Dragon Noodles

This is my latest discovery, and I've been making it often because it satisfies all my cravings for takeout, is fairly quick to make, and is easily adaptable to whatever ingredients I have on hand. The sauce is sweet, tart, and spicy.

Dragon Noodles

1 pkg tofu (or cooked chicken, shrimp or beef or ground meat or skip it and add more eggs)

1/2 lb cooked noodles (spaghetti, angel hair, rice noodles -- whatever you've got)

2 cups (about) chopped vegetables (any mix of the following: carrot, celery, broccoli, snap or snow peas, shelled edamame, cabbage, onion, green onion, mushroom, bell peppers)

2 eggs, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs. ginger, minced

Sauce:

2 Tbs. chili paste

2 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1-2 Tbs. fish sauce

juice of 1 lime

optional garnishes:

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

1/4 c. chopped cilantro 

2 green onions, thinly sliced

If I have the time and energy, sometimes I fry or bake the tofu to give it more texture.  To fry, just cut in cubes or strips and fry until golden and crispy.  To bake, stir cubes with a little soy sauce and sesame oil (1-2 tsp each), then bake at about 425, stirring occasionally, until they're a little golden on the corners.

Mix together the sauce.  

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil (vegetable, canola, peanut) in a wok or large frying pan.  Saute the vegetables (start with carrots, celery, onion first, because they take a little longer to cook), adding the garlic and ginger about a minute or two before the rest of the vegetables will be crisp-tender.  

Push the vegetables off to one side and pour the beaten eggs into the pan.  Let them cook until they're cooked about halfway through, then give them a little stir and let them finish cooking before mixing into the vegetables.  

Pour the sauce into the pan and stir in the noodles and tofu.  Serve quickly, garnishing with peanuts and cilantro or green onions if desired.

Clean out the Crisper Vegetable Soup

Last week I used this as the basis of a pierogy soup:  a turnip and cabbage stew spiced with the "Krakow Nights" seasoning blend from Penzeys and a few fried pierogies floating in it.  It was a delicious soup, but the pierogies got too mushy for my taste.  I would have preferred them on the side.   My point, however, is that you can create all kinds of good soups from the odds and ends of vegetables left in the bottom of your fridge drawer.  It can help you reduce waste and use up what you have.  These guidelines can help get you started.  Give it a try and make a mental note of what works for you and what doesn't.   I think I got the original version of this from Leanne Ely via the Flylady website.

Clean out the Crisper Vegetable Soup

Chop what you have and set it aside:
(some good ones are carrots, celery, cabbage, zucchini, turnips, green beans, etc.)
1 small onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp thyme
salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, saute the onion until almost clear.  Add the rest of the vegetables and cook about 2 minutes. Add some good chicken or vegetable broth and the seasoning.  If you're adding tender greens like spinach, stir them in at the end of the cooking time so they stay bright green. Sometimes I like to add something a little more substantial like some canned beans (white or kidney or garbanzo) or some pasta (tiny or chunky or tortellini are good).   The beans just need to warm up and can be added at the end, but the pasta should be added just after the broth comes to a simmer so it has time to cook.  Let simmer until the vegetables are tender and serve with plenty of bread and butter.  

Broccoli and cauliflower are also good in soup, but if you're going to add them, skip the tomato and add some potatoes and cheese - this can be pureed.

Yummy, cheesy potato soup that's heavier on the veggies and lighter on the cheese than most potato cheese soups, but you wouldn't guess it.  The buttermilk accentuates the cheddar, and using sharp cheese make less cheese go further.  In the winter, I sometimes substitute winter squash like butternut for the yellow summer squash, and it's good, too.

