Salad of Fava Beans, Fennel and Mint
Green Salad with Fava Beans, Crab and Basil and Aioli Dressing
Beet Basics: Roasted, Boiled and Grated/Marinated
Beets and their Greens with Garlicky Yogurt
Kale Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds
Summer Squash Frittata
Zucchini in the Frying Pan
Grilled Fennel

Salad of Fava Beans, Fennel and Mint

Fresh and delicious and perfect for this hot week.

Serves 3-4

1 ½ -2 cups shelled fava beans
1 ½-2 cups very thinly sliced fennel
A little olive oil
4 cups washed, dried lettuce torn into bite-sized pieces
Handful of mint leaves
2-3 ounces aged pecorino or Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler into thin shavings

For the dressing:
Juice of one lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
About 4 tablespoons of the best olive oil you have
About a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Add the shelled fava beans and cook for about 4 minutes (if they’re really small cook for more like 2 minutes). Remove them with a slotted spoon and run under cold water. Shell the individual fava beans.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Toast the slices of bread and tear them into small bits and drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt.

Now toss the lettuce and mint with the dressing, then add the fennel and fava beans and the cheese and the bits of bread and toss again.

Green Salad with Fava Beans, Crab and Basil and Aioli Dressing

I put this salad together on a whim after I splurged on a beautiful Dungeness crab at the farmers’ market. I had both fava beans and shelling peas but just fava beans will be fabulous too. And you could substitute canned Oregon Albacore for the crab or bay shrimp or omit entirely or add chopped hardboiled egg or no additional protein at all. Adapt to your tastes/what you have on hand.

Serves 4-6

About 6 ounces of crab meat (I got that from one whole crab-albeit a very large one) (see headnote)
1 ½ – 2 cups shelled fava beans
½ cup shelled peas (optional—see headnote)
6 cups lettuce, washed, dried and torn or chopped
Handful of basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
2 scallions, thinly sliced (or a bit of any other type of onion)
2-3 tablespoons aioli or store bought mayonnaise you’ve doctored with some minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, a little Dijon and a bit of olive oil.
Juice of half a lemon or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Shell the fava beans and cook the beans in salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Pinch the skins of the beans and set aside. If using shelling peas, cook those for 2 or so minutes in the same water as you used for the favas.

In a small bowl mix the crab, beans (and peas if using) with 1 1/2 tablespoons of aioli and a little salt and pepper.

Toss the basil, scallions and lettuce in a large bowl or on a platter with the remainder of the aioli or doctored mayonnaise and the lemon juice. If your aioli or mayo is too thick for tossing thin it with a little cream or water. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spread the fava bean crab mixture on the bed of greens.

Beet Basics: Roasted, Boiled and Grated/Marinated

Roasted:

I like to roast bunches of beets all at once. I use them throughout the week in various salads and other dishes. Sometimes I add diced avocado and lots of cilantro and mix that with lettuce; sometimes it’s sunflower seeds, lettuce, green onion and feta. . .

I love the flavor of roasted beets, though boiling them 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 baking dish, sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of water and cover tightly with foil.  Roast for about 45 minutes (depending on size of your chunks of beet).  A tester should easily pierce the beet.

When cool enough to handle slip the skin off. 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. Or skip the vinegar and puree them into a spread or pesto.

Boiled:

Scrub and trim the beets, halve or quarter if they are large. Put them in a saucepan covered with water and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender when pierced with the tip of knife. When cool enough to handle, peel and toss with vinegar (see above) if you’re likely to use them in salads. green salad with grated beets

Grated and Marinated:

Raw beets are delicious and particularly so when grated and marinated in a dressing of minced and mashed garlic, lemon juice (or vinegar), salt and olive oil. Grating beets can make a big mess–the red juice splattering all over the place and potentially staining things. Use the grating blade on the food processor to contain the mess or set your box grater in the sink and grate them that way. Then, all they need is a soak in lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, salt and olive oil, 20 minutes will do it but longer is fine too. Then you can toss a cup of them into any green salad, add a bit of crumbled feta and maybe a few handfuls of toasted, coarse breadcrumbs and you have the perfect winter/spring salad.

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

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

Beets and their Greens with Garlicky Yogurt

This is a perennial favorite and with the lovely new-ish garlic it will be perfect. I use Greek yogurt a lot. 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/into many of my meals. It’s also gotten a bit easier to find full-fat Greek yogurt. Nancy’s and Fage are my favorite brands.

Serves 3-4

1 bunch beets, with greens
3 garlic cloves, divided and minced
1 medium shallot or chunk of onion, finely chopped
½ cup of full fat Greek or regular 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.

Kale Salad with Toasted Sunflower Seeds

It’s going to be such a warm week I’m going to be making many salads and turning on the stove as infrequently as possible. This is robust enough, with the seeds, to be a light supper with a little fish on the side or some hard-boiled eggs or canned tuna or the Summer Squash Frittata below.

Note: you could also add some cooked chickpeas and really make it a one-dish meal. You could also certainly add some thinly sliced fennel to this salad.

Serves 4-6

1 bunch kale, washed
2 cups cooked chickpeas (optional—see headnote)
2-3 garlic cloves
Sea salt (you’ll need a fair amount)
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon or more to taste or some red wine or sherry vinegar
1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds (about 8-10 minutes at 350 in the oven or about 4-5 minutes on the stove top in a heavy skillet–watch it carefully if going that route–with or without a little olive oil and salt for either method)

Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 1/4 -inch ribbons. You should have 6 or so cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.

Use the side of a chef’s knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste or grate the garlic on a micro-plane. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add the oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well or preferably work it in with your hands. Then add the chickpeas, if using. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes or more to soften and then stir in the sunflower seeds.

Summer Squash Frittata

Serves 3 as an entrée 5-6 as a side.

As you’ve probably surmised I make frittatas a lot. They simply are one of the quickest and best dishes and so suited to CSA cooking. One of my all time favorites is this one, with summer squash. Some fresh pork sausage or diced new potato are wonderful additions here as well.

½ medium onion, diced or sliced
2 medium zucchini/summer squash, sliced or diced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)
6-8 eggs (or whatever you have or want to use)
A little grated hard cheese or your choice or feta or goat cheese (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy sauté pan or well-seasoned cast iron pan or non-stick (if it’s heatproof and can go in the oven). Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the squash and a few pinches of salt and sauté them over med-high heat until they’re tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 8-10 minutes.

Set your oven to broil.

Lightly whisk the eggs until they’re just broken up—no need to get them frothy or really well mixed. Add the chopped herbs, a few more pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper. Pour eggs over the squash and tilt the pan to evenly distribute the eggs. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the eggs, if using. Cover and cook on medium heat for a few minutes. When the eggs are beginning to set take the pan off the heat and set under the broiler until the eggs are cooked and slightly puffed and golden.

Let the frittata sit for a few minutes before cutting and serving. It will come out of the pan much more easily that way and is more flavorful. Serve with a slice of good, crusty bread and salad.

Zucchini in the Frying Pan

This is the quintessential cook-with-what-you-have dish my mother made all summer long and I never, never tire of it. She is not shy with the heat and lets the summer squash (of any kind) get nice and brown and soft. It’s not a beautiful dish but it is sweet and wonderful. It’s a perfect way to work through a lot of squash and it’s just as good at room temperature or for breakfast with an egg.

Summer squash, cut into fairly thin slices-halve any larger squash
Olive oil
Salt
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional

The most important thing is to have a large skillet so that you don’t crowd the squash too much.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (don’t skimp on the oil) in a large, heavy skillet. When hot add the sliced squash and a few pinches of salt. Cook over medium-high to high heat stirring on and off until the squash is browning and soft. Taste and add salt if needed–it takes a bit. Serve topped with a dusting of grated Parmesan if you’d like.

Grilled Fennel

Again in light of the heat this week I would suggest grilling the fennel if you have a bbq.

Trim the bulbs and slice them lengthwise into ¼-1/2-inch thick slices. Brush them with just a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and grill until tender and blackened in places.

Fava Bean and New Potato Pasta “Risotto” with Basil
Green Salad with Fava Beans, Scallions and Basil (link to last week’s salad)
Bok Choi Stir Fry with Rice
Chard, Herb-roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Scallion Mint (or Basil) Vinaigrette
Ginger Scallion Sauce

Fava Bean and New Potato Pasta “Risotto” with Basil

This comes together very quickly and even shelling and blanching the favas doesn’t take very long and the reward that awaits you is worth is many times over.

Serves 4

1 – 11/2 cups shelled blanched fava beans (shell and cook in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes, drain, run under cold water and pinch of skin from each bean)
½ onion, diced
1 – 1 1/2 cups scrubbed, diced new potatoes
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 1/3 cup tubetti, sometimes called salad macaroni (or ditalini or other small pasta)
4 cups flavorful vegetable broth (homemade veggie bouillon broth) or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other hard, grating cheese (Asiago Stella is a good, cheaper alternative)
Salt
Plenty of freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped basil

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

Stir in the Parmesan and the basil and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Green Salad with Fava Beans, Scallions and Basil (link to last week’s salad)

I think last week’s Green Salad would be spectacular with the addition of some of this week’s lava beans.

