If you have any dill left over from last week, by all means make the Chilled Summer “Borscht” or pick up some dill at a market (along with a cucumber) because those beets you have this week would be perfect this way. Please refer back to the “Lettuce Management” notes from last week if you need green salad ideas. I’ve brought back the Green Curry that I know many of you enjoyed because it’s wonderful with beans and summer squash and lots of basil and you could add some of the beautiful torpedo onions too. And the Beet Green Tart is an elegant but fairly simple dish that is wonderful at room temperature for a light supper.

Recipes

Chilled Summer “Borscht”
Chopped Salad with Beans, Fennel
Thai Green Curry with Green Beans, Summer Squash and Basil
Grilled or Broiled Summer Squash
Beet Green Tart
Beet Sandwiches
Cabbage and Fennel Slaw (with Torpedo Onions)

Summer Borscht
–adapted from the Barefoot Contessa 2006 (Ina Garten)

This is a chilled, summery version of the classic beet soup. You need to chill it for a few hours or even better, over night. The flavor improves vastly so plan ahead.

5 medium beets (about 2 pounds without tops)
Sea salt
2 cups chicken stock or veggie bouillon broth
10 ounces sour cream, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1-2 tablespoon sugar (or bit more to taste)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups medium-diced cucumber, seeds removed
1/2 cup diced torpedo onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus extra for serving

Place the beets in a large pot of boiling salted water and cook uncovered until the beets are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the beets to a bowl and set aside to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and also set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups of the beet cooking liquid, the chicken stock, sour cream, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, 2-3 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Peel the cooled beets with a small paring knife or rub the skins off with your hands. Cut the beets in small to medium dice. Add the beets, cucumber, scallions, and dill to the soup. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. Season, to taste, and serve cold with a dollop of sour cream and an extra sprig of fresh dill.

Chopped “CSA” Salad with Green Beans, Fennel, Feta, Lime, Basil and Sunflower Seeds
–loosely adapted from Smittenkitchen.com

You can use different vegetables as the season progresses. Cooked corn and fresh red peppers would both be great. Quantities are just suggestions so please adapt to your taste.

To bulk this up into a more rounded dish, you could add a cup or two of thinly sliced lettuce, 1 to 2 cups of cooked, cooled grains such as barley, quinoa or faro, or a cup or so of cooked black beans. In each case, it would be best to increase (possibly double) the dressing so you’ll be able to cover everything well.

And some diced roasted (or boiled) beets would be a wonderful addition to add at the very end.

Serves 4 as appetizers and 2 as more of a meal-sized salad

2 cups perfectly cooked beans (see below), cut into ½-3/4 –inch pieces
½ cup fennel cut into small dice
½ cup carrots cut into small dice (optional – if you have some leftover from last week)
1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta or queso fresco
3 tablespoons torpedo onion, cut into small dice
1/2 cup or more, diced roasted beets (optional– see headnote)
1/3 cup well-toasted sunflower seeds, salted or unsalted
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon chile powder or 1/8 teaspoon each your choice combination of chile powder, cumin, cayenne or sumac
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup chopped basil

Mix the vegetables, feta, onions, seeds and basil in a medium bowl. Whisk lime juice, olive oil, salt, spice(s) and black pepper in a small dish and pour over vegetables, tossing to evenly coat. If you’re adding beets sprinkle them over the top or very lightly toss at the end so the whole salad doesn’t turn pink–or let it turn pink!
Adjust with more salt, lime, etc.

Perfectly Cooked (Green or Yellow) Beans

Perfectly-cooked-green-beans is a rather subjective thing. But this is my idea of a perfectly cooked green bean for adding to salads (wonderful with boiled new potatoes and pesto) or just dipped in aioli or as part of a vegetable platter. Trim and wash your beans and cook them in lots of generously salted, rapidly boiling water for about 5-6 minutes. Cooking really brings out the flavor in green beans and after 5-6 minutes you loose the “squeak” that you get if they’re not quite done enough. You want a big pot of water so the water returns to a boil right after you add the beans and it’s important to salt the water well, about 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt for a 6 quart pot of water. Drain them after 5-6 minutes and run under cold water. I don’t bother with the ice-bath method but you certainly can. Put out onto a dry dishtowel and pat dry.

Thai Green Curry with Green Beans, Summer Squash and Basil

I have made variations of this Thai-inspired curry for 15 years. It is not an authentic Green Curry but a tasty, quick adaptation. It is suitable to a wide variety of vegetables: asparagus, new potatoes and green onions in the spring; summer squash and green beans in early summer; green beans and eggplant in late summer, and pumpkin, leeks and potatoes in the fall/winter. You can easily add chicken or tofu to it for an even heartier dish though it’s wonderfully rich and satisfying without as well.

Serves 4 (generously)

2-3 handfuls of green/yellow beans, washed and ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups summer squash, cut into ½ – ¾ -inch dice, more or less
1 medium potato, diced (optional)
1 – 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 torpedo onion, cut in half and then sliced in thin half-rounds (optional)
1 1/2 heaping teaspoon (or to taste) green curry paste (Thai & True is a great local brand and Mae Ploy is also readily available brand)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 -2 teaspoons fish sauce (can omit to make it vegetarian/vegan)
1 can coconut milk (full fat preferably but light will work too)
3 tablespoons basil, packed and roughly torn
Juice of half a lemon or lime (optional)
White or brown cooked Jasmine or other long grain rice

Heat wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup of coconut milk (use the thickest, part usually at the top of the can) and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Add the curry paste, garlic, onion (if using) and ginger and fry it for about 3-4 minutes until it’s fragrant. Then add the remainder of the coconut milk plus ½ can’s worth of water, soy sauce and fish sauce. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and add the diced potato and simmer for about 3 minutes and then add the squash and beans and simmer for about 7 more minutes until the vegetables are tender. Adjust seasoning with a bit of salt or more soy sauce and/or fish sauce if needed and finish with a generous squeeze of lime or lemon juice, if using. Serve hot over rice.

Grilled or Broiled Summer Squash

Cut the patty pan squash (or whatever summer squash you have) into 1/2-inch think slices. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill or broil until starting to blacken, flipping to brown both sides. Enjoy as is with a little chopped basil or toss with other raw and roasted veggies for lovely side dish with more herbs. Layer on a burger or sandwich of any kind. . . .sweet, simple, perfect!

Beet Green Tart

This tart is quicker than it might seem. It’s a wonderful use for your beet greens and onions in this week’s share. The tart dough comes together very easily and does not need to rest or be chilled before baking. I bake the tart, in its tin, on a pizza stone that gets preheated in the oven. That way the crust cooks quickly and well and doesn’t get soggy. The high oven temp usually ensures that it works anyway so don’t worry if you don’t have a pizza stone.

It’s also a great dish to make in advance since it’s excellent at room temperature and it transports well and can be cut into thin slices for an appetizer too.

Preheat the oven to 425ºF

1 recipe Tart Dough (recipe follows)
1 large bunch beet green, stems finely diced, leaves roughly chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large or 2 smaller torpedo (or other) onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
Zest of 1/2 small lemon (optional)
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (or Gruyère or just plain old cheddar if that’s what you have)
A few pinches of ground nutmeg (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet; add the onion and beet green stems and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent and softening. Add the garlic, and beet greens. Sprinkle a few pinches of salt. Turn the leaves over repeatedly so that they are all exposed to the heat of the pan, and cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Make the custard. Beat the eggs; then stir in the milk, lemon peel (if using), grated Parmesan, and a few scrapings of nutmeg. Stir in the greens and onion mixture. Taste and season with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Pour the filling into the prepared tart shell and bake until the top is golden and firm, about 40 minutes.

Tart Dough
–adapted from David Lebovitz

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
(or ¾ cup apf and ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour)
4 1/2 ounces, about 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Make the dough by mixing the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your hands, or a pastry blender, to break in the butter until the mixture has a crumbly, cornmeal-like texture.

Mix the egg with 2 tablespoons of the water. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg mixture, stirring the mixture until the dough holds together. If it’s not coming together easily, add the additional tablespoon of ice water.

Gather the dough into a ball and roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding additional flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking to the counter.

Once the dough is large enough so that it will cover the bottom of a 10-inch tart pan and go up the sides, roll the dough around the rolling-pin then unroll it over the tart pan. “Dock” the bottom of the pastry firmly with your fingertips a few times, pressing in to make indentations. (I occasionally forget to do this with no ill effect so don’t sweat it if you forget.) If you don’t have a tart pan you can use a 9 or 10-inch pie pan too. The recipe for the dough is pretty generous so will fit a pie pan too.

Beet Sandwiches

Toast some good, crusty bread—rye bread if you have it would be classic. Spread generously with fresh goat cheese. Layer sliced roasted or boiled beets over the cheese. Sprinkle with sea salt, chopped dill (or mint or basil) and a drizzle of olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

Quick Cabbage and Fennel Slaw

This more simple technique than real recipe. Cut cabbage and fennel (however much you want) as finely as you can. Again, if you have some dill left over it would be great here. Mint or parsley would be good and the basil will be fine too if that’s what you have. Or skip the herbs. Finely slice some of torpedo onions.

Put all the vegetables (and herbs) in a big bowl. Make a dressing with lime or lemon juice (or champagne or cider vinegar), a little Dijon-style mustard, a tablespoon or two (or more if you’re making a lot of salad) of Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, a pinch or two of red pepper flakes, plenty of salt and pepper and a good splash of olive oil. Mix well and dress the veggies. Let rest for at least 15 minutes to let flavors marry. Adjust to taste.

