Sauvie Island Organics Farm Blog

Recipes

I hope the below ideas are a nice follow up or antidote to the Thanksgiving menus–fairly light for the most part. The parsnip dumplings can be made with turkey stock to delicious effect and the red lentil dhal with winter squash is one of my all time favorite dishes and perfectly comforting and soothing this time of year. Enjoy!

Roasted Beets with Barley and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
Roasted Carrots
Red Lentil and Winter Squash Dhal
Caldo Verde (Kale/Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
Greens & Grains Gratin with Browned Yogurt Topping
Parsnip Dumplings in Broth
Parsnip and Celery Root Cake

Roasted Beets with Barley and Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

This salad came about a bit by accident. I make this dressing, from Crescent Dragonwagon’s wonderful cookbook Bean by Bean to go with black beans and roasted sweet potatoes. The recipe for the vinaigrette makes more than enough for one salad so I had half a jar of it in the fridge. I also had roasted beets and celeriac and cooked barley. And voila, add a few thinly sliced scallions and a wonderful salad is born.

For salad:
2-3 cups cooked barley (or other grains or beans for that matter—white beans would be lovely here)
3 medium beets, roasted (or boiled), cooled, peeled and cut into medium dice or wedges or slices
½  of the below dressing
2-3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
some feta or goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

For the vinaigrette:
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves and most of the stems
Scant 1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp. salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
Dash or two or three of Tabasco or similar hot sauce
Juice of 1 – 1 ½ limes
3/4 cup olive oil

For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients except the oil in a food processor and process until smooth. You may need to scrape the processor sides once or twice. Add the oil and process a bit more to emulsify. Taste for seasonings, then transfer to a lidded container or jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Combine all the salad ingredients except the optional cheese and gently toss with ½ the dressing. Taste, adjust seasoning with more lime juice and/or salt. If using, gently mix in the cheese.

Roasted Carrots

The two things that make this simple, simple dish outstanding are the shape the carrots are cut into and the high heat of the oven. I had a version of this made by John Taboada of Navarre and Luce restaurants at a winery event. I literally couldn’t keep my fingers out of the dish!

However many carrots you have the patience and time to cut into long, thin strips (about 1/4-inch thick and 4 inches long
Olive oil
Salt
Chopped fresh tarragon and parsley

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Toss the carrots strips with a bit of olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt. Spread the carrots out onto a large sheet pan and roast, tossing occasionally until well-caramelized and tender. Toss with chopped herbs and taste for salt. You might add another drizzle of your best olive oil.

Red Lentil and Winter Squash Dhal

Serves 6 – 8 (freezes well!)

Despite the long list of ingredients the dish comes together quite quickly. If you use veggie bouillon you’ll need less salt than the recipe below calls for. It’s delicious with the homemade bouillon so by all means use it if you have it. You can either add the squash raw but that means you have to peel it raw which can be a bit of a pain. You can just as easily bake whatever winter squash you have in a hot (400 degree) oven for 30 or so minutes. It will be much easier to peel when partially cooked. You can also bake it until completely tender before adding to the dhal.

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 tsp. black or brown mustard seeds (can omit in a pinch)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 ½ inches of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, finely chopped (can omit and just use more chili flakes)
1 ½ tsp. curry powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. chili flakes
Salt – about 2-3 tsp. kosher salt (it takes more salt than you might think unless you’re using veggie bouillon or other salty stock or broth)
2 cups red lentils
3 cups baked winter squash, cut into bite-sized pieces (see headnote)
5 cups veggie bouillon or water
1 15-oz. can coconut milk (preferably full fat)
Juice of 1 lemon
½ a bunch of mint, chopped (can omit in a pinch)
½ a bunch of cilantro, chopped (can omit in a pinch or substitute parsley)

Heat just enough oil to coat the bottom of a large pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds.  As soon as they begin to pop (only takes about 30 -90 seconds) add the onion, turn down the heat to medium, and cook until softened – about five minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, minced jalapeno, curry powder, cumin, turmeric, and chili flakes and fry for 3 minutes.

Add the lentils and stir to coat with the oil and spices.  Add salt, water, and coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the dhal is at a simmer.  Cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom, until the lentils and squash have partially lost their shape and are almost tender– about 15 minutes.  Add the squash and stir in a little more liquid as necessary for the consistency you want and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the chopped herbs. Cook for a minute or two then season with more sea salt and add the lemon juice to taste.  Serve warm over long grain white or brown rice and with plain Greek or other whole milk yogurt if you’d like. This dhal freezes well.

