RECIPE: Creamy Vegan Dill Salad Dressing

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cashews
• water for soaking
• ½ cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 shallot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• ¾ cup water
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ cup olive oil
• additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Soak the cashews in water to cover for at least an hour.
2. Drain and rinse the cashews.
3. Place all of the ingredients except for the olive oil in a blender or food processor.
4. Process the dressing. Slowly add in the olive oil with the processor or blender going.
5. Transfer the dressing to a bottle.
6. Store in refrigerator.
7. Enjoy!

KALE, TOASTED ALMOND, AND PARMESAN SALAD

KALE, TOASTED ALMOND, AND PARMESAN SALAD

Ingredients

·        100g kale

·        100g broccoli

·        1 shallot, finely chopped

·        40g grated parmesan

·        50g toasted flaked almonds

·         

For the dressing

·        60ml (4 TBSP) extra virgin olive oil

·        2 tbsp white wine vinegar

·        2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon, depending on size)

·        1 tsp maple syrup

·         

Instructions

1.      Remove any large stalks from the kale and thinly slice the leaves. I find the easiest way to do this is to bunch them together in one hand and then chop in a similar way to fresh herbs.

2.      Add the broccoli to a food processor and whiz for a few seconds until you have small rice-like chunks. Alternatively, finely chop the broccoli.

3.      In a large bowl, toss the kale, broccoli, shallot and parmesan together. If serving immediately, also add the flaked almonds.

4.      Whisk together (or shake in a jar) the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. Add the almonds just before serving.

Notes

This salad can be prepared and dressed ahead of time. Just leave out the flaked almonds until serving so they don't lose their crunch.

If you can't find toasted flaked almonds, you can toast your own: spread flaked almonds out on a baking tray and put in the oven at 180c. Keep an eye on them - they should only take 3-4 minutes. Store any extra in an airtight container.

RECIPE: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Wild Mushrooms and Cream

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise (5 cups)   
• 5 Tbs. olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter    
• 3/4 lb. wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles or hedgehogs or shitakes, halved if small or cut into 1-inch wedges (about 4-1/2 cups)    
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)    
• 1/4 cup dry white wine    
• 1 cup heavy cream    
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Put the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil; toss to coat. Spread the Brussels sprouts in an even layer and season generously with salt. Roast until tender and browned, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Heat a 12-inch skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add 1 Tbs. of the olive oil and 2 Tbs. of the butter. When the butter has melted, add the mushrooms in an even layer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden-brown and tender and the mushroom liquid (if any) has evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and transfer to a plate.
Set the skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and 1 Tbs. butter. When the butter has melted, add the shallot, season with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Return the mushrooms to the pan and add the Brussels sprouts and cream. Stir in a few grinds of pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens and coats the vegetables nicely, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead Tips:
The brussels sprouts can be roasted and the mushroom seared up to 8 hours ahead. Make the sauce and finish the dish just before serving.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 360; Fat (g): fat g 32; Fat Calories (kcal): 290; Saturated Fat (g): sat fat g 14; Protein (g): protein g 5; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 14; Carbohydrates (g): carbs g 15; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): sodium mg 190; Cholesterol (mg): cholesterol mg 70; Fiber (g): fiber g 6;

RECIPE: Garlic Family Soup

Difficulty Level: Moderate

6 leeks

sea salt
3 quarts water
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced in half, then sliced thinly lengthwise into half moons
6 shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and halved lengthwise
4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Bouquet garni: several sprigs of fresh parsley, tarragon, some bay leaves and celery leaves, wrapped in a leek green and tied with twine
1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed
fresh minced parsley for garnish

Trim and rinse the leeks, cutting off the dark green leaves and separating from the white and pale green parts.  Chop whites and pale greens.

Place dark green leek leaves in a large stockpot, cover with water and pinch of salt.  Bring to boil over high heat.  Cover, lower heat to medium, simmer 15 minutes. 

In heavy bottomed stockpot, combine chopped leeks, onions, shallots, garlic, olive oil, bouquet garni, and salt.  Sweat over medium heat, covered, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. 

Strain leek broth and pour over vegetables.  Add potatoes.  Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cook 1 hour.  Remove and discard bouquet garni.  Blend soup, either in a blender or in the pot using an immersion blender.  Garnish with parsley and serve.