Golden Cheddar Cheese Soup 

from Moosewood Cooks At Home

Minutes to Cook: 35

Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onions
2 TBSP Vegetable oil
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (or to taste)
2 cups of vegetable stock or chicken broth (water's o.k. too)
1 cup buttermilk or milk
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
salt to taste

minced fresh scallions, chives, or parsley to garnish (optional)

Directions

Serves 4-6

Saute the onions in the oil for about 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, squash, black pepper, and turmeric. Add the stock or water and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the buttermilk or milk and the cheese. puree the soup in a blender or food processor or with a stick blender. Gently reheat. Add salt to taste, and serve topped with minced scallions, chives, or parsley.

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

I'm surprised that I haven't posted this recipe before now.  Amy gave it to me a few years ago (I think the original source was Food and Wine), and we have loved it ever since.  It is delicious, healthy, and easy.  It's a perfect soup to make in January because, well, it can help you get over the over-indulgences of December.  It's a good New Year's Resolution soup, because although it's over-the-top healthy, it can also be a comfort food.  Besides, it uses winter vegetables but still has bright colors so there's some color in your life even when it's snowy and grey outside.

Speaking of which, the longer this cold goes on, the more grateful I am that we have a small house and can afford to keep the heat turned up.  I'm ready for spring!

Kale and Sweet Potato Soup

 serves 6-8

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped fine

3/4 tsp. turmeric

1/4 tsp. crushed red peppers

3/4 lb. kale, tough stems removed and roughly chopped

1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 3/4 inch cubes

1 1/2 quart chicken or vegetable broth

1 tsp. salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

about 2 cups cooked brown rice (I like the texture of Lundberg Farms medium grain rice - it has a good chew)

Start cooking the rice if you don't have any leftovers on hand.  It will take longer than the rest of the soup to cook.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook down until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes.  Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.

Add the sweet potato chunks and stir.  Add the chicken or vegetable broth and coconut milk and bring to a simmer.  Add the kale once the broth is simmering and submerge all the leaves, helping them to cook down, and stirring occasionally.  Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over a bed of brown rice.

note: when I made this last night, I cooked extra brown rice and used some of it to make a kind of Thai sticky rice with the extra coconut milk from the can.  I added the rest of the can of coconut milk, about 2 cups of brown rice, about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 c. sugar.  I wish I had measured so I could tell you exactly how much.  But you just stir it together, give it a taste to see if it needs more of anything, and it makes a lovely dessert, especially topped with fresh mango!  In fact, I even think I might like the texture better than traditional Thai coconut sticky rice.

Thai Roasted Butternut Soup

Today I cleaned out most of the rest of my vegetable garden.  I still have a basil, and few beets and carrots that just don't seem big enough to bother harvesting yet, as well as tiny kale, which will survive a freeze.  I picked armloads of chard, beets (with greens), and rhubarb.    We ate chard and onion tacos for dinner.  It's a beautiful fall day, which helps me be glad to be home again instead of visiting with family in California.

This is for my mom, whose beautiful California garden is overflowing right now with not only roses and guavas, but butternut squash, kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass.  The original recipe doesn't call for the lime leaves and lemongrass, but this is how I would adapt the recipe to take advantage of them.  I plan to make this myself later this week with what I brought home from my visit.

Thai Roasted Butternut Soup

Adapted from "Can I Freeze It"
makes about 2 quarts

4 lbs butternut squash
2 Tbs. canola oil
2 Tbs. butter
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
4 Tbs. red curry paste
2 15 oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk
2 stalks lemongrass, cleaned, trimmed, and split lengthwise (opt)
4 kaffir lime leaves (opt)
4 limes (less if using lemongrass and lime leaves)
bean sprouts
fresh basil & cilantro to garnish

Preheat to 350.  Cut the butternut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Place cut side down on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat.  Roast on rack in top third of oven for about 45 mins, or until very soft to the touch.  It should not brown on the cut surface; if needed, reduce temperature by 50 degrees.  Allow to cool slightly.

