Garbanzo Bean and Kale Soup

Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, pair very well with this hearty Kale Variety. This vegetable and bean soup helps utilize what this week’s share has to offer.

2 cups garbanzo beans, drained (if using canned beans, ½ cup dry beans if cooking)

½ a bunch of kale cut in half length-wise then chopped

2 turnips  - chopped

2 zucchini or patty pan- chopped

2 garlic scapes – minced

¼ cup scallions- chopped (reserve the tops as an herb to finish the soup)

2 oz olive oil

2 cups stock (vegetable or chicken) (water also works)

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté ¼ cup scallions and garlic scapes in olive oil until aromatic. Try not to let it brown. Add turnips and zucchini and cook for 1-2 minutes add kale and 1 cup of stock and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the beans and the remaining stock and cook until all ingredients are tender (not mushy).

Add salt and pepper to taste. Then finish with minced scallion tops.

Several variations can be done to this dish. By adding some curry powder or chili powder you can definitely kick it up a bit. This recipe is a basic starting point. Feel free to experiment. Also, if you make a grilled cheese sandwich with the pesto jack in the cheese, share and dip it into this soup. That would be a tasty addition. 

Fried Potatoes and Peppers

½ cup canola or safflower oil (or enough oil to come up to about ¼ inch in your skillet)

1lb Carola potatoes 

2 long Italian peppers ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch by 2-inch pieces.

Kosher salt or sea salt, to taste

Fill a large bowl halfway with cold water. Peel the potatoes and place them in the water as you go, to prevent discoloration.

Slice the potatoes thinly (⅛-1/4 inch thick), and place slices in the bowl of water, as you go. 

Drain the sliced potato in a mesh strainer and dump them onto a towel. Pat them dry. They will brown better if you get them nice and dry.

Heat oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat, until hot but not smoking. Add the potato slices and immediately toss them until they're all coated with oil. Let the potatoes cook, undisturbed, for 3-5 minutes, or until the bottom pieces look brown around the edges. Mound the peppers on top and add a pinch or two of salt. Flip the potatoes over with a spatula, so some raw potatoes and peppers are on the bottom of the skillet. Leave them undisturbed for another 3-5 minutes, until they are nice and brown on the bottom. Continue to brown and toss potatoes for 5-10 minutes longer, until about half of them are crisp and brown and the rest are soft and creamy.

Serve hot. Season to taste with salt

Fried Potato and Broccoli - Indian Style

1-2 heads of broccoli cut into small florets

1-2# potatoes- cut into thin half moons

1-2 onions, sliced thin

1/4tsp turmeric powder    

1 tsp red chili powder 

¼ tsp cumin powder 

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp cooking oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp fennel seed

Wash the broccoli and chop it into small florets. You can use the stem of the broccoli spear also after peeling it.

Wash potatoes and slice into half moons roughly the same size as the broccoli florets.

Heat oil in the pan and add mustard seeds. When it begins to sputter, add the fennel seeds.

Add the chopped potatoes along with salt and pinch of turmeric.

Stir fry the potatoes over medium heat until they are half-cooked. You can cover with a lid for some time to cook it faster. Do not add water.

When the potatoes are partially cooked, add the broccoli florets and the onion. Stir fry over medium heat for 5 minutes until the broccoli turns dark green.

Now add the red chili powder, cumin powder. Reduce the heat and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Freezing Broccoli

1. Bring pot of salted water to boil.

2. While waiting for the water to boil, cut broccoli into bite size pieces then wash.

3. Once at a boil, add the broccoli in two batches (overloading the pot brings the temperature of the water down too much and can lead to mushy broccoli).

4. Leave broccoli in water to it just starts to boil again then remove and place immediately in an ice water bath (if you don’t have ice, pour cold running water over the broccoli until the heat is gone).

5. Bag, freeze, and enjoy mid winter!

Fennel Leaf and Basil Pesto

1 cup roughly chopped fennel tops

1 bunch of basil, stems removed

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 tablespoon pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)

½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

¼  cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the fennel tops, basil, garlic, nuts, chili flakes and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until the mixture is chopped up.

