RECIPE: Roasted Cauliflower Gratin With Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-size head of cauliflower
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small or 1/2 large red onion, cut in half or quarters (if using a whole onion) lengthwise, then sliced thin across the grain
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 (14 8/10-ounce) can chopped tomatoes in juice
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted and coarsely ground
• 2 eggs
• 2 ½ ounces soft goat cheese (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
• 2 to 3 teaspoon chopped chives

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Cut away the bottom of the cauliflower stem and trim off leaves. Cut cauliflower into 1/3 inch thick slices, letting the florets on the edges fall off. Toss all of it, including the bits that have fallen away, with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on baking sheet in an even layer.
2. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and flipping over the big slices after 8 minutes, until the slices are tender when pierced with a paring knife and the small florets are nicely browned. Remove from oven and cut large slices into smaller pieces. You should have about 2 cups. Transfer to a large bowl. Turn oven down to 375 degrees.
3. Oil a 1-1/2 to 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat remaining oil over medium heat in a medium-size skillet or a wide saucepan and add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and thyme and continue to cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add tomatoes, cinnamon, ground coriander seeds, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add to bowl with the cauliflower and stir everything together. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
4. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese. Beat eggs, then add the remaining cheese and beat together until smooth. Pour over cauliflower mixture, making sure to scrape out every last bit with a rubber spatula. Dot top with small pieces of the remaining goat cheese and sprinkle on chives.
5. Bake 30 minutes, until top is beginning to brown in spots. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

RECIPE: Cauliflower Soup with Blue Cheese and Parsley

This is a great twist on the traditional cauliflower soup. It uses much less cream than the traditional soup, but is nice and filling because of the blue cheese.

Ingredients for one Person

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large sprig thyme

1/2 cauliflower cut into florets

2-3 tbsp. parsley, chopped

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup half and half

Kitchen equipment needed:

Pot

Wine pairing suggestion:

I would suggest a New World Pinot Noir from Australia or New Zealand.

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

Chop the onion and garlic and set aside.

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Making sure to stir often, so the onion and garlic do not burn.

While the onions are cooking cut the cauliflower into florets, taking off the majority of the stalk. Set aside. Chop the parsley and set aside with the cauliflower.

When the onions are soft add the cauliflower and parsley to the soup and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.

Add the stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is tender, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to low and add the blue cheese and stir until well combined.

Add the half and half and cook until heated through.

Ladle soup into a bowl and enjoy!

RECIPE: Chipotle Chicken with Rajas (sautéed poblano peppers and onions)

Rajas is a traditional side dish in Mexico. Roasted pobalo peppers with crema and onions – a surprising sweet and spicy treat. Paired with chipotle seasoned chicken you have a great Mexican feast!

Ingredients for one person

1 poblano pepper, roasted and sliced

1/2 white or sweet onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1 tbsp. Mexican crema or crème fraiche

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

2 boneless chicken thighs

1 tsp. chipotle powder

1 pinch sugar

1 tsp. lime juice

1 tbsp. olive oil.

Corn tortillas to serve

Kitchen equipment needed:

Skillet

Bowl for marinating chicken

Tongs

Zip lock bag

Wine pairing suggestion:

Think lager beer, Corona, or perhaps a margarita.

Preparation/ roasting of poblono/ Cooking Instructions

If you have a gas stove hold the poblano with your tongs over the fire/ or rest on top of the element, until it is blistered black on the outside. Turn to roast all sides.

If you have an electric stove, place the poblano under the broiler, turning until it is blistered black on the outside.

Put the poblano in the zip lock bag for 10 minutes.

Season the chicken with the chipotle powder and sugar and squeeze the lime juice over and set aside.

Slice the chicken and chop the garlic.

Place the skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Take the chicken out and set aside.

With the poblano in the bag, rub the pepper with your hands to remove the skin. It should come off easy. Take the pepper out and rinse under running water to remove the rest of the skin.

Slice into 1/4 inch strips.

Clean the skillet. Add the olive oil for the rajas to the skillet, over medium heat. Add the onion. Sautee for 2 minutes, until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, poblano, oregano and crema and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Serve with the chicken.

