Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 thyme sprigs
Sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon
Directions:
1. Trim away any outer leaves that are damaged and cut the sprouts in half, then cook in a pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender. Drain well.
2. Heat a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes, making sure not to brown the garlic. Add the thyme sprigs and stir for a few minutes more. Adjust the seasoning by adding sea salt to your liking, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
3. Turn the heat to medium high and add the sprouts, tossing and stirring occasionally until warmed through. Serve warm.
Serves 4
This recipe comes from an old cookbook I found recently – La Cuisiniere Republicaine by Merigot.
Ingredients:
1 pound small potatoes
1 cup stock of choice
1 cup water
¼ cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 parsnips, diced
1 bouquet garni
Directions:
1. Put the potatoes in the stock and water with the olive oil. Add a little salt and pepper, the onion, the parsnips, and bouquet garni. Boil them, uncovered, until the liquid has almost evaporated.
2. When the vegetables are tender, discard the bouquet garni. Let the vegetables sauté for a few minutes in the oil in the bottom of the pan, stirring constantly. When they are a nice color, serve the vegetables accompanied with olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 apples, sliced thinly
1½ teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons walnut halves
1 small head of celeriac
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, rinds reserved
2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped
¼ homemade mayonnaise or plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. and place the walnuts on a baking sheet, toast for 5-8 minutes, until fragrant and light brown. Set aside.
2. Peel the celeriac and rub with the reserved lemon rinds to prevent discoloring. Thinly slice the celeriac, using a mandoline, if you have one. Cut the slices into thin julienne, 2 inches long. In a large bowl, toss the celeriac with the lemon juice. Coarsely chop the walnuts and add the to the celeriac.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cranberries, mayonnaise or yogurt, and tarragon. Add the mixture to the celeriac and walnuts. Place the sliced apples fanned out on a platter and top with the celeriac salad. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
This is a recipe from an old cookbook, La Cucina Delle Stagioni, by Giovanni Calvera and Odilla Marchenisi.
Ingredients:
2 bunches chard, steamed, squeezed completely dry and finely chopped
5 tablespoons butter
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup flour of choice
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Saute the chard in 3 tablespoons butter for about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and add to a medium bowl with the ricotta, egg, and 3 tablespoons of the flour. Mix thoroughly.
2. Shape the mixture into small, round dumplings. Roll the dumplings in the remaining flour and cook them, a small batch at a time, by sliding them from a saucer into a pot of simmering salted water. After about 5-8 minutes, when the dumplings begin to float to the surface, lift them out with a slotted spoon, and keep them hot on a heatproof platter in the oven, preheated to its lowest setting.
3. To serve, melt the remaining butter and pour it over the dumplings. Sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese. Alternatively, the dumplings can be served with a tomato sauce.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Sea salt
1½ cups whole wheat orzo
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup crème fraiche
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 small ripe avocado
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously, add the orzo, and cook according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well again.
2. In the meantime, cook the broccoli. Bring ¾ cup water to a boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for 1 minute, just long enough to take off the raw edge. Quickly drain the broccoli in a strainer and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and set aside.
3. To make the pesto: combine 2 cups of the cooked broccoli, most of the pine nuts, the Parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and crème fraiche and pulse until smooth.
4. Just before serving, toss the orzo and remaining cooked broccoli florets with about 2/3 of the broccoli pesto and the lemon zest. Thin with a bit of warm water if you like, then taste and adjust flavor as needed. You might want to add a bit more salt, or a drizzle of lemon juice, or more pesto. Gently fold in the avocado. Turn out into a bowl or onto a platter and top with the remaining pine nuts.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup olive oil
Scant cup white miso
Scant 1 tablespoon red curry paste
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes
4 medium potatoes, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1½ cups chopped kale, tough stems removed
1/3 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
2/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. with a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, miso, and curry paste.
3. Combine the tofu, potatoes, and squash in a large bowl with ½ cup of miso-curry paste. Use your hands to toss well then turn the vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
4. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until everything is tender and browned. Toss once or twice along the way, after things start to brown a bit. Keep a close watch though; the vegetables can quickly go from browned to burned.
5. In the meantime, whisk the lemon juice into the rest of the remaining miso-curry paste, then stir in the kale until coated.
6. Toss the roasted vegetables gently with the kale, pepitas, and cilantro. Serve family style in a large bowl or platter.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2¼ pounds tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 pound broccoli
¼ cup pitted sliced olives
¼ cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup Parmesan shavings
Directions:
1. Place the tomatoes into a large heatproof dish. Pour boiling water over to cover.
2. Leave 1 minute, then drain. Refresh under cold water. Peel and discard the skins (optional), and finely chop flesh.
3. In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Uncover and increase heat, cooking until slightly reduced and thickened.
4. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into florets. Steam 5 minutes. Add to the sauce with the olives, nuts, and parsley, and stir well to combine. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup stemmed parsley sprigs, loosely packed
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
4 cups butternut squash cubes
1/3 pound farfalle (egg bows)
½ cup warm stock of choice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Mince together the parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and salt. Blend well with the breadcrumbs.
2. Put 1 inch of water in a steamer. Put the squash in the steamer basket, cover and steam over simmering water until tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Cook the farfalle according to package directions then drain. Toss it with the stock and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a 2-quart baking dish, make a layer of half the squash and half the breadcrumb mixture. Sprinkle the farfalle on top. Cover with the remaining squash. Top with the remaining breadcrumb mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
5. Bake the gratin until lightly colored on top and heated through, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces leeks, washed and sliced
1 ounce fresh ginger root, peeled and finely minced
1½ pounds parsnips, roughly chopped
¼ cup dry white wine
5 cups vegetable broth
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the leeks and ginger. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes until the leeks begin to soften.
2. Add the parsnips and cook for another 7-8 minutes until they are beginning to soften.
3. Pour in wine and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the parsnips are tender.
4. Puree the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed out pan.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reheat and garnish with a swirl of fromage blanc and a light dusting of paprika.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 bunch chard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks, chopped, white part only
¾ cup stock of choice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces fusilli
½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, very coarsely chopped
Directions:
1. Wash the chard well. Hold the bunch together and cut it crosswise into quarters.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the leeks, very slowly over low heat, until they are softened and beginning to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chard and stock. Cover and simmer until the chard is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile cook the fusilli to package directions then drain. In a large serving dish, toss the pasta with the chard and stock. Top with the hazelnuts.
Serves 4