Category Archives: Recipes

Kale Calzones

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The recipe for kale calzones in The Victory Garden Cookbook is a great way to use your kale.  The following is an outline of the recipe:

Sauté chopped kale in olive oil with garlic, rosemary etc. (blanching the kale first will make it more tender).  Make bread dough, roll out into 8″ rounds, on one half of round place kale, grated mozzarella, and optionally tomato sauce and sausage or salami.  Fold over making a turnover shape, crimp edges and prick top with a fork.  Bake at 375-degree oven for 25 minutes.

Kale and Lamb Saag

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  • 4 lamb shanks
  • 15-20 leaves kale and other greens
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 Tbs. ghee (or butter and oil mixed)
  • 1 tsp. brown mustard seed
  • 1/8 tsp. asafetida
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne
  • ½ tsp. ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 3 Tbs. water
  • 3 Tbs. cream (or use sour cream or yogurt)
  • 2 tsp. salt

Cover lamb shanks with water in a large pot.  Add 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the lamb is starting to loosen from the bone.  If you have time, put boiled lamb shanks onto the grill to brown.  Chop lamb and set aside.

Meanwhile, wash kale and strip leaves off of stems.  Chop coarsely.  Combine cayenne, coriander, black pepper, nutmeg, turmeric and cumin in a small bowl, add water, and stir well.  Melt the butter and oil (or ghee) in a 5-quart pan over moderate heat.  Add mustard seed and cook until it starts to pop.  Add asafetida and let it sizzle, then add spice mixture and onion.  Fry for about 2 minutes.

Add chopped lamb and kale to pan, sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt.  Cover and reduce heat.  Stir occasionally until kale is all bright green.  Add water if necessary.  At this point, the saag can be removed from heat and can sit if necessary.  Before serving, stir in cream and reheat briefly.

Adapted from The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi.

Insalata di Zucchine

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  • 1 pound very thinly sliced zucchini
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 large slivers parmagiano cheese
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Remove their ends and soak the zucchini in a bowl of cold water with a little coarse salt added for half an hour to remove bitter taste. Drain the zucchini, rinse them under cold running water, pat dry with paper towels, and use a mandoline or truffle cutter to thinly slice them. Place the zucchini in a crockery or glass bowl and season with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Refrigerate, covered, for at least half an hour.  When ready, transfer the thinly sliced zucchini to a serving platter, arrange the cheese slivers on top, serve with the Italian parsley leaves.

Adapted from Bugialli’s Italy.

Insalata Caprese

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  • 2 med. cucumbers, thinly sliced
  • 1 pt. Cherry tomatoes, halved or 3-4 slicing tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 3-4 fresh mozzarella balls, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • olive oil
  • 6-8 basil leaves
  • salt and pepper

On a plate, layer cucumbers, tomatoes and mozzarella.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and top with ribbons of sliced basil.  For added tang, sprinkle lightly with balsamic vinegar.

Indian Radish with Chopped Radish Greens

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  • 18-20 medium radishes
  • 1/2 lb. radish greens, chopped
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. ajwain seeds
  • 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne or paprika
  • 2 tsp. maple or brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. fresh lime or lemon juice

Wash and trim radishes, thinly slice.  Place the radishes in a steaming basket, lay greens on top and steam until tender-crisp.  Combine the cumin, coriander and ajwain seeds in a small bowl.  In a large, heavy bottomed nonstick pan, heat the oil over high heat.  When it is hot but not smoking, add the spice seeds and fry until they darken a few shades.  Seconds later, add the radishes and greens.  Stir in the turmeric, cayenne or paprika, and sweetener.  Reduce the heat to moderate and fry for 4-5 minutes.  Remove from the heat, add the salt and lime or lemon juice and toss to mix well.

Serves 4.

Adapted from The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi.

Indian Pumpkin Curry (Sambar)

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The Indian curry served in most western countries is usually a rice dish covered with a thick, yellow sauce containing commercial curry powder. In authentic Indian cooking, there is no specific dish called curry, but there are many dishes with sauces, each made with its own special spices and ingredients. The delicious sauce in pumpkin curry is made with coconut milk and lentils. If you can’t get fresh pumpkin, try making this southern Indian specialty with a winter squash such as acorn or hubbard.

  • 1 small pumpkin or winter squash, about 3 cups chopped
  • 1 cup brown or split red lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
  • 1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 curry leaf, optional

Cut pumpkin into quarters, scrape out seeds, cut off peel, and chop into 1-inch squares. Place lentils in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Remove any inedible objects from lentils while washing. Put 4 cups of water in a large kettle. Add cayenne pepper, cumin, turmeric, and salt and bring to a boil. Add lentils, cover, and lower heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender. If you are using split red lentils, they will cook in about 15 to 20 minutes. Add pumpkin squares to lentils. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. Add coconut milk to kettle and stir. As soon as mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and set aside. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add fenugreek, mustard seeds, onion slices, and curry leaf and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until mixture is brown. Add onion-and-spice mixture to kettle. Cover kettle and let stand 5 minutes. Stir pumpkin curry before serving over rice.

Indian Medley

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  • 3 new potatoes
  • 1 c. snap peas
  • 1 kohlrabi or peeled broccoli stems
  • 2 turnips
  • small head of broccoli
  • 1 apple
  • ¼ cabbage
  • 2 Tbsp.vegetable oil
  • tamari
  • fresh lemon juice
  • 1 15-ounce jar of Curry Simmer Sauce

Chop all the vegetables and saute in vegetable oil.  Season with tamari and lemon juice.  Add simmer sauce.  Serve with fresh cilantro and cashews.

Imam Bayildi (Stuffed Eggplant)

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  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 medium eggplants
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 onions
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Lb tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 Tbs dried oregano
  • ½ tsp sugar (optional)
  • 3 Tbs chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice eggplant in half lengthwise and, using a large frying pan, fry in batches in 1/3 cup olive oil, until brown on both sides (10 -15 minutes).  Blot off excess oil with paper towels. Arrange on shallow baking dish and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the remaining olive oil in a sauce pan, saute onions until they start to color. Add garlic and cumin, fry for 2-3 minutes then add tomatoes, oregano and sugar (if desired).  Pour in 2/3 cup water and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Stir in parsley and divide stuffing into 6 equal portions.  Pile the stuffing on each eggplant half.  Pour 2/3 cup boiling water into the baking dish and cook in oven for 45 minutes.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Serves 6.  Adapted from Easy Vegan.

Hot Wax Bean Chef’s Salad

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For the mustard vinaigrette:

  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 6 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. vodka

For the salad:

  • ½ Lb. wax or other beans trimmed and cut French style
  • 1 small bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
  • 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 scallion or 2 Tbs. onion, minced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ¼ Lb. thinly sliced cooked smoked ham, cut into strips
  • 1Tbs chopped fresh basil
  • 2 cups roughly chopped cooked chicken

To make the vinaigrette: Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then the vodka.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to dress salad.

Cook the beans and bell pepper in boiling, salted water until crisp-tender (about 3 minutes).  Drain. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the scallion or onion and cook for 1 minute.  Add the garlic and cook an additional 3 minutes.  Add the beans and peppers, ham, chicken and basil and cook, tossing continually, until warmed through.  Transfer the salad to a serving dish, pour the chilled vinaigrette over the top and toss at the table before serving.

From Greene on Greens and Grains.