RECIPE: Lemony Kale Salad - Three Ways!

From Cooking Light, August 2012

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups torn kale leaves

2 cups torn Swiss chard leaves

4 teaspoons unsalted pumpkinseed kernels

1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 2)

1 ounce shaved pecorino Romano

Preparation:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add kale and chard; toss. Let stand 10 minutes.

2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add kernels; cook 5 minutes or until brown, stirring frequently. Add kernels, onions, and cheese to greens; toss.

Variation 1. Spicy Soy

Combine 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce in a bowl. Add 4 cups torn kale, 2 cups torn Savoy cabbage leaves, 1 cup shredded carrot, 1 cup sliced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup sliced radish, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; toss. Let stand 8 minutes.

Variation 2. Greek-Style

Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add 4 cups torn kale and 2 cups torn Swiss chard; toss. Let stand 10 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped English cucumber, 1 ounce crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 cup sliced green onions, and 10 ­kalamata olives, pitted and quartered. Toss.

Variation 3. Apple-Walnut

Combine 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon walnut oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add 4 cups torn kale and 2 cups torn Swiss chard; toss. Let stand 10 minutes. Add 1 cup sliced Granny Smith apple, 1/2 cup sliced celery, 1/4 cup sliced red onion, 1 ounce crumbled blue cheese, and 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts; toss.

This Week's Shares

Below are the shares for this week!

Corn
Basil
Eggplant
Zucchini
Lettuce
Radish
Beets
Garlic
Carrots
Collards
Spinach

RECIPE: Wheat Berries with Charred Onions and Kale

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups wheat berries

2 medium onions, halved, divided

5 sprigs thyme

1 tablespoon kosher salt plus more

8 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch kale, stemmed, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (about 8 packed cups)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Ingredient info: Wheat berries, also called hard wheat, are available at most natural foods stores. (On the UWS you can find them at Gary Null’s Whole Foods on 89^th and Broadway.)

Preparation:

Combine wheat berries, 1 onion half, thyme sprigs, and 1 Tbsp. salt in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until wheat berries are just tender but still firm to the bite, about 35 minutes. Drain; discard onion and thyme. Place wheat berries in a large bowl; let cool.

Cut remaining 3 onion halves crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add onions. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with wheat berries. Add 1 Tbsp. oil to same skillet. Working in 3 batches, add kale and cook, tossing occasionally, sprinkling with salt and pepper, and adding oil as needed between batches, until charred in spots, about 1 minute per batch. Add to bowl. Drizzle with lemon juice and any remaining oil; toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Eggplant Fries

Bon Appétit  | August 2011

Dipping sauce:1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon chopped kosher pickle or pickle relish

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano

Kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Fries:1 1-pound eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2" rounds, then into 1/2"-thick strips

Vegetable oil (for frying)

1 cup rice flour

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons za'atar

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more for seasoning

For dipping sauce:

Whisk yogurt, chopped pickle, lemon zest, and oregano in a small bowl to blend. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

For fries:

Place eggplant in a large bowl. Add 2 cups ice and enough water to cover. Place a plate on top of eggplant to weigh it down. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.

Pour oil into a large deep pot to a depth of 2". Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of pot and heat oil over medium heat to 325°F.

Meanwhile, whisk rice flour, lemon zest, za'atar, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a medium bowl to blend. Drain eggplant. Working in batches, toss damp eggplant in flour mixture to coat.

Working in batches, fry eggplant, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per batch. (Reheat oil to 325°F between batches.) Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with lemon juice and sea salt. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

RECIPE: Zucchini Salsa Verde

Ingredients:

10 ounces zucchini (about 2 medium), trimmed, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped white onion

5 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2-1/2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeño chiles

1-1/4 teaspoons finely grated lime peel

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in blender. Add 1-1/4 teaspoons coarse salt. Puree until salsa is smooth.  (Can be made 2 hours ahead. If making ahead, transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill.) Use as a condiment for grilled or broiled fish.

RECIPE: Quick and Easy Peach Chipotle Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2-3 ripe but firm peaches, unpeeled, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped (about 6 cups) 
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced (about 1/2 small onion)
• 2 tablespoons canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced (these are spicy so quantity depends on how hot and spicy you like your salsa)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  

In medium bowl, toss together all ingredients. Transfer to serving dish and serve.

RECIPE: Kitchen Tips - How to Keep Your Herbs Happy

Treat fresh herbs just like fresh flowers.

Trim the stems at a 45-degree angle, and place in a glass with two inches of water. Refrigerate for up to two weeks (cover the leaves with an unsealed plastic bag to minimize odor absorption), replacing the water if it gets cloudy.

Dry hardy-leaf herbs like thyme, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves.

Working with one herb variety at a time, wash thoroughly, blot dry, and spread the leaves in a single layer on a paper towel. Microwave in 30-second intervals, turning leaves over for even drying, until crisp and brittle. Microwave times will vary, but the whole process should take no more than two to three minutes total.

Freeze soft-leaf herbs like dill, mint, parsley, basil, and chives.

Place whole sprigs, chopped leaves, or whole leaves in a tightly sealed plastic bag for up to six months. When cooking, defrosting is unnecessary--just break off leaves and add them to the skillet.

------------

Here is Ann's own tip for the basil: "I like making pesto out of the basil, but if I don’t have time to make it right away, to keep the basil from going bad I pluck the leaves and wash them, then process them in the food processor with olive oil. I put the processed basil in a small deli container, smooth the top and cover with olive oil. This can be refrigerated until I’m ready to make pesto, and then just tossed back in the food processor with the other ingredients."