I’ve included the fava bean cooking techniques again as well as a new recipe for the favas, one of my favorites this week (see photo). And again, there are lots of salad recipes. Enjoy the slightly cooler week!

Beet Notes
Grated Beets in Salads
Carrot Salad with Harissa and Feta
Kale “Caesar” Salad
Fava Bean Notes
Fava Bean Pasta “Risotto”
Fava Bean Burgers With Beet Greens
Summer Vegetable Ragout with Favas, Carrots, Fennel and Summer Squash

Beet Notes

Typically I like to roast, boil or steam (if they’re small) all my beets at once. That way they’re ready to go for salads or sandwiches (yes, very good sliced and put on crusty bread with some goat cheese, green onions or chives, hardboiled egg, etc. (see photo). Alternatively you can leave some raw to use in the below fashion.

And by all means use the greens. They don’t keep well so use them as soon as you can. Quickly sautéed with a bit of garlic and then dressed with a little vinegar they are lovely as is, or add them to a frittata or stir fry.

Grated Beets in Salads and other Dishes

I do love to grate them raw and then marinate them in a dressing of minced and mashed garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. All they need is a 20-minute soak, but longer is fine too. Then you can toss a cup of them into any green salad, add a bit of crumbled feta and maybe a few handfuls of toasted, coarse breadcrumbs and you have a lovely salad.

You can mix them with grated carrots and marinate the whole thing and then stir in lots of parsley leaves for a wonderfully refreshing side/salad.

You can mix the grated marinated beets into Greek yogurt for a sort of (very pink) beat tzatziki and serve that with lamb burgers or dolloped on plain, cooked chickpeas or chickpea burgers.

Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint


This salad is complexly flavored and delicious and would be perfect with lamb. Harissa is a Moroccan spice paste available at many stores. I like Mustapha’s, which is usually available at New Seasons. You can also make your own. http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dipsandsauces/r/harissa.htm

3/4 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and coarsely grated
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic 
cloves, crushed and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or about half as much, ground
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or about half as much, ground
1/2 teaspoon paprika
¾ – 1 teaspoon harissa (for a solid kick of heat; adjust yours to taste, and to the heat level of your harissa)
½ teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
2 ounces feta, crumbled

In a small sauté pan, cook the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix. Leave to infuse for an hour or so and add the feta right before serving.

Kale “Caesar” Salad

This dressing is also delicious with kale instead of romaine. If you don’t have anchovies you can substitute some chopped capers for an equally great dressing.

Serves 4-6 depending on appetites and what else is being served

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 flat anchovy filets (or more to taste) or 1 ½ tablespoons capers, rinsed and finely chopped (see headnote)
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
Freshly grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
1 bunch kale, washed, leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut into ½-inch ribbons
1 cup croutons or toast a slice or two of good crusty bread and tear it into bite-sized pieces

You can either use a food processor or a mortar and pestle. If using the latter, put the garlic, anchovy, pepper and salt in it and pound it into a smooth-ish paste. Scoop the paste out of the mortar and put it into a bowl. Then whisk in the lemon juice and egg yolk and then slowly add the oil and finally the Parmesan. If using a food processor start with the garlic, anchovy, lemon juice and salt and then add the ingredients in the same order. Stir the Parmesan at the end after you’ve removed the dressing from the processor.

Toss the dressing with kale and croutons and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Fava Bean Notes

There are three primary cooking techniques:
And I’ve found that I get about 1 ½ cups shelled (using technique #1) fava beans from 2 pounds of pods.

1. Shell and blanch and peel: Shell the beans, removing them from their squishy pods and then blanch the beans in boiling water for 2-4 minutes or so and then pinch the skin off each individual bean. (I often split up the prepping, shelling the beans right when I get them and then cooking them later and pinching them out of their skins. This method results in delicious, tender, bright green beans and you can eat them as is with some olive oil and salt, add them to pasta or risotto or soup, etc. Or you can use the Middle Eastern method described below where you cook them in heavily salted water in their big, squishy pods and don’t shell each bean. It’s much less work and also delicious though a very different kind of dish. Experiment and see what you like.

2. Grill the whole pods and if they’re quite young and tender you can eat the beans, pods and all or if a bit larger, shell them at this point and enjoy them without further removal of the skin around each bean.

3. Cook the whole pods in heavily salted boiling water (Iranian method detailed in the recipe below and then drain and shell. Again with this method there is no need to peel the individual beans.

Fava Bean Pasta “Risotto”
–inspired by Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

Serves 3-4

I heavily adapted this dish from Dorie Greenspan’s wonderful book Around my French Table last winter with cauliflower and then I made it with Brussels sprouts and bacon and then with winter squash and sage. I remembered the technique this week when I had 25 minutes to get dinner on the table and I had fava beans and new potatoes and basil. It was fantastic.

You can use just favas or some diced carrots and/or fennel as well. The bacon is optional. Just make it! And finally, as cookbook author Dorie Greenspan notes, “this is risotto” the way that finely sliced apples are carpaccio, which means not at all. . .” but the technique is just enough reminiscent of risotto that appreciate the reference and continue to use it. My version might not be recognizable to Dorie but it’s a keeper in our household.