Add oil and process/blend until the mixture becomes paste-like. (You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl.) Serve pesto at once, refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.

Fennel and Zucchini Salad

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into paper thin coins

1 fennel bulb, top trimmed and shaved paper-thin

2/3 cup fennel frond and tops minced fine (the fronds have the most flavor)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

fine grain sea salt

1 Head of Magenta lettuce cut into thin ribbons

Honey, if needed

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 

1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Combine the zucchini, fennel and minced tops in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside and marinate for 20 minutes, or up to an hour.

When you are ready to serve the salad, put the lettuce ribbons in a large bowl. Scoop the zucchini and fennel onto the lettuce, and pour most of the lemon juice dressing on top of that. Toss gently but thoroughly.

Taste and adjust with more of the dressing, olive oil, lemon juice, or salt if needed. If too acidic for your liking try adding a tiny drizzle of honey into the salad at this point. Serve topped with pine nuts and feta.

Fennel and Pepper Risotto

7 cups vegetable stock

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 head of fennel, diced small with core removed (reserve tops)

1 finely chopped shallot

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow peppers, finely diced

 Salt to taste

1 ½ cups arborio or short grain rice

½ cup dry white wine

 Freshly ground pepper to taste

3 tablespoons chopped fennel herb

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)

Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan, with a ladle nearby. Season generously with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, heavy skillet or saucepan over medium heat and add the diced fennel and shallots. Cook gently until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the peppers are limp and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir over medium heat until the grains separate, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in just enough stock to cover the rice. Reduce heat slightly. Cook, stirring often, until the stock is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for about 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked through but still a little chewy. Taste and adjust seasoning.

When the rice is cooked through, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and stir in another half cup of stock, the Parmesan and the fennel herb. Remove from the heat. The rice should be creamy; if it isn’t, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

Eggplant and Delicata Stew

1 eggplant

1 delicata squash

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup finely diced red onion

1 cup finely diced bell pepper

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 cups diced tomatoes, 

1 tablespoons whole cumin

1/2 tablespoon whole coriander seed

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Cut the eggplant and delicata into similar sizes. I prefer to go with a large dice

In a large frying pan, heat 1/3 cup of the oil over medium-high heat, and cook the delicata until it starts to brown. Add the eggplant and continue cooking until it starts to brown then remove from pan

Add the onion and pepper to the pan with the coriander and cumin, and cook over medium heat until soft and caramelized, about 5 minutes.

Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan, scraping up any of the browned bits that have adhered to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Cook until the vinegar has evaporated, then add the tomatoes.

Cook the tomatoes over low heat until they are thickened and saucy. Then return the eggplant and delicata to the pan and continue cooking on low heat for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and stir in the cilantro.

Delicata and Red Cabbage Stir-Fry

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar or honey

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons canola oil 

½ pound firm tofu, diced. ( or ½ pound of cooked chicken)

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 delicata squash cut into half moons

Salt to taste

½-1 red cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped

Rice

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the rice wine vinegar, sugar or honey, sesame oil and cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact. Add the tofu, and stir-fry until lightly colored, about three minutes. Remove from the pan, and season to taste with soy sauce.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the delicata squash. Stir-fry until it begins to color, five to eight minutes. Add salt to taste, the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, and add the cabbage. Stir-fry until the squash is tender and the cabbage is crisp-tender, about six minutes, adding about 1/4 cup water to the pan from time to time if the vegetables begin to stick. Return the tofu to the pan.

Stir the sweet and sour mixture, and add to the vegetables. Stir just for a few seconds until they are glazed. Remove from the heat and serve with rice.

