Recipe: Grilled Cabbage With Sausage

Image from Feasting At Home

from Feasting At Home

1 large purple cabbage

olive oil for brushing

salt and pepper

4–6 Andouille Sausages ( I used chicken, feel free to use vegan sausage)

Mustard Seed Vinaigrette:

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons honey

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh chives

Pre heat grill on high heat.

With the stem side pointing down, using a sharp chefs knife to slice cabbage into thin slices no thicker than ½ inch thick. Cut the core out, making a “v” —  or keep it in for easier grilling.

Clean and grease the grill well. Brush each side of cabbage with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. lower grill to med-high. Add sausages and cabbage. Grill each side of cabbage for 6-8 minutes, closing grill. You want cabbage slightly soft, but not completely collapsing. You can lower heat further, if slices are thicker, to get them to cook through. Grill the sausages until seared and plumped.

Place cabbage steaks down on a large plater. Spoon half of the dressing over top. Slice the sausages in half and steep diagonal and scatter over cabbage. Spoon remaining dressing over sausage.

Garnish with chopped chives and scatter with chive blossoms.

Recipe: Greens Gratin With All the Cheese

Image from Bon Appetit

from Bon Appetit

1 medium onion

5 garlic cloves, divided

2 cups heavy cream

1 rosemary sprig

1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more

4 medium or 3 large bunches of Tuscan kale and/or Swiss chard (2–2½ lb. total)

1 lemon

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

6oz. high-quality sharp cheddar cheese

½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°. First, prep the cream sauce: Peel and quarter 1 medium onion. Smash 4 garlic cloves and unpeel. Place onion and garlic in a medium saucepan. Pour in 2 cups heavy cream and stir in 1 rosemary sprig, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion and garlic are very soft, 15–20 minutes.

While cream cooks, remove ribs from 4 medium bunches of Tuscan kale. Tear leaves into big pieces and wash. It’s okay if some water still clings to the leaves—this will help them wilt later. If you don’t have a bowl big enough to hold all of your greens, pile them on a baking sheet instead.

When cream is ready, pluck out rosemary sprig and discard. Finely grate zest of ½ lemon into cream and stir in ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

Heat a large (as large as possible—12" is the goal) ovenproof skillet over medium. Add about one-quarter of greens, cover skillet (use a baking sheet if you don’t have a lid), and cook until wilted, 3–4 minutes. Scoot wilted greens to one side of pan. Add another quarter of greens, cover pan, and cook to wilt, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and place skillet on a rimmed baking sheet.

Prep the toppings: Cut 6 oz. high-quality sharp cheddar cheese into ¼"-thick slices (you’ll have about 1½ cups). Place ½ cup panko to a small bowl and finely grate in zest of ½ lemon and remaining 1 garlic clove. Add 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Pile remaining greens on top of wilted kale, pressing down to compact as needed. This will look BANANAS, but the greens will shrink dramatically in the oven. Carefully pour cream mixture over. It’s okay if it drips a little—that’s why it’s on a baking sheet. Break cheese slices into large crumbles and evenly distribute over top. Sprinkle panko mixture over.

Bake gratin until cheese is browned and bubbling and panko is toasted, 50–55 minutes.

Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Try not to eat the whole thing yourself!

Recipe: Homemade Pumpkin Puree

from Vanilla & Bean

Thinking of making pumpkin pie from scratch for Thanksgiving this year? Make your puree ahead of time and store in the freezer until a day or two before the big cooking day! 

1 Winter Luxury Pumpkin (or any pie pumpkin)

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut the pumpkin in half. If the seeds will not be saved, roast the pumpkin with the seeds and scoop them out after roasting. It's much easier! If saving the seeds, using a metal spoon and/or your hands, scoop out the seeds and strings. Place the seeds in a bowl of water. 

Place pumpkin halves skin side up on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Roast for 50-60 minutes or until flesh is soft and fragrant. Remove from oven and allow to cool until they can be safely handled.

If you roasted the pumpkin with seeds, use a metal spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard. Otherwise, scoop out the flesh. Puree the flesh until silky smooth or desired consistency is reached.