RECIPE: Mustard Crusted Fish with Sautéed Fall Vegetables

Sautéed root vegetables are paired with a flavourful mustard crusted fish for this fall inspired dish

Ingredients for one Person

5 oz. pike or cod fillet (or similar white fish)

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to season

1/4 cup corn starch

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

2 small stalks celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup vegetable stock

2 tbsp. heavy cream

Kitchen equipment needed:

Non-stick skillet

Wine pairing suggestion:

A Sauvignon Blanc or a big Chardonnay would both go well with both the fish and the mustard.

Preparation

Chop the celery, carrots, onion and garlic and set aside.

Cooking Instructions

Heat the olive oil and butter in the skillet over medium heat. When hot add the vegetables and sauté, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Add some salt and cook for another minute. Add the stock and cook, uncovered for another 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softer, but still firm. If the liquid evaporates too quickly add some water 1/4 cup at a time.

While the vegetables are cooking prepare the fish.

Pat the fish dry with a paper towel. Then spread the Dijon mustard on one side, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Turn and spread the mustard on the other side and again season with salt and pepper.

Place the corn starch on a plate, but do not coat the fish until you are just about to cook it, as it will not become as crisp otherwise.

When the vegetables are done, stir in the cream, take out and set aside.

Rinse out the pan and place it back over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil back to the pan. When hot coat the fish on each side with the corn starch, by dipping the fish in the mixture and shaking off the excess.

Then fry until the fish is flaky, about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Serve on top of the vegetables

RECIPE: Middle Eastern Spiced Lamb with Parsley and White Bean Salad

With nods to the Middle East, a spice blend including garlic, onion, cinnamon, cumin and chili round out the flavour of lamb loin chops. Paired with a light and zesty parsley and white bean salad, this dish is something a little different that you can enjoy all year. Flavourful, but not too heavy.

Ingredients for one Person

For Lamb

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 pinch of pepper

1 pinch of sugar for the lamb

2 lamb loin chops

1/2 tbsp. olive oil for lamb chop

For Salad:

1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped

7 oz. white beans

1 scallion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil for salad

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp. cumin, ground

1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Pepper to taste

Kitchen equipment needed:

Large bowl for mixing salad

Medium-large skillet for lamb

Tin-foil for lamb to rest

Wine pairing suggestion:

The spices of the lamb go well with a fruitier, not too heavy red. Think a Petite Syrah or a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Preparation

Put all the spices for the lamb, except the sugar, together in a bowl. Blend them together and then sprinkle over the lamb. Take a pinch of sugar and sprinkle over the lamb; this will help caramelize the surface.  Set aside.

Chop the parsley by first taking the leaves off the stems, if you get some of the tops of the stems that is OK.. Then gather the leaves together in a bundle and chop the parsley until the peices are about 1/4-1/2 inch

Chop the scallion and mince the garlic.

Cooking Instuctions

Make the salad by combining the parsley, scallion, garlic and beans in a bowl large enough to toss the ingredients. Add the cumin and blend. Then add the olive oil and lemon juice. Again, blend and taste. If you like it with more lemon and/or olive oil, add some more. Add the pepper and salt, a little at a time, tasting in-between. When it is to your liking, set aside.

Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil.

When the oil is hot, but not smoking, place the lamb in the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Take them out, place on a plate and cover with tin-foil. Let them rest for about 2-3 minutes.

Plate and enjoy!

RECIPE: Fried Rice

I made this recipe up using left-over cooked brown and jasmine rice.  The below ingredient amounts are estimates, so feel free to use more or less of the veggies as needed or based on what you have on hand.  I used shrimp but it's easy enough to make this vegetarian by omitting the shrimp.  This is a great, super simple way to use up lots of CSA veggies!

canola oil
2 cloves garlic sliced
fresh ginger
diced peppers
chopped broccoli
zucchini or summer squash diced
1 lb. shrimp
lemongrass
1+ cup of cooked rice
edamame
sliced scallions
sesame oil
soy sauce

Heat canola oil over medium heat and saute garlic and ginger for 5 minutes.  Add pepper, zucchini/summer squash and broccoli, and saute for 3 minutes.  Add shrimp if using along with lemongrass (I don't cut it, I just throw it in whole).  Once shrimp is nearly pink, add cooked rice, scallions, edamame and a few dashes of sesame oil and soy sauce.  Add more sesame oil/soy sauce according to taste.  Enjoy!