Caldo Verde (Kale or Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
–adapted from Tender, by Nigel Slater

This is often made with savoy cabbage (which you will get in your next share so I’ll remind you of this recipe then but it’s also good with kale). One chorizo is really plenty to flavor this soup well but if you’ve got meat lovers at the table feel free to toss in another. If you’d like to make this without the meat, I would add a teaspoon of smoked Spanish paprika (Pimenton) and another clove or two of garlic at the beginning.

Serves 4

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 -4 medium waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut into medium dice (or ½ parsnips/1/2 potatoes – see headnote)
4-5 cups water or broth or veggie bouillon
2 bay leaves
1 chorizo sausage (about 4 oz), cut into thin rounds
4 -5 cups kale, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
Good olive oil for drizzling

Sauté the onion and garlic over medium-low heat in a large pot in a bit of olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for a few more minutes before adding the water (or broth), bay leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are just tender, then add the kale and cook for another 15 minutes until the kale is tender and the potatoes are beginning to fall apart. Meanwhile fry the slices of chorizo in a small pan until they are crisp and the fat has been rendered.

Mash the potatoes in the pot with a fork or potato masher until partially broken down. You want the potatoes to thicken the soup but also leave plenty of lumps. Add the chorizo; adjust for salt and serve the soup generously drizzled with good olive oil and another grind of pepper.

Greens & Grains Gratin with Browned Yogurt Topping

–from theyellowhouse.com

The yogurt topping was inspired by a Martha Shulman New York Times recipe, and it is wonderful despite sounding a little strange.

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little more for oiling the baking dish
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 cups kale, well washed chopped finely
1 cup parmesan, grated (another hard cheese could also work)
3 cups grains, cooked (brown rice is lovely here)
1 cup Greek-style yogurt
3 eggs
Coarse salt
Pepper
Paprika (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Oil a 3-4 quart baking dish.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and cook, stirring a bit, until the shallot begins to become translucent and aromatic, about 3-5 minutes. Add the chopped greens and give a few quick stirs to coat in the oil and allium mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the grains, the greens mixture, and 3/4 cup parmesan. Taste for salt and pepper and season if necessary. Then, stir in just one of the eggs and mix until well incorporated. Spread the mixture in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.

In another bowl, mix the yogurt, remaining two eggs, and remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Throw in a few pinches of paprika if you want. Spread this mixture in an even layer over the grains and greens.

Bake, 35 minutes or so, until the egg-yogurt topping sets and becomes speckled brown. Serve hot.

Parsnip Dumplings in Broth or Turkey Stock
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

In the original recipe the author has you make a lovely, deeply flavored vegetable broth (with prunes in it!) with carrots, celery, celeriac, thyme, parsley, garlic, etc. I simple use my homemade veggie bouillon or chicken or turkey stock that I sometimes have in the freezer and will probably  have fresh post Thanksgiving.  Use anything you want but if it’s bland, make sure to season it well with salt and pepper and add some fresh, finely chopped herbs such as thyme or parsley.

~5 cups broth (See headnote)
½ lb potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups diced parsnips (peel only if the skin seems too fibrous and stringy)
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
1/3 cup semolina flour (or more all-purpose flour)
1 large egg
Salt and pepper
Parsley, finely chopped
Lemon zest
Olive oil

Cook the potatoes, parsnips and garlic in plenty of salted, boiling water until soft; drain well and then place in a wide skillet with the butter. Heat through and stir for a few minutes to get rid of any excess moisture. Mash the veggies in the pan with a potato masher or take them out and use a potato ricer. You want them to be pretty smooth. Then add the flour, salt, baking powder and semolina flour and freshly ground pepper and mix until incorporated. Chill for 30 – 60 minutes, covered.

Heat your broth and taste for seasoning and have at a light simmer. Use a teaspoon to scoop small dumplings into the simmering broth. Once the dumplings come to the surface, leave to simmer for about 30 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon. When all dumplings have been cooked divide between bowls and pour over the broth. Garnish with finely chopped parsley mixed with a little lemon zest and olive oil.

Parsnip and Celery Root Cake
–adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater

Serves 3-6, depending on whether as a side or main

You can make this if you have celeriac leftover from last week’s share in which I included this recipe as well.

Parsnips can have woody and fibrous cores but if they are quite fresh they probably don’t and you don’t need to cut out the core. Taste a thin slice raw and see how it seems. I’ve found that local, fresh parsnips are quite tender all the way through, even the really big ones.

You want to slice your veggies very thin. A sharp knife works great if you’re comfortable and a bit practiced and the food processor is a good alternative too.

1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 medium or 3 smaller parsnips, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1/2 a medium celery root, peeled and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, chopped up a bit
6 tablespoons vegetable broth or stock (I use veggie bouillon)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 Degrees F.