1 – 11/2 cups shelled blanched, shelled fava beans using technique #1 above
½ large onion, diced
1 cup diced carrot or fennel or both (optional –see headnote)
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1-2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
1 1/3 cup tubetti (or ditalini or other small pasta)
4 cups flavorful vegetable broth (homemade veggie bouillon-recipe below) or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other hard, grating cheese (Asiago Stella is a good, cheaper alternative)
Salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoon basil or mint (optional)

Prepare the fava beans using technique #1.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and/or fennel (if using) and a few pinches of salt and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often. You may need to reduce the heat a bit. Now add the broth or stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring well and then simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered. Now add the blanched, shelled fava beans, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. At this point add the cream and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Stir in the Parmesan and the herbs, if using, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

I made my version with fava beans and new potatoes (which was excellent) and in case you have some leftover potatoes you can certainly use some (add them to the onion, cut into small-ish dice) at the beginning.

Summer Vegetable Ragout with Favas, Carrots, Fennel and Summer Squash

This is a classic Italian preparation for a variety of spring/early summer vegetables. It’s a bit of work but definitely worth it. You want all the vegetables to be cut fairly small and about the same size. You can toss it with pasta or gnocchi and top with some aged pecorino or Parmesan or enjoy as a side with fish or meat or egg dishes or top it with a fried or poached egg.

1 onion, diced
1 ½ cups blanched and shelled fava beans (using technique #1)
2-3 carrots, well scrubbed but no need to peel and diced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed of any tough layers and cut into ½-inch dice
1 summer squash, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice

Technique #1: Shell the fava beans and then cook the beans in a pot of boiling water for just a minute or two. Drain them and rinse with cold water. Then pierce the skin surrounding each bean with your fingernail and pop out the beans.

Heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet and the onions and carrots and cook for about 3 minutes then add the beans, fennel and summer squash and ½ cup of water, garlic and several pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 7 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. The vegetables should be quite soft and not at all al dente for this dish. Add more liquid if you need to. The true sweetness of this dish comes from longer cooking time. Taste and adjust Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Fava Bean Burgers
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

In included this recipe last week to use your favas and spinach. You can use beet greens instead of spinach and since you have favas again I’m keeping it around. These are a little bit of work but so, so good and they deliciously combine a few of you share ingredients this week.

If you have a half share and not enough fava beans for the below quantity you can increase the number of potatoes a bit.

Serves 4

1 bunch beet greens, stems removed and well washed
3 tablespoons olive oil
About 2 ½ cups shelled fava beans (using technique #1)
3 (or 4—see headnote) medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice
1 small Serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped (optional – can use 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes instead)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
6 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 egg
Olive, sunflower or grapeseed oil for frying

Wilt the beet greens in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out any liquid, then chop roughly and set aside.

Blanch shelled fava beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and run under cold water and pinch skins of beans (technique #1 above).

Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and put into a large mixing bowl. Immediately add the fava beans, spices, chile, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash it all up roughly; don’t worry if some beans are not totally crushed. You can alternatively quickly pulse in food processor.

Next, add the beet greens, chopped cilantro and breadcrumbs. Taste to check the seasoning. Lastly, mix in the egg.

Wet your hands and shape the mix into fat patties that are roughly 2 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick. Chill them for at least half an hour.

To cook, heat up the oil and pan fry the burgers on high or medium high heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve warm, with lemony yogurt sauce.

1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon good olive oil
about 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Stir the above ingredients together and dollop on the burgers.

New potatoes and dill are a wonderful combination, as are favas and dill. I’m not giving you any potato recipes since they are just so delicious no matter what you do with them—roasted, boiled for salads,. . . add butter and herbs and little minced garlic or add them to a simple frittata or curry. You can’t go wrong. And you got lots of spinach ideas last week!

Fava beans are an annual treat. There are three recipes for them this week in addition to notes about general cooking techniques. Enjoy them while they last. And speaking of “lasting” as I imagine you’ve observed, the tender leafy greens and herbs need to be used first (though dill tends to be a good keeper when sealed in a bag in the fridge) where as things like turnips, beets, and potatoes keep well. So this week be sure to use your spinach in the first half of the week and read about and lettuce storage (see lettuce management below) to make the most of it. There’s nothing worse than finding a gorgeous bag of spinach turning to slime in the fridge.

Fava Bean Notes
Fava Bean Burgers
Fava Bean Bruschetta with Ricotta
Favas with Yogurt and Dill
Soft Boiled Egg with Spinach on Toast & Other Variations
Japanese Turnips with Miso
Lettuce Management and Salad Variations

Fava Bean Notes

There are three primary cooking techniques:

1. Shell and blanch and peel: Shell the beans, removing them from their their squishy pods and then blanch the beans in boiling water for 2-4 minutes or so and then pinch the skin off each individual bean. (I often split up the prepping, shelling the beans right when I get them and then cooking them later and pinching them out of their skins. This method results in delicious, tender, bright green beans and you can eat them as is with some olive oil and salt, add them to pasta or risotto or soup, etc. Or you can use the Middle Eastern method described below where you cook them in heavily salted water in their big, squishy pods and don’t shell each bean. It’s much less work and also delicious though a very different kind of dish. Experiment and see what you like.

2. Grill the whole pods and if they’re quite young and tender you can eat the beans, pods and all or if a bit larger, shell them at this point and enjoy them without further removal of the skin around each bean.

