Butter Braised Turnips

adapted from "How To Cook Everything"

• 2 Tbsps butter
• 1 Tbsp olive or other neutral oil
• 1 pound baby turnips, more or less, with the greens trimmed off (if the turnips you're dealing with are a little larger, cut them into quarters)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup white wine or broth
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish
  Combine the butter and oil in a medium to large skillet that can later be covered; turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts, add the turnips and cook, stirring, until they are coated with butter, just a minute or two longer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnish, stir, and cover. Turn the heat to low and cook until the turnips are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until the turnips are glazed and the liquid is syrupy, another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish, and serve.
  Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

Raw Kale Salad

• 1 large bunch Kale finely chopped
• 2 carrots shredded pint of grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup soaked pinenuts
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes soaked and chopped into bitty pieces
• 1 red onion cut into thin rings
• raw black olives
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/4 cup cold pressed olive oil sea salt
• few dashes of Bragg's liquid aminos
  Mix all ingredients...set in fridge overnight. Enjoy the next day!!!

Wilted Kale Salad with Cranberries

If you’ve never had a raw kale salad, let me assure you that it does not taste like plain raw kale. A raw kale salad requires you to wilt the leaves so it takes on a milder taste that is easier on your digestion.

• 1 bunch of raw kale
• 1 t sea salt (unrefined Celtic or grey salt is best) give or take
• 1/2 cup coconut oil (other oils will work, but I like coconut because of the sweetness)
• 1 handful of raw cranberries (soaked in oil for a couple minutes to soften them up)
• 1 handful of raw pinenuts (or silvered almonds)

Chop the leaves so they are the right size to fit in your mouth. Place the kale in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt so that the leaves are lightly coated. Now is the fun part. Press the leaves down and start to kneed them like you would do to bread. Pick them up and squeeze them to facilitate the process. After a couple minutes you will notice them turning a darker green color and taking on a slightly cooked texture. Once that happens you are ready to toss in the rest of the ingredients. If the coconut oil is hard, you may need to warm it up a bit by dipping the jar in hot water. Taste the salad and add more salt if needed. You’re salad should have a lightly salted but mostly sweet taste to it.

Red Russian Kale with Cranberries

• large bunche kale, any
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  Steam the kale until it is bright green. Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet, toast the pine nuts. Allow kale and pine nuts five minutes to cool, then toss together in a large bowl. Add dried cranberries and olive oil. Toss and serve

Butternut Squash Pie

For the filling:

• 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unrefined sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups roasted squash purée, packed (see below)
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  Ccombine eggs, vanilla, sugars, salt and spices in food processor, and process until smooth. Add squash purée, and process until smooth. With machine running, pour in heavy cream, and process to combine. Scrape filling into hot prebaked pie shell, and bake on pizza stone until filling is set 2/3 in from perimeter and center still jiggles, about 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool to room temperature on rack. Garnish with whipped cream, candied squash and ginger relish if desired. Serve.

Squash Puree, Yields 3 cups

• 2 3 1/2- to 4-pound butternut squashes, scrubbed
• Grapeseed oil spray

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-by-15-inch rimmed sheetpan with aluminum foil, and spray with grapeseed oil. Trim off stem end, then cut through squashes horizontally where bulb begins. Reserve bulb for another use. Cut squash necks in two lengthwise. Slice into 1-inch sections and arrange on sheet pan. Bake, turning occasionally, until squash is tender and beginning to caramelize, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly, trim skin away with paring knife, and force flesh through food mill. Use immediately in pie or place in plastic container with lid, and refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Gourmet

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (1/4-inch) diced onion
• 1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced celery
• 1/4 cup (1/4-inch) diced carrot
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Sea salt, preferably gray salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• About 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground toasted coriander, optional
• 1 1/2 cups Roasted Winter Squash recipe (below)
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, optional
  To serve:
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese, optional
• 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds, optional
  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cinnamon stick and saute until soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the vegetable broth and the coriander, if using, and bring to a boil. Simmer for several minutes. Stir in the squash until smooth, then simmer gently to let the flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen for about 1 month. It will thicken as it cools and may need thinning with stock or water when reheating.) Return the soup to the pan and reheat gently. Add the half-and-half, if using. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep warm until service. Ladle the soup into serving bowls. Garnish evenly, with the cheese and pumpkin seeds, if desired.

Roasted Winter Squash:

• About 3 pounds butternut squash (preferably 1 large squash)
• Gray salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup dark unsulfured molasses
• 2 teaspoons Toasted Spice Rub, recipe follows
  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Halve lengthwise, discard the seeds, then cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter ceases to foam and has turned a light brown, pull the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage, sugar, vinegar (stand back so as not to get splattered), molasses and toasted spice rub. Mix well and let simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to meld the flavors. Pour the vinegar mixture over the squash and toss well, then transfer to a heavy rimmed baking sheet or baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Place in the oven and roast, tossing at least once, until very tender and caramelized, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm, so the liquids are runny. Working in batches, if necessary, transfer the warm squash and all the cooking liquids to a food processor and process until smooth. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
  Serving suggestions: Serve the puree on its own as a side dish for roast chicken, turkey, or pork; stir into polenta just before the end of cooking; use as a stuffing for ravioli; make into a soup; or use to flavor pastina. Or omit the sage, season with ground cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg to taste, and use as a substitute for canned pumpkin in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe. Yield: about 2 cups puree

Toasted Spice Rub:

• 1/4 cup fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup (1-ounce) pure California chili powder
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  Toast the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a small, heavy pan over medium heat. When the fennel turns light brown, work quickly. Turn on the exhaust fan, add the red pepper flakes, and toss, toss, toss, always under the fan. Immediately turn the spice mixture out onto a plate to cool. Put mixture into a blender with the chili powder, salt, and cinnamon and blend until the spices are evenly ground. If you have a small spice mill or a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, grind only the fennel, coriander, pepper, and chili flakes. Pour into a bowl and toss with the remaining ingredients. Keep the spice mix in a glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze. Chef's notes: Toasting freshens spices, releases their oils, and makes them more fragrant, as well as adding a new dimension of flavor. Taste your chili powder before adding and, if spicy and hot, cut back the amount. California chilies are almost sweet, not hot.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash Gratin

• 1-1/2 lb. butternut squash peeled and diced
• 1 cup organic quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp. shallots
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 slice Italian bread
• salt and pepper to taste
  Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  If using pre-cut butternut squash, pierce the package a few times with a fork and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes until squash is soft and tender. If using a whole squash, peel and cube it, then put in a ziploc plastic bag and seal. Then pierce a few times with a fork and microwave as directed above. Wash the quinoa in a fine sieve thoroughly (about 5 minutes) until water runs clear. This is very important, as quinoa has a bitter protective coating that can linger even after processing. Transfer squash and quinoa to a large (2 or 3-quart) pot. Add water and salt to pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the quinoa blooms into little spirals. Remove from heat and let rest.

from: http://healthycooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/quinoa_and_butternut_squash_gratin#ixzz0XoSUN1Im

Unripe Melon Pickles

firm, but not fully ripe cantaloupes or honeydew melon, about 2 pounds each
1 quart cold water
4 tablespoons salt
11/2 cups cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
3 sticks cinnamon, 2 inches long
1 tablespoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
21/2 cups boiling water
Halve the cantaloupes. Remove seeds, peel and cut into 1-inch squares. Mix cold water and salt. Pour over melon and allow to stand for 3 hours. Drain. Combine vinegar, sugar and spices with boiling water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cantaloupe with slotted spoon. Boil the syrup for 10 minutes. Add melon and simmer 40 to 50 minutes or until melon is transparent. Pour mixture into hot, boiled pint jars with 2-piece screw tops, filling to within 1/8-inch of top. Wipe rims of jars carefully and cover with lids. Put on screw bands and tighten as much as possible. Place jars in a large kettle and add enough boiling water to cover jars by 1 inch Boil 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Makes 4 pints. This recipe may be doubled.
Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet Was Fried” and “Let’s Talk Food.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Also available for sale is a 4-part DVD, “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” For comments and information regarding today’s column, contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com

Cantaloupe with Black Pepper, Oil, & Vinegar

Recipe from the cookbook The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. Lynne says, "A melon salad is not a typical opening to a meal in Italy. I certainly didn't expect it when I Stayed at Le Frise, a guest farm in the mountains of northern Lombardy. . . Emma dresses chunks of melon with black pepper, vinegar and olive oil. She presents the melon on a bed of pale green curly endive and snips dark green chives over the salad at the last moment. Few things taste better with fresh goat cheese."

Half of a 2 1/2 to 3 pound ripe cantaloupe, seeds removed
Several pale green leaves from the center of a head of curly endive or other salad greens
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives or scallion tops
With a melon baller, scoop out 1-inch balls from the melon and place into a medium bowl. Line an 8-inch white serving plate with the endive greens.
Sprinkle the melon with salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss with the olive oil, then the wine vinegar. Spoon onto greens, scatter the chives over the melon, and serve.

Herbed Baby Beets with Greens

bunch tiny beets
2 Tbs. oil
1 lemon juice only
1 green onion chopped
1/2 tsp. dill weed
Sea salt to taste
Wash beets and leaves and remove any inedible portion. Heat oil, lemon juice, onion, and herbs in a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid. Add beets with leaves attached, and steam over medium heat. Check after 5 minutes, adding a small amount of water if necessary to prevent burning. Cook a few minutes more, until beets are fork tender.
from http://www.wheelerbrookfarm.com/beets.html

Broccoli Leaves Recipes

These from Southshore Organics

Sauteed Broccoli Leaves
contributed by mahea hisgen
5 broccoli leaves
2-3 cloves garlic
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
3-4 T olive oil
pasta
Prepare pasta according to directions on package. Wash broccoli leaves and pat dry with paper towel. Remove stems from leaves and slice into strips. Sautee leaves with garlic and onions in olive oil. Toss with your choice of pasta and salt as desired.

Pureed Spinach and Broccoli Leaves
contributed by mahea hisgen
1/2 lb spinach
1/2 lb broccoli leaves
1/2 small onion, chopped
ginger, minced
3 T ghee (clarified butter), regular butter would work as well
Kauai sea salt to taste
turmeric, grated or turmeric powder
cumin
ground coriander
Puree the spinach with water and put in bowl. Puree broccoli leaves and put in same bowl. Fry the onion and ginger in the ghee or butter, adding salt, cumin, turmeric and coriander. Add purees to mixture one cup at a time. Cook for about 5 minutes on moderate heat. Turn heat down as low as possible and simmer for about 15 minutes or until almost dry.

Steamed Broccoli Leaves
contributed by alys martin
Wash broccoli leaves and remove stems. Lightly steam leaves until tender. Toss with butter or olive oil and sea salt.
We love these with pasta and tomatoes and parmesan!

Tightly Rolled Broccoli Leaves
contributed by laura king
1 lb broccoli leaves
1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion (fine)
2 minced garlic cloves
vegetable broth
salt to taste
hot pepper to taste
Remove stems from broccoli greens. Wash and dry with paper towel. Stack 4-5 leaves together and roll up tightly. Cut across rolled greens, slicing thinly. Heat oil in Dutch oven. Saute garlic and onion in Dutch oven. Add broccoli greens and cook for 20 minutes or so, stirring frequently. Add additional broth if greens become dry. Add salt, peppers, cook 2 minutes.

ALL ABOUT RADISHES

• Visit this link for radish and radish tops recipes, preparation tips and nutritional info:
  http://www.greenearthinstitute.org/radishes.htm#Radish%20Recipe%20Tips
• Stir Fried Radish Tops & Greens Recipe: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/recipe-for-spicy-stir-fried-radish.html
• Radish Basil Pesto Sauce: http://low-carb-cooking.suite101.com/article.cfm/radish_basil_pesto_recipe

ALL ABOUT EGGPLANT!

For a wealth of interesting cultural and nutritional information about Eggplant, simply click this link to World's Healthiest Foods

Baked Eggplant Oriental

Sweet and tender and simple! From Healing Heart. Hint: Long eggplant, sometimes called Japanese eggplant or Asian Eggplant, can be ripe even if they are not purple in color. They should be firm, but yield slightly to the touch. They do not need to be soaked or salted as with round eggplant and and their seeds are very small, tender and edible. The best size should be similar to a thin cucumber Hoisin sauce is a dark paste that can be found in most Asian markets and many supermarkets in the Oriental food section. It is made of soy beans, wheat flour, sugar, sesame seed and spices. This dish cooks well in a toaster-oven.

• 4 long eggplant
• 4 t hoisin sauce

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Spread a thin, even coating of hoisin sauce on the cut surface. Bake at 375 F. flat surface up about 20 minutes or eggplant is soft but top is not burned. Serve warm. 4 servings, each 57 calories: 9% from fat (0.6 g), 78% from carbohydrates (11.0 g), 13% from protein (1.9 g). Sodium 17.6 mg, Fiber 1 g.