Toss the sliced onion and veggies in a large bowl with they thyme, at least a teaspoon of sea or kosher salt and plenty of pepper. You need to be generous with the salt.

Put the butter in a baking dish and place it in the oven while it’s preheating. When the butter is melted add the veggie mixture and combine well and pack the veggies down as evenly as possible. Pour the stock or bouillon over the mixture. Place a piece of wax paper or aluminum foil over the veggies and press down firmly. Bake for an hour and then remove the foil and turn your oven up to 425 (or to broil if you’re in a hurry) and cook for another five minutes or so until the top is nicely browned and the veggies are very tender.

I’m a bit of broken record, always wanting to start with “You’re in for more treats this week!” well it’s true—Celeriac (celery root) and Pan di Zucchero are both definite treats. Enjoy!

Bruschetta with Stewed Leeks and Goat Cheese
Pan di Zucchero Notes
Pan di Zucchero Caesar Salad
Roasted Delicata Squash
Stuffed Delicata Squash Slices
Calabrian Fried Potatoes and Peppers
Celeriac Soup
Warm Celeriac and Lentil Salad

Bruschetta with Stewed Leeks and Goat Cheese

Serves 4 as a side or appetizer or 2 as a main

You can serve this as a hearty appetizer or first course or even as dinner with a big salad on the side. If you don’t have goat cheese on hand, feta would work too or even just cream cheese. Quantities are approximate and feel free to make less or more depending on what you have on hand and/or want to use up. This dish is not a dish eaten with grace so have the napkins close by and have at it!

2-3 medium to large leeks (cut off only the top couple of inches that are tough and scruffy. Most of the green part is great to eat)
5 slices of rustic bread (like Grand Central Bakery Como, Peasant Levain, Potato bread, or any crusty loaf)
4-5 ounces soft goat cheese
3 hard-boiled eggs (chopped)
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, minced or crumbled (optional)
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
Olive oil
Chopped parsley and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for garnish (optional)

Clean leeks well and cut in half lengthwise then cut into ½ inch half-rounds. Heat butter and a good splash of olive oil in a large sauté pan over med/high heat. Add the leeks when the butter is melted and oil is hot. Stir well to coat, salt generously with a couple of large pinches of kosher salt. Add thyme and stir well. Cook for a few minutes uncovered, then turn the heat down a bit and cover. Check occasionally to make sure the leeks aren’t browning or burning. Add a splash of water if they start to stick and turn the heat down a bit more. Cook for about 15 minutes until leeks are meltingly tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, toast the bread and hard-boil the eggs and peel and chop those. Spread the goat cheese on the bread, arrange stewed leeks on cheese, sprinkle with egg, salt and a couple of grinds of pepper and drizzle a little good olive oil over the whole thing. Sprinkle with parsley and drizzle with balsamic vinegar if you’d like. Again, there is no way to eat this delicately. They make a mess, the toppings fall off. . .. no matter.

Pan di Zucchero Notes

Pan di zucchero is a chicory, not as strong as radicchio and the name means sugar loaf in Italian. It’s a bit like a denser version of escarole. It’s crisp and sweet and complex and a definite treat. You can use like Romaine for a Caesar like salad (I’ve included my recipe for that here again).

It also takes well to braising with a little broth and/or white wine and some thinly sliced garlic and salt and pepper.

You can also grill it, cut into wedges and brushed generously with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Then you can serve it with thinly sliced pears or apples and a soft, pungent cheese like gorgonzola or other blues or feta or goat cheese even. Delicious! For even more decadence add some diced, rendered bacon or prosciutto.

Pan di Zucchero Caesar Salad

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)
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
Freshly grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
1 head (or only part of one if they’re huge) pan di zucchero, washed, leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1 1/2 inch ribbons
¾ – 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 with pan di zucchero, top with croutons and some more freshly grated Parmesan.

Roasted Delicata Squash Slices

Because you don’t have to peel delicate squash you can make this simple side dish with very little active time. These crispy slices are addictive. You can play with the spices or use just salt—both are wonderful. And by all means come up with your own combinations.

Fry or poach a couple of eggs, toss some pan di zucchero with a simple vinaigrette and have yourself a lovely little supper.

1-2 delicata squash, halved lengthwise scraped clean and cut into ¼ -1/2 inch thick slices (the thinner the crisper but thicker and meatier is excellent too)
Olive oil
Salt
Ground cumin
Touch of cayenne

Preheat oven to 425

Toss the slices with olive oil and the spices in a large bowl. Spread the slices out evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn over and bake for about 10 more minutes. Test for doneness. You can run them under the broiler at the end if you want more color and crispness.