Heat oil in a skillet over low heat.  Add the butter and once foaming, add the onion and garlic and cook for 8 minutes or until soft but not browned.  Place the onion mixture and the squash in a blender and puree until smooth.  You  may need to add a little of the stock and process in two batches to help puree more efficiently.  Transfer the puree to a large pot and add the remaining stock.  Stir in the curry paste and coconut milk and toss in the lemongrass and lime leaves.  Bring to a boil and cook for 10 min. Salt to taste.  Add freshly squeezed lime juice to taste, and garnish with bean sprouts, fresh basil, and cilantro (all are optional). You can also garnish with a little finely julienned kaffir lime leaves (cut out the central rib first).

This soup freezes wonderfully, so feel free to double it.  You can also make a plain butternut soup by stopping before you add the curry paste and later ingredients, just adding salt and pepper to taste and simmering 5 min and serving swirled with creme fraiche in each bowl.

I hope you like it as much as we do!

Kale Chips Update

I recently have been using a new recipe for kale chips that works better than my old one.  I have adapted it somewhat here, but the key is that it bakes at a lower temperature so they crisp before they burn and they cook more evenly.  It also has a bit of heartiness from a lovely sprinkling of ground cashews and the tartness of lemon.  Z and I like the nutritional yeast, but C prefers it without.

1 large bunch of kale, washed and dried

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt
juice from half a lemon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional

1/3 cup cashews

1 Tbs nutritional yeast, optional

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, mix the olive oil, salt, lemon, and cayenne and set aside. Rip the tough stalks off the kale and rip the rest of the kale into pieces. Remember they will shrink a bit in the oven so bigger is typically better. Grind the cashews with the optional nutritional yeast in a food processor or blender or coffee grinder. You want them to be powdery/crumbly, not cashew butter.

Toss the kale in the dressing so that each piece is coated and sprinkle the cashew mixture on the kale, tossing lightly to make sure each piece gets some.  Lay the kale out in a single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Put the cookie sheets in the oven using both racks and set timer for 30 minutes. Every 30 minutes rotate the cookie sheets up/down, back/forth for more even cooking.  After an hour start sampling. They are done when they are crispy, not soggy. This tends to take about 90 minutes for all of them, but I will pull some kale chips off earlier and give other chips more time. Store in an airtight container.

Moosewood Gazpacho

Here's the other Gazpacho recipe, in case you want to try them both.  

Gazpacho 

from the Moosewood Cookbook

6 servings

4 cups cold tomato juice
1 small, minced onion
2 cups freshly diced tomatoes
1 cup minced green pepper
1 clove crushed garlic
1 diced cucumber
2 scallions chopped
1/4 cup freshly-chopped parsley
juice of 1/2 lemon & 1 lime
1 tsp. honey
2 Tbs. wine vinegar
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp dried basil
dash of ground cumin
dash of tabasco sauce
1-2 Tbs. olive oil
salt & black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill for at least 2 hours.  Sometimes I chop it all finely, and other times I put it in the food processor.  Both ways are great.

Sarah Jay's Gazpacho

Do I ever post a recipe that doesn't come from Fine Cooking or Rick Bayless?  I'm not sure.  But here's another one that we loved from Fine Cooking.  This one caught my eye despite the fact that I'm a diehard fan of the Moosewood Cookbook's Gazpacho recipe.  That one is not at all a traditional Spanish gazpacho, but it's so light and fresh and tastes so good for you its like medicine for the soul and a mouthful of summer all in one.  This one caught my eye because it was a recipe by Sarah Jay, who once served me the best Paella I've ever eaten when we were both visiting our husbands at a residency at the lovely Millay Colony, back before I'd ever heard of Fine Cooking, where she worked.  I was never tempted to repeat her Paella after seeing how much washing up it required, but I figured I could handle a cold tomato soup. 

The recipe is adapted from the traditional one by her Spanish mother-in-law, and it tasted so much like the ones we ate in Spain!  It was full-bodied and smooth on the tongue.  It's a totally different creature than the Moosewood Gazpacho, but I adore them both.  Such a nice way to enjoy these late summer tomatoes!