Big packet of recipes this week with lots of fava bean ideas. And if you have the ingredients and half an inclination, please make the Portuguese soup with chard, beans, and cilantro! I also had a recipe for a carrot, faro and dill salad a few weeks ago which would be well-suited to this week’s share contents as well. Enjoy!

Recipes

Lettuce Management
Fava Bean Notes
Fava Beans with Yogurt and Herbs
Fava Bean Puree
Grilled Favas
Bacon, Fava Bean and Summer Squash Pasta
Portuguese Cilantro, Chard, White Bean and Bread Soup
Potato, Carrot, Onion and Bacon Fry
Dilled Carrot Spears

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 Walla Walla Sweets 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 or blueberries or peaches to your green salads. If you have a little goat cheese or feta, that would be a good combo as well.

Fava Bean Notes

Fava beans are a treat and can be a bit labor intensive. Typically people take the beans out of their squishy pods and then blanch the beans in boiling water for a few minutes and then pinch the skin off each individual bean. I did that for years and they are delicious that way—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 pods and don’t shell each bean. It’s much less work and equally delicious though a very different kind of dish. Experiment and see what you like. I’ve almost exclusively switched to the latter method because it’s just so easy and delicious.

Fava Beans with Yogurt and Herbs

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 very nutritious since many of the nutrients are in the fava bean skins. This dish is good with parsley, but also basil, mint or cilantro or a combination.

2 pounds fava beans in their pods (or however much you have)
¼ cup 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 parsley (I’ve never made this with dill but you might try it–not so traditional but probably good)
1 -2 teaspoons lemon juice (to taste)
Zest of one lemon, finely grated
1 medium clove garlic, minced (optional)
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.

Fava Bean Puree

Another of favorite things to do with fava beans is to puree them into a lovely, bright green spread.

This is just a simple technique so I won’t list precise quantities. Use as many favas as you’d like. You’ll end up eating it by the spoonful.

Pop the beans out of their pods and cook them in salted boiling water for about 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water and pinch the skin off each bean. Then cook the beans in some olive oil and a splash of water until soft, about 10 minutes.

Now you can either put them in a food processor or a bowl and use a wooden spoon to mash/process them with olive oil, a bit of minced garlic, a little minced rosemary or lots of freshly chopped mint, a bit of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Process or mash until all is well mixed and fairly uniform. Adjust seasoning with more oil, lemon, salt and pepper.

Spread the puree on toasted bread.

Ignacio Matta’s Grilled Favas
— from Food52.com

This recipe is brilliant. I first tried whole grilled fava beans (including the pods) at the Gathering Together Farm booth at a farmers’ market this season. Then I found this recipe, which is incredibly good. You can also just grill them with olive oil and salt and a squeeze of lemon with the same method. But all the extra goodies are worth it. And it seems like a lot of anchovies but it is well balanced. And if you don’t have a grill, a smoking hot cast iron pan works too—just turn your fan on high and open the windows.

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound fresh fava beans in their pods, the smallest ones you have
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground chile pepper
1 teaspoon picked rosemary
3 to 4 cloves chopped garlic
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus more to finish
2 tablespoons water
1 lemon
6 canned anchovies in oil, chopped finely
1 handful toasted bread crumbs (optional

Mix first 7 ingredients together in a large bowl. Toss to coat the fava pods, then place them on the grill over medium-high heat.

Grill favas for several minutes, until charred, then flip them over and char the other side, cooking until the pods seem about to open.

Remove pods from grill, return them to the mixing bowl, and squeeze the lemon over them. Toss the pods to coat. Check the seasoning, and add salt if necessary.

Add the anchovies to the bowl, mixing well.

Place the pods on a serving platter, drizzle to taste with olive oil, and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top, if using. Serve hot or at room temperature; eat with your hands or with forks and knives, depending on how messy you want to get.

Bacon, Fava Bean and Summer Squash Pasta

You might also call this “CSA pasta”. You can use the principle/technique with a variety of vegetables. This combination is very nice.

Remove the individual fava beans from from about 1 1/2 lbs of beans in pods and then blanch the beans in boiling water for a 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water and then pinch the skin off each individual bean.

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 slices bacon, diced
½ medium onion, diced
2 small-medium summer squash (or more if you’d like), cut in half lengthwise and then cut into thin half-rounds (or comparable size pieces if crookneck or patty pan squash)
Blanched and peeled fava beans from about 1 1/2 lbs of beans in pods
¾ lb penne, fusilli, rigatoni or other similarly shaped pasta
2 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
½-3/4 cup grated Parmesan (or other hard grating cheese)
½ cup pasta cooking water
Salt and pepper

In the largest skillet you have heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and bacon and cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Add the squash and fava beans and several generous pinches of salt, sauté, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. You can add a bit more oil or splash of water if it’s sticking or if the fava beans seem chalky.

You can either go the route of browning the vegetables and keeping them quite dry or add that splash of water and go for more of ragout—either way is good.

Meanwhile cook your pasta in a plenty of well-salted boiling water until al dente. Be sure to scoop out about ½ cup of pasta cooking water right before you drain the pasta.

In a large bowl (or the pasta cooking pot, mix the pasta, the bacon vegetable mixture, the parmesan, basil and about ¼ cup pasta cooking water. Mix very well, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. You can serve with more basil and/or grated Parmesan if you like.

Portuguese Cilantro, Chard, White Bean and Bread Soup

This may not sound as outstanding as it is, but it is! I’ve adapted it a bit for the share this week and I keep hoping for a share when you get both cilantro and chard but you have the chard this week so pick up a bunch of cilantro if you’re out and about. The original recipe calls for lots of leeks but the Walla Walla Sweets this week are a good substitute.

If you have pre-cooked or canned white beans this comes together quickly. And it may not seem like soup weather but it’s ALWAYS the right weather for this soup in my home. It’s definitely in my top three all time favorite soups.

Serves four (with plenty of leftovers)

1 cup dried white beans or 3 cups cooked beans or 1 14 oz. can of cannelini or other white beans
2 tbs olive oil
1 – 2 large sweet onions, diced (about 2 cups, chopped)
5 large cloves garlic
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups packed cilantro
one bunch chard, stems removed, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
sliced crusty bread (4 slices)
4 eggs
Salt and pepper, to taste

Soak beans for 8 hours, drain and then cook them in fresh water with one clove of the garlic until tender but still retaining their shape. Drain and set aside. You can also use canned beans.

Heat olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the onions in olive oil until limp. Add three cloves of garlic, minced. Continue sautéing until the garlic is soft but not brown about 2 minutes, lower heat as needed. Add four cups of the stock and set to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to simmer. Add the chard to the soup pot and cook for a few minutes. Blend the cilantro with the reserved 2 cups of bouillon in a blender. Add the cilantro mixture and season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a rapid simmer. Crack eggs into soup, cover and let poach about 5 minutes until the yolks and whites are just set.

While eggs are cooking toast the bread slices and rub with remaining garlic cloves. If you are not fond of garlic, rub lightly on only one side. Garlic lovers can go for both sides. Lay the bread in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle the soup over. Top with poached egg and drizzle with good olive oil and a few grinds of pepper.

Potato, Carrot, Onion and Bacon Fry

This is a technique anyone who grew up with a vegetable garden (or CSA share) probably employs. You could call it the cast iron skillet method—that’s what it was in my house growing up. As long as you have a heavy, large skillet you can cook most anything this way with tasty results. And when I’m short on time and veggies need using, it’s an easy choice. Tonight I did this with new potatoes, broccoli and bacon.

2 medium potatoes, well scrubbed but no need to peel and diced
2 carrots, well scrubbed (no need to peel) and thinly sliced on the bias
½ a large Walla Walla Sweet, cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into half-rounds
2-3 strips bacon, diced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chopped dill for serving

Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add the bacon and cook for just a minute or two then add the onions, carrots, potatoes and several generous pinches of sat. Stir well and cook over high heat for a couple of minutes undisturbed. Then turn the heat down a bit (you want to brown the potatoes and onions but not scorch) and cook stirring occasionally. Cover the pan if you’re in hurry. Ideally you’re not crowding the pan too much so the vegetables brown nicely and don’t steam. Use two skillets if you’re crowding things.

Cook until everything is tender to your liking. Top with chopped fresh herbs, dill in this case would be great, a fried or poached egg or nothing at all.

Dilled Carrot Spears

–adapted from Pickled, Preserving a World of Tastes and Traditions by Lucy Norris

makes 4 pints

This is a very simple pickled carrot recipe. These slightly spicy spears are lovely in a Bloody Mary and of course for snacking at any time or with cured meats and cheeses, etc.

4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
4 (1-2-inch long) hot red chili peppers (or ½ -1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
4 sprigs fresh dill
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into spears
2 ½ cups distilled white wine vinegar
¼ cup coarse salt (kosher or pickling salt)
2 ½ cups water

Sterilize your pint jars and lids (according to manufacturer instructions or here for some tips: http://www.simplebites.net/canning-101-the-basics/)

In each pint-sized jar, place 1 clove garlic, 1 chili and I sprig dill, then pack the carrot spears vertically into the jars.

Combine the vinegar, salt, fennel seeds and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour the hot brine over the carrots, leaving at least ¼-inch free at the top of each jar. Remove any air bubbles by tapping the jar, then screw on the lids. Process the jars in a hot-water bath for 10 minutes to seal.

Allow the jars to cool, then store in a cool, dark place for at least 3 weeks before tasting.