Thai Basil Eggplant

Basil eggplant is a simple dish to make. The basil and chili pepper, however, turn the mundane eggplant into something exciting. It can also be made without peppers for kids. In Thailand, the eggplants are green and long and unlike the big dark purplish eggplants that you can find in supermarkets here in the US. Purple Japanese eggplant is used in the pictures here, but any eggplant ie. American or Japanese can be used in this recipe.

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 bunch basil, leaves picked from the stem
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)
• 6-8 Thai eggplants
• 2 chili peppers

Slice the eggplants into irregular shapes for easy turning in the pan. When it is sliced into a small disk, it tends to stick to the bottom of the pan and makes it difficult to flip or turn. Chop garlic and slice chili peppers. Pick the leaves from the stem of the Thai basil. Heat a pan or wok over high or medium high. Add oil, chili peppers and garlic. Stir until the garlic turn golden brown. Add eggplant and stir. Add a cup of water and cover the pan or wok with a lid. Keep the lid close until the eggplant is cooked. It should take about 5-7 minutes before the eggplant is done. The eggplant turns from white to translucent when it is done. Almost all of the water should have been evaporated at this point. If the eggplant is still not cooked, add a little bit more water and keep lid closed until the eggplant is ready. Add fish sauce and sugar and stir. Add Thai basil and quickly stir to heat the basil, so that it retains it color. Turn off heat immediately. Serve hot with rice.

Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe was featured in the Lighter Side of Italy Episode of Emeril Green

• medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/3-inch slices
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 2 cups Basic Marinara Sauce
• Chiffonade of fresh basil, for garnishing
• Parmesan cheese for garnishing

Place the eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Blot eggplant dry with clean paper towels.In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add the eggplant slices, in batches if necessary, and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes per side, adding a bit of additional olive oil for the second side. Top each slice of eggplant with a small slice of mozzarella and continue cooking until cheese starts to melt.Transfer browned eggplant slices to a large baking sheet and repeat until all of the eggplant slices are cooked. Hold in a warm oven until ready to serve. To serve family style, ladle basic marinara sauce on the bottom of a platter. Transfer warm eggplant-mozzarella slices to platter on top of marinara sauce, garnish with the basil chiffonade and Parmesan cheese.

Baba Ghanouj

from Healthy Eating ... Grilled eggplant is pureed along with garlic, lemon juice and tahini to make a lighter version of the classic Middle Eastern dip. If you can’t find ground sumac for the garnish, chopped pistachios are traditional as well. Serve with pita wedges or use as a spread for sandwiches.

• 2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each)
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame paste available in most stores)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
• Ground sumac for garnish, or pistachio nuts

Preheat grill to high. Prick eggplants all over with a fork. Thread garlic cloves onto a skewer. Grill the eggplants, turning occasionally, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill the garlic, turning once, until charred and tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the eggplants and garlic to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel both. Transfer to a food processor. Add lemon juice, tahini and salt; process until almost smooth. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sumac, if desired.

Watermelon Mojito

from the Food Network

• 4 lime wedges
• 5 mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon minted simple syrup
• Ice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons watermelon puree
• 3 ounces light rum
• Splash club soda or ginger ale
• Watermelon wedge or mint leaves, for garnish
  
  Optional: Rim the glass with a mixture of equal parts sugar, salt and pepper
  Muddle limes, mint and syrup in a bar mixing shaker. Add ice and then watermelon puree and light rum. Shake vigorously. Pour into a highball or Collins glass, top with club soda or ginger ale. Garnish with a wedge of watermelon and fresh mint.
  

Watermelon & Cantaloupe Salad with Basil & Mint

from the Food Network

• 1/2 watermelon
• 1 cantaloupe, (or other melon) cut in half, seeded
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint leaves plus whole sprigs, for garnish
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves plus whole sprigs, for garnish
• 1 lemon juiced (1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves, cool)
• 1/8 teaspoon amaretto
  
  Scoop 2 cups each from the watermelon and the cantaloupe using a melon baller. Carve the remainder of the watermelon out and reserve shell.
  Add to a blender the chopped mint, chopped basil, lemon juice, simple syrup and amaretto. Blend until smooth. Add the watermelon and cantaloupe balls to the carved out watermelon half. Add the vinaigrette to the balls and toss to combine. Garnish with the mint and basil sprigs and taste.

Watermelon, Basil & Tomato Skewers

from the Food Network

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (4 to 5 pound) watermelon, cut into 32 (1 1/2-inch cubes
• 32 small basil leaves (or torn larger leaves)
• 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
  
  Combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool. Starting with the watermelon squares, push the watermelon to the very tip of the skewer. Then skewer a basil leaf, then a tomato half. Continue with another watermelon, basil leaf, and tomato half. Place the skewer on a serving platter so it stands upright, using the lowest watermelon square as a base. Continue with the remaining skewers. Drizzle the skewers with the reserved balsamic syrup and the olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Serve.

Basil Cucumber Salad

• cucumbers
• red onions
• fresh basil
• garlic, minced
• red wine or raw apple cider vinegar (to taste)
• water (to taste)
• 1 cup chopped tomato (optional)

Thin-slice the cucumbers and onions and put them in a container. Rip or chop the basil and toss it in. Pour in vinegar and water. I use less vinegar than water, but you want the vinegar a little strong so it will get into the cucumber. Sprinkle in some garlic, maybe 1/2 teaspoon? Let this marinate for at least 2 hours. It keeps well in the refrigerator for days. Add the tomatoes at the last minute.

KALE WITH MARINATED ONIONS

from siskiyoucoop.com

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 cup finely diced and chopped spring onions
• 5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoon rice wine (or other) vinegar
• 1 tsp honey or agave nectar (or sugar)
• dash of sea salt

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, honey and salt.Toss with onions and set aside.Wash kale and cut leaves across the stem in 1 1/2 inch strips. Place kale in steamer basket over 1 inch water (or braise directly in the water). Cover pot and steam over high heat for 10 minutes or until tender. Place kale in serving bowl, toss with onions and marinade and serve.

ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANA

compliments of Maureen - Thanks!

• 2 Large eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 (1 ½ -pound) eggplant or zucchini, peeled or unpeeled, and cut into ½ inch slices
• ½ cup olive oil
• 14-ounce spaghetti sauce
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine eggs, 2 Tbsp Parm cheese, milk and next 4 ingredients in a shallow bowl, stir well and set aside. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge eggplant/zucchini slices in flour, shaking off excess; dip in egg mixture. Pour oil into large skillet, place over med-heat until hot. Fry eggplant/zucchini slices in hot oil until golden brown, and drain on paper towels. Arrange slices in a 13 x 9 baking dish, cover with sauce, motz cheese and parm cheese, repeat layers until plate is full and bake, uncoverd at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake an additional 5-10 minutes. Yields 6 servings.

ZUCCHINI FRITTATA

Thanks again to Maureen!

• 1 cup shredded zucchini or other summer squash
• ½ cup chopped onions
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

In an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, sauté zucchini and onion in oil for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Pour eggs over top, sprinkle with salt. Cook until almost set, 6-7 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Yields 2 servings

MARINATED ZUCCHINI AND YELLOW CROOKNECK SQUASH

• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• zucchini, trimmed and sliced diagonally about 1/4-inch thick
• yellow crookneck squash, trimmed and sliced diagonally about 1/4-inch thick

Whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the marinade into a small bowl. Cover and set aside. Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the remaining marinade in the large bowl and toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Cover and marinate at room temperature at least 3 hours or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. Prepare the barbecue for medium-high heat. Grill the vegetables until they are crisp-tender and brown, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to a platter. Drizzle with the reserved marinade and serve hot or at room temperature.

SCALLOP SQUASH GRATIN

adapted from The Greens Cookbook by D. Madison and E. Brown

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• scallop squash, weighing 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
• 4 ounces Fontina or Gruyere cheese, sliced
• Freshly chopped parsley

Heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and a little salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft; then add the wine and let it reduce by half. Add the cayenne or paprika and the tomatoes. Cook slowly for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Taste and season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the squash. Cut it open, scoop out the seeds and then, with the flat cut surface resting on the counter, shave off the skin. (The squash can easily be peeled with a vegetable peeler before it is cut in half. Another method is to cut the squash into pieces and then remove the skin from each piece. This takes more time, but you may find it easier.) Slice the peeled squash into large pieces about 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Heat enough oil to generously coat the bottom of a large skillet, and fry the squash on both sides, so that it is browned and just tender. Remove it to some toweling to drain; then season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To form the gratin, put a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce on the bottom of individual gratin dishes, or use it all to cover the bottom of one large dish. Lay the squash on top in overlapping layers with slices of the cheese interspersed between th layers. Bake until the cheese is melted and the gratin is hot, about 15 minutes, and serve with the fresh parsley scattered over the surface.

Ginger Parsnip Soup

adapted from Bon Appetit 2/2001 Note, to make this a lighter, weeknight affair I would use olive oil instead of butter and milk instead of half and half. It's still delicious, if not decadant.

• 2 Tablespoons butter, ghee or olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 3 cups parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped (about one pound)
• 1 cup half and half or milk

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients and saute until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth and parsnips; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree soup (immersible blender or a traditional blender or food processor). Strain into another large pot; discard solids in strainer. (I would skip this step.) Whisk in half and half. Season with salt and pepper.

BAKED SCALLOP SQUASH

Cut large white scallop/pattypan squash in half lengthwise. Place open sides down in shallow baking pan add water to cover half of squash. Bake in 375 degree oven until tender. Scoop out seeds & discard. Scoop out flesh and transfer to bowl. Mix in butter, sour cream, or olive oil, sea salt or tamari soy sauce, and spices of choice such as ginger, nutmeg

BEET TOPS WITH VINEGAR & TOMATOES

• 4 cups beet tops, washed, cut in long pieces
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or other)
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Seasonings to taste

Boil the beet tops in salted water for about 20 minutes. Drain off water, Put butter, tomatoes and seasonings in a frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the beet tops and vinegar. Let cook slowly for 4 minutes and serve.

BOK CHOI & ASPARAGUS FRITTATA

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 scallions including green tops, sliced thin
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small head bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 pound asparagus, remove tough ends, cut remaining into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 9 eggs, beaten to mix
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick frying pan, heat the cooking oil over moderate heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bok choy and cook, stirring, until the leaves wilt, about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender, about 3 minutes more. Evenly distribute the vegetables in the pan and then add the eggs, pepper, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook the frittata, without stirring, until the edges start to set, about 2 minutes. Put the frittata in the oven and bake until firm, about 25 minutes. Drizzle the sesame oil over the top.

ROASTED BEETS & BABY CARROTS WITH CUMIN VINAIGRETTE, CHICKPEA PUREE & FLATBREAD

adapted from Bon Appétit

• Beets, cleaned, trimmed
• 5 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 2/3 cup water
• carrots with green tops
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
• dill or thyme
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 1 large)
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided
• cooked chickpeas, pureed or premade humus
• 6 purchased flatbreads or whole wheat pitas
  Preheat oven to 400°F. Place beets in roasting pan; drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; toss. Add 2/3 cup water to pan. Cover with foil. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, trim green tops from carrots to 1 inch. Cut carrots into thirds crosswise. Place carrots on rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with thyme, dill, sea salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Roast until carrots are tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool carrots and beets.Using fingers, rub peel off beets. Cut each beet into 6 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl. Stir cumin seeds in dry skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds to mortar or spice mill; grind finely. Place whole cumin seeds, ground cumin, and vinegar in small bowl; whisk in 1/2 cup oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Add dill or thyme, shallots, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, carrots, and 2/3 of cumin vinaigrette to bowl with beets; toss to blend. Season beet mixture with salt and pepper. Place generous dollop of chickpea puree and 1 flatbread on each of 6 plates. Spoon beet-carrot mixture alongside.

ZESTY CARROTS

by Judy McCann

• 8 medium carrots
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 2 tablespoons horseradish
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• whole grain bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Dice the carrots and steam until tender. Combine all ingredients in a 1-1/2 qt. buttered casserole. Sprinkle on the bread crumbs. Bake about 15 minutes until top is toasted.

CARROT JAM

Wash and grate some carrots; boil until reduced to a thick pulp. To 1 Ib. of this pulp add 9 oz. sugar, the juice and grated rind of 2 lemons, and 3 oz. butter. Boil the mixture well for 45 minutes to 1 hour. From A MODERN HERBAL Home Page

MAPLE MUSTARD CARROTS

• 1 pound carrots, washed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  Steam carrots 15 minutes; drain well. Combine syrup, butter and mustard, stir well. Pour syrup mixture over carrots, toss gently to coat. (Mix same amount of syrup mixture for under 1 Lb carrots also) 4 servings

Creamed Scallions

• heavy cream
• minced garlic
• bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• a little cold water
• chopped fresh parsley

Bring cream and garlic to a boil in a medium skillet. Lower heat and simmer briskly until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. While cream is reducing, cook scallions with water, covered, in a heavy medium saucepan over moderately high heat until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add cream mixture to scallions. Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste, then cook over moderate heat, stirring, until piping hot.

