RECIPE: Summer Farro Salad

 3 tbsp olive oil, + more to taste

10 oz farro

2 small zucchini or squash, sliced into 1/2" half moons

1/2 lb green beans, chopped into 1" pieces

2 ears of corn

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp fresh oregano

1/4 cup roughly chopped or torn basil leaves

Fresh mozzarella in chunks or small balls

Chili flakes to taste

Salt + pepper to taste

1. Cook the farro per instructions. Set aside.

2. Boil unsalted water in a large pot. Once boiling, add ears of corn and cover. Cook for ~10 minutes, drain, and let cool enough for handling.

3. While corn is boiling, mince garlic.

4. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook til fragrant.

5. Add green beans and season with salt/pepper.  Cook for ~1-2  minutes.

6. Add zucchini and squash and cook, stirring frequently, for ~ 6 minutes or until done but not mushy.

7. Season with fresh oregano and remove from heat.

8. Add farro to a large bowl. Lightly cover with olive oil, roughly 1 - 2 tbsp.

9. Cut corn off cob. Add to farro.

10. Add zucchini, squash, green beans, basil and mozzarella.

11. Season with chili flakes and serve!

*Serving suggestions: This dish works cool or heated. I prefer it slightly warm. To make it a filling meal, top with a fried egg.

RECIPE: Green Beans and Bacon in the Crock Pot

Ingredients: 

~1 lb green beans

6 slices of bacon

1 diced clove of garlic (optional/to taste)

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

fresh ground pepper

Place bacon at the bottom of the crockpot

Place other ingredients on top of the bacon

Stir to combine

Cover and cook on low for ~6 hrs.

RECIPE: Orzo, Green Bean, and Fennel Salad with Dill Pesto

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Difficulty Level:

Ingredients:

8 ounces green beans, trimmed
8 ounces orzo (1 1/4 cups)
2/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups 1/3-inch cubes unpeeled English hothouse cucumber (about 8 ounces)
3/4 cup diced fresh fennel bulb

Directions:

Cook green beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beans to plate. Add orzo to same boiling water. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally; drain.

Blend dill, oil, vinegar, and lemon juice in mini processor until almost smooth to make pesto. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Cut beans crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in large bowl. Add orzo, cucumber, and fennel; mix in pesto dressing. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.

RECIPE: Heirloom Tomato and Bulgur Salad

Serves 4 to 6

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1 pound heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped, juices reserved

• 1 cup uncooked bulgur

• 1/2 pound green beans, thinly sliced on the bias

• 15 pieces sundried tomatoes in extra-virgin olive oil, thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon oil from the jar

• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method:

In a large, nonreactive bowl, stir together heirloom tomatoes and bulgur, and then cover and set aside at room temperature until bulgur is tender, about 3 hours. Stir in green beans, sundried tomatoes and oil, and salt. Serve cold or at room temperature.

RECIPE: Thai Curry Vegetables

Thai Curry Vegetables

Yield 4 servings

Time 1 hour

Ingredients

One 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (do not shake can)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
4 teaspoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons palm sugar or brown sugar
6 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, like Thai Taste, Maesri, and Thai Kitchen, none of which have shrimp or fish paste
1/2 cup diced (1/2 inch) onion
2/3 cup diced (1/2 inch) red bell pepper
2/3 cup diced (1/2 inch) zucchini or other summer squash
2/3 cup diced (1/2 inch) peeled sweet potato
2/3 cup sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths
2/3 cup diced (1/2 inch) Asian eggplant
1 lime
8 large basil leaves, cut into thin chiffonade

Method

·                                 1. Open the can of coconut milk without shaking it. Spoon 6 tablespoons of the coconut cream from the top of the can into a medium saucepan. Pour remaining contents of can into a medium bowl, and mix well. In a medium bowl, combine vegetable stock, soy sauce, and palm or brown sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

·                                 2. Place saucepan of coconut cream over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Add curry paste and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir constantly until very fragrant, about 3 minutes; adjust heat as needed to prevent burning. Add onion, red pepper, zucchini, sweet potato, bamboo shoots, green beans, and eggplant. Stir until vegetables are hot, 2-3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

·                                 3. Add the soy sauce mixture and a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice to taste; you may use the juice of an entire lime. Stir and mix well. Add up to 1/4 cup water if the curry seems too thick.