Delicata Squash Stuffed with Chorizo (or Mushrooms)

In this recipe the squash gets baked first and then filled which speeds up the process a bit. Serve with a grated carrot salad for a very orange dinner!

2 delicata squash, halved and seeded
1/2 cup bulgur
4 ounces manchego or Cheddar, grated (about 1 cup)
3 ounces cured chorizo, chopped (or sautéed mushrooms)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper

Heat oven to 450° F. Place the squash halves cut-side down in a baking dish, add ¼ inch water, cover with foil, and bake until almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add bulgur and cook for 2 minutes. Take off heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes. Drain any excess water. In a bowl, combine the bulgur, manchego or cheddar, chorizo (or sautéed mushrooms), parsley, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Turn the squash halves cut-side up and, dividing evenly, fill with the bulgur mixture. Bake until the filling is warmed through and the manchego is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.

Carrot Salad with Toasted Seeds

I love grated carrot salads in the cooler months and vary them endlessly. Last night I added grated raw quince from quince on my very own tree. It was delicious!

About 4 medium to large carrots (or however much you want), grated on the large holes of a box grater
1 sweet red pepper, seeded and very thinly sliced
2-3 tablespoons parsley, cilantro or mint, finely chopped
2 scallions thinly sliced (optional)
1/3 cup toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons honey (or powdered sugar)
4 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Calabrian Fried Potatoes and Peppers

This was one of my very favorite things to eat when I lived in Calabria (the toe of the Italian boot) more than 20 years ago. It doesn’t really get any simpler but you need to be brave with the heat and have good ventilation.

3 sweet red peppers, washed, cored and seeded and cut into chunks about 1 ½ – 2 1/3 inches
3-4 medium potatoes, well scrubbed (no need to peel) and cut into bite-sized chunks.
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt

Heat the oil in the largest, heaviest skillet you have. When it’s hot but not smoking add the peppers and potatoes and toss well to coat with oil. Cook on high heat, stirring frequently until the both potatoes and peppers are tender and almost blackened around the edges. Season liberally with good sea salt. Serve hot.

Celeriac Soup

–adapted from www.davidlebovitz.com

8-10 Servings

This is delicious, elegant and easy to make. If your celeriac is smaller or you want to make a smaller batch just adjust everything accordingly.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced (or 2 leeks, cleaned and chopped)
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
One large celeriac (about 3-pounds), peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken or veggie stock
3 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
Scant 1/8 teaspoon chile powder

In a large pot, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the onion (or leeks) and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic cloves and season with salt, and continue to cook until the onions and garlic are soft and translucent.

Add the celery root and stock. (Or use all water.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a strong simmer. Cook, with the lid to the pot ajar on top, until the celery root pieces are soft and easily pierced with a paring knife, about forty-five minutes.

Add pepper and chile powder, then purée using an immersion blender, or let the soup cool to a bit and whiz in a blender until smooth. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. If the soup is too thick, it can be thinned with water or stock.

You can vary the soup by adding some pieces of crisp bacon as a garnish or a dollop of sour cream or some heavy cream can be stirred in. Chives or parsley would be a nice garnish. But a nice drizzle of good olive oil is perfect too.

Celeriac and Lentil Salad
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

This dish is substantial enough to make a light main course. The earthy flavors of the nuts and the lentils are balanced by the sharpness of the vinegar and the fresh mint. Don’t skimp on the salt – lentils need a lot of it. You can serve this warm at room temperature.

Serves 4

1/3 cup hazelnuts, roasted and roughly chopped (optional but very good)
1 cup small French green lentils
(these hold up well when cooked and are thus good for salads—don’t use the larger, brown lentils as they’ll get too mushy)
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 small celeriac, peeled and cut into ¾-inch x 1/4 –inch chips
(more or less)
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh mint, roughly chopped (can use parsley instead. I haven’t tried it with dill but you might experiment with a small bowl of it and see if it works)

Put the lentils, water, bay leaves and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but a bit al dente, then drain in a sieve. Remove and discard the bay leaves and the thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring plenty of salted water to a boil, drop in the celeriac, along, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain.

In a large bowl, mix the hot lentils (make sure they don’t cool down – lentils soak up flavors much better when they’re hot) with the olive oil, the vinegar, a few grinds of black pepper and plenty of salt. Add the celeriac, stir, taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add the mint and hazelnuts and stir again.

Savoy Cabbage Slaw with Applesauce Vinaigrette and Mustard Seeds

Serves 6

Vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon applesauce
1/3 cup olive oil

Salad:
5 cups savoy cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible
1 ½ crisp apples, peeled, cored and grated on a the large holes of a box grater
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a bowl, mix together mustard, salt, vinegar and applesauce. Slowly whisk in olive oil a little at a time until dressing emulsifies. Set aside.

