Tragically, the rains over the past few days wiped out the strawberries at our CSA this week. No (backbreaking) strawberry picking this year. I really am disappointed. I don't think I've ever tasted better strawberries than the ones I ate warm off the vine up at the farm. Until yesterday.
Yesterday, I ate the first ripe strawberry off the vine of my strawberry plants that I have been tending to for the last month or so. I meant to take a picture, but it made it to my mouth before the camera made it into my hand. Sorry about that. Can't wait for a few more to turn that gorgeous red so I can eat them sun warmed right in the garden. YUM.
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Radish
.JPG)
I just had to share this with you. I grew this radish from seed in the raised bed in my back garden. I planted it on March 19th and harvested it in late April. It took some water, some TLC (like covering it when it snowed and on cold nights) and some patience. It was two bites...and it was perfection. Gardening is really cool.
Rrrrrrrrrapini! (Spicy broccoli rabe with orecchiette)
I'm afraid I'm going to wax poetic about a vegetable today. Last night was the first time I cooked broccoli rabe (aka rapini). It's a rare day when I see it in the store, but I noticed it last week, so I snapped it up. I've planted quite a lot of it this year, both in pots and in the ground; we'll see how it does. In the meantime, I wanted to confirm that my vague recollections of it were accurate in their remembered rapture. Mission accomplished.
Rapini is a stalky, leafy green with small buds and flowers. It is cooked like a green. To prepare it, you need to cut off the bottom of the stalk roughly just below where the leaves begin. Then cut it into 1-2 inch lengths and plunge into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. It is a little bit peppery (though that can vary by batch), and has a lovely flavor and multiple interesting textures (stalk, leaf, bud, flower). It is all edible, though the bottoms that you cut off are too tough to eat.
I made a very simple preparation of spicy broccoli rabe with orecchiette pasta (little ear shaped pasta which is easier to find dried in your local grocery than you might expect). It came together in about 15 minutes. I think it disappeared from our plates in less time than that. If you see broccoli rabe in the store, don't hesitate - buy it! Then try this very simple preparation. You won't be sorry.
Spicy rapini with orecchiette
Serves 4
1 lb dried orecchiette (whole wheat if you can find it!)
1.5 lb bunch rapini/broccoli rabe (use more if you like your veggie to pasta ratio to be higher!)
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic (or more if you love garlic)
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (omit to feed vegans)
salt, to taste
Bring a very large pot of salted water to boil (preferably with a colander insert). Plunge the rapini into the boiling water and let it boil rapidly for 2 minutes. Remove the rapini from the water and drain well.
Add dried pasta to the still boiling water (and perhaps a little more salt) and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile (when the pasta is at least 1/2 done), heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until it is lightly golden. Add the rapini and the red pepper flakes and toss to coat with the olive oil. Saute until heated through.
Drain the pasta well, reserving a mug full of pasta water. Toss the pasta in the saute pan with the rapini and add pasta water until you are satisfied with the consistency of the 'sauce'. Add the grated cheese and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with steamy, grilled garlicky bread.
Rapini is a stalky, leafy green with small buds and flowers. It is cooked like a green. To prepare it, you need to cut off the bottom of the stalk roughly just below where the leaves begin. Then cut it into 1-2 inch lengths and plunge into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. It is a little bit peppery (though that can vary by batch), and has a lovely flavor and multiple interesting textures (stalk, leaf, bud, flower). It is all edible, though the bottoms that you cut off are too tough to eat.
I made a very simple preparation of spicy broccoli rabe with orecchiette pasta (little ear shaped pasta which is easier to find dried in your local grocery than you might expect). It came together in about 15 minutes. I think it disappeared from our plates in less time than that. If you see broccoli rabe in the store, don't hesitate - buy it! Then try this very simple preparation. You won't be sorry.
Spicy rapini with orecchiette
Serves 4
1 lb dried orecchiette (whole wheat if you can find it!)
1.5 lb bunch rapini/broccoli rabe (use more if you like your veggie to pasta ratio to be higher!)
1/4 c olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic (or more if you love garlic)
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (omit to feed vegans)
salt, to taste
Bring a very large pot of salted water to boil (preferably with a colander insert). Plunge the rapini into the boiling water and let it boil rapidly for 2 minutes. Remove the rapini from the water and drain well.
