Roasted Leeks with Herbs De Provence

Roasted Leeks with Herbs De Provence

Adapted from Inspired Taste

•  2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup of chicken or vegetable stock

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Clean the leeks and cut lengthwise into quarters. 
3. In a roasting pan with sides, toss the leeks with olive oil, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper.  Roast the leeks until they are tender for about 35 to 45 minutes. 
4. While roasting add a small amount of broth every 20 minutes to the leeks so they keep moist.

Cucumber and Red Pepper Salad

Cucumber and Red Pepper Salad

Adapted from Pork- Be Inspired

•  2 medium sized cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 jimmy nardello peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley/cilantro or basil, chopped

1.  In medium shallow serving bowl, toss cucumber slices with onion slices and diced red bell pepper.
2. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients and mix well.
3. Drizzle salad with a dressing.
4. Let stand at room temperature, up to 2 hours, until ready to serve.

Provencal Tomato Potato Gratin

Provencal Tomato Potato Gratin

Adapted from Gourmet

•  10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lb medium tomatoes (about 6), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• About 13/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 lb medium red potatoes, scrubbed well
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 cup plain fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• Special equipment: a 3-qt shallow flameproof gratin or casserole dish (about 2 inches deep; not glass)

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Brush a shallow baking pan (1/2 to 1 inch deep) with 2 tablespoons oil. Arrange tomato slices in 1 layer in baking pan and sprinkle with a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast tomatoes until just tender (not falling apart), about 20 minutes.
3. While tomatoes roast, cut potatoes crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and toss with 5 tablespoons oil in a large bowl.
4. Remove tomatoes from oven and put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Arrange potato slices in 1 layer in 2 shallow baking pans (1/2 to 1 inch deep) and sprinkle each pan with a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast potatoes, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until tender, about 16 minutes total.
5. While potatoes roast, mince garlic and mash to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife. Transfer paste to a bowl and stir in bread crumbs, basil, thyme, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
6. Preheat broiler.
7. Arrange tomatoes and potatoes in 1 layer in gratin dish, alternating slices and overlapping them, and spoon any juices from tomatoes into dish. Sprinkle top with bread crumbs and broil 5 to 7 inches from heat, checking frequently after 1 minute (crumbs can brown quickly), until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

cooks’ note: Gratin can be assembled (but not broiled) 1 hour ahead and kept at room temperature.

Roasted Potatoes with Tomatoes, Basil, and Garlic

Roasted Potatoes with Tomatoes, Basil, and Garlic

Adapted from All Recipes

•  2 pounds red potatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In the prepared baking dish, toss the potatoes, tomatoes, basil, and garlic with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the rosemary.
3. Bake 20 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, turning occasionally, until tender.

Arugula Salad with Olive Oil, Lemon and Parmesan Cheese

Arugula Salad with Olive Oil, Lemon and Parmesan Cheese

Adapted from Food Network

• 1 bunch of arugula, washed, dried, and torn
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 lemon, juiced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. In a serving bowl, drizzle the arugula with the oil, squeeze in the lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until well mixed and taste for seasoning.
2. Use a vegetable peeler  or box grater to shave thin pieces of Parmigiano over the top.

Fresh Salsa

Fresh Salsa

Adapted from All Recipes

• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper (including seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Stir the tomatoes, green bell pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, cumin, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Serve.

Amaranth Stir Fry

Amaranth Stir Fry

Adapted from My Home Tastes

• Amaranth  Leaves – 2 bunches or packs,pick leaves and bright pink flower buds (drain then chop finely)
• Onion – 1 large/medium sized finely chopped
• Green chili – 2 sliced
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Garlic – 2 cloves
• Mustard and Chanadal – 1/2 tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsps
• Turmeric powder – 1/6 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt – as per taste.

1. Place a skillet or pan and add oil and heat, Drop the mustard and chanadal and fry a bit till it splutters.
2. Add the chopped onion, green chilli and curry leaves and saute till onion edges turn slightly brown.
3. Sprinkle the turmeric and coriander powders and stir, throw in the chopped leaves and continue stirring till it wilts and cover cook 3-4 mins on low.
4. Now add garlic and salt mix well and fry 3 more mins and turn off heat.
5. Move into a serving dish.

