Category Archives: Recipes

Orecchiete with Sausage and Sorrel

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Kosher salt and pepper

4 ounces bulk Italian sausage (chicken or pork)

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Pinch ground nutmeg

4 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed

5 teaspoons olive oil

1/3 cup heavy cream

8 ounces (2 1/4 cups) orecchiette

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

1 cup sorrel leaves, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

Pulse mushrooms in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 12 pulses. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and brown with a pinch of nutmeg, breaking into pieces. Transfer sausage to bowl and add cream; set aside. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. While pasta cooks, return now-empty skillet to medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil, mushrooms, and pinch salt; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon oil, remaining garlic, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until completely evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in sausage-cream mixture and 1/3 cup reserved cooking water and simmer 1 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in Pecorino until smooth. Add sauce, sorrel, and lemon juice to pasta and toss well to coat. Before serving, adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed and season with salt and pepper. Serves 2. Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Jan./Feb. 2014.

 

Lentil Soup with Winter Squash and Greens

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1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. cumin

1 c. red lentils

4 c. chicken stock

1 14 ½-oz can diced tomatoes

2 c. chopped winter squash, ½ in. cubes

4 c. chopped mixed greens

1 tsp. smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add lentils and broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer 15 minutes or so, until red lentils have broken down. Add chopped winter squash, tomatoes, greens and paprika. Simmer until squash is tender, 15-20 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 6 servings.

Cipollini and Carrots with Short Ribs

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4 pounds beef short ribs

About 1/2 tbsp. kosher salt

About 1/2 tbsp. pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup coarsely chopped onion

1 cup coarsely chopped carrot

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

3 large garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3 tablespoons flour

1 bottle (750 ml.) dry red wine

About 2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick (2 in. long)

1 1/4 pounds small carrots, trimmed

1 1/4 pounds cipollini onions, peeled

Preheat oven to 300°. Rinse and dry short ribs. Sprinkle all over with 1/2 tbsp. each salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp. oil and the butter to a large, deep ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown short ribs all over, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl as done. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and ginger to pot and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are beginning to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Add cumin and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring often, until golden brown. Pour wine and 2 cups broth into pot and add peppercorns and cinnamon stick; stirring constantly, bring to a boil. Return short ribs and any accumulated juices to pot. Liquid should just cover them; add a little more broth if necessary. Cover and bake until meat is very tender when pierced, 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, spread small carrots and cipollini onions in a 9- by 13-in. baking pan. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp. oil and mix to coat; cover with foil. Set in oven after ribs have baked about 1 1/2 hours, and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and roast until vegetables are tender when pierced and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes longer. If necessary, broil 4 to 6 in. from heat to brown a little more, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lift ribs from cooking liquid, cover, and keep warm. Strain liquid into a wide pan, skim off fat, and boil until sauce is reduced to about 2 cups and coats the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Arrange ribs in wide, shallow bowls. Spoon carrots and cipollini onions around them and drizzle with a little sauce. Serve remaining sauce on the side. From myrecipes.com.

Chimichurri

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¾ cup parsley, large stems removed

1/3 c. mint leaves

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

1 small green garlic, white and pale green part chopped

4 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

½ Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Can be covered and stored in the fridge for a few days until needed. Makes about ¾ cup.

BAKED EGGS IN SPAGHETTI SQUASH NESTS

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1¾ cups cooked spaghetti squash

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, minced

8 eggs plus 1 egg white

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

⅛ tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. chickpea flour (can also use coconut flour or another gluten-free flour)

⅓ cup Parmesan, grated

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the cooked spaghetti squash in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until tender, about 4-6 minutes. Add the onion to the bowl with spaghetti squash noodles, along with the egg white, garlic powder, salt, pepper, flour, and cheese, and mix well. Scoop a little less than ¼ cup of the noodle mixture into each muffin tin. Using your fingers or a spoon, press the squash noodles down and around the sides of the muffin cup. This will create your nest. Place the nests into the oven and bake for 16-20 minutes, or until the top edges become golden and crispy. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees and remove the muffin tin from the oven. Crack 1 egg into each tin, taking care not to overflow the nest. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the egg whites are fully cooked and no longer transparent. (For fully cooked-through eggs, cook 2-5 minutes longer). From Lacey Baier of A Sweet Pea Chef (asweetpeachef.com)

ASIAN RADISH SALAD

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15-20 radishes, with greens

1 small shallot or onion, minced

2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. fish sauce

½” knob ginger, peeled and grated

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. sugar (optional)

½ tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Soak chopped onion or shallot in vinegar or lime juice while preparing the rest of the salad. Slice radish roots and greens thinly. Whisk remaining ingredients into onion-vinegar mixture. Taste for balance and add radishes. Serve.

ZESTY GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

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ZESTY GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

 

4 med. green tomatoes

3 Tbs. ghee or veg. oil

1 Tbs. minced hot peppers

½ tsp. black mustard seeds

8-10 curry leaves

1/8 tsp. saffron threads

2 Tbs. finely chopped candied ginger

½ cup diced under-ripe mango

½ tsp. salt

2 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro

 

Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and peel.  Cut each tomatoes in half, squeeze out as many seeds as possible and dice.  Heat the ghee or oil in a frying pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking.  Drop in mustard seeds and cook until they start to “pop”.  Add the curry leaves, and in seconds carefully add the tomatoes and saffron.  Stir and cook for 15 minutes over low heat.  Add the ginger, mango and salt.  Cook additional 15 minutes stirring often until thick.  Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the cilantro and let cool.  Serve at room temperature.  From The Best Of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi

Fried Green Tomatoes

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Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are extremely easy to make.  On a plate or in a shallow bowl, beat 1-2 eggs.  Cut green tomatoes approx. ¼ to ½ inch thick, dip in egg, coat with bread crumbs and fry in a small amount of butter.  Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the fried slices and serve

Cream of Green Tomato Soup

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CREAM OF GREEN TOMATO SOUP

Base:

3 onions

10 green tomatoes

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

4 Tbs butter

 

For each 2 cups of base, add:

1 ½ cups half-and-half

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

 

Cut onions and cook slowly in butter in a large heavy pot.  When they are soft, add cut, cored but not peeled tomatoes.  Cook slowly for 30 minutes, cover pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Add broth and pass the soup through a strainer or food mill to remove the seeds and skin.  This is the base of the soup, which can be frozen for later use.

 

When ready to use, stir in half-and-half, sugar and salt.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve hot or chilled topped with a Tbs of sour cream.  From Classic American Food Without Fuss by McCullough and Witt.

Prima Sweet Tomato Pie

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Prima Sweet Green Tomato Pie

 

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

4 cups finely chopped green tomatoes

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup raisins, mixed jumbo

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

 

Make a pie crust and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Divide the dough in half. Place 1 piece of the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to an 11-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the crust with scissors or a sharp knife to within 1/2-inch of the outer rim.  In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture across the bottom of the prepared pie crust. Add the tomatoes, raisins and lemon juice to the bowl with the remaining flour mixture and toss to coat. Spoon the tomato mixture into the pie shell and dot with the butter. Roll out the remaining crust on a lightly floured surface. Place on top of the tomato filling and tuck the overlapping crusts into the pan, forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges to seal and cut small 1/2-inch long vents in a decorative pattern along the top crust. With a pastry brush, brush the top of the crust with the cream, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.