3. Cook the whole pods in heavily salted boiling water (Iranian method detailed in the recipe below and then drain and shell. Again with this method there is no need to peel the individual beans.

Fava Bean Burgers
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

These are a little bit of work but so, so good and they deliciously combine three share ingredients this week.

Serves 4

½ lb spinach (the amount a half share gets), washed
3 tablespoons olive oil
About 2 ½ -3 cups shelled fava beans
3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into small dice
1 small Serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped (optional – can use 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes instead)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons chopped dill (or cilantro—the original recipe calls for cilantro but dill is a great substitute)
6 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs
1 egg
Olive, sunflower or grapeseed oil for frying

Wilt the spinach in a hot pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out any liquid, then chop roughly and set aside.

Blanch shelled fava beans in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and run under cold water and pinch skins of beans.

Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and put into a large mixing bowl. Immediately add the fava beans, spices, chile, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Use a potato masher to mash it all up roughly; don’t worry if some beans are not totally crushed. You can alternatively quickly pulse in food processor.

Next, add the spinach, chopped dill (or cilantro) and breadcrumbs. Taste to check the seasoning. Lastly, mix in the egg.

Wet your hands and shape the mix into fat patties that are roughly 2 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick. Chill them for at least half an hour.

To cook, heat up the oil and pan fry the burgers on high or medium high heat for 5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve warm, with lemony yogurt sauce.

1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon good olive oil
about 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper

Stir the above ingredients together and dollop on the burgers.

Bruschetta with Ricotta and Fava Beans

This is a beautiful and delicious dish. And it’s a nice way to stretch those precious beans that always seem so few after you’ve shelled them.

Shell enough favas to measure 1 ½ cups of beans and cook them in salted boiling water for about 5-6 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pinch the skins off each bean and set beans aside.

1 ½ cups cooked, shelled fava beans (see above)
1 clove garlic, minced
½ an onion, diced finely
1 slice bacon, diced (optional)
2/3 cup whole milk ricotta (Calabro is a good brand)
1 tablespoon good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
A bit of grated lemon zest from about ¼ of a lemon (you just want a little, just to give a stronger hint of lemon)
Good bread, thickly sliced and toasted

In a medium skillet cook the bacon in a little olive oil with the garlic and onion for about 5 minutes until the bacon is rendered and the onion is softening. Add the cooked, shelled fava beans and a few pinches of salt and cook for about 3 minutes to marry the flavors.

Meanwhile, toast some slices of good, crusty bread. Spread the toast with ricotta and top with the fava bean mixture.

Fava Beans with Dill and Yogurt

Serves ~4 as a side

A local farmer (Carol Boutard of Ayers Creek Farm) taught me about this method of cooking fava beans which eliminates the time consuming step of peeling each individual bean. This is a Persian/Iranian way of cooking favas that is not only easy but also very nutritious since many of the nutrients are in the fava bean skins. This dish is also good with parsley, basil, mint or cilantro or a combination.

2 pounds fava beans in their pods (or however much you have)
2-3 tablespoons kosher salt (yes, this is the right quantity, not a misprint)
1/3 cup Greek yogurt or plain, whole milk yogurt (or more if you want it saucier)
1/3 cup finely chopped dill (or other herbs—see headnote)
1 -2 teaspoons lemon juice (to taste)
Zest of one lemon, finely grated
1 medium clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoons olive oil
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a six-quart (or larger) pot of water, to which you’ve added the salt, to a boil. Put the whole fava bean pods into the boiling water and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat so the water stays at a rapid simmer and cook covered, until the pods start falling apart, between 20 and 30 minutes. Taste an individual fava bean after 20 or so minutes. If the skin on the bean is still a little tough keep cooking. If you have the time you can let the fava beans cool in the water once they’re tender. That further softens the skins. If not, drain off of the hot water fill pot of beans with cold water to speed the cooling. Remove beans from pods without peeling each bean. The skin should be tender and the beans perfectly seasoned. Toss beans with the remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Enjoy as a side dish or with crusty bread or tossed with cold pasta for a hearty salad.

Fava beans cooked this way (and without the dressing) are delicious with pasta and a bit of Parmesan, with boiled potatoes and parsley. I’ve added them to Israeli couscous with some mint and grated, hard cheese.

Soft Boiled Egg with Spinach on Toast & Other Variations
–inspired by smittenkitchen.com

With this hot weather I’m cooking as little as possible and doing as much assembly and quick prep dishes as I can. This falls in that category. Adjust the quantity to see your needs.

4 eggs
½ lb of spinach (the amount a half share gets), well washed
4 slices of good, crusty bread
1 clove garlic, minced
½ onion, minced (optional)
Butter or olive oil
Dijon-style mustard (optional)

Gently cook the garlic and onion in a little butter or olive oil until softened but not colored. Add the spinach and cook for just a minute or two until wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Lower the eggs into the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes at a rapid boil. If your eggs are medium-sized this will give you a perfectly soft boiled egg, in my opinion, which is a runny yolk and whites that are just set but not rubbery. By all mean cook them 30 seconds longer or another minute if they are very large eggs or you like them firmer. Remove eggs from the boiling water. Rinse briefly in cold water.

Toast the bread. Spread each slice with just a little mustard (if you’re using it) or a little butter or a drizzle of good olive oil and divide the spinach between the slices.

