Raw Tuscan Kale Salad

1 bunch Tuscan kale (for ex: black or lacinato)
2 thin slices country bread, or two handfuls good, homemade coarse breadcrumbs
1/2 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1/4 cup (or small handful) grated pecorino cheese, plus adiitional for garnish
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon (scant 1/4 cup or ~50ml)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim the bottom few inches off the kale stems and discard. Slice the kale into 3/4-inch ribbons. You should have 4 to 5 cups. Place the kale in a large bowl.

If using the bread, toast it until golden brown on both sides and dry throughout. Tear into small pieces and pulse in a food processor until the mixture forms coarse crumbs, or crumbs to your liking.

Using a mortar and pestle or a knife, pound or mince the garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the kale and toss very well (the dressing will be thick and need lots of tossing to coat the leaves).. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, then serve topped with the bread crumbs, additional cheese, and a drizzle of oil.

Source: 101 Cookbooks -- Adapted from the Raw Tuscan Kale Salad with Chiles and Pecorino recipe in Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite.

Heidi's Winter Pasta Recipe

4 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 small shallots, peeled
1 small bunch of kale or other winter green - 1/2 lb / 8 oz, stalks removed, washed well
1/3 cup / 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup / 2 oz goat cheese, plus more for topping
2 tablespoons + hot pasta water
fine grain sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
fresh lemon juice - optional
12 oz / 340 g dried penne pasta
fresh thyme - and thyme flowers

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the boiling water generously, and add the garlic and shallots. Boil for 2-3 minutes, stir in the kale and cook for another ten seconds. Don't overcook. Working quickly, use a slotted spoon or strainer to fish the greens, garlic, and shallots from the water. Use a food processor to puree the ingredients along with the olive oil and goat cheese. Add a couple tablespoons of hot pasta water if needed to thin things out if needed. Then season with a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Taste. Depending on your goat cheese, you might need a little extra acidic oomph if your sauce is a bit flat. If so, add fresh lemon juice a bit at a time until you're happy with it the sauce. Set aside.

Reheat the pot of water and boil the pasta per package instructions. Drain and toss immediately with the green sauce. Serve topped with a few pinches of fresh thyme, and more crumbled goat cheese.

Serves 4-6. 

Source: Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks

Sauteed Mustard Greens

1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound mustard greens, washed and torn into large pieces
2 to 3 Tbsp chicken broth or vegetable broth (vegetarian option)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1 In a large sauté pan, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until the onions begin to brown and caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook a minute more, until fragrant.

2 Add the mustard greens and broth and cook until the mustard greens are just barely wilted. Toss with sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Source: Simply Recipes

Creamy Pasta with Roasted Zucchini, Almonds & Basil

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons slivered almonds

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 sprig basil, with leaves and stem

3 tablespoons goat cheese

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

6 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti or linguine.

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss the zucchini and oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Arrange zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, tossing occasionally, until golden and tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

3. Simmer the cream and basil sprig in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Whisk in the goat cheese until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and keep warm.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well. Toss the pasta with the cream sauce. Serve topped with the zucchini and almonds.

Source: NY Times - 10/10

Pasta with Roasted Eggplant, Pepper and Garlic

2 1/4 pounds eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

2 small red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips

9 garlic cloves, unpeeled, lightly crushed

1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, more to taste

3/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta, like penne or rigatoni

3/4 cup ricotta cheese

Chopped basil or chives.

1. Turn on the broiler and set a rack 6 inches from the heat. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and spread it in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil, tossing once halfway through, until the eggplant is golden but not cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the broiler and heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Toss the peppers and garlic with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and

1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread on another baking sheet in a single layer. Roast the eggplant, peppers and garlic until they are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

3. Slip the garlic cloves from their peels and mash them in a small bowl with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, the vinegar and the pepper flakes.

4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. Toss with the vegetables, the mashed garlic, the ricotta and the herbs. Add more salt and vinegar to taste.

Source: NY Times - 10/10



Pasta with Spicy Sausages, Tomatoes, Rosemary and Olives

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed

1 large sprig fresh rosemary

1 fat garlic clove, finely chopped

1 1/2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, trimmed and diced

1/4 cup green pitted olives, slivered

Salt to taste

1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta, like penne.

1. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and rosemary; cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and stir occasionally until they have broken down and turned into a sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the olives for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add salt to taste, cover and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain well and toss with the sauce.