Shell the lava beans and cook them in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water and then pinch the skins of each bean and toss with the salad.

Bok Choi Stir Fry over Rice

This is a delicious way to prepare bok choi. And the sauce works beautifully for any other quick vegetable stir fries as well.

Serves 3-ish

1 large head bok choi, stalks separated and wash and stems and leaves cut into 1-inch or so ribbons/slices
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 scant tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed a bit
2 whole star anise
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 ½ tablespoons Chinese rice cooking wine (Mirin) or dry sherry
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar 

Steamed rice for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt lightly.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the garlic, ginger, star anise and crushed pepper corns and sauté for a minute or two until very fragrant and just starting to brown, stirring often.  Add the remainder of the ingredients and bring to a simmer and cook for about 4-5 minutes at a simmer. Scrape all of the sauce out of the sauce pan and transfer to a wok or large skillet.

Drop the bok choi into the boiling water and cook for about 3-5 minutes—taste after 2 minutes. The length of time will depend on the size of your pot/amount of water and strength of burner. Drain the bok choi and add it to the sauce in the skillet. Cook over high heat for just 1 minute or so to combine well. Serve hot over rice.

Chard, Herb-roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Scallion Mint (or Basil) Vinaigrette

This is the loveliest platter of food—blanched chard and roasted chicken are dressed with the same, lemony, minty (or basil-y) scallion vinaigrette. You can also roast the potatoes and cook the chard and use perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs (cover eggs generously with cold water, bring to a boil, turn off heat and let sit in hot water for 8-9 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water) instead of chicken or you could use canned Oregon Albacore. The dressing is really what ties all together.

Serves 4

3 tablespoons sage, finely chopped
2 tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 large bone-in chicken breast half, preferably at room temperature (use eggs or Tuna instead—see headnote)
2 tablespoons olive oil
6-7 medium potatoes, well scrubbed and cut into thumb-sized chunks
1/3 cup water
1 large bunch chard, well washed and stems separated from leaves

Dressing

2-3 scallions, thinly sliced (greens and all)
Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons good olive oil (use the best you have)
8 sprigs mint, leaves picked and finely chopped or 1/3 – ½ cup finely chopped basil or a combination of the two
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450.

Mix the chopped rosemary, sage and salt with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Dry the chicken breast well. Use about half the herb mixture to cover the chicken on all sides, using your hands to thoroughly cover.  Place chicken in an 8” x 13” baking dish.

Toss the potatoes with the remaining herb mixture and arrange the potatoes around the chicken. Add the 1/3 cup water and roast for 35 – 45 minutes. You can test the chicken by carefully cutting into the thickest part of the breast and checking for any pink flesh.

Meanwhile, stir together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt. It should be quite tart so don’t be shy with the lemon juice.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (use about 1 tablespoon of salt for 3 quarts of water). Chop the chard stems into 1-inch pieces. Pile the chard leaves on top of each other and cut the leaves lengthwise once or twice (depending on how big the leaves are) and then cross-wise four or five times.

Add just the chard stems to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, then add the chard leaves and cook for another 2 minutes. Drain well and press out as much moisture as you can against the side of the colander. Return the chard and stems to the pan and cover to keep warm.

When the chicken is done carve the breast into slices. You might need to use your hands to carefully loosen the bottom of the slices from the breastbone. Arrange the chicken on a large platter with the potatoes and the chard and drizzle the chard and chicken generously with the shallot vinaigrette. You can certainly dress the potatoes too, if you have plenty of dressing.

Ginger Scallion Sauce
–from LottieandDoof.com

This is such a quick recipe and makes plenty of sauce to have on hand to enhance anything from chicken to eggs to pasta or any grain or vegetable. . ..Halve the recipe if you’d like.

2 bunches of scallions (about 6 ounces) washed, trimmed and dried and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ounces of ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
Salt (2 ½ teaspoons or so sea salt—less if it’s very fine grain)
1 cup sunflower oil (or other neutral-ish vegetable oil that handles heat well)
Very small splash of sesame oil (optional)

Put the scallions into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped but not pureed.  Put the scallions in a large heatproof bowl or pot. Now add the ginger to the food processor and process until it is finely chopped. Add the ginger to the heatproof bowl with the scallions. Salt the scallion-ginger mixture and use more salt than you think is good. You can of course add more later if it’s not bright enough.

Now, heat the peanut oil in a saucepan until it is very hot. Just as it starts to smoke, pour the hot oil over the scallions and ginger. As noted by the original author, Francis Lam: “things are about to get real. When you pour the insanely hot oil over the scallions and ginger and salt it is going to steam and hiss and bubble and scare you. Keep your wits about you! Be careful! Wear long sleeves!”

Let the mixture cool in the bowl and then transfer it to a jar and refrigerate. Use it however you like. It is best at room temperature so be sure to take out however much you want to use well before serving.

Green Salad with New Garlic and Basil
Broccoli and Turnip/Potato Soup with Croutons
Broccoli Fritters
Collards and Beans
Quick-Cooked Collards with Citrus and Raisins
Fennel Notes
Slow-cooked Salmon with Fennel Fronds and Parsley
Caramelized Fennel with Goat Cheese
Napa Slaw with Herbs

New Garlic Notes

New garlic is sweet and tender and less pungent than mature/cured garlic so you can use it more generously. I’ve been making lots of herb-based sauces or aioli or Greek yogurt-based ones in which the sweet freshness of the garlic really shines. If you make the vegetarian version of the broccoli soup (below) by all means use lots of the garlic and the Citrus Collards use some as well.

Green Salad with New Garlic and Basil

What to do with basil before the tomatoes are there? This salad, for one thing. I was in a hurry when I made this and really wanted to add toasted sunflower seeds but had none toasted. I’ve always toasted them in the oven but didn’t have enough time to do so. I toasted them in my cast iron skillet with just a little olive oil and salt. I had the heat on pretty high and they almost got too dark but I caught them, tossed them around a bit and reduced the temperature and toasted a bit more—in total probably just for about 5 minutes. They were smoky and delicious.

Serves 4

1/3 -1/2 cup basil cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
1 small-ish head lettuce, washed, dried and torn
1/3 cup toasted sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons whipping cream (not whipped)
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3 cloves new garlic, minced, sprinkled with coarse salt and then mashed into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
A bit more salt and plenty of freshly ground pepper

Put the basil, lettuce and seeds in a salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Toss dressing with salad and taste and adjust with more salt and/or pepper and/or vinegar.

Broccoli and Turnip/Potato Soup

Serves 4-6

We had this soup for dinner on a warm evening with salad with new garlic and basil—a perfect light combination. If you don’t want to use bacon I would substitute 4-5 cloves new garlic and ½ teaspoon ground cumin. I happened to have both turnips and potatoes from last week’s share so created this soup to use them up.

The soup turned out so pale since I had to give my broccoli a bit of a hair cut as I neglected it for too long. Use your broccoli soon after you get it and you’ll get a much prettier color.

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
½ large onion, diced
2 slices bacon, diced (or vegetarian alternative—see headnote) (I buy Nueske’s bacon ends—cheaper than slices—at Pastaworks and freeze them so I always have some on hand)
2/3 lb broccoli (one really large head or several small ones), peeled, trimmed of any tough stems and chopped
2 Japanese salad turnips, washed and diced (or just potatoes if you don’t have turnips)
2 potatoes, scrubbed and diced (no need to peel if new potatoes but peel older ones) (or just turnips if you don’t have potatoes)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 – 5 ½ cups water, vegetable or chicken stock (or veggie bouillon broth) (I used water as I didn’t have anything else and it was delicious)
¾ cup whole milk
Croutons for serving (made by toasting diced bread in a large, heavy skillet with a little olive oil and salt until crisp but still a little chewy) or Toasted sunflower seeds
Good olive oil for drizzling

Heat the butter or oil in a large, heavy pot. Sauté the onions for 5-7 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the bacon and the potatoes and/or turnips and a few pinches of salt and sauté, stirring often, for another 4-5 minutes without browning.

Add the broth/stock and bring to a lively simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are quite tender. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes depending on how big your pieces are. Add the milk and simmer for another minute.

Puree the soup in batches in the blender and return to a pot. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and a little squeeze of lemon if you’d like.

Serve topped with croutons or toasted sunflowers seeds and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Broccoli Fritters
–inspired by smittenkitchen.com

These are terribly addictive. They’re perfect with a fried egg on top or just with some Greek (or plain whole milk yogurt) that you’ve doctored with a little minced garlic, salt and lemon juice and/or some finely chopped parsley. You can substitute kohlrabi or cauliflower or carrots or cabbage for the broccoli.

About 10 3-inch fritters

About 4 cups broccoli, well washed and cut into small florets and stems cut into small chunks
2 eggs
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or other cheese—sharp cheddar is fine too)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
3 cloves new garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for frying

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

In the meantime beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the flour, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Then, add broccoli and, using a potato masher or a fork, mash it up a bit and incorporate the other ingredients well. You don’t want a uniform texture but you want it mashed enough so they stick together when fried.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon the batter into the pan and flatten it slightly with a spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving and inch or so 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 garlicky or plain Greek yogurt or a fried egg or just as is–see headnote.