Recipe: Celeriac & Apple Soup

from Wild Greens & Sardines

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ cups sliced leeks
½ cup roughly chopped onion
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 medium tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and quartered
1 pounds celeriac, peeled and cubed
3-4 cups water
½ cup whole milk
Freshly ground pepper
For serving: piment d’espelette or smoked paprika

Heat the butter and olive oil together over medium heat in a large pot. Allow the butter to brown, just slightly. Add the chopped leeks and onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and shiny, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, nutmeg, and garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the celeriac, apples, and water to the pot. Cover and raise the heat to high. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples and celeriac fall apart, 30 to 40 minutes.

If you have an immersion blender, stick it into the pot and blend until smooth. Otherwise, transfer to an upright blender in batches and return to the pot. Add the milk, and taste to adjust salt and add pepper. Serve with a healthy dusting of piment d’espelette or smoked paprika.

Recipe: Hot & Sour Soup With Cabbage, Mushrooms, & Rice

from The Kitchn

This is a farm favorite at One Leaf! It is simple and delicious and will help clear up the cold weather blues! Add some tofu or chicken to include more protein. 

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 ounces cremini or shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced

1 to 3 jalapeno peppers, finely diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

3-inch piece ginger, grated (or 1 tablespoon ginger puree)

1 to 3 limes, zested and juiced

8 cups chicken broth (or turkey or vegetable)

1/2 cup jasmine rice

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari, if gluten-free), plus more to serve

1/2 small head savoy cabbage, cut in half and shaved thin

Chili garlic sauce or kimchi, to serve

the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Stir the mushrooms after 5 minutes and cook for 5 more minutes, or until well-browned. Add the diced peppers, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly softened.

Add the lime zest and broth and bring to a simmer. Add the rice, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is just barely soft. Add the shaved cabbage, lime juice, and soy sauce and simmer for another few minutes, or until cabbage is hot. Taste and add more lime juice, soy sauce, or other seasonings to taste.

Serve with extra soy sauce, lime wedges, and kimchi or chili garlic sauce.

Roasting squash before adding it to soups helps evaporate the water from the squash, making for a more flavorful soup.  If you're in a hurry, cubing and adding the squash directly into the soup is just fine.

Recipe: Roasted Parsnip Hummus

from Golubka Kitchen

This recipe can be used to incorporate other sweet roasted roots such as beets and carrots (or a combo) so get creative! 

3 medium parsnips - peeled and cut into strips

1 red onion - sliced into 8 wedges

olive oil or neutral coconut oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 head garlic - about ¼" cut off the top of the garlic head, some of the outer skin peeled off

1 15oz can chickpeas or 1¾ cup cooked chickpeas

½ cup tahini

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon toasted whole cumin seeds - ground

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste

1 cup water

olives - for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Prepare a parchment paper-covered baking sheet.

Place parsnips and red onion onto the baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and mix well with your hands.

Drizzle the top of the garlic head with oil, salt and pepper. Make a parchment paper packet or tin foil packet and place the garlic inside. Place packet onto the tray with the vegetables. Garlic must remain covered when roasting.

Put the tray with the vegetables into the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, mix the parsnips and onion, trying to flip over each piece, then roast for another 15 minutes, until soft throughout and caramelized at the edges. Check the garlic, it should be soft and cooked through after the 30 minutes. If not, roast it for another 5 minutes or so until nice and soft.

Let the garlic cool down a bit and slip all the garlic cloves out of their skins. Combine all the roasted vegetables, chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, ½ teaspoon sea salt and water in a high-speed blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

Serve the hummus garnished with more olive oil and olives, if using. Keep refrigerated in an air-tight container.

Recipe: Pasta With Fried Peppers and Winter Pesto

from the farm!

For The Peppers

A handful of Sweet Italian Frying Peppers

Olive Oil

A sprinkle of salt and pepper

For The Pesto

1 Cup Arugula

1 Cup Kale

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 fresh grated parmesan cheese

3 tbs lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

A pinch of salt

For The Pasta

1 lb pasta of your choice, cooked per package instructions

Freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste

Chopped parsley to garnish

To Prepare The Peppers

Cut peppers in half and remove stems and seeds. Heat a large saute pan over medium to high heat. Add just enough olive oil to cover the pan and toss in the peppers. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a total of 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the peppers.