·                                 4. To serve, place the curry in a warm serving bowl and garnish with the basil chiffonade. If desired, serve over jasmine rice.

RECIPE: Farmhouse Ragoût with Pesto

For the pesto:

1 cup packed basil leaves

2 cloves garlic

6 Tbs. olive oil

3 Tbs. water; more or less as needed

Pinch salt

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

 

For the ragoût:

3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 medium onions, cut into large chunks

7 plump cloves garlic, halved

3 sprigs fresh thyme

6 fresh sage leaves

3/4 lb. carrots, scrubbed, peeled if necessary, cut into 2 inch lengths (or baby carrots, left whole)

3/4 lb. small new potatoes, scrubbed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 lb. green beans, ends trimmed, halved crosswise

1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb. summer squash, cut into 1-inch rounds

5 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into large chunks

1 15-oz. can top-quality white beans, rinsed and drained (or about 2 cups cooked white beans)

 

Make the pesto: In a blender, process the basil and garlic with the oil, adding a little water to loosen if needed. Add the salt and the cheese, if using. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Refrigerate until 30 minutes before using.

Make the ragoût: In a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven with a snug lid, heat the oil with the bay leaves over low heat. When fragrant, add the onions, garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and the sage, stirring to coat everything thoroughly with oil. Cover and cook over low heat as you prepare the rest of the vegetables.  Add the carrots to the pot. If the potatoes are the size of large marbles, leave them whole, but quarter larger ones or cut fingerlings in half lengthwise. Add the potatoes to the pot in one layer; season with salt and pepper. Add the green beans, bell peppers, and summer squash to the pot in layers, seasoning each layer with a little salt and pepper as you go. Add the tomatoes, sprinkling their juices over all. Cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender, 40 to 65 min. If tightly covered, the vegetables will produce plenty of flavorful juices. There's no need to stir, but if the pot seems dry, add a few tablespoons of water or dry white wine, if you like. Add the beans and cook until heated through, adding a little more water if needed.

Ladle the ragoût into soup plates, drizzle some pesto over each dish, and serve.

RECIPE: Pickled Green Beans

Ingredients:

Coarse salt

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1.5 cups distilled white vinegar

2 garlic cloves

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure:

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil; add salt. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Cook beans until just tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer with tongs to the ice-water bath. Drain well, and transfer to a large bowl.

Bring 1.5 cups water, the vinegar, 1.5 tablespoons salt, the garlic, and the cayenne to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer 4 minutes. Pour brine over beans. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Transfer to airtight containers; refrigerate at least 1 week (pickles will keep 3 weeks more).

RECIPE: Spicy Pickled Green Beans

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

Coarse salt

1 pound green beans, trimmed

1.5 cups distilled white vinegar

2 garlic cloves

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure:

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil; add salt. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Cook beans until just tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer with tongs to the ice-water bath. Drain well, and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Bring 1.5 cups water, the vinegar, 1.5 tablespoons salt, the garlic, and the cayenne to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer 4 minutes. Pour brine over beans. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Transfer to airtight containers; refrigerate at least 1 week (pickles will keep 3 weeks more).

Submitted by Ann Tilley

RECIPE: Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale

From foodnetwork.com

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/4 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (about 14 mushrooms)
• 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed and slice into 1-inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch kale (1/2 pound), rinsed, stemmed, and roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

Procedure:

Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, green beans, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and continue cooking until the green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the kale and continue cooking until the kale has wilted, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve immediately.

Contributed by Julie Baron