Sprinkle grated apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.

When ready to serve, add grated apple to cabbage and toss slaw with vinaigrette. Add mustard seeds and toss again. Sprinkle walnuts on top of slaw. Season with salt and pepper.

Lots of fun things this week, and even a photo! But alas the photo is of a dish that includes Japanese turnips and their greens which it turned it weren’t quite ready for show time this week but they will be next so remember the pretty photo until then. Happy Cooking!

Turkish-Style Leeks with Carrot and Rice
Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancakes)
Cabbage and Potato Gratin
Roasted Red Pepper Salad
Peperonata
Cabbage Salad with Apples and Walnuts
Mixed Veggie Skillet

Turkish-Style Leeks with Carrot and Rice
–slightly adapted from Adam Ried from the Culinate.com collection

This is a lovely dish that feels perfect for this time of year as it actually is getting a bit cooler and we actually might be in for some rain in a few days.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large, diced
Salt
4 carrots, well scrubbed but no need to peel and cut on the bias into thin slices
4-5 medium leeks (about 2½ pounds), white and much of the green part (just cut off the greens where it seems they get tougher and more fibrous), halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup chicken or veggie stock or water
¼ cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt, adjust the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is very soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the leeks and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a strong simmer. Add the rice and ½ teaspoon salt, stir to incorporate, adjust the heat to very low, cover the pan, and simmer (without stirring or lifting the cover) for 25 minutes.

Remove the cover, stir the mixture once or twice, replace the cover, and set aside off the heat for 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and dill or parsley and stir to mix. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, if necessary, and pepper to taste, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancakes)

I included this recipe early in the season and can’t help but bring it back.

These traditionally include finely chopped shrimp so by all means add this if you’d like. I love them like this. They are great party food and just as good for a simple supper with a salad on the side. Makes about 12 pancakes.

Sauce:

Scant ½ cup mayonnaise
Scant 2 tbs soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha

Pancakes:

4 large eggs
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 – 11/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3-4 cups cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible (you can also grate or chop it in a food processor—I prefer the texture of the hand cut and if you have a good, sharp chef’s knife it’s quick work)
1 bunch scallions (green onions), trimmed and chopped
Sunflower, coconut or peanut oil for frying
1-2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Whisk the first set of ingredients together for your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour and whisk until smooth. Fold in cabbage and scallions.

Warm a tablespoon or two of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Spoon the batter into the skillet as you would for regular pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce.

Creamy Cabbage and Potato Gratin

This dish involves making a quick white sauce (or béchamel) and it’s worth the effort. This is CSA-centric comfort food. It’s even better the next day and it’s easy to make a lot so you’ll likely get 2+ meals out of it. You can use kale instead of cabbage, or a bit of both, in this dish as well. It’s more colorful and just as good.

For Bechamel:

Melt 4 Tbs of butter in a medium-sized saucepan over med/low heat. When melted, whisk in 4 Tbs of flour. Continue cooking the roux for 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently. Meanwhile heat a generous 2 ½ cups of milk, preferably whole but 2% will do if that’s what you have. Whisk hot milk into roux and add several pinches of salt, grind in some pepper, add a 1/8 – ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes (or omit if you’d like), add 2 teaspoons or so of Dijon mustard and a bay leaf and a grating or two of nutmeg (optional). Stir well and cook over med/low heat for about 10 – 15 minutes until thickened a bit. Add some grated cheese if you’d like at this point.

Note: this sauce can be used in dozens of dishes. You can adjust the seasoning as you like but the above combination of seasonings works for mac and cheese, pasta sauces (to which you could add lots of vegetables and herbs) as a base for a soufflé, for lasagna, etc.

For the Gratin:

Scrub 3-5 potatoes (depending on size) and cut into thumb-sized chunks and add to a large pot with lots of water that’s been well salted. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile remove the outer leaves of a medium green cabbage. Cut in half and then in quarters. Remove the heart. Slice the quarters into half-inch strips. If it’s a large cabbage you’ll only need half of the head.

After the potatoes have been cooking for about 8 minutes –test with a sharp knife –you want some resistance since you’re going to add the cabbage to the same pot and cook the cabbage and finish the potatoes at the same time. So, when the potatoes are close to tender add the cabbage to the pot. Cover and bring back to a boil over high heat and cook for another 3-4 minutes until both are tender. Drain well.

Spread the vegetables in a large baking dish. Pour the béchamel over the top and mix in a bit. Sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs and grated cheese (if you’d like) and bake in at 375 until bubbly and crisp on top (I broil it at the end for a few minutes).