Peel the eggs and top each toast with an egg and break it open and roughly chop it up so it spread out over the bread. Season liberally with salt and pepper and dig in!

Variations:

Skip the spinach and top the toast with the egg and a generous sprinkling of chopped dill, a few capers and some minced onion.

Japanese Turnips with Miso
–adapted from Gourmet

This recipe is written to use the full 3lbs a full share member will be getting, but the recipe is easily halved so if you just have 1 ½ lbs by all means still make it.

2 1/2 tablespoons white miso
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
3 pounds turnips, scrubbed and trimmed. You likely don’t need to peel them but taste and see if the skin is at all fibrous or tough and peel if it is.
generous 1 cup water
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
¼ lb spinach or lettuce, well washed and roughly chopped (about 4-6 cups packed)

Stir together miso and 2 tablespoon butter.

Halve or quarter the turnips and put in a large heavy skillet along with water, mirin, remaining tablespoon butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then boil, covered, about 10-12 minutes.

Add greens by handfuls, turning and stirring with tongs and adding more as volume in skillet reduces. Cover and cook 1 minute. Uncover and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until turnips are tender and liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes. Stir in miso butter and cook 1 more minute.

Lettuce Management

Staying on top of lettuce takes a little work. It’s completely worth it but here are a few tricks/methods I employ to keep things interesting on the salad front. . and keep those beautiful heads from going slimy and brown.

Washing and storing:

If you’re having a hard time staying on top of the lettuce, wash enough for two big salads soon after you pick up your share. My preferred way to store the washed lettuce is rolled up in clean, dishtowels. This is actually my preferred drying technique and it stores well that way, or a couple of days. You can put the rolled up lettuce-filled towels in a plastic bag and store in the fridge.

Crunchy additions:

Keep sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds, and/or walnuts or hazelnuts on hand. Pumpkin seeds take just a few minutes to toast in a dry skillet and sunflower seeds toast best in a 300 degree oven with some salt and olive oil. Walnuts and hazelnuts toast well in an oven—no salt or oil needed—as well. And they all add so much to salads.

If you have a slice or two of nice crusty bread that needs using you can toast it and then tear it into little pieces and add it your salad for a little chew and heft.

Dressing variations:

Add a couple of teaspoons of mayo (homemade or store bought) or Greek yogurt to a typical vinaigrette made with a little Dijon-style mustard, red wine vinegar or lemon juice, and a little good olive oil, s & p for a slightly creamier dressing. Dress your lettuce with this, add ½ cup of toasted sunflower seeds and some thinly sliced onions and you’re in business.

Add ground cumin, lime or lemon zest and some red pepper flakes to a typical vinaigrette or the creamy version above.

Add a couple of tablespoons of smashed avocado to your dressing. Lime or lemon juice and some minced garlic is a good combination for this one.

Fruity additions:

Add chopped sweet cherries, sliced strawberries or blueberries to your green salads. If you have a little goat cheese or feta, that would be a good combo as well.

It’s definitely Kimchi week with your napa cabbage, scallions and radishes. I’ve been making it the last couple of years and love having a couple of jars in the refrigerator at all times. I’m devoted to the linked recipe from Tigress in a Pickle below. And if you don’t like or want to make kimchi there is another suggestion for the gorgeous napa cabbage and lots of fun dishes for the spinach. Enjoy all the shades of green this week!

French Green Lentils and Pasta with Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese
Saag Paneer (link)
Salsa Verde
Chickpeas and Spinach
Kimchi (link)
Napa Cabbage with Hot Bacon Dressing
Bok Choi Fried Rice with Peanuts and Coconut Milk
Green Salad with Peanut Dressing

French Green Lentils and Pasta with Spinach, Bacon and Goat Cheese

I came up with this dish last week to use the beautiful spinach in the share and now we get more this week so I get to share the recipe. It’s simple and could be adapted in a variety of ways—could be made into more of a soup (omit the goat cheese) and served hot, garnished with some parmesan shavings, etc.

The combination of tiny tubular pasta and lentils is a classic Roman one.

¾ cup French Green lentils
¾ cup small, tubular pasta like Tubetti or Ditalini
¾ – 1 lb spinach, washed
2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
2 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook the lentils in plenty of salted water (or vegetable broth) until tender but still retaining their shape (about 15-18 minutes). Remove the lentils from their cooking liquid with a spider or small sieve (if you have one) and set aside. This way you can cook the pasta in the already hot and seasoned lentil water and save time. You can also start over or do them simultaneously. Cook the pasta and drain.

Meanwhile, render the bacon in a large sauté pan for just a few minutes. Add the spinach and a pinch of salt and cook for another minute or two, just until the spinach is wilted and tender. Add the lentils and pasta to the pan and briefly warm through—doesn’t need to be hot. Turn the mixture onto a serving platter, drizzle generously with good olive oil, taste and season with salt and pepper and scatter over the goat cheese. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Saag Paneer

This classic Indian dish prominently featuring spinach is fun to make, including the paneer, which is quite simple.

Salsa Verde

I include this every year. It’s just wonderful on pretty much anything—a versatile, zippy Italian sauce. I often just make it with parsley garlic, lemon juice or vinegar, oil and salt but the addition of capers and little onion makes it even more fun. Many variations include a couple of anchovies so by all means use them if you have them.

You don’t need to use a food processor and I actually prefer the slightly rougher texture of it when all is chopped by hand but I often use the processor.

