Spaghettini with Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Sun-dried Tomatoes

1 lb. spaghettini
3/4 cup thinly sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1/4 cup oil from tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups thinly sliced arugula leaves and stems
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. dried basil tsp.
salt tsp. pepper
4 oz mild chèvre, crumbled

Cook pasta according to package directions. When pasta is done, ladle out cup of cooking water and set aside. Drain pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat oil from tomatoes. Add garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add arugula and toss until wilted. Add wine and basil, raise heat to high, and boil until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

PERFECT GREEN SALAD & VINAIGRETTE

There's nothing more delicious than a perfectly prepared green salad- especially this time of year when all the greens are tender and full of flavor!

1 large head Boston lettuce
1/2 cup Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Salt & Pepper
Chive Blossoms or chopped herbs (optional)

Fill the sink, or a very large bowl, with lots of cold water. Trim the lettuce heads and drop the leaves into the water as you peel them off the head. Wash the leaves by tumbling them gently in the water. Allow the dirt and sand to settle to the bottom for a few moments, then lift the leaves out in bunches. Lightly shake off excess water and put leaves in the salad spinner. Dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner. Toss just before serving When ready to serve, drizzle about 1/3 cup of dressing over the lettuce, and toss the leaves gently with a salad spoon and fork, until they are evenly and lightly coated. Season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle the chive blossoms or chopped herbs, if using, over the salad.

VINAIGRETTE IN A JAR 

2 tsp chopped garlic
2 Tbs Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red- or white-wine vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put all the ingredients in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake very well. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more oil or vinegar, as you like. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks, and shake to blend before using.

FENNEL MASHED POTATOES

2 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
1 1/2 pounds fennel bulbs including fronds (about 2 medium)
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 

Peel and quarter potatoes. In a kettle cover potatoes with salted cold water by 2 inches and simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes. While potatoes are simmering, trim fennel stalks flush with bulbs, reserving fronds and discarding stalks. Halve bulb and discard core. Cut bulbs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Chop reserved fronds and in a large saucepan poach sliced fennel and three fourths fronds in milk at a bare simmer, covered, until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. In a blender (or using hand-held whizzer) purée fennel mixture until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Add fennel purée to potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Potatoes may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat potatoes, covered, in a 350°F. oven about 30 minutes. Serve potatoes drizzled with oil and sprinkled with remaining fennel fronds.

CELERIAC AND BEET SALAD

6 medium beets (2 1/4 lb with greens), trimmed, leaving 1 inch of stems attached
1 (1-lb) celeriac 
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus additional to taste
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (2 oz), toasted and cooled 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wrap beets tightly in foil to make 2 packages (3 beets in each) and roast until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. While beets roast, peel celery root with a sharp knife and cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks. Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, oil, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl until combined well, then add celery root and toss until coated. Keep at room temperature, covered, until ready to add beets. Carefully unwrap beets and, when just cool enough to handle, slip off skins and remove stems. Cut beets into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks and toss with celery root. Let salad stand, covered, at room temperature 1 hour. Taste salad and season with more lemon juice and salt if necessary, then toss with walnuts.

CELERIAC MASH

3 cups 1/2-inch dice peeled celeriac (celery root; from about one 18-ounce celeriac)
1 12-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup cream or milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or olive oil

Cook celeriac in large saucepan of boiling salted water 15 minutes. Add potato and boil until celeriac and potato are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium-high heat until any excess liquid in pan evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add cream and butter; mash until mixture is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

COLLARD POTATO SALAD WITH MUSTARD DRESSING

2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
1 pound collards, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
6 slices of lean bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled (optional)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion 

In a kettle combine the potatoes with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the potatoes 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving the cooking liquid, and in the reserved cooking liquid boil the collards, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Drain the collards in a sieve, refresh them under cold water, and squeeze them dry in a kitchen towel. In a bowl whisk together the mustard, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it emulsified. Quarter the potatoes and add them to the dressing. Add the collards, pulling them apart to separate the leaves, the bacon, and the scallion and toss the salad well.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH SHALLOTS AND SAGE

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (3/4 cup)
1 (1 3/4-lb) butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1/2 cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook shallots and squash, stirring, until shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, brown sugar, sage, and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, pepper, and salt to taste.

