bowl in my fridge filled with vinegar, olive oil, chopped up garlic, some basil, cilantro, black pepper, a bit of marjoram, some jalapeno or crushed red pepper and Dijon mustard -- a classic vinaigrette but heavy on the vinegar (I use a combo of red wine and apple cider vinegar). As the Valley Flora Veg get a little on the squishy side I just chop them up and throw them in the bowl. Cucumbers, tomatoes & onions do especially good in this bath, but squashes, and even spinach will soak up the goodness for quite a while without turning to yuk.

     So whatever I'm making, I just grab out some of that pickled veg and add it. For fresh salads it's great as a bit of spice and vinegar, it's freaking awesome on hot bagels with creme cheese and even better as a crunch on a taco or as a side to a nice bit of lamb. Best part is, it doesn't go bad!

     

    So don't despair if your veg are going soft -- just open up a vinegar spa in your fridge and let them soak

     

    BTW: Lee's Bees Honey just went live with a bunch of Oregon honey just south at Cape Blanco so check out the new site.  Still working on it but I think it's going to be pretty cool.

     

    -Zachary the VF web geek

     

  •  
    Sicilian Pesto
     
    Recipe adapted from Marcella Says (2004) by Marcella Hazan
     
    2 oz. (about ½ heaping cup) whole, roasted almonds
     
    2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
     
    4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
     
    2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano cheese
     
    ½ cup tightly packed fresh arugula leaves
     
    ¼ tsp. dried red chile pepper flakes
     
    3 to 4 firm, fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
     
    1 tsp. fine sea salt                
     
    Put all ingredients in a food processor and process to a creamy consistency. Taste and correct for salt. Toss with drained pasta that is still piping hot in a warm bowl. Serve immediately.
     
    Makes enough pesto for 1 pound of pasta. 
     
    This was always very popular at The Breadworks. Nice and spicy is best. Lots of red pepper flakes!
     
    Also refreshing made with fresh mint leaves. Yum!
     
    Enjoy.

    • 3/4 cup French green lentils
    • 6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded  pumpkin
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon hot paprika
    • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    • 4 cups greens or torn lettuce leaves
    • 1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
    • 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

    Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.
    Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.
    Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.
    Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with greens, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.
    Adapted from epicurious.com

  • Makes 6 servings
     
    2 lbs. small new potatoes
    1 1/4 lbs fresh beans
    1/2 cup vinaigrette-style salad dressing
    ground black pepper to taste
     
    1.  Wash new potatoes.  Trim beans.
    2.  Add potatoes and bean to pot of boiling water; boil gently until just tender. 10-15 minutes.  Take care not to overcook.  Drain.
    3.  Place beans and potatoes in bowl.  Add salad dressing and pepper to taste.  Toss gently.  Serve hot, cold or at room temp.

  • Makes 2 1/2 cups
    2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
    1 cup corn kernels
    1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
    1/2 cup diced celery (optional)
    1/3 cup diced onion
    2 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1/2 tsp. sugar
    1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
    1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
    salt, to taste
     
    1.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marry for 30 minutes.
    2.  Serve as picnic side dish, or as condiment to hot dogs and burgers.

  • Makes 6 servings
    1 large onion, chopped
    1/2 cup bell pepper, minced
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1 Tbsp.  corn oil
    1 cup corn kernels
    1 lbs. summer squash and/or zucchini
    4 roasted hot peppers, seeded and peeled (optional)
    1/2 cup hot water
    salt to taste
     
    1.  In heavy skillet over medium-high heat, saute onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in oil.  Add corn;  cook and stir until uniformly browned. 
    2.  Cut squash into matchsticks.  Cut chilies into long thin strips (try kitchen scissors).  Add squash, chilies, water and salt in skillet.
    3.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.  Serve with hot tortillas.

  • Makes 6 servings
     
    1/6 lb. prosciutoo, finely chopped
    1/4 cup olive oil
    1 clove garlic, chopped
    1/4 cup dry white wine
    1/4 cup lemon juice
    1 Tbsp.  sugar
    Salt and pepper, to taste
    1 lb.  fresh spinach, washed, stemmed and torn into pieces
    1/4 cup chopped walnuts
    1/2 c.  sliced black olives
    grated parmesan cheese
     
    1.  Cook and stir prosciutto in hot oil in skillet over medium heat.  When browned, add garlic.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add wine, juice, sugar, salt, and pepper;  heat just until simmering.  Pour over spinach in bowl. 
    2.  Add walnuts, olives, and Parmesan to bowl;  toss.  Serve at once while dressing is still warm.