Ah, green beans and summer squash! Summer produce is in full swing now. Early in the season I tend to keep things simple with these and I imagine you have your favorite recipes too. But do try the green beans with mint and feta if you have those two other ingredients. It’s a perfect combination. I didn’t give you any specific salad recipes but please look back at past week’s if you’re feeling uninspired. I’ve been ad-libbing constantly with the lettuce, mixing it with whatever I have on hand. This week it was previously cooked barley, lots of herbs and some avocado as well as with chickpeas, cilantro, and a cumin-lemon dressing and some feta. . . you get the idea!

Carrot, Harrissa and Feta Salad
Summer Squash Sauté
Summer Squash Fritters/Pancakes
Roasted Beets/Beet Salad Ideas (using cilantro)
Beet Pesto
Perfectly Cooked Green Beans (with Aioli)
Green Beans with Mint and Feta

Carrot Harissa and Feta Salad
–adapted from smittenkitchen.com

This salad is addictive. It calls for a bit of harissa which can be tricky to find. You can make your own (http://mideastfood.about.com/od/dipsandsauces/r/harissa.htm) or go to Pastaworks or Citymarket or the International Food Supply store on SE 76 and Stark. I also hear that Market of Choice carries it.

3/4 pound carrots, well-scrubbed and coarsely grated
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 crushed clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or about half as much, ground (I used seeds but ground them first)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or about half as much, ground (I used the seed but ground them first, again)
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)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
100 grams feta, crumbled or chopped into bits

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 and add the feta before eating.

Summer Squash Sauté

This is how I prepare the first of the season’s summer squash. And then I keep going back to it through the summer when I have little time and want something I love. It’s really hardly a recipe but it’s so, so good.

3 medium summer squash (or however much you want to use), sliced into bite-sized pieces, about 1/2 inch think
Salt
Olive oil

Heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil (don’t skimp on the oil) in a large skillet. When hot add the squash slices, several generous pinches of salt and cook over high to medium-high heat for a few minutes until the squash starts browning. Turn down to medium/medium-high and continue cooking until the squash is nice and browned and soft. It’s not the most beautiful dish but again, don’t be put off.

Adjust seasoning and enjoy with a little more good sea salt.

You can also add a finely minced clove of garlic a minute or two before the squash is done and and/or a few tablespoons of chopped basil. Both great additions but wonderful plain too.

Summer Squash Fritters
–Adapted from Michael Symon’s Live to Cook

These are pan-fried (so not very greasy at all) and absolutely delicious. They come together quickly and don’t be put off by grating the zucchini onto a dishtowel and wringing out the liquid. It’s easy and even fun to do and makes the fritters better.

3 medium zucchini or any kind of summer squash
1 ¼  teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional but wonderful)
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh oregano, dill, or basil
1-2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the bias (or a small piece of onion minced)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-3 ounces feta cheese, coarsely chopped or crumbled (or grated sharp cheddar or other cooking cheese)
Grated zest of ½ a lemon (optional)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons cornstarch or all-purpose flour
Olive or Safflower oil, for pan-frying
½ cup Greek yogurt (optional)

Grate the zucchini/squash on the large holes of a grater onto a clean kitchen towel.  Sprinkle with the kosher salt and let it rest while you gather and prep the remaining ingredients.

Wrap the zucchini in the towel and wring as much liquid out of it as possible, discarding the liquid.  In a medium bowl, combine the zucchini, mint, dill, scallion, garlic, pepper, feta and zest.  Stir in the egg and flour (or cornstarch) and mix until well combined.

Add a scant tablespoon of oil to a large skillet.  Place the pan over medium-high heat.  Spoon about 3 tablespoons (about a ¼ cup) of batter into the pan. Depending on the size of your pan you should be able to fry about 3-5 at once.  Flatten them a bit with the back of a spatula and cook until the fritters are golden brown on each side, 4 to 6 minutes.

Transfer the fritters to plates and garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of dill.

Roasted Beets/Beet Notes

I roasted two bunches of beets last week. I used them throughout the week in salads of many kinds. One day I had avocado and lots of cilantro and mixed that with lettuce; one day it was sunflower seeds, lettuce, green onion and feta. . .

Beets take a while to cook and a little goes a long way with beets. I tend to roast all the beets I have at once and then use a bit here and there in different preparations the following days. I like the flavor of roasted beets best, though boiled is quicker and good too.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

1 bunch beets, trimmed of beat greens and scrubbed but not peeled. If they’re large I cut the beets in halves or quarters.

Place the beets in a large sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with a little water and then fold the foil over and tuck it into itself to create a nicely sealed package. Place packet on a sheet pan in the hot oven. Roast for about 45 minutes (depending on size of your chunks of beet).  A tester should easily pierce the beet.

Remove from oven, open package and let cool until you can handle them. Now the skin will come off easily. Peel beets. If you’d like toss them when still warm with a little red wine or sherry vinegar and a bit of salt. Beets do well with a little acidity and if you toss them in oil first the vinegar won’t get absorbed.

Now you can add them to salads of many kinds.

Beet Pesto

This is a delicious and beautiful variation on regular pesto. And if you have cooked or roasted beets on hand it’s very quick to pull together. I love it this time of year when I tend to assemble dinner out of a variety of cold things-salads, spreads, bread, cheese, etc. I love this on toasted crusty bread over some fresh goat cheese in particular. And you can top that lovely beet pesto crostini with some of the chopped, sautéed beet greens.

It also makes a perfect sandwich spread with feta or goat cheese and lots of lettuce and herbs. You can serve it over grains or roasted veggies or over pasta (it will get very pink!) mixed with some cooked greens.

1 1/2 cups cooked, diced beets
Generous handful of walnuts, toasted or raw (or hazelnuts or almonds)
1 small glove garlic
About ¼ -1/3 cup grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
¼ cup good-tasting olive oil
Salt and pepper
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1teaspoon of cider, white wine or sherry vinegar

Process the cheese and nuts first until finely ground. Then add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning to your liking.

To use with pasta, dilute with ¼ cup of hot pasta-cooking water before tossing with cooked pasta. Top with extra cheese.

Green Beans:

–With Aioli

Last week I included recipes for aioli and homemade mayonnaise and I’m including it here again because perfectly cooked green beans dipped in fresh aioli is a fleeting summer treat and I hope you’ll try it.

Perfectly-cooked-green-beans is a rather subjective thing. My idea of a perfectly cooked green bean for this preparation—dipped in aioli—is to cook them in generously salted, rapidly boiling water for about 5-6 minutes. Cooking really brings out the flavor in green beans and after 5-6 minutes you loose the “squeak” that you get if they’re not quite done enough. You want a big pot of water so the water returns to a boil right after you add the beans and it’s important to salt the water well, about 1 ½ tablespoons of kosher salt for a 6 quart pot of water. Drain them after 5-6 minutes and run under cold water. I don’t bother with the ice-bath method but you certainly can.  Put out onto a dry dishtowel and pat dry. Serve with aioli, some boiled or roasted potatoes on the side and some canned Oregon Albacore and you’re half way to a sort of bastardized Salade Nicoise.

— With Mint and Feta or Goat Cheese

Cook the beans as described above. Then toss with a handful of chopped mint, an ounce or two of crumbled feta or fresh goat’s cheese, good olive oil and salt. This is a wonderful summer salad.

Homemade Mayonnaise and Aioli

Homemade Mayonnaise takes about 5 minutes to make and keeps well for 4-5 days. It’s delicious and endlessly useful and adaptable. As a dip for perfectly steamed broccoli or cauliflower; as part of a dressing for potato salad, in deviled eggs, egg salad, on sandwiches, spread for grilled fish, dressing for anything.

Basic

2 egg yolks (organic or from a local farm if possible)
1 -2 teaspoons lemon juice (plus possibly a bit more to taste at the end) or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
Couple of pinches of kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
About 3/4 cup, more or less, sunflower, safflower oil or canola or some neutral vegetable oil
About 1/3 – 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice and salt and pepper. Then very, very gradually start pouring in the oil in a very thin stream, whisking as you go. After you’ve incorporated about 1/4 cup of oil you can start speeding things up a bit. Continue until you have a consistency you like. It will get thicker and stiffer the more oil you add. Adjust salt and/or lemon juice if it needs more tang.

Note: if you just use olive oil the mayonnaise will be too bitter and strong. And if you are using a higher percentage of olive oil (than listed above) make sure it’s fairly light and fruity and not too strong.

Aioli

Mash 3-4 cloves of garlic (more if you like it stronger and you can use more cloves if it’s fresh, young garlic since it’s not as strong) with the salt in a mortar or on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife until you have a paste. Whisk the garlic paste into the yolks before you begin adding the oil. You can use a higher percentage of good olive oil (up to half) for aioli since it’s meant to be a more strongly flavored sauce. The garlic flavor in the aioli will get stronger as it sits so don’t be surprised if it’s a bit mild to start.

Traditionally aioli is served as a dip with raw and steamed vegetables. It’s delicious with steamed green beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots; chickpeas; potatoes; etc. It’s also wonderful with grilled foods, in a sandwich or spooned in soup or pasta.

With Herbs

After you’ve made the basic mayonnaise, add herbs you have on hand. Chives, cilantro, parsley, basil, chervil, tarragon, a little thyme or summer savory are all good. Or use a combination of the above. I use this kind of mayo for deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches, as a spread on sandwiches, thinned down as a salad dressing, on roasted veggies, etc.

It’s the week of salads with seeds. I have two different ones in this post, so get your seeds and nuts out and get toasting. They add so much flavor and texture.

There are a couple of very simple preparations this week too. The produce is so good that you really don’t need to do much. And if you by chance need to bake a cake in the near future, this is my favorite carrot cake recipe. It’s not very sweet but beautifully moist and delicious.