Gazpacho

by Sarah Jay

Best served icy cold, gazpacho needs to be chilled for at least an hour. Here it's garnished with croutons for crunch and cilantro for a burst of bright flavor, but chopped cucumbers and onions are another traditional garnish. Serves 4 or 5

1-3/4 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
1/2 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup packed torn fresh bread, such as a soft baguette, Portuguese roll, or slice of white sandwich bread, plus 1/4 cup packed 1/2-inch cubes (crusts removed) for croutons
9 Tbs. good-quality extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling
2 tsp. sherry vinegar
1 small clove garlic
Kosher salt
Ground cumin
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro 

Put the tomatoes, bell peppers, torn bread, 6 Tbs. of the olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and a pinch or two of cumin in a blender. Pulse until coarsely puréed, then blend until very smooth, 4 to 5 minutes (it may be a bit frothy). Season to taste with salt and refrigerate until very cold, at least 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. olive oil in an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add a bread cube; if it sizzles immediately, add the remaining cubes (if it doesn’t, continue to heat the oil). Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown all over, about 1 minute. Transfer the croutons to paper towels to drain and cool.
Taste the gazpacho just before serving and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve drizzled with oil and garnished with the croutons and cilantro.

Make Ahead Tips

The gazpacho can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, covered. The croutons should be made the day of serving the gazpacho.

Five-Spice Salmon and Sesame Green Beans

I thought I had about the best honey/lime/soy glazed salmon recipe ever, but this new recipe made all of us question that. It's a healthy meal served with brown rice, and really, when you find your family picking at the bits of crusty salmon left on the serving plate and rubbing their green beans against the salmon skin hoping to get a bit more sauce on them (that kind of grossed me out a little), you know it's good. This one is from Fine Cooking, issue 107.

This is fast and easy, and it's great that you do it all in one pan. Don't make the mistake I did and forget to start the rice until after you put the salmon in the oven, or you'll end up eating all the salmon and having none left to eat with your plain brown rice. Start the rice first. And if you happen to substitute frozen green beans, thaw them first or start them before the salmon. Another note is that I found the salmon needed more time to cook through, and using the broiling method meant that the top was over-done before the fish was opaque. I might switch to a high oven temp to finish it next time. Oh - and I'd make a little extra sauce to set aside and drizzle over it after it's cooked to avoid that whole practically licking the salmon skin thing.

Five-Spice Glazed Salmon and Sesame Green Beans

1/4 cup honey
4 tsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. five-spice powder
2 large cloves garlic, minced
Four 6-oz. skin-on salmon fillets (preferably wild), pin bones and scales removed
Nonstick cooking spray
1 lb. slender green beans, trimmed
2 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp. lemon juice

---

In a small bowl, whisk the honey, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and garlic. Put the salmon skin side down on a large plate and pour the honey mixture over it. Flip the fillets so they are skin side up. Let the fish marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.

Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss the green beans with the canola and sesame oils. Arrange the beans on one half of the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the salmon skin side down on the other half of the baking sheet. Brush the salmon with any remaining marinade from the plate.

Broil the salmon and green beans for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, toss the green beans with tongs, and reposition the salmon pieces as needed so that they cook evenly. Continue to broil until the salmon is just cooked through and the beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Toss the green beans with the sesame seeds and lemon juice and serve.

Zuppa Toscana

It hasn't been above freezing for days now, and today seemed particularly bitter out. Even inside, you can feel the cold coming off the walls. A hot, hearty soup was just what we needed to warm up from the inside. Since I knew we had a winter box from the farmer to pick up today, I planned to make Zuppa Toscana to use up some of the giant bunch of kale. I've been meaning to try this soup since the summer, but this was the perfect time of year for it. I cobbled together this recipe from several that I've seen. It was fantastic! So very warming and satisfying. We all agree this is a keeper. The only thing that might have made it better would have been if I'd made some fresh crusty bread and heated up the house even more with the oven.

What are you all doing to stay warm?

