Syrian Beet Salad

Recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

(serves 4-6)
2 quarts water
3 large beets
1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh chives
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 fresh, hot chili, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

In a large pot bring water to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the beets and cut them into 1/2-inch cubes. Ease them into the boiling water, cover, lower to a simmer and cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. When the beets are ready, drain well and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the chives, cilantro and remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Wine Braised Pumpkin Wrapped in Crispy Bacon

Recipe by member, JJ Proville. Visit his website at www.chezjjp.com

What to do with a pumpkin besides soup and pie? This makes a great
appetizer or side dish and feel free to decide what size chunks of pumpkin work best for you.

(serves 4-5)
1 small to medium Pumpkin
2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup Red or White Wine
5 slices of Smoked Bacon
Thyme, whole branch (optional, but suggested)

Peel pumpkin using a large peeler or sharp knife. Cut into pieces about 2-3 inches long and 1 inch thick. In a wide pot, heat butter over medium flame and brown the pieces of pumpkin on all sides. Pour wine into the pot and add the thyme, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30-45 minutes or until pumpkin is tender but not too soft. Pierce with a skewer or knife to test consistency. Remove pumpkin using tongs and dry them with paper towel. Season with pepper. Wrap a strip of bacon around each chunk. Position your oven rack so it is right under the broiler. Place pumpkin chunks wrapped in bacon on top of foil and set oven to broil. Now broil about 2-3 minutes on each side, turning each piece mid-way using tongs. It is extremely important to keep a close eye on this part in order to avoid burning or under cooking the bacon. The objective here is to achieve perfect crispiness. Serve on a nice white plate decorated with thyme branches.

Potato, Leek and Blue Cheese Soup

Recipe by Sarah Foster from Fresh Every Day

For an even heartier soup, stir in some coarsely chopped spinach, kale or other greens at the end and cook just to wilt.

(serves 6)
4 leeks (about 2 pounds, trimmed and split lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 pear, cored and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pound white or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or sage leaves
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (plus more for garnish)

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the celery and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about

5 minutes. Add the pear and garlic and saute 2 minutes longer, stirring so not to brown the garlic. Add the potatoes, broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil over low-medium hat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Cool the soup slightly and transfer half to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add the puree back to the chunky soup and stir to mix. Reheat and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the blue cheese and rosemary and serve, topped with additional crumbles of cheese.

Coconut Curry Stir Fry

Recipe by Heather Thomason

This is a deliciously easy week night dish that is a great way to use up any vegetables you have on hand.

(serves 4)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1-2 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3-4 carrots, sliced, 1/4 inch thick
***Be creative and try other veggies: green beans, cauliflower,
potatoes, eggplant or bok choy are all delicious, just cut the vegetables to be a consistent size. You’ll want to have 6-8 cups in total.
1 can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons good curry powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
cooked long grain white rice for serving

Whisk together milk, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil for 30 seconds. Add the pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, until very fragrant. Stir in the milk mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the wok and heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the veggies and stir fry for about 5-6 minutes until crisp tender, if they start to stick add a bit of water (cooking time may vary slightly with vegetables used). Pour the curry sauce over and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the basil and serve immediately over rice.

Broccoli and Bow Ties

Recipe by Iva Garten from Barefoot Contessa, Family Style

(serves 6-8) time: 20 minutes
kosher salt
8 cups broccoli florets
1/2 pound farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon juice for a lemon
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
fresh grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Cook the broccoli for 3 minutes in a large pot of boiling salted water. Remove the broccoli from the water with a slotted spoon or sieve. Place in a large bowl and set aside. In the same water, cook the bow tie pasta according to package directions (10-12 minutes). Drain well and add to broccoli. Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, heat the butter and oil and cook the garlic and lemon zest over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Off the heat, add 2 tablespoons salt, the pepper, and lemon juice and pour this over the broccoli and pasta. Toss well, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with pine nuts and cheese to serve.