Summer Squash Saute

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried
• Assorted Summer Squash, trimmed, sliced into 1/3-inch-thick rounds

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and tarragon; sauté until onion is just tender, about 2 minutes. Add yellow squash and zucchini; sauté until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Squash Pancakes

• 2 eggs
• 1/2C milk
• 4 medium summer squashes, grated
• 1/2C bread crumbs
• 1/2C grated cheese
• 1/3C each chopped fresh parsley, basil and cilantro
• 2T minced shallot or green onion
• 4T butter
• 1/4C flour

Mix together eggs and milk. Add squash, herbs and shallots. Then mix in the cheese. Add slowly the bread crumbs and flour and mix well. In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, melt 1T butter until it starts to brown. Spoon about 1/4C of mixture into the pan and flatten a bit with the spoon. You might be able to fit 2 pancakes into the same pan at once. When the edges show a little browning turn with a spatula. Cook the other side until it is also golden brown. Keep pancakes warm in the oven until they are all cooked.

Baked Summer Squash with Pesto Crumbs

from More Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Renee Shepherd
This can be served as a whole meal, over wild rice and garnished with toasted pecans.

• 3 lbs. mixed summer squash
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. mace
• 1 tsp. unrefined sugar or agave nectar
• 2tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 2 shallots, minced
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• ½ cup Pesto Bread Crumbs Recipe (see below)

Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly oil a 2 ½ to 3 quart casserole dish with cover. Trim squash and cut into large chunks (about 1 ½ inches). Arrange squash pieces in casserole and set aside. Melt butter and olive oil together in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients, blending thoroughly. Pour sauce mixture over squash, tossing until squash is coated. Cover casserole and bake 40 minutes. Toss squash gently and spoon juices and seasonings from the bottom of dish over squash. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer, until squashes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Pesto Bread Crumbs:

• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
• 3 Tbs. roasted pine nuts
• 1 ½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until thoroughly blended. After using, refrigerate any leftovers. Makes 2 cups.

Squash & Fennel Soup

source: firehorserider.com It's so simple to make. I think the hardest part is peeling the squash. Once that's done, it only takes ten or fifteen minutes to throw all the ingredients into the pot. Walk away for an hour and come back and blend. It doesn't get any easier. Here's how: In a soup pot, pour a little olive oil or non-hydrogenated vegan "butter" and allow to warm on medium. Add five or six cloves of minced garlic and a red onion, diced. Chop a carrot or two and one or two stalks of celery and add to the garlic/onion mix. Stir on medium for a few minutes. Meanwhile, peel the beautiful winter squash. I actually use a sharp vegetable knife rather than a peeler. If the skins are thick, I find a knife just works better. Cut the squash into cubes and toss into the mix. Wash and dice a fennel bulb and add to the mix. I get beautiful fennel at the Venice Market and use the entire plant from bulb to leaf, but if you're in a place where all you can find is the bulb, that'll do just fine. Cover the veggies with water and turn heat to almost high. Throw in one or two cubes of veggie bouillon and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and let simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Turn off the heat, add a splash of maple syrup, some sea salt to taste, fresh ground pepper to taste, and if you have access to a Japanese market, this wonderful condiment called "nanami togarashi" is the secret ingredient for this soup. It's a blend of chilis, black sesame, seaweed and citrus, and I find it gives this creamy, sweet and licoricy soup a wonderful hint of exotic spice. Blend the soup with a Braun hand blender or in a food processor until smooth, and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Just looking at this soup will make you feel good.

Oven Potatoes with Fennel

• 20 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in 1/2" cubes
• 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut in 1" slices
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced finely
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine potatoes, fennel, onion, parsley, oil, salt and pepper; toss gently until well coated. Arrange mixture in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning occasionally, until potatoes are crisp on all sides, 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately. source: Marquita Farm

FENNEL, GRAPE & GORGONZOLA SALAD

• 1 lg. bulb fennel bulb
• 2 tbsp.extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, halved
• 1/2 cup black grapes, seeded
• 2 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup thinly sliced radish
• 1 cup sliced romaine
  Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard any tough outer layers. Halve bulb lengthwise, discard core, and slice fennel thin. In a bowl toss together fennel, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and let stand 10 minutes. Add grapes, Gorgonzola, radicchio, and romaine and toss to combine.

Fennel Salad

• 1 Bulb fennel
• 1 bunch radish
• 1 Cucumber
• A few carrots
• Rice vinegar
• Dill 1-2 tsp if fresh

Thinly slice fennel, carrots and radish. Seed and chop cucumber. Mix everything into a bowl and toss with some rice vinegar and some dill to taste. This salad gets better as the days go by and it marinates in the vinegar, but it is really tasty the day of as well. from Adrienne Cox

Fennel, Carrot, Onion Stew

• fennel bulbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cups pearl onions, cut bite size
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
• 4 large carrots, cut into thick matchsticks
• 1-1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water, divided
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fennel fronds, or fresh parsley
  Cut off fennel stalks and remove strings from the bulbs with a vegetable peeler. Cut each bulb into 8 wedges, but do not remove the core. Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan, add fennel and blanch for 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, blot with paper towels and set aside.Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the fennel and saute until nicely browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a dish and reserve. Repeat with the remaining butter, oil and fennel. Add onions to the pan, sprinkle with sugar and sauté, shaking the pan back and forth, until nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes.Return the fennel to the pan; add carrots and 1 cup broth. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding more broth as needed to keep the stew moist. Garnish with fennel fronds or parsley.Makes 6 servings.

100% Whole Grain Summer Squash Bread (soy free, dairy free, wheat free)

• 1 ½ c. organic brown rice flour
• 1 ½ c. organic oat flour
• 1 t. salt1 ½ t. baking soda
• 1 ½ t. baking powder
• 3 t. cinnamon
• 3 eggs (organic preferred)
• ½ c. coconut oil, melted
• ½ c. organic unsweetened applesauce
• 2 c. unrefined, whole sugar
• 3 t. organic pure vanilla extract
• 3. c. grated zucchini (or most any summer squash)
• 1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour your pans. Place grated zucchini in a strainer and sprinkle with salt. Set in sink to drain. Sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, coconut oil, applesauce, vanilla, and sugar until well blended. Slowly add the dry ingredients, stirring well to mix.m Squeeze zucchini to remove moisture and add zucchini and nuts to the other ingredients in the bowl. Stir to incorporate. Pour batter into prepared pans, filling pans approximately ¾ of the way to the top. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few clingy crumbs; 30-35 min. for muffins; 35-40 min. for mini loaves; approximately 1 hour for large loaves. Allow to cool in pan before removing. The variations here are endless. You can mix and match any of the following to create your own flavors (e.g. double chocolate, chocolate cherry with pistachios, cranberry orange walnut, lemon poppy seed, etc. Published by crunchymama on September 18th, 2007

Great Antipasto Salad

shared by Whole Earth CSA member Sharon A... Thanks Sharon!
I tried this with the fennel from our last pickup. The only change I made was instead of "1 2/5 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs" I chopped up a handful of fresh Oregano, Thyme, and Basil from my garden. One of the great things about this salad is that it will keep in the refrigerator for a week and it actually gets better with time, so you can have salad on hand that is ready to serve. It's also a powerhouse of vitamin A,; one serving provides 305% of your daily value for this important nutrient. Enjoy!

• 2 cups carrots, turned
• 1½ cups thick sliced celery
• 1 cup fresh sliced fennel bulb
• 2 TBS rinsed and quartered Kalamata olives
• 2 TBS capers, rinsed
• Dressing1 1/2 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1½ TBS fresh lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

Press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out its health-promoting benefits. Bring water to boil in steamer and add carrots and steam for 4 minutes. Add celery and fennel and steam for just 1 more minute. Remove from heat and place in a bowl with capers and olives. Whisk all dressing ingredients together, drizzling olive oil at end a little at a time. Toss with vegetables and marinate for at least 15 minutes before serving. Healthy Cooking Tips: The cooking time for this recipe can vary depending on the exact size you cut your vegetables. You want your vegetables to be tender on the outside and still crisp on the inside. When they get to this point remove from the heat. Source: www.whfoods.com

Sauteed Komatsuna or Vita Green with Miso Sauce

• 2 tablespoons low salt soy sauce or Nama Shoyu
• 1 tablespoon white miso (preferably)
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 pounds fresh spinach, washed, trimmed, and cut in 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• chopped greens

Combine soy sauce, miso, and vinegar until smooth. Set aside. Heat wok over high heat. Add almonds and stir-fry quickly until fragrant and toasted, about 45 seconds. Remove. Add sesame oil to wok and heat. Add greens and ginger and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. Drizzle with miso dressing and sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.
source: GourMAsia

Simple Onion Soup

• onions
• 3 oz butter
• Flour
• Salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste
• 2 eggs, beaten

Mince onions very finely. Put in a stewpan over a slow fire with 3 ounces of melted butter, dredge a little flour over them, and shake about until they are soft and lightly browned. Add a quart of boiling water, and season with salt and pepper and a grated nutmeg. Bring soup to boil.Beat 2 eggs in your serving pot; after the soup has boiled up well, stir it into the beaten eggs and serve at once.

Onion Pie

Onion topping:

• 1 1/2-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2-3 large onions, cut lengthwise into 12 wedges
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 oz coarsely grated Gruyère (3/4 cup)

Crust:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 oz coarsely grated Gruyère (1/2 cup)
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make onion topping: Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in thyme, salt, and pepper, then cool. Toss cheese with onion and spread in bottom of a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish glass pie plate.
Make crust: Blend flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a food processor. Add cheese and pulse 3 or 4 times to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Whisk together buttermilk and dry mustard in a small bowl and add to processor, then pulse until liquid is incorporated and dough begins to clump (do not let it form a ball).
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over on itself several times to lightly knead. Form dough into a ball and let stand, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature 10 minutes.
Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 10-inch round. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap and flip dough over onto onion. Peel off remaining plastic and tuck dough inside rim of pie plate.
Bake pie in middle of oven until crust is golden brown and firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool pie on a rack 2 minutes, then invert a platter over pie and flip pie onto platter. Serve warm.
Source: Gourmet, 2001

Cold Dill Soup

This dish simply requires chopping and refrigerating.

• 1 pint half-and-half
• 2 8oz. cartons plain yogurt
• 1 -2 cups cucumbers, peeled, seeded, diced
• 3 Tb minced fresh dill
• 2 Tb lemon juice
• 1 Tb chopped green onions
• ½ salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• Sliced cucumber, as garnish
• Sprigs of dill, as garnish

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring well; chill thoroughly. Garnish with cucumber and dill.
Makes 4 cups.
Source: www.recipes.epicurean.com

Leek and Fennel Relish

• 1 Tb olive oil
• leeks, white part only, washed and thinly sliced (save green stem for soup stock)
• 1 fennel bulb, without leafy fronds, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 Tb fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the leeks, fennel, and parsley. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté, stirring often, until the leeks are soft, about 7 minutes. (The fennel should still be crunchy.)
Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer it to a medium glass or earthenware bowl. Let it cool completely. Stir in the lemon juice, mustard, and yogurt. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours.
Source: The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook

Baking Daikon Radish

Preheat oven to 350. Cut Daikon Radishes into at least four long strips and steam for five minutes. Drain and place in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. In a small saucepan, combine 1 Tb of butter, 1 Tb of honey, and one dash of cinnamon to make a glaze. Pour over the radishes and bake them uncovered for 30 minutes or until tender.

Daikon Radish Remoulade

• daikon radish, peeled
• 3 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. wine vinegar or apple cidar vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Cut the daikon into 2-inch-long fine julienne strips or grate it coarse. Rinse a large bowl with hot water, dry it, and in it whisk the mustard with 3 tablespoons hot water. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking until the dressing is emulsified, and whisk in the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Add the daikon strips and the parsley and toss the mixture well. Serves 6.

Sautéed Komatsuna with Basil

Komatsuna is a typical Japanese leafy vegetable. It is often called Japanese Mustard Spinach in the US supermarkets. Young leaves, stalks and flower shoots are used in salad and stir-fry.

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup (2 ounces) pine nuts
• 10 ounces komatsuna leaves
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 cup or more basil leaves

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium and add the spinach, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until spinach wilts, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the basil and toss until it wilts, about 1 minute. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Basil & Watermelon Vinaigrette

• 4 cups fresh watermelon, chopped and drained
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced small
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup champagne vinegar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine watermelon, red onion, champagne vinegar, canola oil, basil, and parsley in a blender. Pulse on and off about 30 seconds until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over mixed salad greens and garnish with watermelon slices.