RECIPE: Pear Salad

Difficulty Level: EASY

Vinaigrette:

•1 large shallot, halved and thinly sliced
•1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
•2 tablespoons sherry or apple cider vinegar
•1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
•1/4 teaspoon black pepepr
•1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

•4 cups arugula, lightly packed (or other lettuces)
•4 cups romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces (or other lettuces)
•2 ripe pears, cored and cut into 1/2" cubes
•1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
•3 ounces fresh goat cheese or feta, crumbled (or other CSA cheese)
•1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and coarsely chopped

1. In a small bowl combine the shallot, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk until the salt is dissolved.

2. Whisk in the olive oil and let vinaigrette stand at room temperature until salad is assembled.

3. Combine the arugula, romaine, pears and half of the pomegranate seeds in a large bowl.

4. Crumble half of the goat cheese over the ingredients in the bowl (this works best if the cheese is very cold).

5. Whisk the vinaigrette until uniform and add all but 2 tablespoons of it to the bowl.

6. Gently toss the salad with your hands or salad tongs, coating the ingredients well with the vinaigrette. If the salad seems dry, add the vinaigrette in small increments until it is dressed to your liking.

7. Crumble the remaining cheese over the salad and sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds and the pistachios over the top. Serve immediately.

RECIPE: Beet and Tomato Soup

Difficulty Level: EASY

1 pound medium beets

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium shallots, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more for garnish
1 quart vegetable stock or chicken stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1. In a large saucepan, cover the beets with water. Bring to a boil and cook over moderately high heat until tender, about 1 hour; if necessary, add more water to keep the beets covered. Drain the beets and let cool slightly, then peel and coarsely chop.

2. Wipe out the saucepan and heat the olive oil in it. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped beets, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon of cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the vegetable stock and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

3. Puree the soup in batches in a food processor. Rewarm the soup in the saucepan and season with salt and pepper.

4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with dollops of crème fraîche. Sprinkle with a little cumin and the parsley and serve.

RECIPE: Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout, and Bread Stuffing with Apples

Difficulty Level: EASY

1 pound butternut squash, cubed

1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
1 medium gala apple, cut into a 1/2 inch dice
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided into 2 tbsp and 1 tbsp
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
10 slices bread of choice: crusty sourdough, dry cornbread, whole grain, or, if you are gluten free, millet bread will work nicely. Prior to preparing the recipe, leave bread out for a day to become slightly dry, then cut into cubes.
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth (plus extra as needed)
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts
Sea salt and pepper to taste

1.Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash, brussels sprouts, apples, and shallots in 2 tbsp oil and season well with salt and pepper. Roast till vegetables are very tender and remove from oven. Reduce oven heat to 350.

2.Heat other tbsp oil in a large pot. Sautee the onion and celery till translucent (about 5-8 min). Add the bread cubes and allow them to get golden brown with the veggies in the oil. Add a dash of salt and pepper.

3.Add the roasted vegetables, vegetable broth, cranberries, pecans, and seasonings. Stir the mix till the broth has almost entirely absorbed in the toasted bread. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Serve hot. And delicious.

RECIPE: Basic vinaigrette for the perfect summer salad

Difficulty level: Easy

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of sugar (or honey, brown sugar, agave...)

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Optional: minced garlic, shallot or fresh herbs. Substitute different vinegars or lemon juice. Add Parmesan or blue cheeses.

Combine ingredients and shake in a jar!

RECIPE: Butternut Squash Sage Soup

Difficulty level: Intermediate (easy if you omit the garnish of seeds and fried sage)

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 (2-pound) butternut squash, cut in half with seeds scooped out and reserved

Ground cumin

Ground coriander

9-10 whole fresh sage leaves

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon Madras-style curry powder

2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

3 cups veggie stock

Salt

1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Rub the butternut squash with olive oil and place it face side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the butternut squash for 30-35 minutes, until it's tender with a fork. Remove and set aside until it's cool enough to handle.

2. Meanwhile, let's make the garnish. Rinse out the seeds, discarding any pulp. Sprinkle the seeds with a pinch of cumin, pinch of ground coriander and a pinch of salt. In a small skillet, add a teaspoon of olive oil. When hot, add the seeds, toasting them on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. To the same skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add sage leaves and fry until the leaves are crispy and the edges are lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. To a stock pot, placed over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the minced shallot and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the spices: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, Madras-style curry powder, minced sage leaves and minced garlic clove. Cook until the spices and garlic are fragrant, about 1 minute. Scoop out the butternut squash flesh and add it to the pot, along with the veggie stock. Cover the pot, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 10-12 minutes. In batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until very smooth.

