Brothy Meatballs Beans and Greens

Are you still in denial about it being soup season? These brothy meatballs will ease you in slowly and scrumptiously…truly! For the greens, I used a head of escarole I bought at the farmer’s market, they had pain de sucre as well which is also in the chicory family. If you’re not a chicory fan, kale would be good, as would lettuce or spinach. Get things going in a large heavy pot by sautéing a chopped onion and several minced garlic cloves until translucent. Next, add a pinch of red chili flakes and the washed bite-sized greens and stir frequently over medium heat until they’re wilted. Pour in two to three cups of your favorite chicken stock…my go to is Better Than Bouillon. When it starts to simmer add a can of drained cannellini beans and continue to cook while you make the meatballs. Combine a pound of ground beef, turkey, or chicken thighs with a minced shallot, a handful of finely chopped parsley, a tablespoon of minced garlic, a half a cup of grated parmesan, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Once it’s mixed well, gently stir in a lightly beaten egg and a cup of panko which has been soaking in a third of a cup of milk. One-inch meatballs are best, once formed, brown them in a heavy skillet over medium heat and immediately transfer them to the pot with the braised greens. Cover, and cook for another twenty minutes on low heat then serve with about a half-inch of the broth and some grated parmesan or pecorino over the top.

Spicy Feta Honey Dip

Anyone thinking of throwing some pork, chicken, or veggies on the barbeque this weekend? Or maybe just considering serving a dip alongside some tasty cocktails? Either way, this spicy feta sauce/dip is just the thing with its balance of sweet and spicy…one of my current favorites in fact. And comes together in no time at all.

Bring 8oz. of feta, 4 oz. of ricotta, and 2 oz. of sour cream or yogurt to room temperature then blend smooth with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a couple tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, a quarter teaspoon of red chili flakes, and a bit of salt and pepper.

After a minute or so, when it’s real smooth, stop and taste to see if it needs anymore salt, pepper, or chili flakes. Once, you’re happy with the flavor, scrape it into a bowl and stir in about five tablespoons of honey. Cover with saran, then refrigerate until you’re ready to go.

As a sauce, puddle it under your grilled meat or veggies. As a dip, garnish with some sesame seeds, za’atar, harissa, or chili flakes and serve with some toasted pita chips.

Happy September!

Thai Jicama Pineapple Slaw

Crunch, sweet, spice, sour, this slaw has it all!

For the dressing, combine the juice from two limes with an equal amount of rice wine vinegar, a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil, three tablespoons of fish sauce, a tablespoon of honey, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the skin from half of a ripe pineapple, remove the core, cut into quarter inch slices, then chop into smallish bite-size pieces. Combine with a quarter to a half of a thinly sliced green cabbage depending on the size, some coarsely chopped jicama, scallion, finely minced Thai or serrano pepper, and a generous amount of finely chopped mint or cilantro.

Add the dressing, toss, and salt and pepper to taste. If it seems dry, you can always add some more lime juice.

Happy August!

Zaatar Salmon with Tahini Lemon Vinaigrette

This is a great dish for July 4^th as it can be prepared ahead of time, cooked in the oven or on the barbeque, served hot, cold, or at room temperature, and most importantly, it’s a summer crowd pleaser! I used zaatar which is a Middle Eastern mixture of dried herbs, but you could also use dill, tarragon, basil, thyme, sage or rosemary.

Start with the vinaigrette, these quantities will yield enough for the salmon and a salad to serve it over. Mix together the juice of one and a half to two lemons, two minced garlic cloves, two tablespoons of tahini, a quarter cup extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Adjust the consistency by adding some more oil or even a little bit of warm water.

Next, place your heaviest oven proof frying pan on the stove over medium heat, or on high if you’re cooking on a gas barbeque. Cut a pound and a quarter of salmon into four serving sized pieces, generously salt both sides, then season the top with zaatar. Swirl a teaspoon of vegetable oil around the hot pan to coat the bottom then place the salmon in skin side down.