Add dried pasta to the still boiling water (and perhaps a little more salt) and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile (when the pasta is at least 1/2 done), heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes until it is lightly golden. Add the rapini and the red pepper flakes and toss to coat with the olive oil. Saute until heated through.
Drain the pasta well, reserving a mug full of pasta water. Toss the pasta in the saute pan with the rapini and add pasta water until you are satisfied with the consistency of the 'sauce'. Add the grated cheese and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with steamy, grilled garlicky bread.
Mother's Day Brunch Casserole
Yesterday was Mother's Day, and like so many holidays in my family, we center activities on special days around food. My brother had the ingenious idea of bringing brunch/brinner *to* Mom. I volunteered to do the main dish, and also made some (partially whole grain) banana bread to accompany.
I wouldn't ordinarily think of serving eggs in the middle of the afternoon, but I had brunch stuck in my head, so that's just what happened. I have several good breakfast cookbooks (though some would be a little to 'earthy' for some folks' taste!). I turn to them for recipes or just inspiration when I'm responsible for part of meal. Two books came into play when I was browsing for ideas.
Gale Gand's Brunch was recommended on someones food blog recently (can't remember whose!), and I've been pouring over its interesting, innovative and elegant recipes in recent weeks. While I didn't use it for yesterday's meal, I would highly recommend taking a look at it, especially if you're having a more intimate gathering where you do not have to cook for a large number of people.
I did however use a recipe from the Big Book of Breakfast (a wonderful gift from my sister in law, Kathy) to jump off into my own creation. Here's what I ended up with:
Mother's Day Brunch Casserole
12 large eggs (preferably cage free, humanely raised)
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1 1/4 c milk (skim is fine)
1.5 c cheddar cheese
1.5 c jack or blend
12 oz bulk Italian sausage (you may use pork or chicken; I used pork here. Again, preferably humanely raised)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (button or cremini)
14 oz asparagus (please leave this out if it's not in season! Use something else that *is* in season.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 baking pan. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and begin to brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. After about 5 minutes, add the mushroom and saute for a further 5 minutes. If using asparagus, add and saute for a final 3-4 minutes. Sausage should no longer be pink. (If using another vegetable, add earlier or later depending on how long it needs to cook to become somewhat tender). Pour the sausage mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk your 12 eggs. In a measuring cup, add a splash of the milk (about 1/4 cup) and your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and mustard powder), and whisk to remove lumps as best possible. Add the remainder of the milk to the measuring cup, then add the contents of the measuring cup to the eggs and whisk vigorously to blend. Add 1/2 of the cheeses to the egg mixture and whisk to mix. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture in the baking pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese*. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with a green salad and some fresh fruit.
Serves 8 hungry people.
*You may reduce the cheese a bit if you would like. It won't suffer terribly if you leave out 1/2 -3/4 cup to save a few calories.
I left our Mother's Day celebration without any leftovers. There were 8 of us. My favorite thing is to leave empty handed!
I wouldn't ordinarily think of serving eggs in the middle of the afternoon, but I had brunch stuck in my head, so that's just what happened. I have several good breakfast cookbooks (though some would be a little to 'earthy' for some folks' taste!). I turn to them for recipes or just inspiration when I'm responsible for part of meal. Two books came into play when I was browsing for ideas.
Gale Gand's Brunch was recommended on someones food blog recently (can't remember whose!), and I've been pouring over its interesting, innovative and elegant recipes in recent weeks. While I didn't use it for yesterday's meal, I would highly recommend taking a look at it, especially if you're having a more intimate gathering where you do not have to cook for a large number of people.
I did however use a recipe from the Big Book of Breakfast (a wonderful gift from my sister in law, Kathy) to jump off into my own creation. Here's what I ended up with:
Mother's Day Brunch Casserole
12 large eggs (preferably cage free, humanely raised)
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1 1/4 c milk (skim is fine)
1.5 c cheddar cheese
1.5 c jack or blend
12 oz bulk Italian sausage (you may use pork or chicken; I used pork here. Again, preferably humanely raised)
8 oz sliced mushrooms (button or cremini)
14 oz asparagus (please leave this out if it's not in season! Use something else that *is* in season.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray a 9 x 13 baking pan. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and begin to brown the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. After about 5 minutes, add the mushroom and saute for a further 5 minutes. If using asparagus, add and saute for a final 3-4 minutes. Sausage should no longer be pink. (If using another vegetable, add earlier or later depending on how long it needs to cook to become somewhat tender). Pour the sausage mixture into the prepared baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk your 12 eggs. In a measuring cup, add a splash of the milk (about 1/4 cup) and your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and mustard powder), and whisk to remove lumps as best possible. Add the remainder of the milk to the measuring cup, then add the contents of the measuring cup to the eggs and whisk vigorously to blend. Add 1/2 of the cheeses to the egg mixture and whisk to mix. Pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture in the baking pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheese*. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with a green salad and some fresh fruit.