Creamy Polenta with Basil & Wild Mushrooms

• 12 ounces (340 g) yellow onions, chopped coarse
• 4 ounces (120 g) white mushrooms, chopped coarse
• 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped garlic
• 2 ounces (60 g) dried porcini or cepe mushrooms, rinsed, soaked in water and chopped coarse
• 5 ounces (150 ml) olive oil
• 4 teaspoons (20 ml) finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 quarts (2 lt) chicken or vegetable stock
• 12 ounces (360 g) coarse polenta
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pint (450 ml) heavy cream
• 4 ounces (120 g) aged Asiago or Fontina, grated fine
• 8 to 10 fresh wild mushrooms
• Fresh basil sprigs as needed for garnish

Saute the onions, white mushrooms, garlic, and porcini or cepes in 4 fluid ounces (120 milliliters) of olive oil until lightly colored. Add the basil, oregano, and stock; bring to a boil.
Slowly stir in the polenta. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. The polenta should be thick and creamy. Add more stock if necessary. Adjust the seasonings and keep warm.
Just before serving, add the cream and Asiago or Fontina cheese and stir vigorously.
Saute the fresh wild mushrooms in the remaining olive oil until tender. Spoon the polenta onto warm plates and garnish with the wild mushrooms and a sprig of fresh basil.

Basic Pesto

This classic Italian sauce is so easy and versatile, you'll want to keep some always on hand in the refrigerator. Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, basil, and Parmesan cheese. It's most popular use is tossed with pasta. Walnuts may be substituted for pine nuts in a pinch.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coarse-chopped walnuts or pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups basil leaves (about 4 ounces)
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

You will need a food processor or strong blender. With the motor running, drop the pine nuts and garlic through the feed chute. Process until finely minced. Add the olive oil and pulse three times. Add basil, Parmesan cheese, and salt to the processor bowl. Process until finely minced, scraping down sides. Refrigerate leftovers and use within 1 week.

ALL ABOUT BASIL!

Fresh basil leaves should be layered in damp paper towels inside a plastic bag and refrigerated up to 4 days. For basil with stalks attached, place in a glass of water and cover with a plastic bag secured to the glass. Store in the refrigerator, changing water daily, and use within a week. Do not wash the leaves until you are ready to use them. Fresh basil is a perfect candidate for freezing, either whole or chopped. Blanch whole leaves for two seconds, plunge into ice water, pat dry and place in airtight bags in the freezer. The flavor will be stronger if you do not thaw before using. Another option is to put whole or chopped fresh leaves in an ice cube tray and cover with water or broth before freezing. Once frozen, pop the cubes out into an airtight bag. Use the cubes in soups, stews or sauces. Basil and oil paste may also be frozen. Frozen basil should be used within 4 months. Fresh basil may also be dry-preserved. Gently wash the leaves, blot with paper towels, and let them dry completely. Layer coarse salt and basil leaves, ending with a layer of salt, in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark place up to 6 months.

Basil is the ultimate complement to tomatoes, and also pairs beautifully with onions, garlic, and olives.

• Basil stimulates the appetite and helps curb flatulence, perhaps another reason why it works so well with garlic. Basil tea is said to help with dysentery, nausea, and stomach distress due to gas.

• The leaves are the prime part of the plant. Small stems are okay, but thicker stems and stalks should be discarded because they tend to be bitter. The stems and large veins also contain compounds that will cause pesto to turn brown and dark.

• Although pinching back the flowers will encourage more leaf growth, the creamy-white flowers are edible.

• Most other herbs tend to overpower basil's flavor and aroma, but oregano is one that is most often used in conjunction with basil. Other good combinations include summer savory, rosemary, and sage.

• For the most intense flavor, basil should be added at the end of the cooking process. Prolonged heat will cause basil's volatile oils to dissipate.

• Ground with garlic and olive oil into a paste, basil is a prime ingredient in pistou, a Mediterranian specialty.

• In Italy, pine nuts and sometimes grated hard cheese are added to the paste to become pesto. Both pistou and pesto come from verb roots meaning to to pulverize, as with a pestle. Younger leaves are preferable for pesto. Pesto may easily be frozen, but if you plan on freezing it, leave out the cheese.

• Pesto is most often served with pasta. Enzymatic reactions between basil and flour may cause an unappetizing brown color to the pasta. When serving pesto with pasta, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the pasta cooking water to help keep the pasta from turning dark.

• Basil is a perfect candidate as a flavor for infused oil, but does not work as well with vinegar for long-term. Basil is one of the flavoring ingredients for the liqueur, Chartreuse.

• You will never get full flavor when using dried basil, so keep this in mind when substituting dried for fresh. However, if you find yourself in dire need and without fresh basil, use 1/3 the amount of dried basil substituted for fresh. One tablespoon of fresh chopped basil equals 1 teaspoon dried.

• When substituting fresh basil for dried, triple the amount.

• One-half ounce of fresh basil leaves equals 1 cup chopped fresh basil.

JAZAR WA KUSA (Zucchini and Carrots, a recipe from Egypt)

adapted from Mediterranean Vegetables by Clifford Wright

• 2 large fat carrots, sliced diagonally about 1/4 inch thick
• 2 zucchini or other summer squash, ends trimmed, sliced diagonally about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds
• S & P to taste
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

In a large bowl, toss the carrots and zucchini together with the cumin and sseaon with S & P. Heat the oil in a large skillet over med-low heat and cook the carrots and zucchini until crisply and tender, 25 to 30 minutes, tossing frequently. Serve hot.

DILL SALAD DRESSING

• 3/4 c pine nuts (soaked)
• 1/3 c water
• 1/3 c lemon juice
• 1/3 c olive oil
• 1 clove garlic

Blend all ingredients well, then add 2 tablespoons dill and blend just a little. Add up to 1.5 t of celtic sea salt.

GRATED CARROT & MEDJOOL DATE SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA DRESSING

• 3 or 4 carrots, about ½ pound in all
• 4 dried Medjool dates, pitted
• 3 tbs firmly packed crumbled Gorgonzola, Maytag or other blue cheese, or feta
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tbs Champagne vinegar, wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper (optional)
• dandelion greens, arugula, and young lettuce leaves for garnish

Wash thoroughly, then grate carrots on the large holes of a hand-held grater to make 1 cup. Set aside. Chop the dates into pieces about the size of corn kernels and set them aside as well. In a bowl, combine the cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and pepper, mashing and whisking the cheese to make a thick dressing. Add the carrots and the dates to the dressing and turn them until they are well coated. Transfer to a serving bowl or to individual salad plates and garnish with dandelion, arugula, or lettuce. Serve at once.

LEMON GLAZED CARROTS

• 3 Tbsp butter or ghee
• 3 Tbsp honey or agave nectar
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• grated lemon peel, optional

Place carrots in saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, or until crisp. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter. Add honey or agave nectar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Drain carrots; add butter mixture and toss gently. Garnish with lemon zest if desired.

CHEDDAR DILL MUFFINS

By Bernadette Colvin Unlike many other baked goods, these muffins are surprisingly savory. I serve them with stew, soup and other entrees. In the summer, 1 cup add zucchini or summer squash for extra flavor and nutrition!

• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3 tablespoons honey, agave or unrefined sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup fresh dill weed, chopped
• 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine milk, eggs and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.Bake at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to a wire rack.

Cucumber, Radish, and Tomato Salad with Citrus Dressing

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh coriander, or to taste, plus coriander sprigs for garnish
• 2 tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), seeded and chopped fine
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and chopped fine (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 pound radishes, trimmed and chopped fine
• 6 scallions, sliced thin

In a large bowl whisk together the juices and garlic paste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified. Whisk in the chopped coriander and salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes, the cucumbers, the radishes, and the scallions, toss the salad to combine it well, and garnish it with the coriander sprigs.

ALL ABOUT GREENS!

COLLARD GREENS
Collards are the oldest known greens in the cabbage family dating back to ancient times because of their similarity to cabbage eaten by prehistoric people. In addition, ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated collard greens. Collards are native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Asia Minor. In approximately 400 B.C. they were brought to Britain and France by either the Romans or Celts. The first documentation of collard greens in America was in 1669 though it is possible they were present in the colonies at an even earlier date. Collard greens grow best in warm weather though they can withstand the cold temperatures of late autumn. Interestingly enough, the flavor of collard greens is enhanced by a light frost.

MUSTARD GREENS
Mustard greens are the most pungent of the cooking greens and lend a peppery flavor to food. They originated in the Himalayan region of India more than 5,000 years ago. Like many other cooking greens, mustard can be found in many Chinese, African-American, and southern dishes. Brassica juncea, the mustard plant, is characterized by it’s crumpled or flat leaves that may have scalloped, frilled or lacey edges. In addition, this plant produces the brown seeds that are used to make Dijon mustard. Mustard greens are an excellent source of both vitamins A and C and contain several other vitamins and minerals as well as fiber and protein.

KALE
Like other greens, kale descends from wild cabbage that originated in Asia Minor though it is known for it’s popularity in Scandinavia, Germany, Holland and Scotland. Kale was brought to the United States in the 17th century by English settlers. It is now a favorite in the southern United States where, like many cooking greens, it has been considered a poor man’s food. Some with long ruffled leaves that resemble large parsley sprigs and hues that vary from lavender to chartreuse, kale has a mild cabbage-like taste and delicate texture. Like most cooking greens, kale can grow in colder temperatures and withstand frost — which actually helps produce even sweeter leaves. Kale can also grow well in the hot weather in the southern United States and in poor soil. Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A, folic acid, and vitamin C and contains both protein and fiber.

SWISS CHARD
The vegetable’s scientific name is Beta vulgaris subspecies cicla with the word cicla referring to Sicily where swiss chard first grew. Its popular name stems from the fact that a Swiss botanist determined the plant’s scientific name. Today, swiss chard is most popular in the Mediterranean. Swiss chard can also be found in northern Europe and South America. Swiss chard is extremely versatile, has a mild sweet yet slightly bitter flavor (similar to beets), and has large green leaves with ribs running throughout. The leaves can be smooth or curly and are attached to fleshy, crunchy white, red or yellow celery-like stalks. Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and also contains potassium and fiber.

BROCCOLI RABE
Broccoli rabe was originally cultivated in the southern Mediterranean. It was brought to the United States in the 1920’s by Italian farmers. Broccoli rabe has been most popular in the Italian and Asian communities for the past several years. Broccoli rabe looks similar to thin broccoli stalks with small clusters of buds and smooth leaves with sawtooth edges. Broccoli rabe has a somewhat bitter taste and should be cooked to help mellow that taste. It is an excellant source of vitamin C and also contains beta-carotene, fiber, and phytochemicals.

AVAILABILITY, SELECTION, AND STORAGE
Collard Greens
Though available year-round, collard greens are at their peak from January through April. The best collards are found in crisp bunches with leaves still intact. Collards can also be found canned. Fresh collards should be stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator or in a plastic bag with holes in it.

Mustard Greens
Mustard greens can be found year-round though they are at their peak from December through April. Mustard greens come in many different varieties and can be found dark, light, short, fat, smooth, curly etc. In the United States, the leaves on mustard greens are typically soft, green and oval-shaped, frilled at the edges (similar to romaine lettuce) and attached to long stems. When selecting these greens, be sure to avoid those that have yellow or brown leaves, dry leaves, or coarse, fibrous stems. If you plan to use the mustard greens for salad it is wise to pick very small leaves whereas any size leaves will do if you are cooking them. Mustard greens should be wrapped tightly in plastic and kept in the refrigerator. However, they only last a few days quickly becoming faded, dry and yellow.

Kale
Kale is available year-round though it is most flavorful and abundant during the winter months. It is best to select small, deep-colored kale bunches with clean leaves. Avoid kale with dry leaves as well as that with dry, browned, yellowed or coarse stems. In the marketplace kale should be kept refrigerated or on ice (or in an outdoor market in the winter). Best when kept at 32°, kale should be stored wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator crisper. Kale can only be kept for a few days.

Swiss Chard
Swiss chard is available from spring through the fall with a peak from June through October. Choose swiss chard that has crisp stalks and firm, bright leaves. Like other greens, chard should be wrapped in plastic and can be kept in the refrigerator for approximately 2 days. If blanched, swiss chard greens can be frozen. Boil greens for 2 minutes, drain, chill in ice water and drain again and pack in an airtight container.

