A wonderful summer soup! It's served cold, so it's good on days when you want to beat the heat.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb snow peas
3 cups chopped leeks (white parts only)
1/2 peeled and chopped Yukon Gold potatoes
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
1 cup snow pea greens or arugula
1 cup buttermilk
salt and freshly ground pepper
~ Remove strings from snow peas and cut into 1-inch pieces. Combine snow peas, leeks and potatoes in a pot. pour in stock and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Add snow pea greens and simmer for 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
Puree soup (you may have to do this in batches).
Stir in buttermilk. Season well with salt and pepper. Chill. Garnish with, either, snow pea sprouts, slivered snow peas or chives.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Swiss Chard Tart with Four Cheeses
Wonderful as a first course for dinner, or for brunch! You may use less varieties of cheese, or substitute cheeses you prefer.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Swiss chard, stemmed
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks (white and light green parts only)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 eggs
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup ricotta
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
ROASTED GARLIC
1 bulb garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
3 Tbs. ice water
~ Combine flour and salt in a food processor. Distribute butter evenly over flour. Pulse machine on and off until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. With machine running, gradually pour ice water through feed tube in the top of the processor. Immediately stop machine, transfer mixture to a flour board and knead together gently . Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. This dough can also be made by hand.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll dough out on a floured work surface. Transfer pastry to a pie shell, and cut away excess pastry and prick the pie shell with a fork. Line pastry with foil or parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans (or whatever you have chosen to use) and bake for 5 minutes longer.
Heat oven to 400 F. Cut off a third of the garlic head. Rub exposed cloves with oil. Wrap garlic in foil and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until soft. Squeeze 2 Tbs. of garlic out of the skins into a bowl and discard skins.
Heat oven to 375 F.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add chard and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and press down to remove as much water as possible. Chop chard coarsely and set aside.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and saute for 3 minutes, or until limp. Stir in chard and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Beat together eggs, cream, roasted garlic and ricotta in a separate large bowl. Stir in cheddar, blu and Parmesan cheese and Swiss chard mixture.
Transfer this mixture to the pre-baked pie shell and bake for 35 minutes, or until the mixture is set and slightly golden. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Swiss chard, stemmed
2 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 cups sliced leeks (white and light green parts only)
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 eggs
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/2 cup ricotta
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 oz. (4 Tbs.) blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
ROASTED GARLIC
1 bulb garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
SHORTCRUST PASTRY
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
3 Tbs. ice water
~ Combine flour and salt in a food processor. Distribute butter evenly over flour. Pulse machine on and off until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. With machine running, gradually pour ice water through feed tube in the top of the processor. Immediately stop machine, transfer mixture to a flour board and knead together gently . Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. This dough can also be made by hand.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll dough out on a floured work surface. Transfer pastry to a pie shell, and cut away excess pastry and prick the pie shell with a fork. Line pastry with foil or parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and beans (or whatever you have chosen to use) and bake for 5 minutes longer.
Heat oven to 400 F. Cut off a third of the garlic head. Rub exposed cloves with oil. Wrap garlic in foil and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until soft. Squeeze 2 Tbs. of garlic out of the skins into a bowl and discard skins.
Heat oven to 375 F.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add chard and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and press down to remove as much water as possible. Chop chard coarsely and set aside.
Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and saute for 3 minutes, or until limp. Stir in chard and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Beat together eggs, cream, roasted garlic and ricotta in a separate large bowl. Stir in cheddar, blu and Parmesan cheese and Swiss chard mixture.
Transfer this mixture to the pre-baked pie shell and bake for 35 minutes, or until the mixture is set and slightly golden. Serve warm or cold.