RECIPE: Red Curry Chicken and Eggplant

Ingredients:

1 heaping meat silverware tablespoon red chili paste
approx 2 teaspoons curry powder
1 pack boneless, skinless chicken breast - cut into bite size pieces
1/2 large onion or 1 small onion - chopped
5 garlic cloves - minced
approx 1 inch chunk of fresh ginger- peeled and diced
1 can lite coconut milk
1 eggplant, cut into bite size pieces
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons fish sauce + 1 teaspoon fish sauce
handful of greens of your choice (optional) (I used 1 bunch arugula)

Preheat oven to 400.  Put eggplant pieces on a sprayed baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes.

While the eggplant is cooking, heat only enough olive oil to thinly coat bottom of saute pan.  Once the oil is warm, add onions and ginger. Cook together, stirring occasionally. In about 5 minutes, add the garlic.  Stir a bit and let cook for another 1 minute. Add chunks of chicken and let sit for 1 minute. Add curry powder and stir to cover curry powder.  Chicken should be dusted with the curry powder (so use more if you need). Add curry paste and stir to make sure it is evenly distributed. Wait another minute to 90 seconds, then add 3/4 can coconut milk.

Add the eggplant.  Stir, and let simmer for a bit so the sauce thickens.  After 6 or so minutes, add the fish sauce and the lime juice.  Let simmer a bit more. If using, add the greens and remaining coconut milk to wilt (if not using greens, only use coconut milk if you want a thinner sauce).  Add about a teaspoon more fish sauce.

Serve over cauliflower rice with a lime wedge.

RECIPE: The Best Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Roasted garlic cauliflower is the best roasted cauliflower recipe ever! Super easy with 5 minute prep. You'll love this simple, improved method for how to roast cauliflower in the oven.

4 servings

- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 1/4 cup light olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (232 degrees C). Grease a very good non-stick baking sheet, or line with foil and then grease.
2. Slice the cauliflower into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) thick slices, then cut those into smaller florets - see post above for how to do that.
3. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with oil, sea salt, black pepper, and minced garlic.
4. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden on the bottom. Flip and bake for 5-10 more minutes until golden on the bottom again.

RECIPE: Tomato-Lemon Tart

Using frozen puff pastry is the shortcut that makes this tart a new summer weeknight favorite recipe.

·       1 sheet frozen puff pastry (one 14-ounce package or half of a 17.3-ounce package), thawed

·       All-purpose flour (for dusting)

·       1 garlic clove, finely grated

·       2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving

·       1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, preferably on a mandoline, seeds removed

·       1 cup torn basil leaves

·       1 pound ripe tomatoes (about 3 medium), sliced ¼ inch thick, patted dry with paper towels

·       Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

·       Crème fraîche (for serving)

·       Preheat oven to 375°. Roll out puff pastry on a sheet of lightly floured parchment paper, smoothing out creases, to a large rectangle measuring about 15x10". Prick pastry in a few places with a fork, leaving a 1" border around the edges, then slide parchment paper onto a rimmed baking sheet.

·       Combine garlic and 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl and brush dough with garlic oil, staying within border. Arrange lemon slices in a single layer over brushed pastry, then scatter basil over lemon slices.

·       Arrange tomatoes on top (a little overlap is okay). Sprinkle with lots of salt and a few grinds of pepper, then drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil.

·       Bake tart until edges of pastry are browned, puffed, and crisp, 30–35 minutes. Let tart cool 10 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces. Drizzle with more oil and top each with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Notes:

First, let’s start with the frozen puff pastry. You’re going to find it in the freezer aisle of your supermarket, by the frozen pizzas. They’ll usually come in a pack of two or four and TBH, this tart is as good leftover as it is hot, so make more than one! Oh, and it needs to thaw overnight in the fridge. This part is non-negotiable—if you try to work with it while it's frozen, it'll crack, and if you try to thaw it quickly it'll get weird and gummy.