To Prepare The Pesto

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Toss cooked pasta with peppers and pesto, top with parmesan and parsley. 

Recipe: Roasted Apple & Squash Soup With Spiced Squash Seeds

from Edible Marin & Wine Country

1 (2-pound) Red Kuri squash

1 large sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 shallot, peeled and quartered

3 tart apples, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons melted butter

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground mace

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut the squash in half using a large, thick knife or cleaver. Carefully push down on both ends of the blade, slowly, to cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and reserve for the spiced seed garnish. Place the cut side of each squash on a cutting board. Cut each into wedges. Then carve off the peel of each wedge. Cut the peeled squash into 2-inch pieces.

Place the squash, onions, shallot, apples and ginger in an 11- by 17-inch baking dish and toss together with the oil, melted butter, maple syrup, thyme, ginger and spices. Make sure everything is well combined and coated in the oil and butter. Place in the oven and roast for about 50 minutes, or until a slight char appears on the onions and shallots. Mix the vegetables once during the roasting.

Transfer all of the roasted vegetables, including any drippings, into a large 4- to 6-quart pot, and add the water. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully blend the mixture, using an immersion blender, until smooth and velvety. Taste the soup and season with additional salt, if needed.

Slowly blend in the heavy cream, if using.

Serve warm, garnished with the spiced squash seeds for a more extravagant meal.

Recipe: Kohlrabi & Potato Gratin

from Boston Organics

2 Tbs. butter

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream

1 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon minced thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 large potatoes (2 pounds), peeled

1 large kohlrabi, peeled

Preheat the oven to 300°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a skillet, melt the butter and add the thyme and garlic and let simmer a few minutes to release the flavors.  Add the heavy cream and sour cream or crème fraîche and plenty of salt and pepper.

Using a vegetable mandolin (or a knife and a skilled hand), thinly slice the potatoes and kohlrabi, then add to the cream and toss to mix. Spread the potatoes, kohlrabi and cream in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 325° and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is browned. Let the gratin stand for 10 minutes to reabsorb the excess liquid before serving.

Recipe: Purple Carrot Soup

from A Hedgehog In The Kitchen

1.5 lbs of purple carrots (peeled and sliced)
1 onion (peeled and sliced)
1 clove of garlic (peeled and sliced)
1 tsp of cumin powder
2 cups (40cl) of coconut milk
1 inch of ginger (peeled and grated)
A tbsp of fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 red chili pepper (powdered)
Salt and pepper to taste

Put the carrots, onion, garlic, cumin, cilantro and a teaspoon of coarse salt in a large pot.
Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the mixture.
Heat on high heat for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Pour the coconut milk.
Add the ginger and half a teaspoon of ground black pepper.
Mix with a hand blender.
Heat until it boils.
Serve with powdered red chili pepper and a sprig of fresh cilantro.

Recipe: Spiced Carrot & Date Loaf

from Dishing Up The Dirt

2 eggs

2/3 cup walnut oil (or another neutral tasting oil)

3/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill)

1/2 cups whole wheat flour (Bob's Red Mill)

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 1/2 cups freshly grated carrot

1 cup dates, roughly chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

sprinkle of old fashioned oats (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil or butter a 9×5 inch loaf pan.

In a medium to large bowl, beat eggs. Add the oil and then drizzle in the honey and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and beat well. Add carrots and chopped dates. Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with the walnuts and oats.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center of the loaf. Remove from oven and cool on a cooling rack. Once cooled, remove from loaf pan and enjoy!

Recipe: Squash & Celeriac Quinoa Stuffing

From Good Saint

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3/4 cup diced celeriac (celery root)
3/4 cup diced winter squash
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

Rinse quinoa, pour in a sauce pan with 2 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Avoid stirring and let boil until the quinoa absorbs all the remaining water, about 10-15 minutes. [Tip: For guaranteed perfect quinoa, after all the water is absorbed, turn the heat off and let it sit in the pan with the cover on for at least 10 more minutes. The quinoa will absorb any remaining water left in the pan and stay moist and fluffy!] Set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Melt about a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Chop the garlic, onions, squash, and celeriac, and add it to the oil. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, until veggies are fork tender- about 20 minutes. Once the veggies are softened, add the thyme, sage, salt and pepper and stir coat evenly.

