May 2nd, 2013
Easy Stir-Fried Chinese Cabbage
- ½ head of Chinese cabbage, cut into ½ inch strips
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp crushed chili pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add onion, ginger, garlic and chili pepper and sauté 1 minute.
- Add Chinese Cabbage. Sauté 1 minute then add remaining ingredients.
- Sauté until the cabbage is tender and juices are evaporated.
- Serve over rice or rice noodles.
Add other veggies (such as broccoli, carrots, onion, squash….) to this recipe for a lovely mixed winter vegetable stir-fry.
3.2.1230
Tags: broccoli, Chinese cabbage, squash
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
May 2nd, 2013
Spinach Gnocchi
Author: From “Recipes from America’s Small Farms” by Joanne Lamb Hayes and Lori Stein
- 1 lb potatoes
- Salt
- ½ lb spinach
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3-5 cups all-purpose flour
- Peel or scrub potatoes, cut into pieces and boil in salted water until tender (15-20 minutes).
- Drain, allow to cool (so that egg yolk doesn’t cook when added), then mash well (don’t use food processor).
- Wash spinach, remove tough stems, and steam over boiling water a minute to two, just until wilted. Drain, and when cool enough to handle, squeeze as much water from the spinach as you can.
- Place the spinach on a cutting board and chop well.
- Mix the spinach into the mashed potatoes. Add egg yolks and salt and mix well.
- Work in about 1 to 11/2 cups of the flour, kneading into a dough.
- Add additional flour to make a firm, smooth dough that doesn’t stick to your fingers.
- Divide dough into tennis ball sized pieces. On a floured surface, roll each piece into a rope about ½ inch diametre. Cut into 1 inch segments.
- With flour hands, round up segments into little egg shapes, then roll them under the tines of a fork (dipped in flour) to create ridges.
- To cook, drop the gnocchi into a large pot of boiling salted water (do not crowd them). Gnocchi are ready when they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Serve with your favourite sauce or with melted butter, minced parsley and Parmesan cheese
3.2.1230
Tags: potatoes, spinach
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
May 2nd, 2013
White Bean Soup with Collards and Spicy Sausage
- ½ pound dried white beans (canellini, navy, great northern, etc.) or four 15-ounce cans of the same white beans
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 3 cups chopped yellow onions
- 1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced garlic
- ¼ pound smoked ham, diced
- ¼ pound spicy sausages (such as chorizo), sliced
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 large potato, peeled and cut into large cubes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 bunch collard (or kale) greens (between 5-10 leaves), tough stems removed and very coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- Salt (if needed) and black pepper, to taste
- If using dried beans for this soup, soak them overnight in one quart water, drain them, and rinse them well. Boil the soaked beans in one quart of water for approximately 50 minutes (or 4-5 minutes in a pressure cooker) until just tender.
- In a large Dutch oven or stock pot set on a medium-heat burner, sauté the onions in olive oil for two minutes until wilted.
- Stir in the garlic and sauté for an additional two minutes. Stir in and sauté for an additional minute the ham, sausage, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, and crushed red pepper.
- Add the cooked dried (or canned) white beans, their broth, the chicken broth, potato, collard (or kale) greens, vinegar, sugar, and (if needed) additional water to cover. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.
- Taste, correct the seasoning (if needed), and serve.
Serves 6 as a main course soup. As with many bean soups, this one tastes even better on the second day.
3.2.1230
Tags: collard greens, kale, Onions, potato, white beans
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
May 2nd, 2013
Quick Sautéed Collard Ribbons
Author: From www.thebittenword.com
- 1 Tbs. malt vinegar
- 2 tsp. maple syrup
- 5-8 collard green leaves
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 small cloves garlic, lightly smashed and
- peeled
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- In a small bowl, whisk the malt vinegar and maple syrup.
- Trim the stem from each collard leaf with a sharp knife, dividing the leaf completely in half lengthwise as you cut away the stem.
- Discard the stems; wash and dry the leaves.
- Stack the leaves and roll them up tightly crosswise into a cigar shape. Using a very sharp knife, cut the collard “cigar” crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices.
- Use your fingers to unfurl the slices, which will be tightly curled together.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and the garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring garlic, until it’s fragrant and just lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Remove and discard the garlic. Add the pepper flakes, and immediately add the collards and ½ tsp. salt.
- Stir and toss the collards until they’re coated with the oil, and continue tossing until they are wilted, about 3-5 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat, drizzle on the maple-vinegar mixture, stir well, and transfer to a shallow serving platter.
- Serve immediately.
3.2.1230
Tags: collard greens
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
May 1st, 2013
Macaroni and Cheese with Greens and Squash
- ½ medium squash, peeled and cubed
- 6 cups washed, chopped kale or spinach
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk and ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp prepared or dry mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup grated chedder, Swiss or Parmigiano cheese or a mixture
- ½ lb dry pasta, such as elbow macaroni, rigatoni or penne
- In a small sauce pan, bring milk to a boil, then set aside. In another saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Blend in flour and cook slowly, stirring, until the butter and flour froth together for 2 minutes without browning.
- Remove pan from heat, and when butter has stopped bubbling, pour in hot milk and beat vigorously with a whisk to blend.
- Set saucepan over moderately high heat and stir until sauce comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring.
