The Purloined Recipe

Don’t be put off by the long cooking time–in the end the flavor goes far beyond what’s possible with a cursory blanching.  A few spoonfuls suffice for a serving, or you can use this effectively as a seasoning for rice or lentils.  Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
2 large bunches chard, about 2 pounds, leaves sliced into 1 inch wide ribbons
1 1/2 cups of the chard stems, trimmed and diced
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 garlic clove pounded with 1 teaspoon salt
Salt and freshly milled pepper

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients in a wide, heavy pot with a few pinches of salt. Add 1/4 cup water, cover tightly, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Check once or twice to make sure there’s enough moisture. If anything is sticking, add a few tablespoons of water. When done, taste for salt and season with pepper. The chard should be silky and very fragrant.

cilantro, garlic, onions, side dishes, swiss chard

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided
1 cup chopped shallots, divided
3 teaspoons grated lemon peel, divided (or fresh lemon juice)
1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, cut into florets
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 pounds rapini (broccoli raab), cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation

Melt 1/4 cup butter with 1/2 cup shallots and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté 2 minutes. Mix in broccoli and 1/4 cup water. Sprinkle with salt. Cover; cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and water evaporates, about 4 minutes. Transfer broccoli to bowl; cover to keep warm.

Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter with remaining shallots and lemon peel in same skillet over high heat; sauté 2 minutes. Add rapini. Sprinkle with salt, cover, and cook until rapini wilts, about 2 minutes. Uncover and sauté until tender, about 1 minute longer. Mix into broccoli. Season with salt and pepper.

broccoli, rapini (broccoli raab), shallots, side dishes

From www.101cookbooks.com

These little open-faced tartines took less than ten minutes to pull together, and ended up being the epitome of spring.

Serves 2-4

Prep time: 5 min – Cook time: 5 min

4 toasted slabs of whole grain bread, rubbed with olive oil and a bit of garlic

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 lb of asparagus stalks, trimmed roughly the length of your bread

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 avocado, pitted and smashed

a couple handfuls of arugula, tossed in a bit of olive oil

a handful of toasted pepitas, or almonds, or sunflower seeds

A few minutes before you want to eat heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot add the asparagus, and a pinch of salt and cook for about thirty seconds. Add the garlic and caraway, and cook another thirty seconds, or until the spears are a vibrant green. Remove from heat, and assemble the tartines.

Give each piece of bread a generous slather of mashed avocado. Top that with a bit of arugula, a few asparagus spears, and a generous sprinkling of pepitas or seeds.

appetizers, arugula, asparagus, garlic, sandwiches, side dishes

For the Brussel Sprout lovers out there.  And if your not one, maybe this way of cooking them will convert you!

A dozen or so Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/2 – 1 teaspoon of pepper

Wash Brussels sprouts and trim the base. Slice them in two, lengthwise. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large (12 inch) skillet over low heat. Place Brussels sprouts face down in skillet and allow them to cook for 15 – 20 minutes over low heat. The face of the Brussels sprouts will begin to caramelize. They should be a dark brown, but not burned. Once Brussels are nearly caramelized, add the garlic to the pan. Saute and allow the garlic to brown. Add a little water and the salt and pepper. Cover and increase the heat to medium high. Steam until the sprouts are tender, testing by poking with a fork every couple of minutes. When nearly done, remove the lid and let most of the water boil off, stirring occasionally. These can be enjoyed hot or cold as leftovers. They’re great in salads!

brussel sprouts, garlic, side dishes

1 1/2 pounds fresh black-eyed peas, rinsed, drained
8 to 12 ounces bacon, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped red and green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (approx. 14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, or chili-seasoned tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

Put rinsed fresh black-eyed peas in a 4 to 6-quart slow cooker.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until softened; add onions, peppers, and celery and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the vegetable mixture to the slow cooker along with the water. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, or until peas are tender. Add remaining ingredients and continue cooking for 1  hour longer.

black eyed peas, garlic, onions, peppers, side dishes, tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound parsnips
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Scrape or peel the parsnips then cut them into sticks about the size of your little finger. Dry well with paper toweling.

In a heavy 10-inch skillet, melt the butter; then add the parsnips, shaking to coat. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Cover tightly and saute on medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes. The parsnips should be tender and gooey, and slightly carmelized. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Recipe Source: 500 Treasured Country Recipes by Martha Storey & Friends (Storey Books)

parsnips, side dishes

from Indian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey

Serves 4-6

14 oz fresh, tender okra
7 cloves garlic, peeled
1 whole dried red hot chili
7 Tbsp water
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tsp lemon juice

Rinse fresh okra and pat it dry. Trim the pods by cutting of the two ends. Cut the okra into 3/4 inch lengths. Put the garlic and chili into a container of an electric blender with 3 Tbsp. of the water. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Empty the paste into a small bowl and add the ground cumin, coriander and turmeric, mix.