Note: You could add bacon to this dish at the end, as well as sausage or lots of fresh parsley or some thyme or different cheeses. Or you can make the same dish with cauliflower and potatoes or with broccoli and pasta. The variations are infinite. And the leftovers are better than the first time around.

Roasted Red Pepper Salad

This is the way sweet red peppers are prepared in many parts of Italy. It’s very simple and very good. This dish keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days so make extra and enjoy it for a while. And use however much parsley and garlic you like. It’s really a matter of taste.

4-5 sweet peppers
10 sprigs of parsley, big stems discarded, chopped
1 medium clove garlic, minced
Good-tasting olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Set oven to broil.

Rinse peppers. Place them on a baking sheet and place about 4-6 inches under the broiler. Broil, turning as one side blisters and turns black. When they are blackened all around remove from oven, place in a bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let steam and cool until you can handle them. Remove the stems and seeds. Chop into large-ish pieces (1 ½ – 2-inch square). Toss in a bowl with the remainder of the ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Let sit to let flavors marry for 15 minutes if you can. Serve with bread, cheese, grilled anything, salads, a frittata, etc. . . Great on sandwiches as well.

Peperonata

The classic Italian Peperonata is made with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. This version includes potatoes which makes it a more substantial dish and with a green salad and piece of bread, a perfect fall supper. I hope you might still have a couple of tomatoes sitting around for this last hurrah of summer!

¼ cup olive oil
2 medium or 1 ½ large onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
¼ – ½ teaspoon of hot chili flakes (to taste)
2-3 medium tomatoes, diced
3-4 large sweet peppers, washed, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon or more kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan, add the onions and several generous pinches of salt and sauté until they are translucent. Do not let them brown (though the dish will still be delicious, so don’t worry if you do). Add the potatoes and cook slowly, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the chili pepper and tomatoes and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Add the peppers, garlic, black pepper and another pinch or two of salt and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the peppers are tender. Serve hot or at room temperature. Drizzle with a little more olive oil at the table.

Mixed Veggie Skillet

Occasionally I toss whatever I have in the veggie bin in the cast iron pan, cut into fairly uniform pieces and slowly sauté these, sometime with a little bacon, sometimes not. I did this this evening with Japanese turnips (and their greens), carrots, the final yellow crookneck squash from my garden, some scallions on their last legs, an onion and a clove of garlic. It was very, very good and I’m committing to doing this more often.

It was particularly good because I did pay attention to when I added what vegetable. I have a very large cast iron skillet so things were no crowded and they browned and cooked nicely without steaming. And I did use a bit of diced bacon and I salted things well. If you’re not using bacon, you could add a pinch or two of pimento the smoked Spanish Paprika or just use salt. The vegetables are so good you don’t need much of anything else.

Olive oil
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise, washed well and cut into half rounds
1-2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
3 carrots, scrubbed but not peeled and cut into ¼-inch half rounds
2 potatoes, cut into small dice (optional)
1-2 sweet peppers, washed and deseeded and cut into small pieces or strips
4-5 turnips, scrubbed but not peeled and cut into small chunks
1 bunch turnip greens, well washed and cut into 1-inch ribbons, stems and all
1 clove garlic, minced and then mashed with the side of a knife with some salt until you get a paste (or use a press or just mince)
Salt

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (the larger amount if you’re not using the bacon) over high heat in the largest skillet you have. Add the leeks, bacon (if using) and carrots, peppers and potatoes (if using) and sauté, stirring occasionally for a few minutes. Add several generous pinches of salt. As things begin to brown turn the heat down to medium-high. You want some color but of course don’t want to burn the veggies.

After about 7-8 more minutes, stirring occasionally, add the turnips. Cook for about 5 more minutes until the turnips are tender. Then add the turnip greens and mashed garlic and stir well and cook for just 1-2 more minutes just to wilt the greens. Serve with a squeeze of lemon if you’d like and taste for salt.

Here it is, all steamy right off the stove. . ..

Cabbage Salad with Apples and Walnuts
–loosely adapted from Chez Panisse Fruit by Alice Waters

1 small green cabbage (or half a medium), outer leaves removed, quartered, heart removed and very thinly sliced
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons creme fraiche or heavy cream or sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 crisp apples
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1 sweet pepper, cored and seeded and very thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Toast the walnuts in the oven for 8 minutes. While they are still warm, first rub them in a clean dishtowel to remove some of the skins, then chop or coarsely crumble them.

To prepare the dressing, mix the vinegar with the lemon juice, some salt, and a generous amount of pepper.

Whisk in the olive oil and then the creme fraiche or cream. Taste and adjust the acid and salt as desired.