Fennel Notes

Add very thinly sliced fennel to any salads you make this week. Or if you’re making a sauce of any kind that starts with diced onions, add some fennel as well, for depth and sweetness. The below recipe is a real treat so if you have what you need for it by all means use all of your fennel for that dish.

Slow-cooked Salmon with Fennel Fronds and Parsley

This recipe comes straight from Noble Rot chef Leather Storrs who is a very talented fish cook.

Cover the bottom of a pretty, ovenproof dish with fennel fronds and parsley. Plop a filet of salmon on it and season with salt and pepper. Pour in a little white wine and bake at 180 degrees until just set. 30-45 minutes. Squeeze over some lemon and throw on some fresh herbs. Serve from the dish.

And I would roasted the fennel bulbs, thinly sliced, with just a little olive oil and salt until browning in a hot oven, and serve those with the fish.

Caramelized Fennel with Goat Cheese
–adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

Family share members will have enough fennel for this recipe.

 Serves 4

2 large fennel bulbs
2 ½ tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus extra to finish)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper
2-3 new garlic cloves, minced
4 ounces crumbled fresh goat’s cheese
Grated zest of 1 lemon
¾ cup dill (leaves and stalks) chopped 

Prepare the fennel by taking off the leafy fronds and any tough or brown outer layers. Then slice off some of the root part but make sure the base still holds everything together. Then slice the bulbs into ½-inch slices lengthwise.

Melt half the butter with half the oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the butter starts to foam add a layer of sliced fennel. Do not overcrowd the pan and don’t turn the fennel over or stir it around in the pan until one side has become light golden, about 2 minutes. Turn the slices over and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove form the pan and continue with the rest of the fennel, using the remaining oil and butter.

Once the fennel has been seared, add the sugar and fennel seeds, if using, and plenty of salt and pepper to the empty (don’t clean it!) pan. Fry for 30 seconds, then return all the fennel slices to the pan and caramelize them gently for 1-2 minutes (they need to remain firm inside so just allow them to be coated in the melting sugar and seeds). Remove the fennel form the pan and let cool a bit on a plate.

To serve, toss the fennel in a bowl with the garlic, dill, lemon zest and then taste and adjust seasoning. Serve dotted with the goat cheese.

Quick-Cooked Collards with Citrus and Raisins
– slightly adapted from Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

Bryant talks about this dish as symbolic of his approach to cooking–fresh, lively twists on traditional dishes and treasured ingredients. His combinations are never short of inspired and in his subsequent books Inspired Vegan and Afro Vegan he continues on his path of satisfying, gorgeous, culturally and historically-rooted food.

I love this as a side dish or in a quesadilla with some grated sharp cheddar. I’m not a big fan of raisins in savory dishes but they are essential here.

Serves 2-4

1 large (or 2 smaller) bunch collard greens, washed, tough stems removed and cut into a chiffonade (fine ribbons)
Sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (or 3-4 new garlic cloves)
2/3 cup golden or regular raisins
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (apple cider works too if you don’t have orange juice)

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the collards and cook, uncovered, for about 4-5 minutes. Drain the collards and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and set the color of the greens. Drain again.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the collards, raisins and a 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add orange juice and cook for an additional 15-30 seconds. Season with additional salt to taste if needed and serve immediately.

Collards and Beans

This isn’t really a recipe, just a suggestion of a good combination. I’ve been mixing cooked collards with any kind of home-cooked (canned could work too) bean I have around. I think they are particularly good with pinto beans and chickpeas. I chop up a bunch of collard greens, slice a clove of garlic and give those a quick sauté in some olive oil or bacon fat if you happen to have some around. Then I add a pinch or two of chili flakes and the beans and some bean cooking liquid or a little broth or water —not to make a soup (though that would be good too) but just so that everything heats through together evenly. Simmer the lot for 5-7 minutes until the collards are tender.

Serve with your favorite hot sauce or black pepper and olive oil. You can serve this over rice too for an even more filling dish. Or fry and egg to put on top!

Napa Slaw with Herbs

I made this for a party this weekend and it was well received. I think the mint is key so hopefully you can find some. Scale this as you’d like. If you have a big crowd use a whole head of cabbage.

Serves 4-6

½ head napa cabbage, washed, dried and leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into ½-1-inch strips
Handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced
3-4 scallions, thinly sliced
A few radishes, cut into matchsticks (optional)
1 Serrano chili (seeded if you don’t like much heat), minced

3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
3 cloves new garlic, minced and then mashed with coarse sea salt with the side of a chef’s knife
Freshly ground pepper and more sea salt

Put all the vegetables in a large salad bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and pour over salad. Toss well. Let sit for a few minutes and toss again and taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or lime juice, etc.

Post by Katherine Deumling of Cook With What You Have. For questions or comments contact katherine@cookwithwhatyouhave.com. 

A variety of different salads, all substantial, this week. Fried rice is CSA heavy hitter in my book—to be adapted all season long with veggies and herbs you happen to have and a quick pickling idea for those lovely, sweet turnips. Enjoy!

Panfried Turnips and New Potatoes with Miso Mustard Greens
Warm Broccoli and Potato Salad
Toasted Bread Salad with Scallions, Mustard Greens and Golden Raisins
Broccoli Fried Rice
Quick Turnip Pickles

Panfried Turnips and New Potatoes with Miso Mustard Greens

New potatoes and turnips pan-fried together into sweet, crispy nuggets served on top tender, savory sautéed greens is tasty combination.

Serves 3-4 as a side, 2 as more of main.

1 bunch turnips, scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, or less
4-5 potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks, or less
Olive oil or coconut oil (or any other oil really)
Salt

1 bunch mustard greens, washed and roughly chopped, stems and all
2 cloves garlic, minced or mashed
2 teaspoons red or yellow miso
1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
2 teaspoons or so water (if there’s very little liquid in the pan)

Heat a tablespoon or so of oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the turnips and potatoes and a few pinches of salt. Toss and then cook undisturbed for 5 or so minutes. Toss a bit again to get even browning and cook until just tender.

Meanwhile stir together the miso, soy sauce and garlic in a small bowl and set aside. In another skillet warm a little more oil and sauté the greens for just a few minutes to wilt. If there is a bit of liquid in the pan pour of just a little and add it to the miso mixture. Toss the miso with the greens and stir to incorporate evenly. Remove from the heat, or simmer another minute or two if there is lots of liquid. You want to evaporate most of it.

Serve the greens topped with the potatoes and turnips.

Warm Broccoli and Potato Salad

Serves 4

It’s practically a meal in one with the hard-boiled egg, potatoes, and broccoli but would be wonderful with grilled meat or fish or other veggies or some crusty bread and a simple green salad. I realize you don’t have the herbs called for here in your share this week but you do have the two main players!

Scale up or down as needed and feel free to change the ratio of potato and broccoli.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1 ½ lbs potatoes. scrubbed but not peeled, and cut into thumb-sized pieces
scant 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt
¾ lb or more of broccoli, cut into small florets and stems sliced into ½ inch pieces
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled (divided)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and chopped
2-3 scallions, very thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh tarragon  (optional but wonderful if you have it–see headnote)
Black pepper

Toss the potato chunks with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and several generous pinches of salt and spread onto a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes until they are tender and starting to brown. Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and more salt and spread on a second baking sheet and slide into the oven as well.  You want the broccoli and potatoes to be done at just about the same time. You can alternatively boil the potatoes and cook the broccoli with the potatoes for the last few minutes–quicker and also very good (see headnote).

To make the dressing, mash one of the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs in a medium bowl. Slowly add the remaining oil, whisking constantly to create an emulsion. Add the vinegar and mustard and whisk until smooth. Then stir in the capers, herbs, ¼ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper.  Coarsely chop the egg white and add to the dressing. Roughly chop the remaining 2 eggs. Gently toss the dressing with the warm potatoes, broccoli and egg. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Toasted Bread Salad with Scallions, Mustard Greens and Golden Raisins

I was inspired by the famous Zuni Café roast chicken to create a riff on the bread salad served with the chicken. So if you feel like roasting a chicken this would be a lovely accompaniment. My ratio of bread to greens is the opposite of the Zuni one though but feel free to invert that.

Serves 4, generously

6 cups lettuce, washed, dried and torn
2 cups mustard greens, washed, dried and thinly sliced
4-5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/3 cup golden (or regular raisins) or dried currants, chopped a little if you’d like
¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or chopped toasted hazelnuts or walnuts)
3 slices good, crusty bread, well-toasted and torn into bits of varying sizes

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons good olive oil (or more to taste)
1 clove minced or mashed garlic (optional)

Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl or platter. Mix the dressing in a small bowl and pour over salad. Toss well, taste and adjust seasoning. It should be nice and vinegary. 

Broccoli and Turnip Fried Rice

I try to make twice as much rice as I need for any given meal and then freeze the remainder to have on hand for this (and other) quick meals.

Serves 4

2 1/2 – 3 cups cooked, cooled rice (day-old or previously cooked and frozen 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 bacon, cut into small dice (optional)
2 cups broccoli, cut into1-inch pieces
½ cup or more turnips, cut into 1/2-inch dice
½ bunch mustard greens, well washed and finely chopped (optional)
1 Serrano or jalapeño 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 (optional, or a combination)
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Salt

Heat the oil in a wok or largest skillet you have, over high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, broccoli and turnips and hot chili, if using, and bacon and cook stirring very frequently for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the rice and mustard greens, if using, and mix everything very well. Cook for about three more minutes to heat the rice through and wilt the greens.

