Frisee Salad With Broccoli & Pickled Grape Vinaigette

Recipe & Pic From Loam Agrinomics

It may be fall, but this recipe proves that salad season doesn't have to be over just yet!

pickled grapes

4 C red seedless grapes

1 T peppercorn

1 T fennel seed

1 T yellow mustard seed

2 T kosher salt

¼ C sugar, coconut sugar or honey

¾ C red wine vinegar

1 C water

vinaigrette

1/3 C grape pickling brine

½ – ¾ C olive oil

4 sprigs parsley

2 garlic cloves

1 ts Dijon mustard

1 ts kelp or dulse powder (optional)

salad and assembly

6–8 oz thick cut bacon, strips cut in half

1 head broccoli

1 head frisée, leaves torn

1 small head other lettuce such as little gem, bibb etc leaves torn

4 small carrots, shaved into ribbons

1 watermelon or other radish, peeled and thinly sliced

¼ C goat feta, preferably Blue Heron Farms

¼ C pepitas, toasted

1/3 C pickled grapes, cut in half

pickled grapes

Place grapes in a glass jar or heat safe container.

In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the pickle section ingredients and bring to a boil stirring occasionally to dissolve the salt and sugar.

Carefully pour the hot liquid over the grapes and let sit for 1-2 hours at room temperature before transferring to the fridge. Pickles will keep for up to a month.

vinaigrette

To a blender, add pickling brine, parsley, garlic, mustard and kelp/dulse powder (if using).

With the motor running, pour in ½ cup olive oil and blend until creamy and combined.

Taste, and add up to ¼ cup more oil if the dressing is too punchy for your liking.

Add a pinch of salt (or more, to taste).

salad and assembly

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a cast iron or heavy bottom skillet over medium-low heat, cook your bacon WITHOUT stirring. After about 5-10 minutes when the bacon starts to look browned on the other side, flip your pieces. Cook until it looks deeply golden brown and crispy and transfer pieces to a paper towel. Reserve the bacon fat in your pan for the broccoli!

Cut broccoli into florets and then cut those in half lengthwise (or quarter lengthwise if some are a bit larger) to maximize caramelization. Add broccoli and a tablespoon of bacon fat (or olive oil if you’re not using bacon) to a sheet pan and toss to coat. Arrange the broccoli with as many cut sides down on the pan as possible and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are crispy and the bottoms are deeply browned where they were face down on the pan.

Put all your frisée and lettuces in a large bowl and toss with some (about 2T to ¼ cup depending on the size of your lettuce heads) salad dressing and top with roasted broccoli, shaved carrot, radish, feta, bacon, pepitas and pickled grapes. Drizzle more vinaigrette on top and serve.

Recipe: Broccoli & Za'atar Soup With Tahini Cream

2021 Week 18 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic From Dishing Up The Dirt

This is another one of those recipes that we end up sharing every year because it is just so darn good! If you find broccoli cheese soup a little too heavy, are trying to avoid dairy, or want to convince a picky eater to give this veggie another try, this is the go-to soup for you! The tahini cream is absolutely essential for balancing out the richness of the soup with a spicy and acidic zing so don't skimp on making it!

~Rae

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 teaspoons za'atar

2 whole heads of broccoli, broken into small florets (about 4 cups worth)

1 medium sized yukon gold potato (about 1/2 pound), peeled and roughly chopped (or any white/yellow flesh potato)

1 litre (4 cups) low sodium vegetable broth + additional to thin if needed

salt and pepper to taste

Lemon Tahini Sauce

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (tiny tiny pinch here)

1/4 cup tahini

3-4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons water + additional to thin as needed

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnishes

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

za'atar for sprinkling

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan and cook the onion and garlic over medium-high heat until they begin to soften up, about 5 minutes. Stir in the za'atar, broccoli and potatoes and coat the veggies in the spice mixture. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

While the soup simmers prepare the tahini sauce. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and whisk until completely smooth and creamy. This works best with a small food processor, immersion blender, or regular blender. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. If the sauce is too thick add a touch more water.

Once the soup has simmered for 25 minutes and the veggies are tender use an immersion blender to puree the soup until completely smooth and creamy. Alternately (and my preferred method) transfer the soup to a high speed blender (you may have to do this in batches) and puree until smooth. Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste for seasonings and keep on low heat until ready to serve.

Divide the soup between bowls. Drizzle each bowl with a few tablespoons of the tahini sauce and garnish with cilantro and pine nuts.

Recipe: Crispy Tofu & Broccoli With Sesame Peanut Pesto

2021 Week 14 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Alexandra Cooks

Crispy or charred Broccoli is just so addictive! This wonderfully light yet flavorful dish is perfect on its own or served with your favorite cooked grain. Some julienned Basil would punch up the flavor even more! Try substituting caramelized storage onions for the green onions for a bit of extra sweetness. 

1 block (12- to 15-oz) firm or extra-firm tofu

1 pound broccoli

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon cornstarch

FOR THE PESTO:

1 tablespoon toasted (or not) sesame seeds

1/4 cup peanuts, roasted (salted are fine)

1.5 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 small garlic clove

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon sugar or other sweetener

TO FINISH:

3 scallions, thinly sliced

chili-garlic or other hot sauce

Prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu, and place it on a few paper towels; place a few more towels over it. Place a heavy object—like a big frying pan—over the tofu, and let it rest for 10 minutes (and up to 30 , if you have the time) to press out the excess liquid. (I like to do this on a cooling rack set over a pan, see photos below).