Quarter, peel, and core the apples. Slice the quarters lengthwise fairly thin and cut these slices lengthwise into a julienne. Toss the cabbage, apples, and walnuts (and blue cheese, if you’re using it) with the dressing and an extra pinch of salt. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, taste again, adjust the seasoning as needed, and serve.

This week we wander from Italy to Spain to Israel and beyond. I noticed that bread plays a prominent role in three dishes, lending texture, body and flavor. The Spanish are very clever when it comes to frying bread and garlic and making a paste to thicken and flavor soups. And there’s an invention of my own with toasted bread this week in the form of an unusual beet salad. Enjoy!

Garlicky-Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad
Polenta with Sweet Pepper and Tomato Sauce
Baked Penne with Fennel Tomato Sauce
Spinach (Beet Green) and Chickpea Soup
Cream of Tomato with Tuna and Hard-boiled Eggs
Beet and Bread Salad

Garlicky-Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad
–adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark

This is a perfect side dish but you could cook a pot of rice and have yourself a delightful supper or make a simple frittata (my go-to suggestion for when you’re in a hurry). Or you could add some carrots or peppers to it. . . .

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 heads broccoli, 1 pound each (more or less), cut into bite-size florets
generous 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (sounds like a lot but it works/is needed)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Large pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar and salt. Add the broccoli and toss to combine.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Pour the mixture over the broccoli and toss well. Let sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or chilled, up to 48 hours (chill it if you want to keep it for more than 2 hours). Adjust the seasonings (it may need more salt), add the sesame seeds and serve.

Polenta with Sweet Pepper and Tomato Sauce

This time of year in many parts of Italy, sweet red peppers are stewed with onions and tomatoes (and sometimes sausages) and then ladled over bowls of creamy polenta. It’s a lovely combination.

If you want to add sausages you can either cook them whole, separately or slice or crumble them into the skillet when you’re cooking the onions and peppers, before you add the tomatoes.

3-4 sweet peppers (more or less), well washed, cored and seeded and cut into thin strips
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4-5 medium tomatoes (heirloom or slicers), diced
Olive oil
Salt

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and peppers and several pinches of salt and sauté, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes, making sure not to burn the garlic. You do want the onions and peppers to take on a bit of color. Now add the tomatoes and bring to a lively simmer. Turn down and gently simmer for about 15 minutes until the tomatoes have thickened a bit. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and another good glug of olive oil.

Top the polenta (recipe below) with the sauce and a nice grating of Parmesan and some chopped fresh basil if you have it.

Basic Polenta

Note: Polenta is basically coarsely ground cornmeal. If you ever go to the Hillsdale Farmers Market, Ayers Creek Farm (Gaston, OR) sells the most delicious cornmeal and dried beans in the winter (late November they’ll be back at Hillsdale for the winter).

1-cup polenta (Bob’s Red Mill polenta is good if you don’t have an old stash of Ayers Creek cornmeal sitting around☺)
4 cups water, veggie bouillon or milk
1-teaspoon kosher salt (less if you’re using veggie bouillon)
2 tablespoons of butter
½ – ¾ cup grated cheese (parmesan, asiago stella, . . .)

Bring the liquid and salt to a boil in a heavy, large saucepan. Whisk in the polenta and turn down so that it’s at a steady simmer. Whisk or stir frequently for the first few minutes to ensure that there are no lumps. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally over low-medium heat for about 35-45 minutes until the cornmeal is tender. Add butter and cheese, if using. Serve with a pepper and tomato sauce, above.

Baked Penne with Fennel Tomato Sauce
–loosely adapted from The Fresh & Green Table via DanaTreat.com

This is fall comfort food but made all the better by fresh tomatoes.

If you can, make your own breadcrumbs for this dish. If you don’t have stale bread on hand, throw a few slices of good bread in the oven until crisp and then grind it up (tearing into small pieces first) in the food processor.

¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided
Olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Sea salt
2 fennel bulbs
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons vodka (optional)
3 cups chopped tomatoes (heirloom or slicers or a mix)
3/4 pound penne rigate
½ cup heavy cream
4 ounces diced fresh mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, 2 tsp. of olive oil, the parsley, and a large pinch of salt. Set aside.

Trim the stalks from the fennel. Trim any brown spots from the outside of the fennel and halve the bulbs and cut them into into ¼-inch thick slices. Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the fennel slices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is very tender and well browned, 12 to 14 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vodka and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot while it simmers down (this will take just a few seconds). Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, until well mixed, about 30 seconds. Turn the heat down to medium-low.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just shy of al dente (the pasta will continue to cook in the oven, so be sure to not overcook it). Pour the cream into a 2 cup measuring cup and keep it by the stove. When the pasta is ready, ladle out ¾ cup of the cooking liquid and add it to the cream. Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato fennel mixture. Pour in the cream mixture and stir well to combine. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan. Season to taste with salt.