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 scallions and herbs, if using. Adjust seasoning–it may need salt or more soy or fish sauce, hot sauce or a squeeze of lime juice–and serve immediately.

Quick Turnip Pickles
–adapted from Andrew Cohen

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

1 bunch Japanese Salad turnips, trimmed and scrubbed but not peeled
2 medium carrots (optional), well scrubbed but not peeled
1 tablespoon sea 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 dissolves.

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 serve cold.

Some one-dish meals this week in the form of the Sesame Noodles with Mizuna and Scallions and the Chard Tart as well as some tasty sides and salads including my “Lettuce Management Treatise”. I am guilty of having to compost a few slimy outer leaves from last week’s share and I vow to do better! Happy cooking!

Long-cooked Chard and Onions
Mizuna Notes
Mizuna, Scallion and Turnip Salad with Miso Dressing
Sesame Noodles with Mizuna and Scallions
Lettuce Management
Miso-Braised Turnips with their Greens
Green Sauce (for grilled vegetables or meat or eggs. . .)
Chard Tart

Long-cooked Chard and Onions

I can eat the better part of this in one-sitting but I suppose it might serve 3 normal people as a side:)

This is a bit of an atypical way to cook chard since you cook it for a quite a long time. It is well worth it though—silky and rich.

Wash a large bunch of chard. Separate the leaves  and stems and roughly chop the leaves and thinly slice the stems. Slice a large onion and begin stewing it (and the stems, if using) in some olive oil in a good-sized pot or pan. When the onion has softened a bit add the chard, season with salt and pepper, cover and stew, stirring occasionally for 20-30 minutes. The moisture from the leaves and onions should be enough to cook it, slowly, but if it gets too dry you can add just a little water. Remove from the heat when the vegetables are silky and tender.

I’ve used this as a pizza topping with some feta, as a pasta sauce or just a side to whatever else I made for dinner. It’s also wonderful with eggs.

Mizuna Notes

Mizuna is a peppery, fresh and juicy green with deeply cut and fringed leaves. It’s also sometimes called Japanese Mustard and does have the characteristic flavor though mizuna is milder than typical mustard greens. It’s pale, tender stems are also delicious so cut them up finely and use them wherever you are using the leaves–salads, slaws and even lightly stir fried or pickled.

I like to finely chop mizuna or other greens, mix them with a little olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic and salt. Then I top soups or stews or plates of grains and vegetables with a generous amount of this zippy, fresh, finely chopped salad/garnish. It adds wonderful texture and flavor–it’s like having a mini salad incorporated into a warm dish.

Mizuna is quite tender so use it within a 3-4 days of getting it. Store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Sesame Noodles with Mizuna and Scallions
–inspired by Bon Appetit, June 2013

I love scallions and especially the greens so I use them liberally here. You can cut back if you’re not as much of a fan. The chili oil, of which you’ll have some leftover, is wonderful on any salad or meat or roasted veggie.

This dish is suitable to many kinds of vegetables, both raw and briefly cooked in the same pot as the noodles. You could add turnips and turnip greens to this salad this week. Be creative just cut the vegetables into matchsticks or julienne or shred them so they mix well and don’t fall to the bottom of the bowl!

This makes a lot! You can only dress 2/3 of the noodles and save the rest of the noodles for something else and just have a bigger veggie to noodle ration (which I prefer).

I also make a version with canned Oregon Albacore which is delicious—definitely a meal in itself.

Serves 6

5 scallions, whites and greens separated, thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
Scant 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like a lot of heat)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 lb spaghetti (de Cecco is my favorite brand)
3-4 turnips, cut into match sticks or small dice and green chopped, if using here
3-4 cups mizuna, chopped
Sea salt
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar

Cook scallion whites, vegetable oil, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, and pepper in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until oil is sizzling and onions are golden brown, 12–15 minutes; let chili oil cool in saucepan.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water. About 2 minutes before the noodles are al dente add the turnips and turnips greens, cook for a few more minutes; drain all of it. Rinse under cold water and drain well and put in a big bowl. Toss with a little of the chili oil to keep noodles from sticking.

Whisk tahini, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and 2–3 tablespoons chili oil (depending on desired heat) in a small bowl; season with salt. Add dressing to noodles and turnips and add onion tops and mizuna and toss to coat. I found tossing the salad with my hands was by far the most effective technique to get the thick dressing well distributed. Makes a mess but it’s quick and easy.

Mizuna, Scallion and Turnip Salad with Miso Dressing

I made this for lunch on a whim and it was lovely. The scallions and miso balance the sweetness of the turnips and the miso brings it all together. I wanted to add roasted peanuts but was uncharacteristically out of them but I’m fairly sure it would be a good addition.

Feel free to cut the recipe in half or scale it any way you like. It’s a pretty filling salad I found.

Serves 4-6

1 bunch mizuna, roots trimmed, washed, dried and chopped, stems and all
5 or more scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 medium-large turnips, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks
1/3 cup chopped, roasted peanuts (optional)

1 tablespoon red or yellow miso
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin (rice cooking wine)
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl stir together the dressing ingredients. In a large bowl toss the vegetables and nuts, if using, with the dressing, though you may not need all of the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may need a little salt.

Lettuce Management: Storage, Salad Additions & Dressings

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.

Pickled additions:

I keep a jar of thinly sliced (red) onions covered in red wine vinegar in the fridge at all times. A few slices of these pickled onions brightens up salads and many other dish too.

I sometimes chop up some kimchi and add it to salads, especially ones that include cooked beans.

Fruity additions:

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

Dressing variations:

The classic vinaigrette I make is about 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar (red wine, cider, sherry), 2-3 tablespoons good olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground pepper and if I’m feeling fancy 1 teaspoon of Dijon-style mustard and a little minced shallot or garlic and some minced thyme or tarragon. You’ll want to scale this up for larger salads and change the ratio to suit your taste. I don’t ever measure as you can easily adjust as you go and no two salads are every the same size. Make about triple this amount and keep it in a jar in the fridge.

Add a couple of teaspoons of heavy cream, mayonnaise (homemade or store bought) or Greek yogurt to a classic vinaigrette (above) for a slightly creamier dressing. Dress your lettuce with this, add ½ cup of toasted sunflower seeds and some thinly sliced onions for a robust salad.

Add ground cumin, lime or lemon zest and some red pepper flakes to a typical vinaigrette or the creamy version above. This is particularly good for slaws and black bean salads.

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 variation.

Miso-braised Turnips and their Greens

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare these tender turnips. If the greens are still attached by all means use them–the dish is wonderful with and without so make it throughout the season.

You can scale this up or down to use however many turnips you want.

Serves 2- 3 as a side

1 plus 1 teaspoon white or yellow miso
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
1 1/2 pounds turnips, scrubbed and trimmed (not sure how much your bunches will weigh this week)
2-3 cups washed, chopped turnip greens  (optional)
Generous 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

Stir together miso and 1 tablespoon butter.

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

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

Green Sauce (for grilled vegetables or meet or eggs. . .)

There are so many variations on this theme of simple herb sauces and this is most like a chimichurri. And the quantities are just suggestions, taste as you go and make it to your liking in terms of acidity, salt, oil, and spice. You can certainly use a food processor to chop the parsley but I think the texture is even better if chopped by hand.

If you have some cilantro and or/oregano on hand add some—that will get you even closer to a traditional Argentinian chimichurri sauce.

Serve this sauce with grilled meats or fish, with eggs or beans. I made a white bean salad with this sauce as a the dressing, Oregon bay shrimp and more scallions and it was really, really good.

1 bunch parsley, washed and just trimmed of tough stems (no need to pick the leaves), finely chopped
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced and then chopped a bit more, greens and all
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice (start with two and taste)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (feel free to toast whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet for a minute or two and grind them for even more flavor, or use ground)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup or more olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Chard Tart

Beautiful and delicious.

Serves 5-6

Preheat the oven to 425ºF

1 recipe Tart Dough (recipe follows)

1 large bunch of chard, leaves, roughly chopped and stems finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
1 cup whole milk
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 butter in a wide skillet; add the onion and stems and cook over medium heat until softened. Add the garlic, and the chard leaves by handfuls, if necessary, until they all fit. Sprinkle in a large pinch 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, 5 minutes or more.

To make the custard, beat the eggs; then stir in the milk, grated Parmesan, and a few scrapings of nutmeg. Stir in the chard 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)
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.

Light, fresh produce and dishes this week to match the perfect late spring weather. Enjoy!

Green Garlic Notes
Radish and Scallion Slaw “Bruschetta”
Arugula, Strawberry and Scallion Salad
Scallion Pancakes
Arugula Quesadillas
Collard Greens with Miso and Soy Sauce
Mixed Greens, Avocado and Radish Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Spaghetti with Green Garlic and Parmesan

Green Garlic Notes:

Green garlic, the immature stalks and just forming bulbs that look much like green onions are sweet, mild and tender. You can use much of the stalk, but remove a few outer layers which can be fibrous, depending on the age of the green garlic. You can be more generous with green/new garlic than regular, cured garlic as it’s milder.