Recipes

Carrot and Seed Salad
CSA Salad with Lacinato Kale, Avocado and Faro
Homemade Aioli
Green Salad with Capers, Aioli and Egg
Fennel and Onion Soffrito
Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic
Potatoes, Broccoli and Carrots with Aioli with lots of Parsley 
Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot and Seed Salad
–very slightly adapted from Breakfast Lunch Tea by Rose Carrarini

Serves 6 as a side

I make a variety of carrot salads. They add bright and fresh flavors year-round. Carrot salads are the perfect foil for the cook-with-what-you-have approach. Cumin, coriander, chili flakes, serrano chilies, lemon, lime (juice and zest), rice vinegar, parsley, mint, cilantro, tarragon, dill, and basil are all wonderful complements to the carrots. Toasted nuts and seeds of many kinds are good too.

With a simple frittata and a piece of good bread, this makes a lovely dinner.

1 cup sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds)
1 tablespoon sunflower or olive oil
3 generous pinches of sea salt
8 medium carrots, grated
1 handful chopped chives (or whatever you have on hand)

Dressing:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus possibly more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar or 2 teaspoons honey
about 3 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil (I used a good olive oil)

Preheat oven to 350.

Toss the sunflower seeds with the tablespoon of oil and several pinches of salt and roast on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes, turning frequently, until they are crisp and golden. Set aside to cool.

Place the grated carrots in a serving bowl. To make the dressing whisk together the lemon juice, salt, pepper and oil. Pour the dressing over the carrots and mix well. Sprinkle with the chives (or other herbs) and the seeds, mix again, and adjust seasoning and serve.

CSA Kale Salad with Avocado, Farro (or Barley) and Garlic Dressing
–inspired by 101cookbooks.com

The avocado adds richness and creaminess to both the dressing and the salad itself. And the toasted seeds are an key addition.

Garlicky Dressing:

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 tablespoons ripe avocado
1 teaspoon honey, or to taste
fresh pepper to taste

½ lb Lacinato kale (about 5 cups), well washed and destemmed if there are any tough ones and cut into 1-inch ribbons
1 cup / cooked farro or barley or wheat berries
4 small carrots, very thinly sliced (about ¾ cup worth)
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
3-4 tablespoons toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or some of each (toasted slivered almonds are good too)

Whisk the garlic, salt, lemon juice, olive oil, avocado, honey, and pepper until smooth. Taste, and adjust with more salt, or honey, or lemon juice.

Before you’re ready to serve, combine the kale with about half of the dressing in a large bowl and work the dressing in well. Taste, and add the last of the dressing if needed. This is a salad that’s good quite heavily dressed. Add the avocados and seeds and give one last gentle toss.

Homemade Aioli

Aioli is basically garlicky mayonnaise. The uncured, fresh garlic lends itself very well to this technique since it’s just a bit milder and sweeter than cured garlic. Homemade aioli takes about 8 minutes to make and keeps well for a week. I’ve always made it by hand but I know it works well in the food processor too so by all means use that if you want. It’s so delicious and endlessly useful and adaptable. Potato salad, deviled eggs, egg salad, sandwiches, spread for grilled fish, dressing for anything.

2 eggs yolks
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3 teaspoon lemon juice or more to taste
about 1 ½ cups oil. I use a combination of two thirds neutral oil like Sunflower and one third good tasting olive oil. If you use all olive oil it tends to be too bitter and strong.

Mash the garlic into a paste in a mortar and pestle with some sea salt (to give it grit/resistance) or on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife. For the latter technique, cover the minced garlic with the side of the knife, then press down hard and pull the knife towards, all the while pressing down hard on the minced garlic. Repeat a few times until you get a paste. It takes a little practice but then is a wonderfully useful, quick technique when you want to infuse something (and not have chunks) with fresh garlic (salad dressings, etc.)

Whisk the garlic into the eggs yolks with the lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Then very slowly start adding the oil, almost drip by drip for a bit until you things get nice and emulsified. Then you can start adding the oil in a thin stream, whisking all the while (or do the same in the food processor).

Traditionally aioli is served as a dip with raw and steamed vegetables. This week it could be carrots and turnips and radishes – raw or quickly blanched or steamed. It’s good with chickpeas, potatoes, asparagus, etc. It’s also wonderful with grilled foods, in a sandwich or spooned in soup or pasta or used instead of mayonnaise in deviled eggs or used in the salad dressing, below.

Green Salad with Fennel, Capers, Aioli and Egg

Lettuces this time of year are so tender and crisp and perfect. The summer heat hasn’t made them bitter yet and this salad is perfect for them. It includes eggs in two forms (hard-boiled and in the aioli)! And the salad is begging for adaptations. Add some chopped tarragon if you have it or other herbs (mint, parsley, basil, chives).

6 cups lettuce, washed and dried well and roughly torn
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
2 hardboiled eggs (eggs that have been brought to a boil in a plenty of cold water and then taken off the heat and left to sit for 8 minutes in the hot water and then drained and covered in cold water. The yolks will be set but still a bit creamy.), roughly chopped
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
1/2 a large fennel bulb, trimmed and then sliced as thinly as you can
¾ cup croutons or roughly torn, toasted, good crusty bread (optional)
3 tablespoons aioli
a little lemon juice or red wine or champagne vinegar
a bit more olive oil or cream or water to thin it down a bit (optional)
Salt and Pepper

Put the lettuce, eggs, capers, onion and croutons in a salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then toss well with the lettuce, etc. Taste and adjust seasoning

Fennel and Onion Soffrito

This is a delicious garnish/condiment/side for fish, roasted vegetables, etc.

Olive oil
1 ½ cups thinly sliced fennel
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onion
¾ cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 cloves garlic
red wine vinegar to taste
salt and pepper

In the largest skillet you have heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and fennel all at once and cook, stirring occasionally over medium heat until starting to brown and quite soft. Add the garlic and the tomatoes, a couple of generous pinches of salt and some pepper and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Finally add a little vinegar, you’ll probably want at least 2 teaspoons and plenty of black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

This is delicious with a bunch of chopped parsley and black olives too.

Potatoes with Parsley and Garlic

Potatoes and parsley and garlic work beautifully together.

Boil or roast however many potatoes you want. Cut them into large-ish bite-sized chunks (after cooking if boiling and before if roasting).

Finely chop lots of parsley. Mince a clove or two of garlic (or more), grated some lemon zest and mix it all together with good olive oil and a bit of lemon juize and salt and pepper. Dress the potatoes liberally with this simplified salsa verde.

Fry or poach and egg or grill some meat or fish and you have dinner!

Potatoes, Broccoli and Carrots with Aioli

Boil or roast some potatoes and carrots. Steam some broccoli. Arrange on a large platter.

Make aioli, above, to which you added lots of finely chopped parsley. Put a bowl of aioli in the center of the platter and dip away.

Good crusty bread, some good canned Oregon Albacore or some hard boiled eggs make nice additions. Perfect summer supper.

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
–Adapted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair

This cake uses honey, whole wheat flour and both lemon juice and zest and is hands-down my favorite carrot cake.

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or all purpose four or half apf, half whole wheat or spelt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 generous cup grated carrot (I grate half the carrots on the biggest holes on my box grater and half on the smaller ones and like the combo)
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3 cup dried currants (optional)
1/3 cup golden raisins, roughly chopped (regular raisins would be fine too) and if you like nuts in your carrot cake, by all means add some chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly oil and dust with flour a 9-inch cake pan. Mix flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a mixing bowl; set aside.

Melt butter and honey over low heat. Add eggs and lemon juice and whisk together. Add wet ingredients to dry mixture and mix well. Fold in carrots, zest, currants, and raisins. Pour batter in pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Be careful not to over bake.

6 ounces cream cheeses
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of butter, room temperature
2-3 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Cream the butter and cream cheese together with a wooden spoon. Add maple syrup and lemon juice. Add more of either to taste. The frosting will firm up in the fridge if it gets to soft to spread but mine worked just fine. Frost top and sides of cake.

Beautiful carrots and dill this week! I particularly love this combination and hope you try the faro and carrot salad with dill. The chard pancakes are a classic dish from the Southwest of France and tend to be crowd pleasers. I’ve included my favorite way to cook short-grain brown rice so you can make a lot and save half for fried rice the next day. Oh and the mustardy roasted veggies are a nice variation on the standard . . . Enjoy!

Farcous (Savory Chard Pancakes)
Fried-Rice with Broccoli, Carrots and Turnips
Baked Brown Rice
Carrot and Dill Notes
Faro with Carrots and Dill
Mustardy Roasted Vegetables
Two Kinds of Turnip Pickles

Farçous (Swiss Chard Pancakes)
–adapted from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

These are an absolute cinch to make if you have a food processor. It takes 5 minutes to make the batter and a bit longer to fry them but they are so addictive and so fun. These are made all over Southwest France and I’m sure with variations of herbs and greens, but most typically they are made with chard, parsley and chives. You can certainly skip the chives if you don’t have any on hand.

They also keep and freeze well and make great snacks. You can also experiment with different flours and combinations of flours if you’d like. Half whole wheat flour works well and I imagine spelt flour would too.

This recipe makes a lot of pancakes so you can cut it in half or make the whole thing and just save some for lunch the next day. I don’ think you’ll have any trouble eating them up.

