Category Archives: Recipes

Potatoes and Celeriac with Smoky Bacon

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  • 1 lb. potatoes
  • 1 medium celeriac
  • 6 ounces double-smoked bacon, cut into 1/3 in. dice
  • Coarse sea salt

In a large pot of boiling salted water, boil the potatoes until just tender, about 25 minutes.  Peel the celeriac and drop it whole into the boiling water and boil until it can be just pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.  (Undercook both vegetables rather than overcooking). Drain both vegetables.  Peel and halve the potatoes, then slice them 1/3-inch thick.  Likewise, slice the celeriac 1/3-inch thick.  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over low heat until most of the fat has been rendered, about 8 minutes.  Scrape the bacon and the fat onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.  Add the potatoes and celeriac and toss gently to coat.  Spread the vegetables in a single layer and bake for about 15 minutes, or until browned on the bottom and crisp.  Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and serve.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Food and Wine Dec. 2001.

Potato Salad from Perigord

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  • 1 1/2 lbs. potatoes, unpeeled
  • 1 garlic clove, cut
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped sour gherkin
  • 1 Tbsp. capers, drained
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 2 tsp. chopped chives
  • 1 tsp. chopped tarragon
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs, hard boiled
  • 3 Tbsp. vinegar
  • 1/4 c. olive oil, or to taste

To make a Gribache sauce:  mash the egg yolk into a puree with the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  Incorporate the olive oil (or a mix of walnut and peanut oils), using enough to suit your taste. Boil or steam potatoes until tender.  Run under cold water to cool.  Cut into thick slices and keep warm.   Rub the inside of a salad bowl with the cut garlic clove.  Put the potatoes into the bowl with the onion, gherkin, capers, parsley, chives and tarragon, season with salt and pepper.  Pour the sauce over the salad and mix well.  Garnish with chopped egg white.  Serve warm or cold. (The gherkin and capers can be omitted.   Olives can be substituted.  Tarragon is optional and cilantro would work well).

Adapted from Salads by the editors of Time-Life Books

Potato Gnocchi

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  • 2 Lbs Potatoes
  • 1 ¼ cups flour (more if needed)
  • 3 Tbs cold butter
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
  • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pierce the potatoes and bake until tender (45 min. to 1 Hr).  Peel while hot and pass through a food mill or ricer, letting them fall into a large bowl so they stay light and fluffy.  Let cool 15 minutes then sprinkle with the flour and 1 tsp salt.  Using your hands, gently work until you have a smooth, soft dough.  If it seems sticky, add a few Tbs. more flour, but don’t overwork it.  Take ¼ of the dough and roll into a long rope about ½ inch thick.  Cut it diagonally into pieces about ¾ inch long and roll into small balls in your hands.  Set them in a single layer on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.  Repeat with remaining dough, then cover with a towel and refrigerate for a few hours if you are not ready to cook them.

Bring a large casserole or skillet of water to a boil and butter a large gratin dish.  Add salt to the water then lower to a simmer.  Add up to 15 gnocchi and cook gently until they float to the top.  Count to ten and lift them to the dish with a strainer.  Repeat with all the gnocchi.  When you  are ready to eat, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, shave the cold butter over the gnocchi and cover with a thick veil of cheese.  Bake until bubbling and browning, about 25 minutes.  Add fresh pepper and serve.

From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Pot Stickers

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  • 1 cup finely chopped cooked pork tenderloin
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped bok choy or cabbage
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • About 36 won ton wrappers
  • 6 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 cup water
  • Chinese mustard
  • Soy sauce

In a mixing bowl combine pork, bok choy, celery and green onion; mix well. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sherry and 1 teaspoon oil; stir until dissolved. Pour soy mixture over pork mixture; toss to coat. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
Cut won ton wrappers into 4-inch circles with a cookie cutter. (Keep won ton wrappers covered with a dry cloth when not working with wrappers.) Spoon about 2 teaspoons filling in center of one round. Bring up sides and seal edges with water. Transfer to a baking sheet and cover with a dry cloth. Repeat with remaining rounds and filling.

In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Carefully place half the pot stickers in skillet (do not let sides of pot stickers touch). Cook over medium heat 1 minute or until bottoms are browned. Carefully add 1/2 cup water to skillet. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until water evaporates. Add more oil if necessary. Cook uncovered for 1 minute. Transfer pot stickers to a baking sheet. Place in a 250 degrees Fahrenheit oven to keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining pot stickers, oil and water. Serve with Chinese mustard and soy sauce.

Recipe courtesy of the National Pork Producers Council

Portuguese Kale Soup

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  • 6-8 kale leaves
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 lb. potatoes
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1 lb. chicken sausage
  • 2 qts. vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 c. chopped onions
  • 2 c. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 c. chopped carrots
  • 1 1/2 c. cooked kidney beans
  • 2 tsp. chopped garlic
  • salt and pepper

In a large pan, sauté onions, carrots, and garlic in oil and butter, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth and peeled and chopped potatoes. Simmer, partially covered for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Mash potatoes against the side of the pot (or puree with some of the broth and return to pot). Stir in tomato sauce and beans and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add sautéed sausage and kale leaves cut into strips. Cook 5-10 minutes longer and season to taste.

Adapted from The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash.