  • yield: Makes 5 servings

    active time: 30 min
    total time: 45 min

    Anchovy and red pepper flakes balance the bitterness of the escarole, giving it a sweetness that goes well with robust flavors.

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    Ingredients

    • 2 heads of escarole, cored and coarsely chopped
    • 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
    • 2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
    • Half of a (2-oz) can anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained, patted dry, and chopped

    Preparation
    Wash escarole well in a sinkful of water, then lift out and drain. Cook escarole in a 4-6quart heavy pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander.
    Heat oil in same pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add anchovies, then reduce heat to moderate and cook, stirring, until dissolved, about 1 minute. Add escarole, stirring to coat with oil, then increase heat to moderately high and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until escarole is tender and most of liquid is evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
    Spoon onto a platter and drizzle with oil to taste.
    Cooks' note: Escarole can be sautéed (but not drizzled with oil) 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat in a large pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until hot.
    Adapted from epicurious.com

     
     

  • Makes 6-8 servings
    4 medium sized beets
    2 sprigs of basil, chopped
    1/2 onion, chopped
    2 eggs, beaten
    salt and black pepper, to taste
    1/4 to 2/3 cup flour
    olive oil
    mozzarella cheese
    burger buns
     
    1.  Trim beet tops and root.  Shred the beet in a food processor; transfer to a bowl.  Add basil, onions, eggs, salt and pepper; mix.
    2.  Mix in just enough flour to make the mixture stick together.  Form into 4-inch patties about 1/2 inch thick.  (Don't make them too thick or the centers won't cook well.)
    3.  Heat 1/4 inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry patties 2-3 minutes on one side, until crispy.  Turn, place a slice of mozzarella on top and fry 2-3 minutes more, until crispy.
    4.  Place hot on bun; serve immediately.

  • Makes 6 servings
     
    2 Tbsp.  sesame oil
    1/2 cup chopped walnuts
    1/4 cup chopped onion, shallot, or leek
    4 cups broccoli florets
    1/4 cup sweet pepper strips
    2 Tbsp. soy sauce
     
    1.  Heat oil in skillet until hot.  Add walnuts and onion;  stir-fry for 1 minute.
    2.  Add broccoli;  continue to toss for 3-4 minutes.
    3.  Add pepper and soy sauce;  cook 1 minute longer.  Serve immediately.
     

  • Serves 8-10
    Slow-cooked, jammy shallots are an sumptuous and unexpected addition to these buttery mashed potatoes.

     

    Ingredients
    For shallots:

    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 pound small shallots, peeled
    • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    For potatoes:

    • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
    • 1/2 cup whole milk
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1/3 cup sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • Special equipment: large heavy skillet with lid


    Preparation
    Make shallots:
    In skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Add shallots and thyme and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 15 minutes.
    Stir in oil, breaking up any clumps of sugar, reduce heat to moderately low, and set lid ajar. Simmer, partially covered, until shallots are deep golden brown, silky, and falling apart, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If liquid completely evaporates before shallots reach desired consistency, add 1 tablespoon water as needed.
    Discard thyme sprigs and stir in salt and pepper. Keep warm, covered. (Shallots can be made up to 1 week ahead and refrigerated. Gently reheat in microwave before serving.)
    Make potatoes:
    Preheat oven to 350°F. Prick potatoes all over with fork and wrap together in aluminum foil packet. Bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (Potatoes can be baked up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated; rewarm in microwave before continuing.)
    In small saucepan over low heat, bring milk to simmer. While potatoes are still warm, halve and scoop out flesh into large bowl. Add hot milk, butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Using potato masher, mash until smooth. (Potatoes can be mashed up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; rewarm in microwave before serving.) Top with shallot confit and serve immediately.

  •  
    Serves 4 to 6.   Published September 1, 2007. Cooks Illustrated.
    The quickest way to slice the vegetables is in a food processor fitted with an 1/8-inch slicing blade. If the potatoes are too long to fit into the feed tube, halve them crosswise and put them in the feed tube cut-side down so that they sit on a flat surface. If the potato slices discolor as they sit, put them in a bowl and toss with a couple tablespoons of the cream and chicken broth. If you like, use Parmesan instead of cheddar.
     