Broccoli Rabe
Broccoli rabe is available year-round (with the exception possibly being June and July) though its peek season is between late fall and early spring. It is grown in Quebec, California, Arizona, and other states. Broccoli rabe can be found in a refrigerator case sprinkled with ice because it wilts very easily. When selecting this vegetable, choose firm, green, small stems with compact heads and flower buds. Broccoli rabe should be stored in a refrigerator crisper unwashed, either wrapped in a wet towel or in a plastic bag for a maximum of three days. To keep it longer, blanch and freeze it

PREPARATION
Prior to cleaning greens, any wilted or yellow leaves should be removed. Next, dunk greens into a bowl of tepid water a few times to clean. Drain and use a salad spinner to dry greens for use in salads. For use in cooking, it is not necessary to completely dry leaves.

Traditionally, greens are boiled or simmered very slowly with a piece of ham hock for an extended period of time until they are quite soft. This softens the texture and decreases some of their bitter flavor. Greens can also be steamed, microwaved, added to soups, salads, stews, and other dishes

To decrease the bitterness of greens, blanch them in boiling water for approximately one minute prior to cooking (though this does diminish some if their nutritional value), the color, flavor and texture will be preserved. Greens can than be sautéed (do not use aluminum or iron pans), or added to various dishes during cooking.

Broccoli rabe is very bitter when raw so it is recommended to cook this vegetable.

INCLUDE COOKING GREENS IN YOUR 5 TO 9 A DAY PLAN!
• Chop cooking greens and add to salads.
• Stir-fry greens and add your favorite meat and Seasonings.
• Sliver greens and add them to broths, stews and soups — they are great for livening up the flavor of more mild vegetables.
• Chop cooked greens for use in stuffing, custards, and eye dishes.
• Combine chopped greens, pine nuts, and feta cheese with whole grain pasta drizzled with olive oil.
• Serve greens as a side dish. They can be served chilled with olive oil and lemon juice or sautéed with onions and garlic or other seasonings.
• Don’t forget to include greens with your New Year’s meal for good luck!

Radishes! Radishes! Radishes!

• For extra crunch and bite, add sliced radishes to stir-fry's.
• Stir chopped or sliced radishes into tuna, egg, potato or chicken salad.
• Thinly sliced radishes make a tasty, fresh garnish sprinkled over New England clam chowder or other milk-based soups.
• For an unusual vegetable side dish, sauté quartered radishes in butter until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes; sprinkle with cracked black pepper.
• Bagels spread with cream cheese and sliced radishes make a quick appetizer or snack.
• A combination of mayonnaise and chopped radishes makes a tangy instant spread for sandwiches.
• Thinly slivered radishes stirred into rice pilaf add an unexpected nip and crunch.
• Toss radish greens (full of vitamins A, C, and B!) into mixed vegetable soups or stir–fry's. They cook quickly. If they are young and tender toss into a green salad.Stir chopped radishes into plain yogurt or sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes or chili.
• Roast radish halves brushed with oil at 450 deg. F for 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle chopped or sliced radishes into tuna for more zip and texture.

Smashed Radishes in Soy Dressing

• 2 bunches small radishes
  
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1tablespoon unrefined sugar, or agave nectar. or honey
  
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger juice
• cilantro for garnish

Use the bottom of a heavy drinking glass, or any blunt object you may have in your kitchen, to slightly crush but not completely mash the radishes. (The point of the smashing is not only stress relief; it is so that dressing can get into flesh.) Sprinkle radishes all over with salt, put them in a bowl, and set aside for about 15 minutes at room temperature. Combine vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, peanut oil, sesame oil and fresh ginger juice. Drain the liquid from the radishes and pour dressing over them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Adapted from Henry's Farm, cookbook of the Henry's Farm CSA

Sautéed Radish and Radish Greens

• 4 Tablespoons Butter or Olive Oil
• 1 bunch freshest radishes including greens, separated
• Salt and Pepper

Heat oil or butter in a saute pan, add radishes and cook over medium heat about 4 minutes. Transfer cooked radishes to a bowl. Add greens to the skillet and saute 3 minutes, until wilted. Return the radishes and toss together with the radish greens, heat briefly. Serve hot. You can add garlic or onion to the first step if you like. Season to taste with S & P.
Adapted from: The Cook's Garden catalog - Spring/Summer 1990.

Radish Top Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium potatoes, sliced
• 4 cups raw radish greens
• 4 cups vegetable stock/broth
  
• 1/3 cup heavy cream, or half & half, or creme fraiche, or milk
  
• 5 radishes, sliced

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and saute until tender. Mix in the potatoes and radish greens, coating them with the butter. Pour in chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Allow the soup mixture to cool slightly, and transfer to a blender. Blend until smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Mix in the heavy cream. Cook and stir until well blended. Serve with radish slices.

Summer Squash & Sunflower Seed Roll Ups with Basil

• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2.5 cups of germinated sunflower seeds (soaked 8 to 12 hours, then sprouted 1 day)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. dulse flakes
• 1 sm. zucchini, or yellow summer squash, diced
• 1/4 cup of scallion, diced
• Romaine lettuce leaves, or other broad leaf from the garden
• basil leaves, fresh

Liquefy the tomato in a blender. Add to the blender the sunflower sprouts, lemon juice and dulse flakes, and blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour the blended mixture into a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients. Spoon the mixture onto the lettuce leaves, roll them up, and serve with fresh basil. Optional: pierce the rolls with a toothpicks to hold together.
- from Katherine Dichter

Raw or Fried Summer Squash or Zucchini

Raw Summer Squash
If you're only cooking summer squash, then give it a try raw. Make up your favorite vegetable dip and use young summer squash as dippers. Or toss squash in a mixed salad. Again, it's better to use young squash. For a more exotic taste, combine fresh tomato chunks with summer squash, drizzle with olive oil and favorite seasonings like garlic, cilantro, lemon-pepper, or an all-purpose seasoning salt like 4-S. Really simple. Really good.

Fried Summer Squash
Another favorite in the south is, of course, frying summer squash.
Put about a cup of flour, salt and pepper to taste (a tsp each is good for starters) in a brown paper sandwich bag. Slice squash pretty thin and put in the bag and shake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or so. Heat oil in a frying pan to around 350 degrees F. You don't need a lot of oil - around 1/4 inch. Lay squash in a single layer in the oil. Brown. Flip. Put on paper towels to drain.These are a bit like potato chips but made with squash.

Cheesy Yellow Squash Bake

• 6 cups sliced yellow crookneck squash (or other, or zucchini)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 4 chopped green onions (scallions)
• salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 egg -- beaten
  In large skillet, saute squash and onions in butter for about 15 minutes or until tender; remove from heat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper if desired. Combine egg, sour cream and half the bacon. Add squash mixture, mixing well. Spoon half squash mixture into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over top; spoon remaining squash mixture on top of cheese. Top with remaining cheese and rest of bacon. Bake at 350degrees F for 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Mom's Summer Squash

• 2 lbs squash and/or zucchini, sliced
• 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, seeds removed, sliced
• 2 smallish tomatoes or one large tomato, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1/2 onion, peeled and sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• Olive oil
• 5 or 6 slices of cheese - jack or cheddar
• fresh Basil, chopped
• Salt and pepper
  Put onion, garlic, squash, bell pepper into a large saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Put on high heat and brown the vegetables slightly to develop flavor. As you are browning, sprinkle either dried basil or chopped fresh basil on the vegetables. When vegetables are slightly browned, remove from heat, add the slices of cheese, and cover the pan. In a separate stick-free fry pan, put the tomatoes and cook at medium hi heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to let the juice from the tomatoes evaporate some. After 5 minutes, add the tomatoes to the rest of the vegetables and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Summer Squash Skillet

• 4 medium summer squash or zucchinni
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
• Dash dried marjoram
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 6 to 12 cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, cut in quarters
  Cut zucchini or summer squash into quarters, lengthwise, then cut in thin slices. Heat olive oil over medium heat; add zucchini, summer squash, and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender.
  Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients. When squash is tender add the tomato and herb mixture to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for just a couple of minutes, until hot and well combined.Serves 4 to 6.

Lentil Soup with Cutting Celery

• 1 pound bag of green lentils
• 1 onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• a bit of olive oil
• cumin
• paprika
• salt and pepper
• turmeric
• 3-4 carrots, cut into coins and coin halves
• a small handful of cutting celery, leaves and stem, chopped
• 1 28oz can of diced tomatoes or equivalent amount (2-3 handfuls) of fresh tomatoes
• 4 C water or enough to fully cook lentils

Dice onion and garlic, saute in olive oil in a soup pot. Add spices in ratio of 2 cumin:1 paprika, salt and pepper to taste (lots of pepper...add a little salt now, but save some for the end), and the equivalent of 1/2 turmeric if you feel like it. Maybe start with 2 tsp cumin, etc. Stir well, then add the diced carrots and celery, continue cooking on low (you can cover it if you're worried about the garlic scorching). When the carrots are starting to get tender, pour in lentils. Stir lentils around for a bit, 30 seconds? i learned this from my old roommie Visnja. She says it brings out the nutty flavor in the lentils. Then add enough water to cook the lentils in, you may add more as the lentils puff up. Now bring to a boil, then back to a simmer until lentils are cooked. Add tomatoes, let heat through. Now check your spice levels and adjust. This stew is even better the second day.

Julia's Celery Soup from Mariquita Farms

Take a bunch of smallage (soup celery or cutting celery) and wash it. Roughly chop and set aside. Chop 4 stalks of green garlic (including some of the light green part) and sautee briefly in butter or olive oil. Add one cubed raw potato if you like. Add the entire bunch of roughly chopped smallage (cutting celery). Add 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth. Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Puree with immersible blender or food processor. Thin with milk if you like. Season to taste with S & P.

Summer Corn Salad - from CSA member Leah

Last night I made a cool summer salad utilizing items from the CSA and my garden. The recipe was my variation on a FoodNetwork recipe, and it's colorful, fresh tasting and delicious. Their recipe called for yellow corn and red tomatoes, but this version is gorgeous! *=from the CSA; **=from my garden

• 2 cups cooked Heirloom Rose Potpourri Corn* (I didn't quite have 2 cups)
• 1 pint yellow pear tomatoes, halved**
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped*
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1-2 small purple onion & greens, chopped*

Newman's Own Light Lime Vinaigrette Dressing Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Boil the corn on the cob as usual. Rinse, cool by submersing in ice water bath. Cut kernels from cob and place in a chilled glass or ceramic bowl. Add halved tomatoes, chopped cilantro, cubed avocado and chopped onion & greens. Pour dressing over, to taste (start with 2 tablespoons), salt & paper to taste. Toss to incorporate. Chill until ready to serve. Enjoy as a summer salad!

from WE CSA member Leah... Thanks Leah!
So, I made a new recipe last night with the patty pans and it was delicious. It's vegetarian and except for the little bit of extra virgin olive oil I used to sauté, it's fat free. http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/07/patty-pan-squash-stuffed-with-cajun.html I followed it to the letter the first time, but would probably try some other veggies and perhaps a little bulgur wheat (cook first). Maybe even a spicy sausage another time for non-vegetarian.Also, here's the recipe I told you about for the flat leaf parsley & pistachio pesto slaw with raw fennel: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/fennel-slaw-with-prosciutto-and-pistachio-pesto-recipe/index.html If you don't use prosciutto, you need to salt it. Here's another recipe for fennel I didn't try, but it sounds wonderful -- although I'd use chicken or fish, not pork (will definitely try next time I get fennel): http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pork-chops-with-fennel-and-caper-sauce-recipe/index.html

GOLDEN POTATO & COLLARD GREEN SOUP

A smooth way to enjoy the goodness of collards. Broccoli rabe also works well in this recipe. Serve this creamy non-dairy soup with grilled tofu sandwiches. This is a simple feast for a hungry family.

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups chopped onions (about 2 large or 3 medium onions)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups diced potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery (about 2 ribs)
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 31/2-4 cups water
• 2 Tablespoons cashew or almond butter
• 2 Tablespoons tamari or shoyu soy sauce
• 1 bunch collard greens
• 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in a 3-quart pot. Add the onions and salt. Cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions cook down to a nice mush (about 15-20 minutes). Add potatoes, celery, carrot, and water to the onion mush; cover and simmer until potatoes are soft (about 15-20 minutes). Put soup mixture into a blender with the cashew butter and tamari. Blend until smooth. Run the soup through a strainer to remove celery strings. Return soup to pot. Remove thick stems from the collard leaves by pulling leaf off with one hand while holding onto the stem with the other. Fill your sink with cold water and submerge the collard leaves. If the water has sediment, drain the sink and repeat. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Submerge leaves. Remove a piece and test every minute or so. You are looking for a slightly wilted leaf that still has a bright green color and (most important) a succulent, sweet flavor. Pour cooked greens into a colander in the sink. When you can handle them, squeeze out excess water with your hands. Clip into bite-sized pieces or thin strips and stir into soup. Add vinegar. Taste soup, and adjust salt and pepper. Gently heat before serving.