Turn the mixture out into a 8×12-inch baking dish. Using a spatula, press down on the top. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the top. Bake, uncovered, until the top is browned and crusty and the casserole is bubbling vigorously, about 25 minutes.

Shakshuka (Eggs Poached in Tomato Pepper Sauce)
–loosely adapted from Saveur

There are many variations of this Israeli dish—some with hot pepper, some without tomatoes. . . so this may not be authentic but it’s awfully good.

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup olive oil
3 sweet peppers, washed, seeds removed and cut into thin strips
1 small onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed then sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
4 cups chopped tomatoes
Sea salt, to taste
6 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Warm pitas or good bread, for serving

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Add diced tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt.

Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce’s surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pitas, for dipping.

Spinach (Beet Green) and Chickpea Soup
–adapted from The Food of Spain

This a Castilian version of a common Spanish soup often eaten during Lent. It’s richly textured thanks to the addition of mashed fried bread, garlic and spices. While nowhere near lent it’s a great place for your spinach and beet greens this week. The quantity of the beet greens and spinach is approximate so if you have a half-share I’d use all of it and with a full share maybe all the spinach and no beet greens or half and half.

3 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
4 cups of cooked chickpeas (or 14-ounce cans, well drained)
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch spinach, very carefully washed and roughly chopped (small or large bunch)
1 bunch beet greens, stems removed, carefully washed and roughly chopped (small or large)
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
Salt
2 hard-boiled eggs
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
2 slices bread, crusts removed
1 teaspoon smoked Spanis Paprika (Pimenton)
Pinch of cayenne

Put the potatoes and chickpeas in a large pot with 4 ½ cups of the stock and simmer, covered for 10 minutes. Add the spinach and beet greens and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and some salt and cook for 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, remove the hardboiled egg yolks and reserve them. Chop the egg whites and reserve them.

Heat the oil in small skillet and fry the garlic cloves and bread over medium-high heat, turning them, until golden brown. Watch closely, as they will brown quickly. Drain on paper towels.

Put the garlic and bread in a food processor, add the spices and process to a fine paste. Add the hard-boiled egg yolks and blend well. Gradually pour in the remaining stock and blend to a thin sauce.

Pour this garlic mixture into the soup, stir well, and check the seasoning. Cook for another 10 minutes, then stir in the egg whites. The soup is meant to be quite thick.

Cream of Tomato with Tuna and Hard-boiled Eggs
–adapted from The Food of Spain

Another Spanish recipe today. This one from Andalusia and also one that uses bread for texture and body.

2 lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped
5 slices good crusty bread (though crusts should be removed☺)
1 sweet red pepper, seed and cored, and quartered
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
½ cup good olive oil
4-6 hard-boiled eggs, quartered or sliced
2 5-ounce cans Oregon albacore tuna (or other tuna)

Dry the bread out under the broiler without browning it, turning the slices once. Let cool and grind to coarse crumbs in a food processor and transfer to a bowl. Add the pepper to the processor and blend to a paste, then add the tomatoes and garlic and blend until very smooth. Add the sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar to taste and then the olive oil blend again. Return the bread crumbs to the processor and blend briefly just to mix them in. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour the tomato mixture onto a platter and arrange the egg and tuna, broken into pieces on top. Serve with more good, crusty bread.

Beet and Bread Salad

I threw this combination of things together for lunch today. I often toss whatever I have on hand together for lunch and it’s usually good but I don’t always make a note to repeat the dish. Well today, I did.

When I have a bunch of beets, as you know, I almost always roast the whole batch and then have the pleasure of having roasted beets on hand to use however I want. So, I highly recommend roasting all at once while you’re doing something else in the kitchen since they do take some time. Then, instead of getting moldy in the crisper you’ll be snacking on them with great pleasure and seemingly little effort.

3 medium beets, roasted and peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 slices of good, crusty bread (I had Grand Central Bakery’s Peasant Levain on hand) toasted and cut into bite-sized squares
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced (or chunk of regular onion, very thinly sliced)
2-3 tablespoons toasted and salted sunflower seeds
1-2 ounces sharp cheddar, cut into little squares (that’s what I had on hand but feta or goat cheese would be lovely)
2 -3 cups lettuce, cut into thin strips (optional—I did not have this on hand but the lettuce would be a good way to stretch this)
Juice of half a lemon or about 1 ½ tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
2-3 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning and dig in.