Moving on. You’re preheating your oven to 375°F degrees and rolling your puff pastry onto parchment paper. IMPORTANT: wax paper and parchment paper aren’t the same thing, and you don’t want your oven to become a big old smoke box. Make yourself a drink, take a big sip, and then prick the rolled out dough with a fork a few times in the center of the dough, which will allow steam to escape and help the thing keep its shape. Combine a clove of grated garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil in a little bowl, and brush this garlicky oil onto the PP. (PP stands for puff pastry, obvs.) If you don’t have a pastry brush, neither do I. Use your fingers! It’s fun, promise.

Then, you’re going to slice half of a lemon thinly and scatter those slices—rind and all, but without the seeds!—all over your PP. Use as much as you’d like, though I prefer it a little light on the lemon and heavy on the tomatoes. toss some torn basil onto your tart. Then you’re going to cut up your tomatoes into rounds and layer that onto your puff pastry. A little overlap is good! This is a tomato tart in case you forgot. You’re going to sprinkle with a generous amount of salt, pepper and oil and throw that bad boy into the oven. It’ll probably take about 35 minutes, but just watch for browning on the edges and bottom of the pastry!  grab some creme fraiche or ricotta on the way over to dollop on top.

RECIPE: Easy Quick Pickling those left-over veggies

1 cup vinegar (white wine, rice, red wine)

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 lb vegetables - cucumbers, radishes, cauliflower, carrots, green/purple peppers, garlic, and anything else that sounds delicious to you!

Trim and chop vegetables and pack in mason jar in preparation for pickling.

Heat all ingredients except the vegetables in a small pot over low-medium heat.  Stir and cook until sugar and salt dissolve.  Immediately pour over vegetables.  Let it cool and then cover and put in fridge for 1 day before eating.  Veggies will be best between 1 to 4 weeks.

Photo credit to Sam Mah

RECIPE: Garlicky Burst Tomato Sauce

1 pint cherry tomatoes

5 garlic cloves

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)

Dash of crushed red pepper

Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is shimmering, add the garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper.  Your kitchen should start to smell like garlic! Be careful though and watch the garlic, as you don’t want it to burn. Once the garlic is fragrant (about 30 seconds to a minute), add the tomatoes to the pan, stirring occasionally until they soften and burst.

To serve:

With pasta: cook pasta 2-3 minutes shy of the directions on the package and add drained (but not rinsed) pasta to the warm sauce, along with ½ cup to 1 cup reserved pasta water and ¼ cup to ½ cup grated pecorino Romano cheese.  Stir and allow the sauce to emulsify and the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce.

With chicken: season chicken liberally with salt and pepper and brown chicken in a separate pan, about 5 minutes each side.  Add to the pan with the sauce and let finish cooking in the sauce.

With salmon: season salmon with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and cook in a 250 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Top cooked salmon with sauce before serving.

TIPS: Swiss Chard

Raw or cooked, this green can add load of flavor and nutrition to many meals!

Prepare it

The leaves and the stalks should be cooked separately. Wash, then cut off the stalks from the leaves and leave whole or chop, as required. On some older leaves you may need to cut the ribs out of the leaves, too. Store it In a perforated bag in the fridge for up to four days. Use it Use anywhere you would use spinach or other wilting vegetables. Easy recipes to add it to include sautéed dishes, stews, and stir frys. Add to pasta dishes at the last five minutes of cooking or over polenta after sauntering swiss chard with some mushrooms, garlic and olive oil. Swiss Chard with Lemon 1-2 tbsp olive oil Swiss Chard 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ lemon Parmesan to serve

Heat olive oil over medium heat. While oil is heating chop the garlic and then chop the Chard into 2-3 inch pieces.

Add garlic to the skillet and cook until soft (1-3 minutes). Add Chard and 1-2 tablespoons of water. Cook until wilted. Stir in Lemon Juice and season with pepper. Add parmesan to serve.