Add the veggies to the quinoa in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour in the chopped parsley, hazelnuts, and olive oil and toss until everything is evenly distributed.

Recipe: Black-Eyed Peas with Smoky Collards & Cheesy Grits

From Vanilla & Bean

For The Black Eyed Peas

2 1/2 C Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas
*OR*
1 C Dry Black Eyed Peas soaked overnight, rinsed
2 C Vegetable Broth
1 C Yellow Onion small dice (about 1)
1 C Green Bell Pepper small dice (about 1)
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Bayleaf
1 tsp Vegan Worcestershire Sauce gluten free if needed
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
A few dashes of Tabasco optional but recommended!

For The Collard Greens

1/2 C Vegetable Broth
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp Tamari Sauce
4 Cloves of Garlic minced
1 lb Collard Greens cut into ribbons and washed throughly
1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes optional but recommended!

For The Grits

3 C Water 711g
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 C White or Yellow Corn Grits
1 1/2 TBS Nutritional Yeast (optional) or 1/2 C (50g) shredded Monterey jack or cheddar cheese

Serve with Fresh Sliced Jalapeños
Tabasco
Slather with easy Homemade BBQ Sauce

If using Slow Cooked Black Eyed Peas, skip #2 and move right into cooking the collards.
In a medium saucepot, add the soaked black eyed peas, vegetable broth, onion, bell pepper, garlic, bayleaf, and optional tabasco. Bring to a boil, turn down to low or to a low simmer and cook for 45 minutes to one hour, uncovered. The peas should be tender with just a slight tooth, not mushy. Add the worcestershire, and liquid smoke. Taste for seasoning adjustment.

For the Collard Greens: In a large stockpot, bring the broth, liquid smoke, tamari sauce, and garlic to a boil. Add the collard greens, stir throughly using tongs, lid the pot and cook on med-low for between 10-15 minutes. Stir the greens at least twice while they cook down and become tender. Their color will darken a bit too. Add the apple cider vinegar and pinch of red pepper flakes. Taste for seasoning adjustment (add salt if needed).

For the Grits: In a medium saucepot bring water and salt to a boil. Turn down to low and whisk in the grits. Stir in the nutritional yeast. Cook on low, covered, for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste. (if using cheese, stir in the cheese after cooking for 5 minutes). Grits can dry out pretty quick, so if you need, add a TBS of water at a time and stir in after they're done cooking.

To Assemble: To an individual serving bowl, add the peas, greens and grits arranged separately. Serve with jalapeños and/or tabasco and plenty of BBQ sauce for slathering
Store in individual lidded containers, refrigerated for up to two days.

Recipe: Spice- Kissed Pumpkin Pie

From 101 Cookbooks

1 pie crust (of your choice)*
2 cups hazelnuts (divided) , toasted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend*
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon or cornstarch
1 1/2 cups of roasted pumpkin puree*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 extra large eggs PLUS one for glaze, lightly beaten
1 cup coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the middle. Puree 1 1/2 cups of the toasted hazelnuts in a food processor until they turn into a hazelnut paste, past the 'crumble' stage. Set aside. Chop the remaining 1/2 cup of hazelnuts and set aside seperately, these will be sprinkled on top after the pie is baked.

To make the pumpkin pie filling, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice blend, salt, and arrowroot. Stir in the pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Now stir in the eggs and coconut milk until just combined. Set aside.

Before filling the pie crust, crumble the hazelnut paste on top of the pie dough into the pie plate, quickly and gently press it into a thin layer across the bottom creating a layer of hazlenuts that will sit between the dough and the filling. Using the last egg gently brush the decorative edges of the pie dough. Use a fork to prick the pie dough a few times to prevent air bubbles. Fill the pie crust with the filling and bake for about 50 minutes - the center of the pie should just barely jiggle when you move the pie - the edges should be set.

Let the pie cool a bit, this makes slicing less messy. Serve straight or with a dollop of bourbon-spiked, sweetenend whipped cream or creme fraiche, and a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts.