2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or half all-purpose and half whole wheat)
3 large eggs
1 small onion, chopped (about ½ cup’s worth)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup of chopped parsley or more or less to taste
2 tablespoons of chives, chopped (optional)
7-10 Swiss chard leaves (depending on size of leaves), washed, shaken dry and center rib and stems removed (can save for other use)
Salt (these need a lot of salt! Start with ¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt. Taste the first pancake and add more if they’re bland. They really need salt to lift up the flavors of the herbs and greens)
Freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil or olive oil for pan-frying
For optional topping: yogurt, lemon zest and juice or just plain Greek or whole milk yogurt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and place a baking sheet in the oven.

Put milk, flour, eggs, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Add the chard leaves to the batter (little by little if you don’t have a lot of space) and blend, but don’t over blend. The mixture does not need to be homogenous and is better with a bit of variation in size of the chard leaf pieces.

You can make these pancakes large, like crepes (and use a crepe pan if you have one) or smaller, like regular pancakes. Pour about 1 tablespoon of oil into your pan (less if it’s a crepe/non-stick pan) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the batter to the pan for whatever size pancakes you’re making and cook until for a few minutes until the edges begin to brown and curl. Flip them over and cook them for a couple more minutes until evenly browned. Place in warm oven while you make the remainder of the pancakes.

These are wonderful with a dollop of yogurt (especially Greek yogurt) to which you can add a bit of lemon zest and little lemon juice and a salad for lovely dinner.

Cook-With-What-You-Have Fried Rice with CSA Veggies

This is the quintessential quick dinner, utilizing whatever bits and pieces you have on hand. Carrots, broccoli, turnip, chard stems (if you made the Swiss Chard pancakes above), all work well in this dish. Quantities are all approximations and you can vary them as you like. You just want to be sure you cut the vegetables finely and fairly uniformly and you don’t want to crowd your skillet or wok. To avoid a soggy dish you need to be brave with the heat level!

Serves 4 (more or less)

3-4 cups cooked, cooled rice (I recommend making short-grain brown rice as described below, if you can and day old rice works much better than fresh—fresh is too moist)
1-2 tablespoons coconut, sunflower or olive oil
1/2 a medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1-2 ounces of bacon, cut into small dice (optional)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup broccoli, cut into1-inch pieces
½ cup turnips, cut into 1/2-inch dice (optional)
1 cup turnip greens, well washed and chopped
1 Serrano chili, seeded (if you don’t want it very spicy) and finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 teaspoons Tamari or soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce (or to taste)
3 tablespoons roughly chopped basil, mint or cilantro (or a combination)
Salt

Heat the oil in a wok or largest skillet you have, over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, broccoli and turnips and Serrano chili, if using, and bacon and cook stirring very frequently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the rice and turnip greens and mix everything very well. Cook for about three more minutes to heat the rice through and wilt the greens. Then push the contents of the pan to one side and add the eggs to the empty spot and scramble them until almost set. A few stray rice kernels ore veggies will make their way in which is just fine. You just don’t want to mix the raw egg into the rice right away since you’ll loose track of it as it just coats the kernels instead of scrambling. When the eggs are almost set, mix them gently into the rice, add the soy and fish sauce, stir well and then mix in the herbs. Adjust seasoning–it may need salt or more soy or fish sauce or a squeeze of lime juice–and serve immediately.

Baked Brown Rice
–from Alton Brown

I often make a double batch and freeze the other half. I was a brown rice skeptic for years and never cooked short grain brown rice at that. This technique was a revelation to me. I can’t get enough of it.

1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the rice into an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Bring the water, butter, and salt just to a boil in a kettle or covered saucepan. Once the water boils, pour it over the rice, stir to combine, and cover the dish tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve immediately.

Carrot and Dill Notes

Carrots and dill are a lovely combination as you can see in the below faro salad. You can also make a simple salad of grated, raw carrots, lots of chopped dill, a thinly sliced green onion or two and a dressing made with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss in some toasted sunflower seeds for extra heft and crunch.

Faro with Dill and Carrots

This is a lovely combination. You could add feta if you like or use barley or rice instead of faro though I think faro is particularly good.

1 cup faro, hulled or pearled (pearled cooks more quickly but I prefer just hulled—more of a whole grain)
2 cups carrots, cut on the bias into ¼-inch slices
3 tablespoons dill, chopped
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 greens onions, thinly sliced (optional)
3-4 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted (optional but very good)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more to taste or red wine vinegar)
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Put the faro in a sauce pan with 3 cups water and ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer and cook, covered, until the faro is tender—some kernels will break open which is just fine. This will take about 45 minutes if it’s hulled faro and a bit less for pearled. Test occasionally for doneness. When tender, drain well and put in a bowl and let cool a bit.

Meanwhile, sauté the carrots in ½ tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat with a few pinches of salt until tender and caramelizing a bit—about 10 minutes.

Add the carrots to the faro and all the remaining ingredients. Stir well and adjust seasoning.

Mustardy Roasted Vegetables

This is a nice variation to plain roasted vegetables. One of my favorite things to do with these, once roasted and a bit cooled is to toss them with lots of parsley and/or arugula or just lettuce and maybe dill in this case. Then add a bit more lemon juice and olive oil and make a big salad out of it. Quantities are approximations. Use however many vegetables you want in whatever ratio you want.

You could also serve these on top of a bed of sautéed chard.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced in ½-inch thick half-rounds
5 turnips, scrubbed but not peeled and cut into wedges
6-7 carrots, scrubbed and cut into ½ – ¾-inch slices on the bias
2 cups broccoli florets and stems, cut into more-or-less same-sized pieces
2-3 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all the vegetables in a big bowl. Mix the other ingredients in a small bowl and then toss the mustard mixture with the vegetables mixing very well. I use my hands to get it thoroughly mixed—messy but fun and effective.

Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet with sides—try not to crowd and use two sheets if you have too much for one. Roast for 20 minutes then stir and keep roasting until all vegetables are tender and beginning to brown around the edges.

As noted above, these are delicious tossed with greens for an unusual salad or just eaten as is, hot or at room temp.

Quick Turnip Pickles
–from Andrew Cohen

Here is a variation on a theme of a salad called sunomono that you get in Japanese restaurants.

1 bunch turnips, trimmed and scrubbed but not peeled
2 medium carrots (optional), well scrubbed but not peeled
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup rice vinegar
1 cup water
½ cup sugar

Use a mandolin, if possible, to slice the turnips as thinly as you can and keep them whole. If you do not have a mandolin, I recommend slicing the top and bottom flat so you have a firm base and the turnip does not roll. If using the carrot, slice the carrot as thinly as the turnips. Use the same shape or shred into thin shreds.

Sprinkle the vegetables with the salt, toss to coat evenly and “massage” the vegetables a little.

While the vegetables wilt, combine the water, vinegar, and sugar in a jar and shake until the sugar goes into suspension (disappears from sight).

When the vegetables have begun to wilt and have lost their “raw”-ness, rinse in plenty of cold water. Taste a slice to be sure the salt is mostly gone.

Add the vegetables to the dressing and allow to marinate at least an hour. Chill the pickles, then use when cold.

Turnip Pickles
–adapted from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis via culminate.com

These pickles are a lovely complement to cold meats and cheeses and as a fresh, acidic counterpoint to other rich dishes. I’ve reduced the turmeric (by half) from original since it was a bit too strong for my taste but by all means increase it if you’d like.

The basic version takes a week to make, but there’s a quick method here too, for overnight pickles.

2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 thyme sprig
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric (see headnote)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
scant 2 tablespoons salt
2 cups water
½ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb turnips, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into small wedges

Combine the garlic, herbs and spices, salt, water, vinegar, and olive oil in a bowl. Stir to dissolve salt. Pack the turnip wedges into a clean quart jar and pour in the brine mixture. Screw on the lid. Put the jar on a shelf in the kitchen and turn it over every day for a week. After a week, refrigerate the pickles. Use within a month.

For a faster pickle, simmer the turnips in the brine for about 8 minutes, or until cooked but still firm. Cool the pickles in the brine, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

Broccoli Parmesan Fritters
–inspired by smittenkitchen.com

These are terribly addictive. They’re perfect with a fried egg on top or just with some Greek (or whole milk yogurt) that you’ve doctored with a little minced garlic, salt and lemon juice and/or some finely chopped parsley.

About 10 2.5-inch fritters

12 oz broccoli (about 4 cups chopped), well washed and cut into small florets and stems cut into small chunks
2 eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (or other grating cheese—sharp cheddar is fine too)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes and several grinds of black pepper
Olive or vegetable oil for frying

Cook the broccoli in a pan with 1/2–inch or so of water for 5-6 minutes until tender but not mushy or steam it. Drain and let cool slightly.

Meanwhile lightly beat the egg in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Then, add broccoli and, using a potato masher, mash it up a bit. You want to keep the bits recognizable, but small enough (1/4- to 1/2-inch chunks) that you can press a mound of the batter into a fritter in the pan. Once mashed a bit, stir or fold the ingredients together the rest of the way with a spoon. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a tablespoon or two of oil. Once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.

You can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven if you’re not eating them right away. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed. Serve with some of the suggestions listed in the head notes, above.

Salsa Verde

This is a versatile, strongly flavored sauce. I often just make it with parsley garlic, lemon juice, oil and salt but the addition of capers, onions and egg make it even better. I use the simpler version over fried or poached eggs over a veggie hash of any kind. It’s wonderful with meat and fish that’s been roasted or grilled. I put it on sandwiches or mix a little into the egg yolks for a twist on deviled eggs or egg salad.

I prefer not to use the food processor for this since you don’t want a very uniform texture but I do sometimes and it’s still very good.