Serves 8 hungry people.
*You may reduce the cheese a bit if you would like. It won't suffer terribly if you leave out 1/2 -3/4 cup to save a few calories.
I left our Mother's Day celebration without any leftovers. There were 8 of us. My favorite thing is to leave empty handed!
Cookbook note
A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen: Easy Seasonal Dishes for Family and Friends by Jack Bishop
My review Rating: 4 of 5 stars
At least one dinner this week will come from this book. Probably a red curry spring vegetable stir fry. The cookbook is arranged seasonally, which I'm always a big fan of. The spring section is perhaps the least inspiring to me (though I couldn't pinpoint why), but there are a few really good recipes in there (roasted asparagus with egg on feta toast - yum!). Overall this is a really good cook book (though not as good as Vegetables Every Day). Recipes are fairly easy, use fresh, seasonal ingredients and can serve as inspiration for your own modifications.
View all of my reviews...
Curry in a hurry
I sometimes forget how easy it is to put together a curry dish. All you really need is a can of coconut milk and some curry paste. Add some meat and/or veggies and voila, you've got dinner.
I had some cooked butternut squash and a random assortment of veggies piled up in the fridge, so that's what I will list in my recipe, but keep in mind, you could use nearly anything in here, just adjust cooking times accordingly. You want the vegetables to retain some texture and character, but you don't want them raw. I waited until nearly the last moment to add the green onions to ensure their flavor was very fresh and they were still crunchy.
I served this over quick barley, though you could use any grain. Whole wheat cous cous or brown rice would be particularly good here.
Springtime curry
1 tablespoon olive, peanut or canola oil (not extra virgin, please)
1 medium/large yellow onion, cut in a large dice
3 medium carrots
1.5 cups cubed and peeled butternut squash
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal, dark green tops composted/discarded
1 can regular or light coconut milk
1/2 cup stock or broth (chicken or veggie)
2 tablespoons prepared green curry paste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
12 large shrimp (optional)
Heat a very large skillet and the oil over medium high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, carrot and butternut squash and sautee until vegetables are softened somewhat, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger (if you wish) and curry paste and sautee while stirring for 90 seconds until blended. Add coconut milk and broth and stir. Reduce heat slightly and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Bring heat back up to medium, add green onions and shrimp and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice, sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve over rice or another grain. Serves 4 (ish).
As I mentioned, use whatever you've got on hand. Diced potatoes would do well here, as would most root veggies. Halved cherry tomatoes added at the same as the green onion would brighten things up. You could switch it entirely in the summer using summer squashes, fresh spinich, green beans and the like. If you want more heat, add a diced fresh chile or some dried chili flakes. The possibilities are endless. The results will be yummy!
I had some cooked butternut squash and a random assortment of veggies piled up in the fridge, so that's what I will list in my recipe, but keep in mind, you could use nearly anything in here, just adjust cooking times accordingly. You want the vegetables to retain some texture and character, but you don't want them raw. I waited until nearly the last moment to add the green onions to ensure their flavor was very fresh and they were still crunchy.
I served this over quick barley, though you could use any grain. Whole wheat cous cous or brown rice would be particularly good here.
Springtime curry
1 tablespoon olive, peanut or canola oil (not extra virgin, please)
1 medium/large yellow onion, cut in a large dice
3 medium carrots
1.5 cups cubed and peeled butternut squash
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (optional)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, sliced on the diagonal, dark green tops composted/discarded
1 can regular or light coconut milk
1/2 cup stock or broth (chicken or veggie)
2 tablespoons prepared green curry paste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
12 large shrimp (optional)
Heat a very large skillet and the oil over medium high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, carrot and butternut squash and sautee until vegetables are softened somewhat, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger (if you wish) and curry paste and sautee while stirring for 90 seconds until blended. Add coconut milk and broth and stir. Reduce heat slightly and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Bring heat back up to medium, add green onions and shrimp and cook until shrimp are opaque throughout, about 4 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice, sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve over rice or another grain. Serves 4 (ish).