Heat the oven to 400ºF. Line one rimmed sheet pan with parchment (for the tofu); leave another one bare (for the broccoli).

Prepare the broccoli: Trim and chop the broccoli into florets. Don’t discard the stems (they are so good!): peel off the tough outer skin and knots, then cut the stems into 1/2-inch rounds. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the oil over the bare sheet pan, swirl it to coat, scatter the broccoli over top, drizzle with another tablespoon of oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat with your hands. Spread into an even layer.

Remove the tofu from the towels, and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, gently toss the tofu with the remaining tablespoon of oil, the soy sauce, and the cornstarch until evenly coated. Spread out on the parchment-line sheet pan.

Cook the tofu and broccoli: Place both sheet pans in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then toss the pieces around for even coloring and roast another 10 minutes. At this point, the tofu is usually done, which is to say golden at the edges and lightly crisp. Remove the pan from the oven. If necessary, roast the broccoli for another 10 minutes to get an extra char on it.

Meanwhile make the pesto: Pulse all of the ingredients together in a food processor until ground. Adjust the flavors to taste. If the sauce is super thick, you can thin it with some water.

To finish: In a large bowl, combine the broccoli and tofu, and toss with some of the sauce. Garnish with the scallions. Serve  extra sauce and hot sauce, if using, on the side.

Recipe: Best Broccoli Salad

Image from Love & Lemons

from Love & Lemons

1 pound broccoli crowns

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons mayo, I like Sir Kensington's or vegan mayo

1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ teaspoon sea salt, more to taste

⅓ cup diced red onions

⅓ cup dried cranberries

Smoky Tamari Almonds

½ cup almonds

½ cup pepitas

1 tablespoon tamari

½ teaspoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, more to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chop the broccoli florets into ½-inch pieces and any remaining stems into ¼-inch dice. Peel any woody or course parts from the stem first.

In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, mayo, apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, and salt. Add the broccoli, onions, and cranberries and toss to coat.

Place the almonds and pepitas on the baking sheet, toss with the tamari, maple syrup, and smoked paprika and spread into a thin layer. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes (they’ll get crispier as they sit).

Toss the almonds and pepitas into the salad, reserving a few to sprinkle on top. Season to taste and serve.

Recipe: Roasted Broccoli With Hippie Sauce

From Dishing Up The Dirt

1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 TBS oil (we used coconut oil but feel free to use oil of choice)
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Hippie Sauce:

1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1 TBS white wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon style mustard
2 tsp honey
2 tsp sriracha hot sauce (or a pinch of cayenne pepper)
3 TBS nutritional yeast

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Drizzle broccoli with oil, salt and pepper. Place on a prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven until lightly browned and crisp. About 20-25 minutes. Toss broccoli halfway through cooking.

Make the hippie sauce by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth. This works best with an emersion blender or food processor.

Once broccoli is done roasting sprinkle with walnuts and drizzle with hippie sauce.

Recipe: Broccoli Bites

from Sprouted Kitchen

A great snack for picky babies and toddlers!

about 1lb of broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic
sea salt and pepper

3 eggs
1 cup grated cheese (mexican blend, white cheddar, fontina etc.)
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Cut up the broccoli into large chunks, some stem is ok, and steam it for 2-3 minutes. It should start to turn bright green but still have it's crunch. Let it cool completely. 
Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray or rub a little olive or coconut oil.
Into a food processor, whiz up the garlic and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Add the cooled broccoli and pulse until it's in rice like pieces. Not pureed, but something small enough to roll into balls. 
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs together. Add the broccoli bits, grated cheese, parmesan and panko and stir to combine. It should loosely stick together. Add a sprinkle of panko if they need more "glue". 
Roll balls with a scant 2 Tbsp. of the mixture. Place them on the lined baking sheet and bake them for 10-12 minutes in the upper third of the oven. They should still be slightly tender when you pull them out. 

Recipe: Curried Sheet Pan Broccoli With Peanuts & Tahini

From 101 Cookbooks

1 teaspoon curry powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon
1 head of broccoli, broccolini, or piracicaba, cut into bite-sized florets
salt and pepper
1/4 cup golden raisins,
1/2 cup toasted peanuts
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup coarsely chopped basil (or use your cilantro!)
1/4 cup tahini, almond butter, or peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the spice blend with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large bowl. Add the zest of the lemon and the broccoli, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper, arrange the florets on a baking sheet in a single layer, and roast for 7-10 minutes, or until the broccoli starts to take on a bit of color. Add the raisins, toss with a spatula, and continue roasting until the broccoli is deeply golden and the fruit has plumped, another 5-10 minutes or so.

In a small bowl combine the peanuts, scallions, basil, 1 tablespoon of juice from the lemon, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Lastly, in a small bowl whisk 4-5 tablespoons of warm water into the tahini. Season with plenty of salt and pepper, and spoon directly onto whatever serving platter you plan on using. Transfer the roasted broccoli mixture to the serving platter, on top of the tahini. Spoon the basil mixture over the broccoli and enjoy.