SALSA RANCHERA

1 medium white onion, quartered
3 lb ripe medium tomatoes, cored
1/2 cup olive oil
1 fresh serrano chile, chopped, including seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 
Accompaniment: corn tortilla chips 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange 2 onion quarters and 2 pounds tomatoes in a small roasting pan and drizzle with 1/4 cup oil. Arrange remaining 1 pound tomatoes in a small baking pan and drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup oil. Bake both pans of tomatoes in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans after 45 minutes, until browned, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove roasting pan and continue baking small pan of tomatoes until blackened, about 30 minutes more. Transfer all roasted tomatoes (do not peel) and onions with a slotted spoon to a food processor, discarding liquid in pans. If your processor is small, do this in 2 batches. Pulse until coarsely chopped. (Alternatively, you can chop with an immersion blender in a deep container.) Chop remaining 2 onion quarters and stir together with tomato mixture, serrano, cilantro, and vinegar. Season with salt and chill, covered, at least 8 hours to blend flavors. Bring to room temperature before serving.

ONION TART

Tarts take a while, but this one is worth it! Make it ahead of time and serve with a big salad for a light dinner on one of these hot summer nights. I'd love to claim this recipe as my own, but I pinched it from one of Delia Smith's early cookbooks. 

1/4 cup self-raising flour 
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour 
little salt 
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder 
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 stick butter 
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese 
1 1/2 lbs chopped onions 
2 tablespoons butter 
2 eggs, beaten
4 fluid ounces milk 
salt & freshly ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese 

Sift the flours, salt; mustard powder and cayenne into a bowl, and then rub in the butter until you get a crumbly mixture. Stir in the cheese and add enough cold water to make dough that leaves the bowl clean. Wrap the dough in plastic and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Melt the butter in a heavy based frying pan, add the onions, get them coated in the butter, cook them uncovered on a medium heat for approx 30 minutes, they have to be reduced and turned a deep brown. Stir from time to time, if they are still pale at the end of the cooking time, turn up the heat and cook for another 10 minutes until they have the right color. Preheat oven to 350F and put a baking sheet in the oven. Grease an 8 inch fluted flan tin, roll out the pastry and line the tin, prick the base with a fork, place the tin on the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with some beaten egg (from the filling) return to the oven for 5 minutes. Then spread the onions all over the base of the flan, mix the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper, and pour as much as possible over the onions, you might have some left it depends on how much the onions have reduced. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake for 30 minutes (on the baking sheet again) or until the filling is golden brown and puffy.

RED POTATOES WITH OLIVES, FETA AND MINT

1 3/4 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, cut into quarters
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
8 ounces feta-cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup brine-cured black olives (such as Kalamata), pitted, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin oil 

Place potatoes and 3 tablespoons mint in large pot of salted water. Bring water to boil, reduce heat and simmer potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes; transfer to large bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons each of mint, cheese and olives; add remainder to warm potatoes. Mix in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish potatoes with reserved mint, cheese and olives. Serve warm.

ESCAROLE & PINE NUTS

1 head escarole, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
2 tablespoons pine nuts 

Bring 3 quarts water to a rolling boil. Separate the escarole leaves and rinse thoroughly. Drop leaves into the boiling water and boil, covered, until tender, about 35 minutes When the escarole is tender, drain thoroughly and let dry. In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil until hot but not smoking. Roughly chop the escarole. Add the garlic to the hot pan and saute until the garlic begins to soften and turn a light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the pine nuts and cook until the nuts are lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the escarole and stir until well-cooked and very soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.