1 medium bunch parsley, well washed and stems cut off (but don’t bother picking all the leaves off the remaining stems)
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 shallot or chunk of onion, finely diced (optional—can use one scallion too)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed (optional)
2 small garlic cloves, minced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or white or red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine all the ingredients except the oil in the food processor and pulse until fairly uniformly and finely chopped. You don’t want to end up with a puree so don’t over do it. Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse a couple more times. Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, lemon juice or vinegar if needed.

Salsa Verde—Suggestions for using it:

• Drizzle generously over roasted veggies (very good with roasted cauliflower)

• Use as a spread for sandwiches

• Dress hardboiled eggs, canned Oregon Albacore and boiled potatoes

• Use as a dressing for a pasta or rice salad

• Dress white beans with it or stir it into a white bean puree for a delicious spread

• Stir a few tablespoons into a soup when serving.

• Delicious with sautéed shrimp or other seafood or grilled beef

Spinach and Chickpeas
–Adapted from Moro: The Cookbook via Smittenkitchen.com

This recipe is delicious and flexible. If you end up with a little less spinach or a little more sauce, or if you want it with a little less this or a little more that, so be it. Adapt to your liking.

1/2 pound dried chickpeas, cooked until soft and tender or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spinach, washed (if you have a full share you can use all or save 1/3 of it for something else and if you have a half share, use all you have)
A hefty 1-inch slice from a crusty loaf, cut into small dice (optional—will be thinner but still good without)
1/2 cup canned, crushed tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (pimento)Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon juice, to taste

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add half the olive oil. When it is hot, add the spinach with a pinch of salt (in batches, if necessary) and stir well. Remove when the leaves are just tender, drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat 2 more tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the bread for about 5 minutes or until golden brown all over, then the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic, cumin and pepper. Cook for 1 minute more or until the garlic is nutty brown.

Transfer to a food processor, blender or mortar and pestle along with the vinegar, and mash to a paste. Return the mixture to the pan and add the drained chickpeas and tomatoes. Stir until the chickpeas have absorbed the flavors and are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.

If the consistency is a little thick, add some water. Add the spinach and cook until it is hot. Check for seasoning and serve with paprika on top, or on fried bread toasts (as the Spanish do).

Kimchi (Korean spicy pickled cabbage)

I make mine a little less spicy than she does and use run of the mill red pepper flakes and it turns out well but by all means find the peppers she calls for. I also have added radishes cut into batons which would be perfect for your share this week. Though I haven’t tried this I would think that the thick, white bok choi stems would work as well. Let me know if you use them and how it turns out.

I put kimchi on quesadillas, sandwiches, in salads, with beans, on rice. . . .It’s a wonderful tart/fresh/complex counterpoint to many foods and is terribly good for us, as it is naturally fermented.

Napa Cabbage with Hot Bacon Dressing
–adapted from Food52 by Amanda Hesser

This is delicious and a favorite way to eat napa cabbage. Trust that the sauce will come together. The egg works wonders.

Serves 4 to 6

1 small napa cabbage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (you’ll need 6 to 8 cups)
6 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/ 4-inch strips
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons red wine or cider vinegar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Place the cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon to a medium sauté pan and set over medium heat. Render the bacon fat and brown the bacon, adjusting the heat as needed. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, then pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat (approximate, don’t measure) from the pan.

Set the pan over medium low heat. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Season with the salt. Gradually – and slowly! – whisk this mixture into the egg.

Sprinkle the bacon on the cabbage, then pour 3/4 of the dressing over the cabbage and toss to mix. Add more dressing as desired. I think it’s good with plenty of dressing. Serve with a big green salad, some roasted potatoes and a cold beer, if you’re so inclined.

Green Salad with Radishes and Peanut Dressing

I had a green salad dressed with a light peanut sauce at Smallwares (a restaurant in NE PDX) this week and was inspired by that when I developed this one over the weekend. I’ve never tossed a green salad with this kind of dressing and was delighted to discover the combination.

About 6 cups romaine, well washed, dried and torn or chopped into bite-size pieces
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (greens too)
1 cup diced or chopped radishes
1 cup bok choi stems, diced (optional)
Handful of mint leaves, torn or roughly chopped
Handful of basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped
1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts
About 3-4 tablespoons of the below peanut sauce (you’ll have sauce leftover!)

Toss everything but the peanut sauce in a salad bowl. Add the sauce and toss very well. If the sauce seems a bit thick thin it with a little more peanut oil or water or lime juice (if it’s needs a bit more acidity). Enjoy!

Quick Peanut Sauce

4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1-2 tablespoon boiling water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon peanut oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Pinch or two of salt, if needed

Bok Choi Fried Rice with Peanuts and Coconut Milk
–adapted from Food Matters by Mark Bittman

This is a great way to use up leftover or previously frozen rice and whatever veggies you have on hand. You can easily add chicken or beef cut fairly small. If you’re going to add meat, stir-fry the veggies first, then remove from pan, add meat and stir fry until cooked. Add veggies back in as well as rice, garlic, etc. and proceed with recipe. The addition of coconut milk is a bit unusual here but I think it’s a nice touch. You can use leftover quinoa or barley instead of rice.