1 1/2 – 2 cups finely chopped parsley (about one medium bunch)
grated zest of 1-2 lemons
1 shallot or chunk of onion, finely diced (optional)
2-3 tablespoons capers, rinsed (optional)
1-2 small garlic cloves, minced
1/2 – ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or white or red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 hard-boiled egg (optional)
2 anchovy fillets, very finely chopped or smashed (optional)

Combine all the ingredients except the egg, salt, and pepper. Mash the egg yolk until smooth, adding a little of the sauce to thin it. Finely chop the white. Stir the yolk and the white back into the sauce, season with salt and pepper and adjust lemon/vinegar as needed.

Salsa Verde—Suggestions for using it:

• Drizzle generously over roasted veggies (you could roast or grill the broccoli and fennel and serve it with the salsa verde)
• 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

Green Goddess Dressing

This recipe uses spinach and parsley in it. The tarragon is pretty important so pick some up if you can. It is delicious on the beautiful butter lettuce you have this week and add some thinly sliced fennel if you’d like. It’s always delicious on boiled potatoes or fish.

Makes 1 cup dressing (more or less)

¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise or more yogurt (preferably Greek)
1 cup loosely packed spinach leaves
Small handful fresh tarragon leaves (about 3 tablespoons)
Small handful fresh basil leaves (optional)
1/3 cup loosely packed parsley
2 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves (optional)
1 small garlic clove (or 2 garlic scapes)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice plus
grated zest of half a lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fit with a blade attachment. There is no need to chop the spinach or herbs. The food processor will do all the work for you. Do be sure to slice the green onions. Pulse all of the ingredients in the food processor until the begin to combine. Pulse for 5 seconds at a time until all of the greens are minced and well incorporated into the dressing.  Taste.  Add salt and pepper as necessary. Add a touch more olive oil or a bit of water to create a thinner consistency.

If you don’t have a food processor, this recipe will also work in a blender.  I chopped all of my herbs and greens before adding to the blender.  This helps ensure that all of the greens break down evenly.  Combine all ingredients and blend.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add water and olive oil to thin the consistency, if desired.

If you don’t have a food processor or a blender, this recipe can be made by hand… with just a little elbow grease.  Finely chop spinach, herbs, scallions and garlic.  Really mince them fine.  Whisk herbs together with the rest of the ingredients.  Really give it a good stirring with the whisk.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve as a dip of as a salad dressing.

Dressing will last 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Herby Salad with Roasted Beets, Garlic Scapes and Goat Cheese

I love to use herbs practically like vegetables, i.e. in great quantity and parsley is one of my favorite herbs. I grow a huge patch of it and go through it all. This is less of a recipe and more of an idea. Adapt to suite your taste and add whatever else you like. If you don’t have goat cheese you can use feta. Or you can add some chopped hardboiled egg and or some toasted sunflower seeds, walnut or almonds for added heft.

4 cups lettuce, roughly torn
½ cup, more or less, parsley leaves (not chopped)
2 garlic scapes, finely chopped
2 beets roasted, and cut into thin wedges or medium dice**
2 ounces fresh goat cheese
Juice of half a lemon
A bit of grated lemon zest
About 2 tablespoons good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss everything but the beets and goat cheese together well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add in the goat cheese and beets and toss very gently.

** To roast beets, scrub well and trim. Put in a baking dish, add a few tablespoons of water, cover tightly with foil and bake at 400 degrees until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool enough to handle then peel and slice and add to salad or use otherwise.

Spinach Notes

Spinach this time of year is so tender and sweet you don’t need to do much to it.

• Cook it briefly and add to scrambled eggs and a some fresh goat’s cheese for the most divine spring breakfast or dinner(!)
• Use it in the Green Goddess Dressing above
• Cook it with butter and then top with good sea salt

Spiced Coconut Spinach
–adapted from 101cookbooks.com

This is a bit of an unusual combination but it’s delicious and quick. This spinach makes a great side. It’s delicious with a poached or fried egg for a light supper. Or you could fill a tortilla with it.

¼ of a medium onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced or mashed with some salt on a cutting board into a paste
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon butter, or olive oil
1/4 teaspoon yellow or brown mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ lb spinach, well washed, and chopped
squeeze of lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted (can do this is on a sheet pan in a 300 degree oven in about 7-10 minutes or on the stove top in a dry skillet in a 3-4 minutes.

Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seeds, cover with a lid, and let them toast a bit—check after about a minute to make sure they’re not burning. Remove the lid, stir in the red pepper flakes and let cook for a minute. Stir in the asparagus if you’re using it, let cook roughly another minute, then stir in the garlic paste and onion and all of the spinach. Keep stirring until the spinach starts collapsing a bit, about a minute. Finish with a bit of fresh lemon juice and the coconut.

Beets and Beet Greens with Garlicky Yogurt

You’ve probably noticed how much I love/use Greek yogurt. Several years ago I started buying it instead of sour cream. I find it so much for versatile and somehow it finds its way onto many of my meals. It’s hard to find full fat organic Greek yogurt. If you know of some please let me know! I buy Greek Gods brand because it’s full fat and at least uses rbgh free milk. It has a bit of pectin in it for thickening that some object too but I’ve come to like it a lot.

This dish is very garlicky. Reduce if you want it milder.

1 bunch of beets, with greens (4-5 medium beets) or whatever you have on hand
3 small cloves of garlic, divided and minced
1 medium shallot or chunk of onion, finely chopped
½ cup of Greek yogurt or plain, full fat yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice plus an extra squeeze or two
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the greens off the beets, wash well and cut into wide ribbons. You can use most of the stems. I usually just toss the 2-3 inches closest to the beat root. Scrub the beets well and cut into wedges. Put the beets in a small pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook covered for about 15-20 minutes until beets are tender when pierced with a fork. Alternatively you can roast them (better flavor but takes longer). Drain well and toss with a little lemon juice and salt. Meanwhile sauté the onions or shallots in a little olive oil over medium high heat until soft. Add beet greens and a little olive oil if necessary and one clove of garlic, minced, and a few pinches of salt. It will only take about 3-5 minutes for the greens/stems to be tender. In a small bowl mix the yogurt with the remaining garlic, a pinch or two of salt and the teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix the beet wedges with the greens and heat thoroughly and then serve with a generous dollop of the yogurt.

Braised Greens Bruschetta

Again, this just a quick technique and will be so good with your beautiful kale this week.

1 bunch kale, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt
Olive oil
Slices of good, crusty bread
Another clove or two of garlic

Sauté the kale in tablespoon or so of olive oil over high heat for a minute or two. Add the garlic. Mix well and sauté another minute. The moisture left on the kale should prevent anything from burning as this point. Then add a couple of splashes of water and several pinches of salt and turn the heat down and cover the pan. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the greens are tender. This will take about 7-10 minutes. Add water to prevent it from drying out. You want the kale to be tender and juicy, not at all dry. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Toast or grill slices of bread. Rub hot, toasted bread with the end of a peeled clove of garlic. Place bread on a plate, cover generously with the greens and then drizzle generously with good olive oil. Don’t skimp and use the best oil you have.

Serve with a fried egg on the side as a light dinner.

The Black Pepper Tofu in this packet (which uses a lot of scallions) comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. I’ve varied it a bit, mostly cutting down the almost insane quantity of black pepper (the original calls for 5 tablespoons) and hot chilies. We rarely eat tofu but even if you never have and have no interest I can’t recommend this dish enough—if you like strong flavors and quite a bit of heat that is. It’s intense to say the least. The other recipe that has to be highlighted is the cabbage pancakes. They may not sound exciting but I’ve taught this dish half-a-dozen times both with Napa cabbage and regular green cabbage, to rave reviews and my five-year-old asks to have them for dinner weekly. And they’re very fast to make. Oh and the potato salad is a winner too. . ..

Finally, the mizuna this week is a little bigger and you can cook it if you like, as in the dish with radishes below. Finely sliced, it is a nice addition to salad with strong dressings too–see the quinoa dish.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancakes)
Spring Quinoa Radish and Scallion Salad with Mustardy Vinaigrette
Black Pepper Tofu (with Scallions)
Potato Salad with Creamy Salsa Verde
Cumin Lime Coleslaw
Pan-roasted Radishes with Mizuna, Mint, Soy Sauce and Lemon

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancakes)

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 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sriracha (or a bit less if you don’t like it too spicy)

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)
6-8 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.

Spring Quinoa Salad with Radishes and Scallions
–inspired by Tea and Cookies (blog)

This is a pretty loose recipe so taste and adjust as you go and feel free to vary to suit your taste. This makes a lot of salad so feel free to cut the recipe in half. You might try adding a cup or so of finely chopped mizuna to this salad. I think it would be good though I haven’t tried it.

2 cups regular yellow quinoa cooked in 2 1/2 cups water until tender and fluffy
One large bunch radishes, chopped (2 cups, about 10 radishes)
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
4 scallions (green onions), thinly sliced
4-5 oz feta cheese, crumbled or cut in small cubes
½ cup or more chopped capers
Grated zest of a lemon
1 tbs each fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley, or according to taste
Salt and pepper

Dressing

1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
scant 2/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook quinoa and allow to cool. In a separate bowl, mix chopped vegetables, herbs, cheese.

In a small bowl whisk mustard and vinegar until smooth. Slowly add oil while whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss with cooked quinoa and drizzle on the dressing (taste while adding dressing and stop when you’ve reached the desired level of saturation).

Salt and pepper to taste.

Black Pepper Tofu
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

This dish takes some work but if you like strongly flavored spicy food it’s definitely worth it. Ottolenghi calls for three different kinds of soy sauce. I’ve made it with just plain old sauce and it was just fine. I now have the sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) and it does add something but don’t worry about purchasing all three kinds.

