Author Archives: Pumpkin Ridge Gardens

Braised Fennel with Diced Vegetables

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  • 2 large fennel bulbs
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fennel greens
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • ¼ tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper
  • ½ c. dry white wine
  • 1 Tbs. butter

Keeping the root end of the fennel bulb intact, halve each bulb lengthwise.  Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the diced vegetables and herbs, and sauté over medium-high heat until the onion begins to color.  Move the vegetables to one side of the pan and add the fennel bulbs, cut sides down.  Spoon the vegetables over and around them, season with salt and pepper and pour in 1 cup of water.  Lower the heat to medium, cover and cook until the liquid has evaporated, 10-12 minutes.  Give the diced vegetables a stir and add ½ cup of water.  Cover and cook until the fennel is tender-firm when pierced with a knife, 15 to 20 minutes.  By this time it should be nicely browned on the bottom.

Remove the vegetables and the fennel to a serving dish, placing the fennel cut side up.  Return the pan to the heat, add the wine and butter, and scrape up the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.  When the wine and butter have reduced by half, add fennel greens, taste for salt, and season with pepper.  Spoon the sauce over the fennel and serve.

Serves 2 to 4.

From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison.

Braised Carrots

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  • 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb. carrots (about 5-6)
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 c. drained, seeded, chopped canned tomatoes
  • ¼ c. fresh mint
  • 3 slices lemon, plus juice from the rest of the lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. anise seed
  • ¼ tsp. ground cumin
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Peel and chop carrots lengthwise into 5×1/2×1/2-inch sticks.  Put oil and carrots in a heavy skillet.  Cook over high heat, stirring often and scraping the browned bits with a wooden spoon, until the carrots have browned nicely, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic, tomatoes, mint, lemon slices, sugar, salt, anise and cumin; mix well.  Cook until bubbling vigorously, then reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes.  Stir, turning the carrots.  Cover and cook until the carrots are very soft, 20 minutes more.  Add lemon juice and season with pepper.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Serves 4. From Eating Well Feb./Mar. 2006.

Braised Beet Greens

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  • 1 pound beet greens (beet tops)
  • 1 small onion, chopped fine
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
  • salt and pepper
  • flavorful vinegar

Heat oil or butter in large skillet. Add chopped onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add greens to onions, stir to coat with oil and lightly salt and pepper. When greens wilt down add 1/4 cup water or broth. Cover and cook until tender – the time will depend on the age of the greens: a minute or two for very young greens, 5 minutes or more for older, tougher ones. Taste to test. Uncover and cook for a minute or two to evaporate moisture. Serve warm, sprinkled with your favorite vinegar.

Bow Ties with Broccoli Pesto

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  • 1 lb. broccoli flowerets (about 7 cups)
  • 2 or 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ c. grated Parmesan
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 ½ tsp. sesame oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 12 oz dried bow tie pasta (farfalle)
  • 1-2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 small tomato, chopped

In a large pan, bring 8 cups water to a boil over medium high heat. Stir in broccoli and cook until just tender to bite (about 7 minutes). Immediately drain broccoli, immerse in ice water to cool, then drain again. In a food processor or blender, combine a third of the broccoli with garlic, cheese, olive oil, sesame oil, salt and 3 Tbsp. of water. Blend until smooth. Scrape down side of container, add half of remaining broccoli, blend until smooth, then repeat with the remaining broccoli. In a large pan, bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil, stir in pasta and cook until just tender to bite, 8-10 minutes. Drain pasta well. Transfer to a large serving bowl and stir in vinegar. Add pesto and mix gently but thoroughly. Garnish with tomato and serve immediately. Serves 4. FromLow-fat Vegetarian Cookbook from Sunset Books 1995.

Bouquet Garni

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  • 1 sprig parsley
  • 1 sprig chervil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 sprig thyme

Tie fresh herbs together with kitchen thread or put dried herbs into a small piece of cheesecloth and tie into bag form. Add to ingredients as directed in recipe. Remove before serving.

Bok Choy with Hot Bacon Sauce

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  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce
  • 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
  • 3 cups chopped bok choy

Combine all but cooking oil and bok choy in a saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet. Add bok choy and stir-fry until crisp tender. Place hot sauce over it when ready to serve.  Serves 6

Bok Choy and Mint Salad

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  • 1 head of bok choy, finely slivered
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 medium shredded carrot
  • 1 cup shelled soy beans

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup minced fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove of minced garlic

Wash and drain bok choy.  In a bowl, combine slivered bok choy, onion, shredded carrot, soy beans.  Place mint, cilantro salt pepper, rice wine vinegar, sugar, mustard and garlic in a blender and puree. Just before serving pour over bok choy and toss ingredients. Dressing the salad at the last minute will keep it nice and crunchy.

Black Kale Gratin

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  • 12 large leaves Toscano kale (or other dark leafy green)
  • 1 Tbs. salt, plus additional to taste
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 ½ Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • ¾ cup whipping cream
  • Pepper to taste

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil.  Wash greens, slip leaves off stem and chop roughly.  When the water is boiling, add 1 Tbs. salt and wait for a rolling boil.  Add the greens top the water and cook no longer than 3 minutes; greens should be wilted, but bright in color.  Drain greens quickly and plunge in a bowl of ice water. Squeeze dry (or use  salad spinner), chop finely and squeeze again.  You should have about 1 ½ cups of very dry greens.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large pan, sauté the sliced onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil until golden (about 10-15 minutes).  Remove from heat and combine greens with the onion mixture.  Stir in the eggs and cream and season with salt and pepper.  Turn the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  If the top isn’t golden and bubbly, broil for a minute or two.

Serves 4.

Adapted from recipe by chef Leather Storrs, Noble Rot, Portland, published in Foodday.

Beets Rolled in Horseradish Butter

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  • 4 beets
  • 2 Tbs Butter
  • 1 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Tbs Freshly Grated Horseradish
  • Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper (to taste)

Begin by scrubbing and cleaning the beets.  Cook beets 30 minutes in lightly salted boiling water, or bake until tender.  Rinse under cool water and slip off the skins.  Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add 1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish root.  Add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar.  Add the cooked beets, stirring gentle to coat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

From The Cook’s Garden.

Beet, Carrot, Apple, Raisin and Walnut Salad

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  • 4 carrots
  • 1 large beet
  • 1 apple
  • ½ c. raisins
  • ½ c. walnuts
  • 2-3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. honey
  • dash of cinnamon

Grate the carrots. Lightly peel the raw beet with a vegetable peeler. Add cut up apple, raisins and nuts (you can toast the nuts for a few minutes in a toaster oven or skillet). Add mayo, lemon juice, honey and cinnamon and stir to mix.