RECIPE: Pickled Chard Stems

Chard stems (leaves removed)

½ cup water

1 cup vinegar (any kind will do, I like a combo of white wine and apple cider)

3 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 smashed garlic cloves

1-3 teaspoons seasoning of your choice (what flavor do you want? Red pepper flakes create a spicier pickle, rosemary, thyme, and caraway seeds, mustard seeds are also good here, but you can be as creative as you want!)

Blanch the chard stems in a pot of boiling water for about 1 minutes.  Drain the stems and place them in ice water to stop them from cooking any more!

Add all ingredients to a small pan and bring to a boil (you want the sugar to dissolve!).

Pack the chard stems tightly in a jar, Tupperware, or whatever container you have that has a tightly fitting lid.  Let your liquid cool for about a minute and then pour over the packed stems. Let the stems brine for a few hours in the fridge before eating.  They will keep for a week or two!

RECIPE: Delicious Weeknight Brown Butter Sage Pasta

Optionally:

- Add 1 cup of Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking

- 1 chopped onion and/or 3-4 smashed/chopped cloves of garlic can be cooked with the butter in the first step

Ingredients:

- One bunch sage - 20-30 leaves, washed and stemmed

- 4 Tablespoons butter

- 1 pound pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions BUT: drain the pasta 2 minutes before it’s done and reserve one cup of cooking water before draining.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on medium-high heat, melt the butter.  (If adding onion and garlic, do so now and cook them down before adding the sage.)

When the butter is done frothing, add the sage and cook until butter is light brown and the sage is wilted.  Add the cooked pasta and 3/4 of the reserved pasta water. Cook for a few minutes until the pasta is done. (Add Parmesan cheese now, if using.)  Add the rest of the water if necessary.

Season with salt and pepper and eat while hot.

RECIPE: Easy Baked Zucchini and Eggplant

Ingredients:

- 1 pound Eggplant, cubed

- ½ pound Zucchini, cubed

- Olive Oil, salt and pepper

Optionally, add any or all of the below:

- ½ pound fresh tomatoes

- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped or smashed

- 4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

- 4 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

- 4 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Heat oven to 350.  Cut eggplant and zucchini into 1” cubes.  (If using fresh tomatoes, cube them as well).  

Place in a large bowl, lightly cover in olive oil, salt and pepper and mix well.  (Add any of the other optional ingredients at this time. Taste a piece of zucchini to check seasoning and adjust as necessary.)

Put the veggie mix into a casserole dish and place into preheated oven.  After 20 minutes check the tenderness of the veggies, and if you want to cook longer, cover with tin foil.

RECIPE: Pasta with Spring Pea Pesto

You might look at peas (or the big shelling peas!) and think of frozen food dinners from your childhood, but they’re actually sweet and delicious to eat (and therapeutic to shell).

1-1.5 cups peas (from approximately 1-1.5 lbs shelling pea pods)

2 garlic cloves, diced

2 tablespoons nut of your choice (I used pine nuts here, but cashews would also be great and bring an extra sweetness to the sauce), toasted and cooled

½ cup grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Approx. ⅓ cup olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

1 box pasta of your choice

Sliced fresh herbs (basil, mint, parsley, oregano would all be good here)- optional

Prepare a small bowl with ice water.  Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Drop peas in boiling water for about 2 minutes.  Drain peas and add to your ice bath.. drain your peas again.

In a food processor, combine ⅔ of your peas with the garlic, toasted nuts, ⅓ cup cheese, and salt and pulse until smooth.  With the food processor running, add in the olive oil and lemon juice.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then add some more.  The key to delicious pasta is salty water!! Your boiling water should taste like the ocean!

Cook your pasta until al dente (about 2-3 minutes less than the package calls for.. trust me, it’s worth it here!).  Save about a cup of pasta water before draining your pasta. Do not rinse the drained pasta!!

In a skillet, heat ¾-1 cup of your pea pesto.  Once warm, add some pasta water, your drained pasta, and your reserved peas.  The pasta will continue cooking here. Toss or stir to coat the pasta, adding more pesto and pasta water as needed.

Top with sliced fresh herbs and remaining cheese!