- Remover from heat and add salt, pepper, mustard and cheese. Stir until combined and set aside.
- In a large pot, boil water and cook pasta until tender but not mushy. In a medium skillet, heat butter and oil, over medium heat then add squash and ¼ cup of water or stock.
- Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add greens, salt and pepper to taste then cover and cook, stirring occasionally until squash is tender, about 12 minutes.
- Combine cheese sauce and squash mixture with cooked pasta and serve!
You may also top with bread crumbs and grated cheese and bake for 20 minutes for a crispy-topped casserole!
3.2.1230
Tags: kale, spinach, squash
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
May 1st, 2013
Chickpeas with Leeks and Lemon
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed slightly but whole
- 1 6-inch branch fresh rosemary, broken in two
- 3 leeks, cleaned, trimmed and with the white and light green parts sliced in ¼-inch rounds
- kosher salt
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- ½ lemon
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, garlic and rosemary over medium heat. Once the garlic turns fragrant and the rosemary begins to sizzle, remove the rosemary but reserve for later.
- Add the leeks to the pan, along with a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the leeks are soft and sweet but still brightly green, around 5 minutes.
- Tip in the chickpeas, and continue to cook for a 5 minutes more, at which point the chickpeas should have darkened slightly in colour.
- Using a microplane or zester, add a few scrapes of lemon zest to the pan, along with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Check for seasoning, adding more juice, zest or salt as needed.
- Return the reserved rosemary sprigs to the pan, and enjoy warm or at room temperature
3.2.1230
Tags: garlic, leeks
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
April 30th, 2013
Delicata Squash
- Split delicata squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Split halves into wedges, arrange skin-side down on a baking sheet. Season with salt, fresh lime juice and (smoked) chili powder and roast in a 350⁰ degree oven until tender/crisp and golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
- Rinse the squash thoroughly then slice each squash into ½- inch rings, and remove the pulp from each ring with a spoon or paring knife. Place rings in a large mixing bowl.
- Toss the rings with olive oil, maple syrup and salt. Lay on a foil lined baking sheet and bake at 400⁰ for about 40 minutes until tender and caramalized.
- Cut squash in half lengthwise. Put a pat of butter and a sprinkling of salt and cinnamon on each half and bake at 350⁰ until tender.
3.2.1230
Tags: delicata squash
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April 30th, 2013
Pasta with Caramelized Leeks
- About a half pound dried pasta (this would also be really good over cheese ravioli)
- 2 medium leeks (or one super huge one!)
- 2 Tbs. butter or olive oil
- about ⅓ cup of white wine, or reserved pasta water if you have no wine
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley for garnish, if desired
- ½ cup parmesan or goat cheese, toasted pine nuts or almonds, sautéed mushrooms, sautéed Italian sausage or pieces of chicken.
- Remove the dark green tops, and the root from the bottom and then wash the leeks.
- Heat the butter or oil in a large frying pan over medium, add the leeks and stir to coat.
- Sprinkle with a little dash of salt. Turn the heat to low and cook for 20-30 minutes until they’re all brown and caramelized.
- In the meantime bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and prep whatever else you decide to add (I personally really recommend some sautéed mushrooms and a sprinkling of parmesan).
- Cook the pasta until al dente and drain (reserve some pasta water if you’re going to use it).
- Add the leeks and protein accompaniment to the pasta. Then, pour your wine or pasta water into the pan that you cooked the leeks in, turn up the heat to medium-high, and cook for a couple of minutes, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan into the liquid.
- Pour this over the pasta and leeks and toss everything together.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve
3.2.1230
Tags: leeks
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
April 30th, 2013
Spicy Pumpkin Soup
- 1 small pumpkin, peeled and cubed
- 1 medium onion or leek, diced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1 large potato, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup milk or coconut milk
- 4 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon coriander seed
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sea salt
- Sauté garlic and onions with olive oil in large saucepan placed on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes and chopped pumpkin and stir with onion and garlic.
- Pour 4 ½ cups of water and close the lid of the saucepan tightly. Cook until all the ingredients are tender.
- In a small saucepan add the mustard and coriander seeds and close its lid. On a slow heat, frequently shake the saucepan without opening the lid. You will hear the sound of mustard seeds popping.
- When the last one has popped turn off the heat and crush or grind the seed mixture.
- Sift the spice mixture through a strainer to make sure that husks are eliminated.
- Add 1 ½ teaspoons of sifted spice mixture, ½ teaspoon of grated nutmeg, freshly ground black pepper and sea salt (according to your taste) to tendered vegetables.
- Pour in a cup of milk and mix all of the ingredients by using a hand blender or a food processor.
- Pour in bowls and serve with a dollop of yogurt on top.
3.2.1230
Tags: carrots, leeks, onion, pumpkin
Posted in Fall | No Comments »
April 29th, 2013
Maggie’s Fabulous Coleslaw
- 1 head of shredded cabbage (or 2 baby cabbages)
- 3-4 med carrots shredded
- 1 cooking onion chopped
- ½ cup cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 4 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp mustard
- 2 clove garlic (or one large), minced or crushed
- salt and pepper
- Toss cabbage, carrots and onion together in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients together and whisk until combined.
- Add to vegetables, toss and serve!
3.2.1230
Tags: cabbage, carrots, onion
Posted in Fall | No Comments »