Warm Eggplant-Butternut Squash Salad

Recipe by Marcus Samuelson from The Soul of a New Cuisine, A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa

(makes 4-6 servings)
1-1/2 Tablespoons sumac *a sour, acidic spice from the berries of a
sumac tree. You’ll find it ground in an ethnic grocery store.
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
2 small butternut (other winter squash) peeled, seeded, and cut
into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
1 3-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced
finely chopped zest of 1 lemon
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 red chilies, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1-1/2 cups loosely packed, coarsely chopped spinach leaves
juice of 2 limes
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
salt

Preheat the oven to 350˙. Combine the sumac with 7 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Toss the squash with half the oil, spread on a baking sheet in a single layer, and roast for about 40 minutes. Toss the eggplant with the remaining oil and spread in a single layer on a second baking sheet and roast until tender, about 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over low heat. Add the ginger, lemon zest, garlic, and chilies and saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the honey and water, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Transfer roasted vegetables to a large bowl. Add the spinach, the chili mixture, lime juice, and parsley and toss until the spinach wilts slightly. Season with salt.

Carrot, Marsala, and Ginger Soup

Recipe Katherine Kagel from Cooking with Cafe Pasqual’s

(serves 6)
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds carrots, peeled and diced
2 yellow onions, diced
4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
zest and juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon dry marsala wine
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
paprika, for garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the carrots and onions. Saute until onion is translucent. Add the water, cayenne, ginger and pepper. Simmer a few minutes more until the carrots are fork tender. Stir in the orange zest and juice, marsala and half-and-half. Puree in batches in a food processor or the container of a blender until smooth and velvety. Add the salt to taste and add more of the ground spices if desired. Heat when ready to serve but do not boil. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika.

Eggs in a Nest

Recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver

(This recipe makes dinner for 4 but can easily be cut in half.)
2 cups uncooked brown rice
Olive oil – a few tablespoons
1 medium onion, chopped, and garlic to taste
Carrots, chopped
1⁄2 cup dried tomatoes
1 really large bunch of chard, coarsely chopped
8 eggs

Cook rice with 4 cups water in a covered pot while other ingredients are being prepared. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a wide skillet until lightly golden. Add carrots and tomatoes and saute for a few more minutes, adding just enough water to re-hydrate the tomatoes. Mix chard in with other vegetables and cover pan for a few minutes. Uncover, stir well, then use the back of a spoon to make depressions in the cooked leaves, circling the pan like numbers on a clock. Break an egg into each depression, being careful to keep yolks whole. Cover pan again and allow eggs to poach for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Parsnip and Rosemary Risotto

Recipe from Bon Appétit, March 2006

(makes 6 servings *you could easily half this recipe and still have a meal for 4 with a great salad and some bread)
8 cups vegetable broth
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 pounds parsnips (about 7 medium), peeled, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
5 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 1/2 cups (10 ounces) arborio rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Aged balsamic vinegar (for drizzling)

Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and keep warm.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsnips and 3 teaspoons chopped rosemary. Cook until parsnips begin to brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir 2 minutes. Add enough warm broth to cover; simmer until almost all broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, and cook until rice and parsnips are tender, allowing each broth addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring frequently, about 20 minutes total. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining 2 teaspoons rosemary, and cheese. Season risotto to taste with salt and pepper. Divide risotto among 6 shallow bowls. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.

Basic Applesauce

Recipe from Everyday, October 2005

3 pounds apples, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 cinnamon stick
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or honey
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a large saucepan, combine apples with 1 cinnamon stick, 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or honey, and 3/4 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. (If sauce begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, add 2 to 4 tablespoons more water.) Remove from heat; discard cinnamon stick. Stir in 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.

Kale Soup with Soy and Lime

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman

(serves 4) time: 20 minutes
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup minced onion
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups stock, veg/chicken/beef or plain water
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
salt to taste
3 cups roughly chopped kale leaves (stripped from the stalks and well rinsed)
minced cilantro for garnish
1 jalapeno chili, stemmed and minced (optional)
1 lime

Place oil in a large, deep saucepan and turn heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 5 -8 minutes. When the onion is tender and golden, add the garlic. Cook 1 minute then add the stock or water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, add the soy sauce and taste for salt; add if necessary. Add the kale to the simmering broth and cook until it is nice and tender, about 10 minutes. Correct the seasoning, garnish and serve, with jalapeno and lime.