Serves 4

2-3 tablespoons coconut, vegetable or olive oil
4-5 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3-4 medium cloves)
1 head bok choi, trimmed, well washed, leaves and stems cut in half lengthwise and then into thin strips crosswise
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 cups cooked long-grain white or brown rice, preferably chilled
2-3 eggs, beaten
½ cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari
2 serrano chilis (or small green Thai chilies), seeded and minced (or ¼ tsp chili flakes)
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts (wonderful but can do with out in a pinch)
½ cup chopped basil or cilantro or mint (wonderful but can do with out in a pinch)
lime wedges (optional)

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil in the largest skillet or wok you have over high heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and bok choi cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes until wilted. Lower the heat if the mixture threatens to scorch. Add another tablespoon of oil and the garlic and a few second later add the rice, breaking up the chunks (with your fingers is easiest) as you go. When all the rice is added, make a well in its center and pour in the egg; scramble it a bit then incorporate it into the rice.

Add the coconut milk and cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has boiled off or been absorbed, just a minute or so. Add the fish and soy sauce, a little salt and pepper, and the minced chilies. Turn off the heat and stir in the herbss and peanuts. Serve with the lime wedges.

Mustard Green Notes
Mustard Greens with Cilantro, Rice and Ginger
Mixed Veggie Japanese Pancakes (turnips, broccoli, beet greens, scallions)
Korean Scallion Pancakes
Beet Notes and Beet Sandwiches
Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za’atar
Indian-inspired Spinach and Potatoes

Such good things this week–I have a feeling I say that every week. Pick up a bunch or two of cilantro this week when you’re out since several of my favorite dishes in this packet call for it. If you make just one thing, make the Mixed Veggie Pancakes. Happy cooking!

Mustard Green Notes

I love, love, love mustard greens. They have a wonderful bite but are so fresh and tender and even the stems are tender so you can use them both raw and cooked. They do tend to spoil more quickly than other greens, I find, so use them as soon as you can. I like adding them to green salads, raw, cut into thin ribbons. I also think they are particularly good with eggs (thinly sliced on egg salad sandwiches) and other rich ingredients. The rice recipe below is wonderful and a good way to use up a lot of mustard greens if you need to get through them.

Mustard Greens with Cilantro, Rice and Ginger
–inspired by Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

This is an incredibly good use for the mustard greens. Don’t be deceived by the small amount of rice. This makes quite a good quantity. And it’s absolutely wonderful with a fried or poached egg on top the next day (or the first time around). And the rice will cook through with the moisture still clinging to the mustard greens.

And if you have a half share and only get one bunch of mustard greens, you can make this with one bunch and add your beet greens or some spinach or just use fewer greens and add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan when you add the greens (since there will be less water clinging to leaves if you’re using fewer greens).

2 bunches mustard greens (or one bunch mustard plus beet greens or spinach—see headnote)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/3 c white rice (I usually use basmati), raw
2 tablespoon finely chopped, fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Pimenton (smoked paprika) or regular if that’s what you have
1 cup cilantro steams and leaves, chopped
Salt
Greek yogurt and lemon juice for serving

Wash and chop greens, but don’t dry.

Heat oil in wide pan over medium neat. Add onion, rice, ginger, cumin and paprika and stir to coat with oil. Cook for two minutes then add cilantro and mustard greens. Sprinkle with 1 to 1 ½ teaspoon salt, cover pan and cook until volume has reduced, 10-15 minutes. Give everything a stir, reduce heat to low, cover again and cook slowly for 30 minutes or so. There should be enough liquid in the pan, but check a couple of times to make sure the rice isn’t sticking, adding a few tablespoons of water if so.

When greens are tender, serve with yogurt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Mixed Veggie Japanese Pancakes

I just made this variation of Okonomiyaki, the Japanese Cabbage Pancakes I rave about here frequently. These were even better. And Sauvie Island Organics member Jessica Roberts reminded me of a recipe on smittenkitchen.com that used a variety of vegetables in this kind of pancake. It IS the perfect CSA recipe in that you can use whatever bits and pieces you have on hand. I made these with kohlrabi, carrots, spring onions, a few leaves of chard and broccoli. I use my Okonomiyaki batter and sauce which are quite different that the Smittenkitchen ones but if you’re curious you can look up that one here.

And this is just a template—mix and match as you wish. And my family of three eats this, and only this, for dinner when I’m short on time. A salad would be a great addition though.

Makes about 15-18 4-5-inch pancakes

2 cups broccoli, finely chopped (like ¼-1/2-inch pieces), stems and florets
2-3 scallions, thinly sliced
3-4 turnips, cut into matchsticks or grated on the large holes of a box grater (I prefer matchsticks since grating makes the batter a bit wet but either way will work)
3 cups mustard greens or beet greens, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4-5 eggs
Scant ½ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
Oil for pan frying

Sauce:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Sriracha or other spicy chili sauce
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce

In a large bowl whisk the eggs with the flour, salt, sesame oil and soy sauce into a fairly smooth, thin batter. There may well be a few lumps but they will work themselves out so don’t worry about them.

Add all the vegetables and herbs and mix well. Taste for seasoning. You’d be surprised how much salt they need.

Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in the largest skillet you have over medium high heat. I make my pancakes about 5 inches in diameter but make them as big or small as you like. You can one very large one and then cut it into wedges. Cook about 3 minutes on either side until nicely browned an crisp. Proceed with the remaining batter. You can keep them warm in a 250 degree oven.