Nutty Turnip Greens

• Lots of greens; chopped coarsely
• Peanut or Almond butter; smooth or chunky (enough to make a nice sauce when melted)
• Lots of garlic; minced
• Your choice of not spice (enough to make you call for your mama)

Rinse greens. Simmer in pot. When there's enough liquid to melt the peanut butter stir it in until it's all blended. Add garlic and your choice of heat. Simmmer for an hour or two until the greens are cooked to rags, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if needed to keep them from drying out and/or sticking. Serve with boiled potatoes or some other starch.

MARINATED TURNIPS

• 3 Turnips, slice thin
• ⅓ cup Celery tops or Cutting Celery, chopped fine
• ⅓ cup Oil
• 3 tablespoon Cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Pepper

In a bowl combine all ingredients; toss and then chill until serving time.

GARDEN QUICHE WITH POTATO CRUST

More Main Meal Recipes Solutions By Cait Johnson, Author of Witch In the Kitchen (Inner Traditions, 2001).This satisfying peasant pie is perfect for those of us who want to avoid wheat, since it features a tender potato crust rather than conventional pastry. Lower in fat than most quiches but still flavorful, with plenty of heart-healthy olive oil and garlic, this quiche is a quick throw-together for a late-summer meal that makes us grateful to the Earth Mother for the bounty and nourishment she provides.

• 5 small potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 small summer squash or zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, seeded and sliced in thin strips
• 1 bunch fresh greens, such as spinach, arugula, kale, chard, or turnip greens, well washed, leaves torn into 1-inch pieces, and stems chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 4-ounce log soft goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3 eggs
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Boil potato slices in salted water for about 8 minutes, until just tender. Drain and set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and add the squash and peppers, cooking about 5 minutes until softened. Add greens and stems and continue cooking about 4 minutes until wilted. Add garlic and cook another minute until softened and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper and set vegetables aside. Oil a 10-inch pie plate, and place potatoes evenly in the bottom. Spread vegetables on top and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and salt and pepper to taste and pour over the veggies. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Serves 6.

MEDITTERANEAN SWISS CHARD

Swiss chard is one of the super foods rich in many nutrients, including anti-oxidants. We have created this recipe so you can eat it often with many meals. The simple dressing complements it very well. When the chard is fresh it needs nothing else to be delicious and satisfying.

• large bunch Swiss Chard, chopped
• 1 medium clove garlc, pressed
• ½ Tablespoon balsamic or apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• sea salt and black pepper to taste

Bring lightly salted water to a rapid boil in a large pot. Cut off tough bottom part of stems. Add the chopped leaves to the boiling water and simmer for only 3-5 minutes, until tender. Strain through colander and press out excess water. Toss with rest of ingredients. Make sure you don't toss chard with dressing until you are ready to serve. Otherwise the flavor will become diluted. Serves 2

TURNIP & CARROT RAGOUT WITH NOODLES

• 1-½ cups carrot
• 1-½ cups turnip
• 3 cups raw potatoes (measured after being cut into slender pieces)
• 6 small onions
• 1 large tomato
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• A sprinkle of savory herb
• 3-½ cups vegetable broth or water
• Sea salt to taste
• whole grain noodles

Braise carrot, turnip, and onion in a well oiled pan in a quick oven, or in a hot skillet over the open fire.Place in a saucepan with potato, tomato, and liquid, salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Brown the flour in the vegetable fat, in a frying pan, and add a sprinkle of savory, then a little of the liquid from the vegetables, and stir smooth. Add more of the liquid, and pour it over the boiling vegetables. Let boil gently under cover until well done, and the gravy is reduced to a nice consistency. Serve with plainly seasoned whole grain noodles.

BAKED POTATO STUFFED WITH TURNIP GREENS

I love to take this in my lunch to work. I've acquired a taste for turnip greens. I actually crave them! I either eat it cold, or sometimes reheated a bit. I eat it whole, unwrapping a bit at a time, while I take walk. It can be a little messy, like a taco, but it is a really satisfying part of my lunch.

• 1 medium sized baked potato
• 1/2 cup steamed turnip greens, chopped
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1 teaspoon oilve oil
• 1 tablespoon soy based fake bacon style bits, or Fakin' Bacin' Tempeh Strips (optional)
• salt/pepper to taste

Slice open the potato lenghtwise and score the inside. Sprinkle with the olive oil, and a little salt and lots of pepper (or to taste.) In a dish, mix up the turnip greens with the onion and soy bits. Spread out a piece of paper or plastic as a wrapping and put the open potato on it. Place half of the greens mixture on each half of the potato. Put the halves together and wrap up tightly. Refrigerate. Alternative: Cook the greens with the onion and tempeh strips first.

SIMPLE MUSTARD GREENS

Sauté five cloves of garlic in olive oil until they soften; turn the heat way up and throw in the greens until it wilts; squirt on some red wine vinegar until it disappears; serve over pasta.Sylvia Thompson, in a recipe for Sicilian-style rapini published in The Kitchen Garden Cookbook (Bantam, 1995), does essentially the same thing but adds toasted pine nuts and raisins. She says the recipe, that requires 10 minutes of cooking time, also works with chard, spinach or any other tasty green.

GOLDEN BEETS & BOK CHOI

Thyme is the essential accent which brings all the ingredients together.

• 2 medium sized golden beets
• 10 brussels sprouts
• small head bok choi
• 1 shallot, peeled and sliced
• Olive oil
• almonds
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped (can substitute a 1 teaspoon of dried thyme)
• 2 Tbsp almond slivers, toasted
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

The beets take the longest to cook so start them first. Either boil them in water in a small saucepan for 45 minutes, or roast them in the oven at 350°F until tender. Roasting will give you better flavor, but takes longer and uses a lot more energy (unless you are already cooking something in the oven). When done, set aside to cool for 10 minutes, peel and chop into 1 x 1/2 inch chunks. While beets are cooking you may want to toast your almond slivers if you are starting with raw almonds. Just heat a skillet to medium high heat and put in the almonds. Stir frequently with a spatula. When the almonds begin to brown, remove from pan into a small bowl. Let cool, set aside. Remove any outer leaves that look a bit ragged from the bok choi. Chop into 1 inch pieces. Bring a small saucepan filled with water to cover the bok choi to a boil and parboil for 2-3 minutes. They should be almost all the way cooked tender. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool. In a medium sized skillet heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Add the shallot slices and cook until translucent, a few minutes. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and raise the heat to medium high. Add the bok choi and beets to the pan, along with the thyme and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute more, stirring. Remove from heat and serve. Can serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 3-4.

RAW MARINATED BROCCOLI WITH WALNUT PESTO

from The Raw Chef

• broccoli cut into 1/4 inch long strips, or rapini
• 1/2c olive oil
• 1/2c tamari
• 1T unrefined sea salt

Take any leaves off the broccoli and place them in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and leave to marinade for 2 hours or more. You can also place the bowl, covered, in a dehydrator on 115 degrees F so speed up the wilting process. This also has the advantage of your broccoli being warm when you eat it.

For the Walnut Pesto:

• 1c walnuts
• 2c basil
• 2t unrefined sea salt
• 1/4c olive oil
• 2T lemon juice

Pulse all ingredients in a food processor, leaving the mixture slightly chunky.

RAW TRINITY KALE SALAD

• 8 leaves each of curly kale, russian kale and dino kale, shredded. Or use more leaves of only one kind of kale.
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 3 tbs. onion, diced
• 2-3 tbs. olive oil
• 2 tbs. agave nectar
• 4 tbs. lemon juice
• Unrefined Sea salt to taste

Mix everything in the bowl. With your hands, massage the salad for about 5 minutes. Let the salad marinate for about 2-3 hrs. before serving. Garnish with cherry tomatoes. Serves 2-4 people. www.rawguru.com

VEGAN CEASAR SALAD

Original recipe by Blessing

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• ½ cup water
• 1 Tbs. miso (light)
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 1 large or 2 small dates
• 2 cloves garlic

Blend all ingredients well in blender.

for Parma Pine "Cheese":

• 1 cup pine nuts
• 1 ½ tsp. olive oil or flax oil
• ¾ tsp. Celtic Sea Salt
• Puree all in a food processor on pulse until cheesy looking.
• Mix dressing and pine cheese with 2 heads of romaine lettuce.
  

AUSTRIAN KALE

From "Recipes from a Kitchen Garden" by Renee Shepherd & Fran Raboff.
Wash Kale leaves, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Blanch them in lightly salted boiling water for one minute. Set aside. Saute minced garlic and chopped onion in oil until lightly browned. Add stock, quartered potatoes, chopped cutting celery or celery, and blanched kale. Simmer together until potatoes fall apart and lose their shape. Stir; season with salt and pepper, garnish with sour cream and serve.

BRAISED SWISS CHARD WITH PINE NUTS, RED ONIONS & CURRANTS

Wash the Swiss chard and tear into bite-size piece. Thinly slice red onion, toast pine nuts and reserve. Film a sauté pan with olive oil, place on a medium high flame, add onions, then the Swiss chard. Stir to wilt, add the stock or water and cover briefly to wilt. Season with salt, pepper, currants and pine nuts. Place in serving bowl and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. From Chef Wendy Little on Earthbound Farm’s website www.ebfarm.com

RAW BEET SALAD

from Pete's Greens www.petesgreens.com A wonderfully simple and sophisticated way to eat beets!

• Beets, any type, scrubbed clean and finely grated
• Vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar (vinegar, garlic, olive oil, S&P)
• fruity olive oil
• freshly ground pepper
• sea salt, and thinly sliced scallions
• Leafed lettuce

Toss the grated raw beets with the viniagrette and let stand about 15 minutes. Scoop mixture onto leaves of lightly dressed lettuce leaves.

BRAISED RED RADISHES

adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

• bunch purple or red radishes
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 stalk green garlic, (or garlic chives or garlic) cleaned as you would a leek and chopped, use all the light green part
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• S & P to taste

Trim the leaves from the radishes (save for Radish Top Soup, see recipe this page), leaving a bit of the green stems, and scrub them. Wash the leaves and set aside. Leave smaller radishes whole and halve the larger ones. Melt 2 to 3 teaspoons of the butter in a small saute pan. Add the shallot and thyme and cook for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the radishes, a little salt and pepper, and water just to cover. Simmer until the radishes are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook until they're wilted and tender, 1 minute more. Remove the radishes to a serving dish. Boil the liquid, adding a teaspoon or two more butter if you like, until only about 1/4 cup remains. pour it over the radishes and serve.

RADISH TOP SOUP

from Mariquita Farms "Don't throw out your radish greens. Believe it or not, those fuzzy leaves can be transformed into a smooth green soup, with a hint of watercress flavor."

• 6 Tb butter
• 1 cup chopped onions or leeks
• 8 cups loosely packed radish leaves
• 2 cups diced peeled potatoes
• 6 cups liquid (water, chicken stock)
• sea salt
• 1/2 cup cream (optional)
• Freshly ground pepper
  Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan, add onions or leeks, and cook until golden, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in radish tops, cover pan, and cook over low heat until wilted, 8-10 minutes.Meanwhile, cook potatoes until soft in liquid along with 1 teaspoon salt. Combine with radish tops and broth, and cook, covered, for 5 minutes to mingle flavors. Puree finely in a food processor. Add cream if desired. Season to taste with butter, salt and pepper.Submitted by Jean Pinard
  

SAVORY BRAISED FENNEL & CABBAGE

• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped
• large bulb fennel, sliced 1/4 inch half moons
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of dried savory
• 3 tablespoons of butter
• 1 teaspoon of flour
• 1 cup of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 4 fresh tomatoes, sliced into eighths
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree (you can buy it in the tube and keep it in the refrigerator for just this purpose, when you only need a tablespoon and don't want to open those little cans.)
• 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley for last minute garnish
• Sour cream
• Parmesan cheese for last minute sprinkling

Saute onions until soft and limp. Add fennel, chopped cabbage, garlic, herbs, butter and flour. Keep stirring lightly to blend and wilt the cabbage and fennel. Add stock and wine. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are nearly tender. Add tomatoes and puree. Simmer another 10 minutes until all is tender. Put in serving dish, dollop with sour cream, spinkle with parsley. Serve parmesan on the side.