Radish and Scallion Slaw “Bruschetta”

I made this up for lunch this week and it was too good not to add to the week’s packet mid-way through. The adaptations are manifold–different herbs, other vegetables, different base–goat cheese in stead of hummus. . . .

Serves 4

5-6 radishes, washed, trimmed and grated on the large holes of a box grater or finely sliced
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional) or mint or basil or cilantro
1 tablespoon or so quick-pickled onion (thinly sliced onion macerated in red wine vinegar) (optional), chopped
A little lemon or lime juice or vinegar
Hummus (or other spread–see headnote)
4 slices good crusty bread, toasted
Olive oil
Sea salt 

In a small bowl mix the grated radish, scallion, pickled onion (if using), parsley, a little lemon juice (or lime juice or vinegar) and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning. Spread the toasted bread generously with hummus.  Top the bread generously with the slaw and drizzle with a little olive oil. Enjoy!

Arugula, Strawberry and Scallion Salad

Serves 4

I just love this combination. Scale up or down, as usual, and substitute different cheeses if you’d like. Toasted almonds would be a good addition or substitute for the cheese.

1 bunch arugula, washed, trimmed and dried
1 cup hulled strawberries, quartered or sliced
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced into rounds
2 ounces feta, crumbled or blue cheese or pecorino, diced or crumbled or ricotta salata
Juice of half a lime (or more to taste) or combination of lemon and lime juice or sherry or balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil (more to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Tear or cut the arugula into pieces. Toss everything but the cheese in a salad bowl and taste. Adjust seasoning. Add the cheese and toss again gently. Serve immediately.

Scallion Pancakes

Serves 4

Quick, addictive and fun!

1 large bunch scallions, washed and trimmed of roots
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Oil for pan-frying

Dipping Sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic or 1 stalk green garlic, minced

Cut the scallion greens into 1-2-inch lengths and the white part into thinner rounds. In a large bowl whisk the eggs with the flour, water and salt. Add the scallions and mix well. Taste for salt. It may need more. The batter should be fairly runny, a bit thinner than regular pancake batter.

Stir together all the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Lightly cover the bottom of a large, heavy skillet with oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot fry the pancakes, either in typical pancake size or large, to fit the pan. If doing the latter you’ll cut them in wedges to serve. I tend to make small ones. Fry for about 3 minutes per side or until golden. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Arugula Quesadillas

I’ve never thought to put arugula in quesadillas but a parent made them at my son’s school event recently and they were delicious.

Your favorite tortillas
Your favorite cheese (sharp cheddar is mine)
Arugula, washed and dried and any tough stems removed and coarsely chopped
A little oil

Assemble you quesadillas and fry in a lightly oiled skillet on both sides until browning.

Collard Greens with Miso and Soy Sauce

This is a simple, quick dish and can be embellished or adapted to suit your tastes. You could sauté a bunch of green garlic before you add the collards back to the pot. You could make it into a meal by topping grains or beans with it, adding sliced scallions, some baked or seared tofu, etc. You could also add the radish tops to this dish. Just blanch them for a few seconds, right before you take the collards out, if using. 

I ate it both with and without the toasted sesame seeds and can’t decide which I prefer. The seeds take about 2 minutes to toast.

Serves 3-4 as a side

1 bunch collard greens, washed, tough stems removed and leaves stacked, cut in half lengthwise and then cut in crosswise into ribbons
1 or 2 bunches radish tops (optional), washed and chopped
Salt
Olive oil or coconut oil
1 scant tablespoon red (or yellow) miso
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hot collard green cooking water or a little more
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional (see headnote)

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the collards for about 3 minutes and toss the radish tops in for the last few seconds, if using. Drain, reserving just a little of the cooking water and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze dry, more or less.

In a small bowl mix the miso, soy sauce and reserved cooking water into a smooth sauce.

Return the dry pot to the stove and add a little oil. Add the collards and sauté for 3-4 minutes. If things are too dry add just a little water. When the green are tender to your liking stir in the miso mixture and cook for another 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat and serve with or without toasted sesame seeds.

Mixed Greens, Avocado and Radish Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Serves 4-5

Radishes add a juicy crunch and sweet peppery flavor to this springy salad for which you can use any kind of salad green you have–and arugula and lettuce are perfect this week. 

6 cups or more arugula and lettuce (or however much you have/want to use)
3-4 radishes, sliced or diced
1/2 large or 1 small avocado, diced
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, greens and all
1/3 – 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (either on stove top in dry skillet for about 8 minutes until browning and puffed up a bit or roasted at 300 degrees for about 12 minutes until nice and toasty), cooled
2-3 tablespoons good olive oil
Lime juice (start with half a lime and you’ll likely want more but depends on juiciness of lime and size of your salad and your taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss the lettuce, scallions and radishes with the dressing ingredients. Add the avocado and pumpkin seeds and toss again gently. Taste and adjust seasoning.  

Spaghetti with Green Garlic and Parmesan

Serves 4

Gently sweating plenty of green garlic in a little butter makes for a lovely, quick pasta dish.

1 head green garlic (or more depending on how big the cloves are) and any of the stalk if it’s still tender after peeling away the outer layers, minced
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup (or more) grated Parmesan
¾ lb spaghetti
¼ cup host pasta cooking water, reserved when you drain the pasta
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously.

While the water is heating very gently cook the garlic in the butter in a skillet or pan large enough to hold the pasta as well. Cook the garlic, stirring often and taking care not to burn it, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

Cook the spaghetti and drain it, reserving a little of the hot, starchy cooking water. Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the garlic and toss in the grated cheese and some of the cooking water. Stir well. You should get a thin, creamy, glossy sauce to coat the spaghetti. Season with pepper and salt, if needed. Serve immediately with a big green salad.  

Lots of warm soups and stews and comforting dishes for this chilly, final week of the 2013 season. Enjoy and happy cooking! Its been a pleasure sharing recipes with you all this year.

Pan di Zucchero Notes
Pan di Zucchero Caesar Salad
Roast Chicken with Grilled Chicory (and parsnips and potatoes)
Panfried Delicata with Sage and Garlic
Parsnip and Potato Hash with Parsley and Fried Eggs
Velvety Parsnip Soup with Cheesy Toast
Lentil Soup with Carrots and Potatoes

Pan di Zucchero Notes

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

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

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

Pan di Zucchero Caesar Salad

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

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 flat anchovy filets (or more to taste)
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
Freshly grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (optional)
1 head (or only part of one if they’re huge) pan di zucchero, washed, leaves cut in half lengthwise and then cut into 1 1/2 inch ribbons
¾ – 1 cup croutons or toast a slice or two of good crusty bread and tear it into bite-sized pieces

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

Toss with pan di zucchero, top with croutons and some more freshly grated Parmesan.

Roast Chicken with Grilled Chicory (and parsnips and potatoes)

Grill or broil the pan di Zucchero in large wedges, brushed lightly with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, until browning around the edges and tender.

Roast a chicken, however, you like to. This is the easiest way I know of and a funny blog post to boot–by cookbook author and blogger Michael Ruhlman. You could add some diced potatoes and/or parsnips and add them to the pan in which you’re roasting the chicken for a very complete meal.

Roughly chop the grilled chicory and serve with the chicken and drizzle any pan juices over the greens. If there isn’t enough juice drizzle with good olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper. Simple, delicious food!

Panfried Delicata with Sage and Garlic

I made this the other day when I had little time and little in the pantry. It’s hardly a recipe but here you are.

I tend to only think of baking delicate rings or slices but cooking them over high-heat in a cast iron skillet on the stove top is even faster and just as delicious.

1-2 delicata squash, scrub well and halve lengthwise and remove all seeds and strings (keep the seeds to roast if you’d like)
Olive oil
Salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh minced sage (or dried)

Cut the squash halves into 1/3-inc half rounds (skin on)

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in the largest, heavy skillet you have over high heat. Add the squash slices and toss briefly to coat. You probably won’t be able to manage a single layer and that’s fine. Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Turn the heat down to medium high and cover the pan. Cook undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes or until to smell what might be considered scorching squash. Toss carefully trying your best (without driving yourself crazy) to flip most of them so the other side can brown. It will all work out in the end. Cover again and cook some more. You can decide when to take it off the heat. You can let it get quite soft or leave it with a bit of bit. The important thing is to get some good color.

Meanwhile finely chop the sage and mince or mash the garlic into a paste with some coarse salt. When the squash is done to your likely carefully stir in the garlic and sage and a good drizzle of olive oil. Let it all sit in the hot pan for a few minutes before you serve it to mellow the garlic just a bit. You can serve with a drizzle of sherry vinegar or lemon juice or just as is. I dare you not to eat one whole squash worth yourself.

Parsnip and Potato Hash with Parsley and Fried Eggs

This is the simplest of comfort foods for me this time of year. You can add carrots or even grated winter squash if you like. Quantities are just suggestions. This technique scales up and down easily as long as you have a big enough skillet (if you’re scaling up that is!)

