Recipes

This is a large pot of stew-like soup filled with vegetables from the farm – you can add any amount of the vegetables to your liking. This is a recipe from my head, so you can improvise however you like! My amounts may vary…..
Ingredients:
5 onions, sliced
2 leeks, sliced
1 sweet pepper, diced
8 carrots, cut into rounds
2-3 big handfuls of broccoli, ends trimmed, stems chopped
1 big handful of green beans, ends removed, beans cut into thirds
2 sweet potatoes, small dice
about 10 small potatoes, small dice
3 green garlic bulbs or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch chard, stems removed and cut into small pieces, leaves cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup cooked red quinoa
1 can of organic garbanzo beans, rinsed
2-3 cups of mixed lentils – red, orange, green, brown, and maybe some chana dal – whatever you like, rinse them well
6 or more cups vegetable stock
olive oil
a few red pepper flakes for a slight heat (optional)
mild curry powder to taste- I use about 1-2 tablespoons
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add your onions and sauté until very caramelized – this gives the dal the base flavor that is so important – it will take about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and put in a large soup pot.
2. In the same skillet, add the leeks and saute until they are tender and become bright green. Add to the soup pot.
3. Saute the bell pepper and garlic together until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add to the pot.
4. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the soup pot except the cooked quinoa and chard leaves – add the chard stems now, though, and stir well to combine.
5. Season with the curry powder and salt and pepper (you may need to add more stock as it cooks). Bring the soup to a boil, then immediately turn it down to a medium simmer and every so often give it a gentle stir.
6. Cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or more, until the lentils are fully cooked and the vegetables are tender. It may take longer. Add more stock if needed. I like mine thick, you may want yours thinner.
7. When the soup is done, add the cooked quinoa and stir in the chard to wilt. Taste and add more curry powder, salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.

Not a fig person? Swap out the figs in this recipe for apples, or even apricots!

Ingredients:
5-6 ripe figs (you can use dried, but not as tasty)
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3-ounce piece Parmesan cheese
1 loaf ciabatta or sourdough baguette
1 large bunch kale
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, cut in half then into ¼-inch slices
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted
lime or lemon wedges

Directions:

1. Stem the figs and slice them lengthwise into about 5 wedges apiece. Place them in a medium dish and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss gently to coat and set them aside.
2. Shave strips of Parmesan from the block of cheese using a sturdy vegetable peeler; lovely cheese ribbons will ensue. Set aside.
3. Slice the bread into approximately a dozen thin, almost see-through, pieces. Set aside.
4. De-stem the kale. Make a pile of leaves, roll them up tightly, and cut crosswise into thin strips. Transfer to a large bowl of cold water and swish around to clean. Spin very dry and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
5. Place a large deep skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Turn up the heat to medium high and add the onion and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook stirring and shaking the pan for a little while, 2-3   minutes, until the onion becomes shiny and is still on the side of tender.
6. Transfer the hot onion to the kale in the bowl and stir everything around a bit, then return the kale-plus-onion back to the pan. Stir-fry quickly – just a minute or so – over medium high heat until the kale turns a deeper shade of green and slightly wilts.
7. Return kale to the bowl, tossing with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. You can add some Parmesan ribbons at this point, if you’d like them to melt slightly.
8. Remove from the heat, wait a minute or two, then add the vinegar to the pan (stand back – it will sizzle), swirl it around and pour on to the kale.
9. Without bothering to clean the pan, return it to the stove over medium heat. Wait another minute then add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the bread slices in a single layer and grill on each side until lightly golden and perfectly crisp.
10. Transfer the toasts to the kale, along with the figs and all of their juices. Toss quickly (no need to make it all uniform), adding the remaining cheese and walnuts as you go. Serve right away, passing a pepper mill and offering wedges of lemon or lime to be aimed straight at the figs.

Makes 4 side servings

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded squash
2 cups sweetener
¼ cup brown rice or soy flour
½ cup grape seed oil or oil of choice
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
*1½ cups spelt flour
*1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
*OR 3 cups total whole wheat pastry flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup raisins or dried cherries or cranberries (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain squash in a colander for 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess liquid.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper muffin liners.
3. Stir together squash, sweetener, soy or brown rice flour, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add spelt flour (if using), whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; stir to combine. Fold in nuts and raisins, if using.
4. Fill prepared muffin tins 2/3 full with batter. Bake 18-24 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool.

Makes 18 muffins

Though this isn’t nearly as sweet as commercial jam, the flavor of the apricots is rich and full. This is a simple little preserve to make in small quantities, not an all-day project. The lavender makes a fine match with the apricots – just make sure you use the sweet, fragrant kind, not the variety that smells like camphor.