Portabello Mushrooms filled with Bok Choy and Mint

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  • 4 medium sized portabello mushrooms
  • sea salt/ fresh cracked pepper
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 fresh mozzarella balls, sliced
  • 1 bok choy, chopped
  • 1 tbsp. ginger, sliced
  • 2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ½ onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Remove the stems of the mushrooms, place on a baking sheet, season, and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice. Place in the oven for approx. 4-5 minutes. Remove and put aside.  In a sauce pan add 1 tbsp. Olive oil, heat, add onion, season, and saute for 2 minutes, add ginger and bok choy and saute an additional minute, add fresh mint  Place the saute in the mushrooms, top with fresh mozzarella and place back in the oven for 5-7 minutes.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Ponzu Grilled Salmon with Golden Beet Couscous

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Couscous:

  • 1  teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
  • 2  tablespoons  thinly sliced peeled shallots (about 1 large)
  • 8  ounces small golden beets, thinly sliced, peeled, and quartered (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1  cup  uncooked Israeli couscous
  • 2  cups  water
  • 1/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1  cup  raw spinach leaves, trimmed

Sauce:

  • 1/2  cup  fresh orange juice
  • 2  tablespoons  brown sugar
  • 3  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2  tablespoons  sake (rice wine)
  • 1  tablespoon  fresh lime juice
  • 1/2  teaspoon  cornstarch
  • 1/8  teaspoon  crushed red pepper

Remaining ingredients:

  • 4  (6-ounce) salmon fillets with skin (about 1 inch thick)
  • Cooking spray
  • Lime wedges (optional)

To prepare couscous, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and beets; sauté 5 minutes or until shallots are tender and just beginning to brown. Stir in couscous; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add water and salt; cover and simmer 8 minutes or until couscous is tender. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Toss gently until combined and spinach wilts. Keep warm.

To prepare sauce, combine orange juice and next 6 ingredients (through red pepper) in a small saucepan, stirring well with a whisk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute.

To prepare fish, brush cut sides of fillets with 1/4 cup sauce; place, skin sides up, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill salmon, skin sides up, 2 minutes. Turn salmon fillets; brush with remaining 1/4 cup sauce. Grill 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or desired degree of doneness. Serve with couscous and lime wedges, if desired.

Yields 4 servings.

Adapted from Kathryn Conrad, Cooking Light, JUNE 2005

Polenta with Braised Root Vegetables

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Start the polenta before you begin the braised vegetables. By the time the polenta is ready, you’ll have a wonderful topping and a comforting winter meal.

  • 1 cup polenta
  • 1 scant teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut in small dice
  • 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut in small dice
  • 1 medium parsnip, peeled, cored and cut in small dice
  • 1 large or 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice or crushed tomatoes
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or oil a 2-quart baking dish. Combine the polenta, salt and water in the baking dish. Place in the oven on a baking sheet. Bake 50 minutes. Stir in the butter, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the polenta is soft and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the cheese, if using. While the polenta is baking, cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, rutabaga and parsnip, and then season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir together for about a minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes with their liquid, a pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked down and fragrant. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt, and remove from the heat. Serve the polenta with the vegetables spooned on top.

Poached Brussels Sprouts on a Parsnip Bed

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  • 1lb parsnips
  • 3-4 cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp coriander seeds
  • 4 oz butter
  • 1lb Brussels sprouts
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • 3/4 chicken or vegetable stock
  • freshly grated nutmeg

Peel the parsnips, cut them up roughly and steam or boil until soft. Extract the seeds from the cardamom pods, then grind finely in a coffee grinder with the coriander seeds. Put a dry frying-pan over a fairly low heat, add the ground spices and stir for a minute, then add half the butter. Stir until melted and remove from the heat. Purée the parsnips in a food processor with the spiced, melted butter and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Spread the parsnip purée in a large, round and shallow serving dish, bringing it up slightly around the edge. Loosely cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven.

Trim the sprouts if necessary and slice thinly lengthways. Peel the garlic and slice thinly crossways. Heat the remaining butter and stock in a pan over a medium heat. When the mixture is bubbling, add the sprouts and garlic. Cover and simmer for three to four minutes, until the sprouts are bright green and tender. Remove the lid and stir the sprouts around over a higher heat until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat, taste and season if needed. Spoon the sprouts on the parsnip purée, leaving it showing round the side. Grate a generous amount of nutmeg over the sprouts and serve at once.

The parsnips can be cooked in advance and reheated and the sprouts take only a few minutes to cook, at the last moment.

Pizza Primavera

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For the dough:

  • ½ tsp. active yeast
  • ¼ cup warm water
  • 1 ½ cups unbleached flour
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil

For the topping:

  • 2-3 fresh onions, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 2 Tbs. olive oil
  • 6 large plum tomatoes (canned or frozen)
  • 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • ¼ – ½ cup sliced black olives
  • ½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella or 8-oz. soft goat cheese

In a small bowl, stir the yeast in the water and set aside until foamy.  Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in the center.  Add the beaten egg and olive oil in the well and begin incorporating the flour.  As you mix, stir in the dissolved yeast.  Continue mixing until a supple dough forms; you may need to adjust either the water or flour.  Knead the dough until silky smooth, transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover loosely with wax paper and let rest.  Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan or casserole, cook the onions and garlic in the olive oil over low heat until thoroughly softened and lightly golden; approx. 20 mins.  Add chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often until the mixture is very thick; approx. 15 mins.  Season with salt and pepper and let cool.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, divide the dough into two pieces and roll each piece out into an 8 inch crust.  Place the crusts on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, spread with the onion mixture, scatter zucchini, mushrooms, olives etc. and top with your choice of cheese.  If using the goat chesse or other soft cheese scatter in small pieces.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden.  Can be served hot or at room temperature.