2-3 parsnips, scrubbed and trimmed and grated on the large holes of a box garter or with the grating blade of a food processor
2 potatoes, treated same as the parsnips
½ an onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil (or butter or combination of the two)
Chopped parsley (or cilantro), for serving
Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
4 eggs, fried (or poached)

Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or combo of olive oil and butter) in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for a just a couple of minutes and then add the grated vegetables. Toss well and add a few pinches of salt. Cook over fairly high heat for the first 5 minutes or so to get some good color and then turn down if things are starting to burn. It will only take about 10 minutes to cook through. Meanwhile fry or poach your eggs (if you have the space in the hash skillet you can scoot the hash to one side and fry the eggs in the empty space.

When the vegetables are tender and nicely browned in places toss in the parsley, black pepper and taste and adjust seasoning. Serve topped with eggs and a squeeze of lemon juice if you’d like.

Parsnip Purée
–from Tender by Nigel Slater

Peel, roughly chop and boil parsnips. When they are tender, process in food processor until smooth. Put into bowl and beat in enough butter and crème fraiche (or whipping cream or sour cream or Greek yogurt) to achieve a consistency you like. Season with salt, pepper and little Dijon-style mustard. Perfect with braised, garlicky kale and/or any roasted meat.

Velvety Parsnip Soup with Cheesy Toast
–inspired from Tender by Nigel Slater

This is a bit of an unusual combination of flavors and it comes together beautifully. The original recipe does not include the toast but instructs you to pour the hot soup over diced cheese. I love to dip a crusty crouton in my soup but feel free to try the original.

1 large onion, diced
1 leeks, well washed trimmed and cut into thin half rounds (optional or use another half an onion)
2 large parsnips (or 4-5 small ones), well scrubbed and trimmed and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
A little flour
½ teaspoon (or more to taste) red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon turmeric
4 cups vegetable stock
½ cup whole milk or cream
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

4 slices good crust bread
1 clove of garlic
Sharp Cheddar, Gruyere or the like

Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot, add the onions and leeks, if using and, once they soften, add the parsnips and garlic. Cook over medium heat, lid on, until the leeks have colored lightly and the edges of the parsnips are mostly golden. Resist disturbing the vegetables too much as they cook: a slight browning of the parsnips here and there is essential to the flavor of the soup.

Sprinkle a dusting of flour into the pot, stir in the red pepper flakes and turmeric, then cook for a minute or two to remove the raw taste of the flour. Add the stock, stir, and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to let the soup to sit at a light boil and continue until the vegetables are soft, about twenty minutes.

Pour into a blender or food processor and whiz to a creamy puree. Add the cream and mustard and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Toast the bread and rub immediately with the clove of garlic. Top with a thin layer of cheese and broil until bubbly and golden round the edges. Serve the soup hot with the cheesy toast.

Lentil Soup with Carrots and Potatoes

I make lentil soup year-round, though it certainly is prime soup weather now. This is a good warming dish for this crazy cold week we’re having. And it’s such an easy, fairly quick one-pot meal that my six-year-old happens to love, in pretty much every incarnation. In this version I add turmeric, ground cumin and coriander as well as a little ginger. This makes a lot of soup – great the next day or freeze a quart of it for later.

3 medium carrots (or whatever you want to use), diced or cut into thin rounds
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated, fresh ginger
1-2 bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons each ground cumin and coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ – ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups lentils (either the little French green ones or regular larger, brown ones)
2 sausages – optional (I use the Italian pork sausages from New Seasons or Pastaworks but chicken or turkey sausages would be fine too)
about 6 cups water or vegetable broth
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch dice
2 teaspoons soy sauce (seems strange but is very good!)
Salt & pepper

Sauté carrot, onion and garlic in 1 ½ tablespoons or so of olive oil in a big pot. Slice sausages (if using) into rounds, then cut those in half. Add them to the onions and carrots after they’ve softened, about 7-8 minutes. Also add the spices and ginger and cook, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Then add lentils and about 6 cups of broth or water. Salt generously if you’re broth if not salty. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to med/low and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes or so until everything is tender. Add the soy sauce and adjust seasoning.

Butternut squash makes the best “pumpkin” pie in my opinion and the link to the pie-crust below is hands-down the best pie crust I have ever made—a winning combination thus!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Radicchio, Beet, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad
Marinated Lentils with Roasted Beets Walnuts and Orange Vinaigrette
Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts
Celeriac Remoulade
Winter Squash Coconut Milk Curry
Roasted Squash and Onions with Lemony Tahini Sauce
“Pumpkin” Pie (with Butternut Squash)

Radicchio, Beet, Walnut and Blue Cheese Salad

This is a beautiful, substantial salad. The sweetness of the beets is lovely with the bite of the radicchio.

2 large or 3 medium beets, baked until tender, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice
about 4 cups radicchio cut into ¾-inch ribbons (well washed and dried)
1/3 cup (or more) walnuts, toasted about 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees, and crumbled or roughly chopped
1 shallot, very thinly sliced (or diced) and macerated in 2 tablespoons of red wine or sherry vinegar for 10 minutes (or more)
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (Stilton, Roquefort, etc.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil

Drain the shallots and reserve the vinegar. Mix the radicchio, shallots and walnuts in a salad bowl. Add salt, pepper and olive oil and toss well. Add the blue cheese and toss again. Add some of the reserved vinegar, to taste. Finally gently stir in the beets. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve immediately.

Marinated Lentils with Roasted Beets Walnuts and Orange Vinaigrette
–inspired by Bean by Bean by Crescent Dragonwagon

4 medium beets, roasted cooled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds (roast at 375 – 400 tightly covered with a splash of water until tender)
2 cups French green lentils (or other smaller variety that holds its shape well)
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 quarts veg or chicken stock or water
½ a small red onion, very thinly sliced
1 recipe orange vinaigrette (see below)
½ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Combine lentils, garlic, cinnamon stick, and stock or water and bring to a simmer and cook for 30- 40 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain the lentils (reserving liquid for a soup if you want) and discard bay, cinnamon stick and garlic cloves. Put lentils in a bowl and cool to room temp.

Toss lentils with red onion and about two thirds of the dressing. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss beat slices with remainder of vinaigrette.

Serve beets on lentils and topped with the toasted walnuts.

Orange Vinaigrette

Juice and grated zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup good olive oil
2 tablespoons red vinegar
1 clove garlic minced or mashed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a lid and shake well. Keeps well for a week or a bit more.

Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts
–adapted from smittenkitchen.com

This is worthy of the Thanksgiving table and I would happily eat it and a few other sides and skip the turkey. This dish is complex and lovely.

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup vegetable broth (I use homemade veggie bouillon, recipe below)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced (or the equivalent amount of regular onion)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 scant tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard (or more to taste)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. (If your sprouts don’t fit in one layer, brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.)

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out Brussels sprouts. Add cream and simmer for three or so minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Return Brussels sprouts to the pan and if sauce is a little thin, simmer for another minute or two and then serve hot.

Celeriac Remoulade

A classic Celery Root Remoulade exclusively uses mayonnaise in the dressing, which is good but I suggest a combination of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise for a slightly tangier and fresher flavor here but by all means use just mayonnaise if that’s what you have.

And again, quantities are approximations so adjust depending on the number of people you’re feeding, etc.

Scant 2 lbs. celeriac, peeled
¼ cup good mayonnaise
¼ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
A little white wine or cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper

You can either grate the celeriac in a food processor or if you can, use a sharp knife or a mandolin to cut it into matchsticks. Toss the grated or cut celeriac with 1 teaspoon sea salt most of the lemon juice. Let rest for at least 15 minutes and up to 30.

Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the veggies. Mix well and adjust seasoning.

Winter Squash Coconut Milk Curry

It is a bit of a pain to seed and peel a raw winter squash but the flavor is awfully good when you cook the raw pumpkin with spices and other vegetables and then add some coconut milk. If you prefer to bake the pumpkin (cut in half and seeded) for a bit to make it easier to peel you can certainly do that.

1 2 lb (or so) butternut squash
2 tablespoon neutral oil (peanut, sunflower, etc.)
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2-3 carrots, well scrubbed and cut into thin rounds on the bias (optional)
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1-2 serrano chiles, minced (seeds and all) or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup broth or water
1 can coconut milk (full fat preferably)
chopped cilantro (optional)
lime wedges

Cut the squash in half and scrape clean. Now you can either bake it for a while to soften it a bit and then cut it into bite-sized pieces or do so with a sharp knife and with care in its raw state.

Heat the oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion for a few minutes until it softens a bit and becomes translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and spices and hot pepper and sauté over medium high heat, stirring often for about 2 minutes. You don’t want the mixture to brown. Add the carrots and cook for a few more minutes. Add a little oil if it’s too dry. Then add the squash and broth or water and bring to a gentle simmer. After about 10 minutes add the coconut milk and some salt and cook until all the vegetables are tender but not falling apart.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve over rice with a squeeze of lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Roasted Squash and Shallots (or Onions) with Lemony Tahini Sauce
–slightly adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi

If you’re loathe to peel and trim the squash raw you can bake the whole squash, seeds and all for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees and then remove it, let cool a little and then peel and cut—a bit easier to handle this way.