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb. mild italian sausage
1 cup onion, chopped
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 large potatoes, scrubbed and cubed but not peeled (red potatoes are great)
1 quart chicken broth
2-3 cups water, as needed
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (to taste)
2-3 generous cups of kale, washed, stemmed and cut into small pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream

Take the sausage out of its casing and crumble and fry it over med-high heat. When it about half cooked, stir in the onion and continue to saute. When the sausage is cooked, spoon out the fat, then return to the heat, add the potatoes and garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and 1-2 cups of water and the red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the kale and salt and pepper if desired. Cook until the kale is tender, about 5 more minutes, adding more water if desired to keep it brothy. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and serve.

All this needs is a good salad and some crusty bread on the side.

Autumn Vegetable Soup

Since I tried making this soup, Elie Krieger is my new favorite contributor to Fine Cooking Magazine. I expected it to taste a little bland and a little too healthy, but the reviewers raved about it (with the exception of one who chose to add cream of mushroom soup - ick!) and so, wanting to use up fall veggies and eat something healthy, I decided to give it a try. I LOVED it! Really. So did my family. And I've greedily reserved all the leftovers for myself. There's something about that unexpected allspice that kicks it up a notch. I think I need to make it again soon.

Autumn Vegetable Soup

Serves 6 to 8 as a starter; 4 as a main course

2 Tbs. olive oil
3 medium carrots, cut into medium dice
1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 cups 1/2-inch-cubed peeled butternut squash (about half a 2-lb. squash)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Pinch cayenne pepper; more to taste
Kosher salt
1 quart lower-salt chicken broth (I used Costco's organic chicken stock. Sub veg. stock to make it vegetarian)
1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme (I have tons of lemon thyme right now if anyone wants some!)
2 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped kale
1 cup lower-salt canned chickpeas (I'd use white beans next time)

---

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the squash, allspice, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kale and the chickpeas and cook uncovered until the squash is tender and the kale has wilted, about 10 minutes more. Discard the thyme springs before serving. Season to taste with more salt and cayenne.

Make Ahead Tips

You can refrigerate this soup for 3 days or freeze for 2 months.

Variations

Feel free to substitute other fall vegetables or beans.

Serving Suggestions

If you're serving as a main course, a slice of Classic Buttermilk Cornbread makes a nice side.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 120; Fat (g): 4.5; Fat Calories (kcal): 40; Saturated Fat (g): 0.5; Protein (g): 5; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 3; Carbohydrates (g): 16; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 250; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 3;

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 101, pp. 35

September 3, 2009

Kale and Mashed Potatoes

More on the subject of kale. I know lots of people have never tried it (I never did until relatively recently), but I've come to think of it as one of my favorite cooked greens. It lasts a lot longer in the fridge than spinach, and doesn't have that metallic aftertaste that spinach does (is it the oxalic acid?). I've even had a delicious salad made with raw kale mashed with avocado; I'll have to try to get that recipe. This one comes from a blog recommended to me by CC: 101 Cookbooks - so far I've really loved the recipes I've tried from it. This one is pretty easy to like.

Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potato Recipe

For this recipe, be sure to wash the kale well (or spinach, or chard) - dirt and grit hides in the leaves. I don't like floppy leafiness in my potatoes, so I chop the kale quite finely. If you stir the kale in too much it can lend a slight green cast to your potatoes, so i just barely stir it in right before serving. Also, on the potato front - feel free to use unpeeled potatoes if you like something a bit more rustic (and nutritious). I picked up some yellow-fleshed German Butterball potatoes at the market last week and they added the visual illusion that the mashed potatoes were packed with butter. Didn't miss the real thing a bit.

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped
1/2+ cup warm milk or cream
freshly ground black pepper
5 scallions, white and tender green parts, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish (opt)
fried shallots, for garnish (optional)

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chopped kale, a big pinch of salt, and saute just until tender - about a minute. Set aside.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Slowly stir in the milk a few big splashes at a time. You are after a thick, creamy texture, so if your potatoes are on the dry side keep adding milk until the texture is right. Season with salt and pepper.