*We love Smitten Kitchen's All Butter Crust

*Spice Blend: 1 tablespoon freshly ground cassia cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground allspice, scant 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger (pre ground)

*Roasted Pumpkin: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully cut the pumpkin into four big wedges - get rid of the stem. Scoop out the seeds and pulp (you can toast the seeds if you like), drizzle then rub the pumpkin wedges with olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt, and then bake on a baking sheet (middle rack) until tender throughout - about an hour. Scoop flesh out of the skins and puree with a hand blender or mash well by hand.

Recipe: Celeriac & Leek Soup

Adapted From Dishing Up The Dirt

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium leeks (or one large), diced, white and light green parts only
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium-sized celeriac, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
Hefty pinch of salt
4 cups vegetable stock (plus more to thin as needed)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Crème Fraîche, or plain Yogurt for serving
Minced parsley for serving
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Add the leeks and onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, celeriac, potato and salt. Stir well. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let the soup cool for a few minutes before transferring the soup (you may need to do this in batches) to a high speed blender and pureeing until completely smooth and creamy. (You can use a stick blender here but the soup wont be nearly as smooth and creamy.) Return the soup back to the pot, stir in the lemon juice and taste for seasonings. If the soup seems too thick add more stock or water. Keep the soup on low heat until ready to serve.

Serve with a drizzle of Crème Fraîche, or plain yogurt.

Recipe: Radicchio Risotto

From Food 52

1 1/2 cups risotto rice (vialone nano, Arborio, carnaroli)
1 small head radicchio
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter
4 cups unsalted vegetable stock, warmed
1 1/4 cups red wine, warmed
1/2 cup finely grated grana or Parmesan cheese

Remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the radicchio head. Slice in half, remove the hard, white core, and shred the radicchio finely.

Saute the onion in half of the butter over a low heat in a deep skillet. When soft and translucent, add the radicchio and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside while you toast the rice.

In the same pan (no need to clean it), place the rice and 1 tablespoon of the butter, then toss over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the rice begins to appear translucent around the edges.
Return the onion and radicchio back to the pan, toss together, and add the red wine. Turn the heat up and then let the red wine simmer rapidly, giving the pan a shake here and there, until the liquid has evaporated.

At this point, begin adding the vegetable stock, a ladle at a time, letting the rice absorb most of the liquid before adding the next ladle and turning heat down to medium again. This process (including the time included to evaporate the wine) should take in total about 17 minutes.
When the rice is ready (it should have a pleasant bite to it but not be too hard or too soft), remove the pan from the heat, add the grated cheese and the rest of the butter, and toss and/or stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into dishes and serve immediately.

Recipe: Braised Celery and Radicchio Salad With Perfect Roast Chicken

From Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables
Alice typically doesn't like celery but she LOVES this recipe, so trust us, you can't go wrong with this one!

Chicken
One 3-4lb chicken
1/2 lemon, very thinly sliced
3-4 big sprigs each of thyme and rosemary
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature

Salad
1 cup braised celery*, cooled and cut on an angle into 1/2in thick slices
1/2 medium head radicchio, cut into 1/2in wide ribbons
1 large handful flat-leaf parsley
1/4 red onion (you can sub in the shallot from your box)
1 lemon, halved
kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1-2 cups torn croutons (make your own or use store bought)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
extra virgin olive oil

For The Chicken: Heat the oven to 400
With a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut along each side of the chicken's backbone to cut it out completely. Flip the chicken over breast side up and push down with the heel of your hand on the breastbone to allow the chicken to lie flat, like you're cracking open a hard-back book.

Arrange the lemon slices on a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan to cover the area that the chicken will be positioned on. Top with the herbs. Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper and lay the chicken skin side up on top of the flavorings. Smear the butter on the surface.

Roast the chicken until the flesh on the thickest part of the thigh is very tender when poked with a knife, the juices don't come out pink, and/or the temperature of the thigh registers 170 degrees. This should take 40-50min.

When the chicken is done, transfer it to a platter or tray to cool. Carefully pour the chicken fat from the pan (reserve it for cooking potatoes later). Pluck off the lemon and herbs. Discard the herbs, but if the lemon slices are tasty, you can chop them and add to the salad. Add a few spoonfuls of water to the pan and scrape and stir to dissolve the cooked-on juices.