Delicata and Green Bean Casserole

1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into inch pieces

1 Portobello mushroom, thinly sliced

2 small yellow onions sliced thin

3 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups whole milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 medium-sized delicata squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

about 2 oz. grated parmesan 

Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a wide pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown slightly. Add the onion slices and another pinch of salt and pepper. Decrease heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the onions are just translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and once just melted, stir in the flour. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes bubbly and appears liquid. Continue stirring frequently until the mixture turns golden-brown, about 2-3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in another pan until just warmed through (do not bring to a boil). Grab a whisk and while whisking the butter and flour mixture rapidly, pour in the warmed milk. Continue whisking until the mixture appears smooth and no large lumps appear. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Continue whisking at a rolling boil for another 5-6 minutes, until the mixture thickens significantly. Add salt, pepper and optional nutmeg to taste and remove from heat. Congratulations! You just made a béchamel sauce (gravy).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and pulp. Slice very thin across the squash to create little crescent moons. Toss with the olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Stir the green beans, mushrooms and onions into the béchamel sauce. Taste, and add salt and pepper as desired. Add about half of the squash to the bottom of a casserole dish then pour green bean mixture in and spread evenly. Scatter the remaining squash evenly across the top of the bean mixture. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables sliced on top appear golden and sizzling. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Delicata and Cabbage Stir-Fry

1 delicata squash cut into half moons

½-1 cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped

1-2 red peppers cut into thin strips

1 red onion sliced thin

2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar or honey

2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons canola oil 

½ pound firm tofu, diced. ( or ½ pound of cooked chicken)

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt to taste

Rice

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the rice wine vinegar, sugar or honey, sesame oil and cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact. Add the tofu, and stir-fry until lightly colored, about three minutes. Remove from the pan, and season to taste with soy sauce.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. When it is hot, add the delicata squash. Stir-fry until it begins to color, five to eight minutes. Add the peppers, onion, ginger and garlic. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds, and add the cabbage. Stir-fry until the squash is tender and the cabbage is crisp-tender, about six minutes, adding about 1/4 cup water to the pan from time to time if the vegetables begin to stick. Return the tofu to the pan.

Stir the sweet and sour mixture, and add to the vegetables. Stir just for a few seconds until they are glazed. Salt to taste. Remove from the heat and serve with rice.

Daikon and Rutabaga Slaw

1 Rutabaga Peeled & Shredded 

1 Cup Shredded Daikon

1/3 Cup Dry Roasted Peanuts, roughly chopped

2 Tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter

1 Tablespoon Hot Water

1 Tablespoon Lime Juice

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (or more to taste, also optional)

Combine the rutabaga, daikon, and peanuts in a bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, lime juice, hot water, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. 

Pour the dressing over the veggies and mix until everything is well combined.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving, longer is just fine.   

Daikon and Carrot Salad (Namasu)

½ of each daikon radish

1 carrot peeled

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1 ½ Tbsp. granulated sugar

1½ Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. water

¼ tsp Kosher salt

Using a vegetable peeler peel thin strips of the daikon radishes and carrots and mix together. 

Lightly salt them and put in a strainer for about 10 minutes.

Mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved.

Squeeze moisture from the carrot and radish mixture and then mix with dressing. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Very enjoyable right away or let sit in your fridge overnight to allow the flavors to meld.

If you enjoy the simple salad you can reserve the dressing and keep adding more carrot and radish to your heart’s content.

Curried Potatoes with Turnip Greens

1 bunch turnip greens - chopped

1 bottleneck onion - sliced  

½-1# Fingerling Potatoes cut into rounds or half rounds (your call as long as the size is similar so the cook time is the same)

2 Garlic Cloves minced

2-3 Peppers 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

2 tsp curry powder

2 Tbsp coconut oil (can use any vegetable/cooking oil)

1 tsp Mustard seeds 

½-1 tsp dried chili flakes for heat 

Salt - to taste

Wash the turnip greens well and place them on a kitchen towel or stand the leaves in a bowl to drain the water off. Chop the leaves into thin strips.

Mince garlic and peppers together with dried chili flakes

In a large frying pan heat the oil and add garlic/pepper mixture and mustard seeds. Once aromatic, add the white onions, potato, turmeric and curry powder and add salt and sauté until onions becomes soft and translucent.

Cook with the lid off on medium heat until the potato gets cooked through, then toss in the greens and cover and cook until the leaves are tender. 