Erbazzone - ITALIAN SWISS CHARD PIE

from Victoria Slind-Flor
This is an unusual sweet pie featuring chard, which is a traditional dish from Bologna, in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. It is possible to make a savory version of by leaving the sugar out of both the filling and the crust, and browning pancetta to add to the chard mixture. You can substitute pine nuts for almonds. You can also add garlic to a savory version.
Filling:

• extra large bunch chard
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1 cup blanched almonds, pulverized in food processor
• 1 lb. ricotta cheese (or you can substitute small-curd cottage cheese)
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt

Crust:

• 4 tablespoons very cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 tablespoons unrefined sugar, optional
• 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• Up to 2 tablespoons water

Combine butter, sugar and flour in food processor. Blend until all are in small particles. Add egg and blend. With the motor running, add water a few drops at a time, and run until dough forms a smooth ball in processor. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for half an hour. 2. Cover raisins with boiling water and let stand for half an hour. Drain, and chop coarsely. Wash chard well, and remove stalks. Place in large pot, with just the water that clings to the leaves and cook over medium heat for five minutes. Remove, and drain well in colander. Squeeze out as much water as possible.3. Preheat oven to 375º. Roll out dough to fill a 10-inch tart pan. Fill pan and set aside in refrigerator while you finish preparing the filling.4. Shred chard finely and combine with almonds, raisins and ricotta cheese, nutmeg, sugar and salt in large bowl. Fill prepared crust and bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on rack. Serve at room temperature.

Roasted Fennel

• 2 fennel bulbs (thick base of stalk), stalks cut off, bulbs sliced
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub just enough olive oil over the fennel to coat. Sprinkle on some balsamic vinegar, also to coat. Line baking dish with silpat or aluminum foil. Lay out piece of fennel and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the fennel is cooked through and beginning to caramelize.

Lemony Leek Soup

adapted from Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd et al

• 1 T butter
• 2 T vegetable oil
• 6 cups thinly sliced leeks
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 stalk celery or fennel, thinly sliced
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 T grated lemon zest
• 2 T lemon juice
• 2 t fresh marjoram or 1 t dried
• 1 T chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup milk
• Salt & white pepper to taste
• garnish: sour cream or yogurt
• 3 T minced chives
  In a 4-5 quart saucepan, heat butter and oil, add leeks, carrot and celery and saute until softened. Add stock, lemon rind, lemon juice, marjoram, parsley and rice and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes until vegetables are very tender. Puree in a blender (or with a stick blender) or food processor. Pour mixture back into pan; add milk, & S & P to taste. If soup is too thick add more milk or stock. Heat soup through, but do not boil. Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with chives and dollop of sour cream or yogurt. Serves 6-8
  

Beet and Pink Grapefruit Salad

Great for those leftover beets!

• Beets with tops
• Pink Grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
• Purplette Onions, sliced thin
• Arugula leaves
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil
• ¼ cup good fruit vinegar (like apple cider vinegar)
• salt and pepper to taste

Scrub beets and cut off the tops. Boil them in water to cover or bake at 450 degrees in foil or in a tightly covered dish for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on beet size. Beets are done when the skin wrinkles easily and slips off. Blanch the tops for 2 to 3 minutes in the beet water or in water to cover. Drain well and arrange on a serving plate with Arugula leaves (uncooked, or slightly sauteed if you'd prefer less spicy flavor). Peel beets and slice them very thin. Alternate beet slices with grapefruit sections and onion slices on top of the greens. Sprinkle with the walnuts and pour over them a dressing of the oils, vinegar, and seasonings. Serves four to six.

Little Doves

By Cait Johnson, author of Witch in the Kitchen (Inner Traditions, 2001)

This traditional Russian recipe got its name because the people thought these tender little bundles filled with savory rice, raisins, and hard-cooked egg and simmered in tomato sauce look like doves. My Polish friend Ania makes a variation of these for special occasions. I always thought they must be really complicated, but as I was eating my third or fourth one and saying, “I’d love to make these at home, but they look really hard to do,” she just laughed and said, “Oh, no! It’s really easy. Try it and you’ll see!” She was so right: Little Doves just look fancy, but they’re really a cinch to make (and fun, too!) and they are great crowd-pleasers. Not only are they a beautiful use for leftover rice, they include four ingredients rich in flavonoids: onions, garlic, cabbage, and dill. My son doesn’t like cabbage but he loves these Little Doves. We all do.

• cabbage leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked rice, white or brown
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 1 teaspoons dried dill weed or 3 teaspoons fresh
• sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce1 8-ounce can diced tomatoes, not drained
• 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
  Preheat oven to 350F. In a heavy-bottomed skillet, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until softened and fragrant. Remove pan from heat and add rice, raisins, hard-cooked egga, dill, and salt and pepper to taste. In a large pot of boiling salted water, submerge the cabbage and allow to boil for 5 minutes, or until the outer leaves are softened and may be removed. Peel off 12 outer leaves and blot dry. Chop enough of the remaining cabbage to measure 3/4 cup. Add to rice mixture in pan. Remove tough stem of each cabbage leaf, if necessary. Then place 1/4 cup rice mixture in the center of each leaf, tuck ends in, and roll to form a neat little package. (You will find that cabbage leaves are very forgiving and easy to work with, but you can use a toothpick to hold them together, if needed.) In a baking dish, place the cabbage rolls in a single layer. Combine tomato sauce and tomatoes and pour over the cabbage rolls, cover the pan with foil, and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until bubbly. Place Little Doves on a serving platter, and remove toothpicks. Add sour cream to the tomato sauce in the pan, stirring to combine, and pour this sauce over cabbage rolls before serving.Golden-Crusted Brussels SproutsThis is the only way to eat brussels sprouts: cut in half and cooked until deliciously tender inside and perfectly brown and crusted on the outside. Use brussels sprouts that are on the small size and tightly closed. You can finish these with many different types of cheese but I tend to go for Parmesan when the weather is good. I trade that in for heavier cheeses like gruyere or Gouda in colder weather. I finished them off with some toasted hazelnuts the other night - delicious!
  24 small brussels sprouts
  1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
  fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice
  Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and gently rub each half with olive oil, keeping it intact (or if you are lazy just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Don’t overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they’re tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes. Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.

Vinegary Beet Greens

• 4 cups beet tops, washed, cut in long pieces
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Seasonings to taste, your choice
  
  Simmer the beet tops in salted water for about 20 minutes. Drain off water, Put butter, tomatoes and seasonings in a frying pan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the beet tops and vinegar. Let cook slowly for 4 minutes.

Swiss Chard Pesto

• 1 knob butter
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Bunch of Swiss chard, any variety
• Handful pine nuts
• fresh parmesan or pecorino cheese, grated
• Handful of fresh coriander leaves

Wash the chard thoroughly and shake to dry. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the olive oil. Peel and chop the garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Chop the chard stems and add them to the pan. Stir and then cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Roughly chop the chard leaves and add them to the pan. Cook for another 3 minutes. Toast the pine nuts for a couple of minutes (either under a pre-heated grill or in a dry pan)Turn off the heat under the chard. Add the coriander leaves, pine nuts and parmesan. Puree the mixture until it looks like pesto.

French Swiss Chard

(from Earthworm Organic Farm CSA website)

• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/3 cup raisins or golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Remove the chard stems and the thick central vein from each leaf. Chop the leaves very coarsely. Using a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium high heat, melt the butter with the oil until sizzling. Add the chard and the rosemary, stirring well to coat the chard with the butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for another minute until the chard has wilted to about half its original volume. Add raisins and pine nuts, stirring to combine evenly, and continue cooking until any moisture has evaporated. The entire cooking process should take no more than about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Mediterranean Collard Greens

Collard greens are a highly nutritious green that is rich in calcium, and becoming increasingly popular throughout the country. This recipe gives you an easy and great tasting way to enjoy them. Try it this way, whenever you have the chance, you will be pleasantly surprised.

• 1 bunch collard greens chopped about 8 cups
• 1 TBS lemon juice
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• salt and black pepper to taste

Bring lightly salted water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid. Separate the stems from the greens by folding in half and cutting along side the stem, or pulling out stem. Roughly chop the greens. Add collard greens to steamer basket and steam covered for about 7-10 minutes, until tender. Toss with rest of ingredients and serve. Serves 4 as a side dish

COLLARD GREENS WITH BARBEQUE SAUCE

• 2 lbs collard greens, tough stems discarded, leaves chopped
• 2 Tbsp medium onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp dark sesame oil
• Chili pepper flakes
• pinchSalt
• 2 pinches Sugar
• chili pepper flakes

1 Use a large skillet with a tight fitting cover. Heat olive oil on medium heat. Sauté onion until transparent, a couple of mintues. Add garlic and and sauté until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Mix in the greens, sesame oil, chili pepper flakes, salt, and sugar. Cover and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Serve with barbecue sauce.

MASHED GINGER TURNIPS

• 2 pounds Turnips, peeled (optional) and cubed
• ¼ cup stock
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoon Soy sauce

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, simmer until turnips are tender (15 minutes). Drain, mash until fluffy, adding cooking liquid as needed for desired consistency.

CREAMY TURNIP GREENS

• 1 pound Turnip greens
• 1 tablespoon Chopped shallots
• ½ tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 cup Cream
• 2 Peppercorns
• ¼ cup White wine
• 3 ounce Finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Blanch turnip greens, then submerge in ice water and drain. Lightly saute shallots in olive oil. Add cream, peppercorns and white wine. Reduce by half and strain. Place blanched turnip greens in food processor. While pureeing add cream mixture. Add cheese, salt, and pepper.

MARINATED ARTICHOKES, TURNIPS & BEETS WITH DATE & CRANBERRY PUREED

Date Puree:

• 1/2 cup Medjool Dates firmly packed
• 1/2 cup Filtered Water
• 2 tablespoons Orange juice freshly squeezed
• Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Cranberry Puree:

• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/4 cup Filtered Water
• 1 tablespoon Lemon or Grapefruit juice freshly squeezed
• Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

Jalapeno Vinaigrette:

• 1 Jalapeno Chile seeded and chopped
• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Chives or Scallions chopped
• Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
  
  For the Salad:
  
• Golden Beets (or any) peeled and thinly sliced
• Turnips peeled and thinly sliced
• Artichokes, bottom chokes and stems removed bottom thinly sliced vertically and sliced, coated with freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 4 teaspoons Sherry Wine Vinegar Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper
• 1 cup Lettuce Leaves

To make the date puree: In a high-speed blender, combine the dates, water, and orange juice and process until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve and season to taste with salt and pepper. To make the cranberry puree: In a high-speed blender, combine the cranberries, water, and lemon juice and process until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve and season to taste with salt and pepper. To make the jalapeno vinaigrette: Combine the jalapeno, olive oil, vinegar, and chives in a mortar and gently grind with a pestle. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the golden beets, the turnips, and the artichoke slices in separate bowls. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl and divide evenly among the vegetables. Toss to coat. To assemble: Place a circle of the cranberry puree at 12 o’clock and a circle of the date puree at 6 o’clock on each plate. Roll the beet slices into cones and arrange over the purees. Place some artichoke and turnip slices in among the beets. Sprinkle the mache leaves over the vegetables. Spoon the vinaigrette around the 2 circles of puree.

BEET & HORSERADISH SANDWICH

For each sandwich:

• 2 slices of buttered whole grain bread
• 1 tablespoon horseradish, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cooked red beets, chopped

Mix horseradish with the chopped beets. Spread on both buttered slices of bread. Place together and press lightly.

COLORFUL KALE & VEGETABLE STEW

Adapted from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons, by Nava Atlas (Amberwood Press, 2006). As everyone knows, greens are good for you, but with its high calcium content, kale is a standout. Its deep green color and elaborately ruffled leaves, contrasted with the yellow of squash and the orange of carrots, makes this an attractive and nourishing dish for the harvest. More Main Meal Recipes Solutions

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2/3 cup short- or medium-grain brown rice, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium-large red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 to 8 ounces fresh kale
• 6 to 10 carrots, washed and sliced
• 1/4 inch
• 4 cups stock
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 small yellow summer squashes, diced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
• Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the rice, then cover and simmer gently until done, about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to saute until both are golden. Trim away and discard the thick midribs from the kale leaves. Chop the kale into bite-sized pieces and rinse well in a colander. Add to the soup pot along with the sweet potatoes and water with bouillon cubes. Add the ginger and mustard and stir well. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Stir in the squash and tomatoes and simmer until the kale and sweet potato dice are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Mash enough of the sweet potato with the back of a wooden spoon to thicken the base. Season with balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serves 6 to 8.

SPINACH DAL

from More Main Meal Recipes Solutions By the Care2 Staff- This classic Indian recipe combines lentils and spring spinach to make a simple, delicious dish that may be served with rice or bread. The recipe includes garlic, ginger, and turmeric which have been shown to contain cancer-fighting substances, so this easy-to-make dish is a super health-booster, too. What a great combination: healthy, full of protein and fabulous flavors, and it also happens to be vegan!

• 1 1/2 cups lentils
• 4 cups water
• 2 dried chiles, left whole
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger root
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Add washed lentils to a medium pot and cover with the four cups of water. Add the dried chiles, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until lentils are very tender, about 35 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep lentils from sticking. About 10 minutes from the end of the lentil cooking time, heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the cumin seeds, and allow to cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Stir in onions and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes, until onions are softened and translucent. Add spinach and continue cooking for 5 more minutes. When the lentils are cooked, remove the chiles and discard them. Add the onion-spinach mixture to the lentils, then add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Stir to combine. May be served on top of rice, or alongside bread.