1 medium butternut squash (2 1/4 lb. more or less), cut into 3/4 by 2 1/2-inch wedges
6 shallots, cut into 1 ¼ -inch wedges or 2 onions, cut the same
3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/2 tablepoons tahini (sesame paste)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 small clove garlic, crushed
3 1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoons  za’atar (optional – I found it at People’s co-op the other day)
1 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Put the squash and onion in a large mixing bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper and toss well. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the vegetables have taken on some color and are cooked through. Keep an eye on the onions as they might cook faster than the squash and need to be removed earlier. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. To make the sauce, place the tahini in a small bowl along with the lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or tahini if necessary.

Pour the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil into a small frying pan and place over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the nuts are golden brown. Remove from the heat and transfer the nuts and oil to a small bowl to stop the cooking.

To serve, spread the vegetables out on a large serving platter and drizzle over the tahini. Sprinkle the pine nuts and their oil on top, followed by the za’atar, if using, and parsley.

Chez Pim Pie Crust

Well, after years of making a certain all-butter pie crust (inspired by the Chez Panisse galette crust) I have 100% switched this recipe and technique. I find it completely unbeatable and while it includes one extra step, I don’t think twice about it anymore. Some of you may have adopted this technique ages ago so I may be late to the game. Better late than never. I’m making more pies than ever before☺!

Pumpkin Pie

This  is a fairly classic pie, with the exception of the sour cream/Greek yogurt and optional rum. I do not blind bake my crust for this pie though most recipes call for doing that. I have great luck with the below method and the crust doesn’t get too dark and brittle.

1 9-inch single crust Pie shell, chilled (not partially baked using ½ of above recipe)
1 ¾ cups butternut squash puree
 (bake the squash until very soft in a 400 degree oven–cut side down–takes about 35 minutes or more depending on size of squash)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup whole milk or cream
 or a combination of the two or half and half
1/3 cup sour cream
 or Greek yogurt (which is what I use)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons dark rum or cognac  or brandy (optional)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Lightly sweetened lightly whipped cream, for topping

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. If you have a pizza stone, put it on the rack you’re going to use and then preheat. Setting the pie pan directly on the pizza stone helps the crust bake nicely and not get soggy, especially since we’re not pre-baking the crust.

Roll out your pie dough and place it in pan and crimp edges as described in apple pie recipe above, though your just crimping a single layer of crust, the technique is the same. Chill or freeze pie shell in the fridge while you make the filling.

Put all of the filling ingredients in a food processor and process for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice and pour the filling into the chilled pie shell. Alternatively whisk all the ingredients well in a bowl.

Bake for 15 minutes at 450, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer.  Tap the pan gently—if the custard only jiggles a little bit in the very center, it’s done. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool to room temperature.

Serve the pie with lightly sweetened whipped cream

Some favorites this week include the leek and kale pizza and the Thai-style Brussels sprouts, but the I love celery root so much that both of those recipes rank high too. Enjoy!

Celery Root Soup
Celery Root Sauté
Carrot Puree with Dukkah
Miso Sesame Delicata Squash
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Thai-style Dressing
Brussels Sprout Pasta “Risotto” with Bacon
Braised Kale and Leeks (on a Galette or Pizza)

Celery Root Soup
–adapted from www.davidlebovitz.com

8-10 Servings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Celery Root Sauté

This is the way I prepare celery root when I’m in a hurry and I’m NEVER disappointed and I tend to eat to much of it. . ..

Peel the celery root and cut it into French fry sized batons. Heat a little olive oil in a large, heavy skillet. Now you can also dice a slice or two of bacon if you want and toss that in. Add the celery root and a few pinches of salt. Cook on medium-high heat, tossing fairly frequently, until browning and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Adjust for salt and enjoy.

Carrot Puree with Dukkah
–adapted from Ana Sortun’s Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

This is good and the Dukkah (the spice and nut mixture below) is delicious sprinkled on most anything—roasted vegetables, salads, grilled meats, you name it. And you know about harissa, the Morrocan spice paste I’ve used several times before, and how delicious it is.

The way to serve this is to take good bread or baguettes and dip or brush with olive oil, sprinkle with dukkah and spread with carrot puree. It could be part of a simple supper, lunch or a snack or a Thanksgiving appetizer.

2 pounds carrots, well scrubbed and cut into 2-inch lengths
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for dipping
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
5 teaspoons harissa (or much less depending on how spicy your version is—they vary widely so taste first or just add a teaspoon or two at a time and taste again0
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Sea salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan over high heat, cover the carrots with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the carrots and return them to the dry saucepan. Cook the carrots for 30 seconds or so over medium heat to dry them out. Remove the pan with the carrots from the heat and coarsely mash them with a fork or whisk. You want a coarsely ground carrot puree, not a smooth puree.

Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, harissa, cumin and ginger and then season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Dukkah
–adapted slightly from Ana Sortun’s Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

This is a little bit of a project, timing the toasting of the spices and then letting them cool but it’s well worth it and it makes enough for several dishes/meals.

1/2 cup almonds
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a work surface to cool, and then finely chop them.

Put the coriander and cumin seeds in the same skillet and toast, stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and allow them to cool completely before coarsely grinding.

In a medium bowl, combine the almonds with the ground spices.

Put the sesame seeds in the same skillet and toast them over medium heat, stirring until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the spice grinder.

Toast the coconut in the skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden (be careful not to burn!), about 2 minutes. Add the toasted coconut to the grinder and let it cool completely.

Grind the sesame seeds and coconut to a coarse powder. Combine with the almond and spice mixture and season with salt and pepper.

Miso Sesame Delicata Squash
–adapted from The Inspired Vegan by Bryant Terry, via 101cookbooks.com

Serves 4-6

2 pounds delicata squash (~2), halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch inch thick pieces
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon tamari or shoyu
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon white or yellow miso
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
5 tablespoons water
8 ounces organic extra-firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, chopped arugula, lemon wedges

Preheat the oven to 425F.

In a large bowl, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Spread the squash on a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 40 minutes, turning over with a fork after 20 minutes, or until golden on both sides.

In the meantime, in a medium-size bowl, whisk together the molasses, tamari, maple syrup, miso, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, water, and the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the tofu, toss to coat, and set aside.

When the squash is deeply golden on both sides, remove from the oven.

Transfer the squash to a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the tofu mixture over the squash, and gently toss. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until a good amount of the marinade boils off. Toss a couple times along the way. Finish under the boiler if you like, or if you like a bit of extra color on top. Remove from the oven, and season with salt, if needed. Finish with some toasted sesame seeds, chopped arugula, and/or herbs, and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side (to squeeze on top).

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Thai-style Dressing
–adapted from Food52.com

I included this recipe last fall and can’t wait to make it this coming week whenw e get our first Brussels sprouts. This is a knock-you-over-the-head kind of dish. It’s not for the faint of heart but if you like strong, fresh flavors and unusual combinations please try it.

2-3 tablespoons very thinly sliced cilantro stems, plus 1/2 cup leaves
3 tablespoons chopped mint (optional—I did not have any and it was still superb)
2 pounds Brussels sprouts

Combine the vinaigrette (below), cilantro stems, and mint in a bowl, and set aside.

Peel away any loose or discolored outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, trim the ends and cut the sprouts in half. Cut any especially large ones in quarters. Wash well and shake or pat dry with a towel.

Now you can either roast the Brussels sprouts in a 400 degree oven tossed with a bit of olive oil or you can start them on the stove top in 2 large skillets, cut side down in a splash of oil. If you do the latter, cook them undisturbed like this over medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes until nicely browned on the cut side. Then move the skillets to the oven and continue roasting for about 15 minutes until tender but not at all mushy.

And if you don’t have two large skillets or are cooking more sprouts for a larger crowd, roast them in the oven: toss them with 1 tablespoon of oil per pound and spread them on a baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast in the oven, checking for browning every 10-15 minutes, tossing them around with a spatula only once they start to brown nicely. The sprouts are ready when they are tender but not soft, with nice, dark brown color.

When ready to serve (warm or at room temp), toss the Brussels sprouts with the dressing to taste and cilantro leaves, and toss once or twice to coat. You might not need quite all the dressing so start with 2/3 of it.

Fish Sauce Vinaigrette

1/3 cup fish sauce (adjust to taste — some fish sauce brands are saltier)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
¼ cup sugar
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 to 3 Serrano chili very thinly sliced, seeds intact

Combine the fish sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chiles in a jar. Taste; If too salty, add more water and/or lime juice. This vinaigrette will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Brussels Sprout Pasta “Risotto” with Bacon
–inspired by Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan

Serves 3-4

As Dorie notes, “this is risotto” the way that finely sliced apples are carpaccio, which means not at all. . .” but the technique is just enough reminiscent of risotto that I appreciate the reference and continue to use it.