1 3/4 lbs firm tofu
Vegetable oil for frying
Cornstarch to dust the tofu
4 tablespoons butter
12 small shallots (12 ounces in total) or as much regular onion or more green onions, thinly sliced
3 Serrano chiles (deseeded unless you want it REALLY hot), finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis)
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 tbsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns (use a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder)
12 scallions (more or less), cut into 1 1/4-inch segments

Start with the tofu. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan or wok to come 1/4 inch up the sides and heat. Cut the tofu into large cubes, about 1 x 1 inch. Toss them in some cornstarch and shake off the excess, then add to the hot oil. (You’ll need to fry the tofu pieces in a few batches so they don’t stew in the pan.) Fry, turning them around as you go, until they are golden all over and have a thin crust. As they are cooked, transfer them onto paper towels.

Remove the oil and any sediment from the pan, then put the butter inside and melt it. Add the shallots (or onions), chilies, garlic and ginger. Sauté on low to medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ingredients have turned shiny and are totally soft. Next, add the soy sauces and sugar and stir, then add the crushed black pepper.

Add the tofu to warm it up in the sauce for about a minute. Finally, stir in the green onions. Serve hot, with steamed rice.

Cumin Lime Cole Slaw

This is my go-to, quick slaw. I vary the ingredients based on the season and for this week’s share some, finely sliced mizuna or kale is very good addition. Quantities are approximations so please feel free to use what you have. You can add finely slivered radishes if you’d like. And it is a fairly light slaw.

½ a medium Napa cabbage (about 4 cups sliced, cabbage)
2 cups, very thinly sliced mizuna or kale
2 medium carrots (optional)
2-3 scallions, very thinly sliced
handful of cilantro (or mint or parsley), roughly chopped

Dressing

Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
1-2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
3 tablespoons good-tasting olive oil
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt or sour cream)
1 – 2 teaspoons ground cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper

Thinly slice the cabbage and grate the carrots, if using, and put in large salad bowl. Add scallions or onions and cilantro and/or mint. Mix all dressing ingredients well in a small bowl and pour over veggies. Mix well. Let rest for 20- 1 hour to soften veggies and let flavors meld. Adjust seasoning.

Potato Salad with Creamy Salsa Verde

This is my current favorite potato salad and favorite dressing/dip/sauce. You can use the dressing on roasted polenta or any kind of grains or beans that you’re serving at room temperature. It’s great with roasted veggies or shrimp. Just make it and use it!

Serves 4

1 ½ lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (about 5-6 small-medium)
2 hardboiled eggs, roughly chopped (optional)

Dressing

½ a bunch of parsley
2 tablespoons of capers, rinsed
½ cup Greek or plain whole milk yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced or preferably mashed (or pressed)
Zest of half a lemon
Juice of half a lemon (or a bit more)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Scrub the potatoes and boil them in their skins until tender. Drain and let cool. Peel if you’d like or skip this step (I usually skip it) and cut into bite-sized chunks. Mix all remaining ingredients (except the eggs) in a medium bowl. Taste the dressing to make sure it’s salt enough and has enough acidity. The capers add a bit of both and if you’ve mashed the garlic with some salt, go easy on the salt at first—though potatoes soak up a lot of salt. The dressing will be fairly thick. You can thin it out with a bit more olive oil or milk or cream or even a little water if you’d like.

Mix the dressing carefully into the potatoes and finally add the chopped egg if you’re using it.

Pan-Roasted Radishes with Mizuna, Mint and Soy

You can add thinly sliced, quickly broiled beef to this and serve it over rice. It would be lovely with most any grilled fish or tofu . . .. The mint and the lemon add a lot here. It’s a fairly plain but good dish without. You can use a little rice vinegar if you don’t have a lemon.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bunch radishes, scrubbed and quartered
2-3 cups mizuna cut into 1-inch strips
1 garlic clove, minced
6-8 mint leaves, finely chopped
Sea salt
1-2 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
Good squeeze or two of lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the radishes and a few pinches of salt and cook, stirring occasionally for about 3-4 minutes until the radishes begin to brown. Add mizuna and garlic and cook for another minute or so. When the radishes are tender to your liking add the mint and soy sauce and just keep on the heat for 30 second. Then remove from heat and add lemon juice and serve.

Vegetable Washing Notes

Another quick reminder to wash your vegetables well, especially the arugula, chard and romaine.  Separate the leaves and wash both sides under running water. Shake off the water and wrap in a clean dishtowel to dry (or spin dry). I tend to wash the quantity I need for whatever I happen to be cooking. Greens stay fresher longer if only washed right before use in my experience.

Classic 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 large head of Romaine lettuce, 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 Romaine lettuce, top with croutons and some more freshly grated Parmesan.

Moroccan Bulgur with Greens

This takes time to cook but putting it together is quick and just involves a bunch of chopping. It is delicious with a fried or poached egg and extra harissa and some Greek yogurt. And if you like lamb, it’s a perfect accompaniment to lamb in any form. Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili sauce whose main ingredients are piri piri (type of chili pepper), Serrano peppers and other hot chili peppers and spices such as garlic paste, coriander, red chili powder, caraway as well as some vegetable or olive oil. It is most closely associated with Tunisia, Libya and Algeria but recently also making inroads into Morocco according to Moroccan food expert Paula Wolfert. I particularly like the brand Mustafa’s Moroccan Harissa which is very flavorful and not too crazy spicy.

1 large onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced (or more if it’s young and mild like what you have in your share this week)
1 bunch de-stemmed and chopped chard
1 cup bulgur
3 tablespoons. olive oil
2-3 teaspoons (or more to taste) harissa (see headnote)
Black pepper, freshly ground
Sea or kosher salt (at least 1 teaspoon)
Lemon juice
More harissa and Greek yogurt for serving

Add everything but the lemon juice to a deep heavy, lidded pot. (Le Creuset is great). Mix it all together with a spoon or your hands. Add 1/2 cup water and mix thoroughly again.

Take several paper towels and lay them over the bulgur mixture, tucking them gently into the sides. Cover the pot and cook over very low heat for about an hour or so. Resist the urge to remove the lid since the steam generated is a critical factor. I typically start with high heat to get things going, then, when I sense the presence of steam and can start to smell the dish, reduce it significantly.

When it is finished, remove the paper towels, taste and, if necessary, continue to cook with the paper towels intact again.

Squeeze a lemon over the finished bulgur and top with more harissa and Greek yogurt or a poached or fried egg.

Broccoli and Arugula Soup

This is an unusual combination and you have to be careful not to overdo the arugula but it’s very good and happens to use two, make that three, of your ingredients this week.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large clove or several smaller cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 head broccoli, cut into large florets, about 2/3 pound
2 1/2 cups water, veggie bouillon or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper, season to taste
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup arugula leaves (loosely packed) or a bit less if you’re nervous about the spicyness
squeeze of 1/2 lemon
sour cream or Greek yogurt for garnish (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the garlic cloves and cook for another minute.  Add the broccoli and cook for about 4 minutes, until the broccoli is bright green in color.  Add the cumin, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine. Add the veggie bouillon, water or stock, lower the heat and cover.  Cook for about 8 minutes, until the broccoli has been softened and is just tender.

Working in batches, transfer some of the soup liquid and broccoli to a blender.  Add half of the arugula leaves and blend until smooth.  Transfer to a bowl or another pot while you blend the second batch of soup with the rest of the arugula. (You can also use an immersion blender but the texture won’t be quite as smooth.) Return to a pot over a low flame, check to see if it needs more salt or pepper.  Add the juice of 1/2 a lemon and serve garnished with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt if you’d like.

Mac and Cheese with Broccoli

I made this meal as a child, starting around age 10 and made it for years, and still do every once in a while. It’s simple, delicious and eminently satisfying. And it’s not really a recipe but a combination cooked pasta and broccoli with a basic béchamel/cream sauce and your choice of cheese. Here’s my version.

One of the time saving tricks to make this is to cook the broccoli florets and pieces of stem right in with the pasta. Just add it about 3 minutes before the pasta is done and drain it all together.

¾ – 1lb pasta (such as penne, ziti, fusilli, etc. )
However much broccoli you have/want to use
2 cups grated cheese (sharp cheddar, Emmenthaler, Parmesan. . . )

The béchamel (cream sauce) is really pretty quick to make so don’t be put off by it. It brings it all together.

For Béchamel:

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
Generous 2 cups of whole milk (2% can work in a pinch)
Salt & pepper
Bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or more to taste, ½ teaspoon is very mild in this dish)
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
Pinch of ground nutmeg or cloves (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over med/low heat. When melted, whisk in flour. Continue cooking the roux for 2 -3 min, whisking frequently. Meanwhile heat milk until it’s scalding. Whisk hot milk into roux and add several pinches of salt, grind in some pepper, add chili flakes (or omit if you’d like), add mustard and a bay leaf and a grating or two of nutmeg. Stir well and cook over med/low heat for about 10 minutes until thickened and bubbling.  Add half the cheese.

Put the pasta and broccoli in a baking dish. Mix in the sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until bubbly and hot throughout. Pass under the broiler for a few minutes if you’d like more of a crust.

Fennel Notes

Fennel is crisp, juicy, sweet and has its signature and pronounced anise flavor. It’s delicious added to salads of many kinds. Remove the fronds (tops) and trim any outer pieces that seem fibrous and tough. Then slice the bulb crosswise as thinly as you possibly can. Now you can toss with some of the romaine and arugula in your share and a lemony vinaigrette.

Another good combination is very thinly sliced raw fennel mixed with thin shavings of Parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. If you have a few oil-cured black olives, chop those roughly and toss them in as well.