Kale and Basil Pesto

Kale and Basil Pesto

Adapted from Rouxbe Cooking School

• 2 cups kale (approx. 1/2 bunch)
• 1 cup fresh basil (approx. 1 bunch)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts*
• 1/4 cup walnuts*
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or to taste)
• 1 to 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. To make the pesto, first clean, dry and remove the stems from the kale and basil.
2. In a food processor, purée the kale, then remove and set aside. Next, purée the garlic. Add the pine nuts and walnuts and pulse a few times. *Note: You can use any nut or combination of nuts you like—almonds, pine nuts, walnuts all work well. For a nut-free version, either omit the nuts or use sunflower seeds instead.
3. Next, add the puréed kale as well as the basil and pulse a few more times. Once you reach the desired consistency, start to drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Ultimately, you can add as much or as little olive oil as you like.
4. Taste for seasoning, adding nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to taste. Note that the nutritional yeast is optional, but it does add a nice cheesy flavor to the pesto.
5. The pesto will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator, but it will be at its best and brightest if used immediately. Alternatively, it can be frozen for later use.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Adapted from Bon Appetit

•  2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups whole shishito peppers
• Flaky sea salt

1. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cook peppers, turning occasionally, until they begin to blister on all sides.
3. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Tomato, Cucumber and Basil Salad

Tomato, Cucumber and Basil Salad

Adapted from Peta

• 1½ cups chopped English cucumber (about 2)
• 1½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss gently.
2. In a small bowl, combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients. Drizzle over salad, and add basil; toss to coat.
3. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Swiss Chard Tzatziki

Swiss Chard Tzatziki

Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 1 cup Swiss chard, stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 whole-wheat pitas, cut into wedges and toasted

1. Prepare an ice bath; set aside.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
3. Add chard; cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Immediately plunge into ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain.
4. Using a mortar and pestle, grind garlic and salt into a paste.
5. Stir chard, yogurt, garlic paste, oil, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
6. Serve with pita wedges. Tzatziki can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Napa Cabbage Spring Rolls

Napa Cabbage Spring Rolls

Adapted from Recipe.com

• 1 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt

• 4 cups ice cubes

• 1 head napa cabbage or savoy cabbage

• 1 cup shredded or grated carrots

• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (not toasted)

• 1/4 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel

• 2 teaspoons lime juice

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• Soy sauce or teriyaki sauce

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boiling. Slowly add rice and return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until most of the water is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover; let rice cool. Set rice aside.

2. In a 4- to 5-quart Dutch oven, combine 12 cups (3 quarts) water and the 1 tablespoon sea salt. Bring to boiling. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 8 cups cold water and ice cubes.

3. Remove 8 outer leaves from cabbage. Make a cut through each individual leaf at the base where it attaches to the core. Trim out some of the woody stem area from the leaf. Set the remaining head aside.

4. To blanch, carefully add trimmed cabbage leaves to boiling water; cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until just wilted. Cool quickly by plunging cabbage leaves into ice water for 1 minute. Remove individual leaves from water and lay each flat on a cloth towel to dry. Set leaves aside.

5. From the remaining cabbage, finely chop enough to measure 1 3/4 cups. In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped cabbage, carrots, onions, parsley, sesame oil, lime peel, lime juice, the 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.

6. About one hour before serving, assemble rolls. (These rolls benefit from allowing the surface to dry a little, so making them an hour or so in advance of serving is a good idea.) First, squeeze out any excess water from the vegetable filling. Then, on the counter or cutting board, take a blanched cabbage leaf and lay it flat, with the base end toward you. In the center of the leaf, place 1/4 cup of the vegetable filling on center of leaf, then place 2 tablespoons of the rice on top of the vegetable mixture.

7. Roll the base end over the rice and filling. Fold both left and right sides over so that it just covers the opening on the edges. Continue rolling toward the end, wrapping tightly with care not to tear the leaf. Place finished roll on a serving dish with the end tucked under the roll, seam side down. Repeat with remaining leaves, rice and vegetable filling.

8. To serve, if you like, cut each roll in half crosswise on a diagonal to make 16 pieces. Serve with soy sauce or teriyaki sauce.