Mix together the mayonnaise, Sriracha and soy sauce and serve the pancakes topped with the sauce.

Korean-inspired Scallion Pancakes

I plant lots of scallions in my little garden so I have them whenever I need them. Both Chinese and Koreans make scallions pancakes, the former is more of a flatbread and there’s no egg involved and it’s a bit more of a project. Have a look here if you’d like to make them: I highly recommend this recipe.

The Korean version (of which of course there are many) is quicker and is more of a crepe-like batter. And the ratio of batter to vegetable is much higher than in the veggie pancakes above.

The batter is best if you can let it sit for at least 20 minutes before frying the pancakes.

2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 bunch scallions, washed, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into 2-inch length (green parts too)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
Oil for panfrying

In a large bowl whisk the eggs, flour, water and salt until smooth. Add the scallions and incorporate. Let the batter rest.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add a thin coat of oil (olive, sunflower, peanut, . . .). Traditionally the pancakes are made large, like a crepe, covering the whole surface of the pan and then cut into wedges for serving. I sometimes do that and sometimes make them small, pancake-sized.

So spoon in however much batter you want and cook the pancakes for about 3 minutes on one side until golden brown and then flip and continue cooking another minute or two until the other side is done.

Serve with soy sauce or this spicy dipping sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or about 2 teaspoons Sriracha or other hot chilli sauce)
1/2 tablespoon scallions, thinly sliced
1 small clove garlic, minced

Stir all ingredients together and serve with the scallion pancakes.

Beet Notes and Beet  Sandwiches

Boil or roast all your beets (see below recipe). If you have enough, save out one or two to make sandwich or two. I’ve been eating beet sandwiches lately, sometimes with sliced hardboiled egg and homemade mayonnaise and sometimes with goat cheese and sometimes with kimchi and cheddar. I do put most anything on a sandwich and usually I like the result.

Toast some good, crusty bread. Mash up some fresh goat cheese with some minced garlic or or do the same with butter or mayonnaise (homemade or store bought). Spread bread generously with mixture. Sprinkle on a few slices of scallion, layer sliced roasted or boiled beets on top and sprinkle with sea salt. Add a layer of spinach or lettuce and sprinkle with salt. Add some sliced hardboiled egg or anything else that strikes your fancy and a drizzle of olive oil. Top with another slice of bread or eat open faced. As you can tell I think sandwich contents should be salted and oiled. Enjoy!

Pureed Beets with Yogurt and Za’atar
–adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

This is a gorgeous, easy to make and elegant dish. I just eat it by the spoonful and spoon it into warm pita bread. It makes quite a bit so halve the recipe if you’d like but go ahead and roast all 6 beets while you’re at it and use half for something else.

6 medium beets (1 1/2 pounds), trimmed and scrubbed
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small Serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon za’atar (middle-eastern spice mix including hyssop and sesame seeds—I found it at People’s co-op recently). You can substitute a mixture of dried thyme and toasted sesame seeds.
Salt
1/4 cup roasted skinned hazelnuts, chopped
2 tablespoons goat cheese, crumbled
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the beets in a small roasting pan and add 1/4 cup of water. Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, until tender. Let cool slightly.

Peel the beets, cut into wedges and transfer to a food processor. Add the garlic, chile and yogurt and pulse until blended. Add the olive oil, maple syrup and za’atar and puree. Season with salt. Scrape into a wide, shallow bowl. Scatter the hazelnuts, goat cheese and scallions on top and serve with bread.

Indian-inspired Spinach and Potatoes
–adapted (only very slightly) from Tender by Nigel Slater

You can halve this recipe if you have or only want to use one, not two bunches of spinach. This recipe makes quite a lot.

Serves 3 as a main or 5-6 as a side

4 medium potatoes, Yukon or other waxy kind, scrubbed and cut into large-ish chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 medium onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2-inch chunk of ginger, finely chopped
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 medium bunches spinach, well-washed and chopped, stems and all
Salt and pepper
Fresh lemon juice
Greek yogurt, for serving (optional)

Cook potatoes in salted water until tender (shouldn’t take more than 6-7 minutes). Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet heat the oil or butter and sauté the onions until starting to brown. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and stir well. Cook for a few more minutes until fragrant and a bit toasty. Add ½ cup or so of water and the reserved potatoes. Stir well and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir well and cook for just a few minutes until wilted. If the spinach gives off a lot of liquid turn up the heat and cook most of it off. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Top with Greek yogurt if you’d like.

I have not always been a great fan of fennel but am rapidly turning into one. Both recipes in this week’s packet, one cooked and on raw, are keepers in my book. And enjoy the beautiful broccoli. Happy cooking!

Kale Mint Salad with Peanut Dressing
Arugula, Fennel and Caper Salad
Fennel Pilaf with Toasted Cumin and Golden Raisins
Green Curry with Green Garlic and Broccoli
Broccoli Pesto Orzo Salad (link)
Kale and Bean Stew

Kale Mint Salad with Peanut Dressing
–inspired by Food52

This is a new flavor combination for me and I liked it a lot. The mint, kale and peanuts make for a strong, vivid and almost rich salad.

