Lentil and Roasted Garlic Soup with Sweet Potato and Kale

The garlic in this recipe takes a little advance planning, but you can make it a day or two ahead while your doing something else in the kitchen and after that, the recipe is a piece of cake. I have also made this with white potatoes or winter squash in place of the sweet potatoes, and every time it is outstanding!

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup French Green Lentils
  • 2 medium leek (white parts and green parts only) thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
  • 7 cups (you may need 1 more) vegetable broth
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup red lentils
  • 1 1/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 12 ounces kale, ribs discarded, leaves sliced
  • fresh grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Place the olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a heavy saucepan and cook over lowest possible heat until the garlic begins to brown (about 1.5 hours). Drain and reserve garlic and oil and separately, cover and chill, discard rosemary. (You can do this up to 2 days ahead of time.)

Place 3 cups water and green lentils in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes, cool and drain. Meanwhile heat 1/4 cup garlic oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add leek and sage and cook until leek is soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add 7 cups broth, soy sauce, green and red lentil to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium, cover and simmer until lentils are almost soft – about 15 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (If you need to add more broth to keep veggies covered, do so by the 1/2 cup-full) Add kale to soup and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper (won’t need much). Serve with Parmesan cheese, sprinkled on top, and warm bread on the side.

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine, March 2006

Leave a Comment

Penne with Arugula and Prociutto

This might be the most delicious 30 minute meal out there is you have a pile of fresh arugula.

(serves 4)

  • 1 pound penne
  • 1/4 pound thin sliced prosciutto, chopped
  • 1 pound arugula, coarse stems discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • salt and fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid and drain pasta. Return pasta to pot and toss with prosciutto, arugula, cheese, zest and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine, adding some cooking liquid if the pasta seems dry.

Recipe  from The Gourmet Cookbook: More than 1000 recipes

Leave a Comment

Coconut Curry Stir Fry

This is a deliciously easy week night dish for any season. Get inspired by combinations of vegetables you have on hand.

(serves 4)
*Be creative and try other veggies: green beans, broccoli, potatoes, eggplant or bok choy are all delicious, just cut the vegetables to be a consistent size. You’ll want to have 6-8 cups in total.

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1-2 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3-4 carrots, sliced, 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons good curry powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
  • cooked long grain white rice for serving

Whisk together coconut milk, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil for 30 seconds. Add the pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, until very fragrant. Stir in the milk mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the wok and heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the veggies and stir fry for about 5-6 minutes until crisp tender, if they start to stick add a bit of water (cooking time may vary slightly with vegetables used). Pour the curry sauce over and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the basil and serve immediately over rice.

Leave a Comment

Basic Applesauce

Applesauce is so easy to make and so delicious. We love making this in the Fall when their is an abundance of apples.

  • 3 pounds apples, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or honey
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a large saucepan, combine apples with 1 cinnamon stick, 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or honey, and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. (If sauce begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add 2 to 4 tablespoons more water.) Remove from heat; discard cinnamon stick. Stir in 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.

Leave a Comment

French Pear Batter Pudding

The first time I made this dessert, I couldn’t believe how simple it was to assemble and how beautiful and delicious it was when baked. Your dinner guests will thank you!

  • (serves 6)
  • 3-4 large ripe pears (about 1/2 pound)
  • butter and sugar for the baking dish
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • batter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 Tablespoons fruit alcohol or rum (optional)
  • confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 1/2 quart baking dish

Heat the oven to 375˚F. Butter the baking dish, sprinkle it with sugar, and turn the dish so it is evenly coated, discarding the excess sugar. Peel, core and slice the pears into 1/8-1/4-inch crescents. Sprinkle the slices with lemon juice so they don’t discolor. Make the batter: Put the sugar in a bowl, add the eggs and whisk for 1-2 minutes until light and frothy. Stir in the flour and salt just until smooth. Don’t beat the batter at this stage as this will make the pudding tough. Stir in the milk, and strain the batter over the pears to remove any lumps of flour. Bake the pudding for 55-65 minutes until it is puffed and brown. It should be firm on the center and have started to pull away from the sides. Let dish cool for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with alcohol, dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Recipe by Anne Willan, from Good Food No Fuss: 150 Recipes and Ideas for Easy to Cook Dishes

Leave a Comment

Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Chipotle Salsa

These are so awesome….