RED AND YELLOW BEET SALAD With ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

This recipe was inspired by a dish at the deceased Symphony Cafe in New York City. The contrast with warm beets and goat or blue cheese is marvelous.

• 1 small bunch each of orange and red beets with greens attached
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup each, fresh orange juice and apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt and freshly white pepper to taste
• 1 orange, peeled and thinly sliced
• About 4 ounces crumbled low-fat goat or blue cheese
• 4 or 5 strands of fresh chives, roughly chopped

Clean and steam beets. As soon as beets are cool enough to handle, but still quite warm, remove skins and cut beets into 1/4-inch slices. Meanwhile, combine shallots, cloves, orange juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Line a platter with beet greens. Layer beets, alternating orange and red beets. Pour dressing over. Garnish outside with orange slices. Sprinkle top with crumbled goat or blue cheese. Top with chives. Serves 6.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH PINK GRAPEFRUIT & WALNUTS

Lightly toast walnuts under broiler (watch carefully to prevent burning). Remove lower stems from Arugula. Tear Outredgeous Lettuce into bite sized pieces. Peel and section Pink Grapefruit. Prepare dressing with olive oil, sqeezed grapefruit juice, honey, garlic, salt & pepper to taste. Combine ingredients. Combine all and toss with dressing

SPRING GREEN TART

• 1 frozen sheet all-butter puff pastry
• 2 egg yolks
• Red Bok Choi, roughly chopped
• 3 bunches sliced green garlic
• 1 tsp. thyme leaves
• 1/2 c. low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 tbsp. cream
• 6 oz. goat cheese
• salt/pepper
• olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Defrost puff pastry (I wrap the folded piece in a damp towel) and unroll it on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Score a 1/4-inch border around the edge of the pastry. Mix one egg yolk and a splash of water, and brush along the border. Chill the pastry in the freezer until ready to use. Heat a large saute pan over high heat, and add tbsp. olive oil. Then add thyme and 1/2 the green garlic, and saute for a few minutes. Then add the Red Bok Choi, tossing in oil to help them wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are tender. Set aside to cool. Mix cottage cheese, remaining egg yolk, cream, splash of olive oil, salt and pepper together in a bowl (If you'd like it really smooth, you can puree in food processor). Spread cottage cheese mixture on the puff pastry inside the scored border. Crumble half of the goat cheese over the cottage cheese, arrange the cooked greens on top, and sprinkle with the rest of the green garlic. Then distribute the last of the goat cheese on top. Bake the tart for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and crust is golden brown. Cool a few minutes and serve.

RAPINI & GARBANZO BEANS PITA PIZZAS

from Mariquita Farms

• 2 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 19-ounce can garbanzos, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup water rapini, rinsed and roughly chopped, eat the leaves and tender stems
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• three 6-inch whole wheat or other pita breads, halved horizontally to form 6 rounds
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large heavy skillet cook garlic in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden. Transfer garlic and 1 tablespoon oil to a food processor. Add chick-peas, 1/4 cup water, and salt and pepper to taste and blend mixture until smooth. Heat oil remaining in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cookrapini until wilted. Add remaining 1/4 cup water and pepper flakes and simmer, covered partially, until the greens are crisp-tender and almost all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Spread rough sides of pita with chick-pea purée and top with rapini and Parmesan. Arrange pita pizzas on a large baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until edges are golden. Serves 6 as an entrée or 10 to 12 as an hors d'oeuvre.

MESS O' GREENS SALAD WITH WARM PECAN DRESSING

• fresh turnip greens, and/or collard greens
• 2 T balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 T Dijon mustard or ground yellow mustard seed
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped or broken

Wash greens well, dry thoroughly, then remove and discard any long stems. Tear the greens into salad-size pieces and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey and mustard. Set aside.Heat the oil in a small skillet until hot but not smoking. Add the vinegar mixture and pecans and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour over the greens and serve at once. ROASTED CARROTScarrots, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces on the diagonal1/3 C. butter or ghee melted2 T. minced dillsea salt and pepperMix butter, salt and pepper. Pour over carrots. Spread out on a greased baking sheet. Place in oven at 400°F. and roast 20 minutes or until tender. Toss with fresh dill and serve.

YOUR CHOICE SALAD

• Your Choice Radishes, sliced and halved
• Your Choice Carrots, sliced
• Your Choice Lettuce leaves, torn to bite size
• Your Choice Citrus, peeled, membranes removed & sliced to bite size
• Arugula leaves steamed until wilted
• Arugula flowers, whole
• dressing of choice, or olive oil, lemon & sea salt,
• parsley, cilantro and/or dill, chopped (optional)

Prepare vegetables as above and toss.

SAUTEED COLLARD GREENS WITH RAISINS

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• collard greens, larger stalks removed, leaves thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 teaspoons apple cider or other vinegar
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast until golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add collard greens and raisins; cook, tossing occasionally, until collards are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vinegar. Serve sprinkled with toasted almonds.

CREAMY SWISS CHARD PASTA

Wash Swiss chard, cut into small pieces, separating stems from greens.
Heat 1 T oil in large 2 quart saucepan over medium high heat, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add Swiss chard stems first saute for 3-4 minutes, then add leaves, minced garlic and minced onion; cooking 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Add chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream), 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, cooked whole grain noodles, salt and pepper to taste.
Stir well. Serve immediately.From www.recipezaar.com

MIXED GREENS WITH CUMIN & PAPRIKA

Slice off and discard (compost?) tough stems and ribs of kale. Set leaves in a steamer, the largest ones on the bottom and cook until tender. When kale is nearly done, add rapini to steamer. Or simmer each type seperately in salted water, then drain. Chop greens into one inch square pieces. Chop garlic, parsley and cilantro finely and mix with salt.Warm olive oil in a skillet with paprika and cumin on medium heat until fragrant. Don't burn. Add greens and cook until moisture evaporates. Add salt to taste. Garnish with lemon wedges and cured black olives (optional).

CARRIE'S TURNIPS

Preheat oven to 400. Remove most of the greens; leave a small bit of greens on top, which acts as a handle. Cut larger turnip roots in half (leaving some stem on each half). Scrub the roots clean, you can leave tail or remove; I think they look medieval with the tail and bit of top left. Set aside on a towel to dry. Puree or chop garlic, onion and herb of your choice, then mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub the turnips with this macerated mixture and place greens up in a shallow roasting or baking pan. Extra bits left over? Lathe on top of turnips, none of this goodness should go to waste! Bake for 40 minutes or until easily poked with a knife. Serve & enjoy! No utensils required.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH LEMON CREME FRAICHE

from Food & Wine

As a teenager growing up in Los Angeles, Becerra made regular forays to Canter’s Delicatessen for borscht (beet soup) topped with a dollop of sour cream. Memories of that soup helped him create this spectacular salad, which combines earthy-sweet beets, vinegary pickled red onions and a lemony crème fraîche dressing.

• 1 large red onion, sliced crosswise 1/2-inch thick and separated into rings
• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon acacia honey
• 5 bay leaves
• 2 pounds beets sliced bite size (without tops)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Syrah
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 bunch watercress or spicy arugula, thick stems discarded

Place the onion rings in a large heatproof jar or bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the balsamic vinegar with the mustard seeds, honey and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the onion rings, pressing to submerge them. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium roasting pan, toss the beets with the olive oil and water. Cover tightly with foil and braise until tender, about 45 minutes. Let the beets cool in their braising liquid. Peel the beets, return them to the liquid and season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, boil the red wine with the sugar over high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 10 minutes. Let the wine reduction cool. In a bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the lemon juice and zest and season with salt. Spread the crème fraîche on a platter. Mound the beets on the crème fraîche and drizzle with their cooking liquid. Garnish with the pickled onion rings and watercress; drizzle with the wine reduction and serve.

Simple Cabbage Slaw

by Chef Allison Martin, The Burning Tree Restaurant in Maine

• 1 small head green cabbage
• 2 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
• 1 small hot pepper, minced (optional)
• Fresh squeezed lime juice (about 2)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
  Slice the cabbage extra thin on a mandolin or with a knife. Toss cabbage, carrots, herbs, red onion and hot pepper together. Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil to just moisten. Salt to taste and marinate for 15 minutes.

BEET & CARROT PANCAKES

Inspired by a recipe on Epicurious.com

• 1 1/3 cups (packed) coarsely shredded beets (from 2 medium)
• 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 large egg
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Creme Fraiche

Preheat oven to 250°F. Place baking sheet in oven.In a large bowl toss together beets, carrots and onion. Mix in egg, salt and pepper. Stir in flour until well blended. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a heavy large skillet. Once hot, use a large spoon to pour 4 pancakes into the pan, flattening into 3-inch rounds. Flip once pancakes are nicely browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Keep cooked pancakes warm in oven, while you repeat the process with the remaining batter. Serve warm with a dollop of creme fraiche.

CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE

A sure-fire way to get your kids to eat their beets!

• 2 c pureed cooked beets
• 1/2 c chocolate chops
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 c (1 stick) butter
• 1 c sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 c whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven 350F. Grease a bundt pan.Steam 5 or 6 beets until tender, peel and puree until quite smooth. Set aside.In a sauce pan, melt chocolate, cocoa, and butter together until just smooth. Using a mixer, beat eggs until light yellow and very foamy. Slowly beat in sugar until very fluffy and pale yellow. Combine beets, vanilla, and chocolate. Whisk flour, soda, and salt. Fold into eggs in this order: 1/3 chocolate beets, 1/2 flour, alternating until all is incorporated. Use a light quick hand with a rubber spatula, cutting down into the center and scooping up towards the outer edge of the bowl. Combine well, but don't over mix.Pour into greased pan and bake until a skewer comes out clean from the center; at least 35 minutes, up to 50. Watch carefully after 35 minutes. Cool on a rack, then loosen the center with a knife and turn out onto a plate.Drizzle with ganache:Over a double boiler heat 2/3 c milk or cream to a bare simmer. Add 5 oz bittersweet chocolate. Stir to melt, adding more milk or chocolate to get a smooth pourable consistency.

Fennel Gratin

adapted from Mollie Katzen

• 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, halved and cut in 1/4-inch slices
• fennel bulbs, trimmed of stalks, halved, and cut in 1/4-inch slices
• 1 (28-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated Parmigiano
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toast the breadcrumbs in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.2. Heat the onion in a very large (16-inch) skillet over medium heat, and swirl to coat the pan. Cook the garlic and onion until soft, but not brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the fennel and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the fennel has softened and is beginning to brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. 3. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a shallow 3-quart oven-to-table casserole or gratin dish.4. Combine the breadcrumbs, grated cheese and lemon zest in a bowl and sprinkle evenly over the fennel mixture. The gratin can be made up to this point 6 to 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature before baking. 5. Bake the gratin until heated through and the topping is crisp, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Beet and Orange Soup

• beets with greens
• 5 cups stock
• 2 teaspoons red wine or apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• Garnish: orange slices and fresh coriander sprigs

Scrub unpeeled beets well. Cut off the tops, chop them, and put them in a large saucepan. Shred the beets in a food processor or on a grater. Add them to the pan and cover with the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 25 minutes. Strain the broth and discard the pulp. Add to the broth the vinegar, seasonings, and orange juice. To serve hot, reheat just enough to warm the orange juice. To serve cold, chill well in the refrigerator. Either way, garnish each soup bowl with a slice of orange and a sprig of fresh coriander.

Awesome Collard Greens

• 1 lb collard greens (or 1/2 collards, 1/2 kale)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa or 1 chopped tomato
• 2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sea salt, to taste
• hot sauce, to taste

Wash greens in a colander. Chop into bite-sized pieces. Throw all ingredients into a large pot and cover. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, the reduce heat and simmer.Greens are done when they have shrunk down and are cooked through, usually about a half hour, but you can let it simmer much longer. Serve with its liquid.

SPICED TURNIPS

• 4 tablespoon Oil
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 2 Cloves garlic, sliced Lengthways
• 2 Dried chillies
• 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
• 6 Curry leaves
• 6 small Young turnips
• Pinch of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon Salt

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. When the oil is hot, remove the pan from the heat and add the cumin, garlic, chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Peel and halve the turnips, then cut them into very fine slices. Season these slices with a pinch of turmeric and the salt, then add the turnips to the spices. Cook, covered for 5-10 minutes, making sure that the vegetables do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Keep the pan covered and leave over a very low heat for a few minutes. No water is needed to tenderise the turnips. Serve hot.

TURNIP, SWEET POTATO & BEET SALAD

Proportions of ingredients to taste:

• Turnip