Heat the oil in a 9 inch frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, put in the whole cumin seeds. As soon as the cumin seeds begin to sizzle (within a few seconds) turn the heat down a bit and pour in the spice mixture. Stir and fry for about a minute. Now put in the okra, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and 4 Tbsp of water. Stir to mix and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until okra is tender.

chiles, garlic, okra, side dishes

Excerpted with permission from Farmer John’s Cookbook: the Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Farm by Farmer John Peterson and Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith, Publisher). www.AngelicOrganics.com/cookbook

This version is moist and refreshing. It has lots of juicy tomatoes and dressing, as well as lots of fresh green parsley and mint. Don’t worry if you don’t have exact quantities; as long as you remember to keep things in balance by cutting back the mint (and perhaps the onion), it won’t matter if you use a little less of the other ingredients. You may also make this a drier Tabbouleh by using a larger proportion of bulgur.

Serves 6

1 cup hot water
½ cup bulgur
3 cups chopped fresh parsley
2 tomatoes, seeded, finely diced (about 2 cups)
½-1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
½ cup finely diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
2 large scallions, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons) plus more to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground allspice

1. Combine the water and bulgur in a large bowl. Cover and set aside until the bulgur has completely absorbed the water, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (If after 1 hour the grains are plump and there is still water in the bowl, strain the bulgur and squeeze out any excess water.)
2. Stir the parsley, tomatoes, mint to taste, onions, and scallions into the plumped bulgur. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and allspice; toss until thoroughly combined. Add lemon juice to taste (this salad should be lemony but not unpleasantly tart).
3. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes to let the flavors develop. Serve at room temperature.

mint, onions, parsley, Recipes By Ingredient, salads, side dishes, The Recipes, tomatoes

Excerpted with permission from Farmer John’s Cookbook: the Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Farm by Farmer John Peterson and Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith, Publisher). www.AngelicOrganics.com/cookbook

This recipe is a take on a classic from Japan that uses daikon radish greens. Of course, if you still have some of those tasty roots attached to your leaves, they will be delicious cubed and cooked to tender-crisp succulence right along with the leaves. You will find miso paste in the refrigerated section of most specialty stores, health food stores, and many supermarkets. If you are unfamiliar with its distinct flavor, start with a light-colored variety for a milder, sweeter taste.

Toasted sesame oil, also widely available, has a deep, roasted sesame flavor that makes any dish taste unique. Untoasted, or “light,” sesame oil will not impart the same flavor.

Serves 2

1 bunch radish or turnip greens or both
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups hot cooked rice

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the greens and boil for 1 minute.
2. Drain the greens in a colander and run cool water over them to stop the cooking. Let drain again, then gently squeeze out any excess water with your hands. Transfer the greens to a cutting board. Chop finely and set aside.
3. Put the miso paste in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons water; then add a little more water so that the miso is thinned just enough to stir into other ingredients.
4. Heat the peanut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped greens; cook, stirring until they are tender and heated through. Add the thinned miso paste. Add sugar to taste; stir the ingredients until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat; stir in the toasted sesame oil. Serve over rice.

other greens, radishes, Recipes By Ingredient, side dishes, The Recipes

Winter squash, apples, and pears arrive earlier than you might guess. Summer apples, or transparents, begin in July, and the first winter squash are often here by August. However, we scarcely notice them until the fall weather has cooled everything down enough to make them seem appealing. It’s then that we might remember that squash and apples make a comfortable pairing, especially with a robust herb like rosemary, which unifies the sweet and savory notes of both parties.

Apple and pear ciders from the market are likely to be excellent, for fruit growers take great pride in making their own cider blends.

Butternut and Delicata squash will be the easiest varieties to use for this dish because they’re so easy to peel.

You can also make this dish using sweet potatoes, the starchy Japanese
varieties, or the sweeter, moister jewel and garnet types.

2 pounds Delicata or butternut squash
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
2 cups fresh unfiltered apple or pear cider
salt and freshly ground pepper
apple-balsamic or organic apple cider vinegar, to taste

Peel the squash, then dice it into ½-inch cubes or even smaller pieces. If using Delicata, remove the seeds with a long spoon, then slice it into rounds.

Melt the butter in a wide skillet and add the rosemary. Cook over medium heat to flavor the butter. After 3 minutes, add the squash and cider plus water to cover. Bring to a boil, add ½ teaspoon sea salt and simmer until the squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes, by which time the juice will have reduced enough to provide a glaze for the squash. If not, raise the heat to reduce it quickly. Sprinkle on a teaspoon of vinegar and taste for salt. Add additional vinegar if you need to balance the sweetness, then season with pepper.

onions, Recipes By Ingredient, side dishes, squash - winter, The Recipes