 

Transfer the soup back to the pot and salt to taste. I added about 3/4 teaspoon. Stir in the heavy cream and heat until warm. Divide the soup between bowls and garnish with butternut squash seeds and fried sage leaves.

 

Submitted by Sarah Marder

RECIPE: French Peasant Beets

4 to 6 beets with greens (I like a mixture of golden and red beets)

1 bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and dried

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons white wine (Muscadet is my preference)

1/2 pound Bucheron (at room temperature), cut into 4 wedges (this is a French goat cheese available at most markets)

Crusty peasant-style bread (warmed in the oven)

1. Scrub and peel the beets. Remove the greens, wash and dry them, and chop coarsely. Set the greens aside in a large prep bowl. Slice the beets into 1/4-inch rounds.

2. Remove the ribs from the Swiss chard and coarsely chop the ribs. Toss the leaves and ribs into the bowl with the beet greens.

3. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter and sauté the shallot over medium heat until softened.

4.  Add the beet rounds to the shallot-butter mixture. Toss in a pinch of salt and crack some pepper over the beets. Reduce the heat and sauté the beets, turning to ensure even cooking, until the beets are beginning to glaze and become tender, about 15 minutes.

5. Add the beet greens, chard, and chard ribs and sauté for about 5 minutes, then add the wine and cover. Cook until the greens are wilted, adding 2 tablespoons water if necessary. Allow the liquid to be mostly absorbed into the greens. Adjust the seasonings.

6. Scoop the greens and beets into a shallow bowl. Serve with a generous wedge of Bucheron and some crusty bread. Crack a little bit of pepper over the entire dish.

RECIPE: CUCUMBER SALAD WITH OLIVES, OREGANO, AND ALMONDS

SERVES 4 TO 6

This salad is best served within one hour of being dressed.

INGREDIENTS

4 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced very thin

1/3 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse

1 shallot, sliced very thin

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano

3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted and chopped coarse

INSTRUCTIONS

1.       Evenly spread cucumber slices on paper towel–lined baking sheet. Refrigerate while preparing dressing.

2.       Bring vinegar to simmer in saucepan over medium-low heat; cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer vinegar to bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, oil, sugar, salt, and pepper.

      3.     When ready to serve, add cucumbers, olives, shallot, parsley, and oregano to dressing
              and toss to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes; retoss, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

RECIPE: Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

Adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP.com

Serves 4, with dressing to spare

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sweet white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 cup grapeseed or another neutral oil
2 tablespoons water
1 small/medium head of lettuce (I used Bibb) or mixed greens of your choice
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, quartered

Whiz the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

Divide the lettuce among four bowls, add some of the onion and a quarter of the avocado. Drizzle with plenty of dressing and serve.

RECIPE: Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

From Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1 (1 1/2 lb) butternut squash, peeled and diced into 3/4-inch cubes

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1 tbsp pure maple syrup

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp dried cranberries

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp minced shallots

2 tsp Dijon mustard

4 oz. baby arugula, washed and spun dry

1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

3. While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

4. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Submitted by Vicki Boyne

RECIPE: Indonesian Corn Fritters

• From The New York Times Diner's Journal
• Serves 4 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

• For the dipping sauce:
• 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1/3 cup Bango or other kecap manis (sweet soy sauce, available at Asian markets)
• 
  
• For the fritters:
• 4 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob, or one 15.25 ounce can of corn, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon red bell pepper, julienned into pieces 1/2 inch long, and 1/8 inch wide
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• Salt
• Vegetable oil

Procedure:

• 1. For the sauce: In a small bowl, combine sweet chili sauce and kecap manis. Mix and set aside.
• 2. For the fritters: In a large bowl, combine half the corn kernels, garlic, red bell pepper, nutmeg, ground pepper and egg. Mix well. Place in blender and process at medium speed until pureed. (Variations: For a smooth fritter, add all the corn to the blender; for a very crunchy fritter, reserve all of the corn for step no. 3.)
• 3. Transfer back to bowl; add corn starch, rice flour, shallot and reserved whole corn kernels. Mix well, and season with salt to taste.
• 4. In a wok or a deep frying pan over high heat, add vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Heat to 350 degrees. Working in batches, scoop up corn mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, and add to hot oil; be careful not to crowd pan. Fry until golden brown, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes a side; fresh corn may take slightly longer to brown than canned. Drain and place on paper towels. Serve with dipping sauce.
• Submitted by Ann Tilley