(serves 4)

  • 1 bunch swiss chard, collards, mustard or beet greens or spinach, about 12-oz., touch stems removed
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large or 2 small onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 3 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • about 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese (feta is a nice substitute)
  • 3/4 cup smoky chipotle salsa*

Cut the chard crosswise into 1-2 inch slices. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, until they become golden and caramelized. Add the garlic and red pepper and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the broth, greens and a pinch of salt. Cover reduce heat to low and cook until the greens are almost tender, (spinach will just take about 2 minutes, chard about 5, and heartier greens like collards, about 7-8) stirring occasionally. Remove lid and turn heat back to medium, stirring, until the mixture is nearly dry and adjust salt to taste. Meanwhile, heat a flat skillet over medium-high heat and warm the tortillas for a minute or so per side. Fill the warm tortillas with veggies and top with crumbled queso and salsa.

*You can use your favorite salsa, or make a quick, smokey chipotle salsa.

Recipe by Rick Bayless, from Mexican Everyday (Recipes Featured on Season 4 of the PBS-TV series “Mexico One Plate at a Time”)

2 Comments

Gratin of Summer Vegetables in Pesto

This is a great accompaniment to grilled fish or chicken. I also love it over pasta. Feel free to experiment with the vegetables you use. Eggplant and peppers might also work nicely.

(serves 4-6)

  • 2 medium summer squash (about 3/4 lb.)
  • 2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 lb.)
  • 1lb.. tomatoes
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 batch pesto

Heat the oven to 350˚. Cut zucchini and squash roughly into 3/4” chunks. Toss in a large bowl. Cut tomatoes into 3/4” chunks, discarding cores and add, along with onions to squash. Season with
salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables with pesto so they are evenly coated with sauce. Brush a 1-1/2 quart gratin dish with oil. Spread the veggies in the baking dish and bake until the vegetables are
tender and brown, 40-50 minutes. Serve hot or room temperature.

Recipe adapted from Anne Willan, from Good Food No Fuss: 150 Recipes and Ideas for Easy to Cook Dishes

Leave a Comment

Basil Pesto *make pizza!

I make pesto like mad throughout the summer. Try making it with other herbs, like mint, too.

  • 1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1 bunch, about 8 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
  • 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2-2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, garlic, cheese and a few tablespoons oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour the remaining oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth.

My favorite recipe is to spread it on a pizza topped with slices of tomato and mozzarella cheese. If you’re not up for the task of making dough, you can buy it fresh from almost any local pizzeria. Roll out the dough onto a preheated pizza stone or upside down baking dish, top and bake for 15-20 minutes at about 450˚. You can also freeze the pesto for winter (made without the cheese).

Leave a Comment

Garden Tomato Sauce

If you’ve got lots of tomatoes, this recipe also freezes well. I make a few batches each summer and it is a treat to defrost mid winter!

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 lbs. tomatoes
  • 4 sprigs thyme, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons basil, chopped

Heat the oil in a very large sauté pan or stock pot. Stir in garlic onion, pepper and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and stock, boil until reduced by half. Meanwhile, score tomatoes and cover with hot water in a large bowl. Allow them to soak for several minutes, then peel. Halve tomatoes and squeeze over a mesh strainer to remove seeds and reserve juices.

Chop tomatoes and add with juice and thyme to onion mixture. Simmer, uncover for -45 minutes, stirring often until thick and concentrated. Stir in the basil and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Adapted from a recipe by Anne Willans, from Good Food No Fuss: 150 Recipes and Ideas for Easy to Cook Dishes

Leave a Comment

Secret Chocolate Cake

This recipe was shared with me by a CSA member. It was inredible; moist, rich and delicious!

  • 2 cups beets (about 3 beets)
  • ½ cup applesauce
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 ¼ cups flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup baking cocoa
  • 1 ½ teaspoon. baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Boil beets for 20 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop. Puree with applesauce in a blender and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla, for 2 minutes. Mix into the beet mixture, the flours, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Pour ½ of the mixture into a greased bundt pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the batter in the bundt pan, and then pour the remaining batter on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes.

Recipe from Simply in Season Children’s Cookbook: A World Community Cookbook, by Mark Beach & Julie Kauffman.

Leave a Comment