Serves 4-6
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Provencal-Style Stuffed Zucchini
Ingredients:
2 cups (approximately 2 oz) diced French baguette or other crusty bread, preferably day-old
1/2 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbs. minced garlic (try using garlic scapes if you don't have garlic on hand)
1/2 tsp. salt, possibly more if needed
1/4 tsp. ground ground black pepper, possibly more if needed
3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 small zucchini (each about 7 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide)
4 oz fresh, lean and mild pork sausage
3/4 cup minced onions
3/4 cup finely chopped, peeled and seeded tomatoes (approximately 2 tomatoes)
~ Pulse the diced bread in a food processor until you have an even mixture of fine and coarse crumbs. Add 1/4 cup of the cheese, the parley leaves, 1 1/2 tsp. of the minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. of the pepper, and process until evenly mixed. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the breadcrumb mixture for the filling. Mix 1 1/2 Tbs. of the olive oil into the remaining breadcrumbs, transfer the mixture to a small container and set aside.
Lay the zucchini on a flat work surface, and using a sharp knife, slice the tup quarter of each squash lengthwise. Next, slice a sliver off the bottom of the squash to help keep it stable. Using a small melon baller or spoon, remove the inner flesh from the zucchini to form a small boat shape, leaving a shell that is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Cut the zucchini pulp into 1/4-inch dice, and reserve it separately. Lightly salt the inside of the zucchini shells with the remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt. Set them, hollow side down, on paper towels to drain while you prepare the filling.
Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a twelve inch skillet. Add the sausage and saute until it is golden, using a spoon to break it up into small pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they are soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini pulp and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1 1/2 tsp. of garlic, and cook, stirring , until the moisture has evaporated and the filling comes together; about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the reserved 2 Tbs. breadcrumb mixture, and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Rub the outside of the zucchini with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. of olive oil, and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Turn the zucchini, hollow side up, and lightly at the insides with paper towels. Using a tablespoon or other small spoon, fill the zucchini with the warm filling. Top with the reserved breadcrumb mixture (the one in the container). Lay the zucchini in a baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on top.
Serves 6-8
2 cups (approximately 2 oz) diced French baguette or other crusty bread, preferably day-old
1/2 cup finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbs. minced garlic (try using garlic scapes if you don't have garlic on hand)
1/2 tsp. salt, possibly more if needed
1/4 tsp. ground ground black pepper, possibly more if needed
3 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 small zucchini (each about 7 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide)
4 oz fresh, lean and mild pork sausage
3/4 cup minced onions
3/4 cup finely chopped, peeled and seeded tomatoes (approximately 2 tomatoes)
~ Pulse the diced bread in a food processor until you have an even mixture of fine and coarse crumbs. Add 1/4 cup of the cheese, the parley leaves, 1 1/2 tsp. of the minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. of the pepper, and process until evenly mixed. Reserve 2 Tbs. of the breadcrumb mixture for the filling. Mix 1 1/2 Tbs. of the olive oil into the remaining breadcrumbs, transfer the mixture to a small container and set aside.
Lay the zucchini on a flat work surface, and using a sharp knife, slice the tup quarter of each squash lengthwise. Next, slice a sliver off the bottom of the squash to help keep it stable. Using a small melon baller or spoon, remove the inner flesh from the zucchini to form a small boat shape, leaving a shell that is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Cut the zucchini pulp into 1/4-inch dice, and reserve it separately. Lightly salt the inside of the zucchini shells with the remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt. Set them, hollow side down, on paper towels to drain while you prepare the filling.
Heat 1 Tbs. of the olive oil in a twelve inch skillet. Add the sausage and saute until it is golden, using a spoon to break it up into small pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the onions and cook until they are soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini pulp and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1 1/2 tsp. of garlic, and cook, stirring , until the moisture has evaporated and the filling comes together; about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the reserved 2 Tbs. breadcrumb mixture, and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Rub the outside of the zucchini with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. of olive oil, and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Turn the zucchini, hollow side up, and lightly at the insides with paper towels. Using a tablespoon or other small spoon, fill the zucchini with the warm filling. Top with the reserved breadcrumb mixture (the one in the container). Lay the zucchini in a baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on top.
Serves 6-8
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