 Serve hot with rice

Curried Kohlrabi & Potato Latkes with Sambal Oelek Mayo

1-2 medium potatoes

1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled

1/2 red onion, peeled and trimmed

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

2 large eggs

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or equivalent gluten free flour mix)

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Up to 1/4 cup vegetable oil or clarified butter

Sambal Oelek Mayo

1 tbsp. Sambal

½ cup Mayonnaise 

Coarsely grate the potato, kohlrabi, and onion in a food processor. Wring out any excess liquid from the vegetables by wrapping them in a clean, lint-free dish towel and squeezing it out.

Dump the drained vegetables into a medium bowl. Add the eggs, flour, parsley and salt and mix until combined.

Heat a large, preferably non-stick, sauté pan over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of vegetable oil or clarified butter. When hot, drop 1/4 cup sized dollops of the batter into the pan. Press down on the cakes with a spatula to flatten. Cook until browned, a few minutes. Flip and cook for a few more minutes.

Remove from the pan to a plate or a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter.

The pancakes can be reheated in a 350º F oven. Serve warm, garnished with Sambal Oelek Mayo.

Curried Kale with Sautéed Vegetables

1 bunch green kale, roughly chopped

2-3 mini onions sliced

2 cups summer squash (zucchini), diced

1 cup broccoli cut into small florets

½ cup fennel bulb sliced thin across the grain 

1 can coconut milk (plus one can of water)

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 Tbsp coconut oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Serve over jasmine or basmati rice

Bring coconut milk plus can of water to a simmer in a pan and then add chopped kale and reduce by half over medium heat.

While the kale is stewing, heat a sauté pan over medium high heat then add coconut oil. Once the oil has liquefied, add the vegetables and sauté until lightly browned. (Stir Frequently) 

Add curry powder to the sautéed vegetable mix while stirring to ensure an even coating. Then turn to low and add the stewed kale with coconut milk to the sauté pan and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste

Serve with rice.

As an option, you could add ground pork to the vegetable medley. Brown ½ pound of ground pork in the coconut oil first, then remove while cooking vegetables, and replace it just before adding the coconut stewed kale back to the sauté pan.

Cucumber Gazpacho, Because it's hot outside

2 Slicing cucumbers, peeled and chopped (3 cups chopped)

1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (try to remove white ribbing may impart a bitter flavor)

½-1 Italian bottle neck onions, minced (reserve tops and slice thin like a scallion for garnish)

2 jalapeños, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded (use disposable gloves)

1 bunch Italian parsley, large stems removed

Small handful mint or lemon verbena leaves

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed

½ cup chicken stock, or veggie stock, plus additional

¼ cup cold pressed olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Several drops of Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce, to taste

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Garnish

¼ cup small diced cucumber (with peel)

¼ cup diced green bell pepper

coarsely grated zest of 1 lemon

6 small tips of fresh spearmint or lemon verbena

Put the cucumber, bell pepper, Italian bottleneck onion, jalapenos, parsley, mint or lemon verbena, and garlic into a blender and liquefy.

Add the stock, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt. Pulse to combine.

Taste and adjust the balance of salt and lemon juice if needed.

Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding a little more chicken stock if needed.

Chill for at least two hours.

Just before serving, pour the soup into individual cups, and then sprinkle each with a bit of diced cucumber, and lemon zest.

Cucumber Basil Dressing

2 cups peeled, seeded, and small diced cucumbers

1 teaspoons table salt

2 cups Greek yogurt 

½ onion grated

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Toss together the first 2 ingredients; drain in a colander 30 minutes. Whisk together yogurt and the next 5 ingredients. Stir in cucumbers; let stand for 30 minutes. 

Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

2 cucumbers peeled and sliced into half moons

1 watermelon peeled and diced with seeds removed

3-4 basil leaves minced

1 small red onion sliced thin into half moons 

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. lime juice

½ cup crumbled feta

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix onion and basil into lime juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Then add olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper and stir together

Toss in watermelon and cucumber. 

Crumble feta over the top.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

4 medium tomatoes, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

½ medium red onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

A generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons

2 cloves of garlic minced 

2 splashes red wine vinegar

Coarse salt and black pepper

Dress the tomatoes, onions, and cucumber with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Let stand while you prepare dinner, about 20 minutes. Re-toss and serve salad with crusty bread for mopping up juices and oil.