Ingredients:
7 ripe apricots
12 apricot pits, cracked, the kernels removed
1 cup or less, depending on how sweet you want it, of sweetener of choice
7 lavender blossom sprigs
juice of ½ lemon, optional

Directions:

1. Halve the apricots, or quarter them if they are very large – larger pieces will give your jam a little texture. Place the apricots in a heavy pan with the kernels, sweetener, and lavender. Cook over high heat, watching closely and stirring at first until the juices are released and the sweetener is dissolved. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the fruit is thickened, 10-15 minutes.
2. Taste, if you wish, add the lemon juice if it needs sharpening. With so little sweetener, the natural tartness of the fruit may be sufficient. Pour into sterilized containers, cap tightly, and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 1½ pints

I love this recipe – yes, another carrot salad, yet this one really hits home for me. The carrots are so sweet right now, and they make this salad sing! This recipe is from Russell Moore, who worked at Chez Panisse for years, and now has his own restaurant, Camino, in Oakland.

Ingredients:
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
olive oil as needed
sea salt, to taste
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 limes
6 large carrots
1¼ teaspoons toasted caraway seeds
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 moderately hot, dried chilies, such as ancho

Directions:
1. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with a pinch of salt. Set aside a quarter of the garlic paste in a small dish and cover with olive oil (if you don’t have a mortar and pestle you can smash the garlic with the flat part of the knife and add a pinch of salt to the garlic and keep pushing down with the flat side of the knife to create a paste). You can use this later for fine-tuning the flavor. Pour the lime juice into the garlic paste remaining on the mortar, and stir to combine.

2. Slice the carrots into fine julienne, using a mandolin, if possible; it’s important they are not thick because you want them to wilt a little. Put the carrots into a bowl and use your hands to toss them with the garlic-lime juice and some salt.

3. Give the caraway seeds a quick pulse in a coffee or spice grinder just to break them down a bit, then sprinkle them and the sesame seeds over the carrots.

4. Tear the chilies into manageable pieces, discarding the stems and seeds, and place them in a spice grinder, pulse several times to create a coarse powder. Sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of the chili powder over the carrots; save the remaining for another use.

5. Toss the carrots to combine all the seasonings, then taste. If the salad is too acidic, add a splash of olive oil. If it tastes flat, add a bit more garlic paste or chili powder.

6. Let sit for 30 minutes for flavors to combine before serving, if possible.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 pound green beans, trimmed
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
crushed red pepper
1-2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Place a large skillet or wok over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and swirl to coat the pan. Heat for anther 30 seconds or so, then toss in the green beans and ¼ teaspoon salt. Turn up the heat to medium high and stir-fry for 2 minutes, shaking the pan rearranging the beans with tongs or a wok spatula. Keep them moving so they can have contact with the hot oil (if desired, drizzle a little extra oil down the sides of the pan as you go).

2. Add the garlic, stirring to coat the beans then do the same with a big pinch of the crushed red pepper. Stir-fry for a minute longer, keeping the heat strong and the beans in motion. Taste to see if the beans are done to your liking. If not, keep them going a little longer, still over strong heat. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt and some sesame seeds, if desired, and serve right away.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
½ pound radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
handful of mizuna
6 leaves lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
Yogurty Orange Vinaigrette (click for recipe)
2 oranges, sectioned, sections removed from membranes
½ cup lightly toasted pistachios

Directions:

1. Wash the radicchio, mizuna, and lettuce, then spin dry and transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add about 6 tablespoons vinaigrette, tossing as you go to coat all the leaves. Add the orange sections toward the end, mixing them gently so they won’t break.
3. Sprinkle with pistachios with the final toss and serve pronto!

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 heaping tablespoon finely minced shallots
Up to ½ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Combine the shallot, orange zest, honey, orange juice, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl or jar with a lid and whisk to thoroughly blend. Keep whisking as you drizzle in the olive oil, keeping up the action until it is completely incorporated.
2. Whisk in the yogurt and mix until uniform. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes about ¾ cup

This is an eggless Caesar dressing with lots of anchovies, which are loaded with protein and calcium. The flavors are balanced with the bitterness of the radicchio and mildness of the kale.

Ingredients:
8 anchovy fillets, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
about ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 bunch kale, stemmed and cut crosswise into ribbons
1 radicchio, cut crosswise into ribbons

Directions:

1. Whisk anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, oil, 2 tablespoons water, salt, and pepper in a very large bowl. Don’t worry if the dressing doesn’t emulsify, it will come together more when you add the cheese.
2. Add ¾ cup Parmesan cheese and the greens and mix with your hands. Set on salad plates to serve.

Serves 8

These make a great snack, garnish for tacos, layered in sandwiches, or tossed in salads. Makes 1 quart jar.

Ingredients:
1¼ cups apple cider vinegar (best to use is organic unfiltered)
2¼ teaspoons coarse salt
2¼ teaspoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 fresh hot pepper, to your taste (jalapeno, habanero – which is fire-cracker HOT!, Serrano, etc.)
1 cinnamon stick
1 fresh bay leaf (or dried)
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 pound carrots, cut into rounds

Directions:

1. Bring vinegar, ¾ cup water, salt, and brown sugar to a boil in a medium stainless steel saucepan. Stir, dissolving the salt and sugar.
2. Heat a 1-quart jar: Fill it with hot water and let it sit a couple of minutes before pouring it out on one of your plants (heating the jar will prevent it shattering when you pour in the boiling brine). Add garlic, hot pepper and spices to the jar.
3. Pack the jar tightly with carrots. Pour in the hot brine. Cover and let cool overnight before eating. Store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks.