Recipe: Blistered Shishito Peppers

from Cookie & Kate

This recipe calls offers exact amounts of peppers and oil, but you really just need enough peppers to cover the base of your skillet and enough oil to lightly coat the peppers.

8 ounces (3 heaping cups) shishito peppers

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil

Lemon wedge, optional

Salt, preferably flaky sea salt or kosher salt, to taste

Rinse and pat the peppers dry on a clean tea towel. Transfer the peppers to a medium bowl, drizzle in the oil, and toss until the peppers are evenly coated. Set aside.

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat until it’s hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly on contact. Add the peppers and let them cook, stirring every minute or so (not too often), until they are tender with charred spots, about 8 to 12 minutes.

Transfer the peppers to a serving plate. Spritz with a lemon wedge, if desired. Sprinkle with salt, to taste (don’t skimp). Serve with a little bowl on the side for the pepper stems.

Recipe: Roasted Carrots With Tahini Sauce

Serve over couscous with a dollop of greek yogurt and crispy chickpeas to turn this side into a meal! 

2 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp garlic powder

pinch of salt

2-3 tbsp water

1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean carrots well and trim most of the green, leaving some still visible. Cut carrots in half and place them on a roasting sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning them half way through.

Meanwhile, add all ingredients under tahini dressing to a blender and blend until smooth.

Remove carrots from oven, arrange on plate, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with fresh cilantro. 

Recipe: Green Beans & Cucumbers With Miso Dressing

from Bon Appetite

1 large cucumber

Kosher salt

1 pound green beans, trimmed (use your haricots verts!)

1 1½-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

1 serrano or Fresno chile, finely grated

1 garlic clove, finely grated

⅓ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup white miso

¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions (for serving) - use your tropea onions!

Lightly smash cucumber with a rolling pin, then tear into bite-size pieces. Toss with a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Let sit to allow salt to penetrate.

Meanwhile, place green beans in a large resealable plastic bag, seal, and smash with rolling pin until most of the beans are split open and bruised. Whisk ginger, chile, garlic, vinegar, miso, olive oil, and sesame oil in a medium bowl until smooth. Add dressing to beans and toss around in bag to coat; season with salt.

Drain cucumbers and add to bag with beans. Shake gently to combine. Transfer salad to a platter and top with sesame seeds and scallions.

Recipe: Turnip Salad With Yogurt & Basil

adapted from Dishing Up The Dirt

1 bunch of Japanese turnips, with their tops if they're nice and fresh, trimmed so there's just a nice 1/4 inch of green stems left

1 lemon, halved

1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not greek yogurt)

about 1/2 cup lightly packed basil, finely chopped

4 scallions, trimmed (including 1/2 inch of the green tops) sliced on a sharp angle, soaked in ice water for 20 minutes and then drained well (use your tropea onions instead!)

extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup poppy seeds

Slice the turnips lengthwise as thin as you can. If you have a mandolin, use it; otherwise a sharp knife and steady hand will do just fine. Soak the sliced turnips in ice water for 15 minutes then drain them very well.

Rinse, dry and roughly chop the turnip greens. Put the turnips in a large bowl and squeeze half of the lemon. Add the chili flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and plenty of black pepper and toss to blend. Add the yogurt and toss again.  Add the basil, scallions, and 1/4 cup olive oil and toss again. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Scatter about half of the poppy seeds on the bottom of the platter or individual serving plates, top with the turnip salad, and finish the the rest of the poppy seeds. Serve right away.

Recipe: Spaghetti With No-Cook Sauce

adapted from  101 Cookbooks

This recipe calls for creating a quick sauce with larger tomatoes, but if you have cherry tomatoes we suggest skipping the sauce, roasting your cherries in olive oil and garlic until they burst, and then tossing those into your pasta.

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

scant teaspoon fine grain sea salt

2 lemons

1 pound whole grain spaghetti

1 pound green beans

2/3 cup torn Kalamata olives

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

1 cup torn mozzarella

Slivered fresh basil to serve

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

In the meantime, slice the tomatoes  into bite-sized chunks and place in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the garlic, salt, and zest of one of the lemons. Squeeze a tablespoon of lemon juice into the mixture, and use a hand blender to pulse a few times, into a chunky sauce.

Salt the pasta water well, and cook the pasta per package instructions. Add the green beans  to the pasta water in the last minute of cooking. Drain the pasta and vegetables and transfer to the bowl with the tomato sauce. Toss well. Add half the olives and half the pine nuts. Add all of the mozzarella. Toss well, and top with the zest of the second lemon, and the remaining olives and pine nuts.

Top with basil, serve immediately.

Recipe: No Cook Zucchini Noodles with Arugula Pesto

Try adding in some thinly sliced onion or chopped tomatoes!

For the Zucchini Noodles

2 medium zucchini

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup pesto

For the Arugula Pesto

1/2 cup walnuts

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 cup canola or olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt to taste

Combine arugula, walnuts, cheese, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor. Process for a few seconds until coarsely ground. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until the mixture is almost smooth, with just a little texture. Add salt to taste.

Cut zucchini into long strands with a spiralizer, mandolin, or vegetable peeler. 

Set noodles in a large colander. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt on top and toss to coat. Let sit 10 minutes.Rinse and drain well, gently squeezing out the excess moisture.

Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat.

Add pesto and toss to coat evenly.

Recipe: Spigiarello With Poached Eggs

From Food 52

1bunch spigarello, washed and stems removed
1large clove garlic, minced
1tablespoon olive oil
2eggs, cracked into a small bowl
Coarse salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Plunge the spigarello into the boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat and then add in the garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the spigarello from the boiling water and put it in the saute pan, tossing to coat. Saute for about 3-4 minutes.
Meanwhile, turn the heat on the cooking water down to low. When the boiling dies down, swirl the water in the pot gently and slip the eggs into the middle of the whirlpool. Cook the eggs for 5-6 minutes (or however done you like them).
When the eggs are done, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a folded paper towel to soak up any water.

Plate the spigarello with the eggs on top. Sprinkle with extra salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Recipe: Fresh Cranberry Beans With Olive Oil And Garlic

From May I Have That Recipe

1 lb fresh cranberry beans, shelled ( about 1 1/2 cups shelled)
6 garlic cloves, whole
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt

In a deep skillet, cook garlic in olive oil at medium heat. Tilt the pan so all the oil goes to one side of the pan and the garlic cooks evenly.  Cook for about 3 minutes or until it starts to get a slight golden color (make sure it doesn’t burn!)

Add red hot pepper flakes and thyme and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden.
Add shelled beans, mixing well so the beans get evenly coated with the oil and cook for 3-4 minutes
Add water, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes uncovered.
Turn down the heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes or until beans are tender but not mushy.

These are delicious plain, served over rice or with a nice crusty bread.

Recipe: Classic Salsa Verde

From Cookie And Kate

1 ½ pounds tomatillos (about 12 medium), husked and rinsed
1 to 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed (omit for mild salsa, use 1 jalapeño for medium salsa and 2 jalapeños for hot salsa, note that spiciness will depend on heat of actual peppers used)
½ cup chopped white onion (about ½ medium onion)
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (more if you love cilantro)
2 tablespoons to ¼ cup lime juice (1 to 2 medium limes, juiced), to taste
½ to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
Optional variation: 1 to 2 diced avocados, for creamy avocado salsa verde

Preheat the broiler with a rack about 4 inches below the heat source. Place the tomatillos and jalapeño(s) on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until they’re blackened in spots, about 5 minutes.*
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully flip over the tomatillos and pepper(s) with tongs and broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tomatillos are splotchy-black and blistered.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the chopped onion, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice and ½ teaspoon salt. Once the tomatillos are out of the oven, carefully transfer the hot tomatillos, pepper(s) and all of their juices into the food processor or blender.
Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomatillo remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Season to taste with additional lime juice and salt, if desired.

The salsa will be thinner at first, but will thicken up after a few hours in the refrigerator, due to the naturally occurring pectin in the tomatillos. If you’d like to make creamy avocado salsa verde, let the salsa cool down before blending in 1 to 2 diced avocados (the more avocado, the creamier it gets).

*A note from Rae: I've read that simmering the tomatillos instead of roasting them makes them a little less sweet. If that's to your taste, here is a slightly different version to try.

Recipe: Lentil, Cabbage, & Fennel Soup

From Honest Cooking


1 Cup Red Lentils
1 Cup Sliced Cabbage
1 Cup Sliced Fennel(including the stems and fronds)
1 Bay Leaf
2tsp Cumin Seeds
1in Ginger (crushed)
2tsp Ground Coriander
1tsp Turmeric
1/3 Cup canned diced Tomato
1 Green chili/jalapeño, chopped
2 Cups Water
Salt to taste
2Tbs Oil


Wash the lentils and keep aside. Prepare the veggies.
In a pot heat oil and the cumin seeds until it crackles. Add the cabbage and fennel,bay leaf and all the spices,tomato and jalapeños. Saute on medium until well mixed.Add the lentils and continue to stir for about a minute.

Add water and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Let it cook until the lentils are tender about (15-20 mins). Serve hot!

Roasted Baby Beet Salad With Feta & Shallot Vinaigrette

From A Sweet Pea Chef

1 bunch baby beets
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp shallots minced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp parsley minced
1 tsp fresh orange juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt to taste
1/4 tsp ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lay the baby beets, skin on, down on the baking sheet, with space surrounding each, if possible. Cover baking sheet with another sheet of aluminum foil. (You can bypass this step if you wish to individually wrap each beet, but this is kinda like wrapping them all together at once. Much easier.)
Bake beets in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all other ingredients (for the vinaigrette). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Once beets are tender, remove from oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, gently peel off beet skin using a sharp paring knife. Discard peel.
Slice each beet in about 1/4-inch slices. Arrange sliced beets on a plate. Drizzle desired amount of vinaigrette over the beets (you may not need to use it all). Sprinkle crumble feta over the plate.

Recipe: Stuffed Delicata Squash

Adapted From Aggie's Kitchen

2 Delicata squash, cut lengthwise
2 teaspoon olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped finely (or substitute your shallot!)
1 15 oz can cannellini or white beans, rinsed and drained
3 handfuls fresh kale, roughly chopped
1/4 cup panko or bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scoop seeds out of each half of squash. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Squash will be soft to the touch.

While squash is baking, make stuffing for squash:
Heat 1 teaspoons of olive oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion to pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add kale to pan and cook until wilted. Add rinsed beans to pan and stir, cook until warmed through.
Spoon stuffing into each squash half.

In a small bowl, combine panko and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over each squash. Place into oven for about 15 minutes until heated through and breadcrumbs and cheese are golden brown.
Serve immediately with red pepper flakes and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe: Green Beans With Almond Pesto

From Smitten Kitchen

2 pounds green (or purple and yellow!) beans
1 cup (5 ounces or 140 grams) almonds, toasted and cooled
1 1/4 ounces (about 1/3 cup grated) parmesan or aged pecorino cheese, but no need to grate if using a food processor
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Leaves from a sprig or two of thyme
Pinches of red pepper flakes, to taste
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
2 to 3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Trim green beans — I find using kitchen shears the quickest way — and cook beans in boiling water until crisp tender, about 3 to 4 minutes for regular green beans or 2 to 3 minutes for the skinnier “haricot vert” variety. Plunge in an ice water bath to fully cool. Drain and pat dry. (If you have no patience for the precision of ice water baths, take the green beans out a full minute early as they will continue cooking as they cool.)

In food processor, grind almonds, cheese, garlic, thyme, pepper and salt to a coarse paste. Add vinegar, and pulse again. Stir in oil and adjust seasonings to taste.

Toss cooled green beans with almond pesto. Drizzling with extra olive oil for a fresh glisten. Dig in.

Serving suggestions: a mix of cherry tomatoes, grilled bread drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with a halved garlic clove or even grilled sausages.

Recipe: Pickled Hot Pepper Strips

from Summer In A Jar

1 cup white vinegar 
1/2 cup water 
1 garlic clove 
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 
1/2 teaspoon pickling salt 
2 cups hot peppers, seeded and cut into strips

In a nonaluminum saucepan, heat 1 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water for each pint of peppers. Into each hot, sterilized pint jar, place 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon pickling salt, and 2 cups hot pepper strips, leaving about 1/2 inch head space. Fill with the hot brine, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Be sure to remove any air bubbles that are trapped inside the jar. Seal. Process in a hot water bath for 5 minutes. Adjust seals if necessary. Let cool undisturbed for 12 hours. Store in a cool, dry place. If 

*be sure to reserach and follow canning safety procedure if you've never canned before!

Reeipe: Tumbleweed Farm's Favorite Kale Salad

From Dishing Up The Dirt

1 large bunch of kale, washed and torn into bite size pieces (remove some of the large tough stems)
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce or tamari)
1 tablespoon water (plus more to thin if needed)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
sea salt

In a large bowl use your hands to lightly massage the raw kale for a few seconds.

Using an immersion blender or small food processor puree the garlic, tahini, vinegar, lemon juice, coconut aminos, water and nutritional yeast until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Pour half of the dressing into the bowl with the kale and use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves. Add the diced avocado, toasted sesame seeds, pine nuts and a sprinkle of sea salt. Divide between plates and drizzle with additional dressing.

Recipe: Lentil Salad With Carrots, Tomatoes, & Peppers

Adapted from Epicurious

1/2 lb brown lentils, rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced kalamata olives
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place lentils, bay leaves, and garlic in a large saucepan. Add water to cover and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until lentils are tender. Drain, discarding bay leaves. Transfer to a bowl. Add peppers, carrot, tomato, feta, olives, onion, and parsley. Toss to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour over lentil mixture and toss.

Recipe: Arugula Pesto

From NYT Cooking

2 garlic cloves, cut in half, green shoots removed
2 heaped tablespoons shelled walnuts
4 ounces arugula, stemmed, washed and dried 2 cups leaves, tightly packed
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed
⅓ to ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, to taste

Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When they are chopped and adhering to the sides, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the walnuts. Turn on the machine, and process until they are finely ground. Scrape down the bowl again, and add the arugula and the salt. Pulse until the arugula is finely chopped, then turn on the machine and run while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, stop the machine, scrape down the sides and process for another 30 seconds or so. Scrape out into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind the mixture with the pestle for a smoother texture. Work in the cheese and combine well.

Recipe: Roasted Peppers with Capers and Mozzarella

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

3 bell peppers 
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons basil, chopped
1/2 pound ball of mozzarella, sliced (this is a great place to use the really fresh stuff, if you can get it)

Roast the peppers: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line peppers on a large baking sheet and roast them for 45 minutes to 1 hour, using tongs to rotate them 1/4 of the way, rotisserie-style, every 15 minutes. It’s safer to extend the cooking time than shorten it, as the skins will only come off easily if they’re fully cooked.

Once they’re fully roasted, cover the pepper tray with another piece of foil and let the peppers cool. When they’re cool enough to handle, remove the skins. Remove seeds and slice sections of pepper into 1/4-inch wide strips.

Toss peppers with red wine vinegar, garlic and a few pinches of salt. Cover and let marinate for an hour or overnight (and up to 4 days) in the fridge.

To serve, arrange peppers on a plate. Adjust seasonings, adding salt, freshly ground black pepper or additional vinegar, to taste. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with capers and basil and arrange mozzarella over salad.

Eat with some crusty bread and a glass of wine, preferably al fresco.

Recipe: Radicchio, Farro, and Tomato Salad

(This is from my (Alice's) Brain originally from Rand of One Leaf Farm, so the recipe is about as good as its going to get)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Farro
3 c vegetable broth
1 small head or 1/2 larde head Radicchio (or to taste)
1 cup Feta Cheese (or to taste)
Tomatoes (we usually use about 2 large)

Dressing
1 Shallot
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp champagne vinegar
small spoon of dijon mustard
* the ratio for this recipe is 2 parts oil, 1 part vinegar, but you can play with the proportions or make more or less to have on hand


Cook the Farro or Wheat Berries in vegetable broth using the linked method, or by combining the broth and farro, bringing the liquid to a boil, and reducing to a simmer - cooking for about 30-35 minutes or until done.

While the grain is cooking, finely mince the shallot. In a small saucepan, cook the shallot in the olive oil on medium heat. Once the shallot has softened, remove from heat and add mustard, lemon juice, and champagne vinegar.

Then chiffonade your radicchio and cut up tomatoes or cherry tomatoes into wedges.

I like to toss the radicchio in the salad dressing while the dressing is still warm, to wilt the radicchio just a bit. Then add the cooked farro, and feta and tomatoes at the end. This is just a rough guideline, so adjust the amounts to suit your taste - oh, and don't forget salt!! If you've got a bit of parsley around, that would be a beautiful addition too!

p.s. my roommate once roasted dates and prosciutto and I think those would be an insane and wonderfully decadent addition to this dish

Recipe: Fingerling Potato Salad With Crispy Chickpeas & Roasted Garlic Mustard Green Pesto

from Dishing Up The Dirt

Roasted Garlic Mustard Green (spicy salad mix) Pesto

• 2 medium heads of garlic

• 1/4 cup almonds, lightly toasted in a dry skillet until golden brown

• 1 bunch of mustard greens, about 3 1/2 cups, roughly chopped

• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + additional to thin if necessary

• salt + pepper to taste

Crispy Chickpeas & Capers

• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas- if from the can rinsed, drained and patted dry

• 1/4 cup capers, drained and patted dry

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• pinch of salt + pepper

• 3 Tablespoons olive oil

Potatoes

• 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, larger potatoes cut in half lengthwise and smaller potatoes left whole

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• salt + pepper

• Parmesan cheese for serving

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Prepare the pesto by trimming the tops of the 2 heads of garlic and lightly peeling the outer loose layers of skin-keeping the garlic heads themselves intact. Drizzle the exposed tops of the garlic with a little olive oil and place them in tin foil. Wrap them up in a small packet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes. Let cool completely and then squeeze the garlic from the skins right into the bowl of a food processor.

2. Pulse garlic, almonds, mustard greens, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed. Add more oil or a splash of water to thin the sauce if necessary.

3. Toss the chickpeas, capers, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper with the oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the oven (400F) until golden brown and crisp. About 18-22 minutes. Shake the pan a few times while roasting.

4. Toss the potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast in the same oven as the chickpeas and capers until cooked through and tender. About 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes)

5. In a large bowl toss the potatoes with the crispy chickpeas and capers. Scoop in a healthy spoonful of the pesto and toss until evenly coated, adding more pesto as necessary. Divide among plates and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and additional salt + pepper if necessary.