Category Archives: Recipes

Green Garlic Gnocchi

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  • 5 Tbsp. butter, divided
  • 4 green garlics, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more for cooking water
  • 15 oz. whole milk ricotta
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour

In a medium frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Add green garlic and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. In a large bowl, stir ricotta and break up any lumps by mashing them against the side of the bowl. Add green garlic and stir to combine. In a medium bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy. Add eggs to ricotta mixture and stir to combine. Mix in flour. You should have a loose but thick dough. Cover and chill while you prepare the cooking water. Bring a large, wide pan of water to a boil. Add enough salt to make the water taste salty (about 1 Tbsp.) and reduce heat to maintain a steady simmer. Meanwhile, turn oven to 200° and melt remaining 4 Tbsp. butter is a wide baking dish in the oven. Drop small spoonfuls of chilled ricotta mixture into the water, being careful not to crowd the pan. As they cook, the gnocchi will rise to the surface of the water and they must all be able to fit in a single layer. Poach until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to dish with melted butter. Cover dish and return to oven to keep gnocchi wamr. Repeat with remaining batches until all batter is used. Serve gnocchi as soon as possible.

Green Garlic and Greens

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  • 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil or other cooking oil
  • 3 green garlics, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp. salt plus more to taste
  • 2 slices prosciutto, sliced (optional)
  • 1 bunch collard greens, kale, or Swiss chard thinly sliced or chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
  • Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add oil. Swirl and add green garlic and salt. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute. Add prosciutto, if using, and cook, stirring, until it loses its bright pink tone, about 1 minute. Add greens, stir to combine, add 1/4 cup water. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until greens are well wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir, cover, and cook until tender. Depending on the greens used (chard will take a shorter time than the others) and your taste, this will take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste, as you like.

Green Beans and Fennel Ragout

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  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 3 large potatoes cut in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lb green beans
  • 2 cups fennel in 1/4 inch slices
  • 2 pinches saffron threads
  • 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, sauté the garlic and onions in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.  Add the potatoes and tomatoes, thyme and water.  Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Stem the beans and cut to 1 inch pieces.  Add the beans and sliced fennel to the pot along with saffron, orange peel and lemon juice.  Simmer covered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and beans are tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe can be served with hearty peasant style bread and soft cheese like chevre or brie.  The flavors also meld nicely over time and so this dish is great as a leftover.

Green Bean Salad with Prosciutto

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  • 1 Lb. green beans
  • 4 Oz. prosciutto cut into thin strips
  • 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp. ground white pepper
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • ½ medium onion chopped
  • 1 Tbs. fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup shavings of Parmesan cheese

Cook beans in a pot of salted water until tender; approx. 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Allow to dry.  In a large non-stick skillet add prosciutto and onion.  Cook over high heat until onions are translucent and prosciutto starts to crisp.  In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, kosher salt and white pepper.  Whisk in the oil.  Add the prosciutto mixture and the basil and mix well.  Add the beans and cheese shavings and toss gently.  Serve immediately.

Adapted from 1999 Food and Wine Recipes.

Greek Taverna Zucchini with Lemon

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This recipe is excellent.  We thought it was even better the next day.

  • 4 zucchini
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • large pinch of salt
  • large pinch dried oregano
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • 4 Tbs. olive oil
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 15 olives

Slice zucchinis in half lengthwise then cut into large chunks.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add zucchini and cook 10-15 minutes or until quite soft.  Drain.  Crush the garlic in a mortar in pestle with the salt, then rub it into the cut surfaces of the zucchini.  Sprinkle with oregano, lemon juice and olive oil.  Season with pepper.  Garnish with the olives and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4.

From The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook vol. 2.

Gratin of Sorrel and Potatoes

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  • 3 cups sorrel leaves
  • 2 oz. butter
  • 3 lbs yellow Finn potatoes
  • salt and pepper
  • nutmeg
  • 2 cups milk, stock, or combination
  • ¼ cup grated Swiss cheese
  • 2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375 and butter a large baking dish.  Remove stems from sorrel, rinse, and spin dry.  Melt half of butter in sauté pan, add sorrel and cook until completely wilted.  Set aside.

Peel and thinly slice potatoes.  Layer half of the potatoes in the baking dish and season with nutmeg salt and pepper.  Spread the sorrel over the potatoes, layer the remaining potatoes on top, and then pour the liquid over it all.  Cut the rest of the butter into pats and distribute over the top of the potatoes and sprinkle with cheeses.  Bake for 1 hour, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the top is brown.

From Shepherd’s Garden Seed catalog.

Grandma Kate’s Wedding Soup

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  • 2 qts veg. or chicken stock
  • ½ – ¾ lb mixed greens
  • meatballs

Wash the greens, blanch in boiling water or steam briefly.  Form small meatballs (use your favorite recipe or vegetarian meat substitute).  Drop meatballs into simmering stock and cook 10 minutes or until done.  Meanwhile, squeeze the excess water out of the greens, slice them into thin strips, and add to the hot stock just before serving.  Garnish with grated hard Italian cheese.

Giant Lima Beans with Parsley and Sorrel

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  • 2 cups large lima beans, soaked
  • 1 bay leaf, 4 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbs. butter
  • ½ c. finely diced leek or onion
  • 1 c. chopped parsley
  • 2 c. sorrel, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • ¼ c. cream

Drain the beans, then boil in 1 quart fresh water in a soup pot for 10 minutes.  Add the bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and thyme, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add 1 tsp. salt and continue cooking until tender, 15 minutes or so.  Drain, but reserve the broth.  Run your fingers through the beans to loosen the skins, then remove them.  This is a fiddly step, but makes the beans easier to digest and gives them a silky texture.  Melt the butter in a skillet, add the leek or onion and ¾ c. of the parsley and cook over medium heat until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the sorrel and cook until it has wilted.  Stir in 1 cup of the bean broth and simmer until most of it has evaporated.  Add beans, cream and remaining parsley.  Thin with additional broth if necessary.  Taste for seasonings and serve.

From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

Gazpacho

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  • 2 slices whole grain bread or ½ garlic bagel
  • 3 cloves garlic, squeezed
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 onion
  • 1 summer squash
  • 2 basil tips
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 lbs tomatoes
  • ½ lb. green beans
  • 1 sweet pepper

Blend bread, garlic, onion and olive oil in a blender or food processor until smooth.  If needed, add tomatoes for additional liquid.  Trim vegetables of stems and blossom ends, but you do not need to peel them.  Continue adding ingredients until all are included, emptying blender as needed.  Taste and adjust seasonings then chill.  Serve cold with garnish of hard-boiled eggs, chopped onion and croutons.

Serves 4–6.