Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 10: Ribs with Chard

 

Recipe of the Week:  Ribs with Swiss Chard

Short Ribs with Chard by Miriam Meir This is a recipe from our Syrian side of the family.  Ingredients 2 large onions 5-6 celery ribs 4 garlic cloves 2 tbsp olive oil 2-3 lbs short ribs (I use flanken) 2 bunches chard - swiss or rainbow 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (or one can) 1 tbsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, more to taste 2 cups basmati rice Step 1.  Preheat the oven to 300 F. Cut the meat into 2" cubes.  Step 2. Chop the onion, celery ribs and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pot, and saute the onion and celery about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 additional minutes.  Step 3. Move the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the meat, saute it in the pan so that all pieces touch the oil for about a minute. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Step 4. Wash and coarsely chop the chard. Add to the pan 1 cup water and fold in the chard, chickpeas, salt, allspice and cinnamon.  Step 5. Cover and transfer to the oven for 1.5 hours. Serve with basmati rice or in a pita.  You can make the rice during this time: Thoroughly rinse 2 cups of rice, soak in 4 cups of water exactly 30 minutes Drain and reserve the water Heat up 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan with a good tight lid Add the rice with 2 tsp salt and mix carefully Add 3 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes over the lowest heat.  Tip:  We had leftovers for lunch the next day, along with leafy greens (collard greens here) quickly braised in some olive oil with finely diced garlic cloves, some salt and some Aleppo pepper.    About Miriam Miriam is a mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Her family's kitchen is broadly Mediterranean, and inspired by their heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

Cream of the Crop Week 9: Cowboy Caviar

 Cowboy Caviar

By: Margaux Pisciotta

Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Cook Time: 10 minutes

Cowboy Caviar is a long-time favorite summer recipe. Combining the peak of summer produce with fiber-packed legumes and fresh herbs, it is a refreshing snack with chips or an easy topper for a salad. 

 Ingredients: 

• 1 container of Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 can Corn (or use frozen)
• 2 cans Black Beans
• 1 Jalapeño
• 1 Avocado
• ¼ cup Cilantro
• 1 tbsp Lime Juice
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Cumin

Optional Ingredients:

• Cucumber
• Onion
• Dandelion Greens

1. Rinse black beans and corn in a colander until water runs clear. 
2. Dice tomatoes and jalapeño into 1 cm pieces (roughly the same size as the corn and beans). You have the option to add any other vegetables here that you want. Cucumber, onion, or dandelion greens can be a great addition. 
3. Chop cilantro finely. 
4. Mix all chopped vegetables and herbs together in a large bowl. Add cumin (Sourcery’s cumin is a wonderful choice), lime juice, and salt to taste. 
5. Add avocado just before serving to keep green. This salad keeps for multiple days, so I recommend keeping the avocado separate and just adding to the serving you’re eating. 
6. Serve with tortilla chips or over lettuce. 

Tip 1: Most greens can be preserved in the freezer for the future. To freeze, remove tough stems and fibers, chop if desired, and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove from water, drain, and cool. Package and allow to freeze. This is a great way to preserve greens for your soup-cooking self down the line. 

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About Margaux

Margaux is a veterinary technician and long-time Westsider. She draws inspirations from her Belgian and Italian heritage with recipes that resemble those passed down by mother and grandmother.

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Cream of the Crop Recipe Week 8

 Kohlrabi Latkes

by Miriam Meir

Using kohlrabi instead of potatoes in your latkes recipe cuts the calories by ~25%, cuts the carbs by more than half, doubles the fiber, grows the vitamin c content tenfold, and lowers the glycemic load from high/moderate to low. And it's so good! Try it with Nandita's carrot top pesto! 

Ingredients
2 lbs kohlrabi, peeled and grated (about 4–5 medium bulbs)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: olive oil for frying

Step 1. 
Peel the kohlrabi bulbs with a vegetable peeler or knife. Grate using a box grater or food processor. Place grated kohlrabi in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Step 2.
In a large bowl, combine the drained kohlrabi, Parmesan, eggs, flour, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully incorporated. The mixture should be moist but hold together when pressed.

Step 3.
Two options to cook:

- Bake: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and lightly oil it. Place scoops of the mixture onto the sheet, flatten, and spray or brush the tops with oil. Bake 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp.

- Pan-fry: Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop ¼-cup portions of batter, flatten slightly, and fry ~3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain briefly on paper towels.



Tip: 
Make a full dinner out of this by adding a simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. We had the latkes with labneh and with Nandita's carrot top pesto. Nobody - not even my teenage son! - needed additional protein.
Speaking of pepper - Sourcery's black pepper is SO GOOD. 

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About Miriam
Miriam is a mom, lecturer, and part-time grad student. Her family's kitchen is broadly Mediterranean, and inspired by their heritage: Belgian, Israeli, Moroccan and Syrian.

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As always, please visit our blog for recipes over the past dozen years, and send us your recipes if you find something that you really love and that utilizes our current distribution.

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