As I mentioned, use whatever you've got on hand. Diced potatoes would do well here, as would most root veggies. Halved cherry tomatoes added at the same as the green onion would brighten things up. You could switch it entirely in the summer using summer squashes, fresh spinich, green beans and the like. If you want more heat, add a diced fresh chile or some dried chili flakes. The possibilities are endless. The results will be yummy!
Glazed radishes
Last night I was too lazy to make anything very complicated, so to accompany our mostly from-the-freezer dinner, I made some glazed radishes. It isn't always easy or intuitive to eat seasonally, what with strawberries and asparagus basically available all year long in your local store. However, radishes are no-brainer spring crop. Cooking them isn't something most people think of though.
If you think radishes are too spicy, or even if you don't like them at all, definitely give them a shot cooked. Here's a very easy recipe for glazed radishes.
Glazed Radishes
Adapted from Vegetables Everyday by Jack Bishop
Serves 2
1 bunch radishes (any color is fine)
1/4 red onion, diced
1/3 cup stock or broth
generous splash of white wine
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Trim greens from the radishes and compost (or discard if you must). Clean the radishes and slice in half or in quarters for large (golf ball sized) radishes. Heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add red onion and saute 3-5 minutes until quite soft and it loses some of its color. Add the radishes and stir to coat with the butter (add more butter if need be).
Add stock and white wine, reduce heat slightly and put a tight fitting lid on your pot. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring heat back up to medium and reduce remaining liquid for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve as a side to any wonderful springtime dinner.
Recipe can be easily doubled.
All I can hope for at this point is that the radishes I planted in the raised bed before all this freaky spring snow came out of nowhere decide to sprout in the next few days of warmth, or I'm back to the spring gardening drawing board (and to more supermarket shopping - ugh).
Bon appetit!
If you think radishes are too spicy, or even if you don't like them at all, definitely give them a shot cooked. Here's a very easy recipe for glazed radishes.
Glazed Radishes
Adapted from Vegetables Everyday by Jack Bishop
Serves 2
1 bunch radishes (any color is fine)
1/4 red onion, diced
1/3 cup stock or broth
generous splash of white wine
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley
Trim greens from the radishes and compost (or discard if you must). Clean the radishes and slice in half or in quarters for large (golf ball sized) radishes. Heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add red onion and saute 3-5 minutes until quite soft and it loses some of its color. Add the radishes and stir to coat with the butter (add more butter if need be).
Add stock and white wine, reduce heat slightly and put a tight fitting lid on your pot. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring heat back up to medium and reduce remaining liquid for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve as a side to any wonderful springtime dinner.
Recipe can be easily doubled.
All I can hope for at this point is that the radishes I planted in the raised bed before all this freaky spring snow came out of nowhere decide to sprout in the next few days of warmth, or I'm back to the spring gardening drawing board (and to more supermarket shopping - ugh).
Bon appetit!
Springtime risotto
It was 82 degrees yesterday. Blazing sunshine, singing birds, leaves budding on the trees, grass green on the lawns (well, not so much our lawn). I was inspired to cook something very spring-ish. Given the temperature, I'm surprised I wanted to fire up the cooktop, but I had the ingredients on hand for a yummy spring risotto, so I went ahead and did it.
Green screams spring, so some fresh zucchini was in order. We can't get proper, fresh peas in Colorado (or at least not quickly enough to use them before they lose their sweetness), so I dug some frozen peas out of the icebox, as well as some frozen fava beans as I haven't seen fresh in my market yet.
A moment on fava beans. Despite the fact that they are EXTREMELY labor intensive to cook fresh, they are worth it. You can find a zillion recipes on the web, but I would pick up a vegetable cookbook from the library such as Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop and experiment with the recipes therein. Or, be lazy and buy them frozen, or just order them anytime you see them on the menu in a restaurant in the springtime. They are delicious and different and extremely fleeting. Enjoy them in their short and delectable season.
I had a handful of shrimp in the freezer and some grains in the pantry. I decided to use barley for a change and a little healthful kick. There's always butter and parmesan in the fridge and stock in the pantry, so I was set to cook. I made enough for 2-3 servings.