Dump the kale on top of the potatoes and give a quick stir. Transfer to a serving bowl, make a well in the center of the potatoes and pour the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the scallions, Parmesan cheese, and shallots.

Serves 6.

Kale Chips

This one's for my dad, for Father's Day, since he was asking me what to do with kale. This is one of the simplest ways, doesn't require lots of other ingredients, and it's weirdly addictive. I can eat a whole bunch of kale this way in one sitting. Though I'd recommend sharing it, for the sake of your digestion.

Here's the new recipe I want to try from Kretschmann Farms. I'm interested to try their version with the agave nectar, garlic and cayenne, but I wouldn't take their advice to turn it. When I've tried stirring midway through in the past, the kale just kind of lumped up and didn't end up as nicely crispy.

Kale Chips: Destem kale and cut into 1’ pieces. Whisk together 2 tbs agave nectar, 1 tsp salt, 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. cayenne, 2 tbs. cider vinegar, 3 tbs. olive oil. Toss kale with mixture and bake on oiled cookie sheet. @ 350 8 min. then turn and bake another 7 min. until crispy.


Here's the version I've used in the past. They have good pictures, but I think it uses too much salt and oil.

My variation:

1 bunch organic kale, torn into 1/2″ pieces
1 tablespoons organic olive oil
1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400° F. Whisk oil and vinegar and toss kale in the dressing until thoroughly coated.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place kale on sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for 15 minutes or so, until crispy.

Red Peppers stuffed with Orzo, Feta, and Kale

My apologies to the guests I shared this with on Friday - I was going to fast to do it the fancy way, baked in the red pepper shells, and I forgot to check to see if I had orzo before I started, so I had to substitute shells. It was good, but not quite as good as when I do it right. I was glad they agreed to come at the last minute, though. It's always good to have last minute friends.

4 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium red onion
salt and pepper to taste
1 small bunch kale (2-3 cups), well washed
1 2/3 c. cooked orzo, cooled
1/2 lemon
1/4 lb. feta
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. chopped flat leaf parsley
8 calamata olives, pitted
4 med. red bell peppers
1 1/2 cups dry white wine

Heat the oven to 350. Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a large skillet until moderately hot. Add the red onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring often, until wilted and tender, 5-7 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper and reserve.

In a bowl, combine the onion and kale with the orzo, lemon zest and juice, feta, oregano, thyme, parsley and olives. Toss gently until combined and season with salt and pepper.

Slice off the top 1/2' of each pepper and reserve. With a paring knife, cut away the ribs and discard. Turn the pepper upside down and pat it to get all the seeds to fall out. Divide the orzo filling among the peppers. Replace the top of each pepper.

Put the peppers in a medium baking dish and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour the wine in the pan. Bake until the peppers are very tender and slightly blackened on top, about 1 1/2 hours.

Garlic Scape Pesto

I was all set to take some awesome pictures, but I can't find the camera.

So: garlic scapes. I never heard of them until a year or two ago when I started getting them in my veggie box. They're the curly shoots of the garlic plants that have a flower bud at the tip.

Easy recipe: I just chopped them (about 6 shoots) roughly in 2 inch bits and threw them in the food processor with some almonds that I toasted in the microwave (2 minutes for 1/2 c., but I only used about 1/3 cup - you could also use pine nuts), some freshly grated reggiano parmesan (about 1/4 cup), and extra virgin olive oil (maybe 3 Tbs?). I put it on some angel hair pasta, served it with some sliced tomatoes and sauteed spinach on the side.

It's kind of got a bite to it, but it's bright and fresh tasting, with a little richness from the nuts and cheese. And the leftover pesto can be frozen.

What to do with Kale?