After approximately four minutes, no need to flip, simply transfer the pan to a preheated 350-degree oven and cook for another five minutes, or until it’s done to your liking. For grill users, turn the burner off under the pan, leave the far burner on medium, and close the lid of the barbeque. Either way, when it’s done be sure to remove the salmon from the pan immediately to prevent it from cooking further.

For the salad, coarsely chop some endive, radicchio, and cucumber, then toss with a handful of kalamata olives, and the dressing…making sure to save some to drizzle over the salmon when serving.

Lentil Salad

Our local farmers are amazing! It’s only the beginning of June and at last week’s Waitsfield farmer’s market I saw asparagus, spinach, Russian Kale, radishes, broccolini, onions, herbs, scallions, turnips, greens, and more. Be sure to check it out!

I used the parsley, spinach, and onions I bought along with the first of the Florida corn from the grocery store for my first lentil salad of the season. Lentil salads are about three things, lentils, dressing, and all the other stuff.

You want your lentils firm…not hard or mushy.  For a cup of dry lentils, eleven to twelve minutes at a low boil is usually about right. Rinse with cold water and drain after cooking.

The dressing is where most of the flavor comes from, so don’t hold back on the garlic, herbs, and spices! Start by mincing a clove of garlic or two in the Cuisinart. Next, add a full bunch of parsley, stems and all, a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt, and a tablespoon or two of extra virgin olive oil. Pulse into a coarse paste.

The oil and vinegar go in later, but for now, stir the parsley paste together with the drained lentils in a large bowl and set aside. 

As far as all the other stuff goes, there are countless options. Some of my go to ingredients include kale, arugula, squash, sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, scallions, carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, dates, garbanzo beans, corn, feta cheese, olives, capers, and fresh herbs.

For ingredients like squash and sweet potatoes, it’s necessary to either sauté or roast them ahead of time. Corn, onions, and peppers can be used raw or cooked.

This time around I sauteed the onion and corn before mixing them together with the lentils and some sun-dried tomatoes. I then added some extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and red wine vinegar using a 50/50 oil to acid ratio. And as always, salt and pepper to taste.

For an easy one plate meal, throw some spiced shrimp, chicken, or tofu over the top. 

Asparagus Pea Shoot Salad

Asparagus, pea shoots, feta, mint…this salad epitomizes spring!

In a small bowl or jar with a lid, combine the juice from half a lemon, twice that amount of extra virgin olive oil, a thinly sliced shallot, a handful of finely chopped mint, salt, and pepper. Mix or shake well and set aside.

Remove the coarse bottoms from a pound of asparagus spears, cut into two-inch pieces, then blanch for a minute or two in a pot of simmering salted water. Once the asparagus is tender but still firm, drain in a colander and run under cold water to keep them from cooking any more.

Five minutes before serving, adjust the dressing if needed with more lemon, oil, salt, or pepper. Then, in a large bowl, combine the asparagus, two ounces of pea shoots, four ounces of crumbled feta, another helping of chopped mint, and the dressing. Toss well.

Happiness, right? Spring is here!

Easy Sausage Marinara Pasta

This one comes together quickly with fresh sausage and some pantry staples.

Remove the casings from four Italian sausages by slicing them down one side and peeling them away from the meat.  Heat a little bit of olive oil in a large pot then sauté the ground sausage and a chopped shallot until the meat is nearly cooked through. If you want to spice it up, this would be the time to add some red pepper flakes…or extra garlic as well.

To finish, simply pour in a jar of your favorite marinara, simmer for 10 minutes, then toss with a pound of cooked pasta and some parmesan. 

Brussel Sprout Parmesan Cranberry Salad

Sour, salty, and sweet, soft and crunchy, this salad has it all!

For a raw Brussel sprout salad I figure about six sprouts per person. Start by removing the discolored outer leaves then slicing as thinly as possible and set aside in a salad bowl. Sometimes it easier to cut the Brussel sprout in half first then slice with the flat cut half against the cutting board.

Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a small bowl, add a handful of dried cranberries and soak for at least five minutes. Next, prep the parmesan using a cheese planer or the coarsest side of a box grater…shave about a half a cup and set aside.

When you’re ready to go, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil onto the sprouts along with the cranberries and lemon juice. Toss well, add the shaved parmesan then salt and pepper to taste. Depending on how wet you like your salads, you may want to add some more lemon juice or olive oil.

Caesar Crusted Baked Cod

Oh baby oh baby, this is a good one! My best customer and most trustworthy critic told me it was the best thing I’ve made in a long time. There’s a little bit of prep, but it’s still easier than making an actual Caesar dressing.

Preheat your oven to 425. In a small bowl, mash together two minced garlic cloves, some black pepper, the zest from half a lemon, two tablespoons of olive oil, and a tablespoon each of room temperature butter, Dijon mustard, and if you’re a real Caesar fan, anchovy paste.

Stir in a half a cup each of grated parmesan and panko and combine well to form a coarse paste. You may have to loosen it up with another splash or two of olive oil.

Cut about a pound of cod into portion sized pieces and put them onto a butter smeared baking sheet or roasting pan. Use your hands to form a quarter inch layer of the mixture on the tops of the fillets and bake for 15 minutes. Turn up the heat to 450 or 500 and cook until you start to see some browning…probably no more than five minutes.

Give each fillet a big squeeze of lemon juice and serve.

Sauteed Lacinato Kale

Sauteed kale is such a simple pleasure, and it’s even simpler if you don’t have to de-stem it. For this method, it’s better to use lacinato over curly kale as the stems are much more delicate.

Warm a few splashes of olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over low heat. Add a couple thinly sliced cloves of garlic and cook until fork tender and the flavor is imparted into the oil.

Next, pour in a half a cup of water, vegetable, or chicken stock along with a bunch of coarsely chopped kale. Turn the heat to medium high, cover, and cook for approximately five minutes. Uncover and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated.

Salt and pepper to taste. And if you have it, drizzle with a fine extra virgin olive oil.

Happy spring!

Korean Eggplant

I’m always looking for new ways to make eggplant, and this side dish I recently discovered in the cookbook Korean Home Cooking was so easy and flavorful I’ll definitely be making it regularly.

Slice a large eggplant in half the long way, cut each half into three long triangular wedges, then cut each of those wedges into two-inch long pieces.

Set your heaviest skillet over medium heat.  Once it’s hot, coat lightly with some veggie oil and place the eggplant wedges cut side down.

Being careful not to let them burn, cook for a couple of minutes until they’re charred on the bottom. Flip to the other cut side, cook for another minute, then turn the heat down to low and leave on the heat until they’re tender and cooked through…about two minutes. Set aside and let cool.

In a medium bowl, mix together two thinly sliced scallions, a small thinly sliced deseeded Fresno chili, a teaspoon of fish sauce, and two teaspoons each of minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and soy sauce.

Shred the eggplant pieces lengthwise with your fingers and toss together with the dressing…done! They’re as good at room temperature as they are chilled, and last for a few days in the fridge.

White Bean and Broccoli Rabe Soup

I hadn’t made this broccoli rabe soup in years, and boy I have been missing out. Now that broccoli rabe, also known as rapini, is so easy to find, don’t make the same mistake I did.

Cut about a half an inch from the bottom of the broccoli rabe stocks and discard. Cut the remainder of the bunch into thirds and blanch for a couple of minutes in a large pot of salted water. Drain and run under some cold water to keep it from cooking any further.

Heat a generous pour of olive oil in the soup pot then stir in a few good shakes of red pepper flakes and a couple of finely chopped garlic cloves. After a minute, add the broccoli rabe, stir it around a bit, then add about six cups of chicken or vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil, then quickly turn down to a simmer. Stir in a drained can of cannellini, navy, or northern white beans and simmer for another twenty minutes. Salt to taste.

A little parmesan grated over the top is never a bad idea.