For The Salad: Put the celery, radicchio, parsley, and onion (and roasted lemon if using) into a big bowl and toss. Pour on the deglazed chicken roasting juices and squeeze the juice from half the lemon and toss again. Taste and season with pepper and salt if needed.

Add the croutons and grated cheese and toss again. Taste again, adjust the seasoning, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Cut the chicken into pieces and arrange on a platter. Serve the salad on the same platter or on another one. Serve on the warm side of room temperature.

*Braised Celery: Separate the stalks and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Add about 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1/2 cup olive oil, a big pinch of salt, a few smashed garlic cloves, a pinch of dried chile flakes, and some thyme sprigs. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees until the celery is silky and tender.
A note from Alice: If you want to get crazy, reserve the olive oil that the celery braised in and use it to make a delicious aioli!

Recipe: Dijon Braised Brussels Sprouts

Adapted From Smitten Kitchen

1 pound brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
2 to 3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon smooth dijon mustard (or more to taste)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Trim sprouts and halve lengthwise. In a large, heavy 12-inch skillet heat butter and oil over moderate heat. Arrange halved sprouts in skillet, cut sides down, in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook sprouts, without turning until undersides are golden brown, about 5 minutes. [Updated to note: If your sprouts don’t fit in one layer, don’t fret! Brown them in batches, then add them all back to the pan, spreading them as flat as possible, before continuing with the shallots, wine, etc.]

Add the shallots, wine and stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low (for a gentle simmer), cover the pot with a lid (foil works too, if your skillet lacks a lid) and cook the sprouts until they are tender can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the lid, and scoop out brussels (leaving the sauce behind). Add cream and simmer for two to three minutes, until slightly thickened. Whisk in mustard. Taste for seasoning, and adjust as necessary with more salt, pepper or Dijon. Pour sauce over brussels, sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve immediately.

Recipe: Miso Sesame Winter Squash

From 101 Cookbooks

2 pounds winter squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch inch thick pieces
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon tamari or shoyu
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 heaping tablespoon white or yellow miso
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
5 tablespoons water
8 ounces organic extra-firm tofu, pressed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
 

Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C, with a rack in the middle.

In a large bowl, toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Spread the squash on a parchment-lined or well-greased baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 40 minutes, turning over with a fork after 20 minutes. Or, until golden on both sides.

In the meantime, in a medium-size bowl, whisk together the molasses, tamari, maple syrup, miso, orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, water, and the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the tofu, toss to coat, and set aside.

When the squash is deeply golden on both sides, remove from the oven.

Transfer the squash to a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the tofu mixture over the squash, and gently toss. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until a good amount of the marinade boils off. Toss a couple times along the way. Finish under the boiler if you like, or if you like a bit of extra color on top. Remove from the oven, and season with salt, if needed. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side (to squeeze on top).

Recipe: Slow Braised Greens Over Pepper Jack Grits

Adapted From Darius Cooks

1 bunches of your favorite cooking greens, be sure to clean them and cut them into small pieces. 
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon of non-salted Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
4 cups of vegetable stock

Put a large stock pot on medium heat and saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent. Add all the greens to the pot and let them cook down. If they all don’t fit in the pot, don’t worry. Stir them every few minutes and they’ll begin to wilt. Then, keep adding until all the greens are in the pot. Add the lid and let the greens cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then, lower the heat to just above a simmer, add the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Then add about 4 cups of vegetable stock. Reserve the rest and add more if you find the liquid is getting too low. You definitely don’t want the greens to scorch or burn.

Cook the greens for 1 hour on low heat. Enjoy the aroma they make and eat them while they’re hot.

Pepper Jack Grits 
2 cups of quick cooking grits
4 cups of vegetable stock
4 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of light cream
1 cup of shredded light pepper jack cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

In a pot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Lower the heat and whisk in the grits. For this recipe, never stop stirring. If you do, the grits could stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. Cook the grits on low heat for about 10-12 minutes. The grits should be super thick. Stir in the light cream, butter spread, and light cheese. Taste, and if necessary, add salt and pepper.

Serve the braised greens over your grits and try adding a poached or fried egg to make an even heartier meal!