I followed the typical risotto methodology. I put about 6 cups of chicken (or vegetable) broth on the back burner over low heat. I melted a knob of butter over medium heat and lightly sauteed two small cut up zucchini for about 8 minutes then removed with a slotted spoon. Next, I sauteed the thawed shrimp (about 4 per person will do) in the same non-stick pan until pink and cooked through, then removed with the same slotted spoon.
I diced a small onion and put it in the same pan with a little oil. After it softened over low heat (took about 5 min), I raised the heat back to medium and added 3/4 cup of rinsed barley. I let it toast over the heat for about 3 minutes, then added 1/3 cup of dry Vermouth (or white wine or whatever you feel like/have on hand). Stirring with some frequency, I waited for the vermouth to cook in.
Once the vermouth is in, it's risotto time. Add broth, one cup (or large ladleful) at a time and stir it in/then stir occasionally until it is absorbed. Do this again and again (for about 30 minutes) until the grain has released its starch and become creamy. Start tasting after 30 minutes and continue to add liquid until it reaches your desired consistency. I keep the kettle full of water (it's electric) so I can add water if I run out of broth.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it's not. You don't have to stand directly over the stove the entire time (though you do need to be close by). You can have a conversation with guests and do this 30 minute part through the end. And there's great satisfaction to making something slowly, bringing it along by hand and having an amazing result. Try it once. Just try it!
Once you've hit creamy and delicious, add the sauteed zucchini and shrimp, the thawed peas and fava beans (or whatever veg you're in the mood for) and sautee/warm through for 2-3 min. Then, remove the pan from heat, add a knob of butter and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, stir it in, then put on a lid and wait for 2 minutes. Lift the lid, give it another stir and serve immediately, garnished with a bit more cheese or fresh herbs (chives would be great here) if you wish.
Voila and yum!
Green screams spring, so some fresh zucchini was in order. We can't get proper, fresh peas in Colorado (or at least not quickly enough to use them before they lose their sweetness), so I dug some frozen peas out of the icebox, as well as some frozen fava beans as I haven't seen fresh in my market yet.
A moment on fava beans. Despite the fact that they are EXTREMELY labor intensive to cook fresh, they are worth it. You can find a zillion recipes on the web, but I would pick up a vegetable cookbook from the library such as Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop and experiment with the recipes therein. Or, be lazy and buy them frozen, or just order them anytime you see them on the menu in a restaurant in the springtime. They are delicious and different and extremely fleeting. Enjoy them in their short and delectable season.
I had a handful of shrimp in the freezer and some grains in the pantry. I decided to use barley for a change and a little healthful kick. There's always butter and parmesan in the fridge and stock in the pantry, so I was set to cook. I made enough for 2-3 servings.
I followed the typical risotto methodology. I put about 6 cups of chicken (or vegetable) broth on the back burner over low heat. I melted a knob of butter over medium heat and lightly sauteed two small cut up zucchini for about 8 minutes then removed with a slotted spoon. Next, I sauteed the thawed shrimp (about 4 per person will do) in the same non-stick pan until pink and cooked through, then removed with the same slotted spoon.
I diced a small onion and put it in the same pan with a little oil. After it softened over low heat (took about 5 min), I raised the heat back to medium and added 3/4 cup of rinsed barley. I let it toast over the heat for about 3 minutes, then added 1/3 cup of dry Vermouth (or white wine or whatever you feel like/have on hand). Stirring with some frequency, I waited for the vermouth to cook in.
Once the vermouth is in, it's risotto time. Add broth, one cup (or large ladleful) at a time and stir it in/then stir occasionally until it is absorbed. Do this again and again (for about 30 minutes) until the grain has released its starch and become creamy. Start tasting after 30 minutes and continue to add liquid until it reaches your desired consistency. I keep the kettle full of water (it's electric) so I can add water if I run out of broth.
I know this sounds like a lot of work, but it's not. You don't have to stand directly over the stove the entire time (though you do need to be close by). You can have a conversation with guests and do this 30 minute part through the end. And there's great satisfaction to making something slowly, bringing it along by hand and having an amazing result. Try it once. Just try it!
Once you've hit creamy and delicious, add the sauteed zucchini and shrimp, the thawed peas and fava beans (or whatever veg you're in the mood for) and sautee/warm through for 2-3 min. Then, remove the pan from heat, add a knob of butter and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, stir it in, then put on a lid and wait for 2 minutes. Lift the lid, give it another stir and serve immediately, garnished with a bit more cheese or fresh herbs (chives would be great here) if you wish.
Voila and yum!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