Source: NY Times - 10/10

Pasta with Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard and Garlicky Bread Crumbs

3 tablespoons butter or olive oil

5 anchovy fillets

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling

1 yellow onion, halved from stem to root and thinly sliced crosswise

Kosher salt and pepper

1 pound Swiss chard, ribs removed, leaves chopped

1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli. 
 

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add 3 anchovies to the skillet; cook until melted, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the bread crumbs and toast until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Wipe the skillet clean and return it to a medium-high heat. Add the oil, the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Chop the remaining 2 anchovies and add them to the skillet. Cook until melted. Add the Swiss chard, a handful at a time, and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain well. Toss with the chard mixture and bread crumbs, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.

Source: New York Times - 10/10

Roasted Peppers with Leeks

3 red bell peppers

3 yellow bell peppers

2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Roast the peppers over gas flames or under a preheated broiler, turning often, until charred all over. Transfer the peppers to a platter and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the leeks and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Return the leeks to the saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt.

Discard the pepper skins, stems and seeds. Cut the peppers into 2-by- 1/3-inch strips and arrange on a large platter. Drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup of oil and season with salt. Top with the leeks and serve.

Source: Food & Wine Magazine

Roasted Zucchini with Ricotta & Mint

8 medium zucchini (3 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Fresh ricotta, for serving

Mint leaves, for garnish



Preheat the oven to 450°. Spread the diced zucchini on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Roast for about 18 minutes, until the zucchini are browned around the edges. Sprinkle the zucchini with the crushed red pepper, cumin seeds and fennel seeds and roast until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer.

Transfer the zucchini to a bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and season with salt. Dollop the ricotta alongside the zucchini and drizzle with olive oil. Garnish with the mint leaves and serve.

Source: Food & Wine Magazine

Potato Salad with Green Beans and Salsa Verde

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup minced chives

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 large garlic clove, minced

Salt

1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil with the chives, parsley, mint, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic and season with salt. Let the salsa verde stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water, add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes over moderately high heat until just tender, about 8 minutes; drain and return them to the saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and toss to coat. Season with salt.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until crisp-tender, 4 minutes; drain. Return the beans to the pot and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season with salt.

Add half of the salsa verde to the potatoes and half to the beans, stirring to coat. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl. Top with the potatoes, garnish with the chive blossoms and serve right away.

Source: Sheamus Feeley, Food & Wine Magazine

Daikon Radish Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp canola oil or grapeseed oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 large daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced into matchsticks
1/2 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin matchsticks
1/4 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tsp or so toasted sesame seeds for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, whisk together the ginger, oils, vinegar and soy sauce. Peel the radish and carrot, and slice all the vegetables into thin matchsicks. Toss all the vegetables in the bowl with the vinaigrette, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Source: The Painted Peach

Sweet Pickled Daikon Radish

• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pound daikon radish
• 1/4 cup kosher salt

In a small saucepan over medium heat add the vinegar, water, sugar, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, peel the daikon radish and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. (If your daikon is very large, slice the rounds into semicircles.) Place in a colander with salt and mix well. Place the colander over a bowl and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse the salt off with a couple of changes of water and dry the daikon well. Put into a sterilized glass jar. Pour the cooled brine through a coffee filter (or a cheesecloth lined strainer) into the jar to cover the radish slices. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Will keep for about 2 weeks.

Source: Tyler Florence

Guy Lon (Chinese Broccoli) with Crispy Garlic

2 TBSP vegetable oil
3 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds Gai aln, tough stem ends trimmed
3 TBSP Rice wine or dry white wine
2 TBSP Tamari (soy sauce)

Heat a large pan or wok over high heat. When hot, add oil and swirl to coat bottom.

When oil is hot but not smoking, add the garlic and red prpper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is gloden, about 3 minutes. Do not over cook the garlic.

Remove the garlic to paper towels to drain. but keep the oil in pan.

Add the gai lan and 2 tablespoons of the wine and cook, tossing anf stirring to prevent scorching, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the tarmari and the remaining wine; cook 1 minute.

Transfer to warm serving platter and sprinkle with the reserved garlic.

Source: Epicurious.com

Guy Lon (Chinese Broccoli) Stir Fry

- 1 to 1½ pound guy lon with stems separated
- ½ head of diced garlic
- A few slices of ginger
- 1 leveled tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons of peanut or grape seed oil
- ½ teaspoon of sesame oil
- Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Blanch the gai lan stems for 30 seconds in boiling water then add in the leaves and blanch for another 30 seconds. You can peel the skin off the stems if they are too tough to eat. Immerse the blanched gai lan in cold water and then drain. Heat the oil on a wok/pan under high. Add in the ginger then garlic and cook till garlic starts to brown. Add in the gai lan and cook until simmer (about 2 minutes or less). Add in salt, pepper, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir evenly, turn off the heat and serve on a large plate.