With my second delivery from this summer's CSA (Kretschmann Farm) in hand, I'm finding myself in my usual summer fix of trying to figure out what to do with all those veggies. I have lettuce, kale, beet greens, spinach, beets, garlic scapes, green onions, basil, parsley, and, best of all, fresh local strawberries. What to do with all those greens? The lettuce is fairly easy to figure out, but beet greens and kale are a bit more tricky. Here's a photo from the farm of kale growing:

I decided I ought to make a list of my favorite ways to eat kale as well as some recipes I want to try.
*kale chips (I think I posted this one already, but I want to try a new variation that has a couple Tbs. agave nectar added)
*Red Peppers Stuffed with Feta, Orzo, Lemon and Oregano (also kale, and my simpler family style version has the peppers mixed into the pasta instead of stuffing the orzo into the peppers)
*Kale, Sausage and White Beans (I posted the base recipe for this already - made with spinach, served over polenta and a fried egg on top. This version would have some kind of interesting sausage mixed in - I have a chicken and spinach one from Costco that was good - and would substitute kale for the spinach. I'd skip the polenta and egg and serve it with toasted crusty bread brushed with olive oil.)
* African Pineapple Peanut Stew
* black bean burritos with kale

and new ones to try:
* Kale Puttanesca (basically pasta puttanesca with kale mixed in)
* Toscana Soup (a chicken broth based soup with potatoes, spicy sausage, kale, cream)
* Greens with cannellini beans and Pancetta (big plus is that this one uses both beet greens AND kale)

Now I can't decide which sounds most delicious! I'll post whichever one I try first and hopefully work my way through cooking and posting them all before the end of the summer.

Quinoa with Butternut

My husband teases me that I remember my life through food. And he's right. "Remember when we were in that little town in Mexico and we ate the fish almondine in the palapa on the beach," I'll say. Or, "was that the time that we ate the tacos de mariscos with the baby octopi? All of my memories seem to be centered around food.

I've been considering starting a blog for a while now, but I haven't known which aspect of my life to focus it on, and I think that the best blogs often have some kind of recurrent theme or focus (not to mention good writing, the development of which is part of my motivation here). I've thought about writing about my pottery, but it doesn't seem like enough of a constant. Given the fact that I structure my memories around food, it makes sense to do the same with my blog. And I'll always have something to write about. After all, I'll always be eating, if not cooking.

I thought dinner last night was going to be fairly simple to make. Tilapia and a side dish of quinoa and butternut squash. It ended up being more complicated than I'd anticipated, though that was surely compounded by the fact that I also grilled chicken (that wasn't going to keep much longer) for a chinese chicken salad today. Oh, and I made a big batch of Oven Caramel Corn, which I avoid making more than once a year because I have absolutely no restraint when it comes time to eat it. As we were eating our dinner, I mentioned that it took a bit more time than I had thought, and Clay said, incredulously, "You read 'Coconut-crusted tilapia with apricot dipping sauce' and thought 'easy'??"

The fish was not as good as I'd hoped, but we all loved the side dish, which was quinoa with roasted butternut squash, parsley, and walnuts. I adapted it from a recipe for butternut squash in Fine Cooking Magazine which I have in the past mixed with pasta for an awesome main dish. This version is delicious and so healthy that in spite of all the caramel corn I ate yesterday, I still managed to score an "A" on my nutritional intake on Calorie Count.

Quinoa with Butternut Squash, Parsley and Walnuts

1 cup quinoa
1 butternut squash
1/3 c. chopped parsley
1/3 c. toasted coarsely chopped walnuts
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
zest from one lemon

Preheat the oven to 450. Peel, seed, and cube the butternut. Toss it with the olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Put it on a rimmed baking sheet or pizza stone. Roast for 20 min., stir, then continue roasting about 10-15 min. more, until tender and lightly browned. Meanwhile, rinse and drain the quinoa, put it in a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook about 15 minutes more, until tender and the germ that curls around the edge starts to spring out. Gently toss together the quinoa, the parsley, walnuts, lemon peel, and squash, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Last night I didn't have a lemon, so I used orange peel, which was also delicious.