Potato, Leek and Fromage Blanc Frittata

Recipe from Food and Wine, February 2007

(serves 6)
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled (3/4 pound)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and tender green parts, halved and thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper
10 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
4 ounces fromage blanc (or crumbled feta or goat cheese)

Preheat the oven to 375˚. In a medium sauce pan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly then cut into a quarter-inch dice.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the butter over moderate heat and saute the leeks until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes more. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with milk salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the leeks and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Dollop the top with cheese and transfer to the oven. Bake until the eggs are set in the center, about 18 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.

Squash and Apple Soup

Recipe adapted by Marian Burros from Out of the Earth, from The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook

(makes about 10 cups)
3 lbs. winter squash like butternut, buttercup, delicata or hubbard, halved and seeded
olive oil
3 carrots, peeled
2 medium onions, halved but not peeled
salt and pepper
5 cloves garlic, peeled
4 apples, cored but not peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1b. red or white potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 large sprigs thyme
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 400˚. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet lightly coated with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss the onions and carrots in a little oil and salt and place around the squash or on another baking sheet. Roast the vegetables until tender, squash - about 1 hour, onions and carrots - about 40-50 minutes. Scoop the flesh from the squash and place in a 6-8 qt. pot with the carrots. Peel the onions and add along with garlic, potatoes, apples, 2 sprigs thyme and stock. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer until potatoes are falling apart tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the soup in batches; return to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Reheat slowly before serving. The soup may be refrigerated or frozen; add a little water or stock when reheating.

Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Chipotle Salsa

Recipe by Rick Bayless, from Everyday Mexican

These are awesome. That’s all I can really say....

(serves 4)
1 bunch swiss chard, collards, mustard or beet greens or spinach, about 12-oz., touch stems removed
1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large or 2 small onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and minced
about 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
12 corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese (feta is a nice substitute)
3/4 cup smoky chipotle salsa**

Cut the chard crosswise into 1-2 inch slices. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, until they become golden and caramelized. Add the garlic and red pepper and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the broth, greens and a pinch of salt. Cover reduce heat to low and cook until the greens are almost tender, (spinach will just take about 2 minutes, chard about 5, and heartier greens like collards, about 7-8) stirring occasionally. Remove lid and turn heat back to medium, stirring, until the mixture is nearly dry and adjust salt to taste. Meanwhile, heat a flat skillet over medium-high heat and warm the tortillas for a minute or so per side. Fill the warm tortillas with veggies and top with crumbled queso and salsa.

**You can use your favorite salsa, or make a quick, smokey chipotle salsa. Place 1-2 tomatoes, cut in half, half side down under the broiler with a few peeled cloves of garlic until slightly charred - a few minutes. Blend, tomatoes, garlic and 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce (you’ll find these in a can) with a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

French Pear Batter Pudding

Recipe by Anne Willan, from Good Food, No Fuss

An easy and wonderfully delicious dessert. Your dinner guests will thank you!

(serves 6)
3-4 large ripe pears (about 1/2 pound)
butter and sugar for the baking dish
juice of 1 lemon
batter
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
3 Tablespoons fruit alcohol or rum (optional)
confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 quart baking dish

Heat the oven to 375˚F. Butter the baking dish, sprinkle it with sugar, and turn the dish so it is evenly coated, discarding the excess sugar. Peel, core and slice the pears into 1/8-1/4-inch crescents. Sprinkle the slices with lemon juice so they don’t discolor. Make the batter: Put the sugar in a bowl, add the eggs and whisk for 1-2 minutes until light and frothy. Stir in the flour and salt just until smooth. Don’t beat the batter at this stage as this will make the pudding tough. Stir in the milk, and strain the batter over the pears to remove any lumps of flour. Bake the pudding for 55-65 minutes until it is puffed and brown. It should be firm on the center and have started to pull away from the sides. Let dish cool for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with alcohol, dust generously with powdered sugar and serve warm.