1 1/4 lbs. Brussels sprouts (if you have a half share 1 lb will be just fine), washed, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into thin half moons
1 medium onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices bacon, diced
1 1/3 cup tubetti (or ditalini or other small pasta) (Pastaworks has tubetti)
4 cups flavorful vegetable broth (homemade veggie bouillon) or chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or other hard, grating cheese (Asiago Stella is a good, cheaper alternative)
Salt
Lots of freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and a few pinches of salt and cook for 5 minutes to soften a bit and then add the bacon. You may need to reduce the heat a bit and cook for another 5 minutes or so until the bacon is beginning to render but is not crisp. Now add the broth or stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta, stirring well and then simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered. Now add the Brussels sprouts, stir well to incorporate and then cover and cook for another 7 or 8 minutes until the sprouts are tender. At this point add the cream and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Cook uncovered for about 3 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Stir in the Parmesan and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Braised Kale and Leeks (on a Galette or Pizza)

Leeks and kale make for a wonderful combination. You can serve this is a side dish or, surprise, surprise (!) fry an egg in one side of the pan and call it dinner. Or you can spread it on buttery crust and bake a savory galette or spread it on pizza dough and sprinkle with a little Parmesan and have yourself a lovely, hearty pizza. I think it’s particularly good on Grand Central Bakery’s whole-wheat pizza crust.

1 large bunch kale, well washed, trimmed and cut into thin ribbons and stems finely chopped
2 medium leeks or 1 large one, well washed and cut into thin half-moons
1 tablespoon butter and 2 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ – 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Gruyere or sharp cheddar (if you’re making a galette or pizza)

In a large skillet heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and stir well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add a bit of salt, the red pepper flakes (if using) and the kale, stir well and cook, covered for about 10-15 minutes until all is tender. Stir occasionally and make sure things aren’t browning or drying out. Turn down the heat and/or add a little water if that’s the case. Taste and adjust seasoning.

For a Galette pastry: 


1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
1/4 cup Greek or whole milk plain yogurt
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

To make the pastry dough, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or pulse a few times in the food processor, until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces too. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and drizzle mixture over flour and butter and using a fork, quickly stir it to combine. The mixture will turn into lumps, which you want to quickly pat into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread kale and leek mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the vegetables, crimping the dough slightly as you go.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

For a pizza:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F with a pizza stone on the bottom wrack of the oven if you have one.

Roll or stretch out the pizza dough and brush a little good olive oil on the dough. Evenly spread the kale and leek mixture over the dough and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until the crust is browning and the topping bubbling. If you don’t want the cheese to get brown you can just sprinkle on the cheese when you take it out of the oven.

The beautiful Castlefranco Chicory is wonderful in the risotto below but makes for a handsome salad too. Be sure to dress it well—Dijon-style mustard and sherry or red wine vinegar and maybe a few capers stand up well to this colder-season lettuce, as do toasted nuts and hard cheeses.

Baked Acorn Squash with Toasted Squash Seed & Parsley Pesto
Toasted Squash Seeds
Carrot, Parsnip and Parsley Fritters (pan-fried)
Pan-fried Parsnips
Caldo Verde (Portuguese Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
White Beans, Onion and Parsley Salad with Oregon Albacore
Farro and Chicory Risotto

Baked Acorn Squash with Toasted Squash Seed & Parsley Pesto

Acorn squash is really best baked and then turned into a variety of dishes or eaten just as is. The scalloped, tough skin is a bear to manage raw so either bake the whole thing for 20 minutes until it’s soft enough to more easily cut in half or cut it in half raw, scoop out seeds and save those, and bake cut side down for about 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees until tender.

I like this combination of bright, fresh parsley and sweet nutty squash seeds and lemon juice over the soft, sweet squash. I particularly like barley hard-cooked eggs, quartered and also dressed with the pesto along side. You could also use some of the pesto to make deviled eggs:)!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

1 or 2 Acorn squash (might as well bake both at once if you have two) (see headnote)
1 batch Toasted squash seed and parsley pesto (recipe below)

Bake the acorn squash until tender. Scoop out flesh and leave as is or roughly mash. Serve tossed with or topped with the pesto.

Toasted Squash Seed & Parsley Pesto

Squash seeds (1/2 a cup’s worth, more or less)
1 small bunch parsley
1 small to medium clove garlic, chopped
Juice of half a lemon or 2 teaspoons red wine or cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
About 1/3 cup olive oil

Rinse the squash seeds and pat dry. Toss with a little olive oil and salt and spread on a baking sheet. You can bake them alongside the squash but they will only take 10 minutes or so. Check frequently as they burn quickly. Let cool.

In a food processor, process the seeds for a few seconds. Then add the remaining ingredients and quickly process. I like a fairly rough texture, not a paste. If it’s too thick thin with a little cream, water or more olive oil. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with baked squash and cooked eggs, if you’d like (see headnote).

Carrot, Parsnip and Parsley Fritters
–inspired by Tender by Nigel Slater

If you have a jalapeno or Serrano chili sitting around by all means mince it and add it.

This makes quite a few pancakes–about 12 or more 4-5-inch cakes.

Carrots, well scrubbed and grated on the large holes of a box grater to make about 2 cups of grated carrots
Parsnips, same as above to make about 1 ½ cups
1 small-ish onion, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (optional – see headnote)(seeded or not depending on comfort with heat)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup grated sharp cheddar (or more- to taste)
1 heaping tablespoon of flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil for frying

Mix everything except the oil in a large bowl. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning. Then fry large dollops in a large, heavy bottomed skillet lightly coated with oil until crispy and brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes on the first side and a bit less on the second. Enjoy, you guessed it (!) with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Pan-fried Parsnips

When the first parsnips come around each year I just make this, simplest of simple dishes. The tender sweetness of the parsnips gets to shine. And of course a fried or poached egg on top would not be amiss!

They are so tender and fairly small this week that there is no need to peel them. Just scrub and slice!

However many parsnips you want to use, scrubbed (not need to peel), trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch rounds or half-rounds (if larger)
Olive oil
Salt
Chopped parsley for serving

Heat a heat skillet over high heat with a splash of olive oil. Add the parsnips rounds and toss well to coat with a little oil. Sprinkle with salt. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure even browning. When tender, which should take more than 10 minutes, remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and serve with another little drizzle of good olive oil if you’d like and a scattering of chopped parsley.

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Cabbage and Potato Soup with Chorizo)
–adapted very slightly from Tender, by Nigel Slater

I’m guessing you have couple of potatoes leftover from previous shares. I used a couple of huge red ones for this soup last night and it was wonderful. One chorizo is enough to flavor this soup but if you’ve got meat lovers at the table feel free to toss in another. If you’d like to make this without the meat, 2 teaspoons of smoked Spanish paprika (Pimenton) and another clove or two of garlic at the beginning. This soup is even better the next day even though it’s not going to win any beauty contests.

Serves 4

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 -4 medium potatoes
6 cups broth or water
2 bay leaves
1-2 chorizo sausage (4 or 8 oz.), cut into thin rounds
 (see headnote) (I particularly like Pastaworks’ fresh Chorizo for this dish but use what you have/can easily find)
5 cups cabbage, cored and cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
Good olive oil for drizzling

Sauté the onion and garlic over medium-low heat in a large pot in a bit of olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for a few more minutes before adding the water (or broth), bay leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are quite soft. Meanwhile fry the slices of chorizo in a small pan until they are crisp and the fat has been rendered.

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

White Beans, Onion and Parsley Salad with Oregon Albacore

This is a quick, hearty and classic Italian salad and a great place for your parsley this week. It’s strongly flavored with generous amounts of acidity from both vinegar and lemon juice and capers and onions. It’s best with some of our local Oregon Albacore that can be found in cans at New Seasons, Pastaworks, Fred Meyer, etc. It’s worth getting good-quality canned tuna (something I always keep in the pantry) for this dish.

Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side.

1 or 2 (5 or 6-ounce) cans tuna (preferably Oregon Albacore)
3 cups cooked white navy or cannellini or other white beans or 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed
1-2 cups parsley leaves, just slightly chopped
2 tablespoons capers, in brine or packed in salt, drained and rinsed and chopped up a bit
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (or more vinegar if you don’t have lemon juice)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion very thinly sliced (soaked in ice water for 20 minutes to remove some of the onion’s bite if you have sensitive eaters)
Zest of half a lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a large bowl, add the tuna, reserving the olive oil or juices from the can in a separate small bowl. Break tuna into bite-size pieces with a fork. Add the beans and capers. Into the bowl of olive oil or tuna juices, add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and zest and extra olive oil. Season with salt and pepper Pour dressing on the tuna, bean and caper mixture and add the onion and the parsley to tuna mixture and toss gently. Serve with good, crusty bread.

Faro Risotto with Chicory
–very loosely adapted from Food and Wine via smittenkitchen.com

This is creamy, delicious and perfect for this blustery weather.

Feel free to make changes. . . add a clove of garlic, use romano instead of parmesan, dollop in some crème fraîche at the end; use red wine or skip the wine.

Serves 3 to 4

5 cups vegetable or chicken stock (I use homemade veggie bouillon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup white or red wine (optional)
1 cup faro (if you have whole, not pearled faro, par boil it for 10 minutes, drain and then proceed with the recipe)
6 cups thinly sliced chicory
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, grated
1 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the veggie or chicken stock to a simmer over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and thyme and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the faro and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine if using and cook, stirring until absorbed, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1/2 cup or so at a time. When the faro is just about tender, add a bit more broth then add the chicory and let it wilt and then cook for an additional couple of minutes. Stir in the 1/2 cup of cheese and the butter and season with salt and pepper. Let sit covered off the heat for 5 minutes at least, then serve, passing more cheese at the table if you’d like.