1 small-medium bunch kale, well washed and any tough stems trimmed and then cut as thinly as you can
¾ – 1 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (alternatively you can use toasted walnuts)

Peanut/Sesame Dressing:
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoons tahini (optional—I like the combination very much though)
2-3 tablespoons hot water
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes (or more if you want a bit more heat)

Toss the chopped kale, chopped mint and the nuts together in a large bowl.

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Alternatively to you can blend or process the dressing until smooth.

Pour two-thirds of the dressing over the kale, mint and nuts and toss well, making sure you’re really covering the kale well. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Arugula, Fennel and Caper Salad

Arugula and fennel have a certain similarity. Both, eaten plain with no dressing (or other treatment) can be very strong and pronounced, but dressed they play much more nicely with others and taste better (to me) themselves. I experimented with this combination this weekend and really enjoyed it. And I didn’t have radishes on hand but they would make a wonderful and beautiful addition here.

1 large fennel bulb (or however much you want to use), trimmed and sliced as thinly as you can
1/2  bunch arugula, trimmed, well washed and dried
3 – 4 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced or chopped
1 tablespoon capers, very well rinsed and squeezed out, chopped
1-2 ounces feta, crumbled
about 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)
The best olive oil you have
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss the vegetables in a salad bowl and add the dressing ingredients. Gently mix and taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Since both the feta and capers are salty go easy on the salt to begin with and add more as needed.

Fennel Pilaf with Toasted Cumin and Golden Raisins
–adapted from Culinate.com from the Megan Scott collection

I adapted the original recipe to use much more fennel, added some fresh garlic and topped it with lemony Greek Yogurt. I’m a bit of a fennel skeptic and just loved this dish. I also don’t typically love raisins in my savory food but this dish has a mellow sweetness that’s just lovely and I wouldn’t omit them.

Serves 4 as a main, topped with Greek Yogurt sauce or 6 as a side

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large or two smaller fennel bulbs, diced; fronds removed and a few reserved
1 onion, diced
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup long-grain white rice, such as basmati or jasmine
¼ cup golden raisins
2 cups veggie bouillon broth, chicken or vegetable stock or water
½ teaspoon salt (unnecessary if your stock is salty)

For serving:

About 1/3 – ½ cup Greek yogurt (whole milk) into which you stirred just a little lemon zest, about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, a bit of salt and a glug of olive oil.

A couple tablespoons of chopped fennel fronds

In a large skillet for which you have a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the cumin seeds and the rice and mix well to coat the rice with oil. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking and browning. Then add the raisins and broth or water and salt, if your stock isn’t very salty. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, fluff the rice with a fork. Top with Greek yogurt and fennel fronds, if you’d like.

Green Curry with Green Garlic and Broccoli

This is the simplest of curries. Just a few ingredients and the broccoli and garlic shine. You can certainly add chunks of firm tofu or chicken if you’d like. Do so towards the end, just to warm through (the chicken would need to be already cooked of course).

About 3-4 cups broccoli florets and chopped stems
5 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped (they are slippery at this stage and a little harder to manage)
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
2 – 4 teaspoons green curry paste  (Thai and True is my favorite and a local product)
1 2/3 cup water (1 can’s worth of water)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lime
Basil (optional)
Rice (for serving)

Everyone’s taste varies so experiment with the amount of curry paste. 2 teaspoons gives the dish a mild to medium kick and 3 is about medium.

Add the curry paste and ¾ teaspoon of salt to a large soup pot along with about ¼ cup of coconut milk and the garlic. Coconut milk is often partially solidified at room temperature and you want to use the thickest (or solid) part for this early stage. Over medium heat cook the curry paste and garlic in that small amount of coconut milk for about 3 minutes. and stir well to coat. Then add the remainder of the coconut milk and one can’s worth of water and bring the curry to a simmer. Add the broccoli and cook for about 4-5 minutes until its tender but still bright green. If you have basil, add a handful of whole leaves at this point. Taste the curry and season with additional salt if needed. Finish with the juice of the lime and serve hot, over rice.

Broccoli Pesto Orzo Salad

This is a wonderful salad from Heidi Swanson’s book Super Natural Everyday and I wouldn’t change a thing so I’m including the link.

Well actually, I just made this again and adapted it based on what I had on hand, so: I used toasted sunflower seeds (1/2 cup) instead of pine nuts. I skipped the creme fraiche in the pesto but included a little crumbled feta when I tossed it all together at the end. The pesto is rich enough you don’t really need it though. I also didn’t have an avocado and still loved it. Cook-with-what-you-have baby:)!

Kale and Bean Stew

This is so simple and so good. Having good, local dry beans is ideal but most of our local grocery stores have decent dry bean selections. Good olive oil is also important here.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4-5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 pork sausage or 2-3 slices bacon, or other sausage of your choice, sliced (optional)
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish Paprika (pimenton) if you’re not using meat
2 cups cooked white beans (or 3-4 diced potatoes if you don’t have beans)
1 big bunch kale
5-6 cups homemade veggie bouillon or chicken or veggie stock
Freshly ground pepper
Salt
Good olive oil for drizzling.
Grated Parmesan for garnish, optional

Sauté onion and garlic in the olive oil gently over medium heat until for about 10 minutes. Add sausage or bacon and cook a few more minutes or add the pimenton if not using meat. Add beans, (or potatoes), kale, bouillon or stock and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook until everything is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve in wide bowls with a drizzle of good oil and a bit of Parmesan.