Quick Cucumber and Shiso Pickles

Quick Cucumber and Shiso Pickles

Adapted from Food 52

•  1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon salt, preferrably sea or kosher
• 5 Japanese cucumbers, or 2 English cucumbers
• 8 shiso leaves

1. Put sugar, vinegar, mirin and salt into a non-reactive bowl. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Slice cucumbers as thinly as possible. (To seed or not is up to you and what you found at the market. With the skinny Japanese cukes or the English version, you should be okay without removing the seeds.)
2. Gather the shiso leaves like a deck of cards, roll into a tube and slice, chiffonade-style, like you would with basil.
3. Add cucumbers and shiso to the marinade and stir. Try to cover the vegetables with the marinade. It’s okay if the liquid doesn’t submerge the cucumbers. They will break down and get smaller as they marinate.
4. Put the mix in the fridge and let marinate for at least 4 hours. Mix a couple of times if you can, but it’s okay if you don’t. Once pointed in the right direction, cucumbers tend to take care of themselves.
5. Serve, icy cold out of the fridge if you can.

Dijon Aioli Roasted Veggies

Dijon Aioli Roasted Veggies

Adapted from Kilpatrick Family Farm

• 2 cup diced nero tondo radishes
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 bunch of kale
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 spring onion
• 3 tbs dijon mustard
• 3 tbs lemonaise (regular mayo will do)
• 2 tbs capers
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt & fresh pepper to taste

1. In a large bowl, whisk mayo, dijon, capers, salt and pepper until blended.
2. Add diced vegetables and toss until coated with aioli.
3. Spread evenly over roasting pan or 1 to 2 cookie sheets. I like to add a little more salt and pepper at this point.
4. Roast for 40 minutes at 450˚, turning vegetables halfway through. Makes about 6 servings.

Lemon Parsley Salad Dressing

Lemon Parsley Salad Dressing

•  1/4 of a preserved lemon, peel only (optional)
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced
• 2 – 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 1 small clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard

If you have some preserved lemons on hand, take 1/4 of one, rinse off the pulp, and mince the peel. Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl or put them in a jar and shake to blend. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. If the dressing is too zingy for you, feel free to add more olive oil to soften the flavor. A bit more salt will help temper the acid, too. Use immediately or store, covered and chilled, up to 1 week (olive oil will solidify in the refrigerator but will melt quite quickly at room temperature again).

Kale and Summer Squash Toasts

Kale and Summer Squash Toasts

Adapted from Food and Wine

• 2 small squash, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise, ½ inch thick
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch of kale, thick stems and ribs discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of peasant bread
• 4 ounces shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (1 1/2 loose cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the squash on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, turning once, until tender and lightly browned.
2. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the kale and cook until it is wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic slices and cook until the kale is tender, about 3 minutes longer. Season the kale with salt and pepper. Add the squash and toss gently to combine.
3. Heat a cast-iron grill pan. Brush the bread with olive oil and grill over high heat, turning once, until toasted. Mound the squash and kale on the toasts, top with the shaved cheese and serve.

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Parsley and Roasted Lemon

Moroccan Carrot Salad with Parsley and Roasted Lemon

Adapted from the Food Network’s website

• 1 large lemon, washed, sliced into thin rounds, and then quartered

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

• 2 pinches cayenne pepper

• ½ teaspoon orange zest, plus ¼ cup orange juice

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 6 carrots, peeled and grated

• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1. Place lemon pieces in a cold skillet. Add a generous amount of oil to cover the bottom of the pan and heat over low heat until the rinds soften and begin to brown and caramelize, about 20 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, add the cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, orange zest, orange juice, salt and pepper.

3. While whisking, pour ¼ cup olive oil.

4. Add carrots, parsley and pine nuts.

5. Remove the caramelized lemon to the bowl using a slotted spoon. Toss and taste for seasoning.

6. Drizzle in some lemon infused oil to taste.

Fennel and Mint Salad

Fennel and Mint Salad

Adapted from James Beard Foundation

• 2 bulbs fennel, fronds removed
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 8 large mint leaves, finely shredded
• 2 ounces shaved Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1. Shave the fennel as thinly as possible, using a mandolin, a meat slicer, or by hand.
2. Place the shaved fennel in a bowl and toss with lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
3. Divide the fennel among four small plates. Scatter some mint on top of each salad and garnish with shaved Parmesan.
4. Enjoy!