    INGREDIENTS
    2 TB butter
    1 onion, minced, about 1 cup
    1 TB chopped fresh thyme
    1 1/2 tsp salt 
    1/2 tsp pepper
    8 oz celery root (about 1/2), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
    8 oz parsnips (about 2 medium), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
    1 cup chicken broth
    1 cup heavy cream
    2 bay leaves
    1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
    4 oz grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup

    INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees.
    2. Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add celery root, parsnips, chicken broth, cream, and bay leaves and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, bring mixture back to simmer, cover, and cook until potatoes are almost tender (paring knife can be slipped into and out of potato slice with some resistance), about 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
    3. Transfer mixture to 8-inch-square baking dish (or other 1 1/2-quart gratin dish) and press into an even layer; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake until cream is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
    4. To Make Ahead: Once the scalloped vegetables have been transferred to the baking dish and pressed into an even layer in step 3, they can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, add the cheese, cover with foil, and bake in a 400-degree oven until the mixture is hot and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the cheddar begins to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

     

  • Serves 6. Takes about 45 minutes - a quick, easy fall soup!
     
    Ingredients:

    • 4 bacon slices (optional)
    • 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
    • 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
    • 1/2 pounds carrots, chopped
    • 1 apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
    • 3 thyme sprigs
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3 1/2 cups veggie or chicken broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar



     
    Preparation:
    Cook bacon in a 4-to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
    Add garlic and caraway seeds to fat in pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. If skipping the bacon, substitute butter or olive oil for the fat. Add squash, carrots, apple, thyme, bay leaves, broth, water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard thyme and bay leaves.
    Purée about 4 cups soup in a blender, in batches if necessary, until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. Serve topped with crumbled bacon.

  •  

    4 Servings

     

    Ingredients

    • 2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
    • 1 cup dried cranberries or currants
    • 1/2 cup hot water
    • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
    • 8 ounces fresh wild mushrooms (such as shiitake), stemmed, chopped
    • 1/2 cup chopped onion
    • 2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
    • 2 cup fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs

     
    Preparation
    Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake squash halves face down until soft. Turn squash halves cut side up. Season cavities with salt and pepper.
    Combine dried cranberries and hot water in small bowl. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and sage and sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and stir until crumbs brown lightly, about 3 minutes. Mix in cranberries with soaking liquid. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    Mound stuffing into squash halves. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until heated through and crisp on top, about 10 minutes.

  • Adapted from Gourmet...
     

     
    Makes 8 servings (about 10 cups)

    The roasted acorn squash tastes fabulous when scooped up with spoonfuls of the beet soup. But if oven space is limited, simply serve the soup in bowls.

     
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    Ingredients
    For roasted squash

    • 8 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) acorn squash
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

    For soup

    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 5 medium beets (about 2 pounds without greens), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 red apple such as Gala or Braeburn, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
    • 4 to 5 cups water
    • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

    Preparation
    Roast squash:
    Preheat oven to 375°F.
    Cut off "tops" of squash (about 1 inch from stem end) and reserve. Scoop out seeds and discard. Cut a very thin slice off bottoms of squash to create a stable base. Brush "bowls" and tops all over with oil and sprinkle salt inside. Arrange squash bowls, with tops alongside, stem ends up, in 2 large shallow baking pans.
    Roast squash in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until flesh of squash is just tender, about 1 1/4hours total.
    Make soup while squash roast:
    Cook onion in oil in a 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add beets and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
    Add broth and 4 cups water, then simmer, uncovered, until beets are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in vinegar and brown sugar.
    Purée soup in 3 batches in a blender until very smooth, at least 1 minute per batch (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl. Return soup to pan, then season with salt and pepper and reheat. If soup is too thick, add enough water to thin to desired consistency.
    Serve soup in squash bowls.
    Cooks' notes: • Squash flesh shrinks during baking; if a small hole forms, serve soup in squash but set in a soup bowl.
    • Soup can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

  • 2 big fennel bulbs, sliced up
    5 Tbs. olive oil
    1 onion, sliced
    3 tomatoes, chopped
    8 basil leaves, finely chopped
    salt and pepper to taste
    2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
    ½ cut pitted black or other cured olive

    In a wide skillet, sautee onions in olive oil over med-low heat for several minutes. Add sliced fennel and sautée covered for about 15 minutes, until melted together and soft. Add chopped tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper, vinegar and olives. Stir, re-cover and cook for another couple minutes. Serve hot or warm.
    Serves 4-6.
     

  • Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) is essentially a French composed salad, much like our American Cobb Salad but with tuna, green beans, and potatoes, instead of chicken, bacon, and avocado. Salad Niçoise hails from Nice, on the Mediterranean Sea, though like so many foods we enjoy here of French origin, has changed a bit to adapt to our tastes. Like its American Cobb salad cousin, the Salad Nicoise takes some time to prepare, given all of the ingredients. This is one dish where setting up your mise en place (all ingredients chopped and ready to go) will help the salad come together smoothly.
     

     
    Vinaigrette
    Rounded 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste, mashed with 1 clove of garlic
    1/2 cup lemon juice
    3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    1/2 small leek, minced
    1 Tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
    2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves
    2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     
    Salad
    2 grilled or otherwise cooked tuna steaks* (8 oz each) or 2-3 cans of tuna
    6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and either halved or quartered
    1.5 pounds new potatoes, each potato scrubbed and diced into 1" cubes
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    2 medium heads butterhead lettuce or other leaf lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces
    3 small ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths
    1 small red onion, sliced very thin
    1 sweet pepper, sliced into long, thin strips
    3/4 lb. green beans, stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
    1/4 cup niçoise olives
    2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and/or several anchovies (optional)

     
     
    *Marinate tuna steaks in a little olive oil for an hour. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat, or place on a hot grill. Cook the steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side until cooked through.
    1 Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
    2 Bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
    3 While potatoes are cooking, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on a serving platter (I used two serving platters, shown in the photos). Cut tuna into 1/2-inch thick slices, coat with vinaigrette. Mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture on the lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
    4 Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a mound at edge of lettuce bed.
    5 Arrange hard boiled eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in mounds on the lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.

  • I recently purchased this cookbook. The first recipe I attempted was this soup and it was fabulous.  I DID substitute half and half for the cream, I must admit. 
    I wrote and asked permission from the authors to share it with everyone, they were delighted to.  Was able to use 4 items from my weekly basket!
    serves 6
    6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable stock (p. 35)
    2 tbsp (3O mL) vegetable oil
    1 yellow onion, diced
    6 garlic cloves, minced
    1 tbsp (15 mL) minced fresh thyme
    1 112 tsp (7.5 mL) salt
    1/4 tsp (1.2 mL) red chile flakes
    1 large potato, peeled and diced
    4 broccoli stalks (2 cups florets
    reserved)
    1/2 lb (225 g) spinach, stemmed
    1 cup (24O mL) heavy cream
    1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) cracked pepper
    pesto
    1/2 bunch ltalian parsley, stemmed
    1/2 cup (12O mL) toasted, sliced
    almonds
    2 .garlic cloves
    1/2 cup (12O mL) grated Romano
    cheese
    1/4 cup (60 mLi olive oil
    salt and pepper, to taste
    Heat stock and keep it warm while preparing the soup. Heat oil
    in a soup pot over medium-high heat and saut6 the onion until
    translucent. Add garlic, salt, thyme and chile flakes and saut6
    until golden. stir in broccoli and potato; cook for several minutes.
    Add warm stock to cover; bring to a simmer and cook, paftially
    covered, until the broccoli and potatoes are just tender.
    stir in the spinach leaves and turn off the heat. Let the soup rest
    until the spinach wilts, then pur6e until smooth. Reheat the
    pur6e, add cream and more stock to thin, if necessary. Season
    to taste with salt and pepper.
    Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a hard boil. Add the
    salt and reserved broccoli florets and blanch until just done and
    bright green (about 1 minute). Strain immediately and plunge the
    florets into a bowl of ice water. Let them cool off, then strain
    and spread out on a clean, dry towel to drain. Set aside
    To prepare the pesto, place the parsley, almonds, garlic and
    cheese in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the
    olive oil and pur6e, stopping short of making it completely
    smooth. Blend in salt and pepper to taste.
    Serve the soup hot, with a swirl of pesto in each bowl and
    garnished with broccoli florets.