Fennel is also good with fish. You can add a few slices of fennel and some chopped fennel fronds either to parchment paper packets of fish fillets seasoned with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper or stuff a whole fish with same and bake.

Spring Vegetable Minestrone with Beans and Fennel Fronds

If you have any kind of cooked beans—white, pinto, black, chickpea—you can make a quick, flavorful soup in less than half an hour. I’ve included my standard bean cooking instructions in case you’re inspired to cook some.

You can use almost any vegetable here. If you have any turnips left over from last week, use them in the soup as well. Homemade veggie bouillon (and some bean cooking liquid if you have it and/or chicken stock makes a good base. The fennel fronds add a lovely fragrance to this soup.

Olive oil

½ a large onion, diced
1 bunch chard stems, finely chopped (you can use the rest of the chard leaves in the bulgur recipe)
3-4 chard leaves, well washed and chopped
3 small carrots, cut into thin rounds (optional)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 fennel bulb, diced
1 cup broccoli florets (cut quite small)
2-3 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds
2 cups cooked pinto or other beans (see headnote)
3/4 cup small pasta like tubetti or ditalini (very small, short little tubes) You could also break up spaghetti but you want a small-ish pasta for sure
4-5 cups veggie bouillon broth, chicken stock or any stock or water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Good olive oil for drizzling

Saute onion, chard stems, carrots, if using, and garlic in a large soup pot in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown a little.

Add the cooked beans and all the broth or stock (or water) and bring to a simmer. Now add the pasta and after a few minutes add chard leaves, fennel, broccoli and fennel fronds. You’re trying to time it so that the pasta and all the vegetables are tender at the same time but even if some things are a little softer than others it’s a lovely soup. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve the soup drizzled with good olive oil and add some more good sea salt and some more chopped fennel fronds and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Basic Dry Bean Soaking/Cooking Instructions

If you aren’t in the habit of soaking and cooking dry beans here are the basic steps. The flavor of the beans is very good this way and they are much, much cheaper than cans. Once in the habit, it’s not much work at all. And I always soak and cook more than I need for any given recipe and freeze the rest in some of the cooking liquid.

4 cups dried beans (garbanzo, white, black, pinto. . . ) Rinse beans if they look dusty and pick out any stones. Usually I don’t find anything like that. Place in a large bowl covered by about 4 inches of cold water. Soak over night or 6-8 hours. Drain and rinse beans.

Place soaked beans in a large pot and cover with cold water by several inches. Add a few whole, peeled garlic cloves, a bay leaf and a chunk of peeled onion. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let cook covered until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally (this helps prevent some beans from softening before others.) I’ve had good luck salting at the beginning of the cooking process but know that sometimes it can prevent beans from cooking properly, so salt mid-way through or at the end if you’d like. When you do add salt, be generous, as in at least 2-3 teaspoons salt to start if you’re cooking 4 cups or so of dried beans. They’ll probably need more still. The time it takes for the beans to cook will vary depending on the kind of bean and the freshness of the dried beans. Garbanzos take the longest, usually about 35-40 minutes.  Black, white and pinto can be done in 20-30 minutes. Let beans cool in their liquid (if you’re not in a rush) and then use, freeze, etc. If you’re freezing some, fill your container with the beans and then ladle in the cooking liquid until the beans are almost covered. Cooked beans also keep in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Oh those beautiful heads of lettuce and scallions. . .. and everything else! That lettuce needs nothing but a good wash and the lightest of lemony vinaigrettes to be perfect. But there are some other ideas below. And if you’re feeling brave, make this (Ginger Scallion Sauce) with all of your scallions!

I included lots of salad recipes this week. If you want something warm and simple to do with the lovely Lacinato Kale, quickly braise it with a little garlic, maybe some red pepper flakes and serve drizzled with plenty of good olive oil. And pile that on a piece of toasted bread you’ve rubbed with a fresh garlic clove for a hearty snack or first course. Enjoy!

Vegetable Washing Notes
Thai Green Curry with Broccoli and Turnips
Chopped Salad with Cabbage, Mizuna and Tahini Yogurt Dressing
Flank Steak Salad with Greens
Kale and Avocado Salad
Grated Turnip Salad

Vegetable Washing Notes

It’s important to wash your vegetables well. Especially the lettuce, mizuna and kale need a careful rinse. Separate the leaves and wash both sides under running water. Shake off the water and wrap in a clean dishtowel to dry (or spin dry). I tend to wash the quantity I need for whatever I happen to be cooking. Greens stay fresher longer if only washed right before use in my experience.

Thai Green Curry with Broccoli, Turnips & Turnip Greens

Serves 4

I have made variations of this Thai-inspired curry for 15 years. It is not an authentic Green Curry but a tasty, quick adaptation. It is suitable to a wide variety of vegetables: asparagus, new potatoes and green onions in the spring; summer squash and peas in early summer; green beans and eggplant in late summer, and pumpkin, leeks and potatoes in the fall/winter. You can easily add chicken or tofu to it for an even heartier dish though it’s wonderfully rich and satisfying without as well. Veggies like asparagus and peas cook quickly, about 5 minutes in the hot broth, but some of the other combinations take longer so just taste frequently as your cooking it.

When basil is in season (or you have it on hand) you want to add 1/3 – 1/2 cup of roughly torn leaves to this and then it’s perfect!

3-4 cups bit-sized broccoli florets and pieces of tender stem
2-3 turnips, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized wedges or dice
Turnips greens, washed carefully and roughly chopped
1 medium potato, cut into small dice (optional)
1 – 2 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and minced (can omit if you’re in a hurry)
2 cloves garlic or 1 stalk of green garlic, minced (can omit if in a hurry)
5-6 Kaffir lime leaves (totally optional but wonderful if you have them—they freeze well and are sometimes available at New Seasons or Whole Foods or any Asian market—and add so much flavor and fragrance)
1 1/2 heaping tsp (or to taste) green curry paste (Thai & True is a wonderful locally made brand and Mae Ploy is a readily available brand)
2 tsps soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce (can omit to make it vegetarian/vegan)
1 can coconut milk (full fat preferably but light will work too)
Juice of half a lemon or lime (optional)
White or brown cooked Jasmine or other long grain rice

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup of coconut milk (use the thickest, part usually at the top of the can), the curry paste, garlic and ginger and fry it for about 3-4 minutes until it’s fragrant and the oil starts separating out a bit. Then add the remainder of the coconut milk plus ½ can’s worth of water, soy sauce and fish sauce. Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer and add the diced potato, if using, and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the turnips and broccoli. Toss in the turnip greens just a few minutes before the other vegetables are tender. The aim is to have all the vegetables tender at more or less the same time. Adjust seasoning with more soy sauce and/or fish sauce if needed and finish with a generous squeeze of lime or lemon juice, if using. Serve hot over rice.

Chopped Salad with Cabbage, Mizuna and Tahini Yogurt Dressing

This is a robust, bright salad that is begging for seasonal adaptations, protein additions (leftover chicken, tofu, shrimp) etc. And it’s just as good if not better the next day. If you don’t have any cabbage you can omit it and just use much less dressing. You can add grated turnips to this as well or use those instead of the carrot.

¼ of large head of green cabbage (or about 3-4 cups, chopped)
4 cups, chopped mizuna
2 carrots, grated (on large hole of box grater)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
½ Serrano chili, minced (with or without seeds depending on how spice you like things) or ½ teaspoon or more red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped mint (optional)
¼ cup toasted, chopped almonds or toasted sunflower seeds

Dressing
2 tablespoons Tahini (sesame paste)
2-3 tablespoons Greek Yogurt (or sour cream or mayonnaise)
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 small clove of garlic, minced or mashed with side of knife
juice of 1 lemon (or lime)
salt and peppee

Place all chopped veggies in a large bowl. Whisk dressing ingredients until emulsified and smooth. Taste for seasoning. The dressing should be quite strong since it’s going to dress a lot of veggies. Toss veggies with dressing, mix well and adjust seasoning.

Flank Steak Salad with Greens

This is more of an idea than a real recipe. Grill or cook a flank or skirt steak to your liking. Let rest and cut against the grain into as thin a slices as possible.

Toss torn lettuce and mizuna and a bunch of thinly sliced green onions with a mustardy vinaigrette (Dijon-style mustard, minced garlic, lemon juice or vinegar, olive oil). Toss beef with a little dressing as well and toss with the greens. Add feta or blue cheese to this if you’d like and lots of roughly chopped parsley if you have it.

Raw Kale and Avocado Salad

This salad is also robust and begging for variations. Adjust quantities to your needs and taste. If you don’t have an avocado but have some feta, use that instead for a different but equally good effect.

5-6 cups Lacinato kale, well-washed, tough stems removed and finely chopped
1 diced avocado (see headnote)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds or walnuts, broken up.

Dressing
¼ cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon grated onion
¼ cup finely grated peeled apple (use small holes of box grater)
4 teaspoon soy sauce or Tamari
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Mix all the dressing ingredients together thoroughly. Put the chopped kale in a large salad bowl and toss with the dressing and work it in well. Then add the avocado, onions and seeds or nuts, toss well and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Grated Turnip Salad

This is more of a garnish than a salad. It’s sweet and bright and a lovely refreshing addition to any grilled or roasted meat or fish or heartier, warm dish.

Scrub your turnips. Grate however many turnips you want to use. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss with a little rice or champagne vinegar or lemon juice or a combination. Toss in a bunch of finely chopped parsley if you have it and some chili flakes if you’d like. Adjust seasoning and add some freshly ground black pepper.