Fried gai lan is a perfect side dish to any meal. One traditional way of frying gai lan is to flash it in a vat of hot peanut oil instead of blanching it… it tastes insanely flavorful but it's also very fattening. That method also uses a lot of MSG. The healthiest way to serve gai lan is to simply boil it and serve with a topping of oyster sauce and sesame oil. Whichever way you wanna cook gai lan, it's one of the easiest dark-green vegetables to eat. If you can get your kids to eat gai lan, maybe they'll be willing to try broccoli next.

Source: Loopydetails.com

Dandelion Salad with Warm Pecan Vinaigrette

2 bunches dandelion greens, tough stems discarded
3 T extra virgin olive oil
4 stalks green garlic or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1.5 T balsamic vinegar
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Cut top 5 inches from greens and transfer to a large heatproof serving bowl. Cut remaining greens into 3/4 inch slices and add to bowl.

Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic and nuts and cook, stirring, until garlic is golden. Stir in vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour hot vinaigrette over greens and toss to combine.

Source: adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook by Reichl et al

Spicy Sauteed Dandelion Greens

2 lb dandelion greens, tough stems removed and leaves cut crosswise into 4-inch pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook greens in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until ribs are tender, 4 to 5 minutes, then drain in a colander. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and drain well, gently pressing out excess water.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Increase heat to moderately high, then add greens, red pepper flakes, and salt and sauté, stirring, until liquid greens give off is evaporated, about 4 minutes.

Source: Gourmet, March 2003

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Sauteed-Dandelion-Greens-107815#ixzz12oUrol61

Broccoli Raab and Chickpea Pita Pizzas

2 lg. cloves 1/4 cup 1 can 1/2 cup 1 lg. bunch 1/2 tsp. 3 loaves 1/2 cup

garlic, sliced thin extra-virgin olive oil (19-oz.) can chick-peas, rinsed and drained water broccoli rabe, coarse and hollow stems discarded and the rest chopped (about 9 cups) dried hot red pepper flakes 6-inch pita, halved horizontally to form 6 rounds 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 cook broccoli rabe, turning it with tongs, until wilted. Add remaining 1/4 cup water and pepper flakes and simmer, covered partially, until broccoli rabe is crisp-tender and almost all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Spread rough sides of pita with chick-pea puree and top with broccoli rabe 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 entre or 10 to 12 as an hors d'oeuvre.

Source : Gourmet, December 1994

Broccoli Raab with Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

2 T extra virgin olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 recipe blanched rapini greens (above)

Heat oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in medium skillet over medium heat until garlic begins to sizzle, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, add blanched rapini greens, and cook, stirring to coat with oil, until heated through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt, serve immediately.



Broccoli Raab with Pasta

1 bunch Broccoli Rabe
1 Lb or so of your favorite sausage (no casings, or remove from casings), or vegetarian alternative
4 cloves garlic, or more if you wish
Pasta - Penne is my pic
1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Brown sausage in large skillet (best in bite size crumbles). While sausage is browning, clean Broccoli Rabe and remove only the thick tougher ends of stalks. Chop rabe into bite sized pieces. Drain sausage and set aside. Start your water for the pasta and cook according to directions for aldente pasta. In same large skillet as sausage sauté chopped garlic cloves in a bit of olive oil for a couple of minutes (do not clean pan as remaining fat from sausage will add more flavor). Add Broccoli Rabe and some chicken broth to pan and cook until greens have wilted. Add sausage and heat through. Toss with cooked pasta and enjoy. 

Roasted Pepper Soup

3 large bell peppers (mixed colors)
1 large jalapeno
1 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small potato, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 1/2 c. vegetable stock
1 cup milk, buttermilk, or soy milk

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Seed & cut the peppers & jalapeno in half. Cut a few slits in them to make the pepper halves lay flat. Place in the tin foil. Put in broiler & let roast until charred, 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from broiler & wrap the peppers in the tin foil to steam. Once cooled a bit, remove the peppers from the tin foil pouch & take off the charred skins (I find this easier to do under running water). Chop roughly.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion & sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic & let cook for a minute or two. Add the potato, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & cover then let simmer for about 15 minutes until the potato is tender. Add the chopped peppers & let cook another 5 - 10 minutes. Pureé in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add milk or buttermilk gently heat to serving temperature.